aksci.orgaksci.org/.../lessons/scan/scandfg_35_LifeScience_InvestigatingPlants.p… · AKSCI ©2011 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Investigating Plants INVESTIGATING

AKSCI ©2011 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Investigating Plants

INVESTIGATING PLANTS(Modified for ADEED)

This Alaska Department of Fish and Game lesson has been selected for Yukon Flats School District use by a team of education specialists at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute.

This lesson was taken from the Alaska’s Ecology notebook (2005). Page numbering is not consecutive as material has been obtained from different sections of the publication.

The lesson addresses the following Alaska Grade Level Expectations:

Science[3] SC1.1 The student demonstrates an understanding of how science explains changes in life forms over time,

including genetics, heredity, the process of natural selection, and biological evolution by sorting Alaskan plants and/or animals using physical characteristics (e.g., leaves, beaks) (L).

[4] SC1.1 The student demonstrates an understanding of how science explains changes in life forms over time, including genetics, heredity, the process of natural selection, and biological evolution by showing the relationship between physical characteristics of Alaskan organisms and the environment in which they live.

Added MaterialsAlaska Ecology Cards

123ALASKA’S ECOLOGY 2005

Section 3ECOLOGY ACTIVITIES

Grade Level: 4-12

State Standards: M A-3, M A-6,S A-14, S A-15, S B-1, S B-5, S B-6

Subject: Science, math, lan-guage arts, art

Skills: Observing, recording,analyzing, describing, drawing,computing, measuring, esti-mating, identifying

Duration: 90 minutes

Group Size: 2-5

Setting: Outdoors /indoors

Vocabulary: Abundance, annualplants, chlorophyll, dominantplants, dormant, fruit, habitat,multi-cellular, transect

Investigating Plants2 EXTENSIONS ALERT: ALASKA ECOLOGY CARDS OPTIONAL

Objectives:1. Students will recognize and identify some plantsfrom their local ecosystem, including plant signsduring the non-growing seasons.

2. Students will describe the differences inabundance of plants in their local environment.

Complementary Activities:“Five Kingdoms But No King,” “Take a Deep Breath,”and all the “Investigating(Nonliving Things)” in Section1, Elements of Ecosystems. Also “Who Eats Whom,”“Mineral Cycling,” and “Create a Classroom CompostBox” in Section 2. Also all the “Investigating (LivingThings)” activities in this section.

Materials:For each student: hard surface for drawing orrecording data. For each group: one copy of the“Science Card” several copies of the “Plant DataSheets I and II” (see following pages), paper for drawing,field guide to plants or Alaska Ecology Cards, smallplastic cup or container for collecting soil, and a

transect line made with a 3-meter (or shorter – see step#5) piece of rope or string.

OPTIONAL: a journal for drawing and recordingnames of plants.

Background:See INSIGHTS, Section 1, Elements of Ecosystems:“Plants” fact sheet; INSIGHTS, Section 2,Community Connections; and INSIGHTS, Section 3,Living Things in their Habitats.

Procedure:1. IN CLASS: review how plants are different fromfungi, monerans, and protists. (Plants are multi-cellularand have chlorophyll for performing photosynthesis). Explainto the class that they will investigate their localecosystem for diversity and abundance of plants.

2. Explain that students will be locating and drawingas many plants as they can find along transect lines.They will include any plants within five centimetersto each side. Demonstrate how to draw a plant and

124 ALASKA’S ECOLOGY 2005

note which characteristics help to identify one plantfrom another. Shape, size, edges, and texture of leaves areimportant.

3. Give examples of questions to ask as students drawand take notes about plants they find: Do leaves form apattern such as three leaves on a stalk? Are leaves found oppositeone another on a stalk or do they alternate? Does the plant holddried flowers or fruit? Is the plant stem woody or easily bent?Does this plant grow under trees, on rocky soil, or in wet places?

4. Discuss “annual plants” that grow from seeds or buriedroots, flower, produce new seeds, and die in one calendar year.What evidence do these organisms leave behind?Dead leaves, tubers, seed pods, and roots. Instruct studentsto include such evidence when they identify plantsalong their transect lines.

5. OUTDOORS: if you are studying an area with a highbiodiversity (i.e. many different plant types), use a shorterpiece of transect line so that students won’t getoverwhelmed.

6. Distribute the “Plants Data Sheets I and II” to each group.

7. Ask each group to lay its transect in a straight line.You may want to challenge the groups to lay theirrope so that it touches the highest number of kindsof plants and still maintains a straight line. Havestudents identify their working area of 5 centimetersto each side of the line.

8. The following roles could be rotated so everyoneexperiences each assignment: Project Coordinator(makes sure everything runs smoothly and watches forduplication in plants that are drawn), Plant Illustrator,Plant Counter, a Plant Classifier (to key out names forplants), and a Plant Recorder (to record the group’sanswers to the worksheet).

9. Students begin surveying. They will describe eachkind of plant and then keep a tally of how many ofeach kind grow along their transect. Students caneach draw plants, if desired, checking with thecoordinator to avoid duplication. After theobservation/drawing session is complete, the PlantRecorder should collect all drawings.

10. When all plants along the transects are drawnand recorded, distribute the Science Cards and askthe groups to sit together and answer the questions.

11. Give each group a small container (such as apaper cup) to collect soil to take back to theclassroom to make a “mystery garden.”

12. IN CLASS, share information and drawings onthe plants. Was there a pattern in where the groupsfound certain plants growing? Why do certain plantsgrow better in some places than others? Focus thediscussion on the habitat of the plants.

VARIATIONInstead of a making a transect line, have groups makestudy plots. Cut a 4-meter piece of string and tie theends together. Instruct students to make a squareout of their length of string, thus creating a one-meter-square plot. Students examine all the plantswithin the plot.

Evaluation:1. Given drawings, pictures, or specimens, recognizeand identify abundant local plants.

2. During discussion, demonstrate awareness of thedominant plants in the local ecosystem.

3. Give examples of evidence of annual plants duringthe non-growing season.

EXTENSIONS:A. Use the drawings to create a display. Have thestudents sort through the drawings to find samplesof each kind of plant found along their transects. Usethose to create posters or a display of schoolyardplants. Students research plant facts from fieldguides, the Alaska Ecology Cards, and other sources.

