Canada Geese

Ask the Naturalist

Previous nature questions and answers from Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre’s Naturalist

The Oak Hammock Marsh Interpretive Centre’s Naturalist can answer all the nature question you’ve always wanted to have answered but never knew who to ask.

Previous questions include:

Why can birds safely stand or sit on electrical power lines that would electrocute a person?

If people were able to sit on power lines without touching anything else (like the birds do), we would not get electrocuted either! This is because current - the flow of electrons - flows along the path of least resistance. Electrons try to get to where they are going in the easiest possible way, much like a person walking on the sidewalk instead of the grass because it is easier. When a bird sits on a wire and the electrons reach the part of the wire where the bird is sitting, the electrons have two options. They could go through the bird's feet and encounter a large amount of resistance or they could go through the metal wire. All metals are conductors, which means that electrons flow through them easily. Because it is easier to travel through the metal, the electrons don't go through the bird's feet, so the bird stays safe.

The same thing would happen if a person could sit on a wire without touching anything. The electrons would go through the wire instead of through the person. If, however, the person reached out to a tree or anything else connected with the ground, there is a new path of lower resistance. The electrons would go through the person to the ground, and the person would be electrocuted. This also happens to many raptors that perch on power lines. Their large wings - or the prey they are carrying - touch another line. The use of underground power lines wherever possible can help prevent this from happening.

Do birds use smell to locate new birdfeeders?

The avian sense of smell is not completely understood. We do know, however, that most birds have a fairly poor sense of smell. This is due to the relative levels of importance of the senses. The two most important senses are sight and hearing.

Some birds do use the sense of smell to find food. These are usually ocean dwelling, fish eating birds that smell the oils on the surface of the water. Vultures also use smell to a certain degree to locate decaying meat.

So, do most birds simply see new feeders? The answer is yes. Birds are excellent at finding food. While flying about, birds can spot new feeders based on their experience with feeders as places of ample food reserves. As a general rule, smell is not the main sense for any bird.

Do Hummingbirds migrate on the backs of geese?

No one is sure where this urban myth got started, but it is definitely not true. Hummingbirds migrate under their own power, skimming just above the waves to cross the Gulf of Mexico.

Canada Geese can migrate at 20,000 feet or higher. Hummingbirds would not do well at that height. In addition, migratory geese heading south don't end up in the tropics. The farthest south they go is to the coastal Carolinas - well north of hummingbird destinations. Hummingbirds also leave earlier than Canada Geese. They start migrating in August and are mostly gone by the beginning of September. Geese don't start migrating until mid-September and are not gone until late October or early November.

So how did this myth get started? Perhaps someone thought that hummingbirds are too small and delicate to be able to fly such long distances during migration. They may have speculated that they would have to hitch rides on bigger birds. By the way, folks also used to believe that hummingbirds had no legs!

What are Snow Fleas?

Winter in Canada is a time when many animals, especially insects, are hibernating or have migrated. An interesting exception to this rule is the snow flea. This tiny insect can be found on sunny winter days, hopping around in groups on the surface of the snow. They are often found near the base of trees, and resemble dancing sprinkles of pepper.

The snow flea is not actually a flea at all, but part of an ancient group of insects called springtails, whose members are so primitive they do not even have wings. Springtails get their name from their unique method of transportation: they have two spring-loaded tails tucked underneath their bellies held by hooks. When the insect releases the hooks, the tail hits the ground (or snow) sending the insect into the air in a random direction. What a tough way to get around!

Snow fleas are active year round. They are important recyclers and soil builders, feeding on plant litter, fungi, and bacteria. It has been discovered that snow fleas contain antifreeze proteins in their bodies to help them function in the cold weather! Snow fleas are harmless to humans and pets and do not bite or cause disease. The next time you go for a winter walk at the Interpretive Centre, see if you can spot these fascinating insects

What good are mosquitoes?

Mosquitoes have two important roles in nature. First, they are an important food supply. The larvae and pupae are good food for many kinds of fish. Adult mosquitoes also provide food for huge numbers of insect-eating birds and bats.

Secondly, mosquitoes are important pollinators. Like bees and butterflies, they pick up pollen while traveling to a flower for nectar, then bring the pollen to the next flower that they visit. A large part of a mosquito’s diet consists of plant nectar.

Mosquitoes have been around since Jurassic times and long before humans and our communities. Although at times they feel like a nuisance, mosquitos are a species like any other and deserve our respect as another living being.

Where do fish go in the winter?

Fish have several strategies for dealing with winter. Some fish migrate. They may swim south, or move into deeper, warmer water. Other species of fish stay active in the cold water, but may be less active than in the summer. When the weather gets cold, most fish move to the bottom of lakes and ponds where the water doesn’t freeze. There, they hide under rocks, logs or fallen leaves. They live off the fat reserve they built up during the summer, when meals were easier to come by. Active fish will gather in any little bit of open water.

