Trail Cameras and Rutting Behavior
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
Trail cameras not only offer a window to view wildlife in their natural habitat, but they can also provide interesting data on animal behavior! One great example of this is the deer rut. As deer begin moving around at an increased rate during the rut, the animals trigger motion activated trail cameras and cause a spike in photos.
This is one of the many interesting observations that users have found with Snapshot Wisconsin’s new Data Dashboard. The Data Dashboard allows users to visualize trail camera data collected from across Wisconsin. Explore on your own at http://datadashboard.snapshotwisconsin.org.
Snowshoe Hare Winter Coat Change
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
While we aren’t all ready to think about Wisconsin snow, some of us are certainly more suited to it than others. Take this snowshoe hare from Iron County, for example – looking at their feet, it’s no wonder where their name comes from!
At this point in the year, the snowshoe hare begins to transition to a snowy white coat and will soon take advantage of their large feet to glide atop the frigid snow. As the snow starts to stick these next couple weeks, think of this little hare and how it is adapted for the cold winter ahead.
Are you interested in exploring the wonders of Wisconsin wildlife from your home? Visit www.SnapshotWisconsin.org to view images captured from trail cameras across the state. It’s a fun and educational activity for all!
Black Bear Hidden Talent
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
You may be surprised to learn that black bears are excellent climbers! Although you may think otherwise based on their size and build, their strong curved claws provide the perfect resource. Check out these adorable bear cubs from Portage County catching an early start on learning to climb.
Are you interested in exploring the wonders of Wisconsin wildlife from your home? Visit www.SnapshotWisconsin.org to view images captured from trail cameras across the state. It’s a fun and educational activity for all!
Observing Wisconsin’s Birds
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
Do you ever wonder what interesting behaviors birds display when you aren’t watching? The Snapshot Wisconsin Bird Edition season on Zooniverse gives you an eye into the forest to observe birds captured on trail cameras across the state!
Interested in hosting your own Snapshot Wisconsin camera? Visit our webpage to find out how to get involved: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/research/projects/snapshot/.
Summer Turkey Poults
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
From deer fawns to fox kits and even turkey poults, summer is a great time to observe young wildlife! This scene featuring a pair of adult turkeys and five poults was captured on a Sawyer County Snapshot Wisconsin camera.
Are you interested in exploring the wonders of Wisconsin wildlife from your home? Visit www.SnapshotWisconsin.org to view images captured from trail cameras across the state. It’s a fun and educational activity for all!
Fun Facts About Antlers
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
Did you know that antlers are one of the fastest growing animal tissues on the planet? Learn more by checking out 11 Facts About Antlers put together by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service!
Interested in hosting your own Snapshot Wisconsin camera? Visit our webpage to find out how to get involved: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/research/projects/snapshot/.
Fawn Twins
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
Who doesn’t love fawns, especially twins? Check out this sweet scene captured on an Oconto County Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera. Deer usually raise one to three fawns, though two is the most common number.
Are you interested in exploring the wonders of Wisconsin wildlife from your home? Visit www.SnapshotWisconsin.org to view images captured from trail cameras across the state. It’s a fun and educational activity for all!
Sawyer County Bobcat
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
This Snapshot Saturday features a beautiful bobcat captured on a trail camera in Sawyer County!
Interested in hosting your own Snapshot Wisconsin camera? Visit our webpage to find out how to get involved: https://dnr.wi.gov/topic/research/projects/snapshot/.
Watch for Fawns
Snapshot Saturdays are a weekly feature on the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resource’s Facebook page. Give them a Like to keep up with recent DNR news and to view the weekly Snapshot Saturdays.
Keep an eye out, May is the time of year that fawns start making their grand appearances. Many volunteers express the joy of watching fawns grow right before their eyes through the lens of a trail camera.
Check out this sweet scene captured in Marquette County last May!
Are you interested in exploring the wonders of Wisconsin wildlife from your home? Visit www.SnapshotWisconsin.org to view images captured from trail cameras across the state. It’s a fun and educational activity for all!
Birds of Snapshot Wisconsin
With migration in full swing and breeding season upon us, you may be noticing more feathered friends passing by your Snapshot Wisconsin trail camera.
While volunteers are not required to identify most birds down to the species level, we know that many volunteers are curious of what exactly is showing up in front of their trail cameras. According to the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology around 250 bird species can be regularly found in Wisconsin, though more than 400 have been recorded in the state. Of this diverse variety of birds, there are a few that make frequent appearances on Snapshot Wisconsin trail cameras.
Check out the below slideshows to learn the ID’s of some of the common species found. More information about the species can be found in their linked names below. Please note the birds are not accurate size ratios.
Species that volunteers are required to ID:
Learn more about Sandhill Crane, Whooping Crane, Wild Turkey, Ring-necked Pheasant and Ruffed Grouse.
Common woodpeckers:
Learn more about Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, Hairy Woodpecker and Downy Woodpecker.
Common water birds:
Learn more about Wood Duck, Mallard, Canada Goose and Great Blue Heron.
Common raptors:
Learn more about Bald Eagle, Barred Owl, Red-tailed Hawk and Cooper’s Hawk.
Other common birds:
Learn more about American Robin, Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, American Woodcock, American Crow, Hermit Thrush, Common Grackle and Red-winged Blackbird.
For those interested in exploring more Snapshot Wisconsin birds, this year the Snapshot Wisconsin team embarked on a new project with all the “other bird” photos showing up in front of the trail cameras. Snapshot Wisconsin Bird Edition is a collaboration between Snapshot Wisconsin and the Wisconsin DNR Natural Heritage Conservation. The goal is to identify all of Snapshot Wisconsin’s bird images to a species level and to look for evidence of breeding. Breeding observations will be reported to the Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas II and observations of uncommon, rare, or endangered species will be reported to the Natural Heritage Conservation. Learn more and get started at birds.snapshotwisconsin.org.
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