B. Make a school herbarium. Students collect andpress one example of each plant found. Herbariumspecimens may be used by future groups or classesto help identify plants on their transect studies.


NOTE: Before collecting any living thing, discuss with thestudents the importance of preserving the environment anddisturbing the area as little as possible.

• For small plants, collect the entire plant includingthe root, flowers, stems, and leaves if possible.Shake off any loose dirt.

• For trees and shrubs, collect sample branches,leaves, flowers or seeds. Make rubbings of barkby using paper and crayons or charcoal.

• Press samples in a plant press (between sheetsof cardboard and newspaper, bound with rubberbands or weighted with heavy books), changingthe newspaper every few days.

• When samples are dry, students mount them onposter board and label with the plant’s name,where it was found, who collected it, and the datethat it was collected. Also identify plants usinglocal names and uses.

Curriculum Connections:(See appendix for full citations)

Books:How Nature Works (Burnie)

Plant (Eyewitness) (Burnie)

Plants (Silverstein)

Science of Plants (Bocknek) (Gr. 4-6)

Website:Plants Database <plants.usda.gov/plants/home_page.html>

Teacher Resources:(See appendix)


1. Biodiversity. How many kinds of plants did youfind along your transect line?

2. Identification. If you haven’t already, try toidentify the most common plants by using a fieldguide to plants. If you cannot find the name ofthe plants in your guide, or if a field guide isunavailable, record details about the plant to helpyou identify it later.

3. Dominant species. Which three kinds of plantswere the most abundant on your transect? These“dominant” species will have the highest numbersin the third column of your “Plant Data Sheet I.”Make sure that you have counted individual plants, notevery leaf or stem. Count a moss clump as one plant. Writethe total for each plant on its drawing.

Plant Transect

SCIENCE CARD

4. Dormant annual plants. Depending on thetime of year and where you are, many plants maybe dormant, which means you won’t clearly seetheir leaves, flowers, or even stems. Describe thekind and amount of the following plant remnantsthat you found on your transect:

(a) Dead leaves or needles(b) Dead flowers(c) Seeds(d) Roots above the ground

5. Mystery gardens. You can find out more aboutwhat plants are in the soil as seeds by taking asmall sample of soil back to the classroom,putting it in an open container (an empty milkcarton, for example), watering it well, covering itwith plastic, and placing it in a sunny spot. Watchyour mystery garden closely for 2-3 weeks andrecord what happens.


Plant Data Sheet ILIST OF PLANTS

Names Date

Location of Site

Plant Number ofNumber Plant Name or Description Individual Plants

Fireweed(Example)


Plant Data Sheet IIPLANT DRAWINGS

Plant # NamePlant # Name




Elements ofECOSYSTEMS

Sun’s EnergyAlaska’s Landscapeposter: Nonliving+Living

Things=EcosystemNonliving Elements

Climate & EcosystemsSnowy BlanketTopographySoil

Living Things – 5 KingdomsMoneransProtistsFungiPlantsAnimals (Invertebrate)Animals (Vertebrate)

Energy Exchange

SUN’S ENERGY –ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE

Energy from the sun heats the surface of the earth totemperatures where life can exist. Both the amountof energy that reaches the surface and the durationof time the energy is present determine thetemperature. The tilt of the earth’s axis changes bothof these factors on a daily and seasonal basis. Thissets the stage for world climate differences, a majordeterminant of whether our local ecosystem istundra, trees, or desert.

CLIMATE & ECOSYSTEMS

The sun’s energy not only warms the environment toa degree where life can occur, but is a key ingredientin photosynthesis (food production from light energy,water, and carbon dioxide). This food productionserves as the foundation for all life.

Photosynthesis Process. Plants and fungi absorbphotons of sunlight from dawn to dusk. The energycontained in the photons is used by the cells torestructure chemical bonds and manufacture foodsugars from mineral nutrients and water from the soiland carbon dioxide from the air.

Winter Dormancy. Plants cannot photosynthesize attemperatures below 19.4oF (-7oC). Other metabolicprocesses such as respiration also do not occur attemperatures much below this point. When coldtemperatures and meager sunlight halt photosynthesis,growth stops and plants become dormant.

Summer Growth Surge. When temperature andsunlight allows, Alaska’s plants grow more rapidly inorder to complete their cycle in the short timeavailable. Scientists studying white spruce in Alaskaand Massachusetts found that the Alaska treesproduced the same number of a certain cell, but inhalf as much time.

Climate (temperature, sunlight, wind, rain), topography (elevation,steepness, aspect), and soil (composition, depth, permafrost) are themajor nonliving elements that shape ecosystems for all livingthings and the energy exchange that links them.

Imagine a landscape devoid of living things. In a way, a lunarlandscape, but with familiar landmarks. That is the canvas forpainting an ecosystem – the complex of living organisms and theirphysical environment. These living and nonliving elements arelinked by a flow of energy and a cycling of materials.

An ecosystem can be as small as a pond or as large as a continent. Prairie, rainforest, tundra,wetlands, coral reef – all are examples of ecosystems. All run on energy from the sun.

Section 1ECOSYSTEM INSIGHTS


Comparative Study. Ironically, when scientists movedAlaskan trees to the Lower 48, they grew very slowly.In order to make them grow as fast as they do inAlaska, the length of daylight has to be increased tomatch Alaska summers.

Permafrost Enhances Precipitation. Areas ofpermafrost (perennially frozen ground) which underliea majority of Alaska keep water on or near the surface.Water seems abundant because snowmelt and raincannot drain away. Because of that, even thoughprecipitation in Arctic and Interior Alaska is similarto that of deserts, it is enough to support plantgrowth.

Rainy Coast. By contrast, Southeast and SouthcentralAlaska’s coastal lands are awash in rainfall. There is nopermafrost. The rain makes the area prone to erosion ifvegetation is stripped from the steep slopes.

ALASKA’S SNOWY BLANKET

Precipitation in Alaska comes from snow as well asrain. Snow affects the ecosystem in several ways.

