| Bison = American Buffalo |
The Buffalo that Americans refer to is actually a Bison. It is also called the American Buffalo. It is the heaviest land animal in North America. It lives in parks and reserves, inhabiting flat grasslands. Bison can run at speeds up to 30 mph (48 kph). Although the bison almost went extinct in the late 1800's due to over-hunting, it is now recovering.
Anatomy: The Bison is up to 6 ft (1.8 m) tall at the shoulder. It can weigh up to a ton (900 kg). Bulls (males) are larger than cows (females). Both bulls and cows have horns. Buffaloes have a life span of 12-15 years.
Differences from European bison
Although they are superficially similar, the American and European bison exhibit a number of physical and behavioral differences. The American species has 15 ribs, while the European bison has 14. The American bison has four lumbar vertebrae, while the European has five. Adult American bison are not as rangy in build, and have shorter legs. American bison tend to graze more and browse less than their European cousins due to their necks being set differently. Compared to the nose of the American bison, that of the European species is set farther forward than the forehead when the neck is in a neutral position. The body of the American bison is hairier, though its tail has less hair than that of the European bison. The horns of the European bison point forward through the plane of its face, making it more adept at fighting through the interlocking of horns in the same manner as domestic cattle, unlike the American bison which favors charging. American bison are more easily tamed than their European cousins, and breed more readily with domestic cattle.
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| Golden Plover |
The breeding habitat of American Golden Plover is Arctic tundra from northern Canada and Alaska. They nest on the ground in a dry open area they are migratory and winter in southern South America. They follow an elliptical migration path northbound birds pass through Central America about January–April and stage in great numbers in places like Illinois before their final push north. In fall they take a more easterly route flying mostly over the western Atlantic and Caribbean Sea to the wintering grounds in Patagonia. The bird has one of the longest known migratory routes of over 25,000 miles. Of this 2,400 miles is over open ocean where it cannot stop to feed or drink. It does this from body fat stores that it stocks up on prior to the flight. It is a regular vagrant to western Europe.
A comparison of dates and migratory patterns leads to the conclusion that Eskimo Curlews and American Golden Plovers were the most likely shore birds to have attracted the attention of Christopher Columbus to nearby America in early October 1492, after 65 days at sea out of sight of land.
Large numbers were shot in the late 19th century and the population has never fully recovered
Ladybugs (also called lady birds or lady beetles) are small, oval-shaped winged insects. These shiny insects are usually red with black spots or black with red spots on the wing covers. The number of spots identifies the type of ladybug. Most ladybugs are less than 1/4 inch (4-8 mm) long. As ladybugs age, the spots fade.There are about 5,000 different species of ladybugs throughout the world. A common species is the two-spotted ladybug (pictured above); it is orange-red with two black spots.The ladybug, like all beetles, undergoes a complete metamorphosis during its life. The life stages of the ladybug are: egg --> larva --> pupa --> adult. These tiny predators (Family Coccinellidae) are helpful in gardens because they eat many garden pests (including mealy bugs and aphids). Birds are the major predator of the ladybug. When not flying, the wings are covered by a pair of modified wings (called elytra). When flying, the elytra open up. Like all insects, ladybugs have: 6 jointed legs (black), two antennae (black), and an exoskeleton made of chitin (a material similar to our hair and fingernails). Their three-part body consists of a head (with the mouthparts, eyes, and antennae), thorax (where the legs and wings attach), and the abdomen (containing the reproductive and most of the digestive organs).
