Common wildlife questions
Short, sourced answers to the questions naturalists get asked most — from "can foxes climb trees" to "how do I tell a cottonmouth from a water snake".
Identification
How do you tell a cottonmouth from a water snake?
Cottonmouths ride high on the surface; water snakes swim low.
How do you identify a bird by color?
Body color first, then wing pattern, head, and bill.
How do you identify a spider?
Body shape and web type separate the top families in seconds.
How do you identify animal tracks?
Toe count, claw marks, and stride tell most tracks apart.
Safety
Is a brown recluse dangerous?
Painful skin lesions in rare cases, but fatalities are almost unheard of.
What do I do if I see a bear?
Never run — back away calmly, and know which species you're facing.
Can any tick bite give you Lyme disease?
Only deer ticks carry Lyme, and it takes 24+ hours of attachment.
Are house centipedes dangerous?
Harmless and useful — they eat other household pests.
Is it safe to touch a frog?
Yes, with wet hands and a brief hold — but wash afterward.
Behavior
Can foxes climb trees?
Only the North American gray fox truly climbs trees — the rest cannot.
Can wolves climb trees?
Wolves cannot climb trees — their claws and wrists are built for running, not gripping.
Can foxes swim?
Foxes are competent swimmers but rarely enter water by choice.
Can deer swim?
All North American deer swim well; moose can even dive.
Do owls migrate?
Most owls are year-round residents; a few northern species migrate.
Why do birds fly in a V?
The V-shape saves energy — each bird surfs the upwash of the one ahead.
Diet
What do hummingbirds eat?
Half nectar, half insects — hummingbirds are voracious tiny predators.
What do raccoons eat?
Omnivorous opportunists — fruit, insects, small animals, and trash.
What do deer eat?
Leaves, twigs, buds, acorns — and your garden hostas.
What do foxes eat?
Small mammals and birds are the core diet; urban foxes add scraps.
What do owls eat?
Mice to skunks, depending on species — always meat.
Do hummingbirds eat bees?
They catch small insects but avoid full-sized honey bees.
Habitat & regions
What animals live in Costa Rica?
500,000 species — sloths, quetzals, macaws, monkeys, and jaguars stand out.
What animals live in Scotland?
Red deer, wildcats, eagles, otters — the UK's richest large-mammal fauna.
What animals live in Bali?
Macaques, mongooses, Bali starlings, and coral-reef mantas and turtles.
What animals live in Australia?
Marsupials, monotremes, and Earth's most venomous snake fauna.
What wildlife lives in my backyard?
20-40 species pass through an average yard yearly — check your local feed.
Myths & folklore
Do daddy long-legs have the most venom in the world?
Complete myth — harvestmen don't even have venom glands.
Do mother birds abandon babies touched by humans?
Myth — birds have poor smell and won't abandon a touched chick.
Can porcupines shoot their quills?
They can't shoot quills — the quills detach on contact.
Do bats get stuck in people's hair?
Myth — bats echolocate too well to bump into you.
Does the woolly bear caterpillar predict the winter?
Charming folklore, no scientific weight.