1. Extends Darkness. Deep snow cover significantlyreduces the amount of sunlight reaching buriedplants, extending the period of darkness and reducingthe time available for photosynthesis. (See adaptationfact sheets in Alaska’s Tundra & Wildlife, INSIGHTS Section3.)

2. Protects or Scours. In many wind-blown areas, snowhelps to shape vegetation patterns. Under itsprotective drifts, more plants can survive and thrive.On exposed ridges, wind-blown snow acts as anabrasive to scour away all but the most hardiest orsmallest plants.

3. Retains Earth’s Heat. Snow has great insulatingqualities that help life survive in severeenvironments. Snow is a good insulator because airis trapped in between snow crystals. The trappedair, a poor conductor of heat energy, insulates theground from winter temperatures.

When snow falls in autumn it covers soil that hasstored heat energy over the summer. Withoutadditional input of radiant energy from the sun, theground cools gradually, but uncompacted snow actsas an insulating blanket and traps some of the heatgiven up by the ground. As a result, the ground stays

Glaciers and volcanoes have played majorroles in shaping Alaska’s landscape. About100,000 glaciers still exist in Alaska, coveringabout 29,000 square miles or 5 percent of thestate. Active volcanoes number more than 80.

Superlatives. Alaska’s 365 million acresencompass about 34,000 miles of marinecoastline, more than 3 million lakes, 39mountain ranges (including North America’stallest mountain at 20,320 feet), places withmore than 200 inches of precipitation annually,and places receiving as little as 5 to 7 inchesof total precipitation.

Extremes. Alaska spans the latitudes of51º13' to 71º23' north. The stateexperiences temperatures ranging from the30s to 90s during the summer to the 50s tominus 70s during the winter. Daily sunlightvaries from several months of totaldarkness to several months of total daylightabove the Arctic Circle.

ALASKA’S LANDSCAPEICE AND FIRE


warmer than winter air, remaining close to 32°F (0°C)– as long as there is a sufficient covering of snow.The ground cools, or gives up heat energy relativelyslowly as winter progresses.

Life Under Snow. Some animals are subnivean andremain active under the snow. Voles,shrews, and lemmings burrow underthe snow and dig paths betweenfeeding and resting sites.Ptarmigan andgrouse fold theirwings and dive intoloose snow forprotection fromcold and predators.

Some dormant insectsrely on the insulating properties of snow to protectthem from cold and wind. Insect eggs, cocoons andadults find shelter under vegetation and in the soil.

TOPOGRAPHY & ECOSYSTEMS

Sea Level to Mt. McKinley. Since Alaska rises fromsea level to the highest mountain on the continent,the topography of the land plays an important rolein shaping the pattern of our weather and ourecosystems. Mountain ranges block rain systems,make their own weather and winds, or concentraterainfall.

Drainage or Pooling? Steep slopes drain moisturequickly and hamper soil development, limiting whatcan grow there. Low-lying areas or flats may beunderlain by permafrost, creating boggy soils that limitplant growth by drowning their roots. Plant growth ondry sites are different from those on wet sites.

Look for a Sunny Slope. The aspect or compassdirection of a slope determines exposure to sunshineor wind, how soon the soil warms in spring, and ifsnow will be scoured away or lay as a protectiveblanket. Plant communities on north-facing slopeshave different members from those on south-facingslopes.

SOIL & ECOSYSTEMS

Alaska’s Young Soils. Recent glaciation over much ofAlaska left behind coarsely crushed rock and fine rockflour devoid of organic material. These young soilslack variety and depth.

Other Plants Prepare a Base. Plants need afoundation for their roots. Trees especially dependon many years of other plant growth andaccumulation of plant debris to form the organicsoils that will support their growth.

Permafrost’s Chilling Effect. Permafrost is mostcommon in areas with a mean annual soiltemperature below 27°F ( -3°C). Locally, on southfacing slopes or in areas of good drainage, nopermafrost may exist.

Roots Need to Breathe. Soil depth and standing wateraffect a plant’s ability to “breathe.” Cells in leavesand the branches absorb oxygen from the air, butthe cells in the roots must absorb oxygen from thesoil. Trees literally drown if their roots becomewaterlogged. Even in arid environments like theInterior, trees and other plants can becomewaterlogged because permafrost does not permitwater to drain away from their roots.

Cold Creates Treeless Muskeg Soils. Coldtemperatures slow the growth and decay of plantmaterials and that slows the development of organicsoils. If dead plants accumulate faster than they canbe decomposed, an acidic basin called a muskegforms. Muskeg soils, often found within borealforests, are notoriously poor environments for mosttree and plant growth.

Bacteria Make Nutritious Soil. Plants must also havenitrogen in order to grow. Most of the nitrogen onearth is in the air, but plants are only able to usenitrogen that is in the soil. Without the soil’s nitrogenprovided by microscopic bacteria called “nitrogen-fixers,” plants could not survive.


LIVING THINGS – 5 KINGDOMSTo the various nonliving environments we now adda cast of living things. Living things can move inresponse to their surroundings they grow and theyreproduce. The presence or absence of certainnonliving things dictates which living creatures willsurvive in a certain area.

Stars are Easier to Count. It is said that scientistshave a better understanding of how many stars arein our galaxy than how many species are on Earth.Estimates range from two million to 100 million. Newspecies are still being discovered.

Hey, You! Only 1.4 million species have been named.Only a small fraction of the insects, fish, and non-animal species have been scientifically described andcatalogued.

Naming Things. The Swedish naturalist, CarolusLinnaeus, was the first person to devise a method ofnaming living things. Linnaeus used two categoriesor kingdoms to classify all living things: Plants andAnimals. His system has been modified many times,evolving along with the expanding knowledge ofbiologists.

More Kingdoms. While scientists are still debatingabout how to classify some organisms, they now agreeon the following five classifications of living things:

monerans (one-celled organisms such asblue-green algae and bacteria)

protists (one-celled organisms includingalgae and protozoans)

fungi (such as mushrooms and lichens)

plants

animals

The following fact sheets explain the characteristicsof each kingdom and highlight some of its membersfound in Alaska.


