What do bald eagles look like?
Adult bald eagles have a noticeable white head and tail. Their other plumage is brown and their bill, feet, and eyes are yellow. They have a sharp, down turned bill and 2 inch long talons. Immature eagles have a brown speckled plumage with white specks under their wings for their first four to five years of age. Eagles have a small, chattery call that is not very impressive for such a magnificent bird.

Did you know that eagles are raptors?
Raptors are birds of prey, or birds that catch and kill live animals.

What do eagles eat?
Bald eagles primarily eat fish but they will also eat carrion and injured birds. They have long, sharp talons that allow them to swoop down and pick up large fish. They are known to catch fish as large as 5 pounds. Bald eagles soar through the sky looking for food. When they detect something they can dive between 60-100 miles per hour through the air to their target! These birds have incredible vision that is about 8 times as strong as ours.
Bald eagles are also known to steal fish from other birds called Osprey.

Where do bald eagles live?
Bald eagles used to breed throughout North America. Now they only breed in Alaska, parts of Canada, Florida, and northern parts of the US. In the winter they are found along rivers south of the Canadian border.

Did you know that bald eagles are the second largest raptor in North America?
These enormous birds can weigh as much as 14 pounds and have a wingspan as large as 8 feet across. The females are larger than the males. California condors are the only raptors larger than bald eagles in North America.

What do bald eagle nests look like?
Their nests are huge and made of sticks. They build them high up in large trees and use them for several years. Each year the eagles add sticks to the nest and increase its size until it eventually weighs down the tree or drops off.

What problems do bald eagles face?
Bald eagles have gone through hard times. Humans hunted them for many years and their numbers decreased significantly. They have also lost much of their habitat because of humans destroying the forests that they hunt and live in. Chemicals used in farming in the 1950s have also caused major damage to bald eagle populations. One chemical in particular known as DDT was used in the US on many crops. The DDT leaked into lakes and streams and was consumed by small animals and fish. The eagles ate the poisoned fish and retained the poison in their systems. When the bald eagles laid their eggs, the DDT caused the eggshells to be too thin and the mothers ended up breaking the shells during incubation. This toxic DDT not only affected bald eagle eggs, but other raptor eggs such as those of osprey and falcons. Fortunately, the US banned this harmful chemical about 30 years ago and eagle populations have increased ever since. This is good news because we need to work hard to protect this majestic, powerful raptor!

Sources
Farrand, J.Jr. 1988. An Audobon Handbook: Eastern Birds. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Stensaas, M. 1993. Canoe country wildlife: a field guide to the North Woods and Boundary Waters. Pfeifer- Hamilton, Duluth, MN.
Udvardy, M.D.F. 1977. The Audobon Society field guide to North American birds: Western region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Common Loon
When people camp in the Border Country in the summer, one of the birds they are almost sure to see is the loon. Loons are water birds that spend their summers on the lakes of northern states such as Minnesota and Maine.

Did you know that loons make an incredible sounding call that sounds rather like a wolf howl?
This loon call sounds mournful and eerie to campers but to other loons it is a way of communicating with each other. It is thrilling to hear loon cries out in the wild. Their calls are almost mesmerizing when the long cries travel across the lakes.

What do loons look like?
Common Loons are large, stunningly beautiful birds. The males and females look alike. They measure about 2 feet long. In the summer their plumage is black and white. They have small red eyes and a sharp, pointed bill. Their feet are placed far back on their bodies which makes them efficient swimmers but very awkward on land. These large webbed feet paddle them through the water. In the winter, loons change to a gray-brown color before they move south.

Why do loons have red eyes?
The red eyes help loons see better underwater.

Where do loons live?
Loons spend the summer in Alaska, Canada, and northern Border States.

Where do loons go during the winter?
Loons fly south to the coast for the winter. This phenomenon is known as migration. Birds migrate during different times of the year to find food. The winters in northern climates are too cold for loons. They depend on fish to eat and since the lakes freeze over during the winter they must move south to find food.

What do loons eat?
Loons mostly eat fish such as yellow perch, trout, and minnows. They will also eat mollusks, insects, frogs, and crayfish.

