Can you guess Who's Who?

Can you guess the names of local wildlife pictured below? CLICK on an image for the answer and fun-facts about the species!
See if you can find any of these animals on your next nature walk around Alley Pond Park.

Red Fox, Vulpes vulpes – Red Foxes have been recorded in habitats as diverse as tundra, desert, and forest. Their natural habitat is dry, mixed landscape, with scrub and woodland. Red Foxes are solitary hunters who feed on rodents, rabbits, birds, and other small game. They are also opportunists and will eat fruit and vegetables, fish, frogs, and even worms if they find them. They face threats due to habitat degradation, loss, and fragmentation, and exploitation. Like a cat, the fox's thick tail aids its balance, but it has other uses as well. A fox uses its tail (or "brush") as a warm cover in cold weather and as a signal flag to communicate with other foxes. Did you know…? The Red Fox can leap 15 feet in a single bound! The fox can run up to 30 mph and is an excellent swimmer. They can sometimes be spotted in urban and suburban areas, including our very own Alley Pond Park, however, sightings are rare due to their elusive nature.

American Bullfrog, Lithobates catesbeianus – American bullfrogs, widely known as just "bullfrogs" in Canada and the United States, are the most wide-ranging of all North American amphibians. They are found in freshwater lakes, ponds, and marshes from Nova Scotia, Canada to as far south as Mexico and Cuba. They are also the largest frog species in North America and have a voracious appetite, commonly feeding on crayfish, snails, water beetles, dragonfly larvae, fish, small turtles, young birds, and even other frogs! Males are distinguished from females by their large ears- or tympanums which are larger than their eyes. Did you know...? The bullfrog is capable of jumping 15 times its own body length! After mating, females can lay up to 20,000 jelly-covered eggs in the water.

Box turtle, Terrapene carolina c. – Box turtles are terrestrial turtles, preferring moist forested areas, but also wet meadows, pastures, and floodplains. All box turtles have a move movable plastron hinge which allows the lower shell to close tightly against the carapace. This means that not only can a box turtle pull its head and legs into its shell to escape danger, but it can close the bottom up like a box! Box turtles are usually seen early in the day, or after rain and they often move to swampy areas during the hot summer months. Males have red eyes and a depression in their ovular shell. Females have brown eyes and a flat under-shell. They mature in five to seven years (although some have been known to live for 140 years or more) and if undisturbed in the wild, they may live this entire time within in a ten-city-block area. Did you know…? Box turtles are now protected in New York State which means you must have a permit to own one. 30,000 have been removed from the wild by the pet trade in the past year alone.

Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura - Mourning Doves are the most abundant and widespread dove species in the United States and is able to reach flight speeds of 60 mph! They tend to live in open wooded areas, marshes, orchards and residential areas. They feed on small seeds and grains and form nests for their young to live in from March to September. Their nests are loosely constructed of twigs and sticks and normally house a clutch of two; white, unmarked eggs; two to three times(broods) a year. They have a multitude of predators including, hawks, owls, domestic cats, blue jays, and squirrels. Did you know…? The Mourning Dove is named for its sad sounding coo. Pigeon-milk or crop-milk is a regurgitated liquid they feed to their young which is highly nutritious.

Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata – One of the loudest and most colorful birds of eastern back yards and woodlots, the Blue Jay is unmistakable. Intelligent and adaptable, it may feed on almost anything, and it is quick to take advantage of bird feeders. Besides their raucous “jay! jay!” calls, Blue Jays make a variety of musical sounds, and they can do a remarkable imitation of the scream of a Red-Shouldered Hawk. Not always conspicuous, they slip furtively through the trees when tending their own nest or going to rob the nest of another bird. Did you know…? A member of the crow family, the Blue Jay is highly aggressive and will often scare other birds away from bird feeders. Their calls also serve as an alarm alerting the rest of the animals in the forest to the presence of predators. They are also the state bird of New York!

Canada Goose, Branta canadensis – The most familiar and widespread goose in North America, Canada Geese can be found in all kinds of water all across the continent, from the tundra to the Gulf Coast. The Canada goose favors aquatic plants, small aquatic animals, grass, and grains. The geese migrate to places where it is warmer and where food is available. Canada Geese migrate in large groups in the familiar V-formation. Did you know…? Scientists think that the reason these birds fly in the V-formation is due to what is known as the ‘drafting effect’. Basically, this helps the birds conserve their energy while flying long distances. The leader in the front splits the air current (and at the same time uses the most energy). When the leader gets tired, they move to the back and then another goose takes over the lead spot.

Painted turtle, Chrysemys picta – The Painted Turtle is named for its brightly colored shell and body. Scientists call the top of a turtle's shell a carapace. The painted turtle’s carapace is smooth, olive-green, and edged with red. Its hind limbs and tail are marked with red and yellow it has webbed feet that are perfect for swimming. The female is generally larger than the male and the male usually has much longer claws. They eat water plants, insects, snails, tadpoles, crayfish, worms, small fish, and carrion. Painted turtles tend to live in a varied habitat containing the following: lakes, ponds, marshes, slow-moving streams, and/or rivers. One can often see these cold-blooded reptiles sunning themselves to warm up in the early morning. While cumbersome on land, their streamlined bodies help them to cut through the water with minimal effort and with a great deal of speed and agility. Did you know…? The painted turtle is the most common turtle in North America!

Northern Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis – Cardinals live in oak and pine woods, suburban gardens, groves, towns and they are common in well-wooded suburbs and city parks. Here in Alley Pond, they prefer to live in and near our oak and beech trees. Did you know…? In the spring the bright-red males become extremely territorial and are known to attack their own reflections in car mirrors. They also exhibit classic “sexual dimorphism” which pertains to striking visual differences in their coloration. The females are tan and grey while males are vivid shade of red. They do not migrate and can be found within our park year-round.

Red-Tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis – The Red-Tailed Hawk is the most common hawk in North America and lives in more habitats than any other raptor. It is often seen perched on telephone poles along roadsides and atop tall dead trees. Red-Tails often hunt by swooping down from a perch and flying over meadows and fields. Normally these birds flap three to five times then glide- climbing quickly into the sky on thermals and updrafts. As they make wide circles, their fanned, red, tails are easily visible. Did you know…? Red-Tails have eyesight many times more powerful than humans and have the ability to spot a mouse or rat from hundreds of feet up in the sky. When catching prey, they extend their talons and rip apart their food with their sharp, curved beak. They are a common apex predator you can find just outside of APEC!

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The environmental center is located in Alley Pond Park, surrounded by lush nature trails where visitors can enjoy NYC's natural landscapes. Guests are welcome to attend one of APEC's many nature oriented programs for all ages and visit the center's animal ambassadors. Please explore our website to learn more and register for programs.

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224-65 76th Ave.
Oakland Gardens, NY 11364

MAIN: (718) 229-4000

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contact@alleypond.org