ECOLOGY FACTS - 5 LIVING KINGDOMS

Monerans and protists create soil and clean upplant debris. Until recently, these microscopicliving things were considered to be small versionsof plants and animals. But the more scientistslearned about them, the less they seemed to fitin either category.

Given Their Own Kingdoms. Some not only maketheir own food, like plants, but also move aroundand catch and eat other living things. Additionally,their cell structure is quite different from thoseof either plants or animals.

MONERANS, the smallest and most primitivemicroscopic organisms, are prokaryotic (they lacka cell nucleus). Bacteria and cyanobacteria (orblue-green algae) are examples of monerans.Some live together in colonies or in symbiosiswith other living things. A million monerans would fiton the head of pin.

PROTISTS are larger microscopic organisms thathave cell nuclei (they are eukaryotic). Theseinclude algae, paramecia, amoebas, and manyothers. They move by use of flagella, cilia, orpseudopodia. Some do not move.

1 AND 2 – MONERANS AND PROTISTSSmall but mighty

Ecological Roles. Some monerans and protistsare producers. Like plants, they are able tophotosynthesize (to make food from air, water,and sunlight) and are food for very small animals.Others are herbivores or carnivores.

Unsung Heroes. The majority, however, aredecomposers and detritivores, especiallymonerans. Some are “nitrogen-fixers,” takingnitrogen from the air and converting it to a formusable by plants. These unsung heroes recyclewaste and dead things. Their recycling allows lifeto continue.

Microscopic organisms areabundant and important in allecosystems. The majority aredetritivores that replenish thesoil with recycled nutrients.


3 – FUNGIAn out-of-body phenomenon

Fungi are prolific decomposers anddetritivores. Mushrooms, shelf fungi, and lessnoticeable molds, mildews, yeasts, and rots aresome examples.

Fungi are similar to plants in that they areimmobile. In fact, scientists used to considerthem to be plants. But fungi are very different fromplants in cell structure and in the ways they live,so scientists now place them in a separatekingdom of living things.

More Than Meets the Eye. Usually, we see onlythe fruiting, or reproductive part of a fungi (amushroom, for example). Its main body is hiddenfrom view. The body of a fungus is made up ofhyphae, microscopic hair-like structures thatreach out through the wood, soil, leaf litter,roots, or other material on which the fungi isgrowing. A handful of forest soil may containover two miles of fungal hyphae!

Unusual Way of Eating. Fungi use their hyphaeand digest their food outside their bodies! The cellsof fungal hyphae give off digestive enzymes likethose found in human stomachs. These enzymesbreak down wood, leaves, and other material. Thenthe fungal hyphae absorb the scattered sugars andminerals and use them to grow.

Trading Minerals for Sugars. Some fungi formsymbiotic associations with plants and help themobtain needed minerals (nitrogen, potassium,phosphorus) from the soil in exchange for the sugarsthe plant produces. More than 90 percent of theplants in Alaska, including all our trees and berry-producing plants, could not grow without thesemycorrhizal fungi.

Mutual Symbiosis. Lichens, one of the mostvisible fungi, are actually a partnership betweena fungus and algae or cyanobacteria (moneran).The fungus provides the structural protection, andthe alga produces the food.

Mushrooms arethe fruiting, orr e p r o d u c t i v eparts of certainfungi. Tiny hair-like structures,called hyphae,are the mainbody of manyfungi.

Lichens are the most visible fungi in forest ecosystems.



4 – PLANTSFrom small to tall

Plants are visually dominant in ecosystems andproduce the food for other life forms. Thiskingdom includes small to tall – mosses,liverworts, ferns, and horsetails to spruce andbirch trees.

Green Producers. These organisms havecells with nuclei and cell walls and a highlyorganized arrangement of their manycells. All are green and capable ofphotosynthesis. Except for themosses and liverworts, all haveleaves, roots, stems, and a systemfor transporting water and organicmaterials among the cells.

Help Accepted. All plants live a stationary life.Many rely on wind, insects, birds, and somemammals to pollinate their flowers or to helpcarry their seeds to new areas. Plants can live fora remarkably long time. Some bristlecone pinesare more than 4,000 years old.

Ecological Champions. Plants areextremely important ecologically. (1)Pioneer plants help create the organicsoils that all other plants need beforethey can become established in a

new location. (2) They are themajor producers (of food) in

terrestrial ecosystems. Withoutthem, the animal kingdom

would not survive.



ECOSYSTEMS –Community Connections

Food WebProducersConsumers

HerbivoresCarnivoresOmnivoresDetritivores

Alaska Food Chains/WebsTrack the EnergyOwl Food Web

Growth has LimitsCompetitionSymbiosis

MutualismCommensalismParasitism

Mineral CyclingNitrogen CycleCarbon Cycle

Composting BasicsAs the Worm Churns

FOOD WEBS – WHO EATS WHOM?

[see the “5 Living Kingdoms” fact sheets in INSIGHTS, Section1, and the Alaska Ecology Cards for species illustrations]

Producers. A plant is exquisitely equipped to convertthe nonliving — air, water, minerals, and sunlight —into food for itself and others throughphotosynthesis. Plants and algae that make foodfrom nonliving materials are called producers.

Consumers. All other living things in an ecosystemdepend on food manufactured by producers. Calledconsumers, they use a process called cellularrespiration to convert the carbohydrates, fats andproteins found in plants or other animals intoanother form of energy that their cells can use (seeINSIGHTS Section 1: “Energy”).

Consumers are divided into four groups:

• herbivores (organisms that eat plants)• carnivores (animals that eat other animals)• omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants)• detritivores (organisms that eat dead or decaying material)

The pathway of energy and minerals from thenonliving environment, through producers, toconsumers, and back again through detritivorescreates a food chain. All the food chains of anecosystem are connected into a food web – theenergy circulatory system of that ecosystem.

Energy. At each intersection in the web, some energyis returned to the nonliving environment as heat. Thatenergy is not passed on and cannot be reused byliving things. The lost energy is replaced duringphotosynthesis by the capture of energy from the sun.

