Unihemispherical sleep is an amazing adaptation that has been well studied in several animals, particularly birds. Researchers have used electroencephalograms (EEG) to understand the ability of birds to sleep with only one hemisphere of their …
When I was young, my grandmother would buy flowers, plant them in clay pots, and place them on the graves of loved ones at our church cemetery. When the flowers were planted and watered, she …
Blown off course. That might be one reason given for the appearance in fall of a few rare western bird species on the Niagara Frontier. This year some might indeed arrive along with the winds …
Have you ever wanted to learn more about the cavity nesting birds program at Iroquois? There are opportunities awaiting you! As part of our organization purpose, the Friends of Iroquois are dedicated to educating the …
It’s a wonder that one of the world’s most spectacular and strongest flying insects begins life as a dingy, sinister-looking aquatic larva. Dragonflies undergo incomplete metamorphosis; there is no pupal stage, during development from egg to …
I’ve always loved trees. I treasure my walks on the wooded trails at INWR…the Kanyoo, the Swallow Hollow and the Onondaga. Now, since reading The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben, I see the …
If you thought Monarch Butterflies were tough, then check out our local Swallowtail Butterflies. The caterpillar in the photo might overwinter as pupa in a chrysalis near the host plant. Instead of flying thousands of …
While most observers think of fall as the season for asters, goldenrods and maples, I consider it goldfinch season. This is the time of year when these handsome yellow birds with black wings and forehead …
A Giant Swallowtail nectared this week at our Monarda (bee balm or bergamot). This impressive primarily dark brown and yellow swallowtail wasn’t often seen or seen at all around Western New York when I was …
The yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) is not often seen, but is a common summer time resident of the refuge. They use dense wooded stands with lots of cover and water nearby to raise their broods. Cuckoos may be …