Which wasps like picnics?

Yellowjackets (Vespula spp.) are the wasps that show up to every picnic in late July and August. The adults are attracted to fruit, nectar and bits of sweet tasting food; they will even carry off bits of food! They are important pollinators. Yellowjackets have a stout body boldly banded with yellow (sometime white) and black. They create a paper nest in the ground or at ground level in stumps and fallen logs.

Wasps generally do not sting unless provoked. Never swat at a Yellowjacket — it is a good way to get stung. Instead, quietly move away or let the wasp leave of its own accord. When disturbed, the females will aggressively defend their nest and will sting repeatedly.

Why do birds sing at dawn?

Birds sing for two main reasons: to defend a territory and to attract a mate.

The best time to hear birds singing is at dawn. The dawn chorus is one of the marvels of nature. Birds all over the world show the greatest amount of singing activity around dawn. But why they do it is still not clearly understood.

One reason may be that dawn is the best time for sound to travel, as there is little wind and less noise and disturbance. Songs sung at dawn can be 20 times more effective than those sung at midday. Dawn is also a time when birds can't do much else; low light conditions make it difficult for them to find food, while low temperatures keep insects on the ground.

Why aren't daddy-long-legs real spiders?

People use the name “daddy-long-legs” to refer to creatures that belong to two separate orders within Class Arachnida (spiders and their allies). Although they look like spiders to most people, daddy-long-legs are actually harvestmen (Order Opiliones) – not true spiders. They differ in a number of ways. They have longer legs than most spiders, a less distinct waist and a segmented abdomen. They do not produce silk, so are not found in webs unless a true spider has caught them. They do not have poison glands, feed on a wide variety of things, and can be found in a many different habitats, including forests, brushy areas, open grasslands, and disturbed areas.

Daddy-long-legs are native to Canada but are seldom seen because they live under logs and in hidden places. The other creatures often called daddy-long-legs are long-legged, true spiders (Order Araneae) in the Family Pholcidae. They have a distinct waist and abdomen without segments. They are poisonous and make webs using silk. Because they are plentiful in cellars, they are commonly seen. As a result, these are probably the creatures that people most often call daddy-long-legs.

What should I do if I encounter a skunk?

It’s not uncommon to spot a skunk at Oak Hammock Marsh. The wetland and its surrounding prairie and farmland provide excellent habitat for these creatures best known for their strong scent.

A member of the weasel family, the skunk sprays a strong-smelling liquid from a scent gland under its tail to defend itself when it feels threatened. So, if you encounter a skunk try to be as non-threatening as possible. Move away slowly and give the skunk lots of room. While this is a good rule to follow when watching any wildlife, it is especially important with skunks. Keep in mind that skunks are not usually aggressive animals and will try to retreat (unless they are sick).

If the skunk moves toward you along a path, either retreat backward along the trail or move off the trail to let the skunk pass. Watch the skunk’s body language. If a skunk is foraging for food, its tail will usually be held in a relaxed manner. An angry skunk will growl or hiss or stamp its front feet rapidly. If a skunk is pointing its hind end toward you, has its tail raised in the air (ready), is looking over its shoulder (aim), and stamping its feet (last warning) - look out! And remember, keep your dog on a leash at all times or you may have very unpleasant drive home!

Why and how do animals change colour in the winter?

An animal’s environment sometimes changes throughout the year. Many animals have developed special adaptations that let them change their colour as their surroundings change.

One of the biggest changes in an animal’s habitat happens as the seasons change. In the spring and summer, a mammal’s habitat might be green and brown. In the fall and winter, everything may be covered with snow. While a brown coat is perfect for a wooded environment in the summer, it makes an animal easy prey against the white background of winter.

Many birds and mammals have adapted to this change in habitat by producing different colours of fur or feathers, depending on the time of year. In most cases, the colour change is due to a hormonal reaction caused by shifts in temperature or the amount of daylight.

Feathers and fur in animals are like human hair and fingernails – they are actually dead tissue. They are attached to the animal, but since they are not alive, nothing can be done to change their colour. A mammal or bird must produce a whole new coat of fur or feathers in order to change its colour.

Some of the Manitoba species that change colour include: short-tailed, long-tailed, and least weasels; snowshoe and arctic hares; white-tailed jackrabbit; arctic fox; and willow and rock ptarmigans. To learn more about adaptations to winter during your next visit, ask to view one of the Interpretive Centre’s most popular short films “How Animals Survive the Winter.”

Canada geese flock

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