Glossary

  • The abdomen is the third and last segment of an insect body. It contains the heart, reproductive organs, and digestive organs.
  • Acclimatization is the gradual process in which an organism adjusts to a change in its environment.
  • Aerial Insectivores are animals that eat insects while they are flying.
  • An aerie is the lofty nest of birds of prey, often found in tall trees of elevated cliff ledges.
  • Altricial birds and mammals depend entirely on parental care for several weeks after hatching or birth.
  • Amylase is an enzyme that digests starches into sugars. It is the same enzyme you have in your saliva to break down starches.
  • Barbels are taste-sensitive "whiskers" that hang from the snout of some fish such as lake sturgeon, bullhead, and catfish. They are used to locate food.
  • Basking is sunbathing. Many cold-blooded animals bask to regulate their body temperature.
  • The boreal forest, also called taiga, is a biome found in the Northern Hemisphere south of the tundra. The dominant trees are pines, spruces, and larches.
  • The carapace and plastron of a turtle are fused along the sides of the shell, forming the bridge.
  • Brown fat can produce heat quickly through non-shivering thermogenesis. It is found in most overwintering mammals and newborn humans. Also called Brown Adipose Tissue
  • Brown fat can produce heat quickly through non-shivering thermogenesis. It is found in most overwintering mammals and newborn humans. Also called Brown Adipose Tissue
  • Brumation is a state of winter torpor in reptiles and amphibians that includes slower metabolism, heart rate, and breathing. Unlike hibernating mammals, reptiles and amphibians cannot control their body temperature.
  • A cache is food stored for winter. Verb: Caching
  • Canine distemper is a highly contagious viral disease that is lethal to many mammals but can't spread to humans
  • The carapace is the top of a turtle’s shell.
  • A carnivore is an animal that eats mostly meat.
  • A caterpillar is the larval stage of an insect.
  • A rabbit's cecal pellets are highly nutritious soft pellets produced in a rabbit's cecum. Rabbits eat cecal pellets immediately after passing them through their anus.
  • The cecum is a pouch between the large and small intestines where bacteria break down the plant material into simple sugars.
  • Chitin is the substance that gives structure to the exoskeletons of arthropods and the cell walls of fungi.Pronounced: Kite·n
  • Chromatophores are color-producing skin cells found in reptiles, amphibians, fish, and cephalopods. Chromatophores are not found in birds or mammals.
  • A chrysalis is the pupal stage in the life cycle of a butterfly.
  • The circannual clock is an organ in the hypothalamus of some animals that monitors seasonal changes. Circannual Clocks are similar to Circadian clocks, which involve 24-hour periods.
  • Cloacal respiration exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide by pumping water in and out of a turtle's cloaca. In other words, they breathe through their butts.
  • A cocoon is a silk covering spun by the larva of many moths and several other invertebrates for protection during the pupal stage.
  • Collagen holds the muscle fibers together and can make the meat tough. Collagen decomposes and makes the meat (beef or mice) more tender as a carcass ages.
  • Communal Denning involves several members of a species sharing a den to conserve heat.
  • Communal Roosting involves several members of a bird species sharing a roost to conserve heat and monitor for predators.
  • Concave means “curves inward” (like a cave).
  • Turkey vultures make many small in-flight maneuvers, called contorted soaring, to use small-scale turbulence that occurs as air moves over an uneven surface. The vultures' V-shaped wings provide stability needed to surf this turbulence by rocking back and forth to gain altitude.
  • Contour feathers are the outer layer of feathers of a bird. Their color patterns create camouflage and play an essential role in attracting a mate. They protect from wind and rain and give birds their aerodynamic shape.
  • Coprophagy is the eating of feces. It is essential for the health of animals such as rabbits and baby koalas. For other animals, it may be a symptom of a health condition.
  • In mammals and birds, warm blood flows toward an animal's feet through arteries, and colder blood returns to the body through veins. The veins and arteries in a bird's featherless legs are close to each other. Before the warm arterial blood gets to the birds' feet, the veins absorb much of(...)
  • The crop is an enlarged portion of a bird's esophagus that stores food that has not begun digestion. The crop is sometimes referred to as a diverticulum.
