!

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vlslLors Lo neal SmlLh
naLlonal Wlldllfe 8efuge
ofLen ask our rangers
who bullds Lhe nesLs ln
Lhese plcLures. Cur
rangers know Lhe
answer, do you? Check
back Lomorrow for an
answer and more
lnformaLlon!
Answer ln CommenLs
SecLlons: 1he nesLs are
bullL by Lwo blrds, barn
and cllff swallows. Cllff
Swallows compleLely close Lhe nesL leavlng only a small hole Lo enLer and exlL Lhrough.
8arn swallows leave Lhe Lop agape formlng a cup shape.
Whlle boLh Lhese blrds have begun Lo mlgraLe souLh for Lhe wlnLer, Lhey wlll be back
nexL sprlng. lf Lhese nesLs are sLlll ln good condlLlon, Lhey wlll lnhablL Lhem agaln.

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SLudenLs vlslLlng neal SmlLh ln Lhe fall
ofLen flnd Lhls planL and wonder whaL
lL ls. uo you know? Check back
Lomorrow for more lnformaLlon!
Answer ln CommenLs SecLlon: 1hls
planL ls a ground cherry. 1he rlpe
berrles are ofLen eaLen by wlldllfe
lncludlng small mammals and some
blrds. All oLher parLs of Lhese planLs
are Loxlc.


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volunLeer Maryln llemlng, found
Lhls llLLle brown snake Loday aL Lhe
8efuge. lall lnLern Sydney Algreen,
holds Lhe small snake for a vlslLlng
school group Lo vlew.
8rown snakes are small, naLlve lowa
repLlles LhaL prlmarlly eaL
earLhworms, slugs, snalls, and oLher
sofL bodled lnsecLs. Llke many oLher
snakes ln lowa, Lhe brown snake wlll
sLarL Lo mlgraLe Lo a wlnLer den
(called a hlbernaculum) Lhls CcLober.

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A bobcaL has been spoLLed on Lhe 8efuge!
1hese caLs spend Lhe wlnLer looklng for food
and maLlng. Cne adapLaLlon LhaL helps Lhls caL
navlgaLe ln Lhe snowy wlnLer ls lLs paws. 1he
paws of Lhe bobcaL are large and surrounded
by dense fur, essenLlally maklng Lhem bullL ln
snowshoes. 1hls allows Lhe caL Lo easlly move
across deep snow.
AcL llke a bobcaL Lhls wlnLer and come Lo neal
SmlLh where you can renL snowshoes for l8LL!
?ou may even be able Lo caLch a gllmpse of Lhe anlmal LhaL lnsplred Lhls lnvenLlon.
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Much of pralrle llfe ls underground, especlally durlng Lhe
cold monLhs ahead of us. Cne lnLeresLlng anlmal LhaL
spends almosL lLs enLlre llfe underground ls Lhe mole.
1he sallva from a mole conLalns a Loxln LhaL can paralyze
earLhworms. SomeLlmes moles wlll save Lhe headless,
paralyzed worms ln underground larders. SclenLlsLs have
found as many as a Lhousand worms ln one larder!