Where the next meal comes from isa constant priority in anyorganism’s life. The followingpages trace how energy istransferred in ecosystemsand how materials arerecycled. (Recycling inecosystems is not just anoption, but is critical tocontinued survival.)



Minerals. Minerals are always passed along at eachweb intersection until the detritivores return themto the environment in their original form. Theproducers can use them again to make new food.

PRODUCERS CONVERT RAW MATERIALSUsing the process of photosynthesis, producerscombine energy from sunlight with carbon dioxidefrom the air and minerals from water, soil, and rocksto produce the sugars and oxygen that help all otherliving things survive. They are the first living link inall food chains.

Plants are the main producers in forest and tundraecosystems, while algae (including seaweeds) are themain producers in ocean ecosystems. Both plantsand algae are important in wetlands. Some moneransare also producers.

HERBIVORES EAT PRODUCERSHerbivores are the next link in the food chain andcome in all sizes. Moose, deer, and snowshoe haresreceive all their nutrition from the stems, bark andleaves of plants. Caribou survive harsh winters byeating lichens. Red squirrels and pine grosbeaksprefer seeds.

Yet, these “common” wildlife examples areoverwhelmed in number by the smallest herbivores– the millions of leaf-eating, wood-drilling, sap-sucking, twig-boring insects and other oftenoverlooked invertebrates.

Each herbivore is adapted to eat specific kinds ofplants and cannot live in an ecosystem or area wherethose plants are absent.

CARNIVORES(Meat Eaters)

HERBIVORES(Plant Eaters)

PRODUCERS(Plants & Algae)

Nutrientsand

Minerals inAir and Soil

▲

▲

▲

FOOD WEB

DETRITIVORES(Decomposers)

DETRITIVORES(Decomposers)


CARNIVORES EAT HERBIVORES– AND EACH OTHERIn the next link in the food chain, the plant-eatingherbivores become food for carnivores (flesh-eaters).Owls, spiders, centipedes, woodpeckers, foxes, andwolves are examples of carnivores.Another name for carnivore ispredator, one that kills and eatsother living things.

Carnivores do not limitthemselves to dining onherbivores. All will eat each otherif the opportunity arises. Thisrepresents a second carnivorelink on longer food chains.

Carnivores cannot survivewithout adequate populationsof prey. So the numbers and kinds of herbivores inan ecosystem help to determine the presence andabundance of carnivores.

OPPORTUNISTIC OMNIVORESFood in an ecosystem can be scarce, especially forbig eaters. Therefore, consumers that eat a variety offoods have a better chance of survival.

Bears are good examples. They eat roots, grasses,herbs, and berries as well as small and largemammals, insects, fish, and carrion. With anomnivorous diet, bears are well-adapted to food isavailable.

Chickadees and many other birds eatplant seeds as well as insects.Waterfowl young gain their initialgrowth from aquatic insects beforeturning to marsh vegetation later inthe summer.

Animal detritivores eat more plants thanmoose! In one square mile of boreal

forest, the mass of detritivores equals thebody weight of 43 moose.

Mosquitoes are infamous for their abundance inAlaska. Both male and female mosquitoes sip plantnectar as herbivores, but the female is omnivorous.She needs a blood meal from a warm-blooded animalto produce the eggs she will lay on the surface of anynearby water.

DETRITIVORES REUSEAND RECYCLELast in a food chain – butcertainly far from “least” – are

detritivores, or decomposers.They obtain their energy by eating

waste materials and deadorganisms. They overshadow all

other consumers in both number andvariety.

Detritivores are a critical link in all ecosystemsbecause they return all the minerals stored in thefood chains to the soil for reuse by producers.Without detritivores, producers would soon run outof the minerals they need to make food, and anecosystem would smother in tons of debris.

Bald eagles, crabs, ravens and other large creaturesthat scavenge dead animals are detritivores becausethey eat dead flesh. But the most importantdetritivores are tiny, extremely numerous – andignored. These include animals that live in the soil,slime molds, many fungi, and hundreds of thousandsof microscopic organisms.

(For more information about the Five Living Kingdomsincluding Fungi, Protista, and Monera, Plants, and Animalssee INSIGHTS Section 1, Elements of Ecosystems.)


Six food chain examples for forest, tundra, wetland, and ocean are shown in bold letters. Make food webs byusing the other foods of each living thing (listed in small letters below its name) to find other interconnections.

PRODUCER HERBIVORE CARNIVORE 1

1. White spruce Red Squirrel Martenberries, mushrooms voles, bird eggs

2. Willow Snowshoe Hare Lynxbirch, grass, fireweed voles, squirrels

3. Grass Seeds Red-backed Vole Boreal Owlberries, fireweed flycatcher, woodpecker

4. Lingonberry Pine Grosbeak Goshawkspruce and birch seeds squirrel, flycatcher,woodpecker

5. Fireweed Moth Alder Flycatcherflies, beetles

6. White Birch Bark Beetles Downy Woodpeckerspruce moth, berries

1. Lichen Caribou Brown Beardryas, willow, sedge sedge, grass, blueberry

2. Dryas Dall Sheep Wolfwillow, sunflower, sedge caribou, marmot

3. Willow Redpoll Arctic Foxwillow, sunflower, sedge singing vole, any dead animal

4. Grass Singing Vole Short-tailed Weaselsedge, sunflower, dryas redpoll

5. Sunflower Butterfly Golden Ploverblueberry, mountain avens flies, springtail, blueberry

6. Sedge Marmot Wolverinegrass, sunflower fox, any dead animal

7. Blueberry Willow Ptarmigan Golden Eaglewillow, sedge marmot, weasel, sheep (lamb only)

1. Algae Water Fleas Sticklebackdead plants, protozoans midge, rotifer

2. Pondweed Pintail Peregrine Falconalgae, seeds of sedges phalarope

3. Algae Midge Wood Frogalgae, dead plants flies, mosquitoes

4. Sedges Muskrat Minkpondweed stickleback, phalarope

5. Willow Moose Wolfwillow, sedge muskrat, pintail

6. Algae Mosquito larvae Red Phalaropeprotozoans midge, water flea, rotifer

1. Green Algae Sea Urchin Sea Otterkelp crab, sculpin, sea star

2. Kelp Snails Sea Stargreen algae sea urchin, sea cucumber, shrimp

3. Diatom (algae) Amphipod Sculpinother algae, kelp shrimp, sand lance

4. Sea Grass Brant Bald Eaglegreen algae herring, guillemot, dead animals

5. Brown algae Copepods Sand Lanceother algae, sea grass amphipod, euphausids

6. Red Algae Euphausids Herringother algae, diatoms copepods, sand lance

TUN

DR

AFO

RES

TW

ETLA

ND

OC

EAN

CARNIVORE 2 DETRITIVORE

Mushroomany dead plantRavenany dead animalFlyany dead animalBacteriaany dead thing

