Winter Mammals of Iowa: White-Tailed Jackrabbit

jackrabbit

The white-tailed jackrabbit can commonly be spotted in western and northern Iowa. It is the largest member of the rabbit and hare family. It weighs in the range of six to ten pounds. White-tailed jackrabbits have an interesting adaptation when it comes to the different seasons. Their fur can be a different color depending on Read More »

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Red Foxes in the Winter

Red Fox sitting with tail in front in winter

The weather is getting colder and winter is on its way. The red fox is one of the two species of fox that Iowa has. How do they survive the cold Iowa winters? Red foxes do not hibernate, but they are less active during the winter to conserve their energy. They will usually just curl Read More »

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Make your own Punxsutawney Phil

groundhog craft

With yesterday being Groundhog Day, I decided we should be able to make our own Punxsutawney Phil. Now you can have your own groundhog too! Let’s start with the supplies you will need.   Supplies: Brown paper, white paper, black paper Scissors Glue Pencil if you want to draw before you cut   Step 1: Read More »

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Is it a groundhog or woodchuck?

groundhog day

Today is Groundhog Day!  Phil saw his shadow so six more weeks of winter it is. But did you know, Punxsutawney Phil has his own club? There is a whole club plus an inner circle who support Phil and throw a party every year for Groundhog Day. This year it will be virtual but they Read More »

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Do Animals know it’s the New Year?

sunset with fence

Do animals know when to celebrate New Year’s Eve or do they celebrate it whenever they want? Well, animals probably don’t celebrate it at all but, they do follow environmental cues. An environmental cue is something like the days getting longer or the blooming of certain plants which are food sources. Animals have always had Read More »

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Snowman Handprint Craft

Snowman Handprint

While 5 snowmen seem like a lot and like it would be a lot of work, I promise, it’s not. This snowman handprint craft is very simple and very fun for the little ones. In the spirit of the holidays, make this cute snowmen craft and show us by sharing it on social media and Read More »

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There are no reindeer in Iowa but Santa loves them

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

As Christmas draws closer, we’re going to take a look at some information about reindeer. Reindeer are native to the Arctic tundra and forests of Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, and Canada. While in Europe, reindeer are always referred to as reindeer but in North America, they are called caribou in the wild. When the caribou Read More »

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5 Facts about the Winter Solstice

Winter Solstice!

Today is the Winter Solstice but do you know what that means? The Winter Solstice is the first day of Winter but also the shortest day of the year. This year is occurs on December 21st. In Okoboji, we will only receive 8 hours and 57 minutes of daylight with the sun rising at 7:50 Read More »

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How Chipmunks Survive Winter

Chipmunks are abundant creatures in the summer but where do they go once fall and winter finally come around? During the fall, they prepare for hibernation. Well, kind of. They gather food to store for the winter. Some species keep the food in their burrows, but others don’t. Chipmunks eat a variety of food but Read More »

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How Do Chickadees Survive Winter?

house finch

The Black-capped Chickadee is one of the most common birds in the northern half of North American meaning you have probably seen one or many in your backyard. Since these birds are so common, you might have noticed they’re still around eating from birdfeeders. But shouldn’t they be migrating by now? Most birds have migrated Read More »

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