  • Cryoprotectants are substances that protect living cells from damage due to freezing. They act like antifreeze.
  • Cryptochromes are a group of light-sensitive protein molecules found in plants and animals. Some cryptochromes help regulate plant growth, while others may allow birds to see Earth's magnetic field.
  • A deciduous tree or shrub sheds its leaves annually.
  • A deer yard is a large group of deer congregating in one area. These deer yards block wind, limit snow depth, and reduce heat loss.
  • Diapause is a "pause" in development due to environmental stresses, such as cold weather.
  • A dihedral angle is formed between two planes, both of which pass through the same bond. The V-shaped wings of a turkey vulture form a dihedral angle. Other examples include a door hinge or a book cover.
  • Diurnal animals are active during the daytime.
  • Down feathers trap insulating air under the contour feathers. They have little or no shafts and are fluffy.
  • A drey is a squirrel nest high in a tree built from leaves and branches.
  • Dwarf planets are celestial objects that do not have enough gravitational forces (mass) needed to attract all of the material found in their orbits. They share their orbit with objects like comets, asteroids, or other dwarf planets. Planets such as Earth or Mars have cleared their(...)
  • Ectotherms are cold-blooded animals that cannot generate their own heat and have a body temperature that is the same as the air temperature.
  • Encephalitis is inflammation of the brain.
  • Endotherms (warm-blooded animals) maintain a constant body temperature regardless of the outside temperature. The endotherms include birds, mammals, and several species of sharks and tuna.
  • Entomologists are scientists who study insects.Entomology is the study of insects.
  • Estivation is a period of inactivity that some animals use to survive during a hot or dry period.
  • Ethyl mercaptan is a gas with a pungent, garlic, or skunk-like odor added to natural gas supplies to make it easier to detect a leak. It naturally occurs in decomposed carcasses, rancid butter, foot sweat, and certain stinky cheeses.
  • A rabbit's fecal pellets are the hard waste product from the digestion of woody stems. It is typically not eaten by the rabbit unless starvation is looming.
  • Finches are a group of perching birds that belong to the family Fringillidae. There are 229 species worldwide, with 17 found in North America. Finches common to the upper Midwest include: House finchAmerican goldfinchPurple finchEvening grosbeakPine siskinRed crossbillRose-breasted(...)
  • A young bird fledges (verb) when it becomes strong enough to fly.
  • A young bird that has just learned to fly is a fledgling (noun).
  • Short DefinitionFree radicals are unstable atoms that damage cells and DNA. Longer Explanation Electrons like to be in pairs; they act like two strong magnets stuck together.Metabolism splits pairs of oxygen into single atoms that have unpaired electrons.Atoms with unpaired electrons,(...)
  • Freeze avoidance is a winter survival strategy that avoids injury due to ice formation by lowering the freezing point of water in the body.
  • Freeze tolerance is a winter survival strategy that avoids injury to cells by limiting the formation of ice to the spaces between cells and not inside of cells.
  • The frost line is the depth to which the moisture in the soil is frozen.
  • A frugivore is an animal that feeds mainly on raw fruits.
  • Genome is a fancy word for all the DNA in an organism. Genomic sequencing is a way to search for patterns in an organism's genome.
  • Glucose is a simple sugar that is a product of photosynthesis.
  • Glycerol is the most common cryoprotectant found in freeze-avoiding insects.
  • Glycogen is a carbohydrate that is made and stored in the liver and is an essential source of energy for brumating animals.
  • Gregarious animals live in flocks or loosely organized communities. Kangaroos are gregarious animals.
  • Guard hairs form a protective outer coat in many mammals.
  • Gular flutter is the rapid, open-mouthed fluttering of a bird's throat; used for cooling. Gular flutter is similar to a dog panting.
  • With hawking, birds and bats catch insects while in flight and eat them without landing. This allows the predator to feed efficiently on swarms of insects.
  • Hemoglobin is the protein in blood that transports oxygen to every cell. The iron in hemoglobin binds with oxygen as blood moves through the lungs and delivers it to the cells. The iron then binds with carbon dioxide, and the blood carries it to the lungs.