Merlin Beetlepine grosbeak any dead animal

Shelf Fungusany dead wood

Bacteriaany dead thingRavenany dead animalFliesany dead animalSpringtailany dead wood

Jaeger Bacteriaredpoll, vole any dead thing

Mushroomany dead plantFlydead producers, protozoans

Common Loon Bacteriafrog any dead thing

Rotiferdead producers, protozoans

Sandhill Crane Water Fleastickleback, sedges any dead producer, rotifer

Bacteriaany dead thingFliesany dead animal

Parasitic Jaeger Protozoansany dead material, algae

Tanner Crabany dead animalsFlatfishdead animals, snails, fishShrimp

Sea Anemone any dead materialsand lance, snails Marine Worm

any dead plant, algaePigeon Guillemot Sea Cucumbersculpin, herring any dead thingHarbor Seal Gullsand lance, flatfish any dead animal

ECOLOGY FACTS - ALASKAN FOOD CHAINS AND WEBS


WHO EATS WHOM?Producer. Through photosynthesis (water, carbondioxide, and energy from the sun), a spruce treefeeds itself and produces seeds in cones.

Herbivore. A vole eats fallen spruce cone seedscontaining 1000 calories of energy. Althoughthe vole uses most of this energy for moving aboutand for staying warm, some of the energy goes through the vole’s digestivesystem as waste, and the rest (about 10% of the original 1000 calories, or 100 calories)is stored in the vole’s tissues, ready to be passed on to the next consumer inthe food chain.

Carnivore. Suppose that the next consumer is a weasel who eats thevole. The 100 calories (10% of the original 1000 calories) from the spruceseeds stored in the vole’s body are passed to the weasel. Theweasel uses those calories to move, reproduce, and staywarm. Some calories from the vole are excreted as waste,and the rest (10% of the 100 calories) is stored in theweasel.

Second Carnivore. A hawk catches and eats the weasel.Only 10 of the original calories remain to used by the hawk.Less energy is available to pass on at every link of a food chain. As a result,carnivores are less numerous than herbivores, and food chains rarely havemore than four links.

Detritivores. When the hawk dies, the 1 calorie of original energy thatremained is used as the detritivores break down the body. They returnonly the minerals to the ecosystem.

Thanks to the Sun, new energy is on its way!

Producers (Again!). Green plants, algae, and some monerans willchange the sun’s energy and minerals from the nonlivingsurroundings into forms other living things can use.

ECOLOGY FACTS - TRACK THE ENERGY

When living things consume food, they consume energy as well as mass. All livingthings use energy to move, respond to the environment, reproduce, grow, and keepwarm. As a result, less energy is available to pass on at every link in a food chain.


LIVING THINGSin their Habitats

EcologyTypes of Ecosystems

TundraForestsWetlandsOceans(posters of each type)(posters of Alaska Trees)

Home Sweet HabitatSmall is Interesting Too

Tips for Investigating:Water AnimalsSoil AnimalsPlants

What is in your local ecosystem?There is no better way to know

your environment than by goingout and taking a close look. It be the beginning of

an ecological study.


ORIGINS OF “ECOLOGY”The term ecology was introduced in 1866 by aGerman biologist Ernst Heinrich Haeckel. It is derivedfrom the Greek words for “household” and “economy”giving it a meaning close to the economy of nature.

Ecology is now defined as the study of relationshipsof organisms to other organisms and their physicalenvironment. The science developed in part fromCharles Darwin’ studies of adaptations of organismsto their environment and from plant geographers’studies of world plant distribution.

Alaska’s earliest scientific study was conducted in1741 by Georg Steller, the naturalist on Vitus Bering’svoyage.

Steller was allowed less than a day ashore on KayakIsland east of Prince William Sound. In that time,however, he determined the land they saw was indeedNorth America – because he found a bird in the jayfamily he knew to exist only on this continent. (Thatbird is now known as the Steller’s jay.)

ECOLOGY TODAY: Modern ecologists are stillasking questions about how each organism interactswith its fellow species, with other species, and withall the elements of its nonliving environment.

Support from Many Fields of Study. In the quest foranswers, ecology draws on other sciences — geology,climatology, hydrology, oceanography, soil analysis,physics, and chemistry, biology, animal behavior,taxonomy, physiology, mathematics, — and manymore.

TYPES OF ECOSYSTEMSEcologists have identified hundreds of types ofecosystems in the United States and the world,defining many to very specific levels at specificlocations. Each system is a collection ofinterdependent parts functioning as a unit.

Also Called Biomes. Often ecosystems are identifiedby their biomes – their living community of plantsand associated animals. For use in this text, however,we use the concept of ecosystems in order to explorethe nonliving components, the interactions, theenergy flow, and the mineral cycling.


Alaska has four major ecosystem types: tundra,forests, wetlands, and ocean. Within each majorcategory are further divisions.

TUNDRA: Alaska has both alpine or high elevation(mountain) tundra and arctic or (high latitude) tundra.Alpine tundra exists anywhere in the world thereare mountains – even on the equator. Climate andother nonliving elements prevent the growth oftrees. The name tundra came from the Finnish wordmeaning treeless.

Adapted for the Physical Environment. The plants andwildlife that do live in tundra ecosystems haveadaptations to survive freezing temperatures, shortsummers, and slow mineral cycling. Rainfall is so low,tundra would qualify as a desert.