Did you know that loons stay underwater fishing for about 42 seconds?
Some loons have been spotted staying underwater for as long as 3 minutes! Loons are terrific divers and their bodies have adapted to their aquatic lifestyle. Most birds have hollow bones to reduce weight to make flying easier. Loons have solid bones, which makes them denser than water therefore making it easier to dive deep into the water.

When do loons breed?
Loons breed in the summer and both parents spend equal time sitting on the nest incubating the two brown eggs. Their nests are on a mound by the water's edge. Both parents help raise the chicks and for the first three weeks the chicks spend most of their time riding on their parents' back. They do this to avoid hungry predators like fish and turtles.

When do loons migrate south?
Loons fly south in late fall and return again in late spring. They can fly at speeds of 75 miles per hour! They have small wings and heavy bodies so they require a long water runway to take off (between 60 feet and 1/4 mile). They need the wind to help lift them up out of the water. It is quite a sight to see these attractive birds take off and land!

What problems do loons face?
In the last few decades, scientists have found that acid rain which falls into lakes can stop loons from being able to breed. The dangerous chemicals also poison the fish, crayfish, and mollusks that the loons feed on. When these animals die the loons starve. This is more evidence that humans need to stop polluting because of the negative effects on wildlife.

Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)
Almost everybody who comes to the Border Country will encounter the Gray jay. That is because they are not shy and will swoop down to visit campsights to find food.

What do gray jays look like?
A gray jay has a white belly, forehead, breast, and neck. The rest of its body is gray. Young jays are slate colored gray all over. Gray jays look fluffy because they have long insulating feathers to keep them warm in the cold winter months. Gray jays are about 10-13 inches long.

What do gray jays sound like?
They have a variety of different calls some are harsh and high pitched. They are generally quiet and quite tame. If you hold food out for a gray jay then very often it will come take it from your hand!

Where do gray jays live?
These jays live in northern coniferous forests. They are found all over the Border Country. They live in small groups and are rarely seen alone.

What is so interesting about gray jays?
These birds spend most of their time during the warmer months collecting food. They hide excess food in places called caches. Before they hide the food they mix it with their sticky saliva and then make small pellets out of it. These pellets are packed full of energy which they can use at a later date in the winter when food supplies are running low. The jays store the pellets in trees and under pine needles. This hidden food comes in handy in February when they begin building their nests.

When do gray jays nest?
Gray jays begin making their nests in February and start laying eggs in the middle of March. It is still cold in the northern forests at that time of year so the jays must eat lots of food to have enough energy for building and taking care of young. They rely on their caches of pellets for a lot of their energy.

What do they build their nests out of?
Gray jays use a collection of twigs, bark and sometimes pieces of wasp nests. The inside is lined with soft warm materials like deer, moose, snowshoe hare fur, and fine grasses. These soft materials are comfortable as well as insulative.

Where do the gray jays find the fur to make their nests?
Gray jays will feed on leftover carrion and will often pick up clumps of hair to take back to their nests.

What are some other names for gray jays?
Gray jays are known also as "Camp Robbers" and "Whiskey Jacks."
The next time you are in the Northern Woods do not be surprised if a friendly gray jays comes by to see if you will share your food!

Sources
Farrand, J. Jr. 1988. An Audobon Handbook: Eastern Birds. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Stensaas, M. 1993. Canoe country wildlife: a field guide to the North Woods and Boundary Waters. Pfeifer- Hamilton, Duluth, MN.
Udvardy, M.D.F. 1977. The Audobon Society field guide to North American birds: Western region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Ruffed Grouse (Bonassa umbellus)

What do ruffed grouse look like?
Grouse come in two different color phases- red and gray. The grouse found in the Border Country are mostly gray. Their tail feathers have a black stripe at the end of the feathers with gray tips. They have black feathers along the sides of their necks which they can ruff out and a small crest on their head. Grouse are well camouflaged. This means that their coloring blends into the surroundings making it difficult to see them in the woods. Grouse are about the same size as chickens (about 17 inches long).

What types of sounds do ruffed grouse make?
They do make any loud calls but mother grouse will murmur to her chicks and grouse will also chirp when startled. The males perform a wing "song" called drumming which sounds like a motor starting up from way off in the distance. They do this by flapping their wings. The males drum to attract females and also to defend their territory from other males.