  • Hemolymph is insect blood similar to blood in vertebrates, but it does not have red blood cells and does not carry oxygen.
  • Hemostasis is a clotting reaction that stops bleeding.
  • A hibernaculum is sheltered areas used by individuals or groups of animals for over-wintering. Plural: Hibernacula
  • Hibernation is an energy-saving response to environmental conditions, including a drop in body temperature and slowed metabolism.
  • The hippocampus is a part of the brain that is associated with learning and memory.
  • A horaltic pose is a sunbathing" or "wing-drying." behavior in which a bird spreads their wings and faces the sun to increase its body temperature or to dry its wings. This behavior is also seen in hawks, herons, and cormorants.
  • A hybrid is the offspring of two organisms of different species or varieties. A tiger musky results from a cross between a northern pike and muskellunge.Mules are the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.Most sweet corn varieties grown in the US are hybrids.
  • Hyperphagia is a pre-migration feeding frenzy.
  • A hypha is a long, thread-like cell of a fungus. plural: hyphae
  • Hypothermia results when an animal loses heat faster than it can produce it, resulting in a potentially dangerous drop in body temperature.
  • A hypothesis is an answer to a scientific question that can be tested. A hypothesis should predict what will happen in an experiment.
  • Freeze-tolerant species produce Ice-nucleating proteins to help them control where and when ice forms in the body.
  • Imprinting is the process when a very young animal forms an attachment to a parent and develops a concept of its own identity.
  • Something is innate if it is a factor present in an individual from birth. Animal behaviors that are genetically hardwired in an organism are innate.
  • Insectivores are animals that eat mostly insects.
  • An instar is a period between molts during the metamorphosis of insect larva or other invertebrate animals.
  • An irruption is a sudden and temporary increase in an animal population, such as the migration of snowy owls into the Upper Midwest.
  • Jaundice is a disease that causes a person's skin to turn yellow.
  • Keratin is the protein that forms turtle scutes. It is also the material that makes up your hair, skin, and nails.
  • A baby rabbit is called a kit, a female is called a doe, and a male is called a buck.
  • Kleptoparasitism is a feed strategy in which an animal steals prey from other animals.
  • Kleptothermy is behavior by which an animal shares or steals the body heat of another animal.
  • The Konza Prairie is a native tallgrass prairie in the Flint Hills of northeastern Kansas.
  • After hatching, the immature form of fish, amphibians, insects, and other animals are larvae. Caterpillars and tadpoles are examples of larvae. Plural: Larvae
  • Leucistic animals partially lose pigmentation and have varying white fur or skin levels. Most white squirrels are not albino.
  • Long-distance migrants breed in the United States and Canada and winter in Mexico, Central America, and South America. Migration timing is influenced by changes in day length.
  • The mineral magnetite is a naturally occurring form of iron oxide (Fe3O4) and is strongly magnetic. Researchers have discovered a small deposit of magnetite on the beaks of some birds, which may play an important role in navigation. Magnetite has also been found in bacteria, honey bees,(...)
  • Magnetoreception is the ability of an animal to detect Earth's magnetic field. Magnetoreceptors are organs that can detects magnetic fields. Magnetoreceptors have been  found in bacteria, arthropods, mollusks, and vertebrates.
  • Mast is the collective term for trees and shrubs' fruits, seeds, and nuts.
  • Medium-distance migrants typically remain in the United States in winter and travel less than 1000 miles.
  • Melanistic animals have an increased amount of black-colored pigment in their skin, hair, or feathers.
  • Metabolism refers to the chemical reactions that happen in living cells. These reactions include releasing energy from food and using that energy to produce more complex molecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, and fat. It is also referred to as metabolic processes.
  • Mitochondria are organelle in most living cells that convert food into the energy needed for all life activities. Mammals have no mitochondria in their red blood cells. Also, prokaryotic cells do not have mitochondria, including bacteria and archaea.
  • Birds molt to replace worn feathers, and in some species, to change into breeding plumage. Mammals molt to change fur.
  • Musk glands are found in mammals and produce musk, which is used to mark territory and attract females. Many animals have musk glands.