Some birds fly thousands of miles to partake in thetundra’s summer abundance of insect life. Thesebirds and some of the mammals (such as caribou) thenmigrate elsewhere for the winter. Others find lifeunder the snow a cozy way to survive harsh winters.

Where to Find More Information. The Alaska’s Tundra& Wildlife is a companion book in the Alaska WildlifeCurriculum series with detailed information andstudent activities using tundra environments tostudy ecology.

FORESTS: Alaska has two main forest ecosystems– boreal forest and temperate rainforest. The borealforest reaches to the lower edge of the tundra andits organisms face some of the same rigorous climaticconditions.

Trees Protect their Environment. The temperaterainforest fringes the coastline. In keeping with itsname, Some coastal rainforest areas collect morethan 200 inches of rain. Forests protect our watertable and our streams by preventing erosion. Treesalso play a major role in the water cycle by returningwater vapor to the atmosphere.

More than any other ecosystem, forests help tomaintain the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxidein our atmosphere, keeping the air breathable for allliving things.

Multiple Layers, Multiple Homes. With many layers– from sky-scraping tree tops to mossy ground cover,forest ecosystems provide homes to a variety ofwildlife. The increased plant life supports greaterpopulations of herbivores and they, in turn, supportmore carnivores than in tundra ecosystems. Thedetritivores are plentiful – and busy.

Alaska’s Forests & Wildlife is a companion book in theAlaska Wildlife Curriculum series with detailedinformation and student activities using forestenvironments to study ecology.

WETLANDS: Wetland ecosystems are found withintundra and forest ecosystems and many others.Coastal wetlands types include estuaries, river deltas,and saltwater marshes. Inland wetlands includestream and river corridors, marshes, ponds, lakeshores, bogs, muskegs.

What Makes It a Wetland? Three factors help to definewhat makes a wetland.

(1) how much water is present (the water regime),(2) water-retaining soil,(3) plants adapted to growing in soils with low or

no oxygen.

Alaska’s wetland ecosystems are some of the mostproductive wildlife habitats. For example, many ofour commercial fisheries depend on fish hatched infreshwater streams. Alaska’s wetlands are also theprimary nursery for much of our nation’s waterfowl.

Large Food Base. Wetlands are so productive for thelarger, more visible wildlife because this ecosystemincludes an abundance of microscopic organisms andsmall invertebrates that serve as food for high levelconsumers.

Wetlands & Wildlife, K-12 Curriculum, is a good sourceof information and student activities about wetlandsby the US Fish & Wildlife Service and the AlaskaDepartment of Fish and Game.

OCEAN: With 34,000 miles of marine coastline,Alaska has all varieties of ocean ecosystems fromtidal flats and lagoons to deep sea trenches and seamount upwellings.


Zooplankton to Whales. The ocean ecosystems arehighly productive despite Alaska’s harsh climate.They support a food web that ranges from tinyzooplankton to humpback whales.

Millions of seabirds are a vital part of the oceanecosystem. They spend nine months of the year atsea, coming to land only to nest. Salmon, herring,halibut, and pollock are some of the major fishes.

Calling all Ecologists. But Alaska’s marine ecosystemshave shown signs trouble. In some areas the onceabundant Steller sea lion and sea otter have declinedsharply, for reasons yet unclear. Ecologists have beencalled to discover the causes.

Sea Week Curriculum by the University of Alaska –Fairbanks is a good source of information andstudent activities about the ocean ecosystem. AlaskaOil Spill Curriculum published by the Prince WilliamSound Science Center is another source, as is LearnAbout Seabirds, by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service.

HOME SWEET HABITATWho lives in each ecosystem? Only the organismsthat find suitable habitat (food, water, shelter, and space)within a particular ecosystem. (Some wildlife use multiplehabitats, either daily, periodically, or seasonally.)

The Right Stuff. Sitka black-tailed deer cannotsurvive in the arctic tundra ecosystem even thoughthere are food, water, shelter, and space – they areNOT the right kind of food, water, shelter, and spacefor a temperate rainforest mammal. Theenvironment that meets all of the needs of ananimal is called its habitat.

The habitat of the red squirrel, for example, is aspruce forest – a place where trees provide plentifulseeds to eat, hiding places to escape from predators,and nesting areas to raise young squirrels.

Different in Different Seasons. An animal’s habitatrequirements may be different at different seasonsand times in its life. Here are two examples. A femalepolar bear will den (shelter) from November through

April to give birth to cubs. After the cubs are oldenough to emerge from the den, she will not use aden again until the next time she is pregnant.

A brown bear will dine hungrily on tender roots andsedges in spring when few other foods are available.When salmon swim into nearby streams from theocean, the brown bear will walk past sedges to fishfor the high protein salmon. In early fall, the bearwill gorge itself on berries.

Where Do I Find It? The key to understanding habitat– and knowing where to find an animal – is to look ateach animal’s specific needs and where in naturethose needs are met. The Alaska Ecology Cards availableas part of this curriculum are handy references forhabitat and food requirements of Alaska organismsfrom all five kingdoms.

SMALL IS INTERESTING TOO– TIPS FOR INVESTIGATINGWhen Alaskan’s hear the word “animal,” we thinkabout large furry mammals such as moose or bears.The investigations included in this section remindstudents to take a close look at all living organismsto discover the richness of the local ecosystem.

SOIL ANIMALS: There are many animals that liveon and in the soil including insect larvae, snails,worms, spiders, and small mammals. These animalsspend most of their life in the dark, living on otheranimals or nutrients found in the soil.

Many of the soil critters that students might find havespecial adaptations that allow them to thrive on orin the soil. While investigating the soil habitat, lookfor evidence left by soil animals, as well as for theanimals themselves.

WATER ANIMALS: Not all water animals are fish,ducks, or sea otters. Ponds, streams, rivers, and otherwetlands are rich with kinds of animal life that weseldom see.


Each spring as ice thaws, wet areas in Alaska eruptwith young invertebrates (animals such as worms andinsects that have no backbone). These invertebrates areextremely important food sources for many of thefish that other animals eat (including humans).