Where do grouse live?
Ruffed grouse live in deciduous forests. These forests contain trees that have leaves which bud in the spring, flower in the summer and drop off in the fall. Grouse are found throughout the Border Country as well as in Alaska, Canada, parts of the Rocky Mountains and in the Appalachian mountains.

What do grouse like to eat?
Ruffed grouse eat leaves, buds, and flowers of trees such as quaking aspen, birch, and black cherry trees.

Where do grouse like to nest?
Female grouse will select a nest site that is ideally next to an aspen tree and has a clear view of the surrounding area. It is important for the mother grouse to be able to see any predators that might be snooping around. She prefers to be near an aspen tree so that there is a convenient food supply that is not too far from the nest.
Grouse have between 9-12 buff colored eggs. The young need the protection of bushes and ground covering to keep them hidden from predators.

Where do grouse nest in the winter?
Grouse bury themselves deep into the snow down long burrows to stay warm and also to confuse predators. The snow is a good insulator that keeps them out of the wind and cold. It can be -30 degrees Farenheit outside and rarely below +20 degrees Farenheit underneath the snow.

What kinds of animals do grouse have to watch out for?
It is not an easy life being a ruffed grouse. They have to be on guard at all times because there are lots of hungry animals that would enjoy catching a plump grouse. Wolves, pine martens, and foxes are all predators of grouse. Grouse also have to be careful of human hunters in the fall.

Sources
Farrand, J. Jr. 1988. An Audobon Handbook: Eastern Birds. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Stensaas, M. 1993. Canoe country wildlife: a field guide to the North Woods and Boundary Waters. Pfeifer- Hamilton, Duluth, MN.
Udvardy, M.D.F. 1977. The Audobon Society field guide to North American birds: Western region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.

Common Raven (Corvus corax)
The Border Country is home to so many interesting birds but perhaps the most intelligent is the Raven.

What do Common Ravens look like?
Ravens are the largest of all the songbirds. They are 2 feet long and have a 4 feet wingspan. They are jet black and have shaggy feathers around their neck. Ravens have a distinct bill with a curve on the upper part. Their tails are wedge shaped and long.

What do ravens sound like?
Ravens make a very loud, sharp, krak sound. They also make a sound like a low throaty rattle.

Where do ravens live?
At one time, raven populations in the eastern US drastically decreased because of the logging of old growth forests. Today they are making a comeback and are found in a variety of different habitats such as deserts, mountains, boreal forests and along coastal cliffs. Boreal forests are coniferous forests that are known for their long winters, short summers, and evergreen trees. Common ravens are found throughout the Border Country and also in Alaska, the western US, the Great Lakes area, the norteast, and the Appalachian mountains.

What do raven nests look like?
Ravens make their nests out of sticks, bones, and soft material such as wool or leaves. They have between 4-7 spotted eggs.

Did you know that ravens are extremely intelligent?
Ravens are known to find sick or dying animals and then to squawk to alert predators of their find. Signaling to the predators is advantageous for both the ravens as well as the predators. The squawking strikes the predators' curiousity and they will often wonder over and find the victim. Since the ravens are not able to kill large animals they rely on wolves, foxes, or eagles to do the job. Once the predator has made the kill, the ravens move in to take their share of the meat. Wolves have learned to fill up with all the food they can because the ravens will eat the leftovers.
Ravens are even known to signal to people about a sick or injured animal.
Ravens sometimes "pick on" submissive wolves but they don't pick on high ranking wolves.
It appears that ravens can distinguish dominant wolves from submissive wolves. They seem to stay away from dominant wolves when they are feeding because they realize they are more likely to fight back. The ravens tend to swoop down and peck at submissive wolves when they are feeding to try and make them leave the kill.
Next time you are in the woods listen for the loud squawks of ravens and maybe you can even follow one to see what the ravens have discovered!

Sources
Farrand, J. Jr. 1988. An Audobon Handbook: Eastern Birds. McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York.
Stensaas, M. 1993. Canoe country wildlife: a field guide to the North Woods and Boundary Waters. Pfeifer- Hamilton, Duluth, MN.
Udvardy, M.D.F. 1977. The Audobon Society field guide to North American birds: Western region. Alfred A. Knopf, New York.