  • A mutualistic relationship is an interaction between two different organisms in which each member of the association benefits from the other. Clownfish and anemones are examples.
  • Both mycorrhizal fungi and their host plant benefit from each other. There is a mutualistic relationship between the fungus and the plant. Truffles are mycorrhizal fungi that have a mutualistic relationship with several species of trees. The truffle improves water and nutrient absorption(...)
  • The stream a fish is hatched in is its natal stream.
  • Nearsighted animals are unable to see distant objects clearly.
  • Neotropical migrants breed in North America during the spring and early summer and spend the winter in the tropics. Neotropical migrants are a subset of long-distance migrants.
  • A neuron is a nerve cell.
  • A nictitating membrane is a translucent inner eyelid found in birds, reptiles, and some mammals that protect the eye.
  • Nitrogen is a major component of chlorophyll that provides food for plants and oxygen for animals through photosynthesis. Every organism on Earth needs nitrogen to make protein. Atomic number 7Symbol N
  • Nocturnal animals are active at night.
  • Non-shivering thermogenesis is a process that generates body heat without muscle activity by metabolizing brown fat.
  • Nutrient load is the amount of nitrogen or phosphorus added to lakes or streams through human activities.
  • A nymph is the immature stage of an insect that looks like a smaller version of the adult that has not yet formed wings.
  • Olfactory refers to the sense of smell. The nose is an olfactory organ.
  • An omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and animals.
  • An animal with opposable thumbs can turn their thumb so that it "opposes" or touches the tips of its other fingers.
  • Organophosphates are insecticides commonly used in agriculture.
  • Ornithophily is the pollination of flowers by birds.
  • Some larvae use osmeterium as a defense mechanism by mimicking a snake's forked tongue and releasing smelly chemicals called terpenes.
  • The eggs of ovoviviparous animals hatch within the parent's body, as in some snakes. This adaptation eliminates the need for a nest and the danger of predators eating eggs.
  • The pampas is the grassland ecosystem of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. It is similar to the prairies of North America, the steppes of Eurasia, and the savannas of Africa.
  • The paratympanic organ is found in the middle ears of birds and functions as a barometer and altimeter.
  • Pectinations are comb-like scale extensions on either side of a grouse's toes that help the bird stay on the surface of deep snow. The term has its roots in the Latin word pectin_tus, which means "combed."
  • Phenology is the study of the timing of the annual cycles of plants and animals.
  • A pheromone is a chemical that an animal produces that changes the behavior of another animal of the same species.
  • Piloerection is created by the contraction of small muscles in an animal's skin which raises hairs or feathers. It is a response to cold temperature or a sign of fear. In humans, it is called "goosebumps."
  • The plastron is the bottom of a turtle’s shell.
  • Animals that breed with more than one partner are polygamous.
  • The Forest County Potawatomi is one of Wisconsin's 11 federally recognized tribes.
  • Precocial birds and mammals can walk and feed themselves almost immediately after hatching or birth. Baby chickens are an example.
  • The proboscis is a tubular sucking mouthpart found in many insects.
  • Puddling is a feeding behavior that helps butterflies get needed sodium and other minerals. Urine, dung, and rotting fruits are typical puddling attractions.
  • A chrysalis is a butterfly pupa. The pupa is the life stage of insects that occurs between the larval and adult stages. In most moths, it's called a cocoon, with a few forgoing the cocoon and opting to pupate underground. Plural:Pupae Verb: Pupate
  • A chrysalis is a butterfly pupa. The pupa is the life stage of insects that occurs between the larval and adult stages. In most moths, it's called a cocoon, with a few forgoing the cocoon and opting to pupate underground. Plural:Pupae Verb: Pupate
  • A chrysalis is a butterfly pupa. The pupa is the life stage of insects that occurs between the larval and adult stages. In most moths, it's called a cocoon, with a few forgoing the cocoon and opting to pupate underground. Plural:Pupae Verb: Pupate
  • Push-ups are holes in the ice created by muskrat with a mound of mud and plant debris "pushed up" to keep it from refreezing. They serve as a resting place during foraging expeditions that keeps muskrats out of the weather and out of the view of predators.
  • Quiescence is a temporary slowing, or "quieting," of an animal's metabolism.
  • Regional heterothermy is the ability of an animal to control the blood flow and heat loss in specific regions of the body.
  • A rookery is a breeding colony of birds, typically nests high in a stand of trees.
  • Roosting is a behavior where a congregation of birds sleep near each other for added safety from predators.
  • The breeding season for deer is called the rut.
  • With sallying, birds grab flying insects and return to a perch before feeding.
  • Salmonellosis is a bird disease caused by salmonella bacteria and is usually fatal. Salmonella bacteria are easily spread between birds, pets, and people through droppings and saliva. Salmonella can get people sick if they touch their mouths with unwashed hands after handling wild(...)
  • Scatter-hoarding involves hiding food in many places within an animal's territory.
  • Scutes are the division formed on a turtle’s shell.
  • Sebaceous glands are small oil-producing glands found in the skin of mammals (even you).
  • Serotonin is a chemical produced in the brain that helps with mood regulation.
  • Short-distance migrants are influenced by weather and food availability. They will travel less than a few hundred miles, or if the weather cooperates, not at all.
  • Siblicide is the death of a chick (often the last hatched) caused by aggression from its siblings.
  • Sorbitol is a cryoprotectant found in freeze-avoiding insects.
  • The subnivean zone is the boundary between the soil and the snow. The insulating properties of snow protect small mammals from extreme cold and predators.
  • The monarch super-generation is the last generation of the summer. These butterflies are larger, stronger, and live longer than the other summer generations. These are the butterflies that migrate to Mexico.
  • Supercooling is the process of lowering the temperature of water below its freezing point without it forming ice.
  • Birds produce their calls with their syrinx by manipulating air moving through the trachea like a flute. Mammals produce sound in their larynx by manipulating the tension of their vibrating vocal cords, much like a guitar string. The larynx of a bird does not have vocal cords. The name syrinx(...)
  • The tarsi are bird's fused ankle and foot bones (tarsi). The tarsi of birds are often mistaken for legs. What looks like backward-facing 'knees' are the bird's ankles.
  • The thalamus is the brain area that helps process sensory information (sights, sounds, touch, taste, but not smell).
  • A theory is an explanation for a phenomenon based on a body of evidence developed over time. As new data becomes available, a theory may need to be modified or abandoned.
  • Thermals are columns of rising air created by convection currents. Many birds use thermals to soar without using much energy.
  • The thorax is the middle segment of an insect body. Six legs and two pairs of wings (if present) are attached here.
  • Although it looks like one, a Tomial Tooth is not a tooth. It is a sharp wedge on both sides of the upper beak of some birds. There is also a matching notch on each side of the lower beak. Falcons, kites, and shrikes have tomial teeth, making it easier for these predators to sever the(...)
  • Torpor is a state of extreme sluggishness in response to environmental conditions. Torpor reduces the amount of energy needed to survive the winter.
  • Trehalose is the primary blood sugar in insects.
  • Underfur is the inner layer of a mammal's hair that serves as insulation.
  • Unipedal Resting is standing on one leg while tucking the other leg under feathers to keep warm
  • Urohidrosis is a habit in some birds to defecate on their legs for evaporative cooling.
  • Uropygial Gland produces oil used by birds during preening to keep their feathers waterproof. also called a preen gland
  • Uropygial Gland produces oil used by birds during preening to keep their feathers waterproof. also called a preen gland
  • A disease vector is any living thing that can carry a virus, bacteria, or fungus which causes an infection in another living thing.
  • The vomeronasal organ is an olfactory sense organ above the roof of the mouth that can detect pheromones given off by predators, prey, and animals of the same species receptive to breeding. It is also called Jacobson's organ.
  • West Nile virus is a mosquito-transmitted virus that causes disease in humans, horses, and birds.
  • The Winter Severity Index is a model used to compare the impact of winter weather on deer populations.
  • Xylem is plant tissue that carries water and minerals from the roots to the rest of the plant. It also forms the wood of trees and shrubs.
  • Yagrumo macho is a fruit tree that grows in the tropics.
  • Zugunruhe is a German word that means pre-migratory restlessness.