Don’t Forget Mosquitoes! Many of the easilyrecognizable flying insects in Alaska such asmosquitoes and dragonflies lay their eggs in water.Larvae and pupae develop from these eggs and carryon complex predator – prey, and consumer –consumed relationships.

Investigating water habitats reveals usually hiddencreatures that form essential links in the food chainsof wetland ecosystems. A pond will never seem soordinary again!

PLANTS: Within one calendar year annual plantsgrow from seeds or buried roots, flower, producenew seeds, and die. In fall and winter only remnantsof annual plants such as dead leaves, tubers, seedpods, and roots are left as evidence of theirpresence. They are providing energy for thedecomposers and detritivores.

While investigating the plants in your localecosystem, look also for evidence of perennial plantssuch as fireweed, dwarf dogwood, and cow parsnip.Though their summer appearance is fleeting, plantsare vital in the web of ecosystem interactions of livingand nonliving things.


Oce

an E

cosy

stem


Wetlands Ecosystem


Tund

ra E

cosy

stem


Forest Ecosystem


Alaska’s Broadleaf Trees

Look at the leaves.==> If they are broad, flat leaves, the tree is abroadleaf, angiosperm, or hardwood.

ECOLOGY FACTS - BROADLEAF TREES

Broadleaf trees have flowers as well as broad, flatleaves. Flowers on a majority of Alaska’s broadleaftrees are small and green and do not look like atypical flower petal.

Broadleaf trees in Alaska are deciduous, losingtheir leaves in the fall. They become dormant asan adaptation to the cold and reduced daylight.

Birch

Aspen

Alder

Mountain Ash Black Cottonwood

Balsam Poplar

Willow


ALASKA’S CONIFER TREES

Look at the leaves.➜ If the leaves look like needles or scales – justpicture a Christmas tree – the tree is a conifer,gymnosperm, or softwood.

ECOLOGY FACTS - CONIFER TREES

Conifer seeds grow inside cones rather thanflowers and sometimes hang on the tree forseveral years. The tree’s crown looks like a coneas well.

Since conifers typically keep their narrow, needleleaves all winter they are also called evergreens.One Alaskan conifer – the tamarack – is deciduousand loses its needles each autumn.

Alaska cedar

White Spruce

Black Spruce Sitka Spruce

Tamarack

Lodgepole Pine

Mountain HemlockWestern Hemlock

Alaska Ecology Cards

235. LITTLE BROWN BAT F,W

Traits: Mammal with forelegs modified toform membranous wings; keen eyesight;active at nightHabitat: Forested areas with a lake nearby;roost in caves, tree cavities, or buildings.Foods: Mosquitoes, moths, mayflies,caddisflies; usually feeds over water and inforest openingsEaten by: Owls, squirrels

Do You Know? Bats capture flying insects byusing echolocation. A single bat may eat asmany as 1,000 mosquitoes in one evening.

Each illustration is backed by text describing the organism’s traits, habitat, food habits, what otherorganisms eat it for food, and a “do you know?” fact. These cards are suitable for learners of any age.

Primary educators may choose to adapt the illustrations and text for young readers.

A collection of 270 illustrations of one-celled life, plants,invertebrates, fish, birds, and mammals found in Alaska

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game administers all programs and activities free from discrimination on the basis of race, religion,color, national origin, age, sex, marital status, pregnancy, parenthood, or disability. For information on alternative formats for this andother department publications, please contact the department ADA Coordinator at [voice] 907-465-4120, telecommunication device forthe deaf [TDD] 1-800-478-3648, or fax 907-465-6078. Any person who believes she/he has been discriminated against should write toADF&G, PO Box 25526, Juneau, AK 99802-5526, or OEO, U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC 20240.

Project Managers:Robin Dublin, Jonne Slemons

Editors:Alaska Department of Fish and Game: Robin Dublin,Karen LewExpression: Elaine Rhode

Original Text: Susan Quinlan, Marilyn Sigman,Matt Graves

Reviewers Past and Present:Alaska Department of Fish and Game: John Wright,Colleen Matt, Larry Aumiller, Jeff Hughes, Jim Lieb, GaryMiller, Mark Schwan, Rick Sinnott, Bill Taylor, PhyllisWeber-Scannell, Howard Golden, Mark Keech, AndyHoffmann, Fritz KrausAlaska Department of Natural Resources: Dan KetchumCooperative Extention Service: Lois Bettini, Wayne VandryU.S.D.A. SOil Conservation Source: Dan LaPlante, J. DavidSwanson, Tom Ward, Annette MacDonald

Illustration: Conrad Field

The Alaska State Legislature funded this revision of AlaskaWildlife Curriculum in support of wildlife conservationeducation.

The Alaska Wildlife Curriculum is a resource for educatorsteaching today’s youth about Alaska’s wildlife. Wededicate this curriculum to you and your students.

Copyright 1995, 1999, 2001Alaska Department of Fish and GameDivision of Wildlife Conservation

REVISION 2001

Alaska Ecology Cards

The Alaska Department of Fish and Gamehas additional information and materials

on wildlife conservation education.The Alaska Wildlife Curriculum includes:

Alaska's Ecology & WildlifeAlaska’s Forests and WildlifeAlaska’s Tundra and Wildlife

Alaska’s Wildlife for the FutureAlaska Ecology Cards

We revise the Alaska Wildlife Curriculum periodically.For information, or to provide comments on

the Ecology Cards, please contact us:

Division of Wildlife ConservationAttention: Wildlife Education

333 Raspberry RoadAnchorage, AK 99518

907-267-2168

or visit our web site:http://www.state.ak.us/adfg/

Alaska Ecology CardsPlant or Animal Name Scientific NameMONERANS

5. Bacteria F,T, W Division: Bacteria6. Cyanobacteria F,W Division: Cyanophycota

PROTISTS7. Protozoans F,T,W Kingdom: Protista8. Diatoms F,W Class: Bacillariophyceae9. Flagellates W Phylum: Protozoa10. Amoebas W Class: Rhizopodea11. Ciliates W Phylum: Ciliophora12. Slime Molds F Order: Mycetozoida

FUNGI13. Molds, Mildews, Rusts F,T Kingdom: Fungi14. Morels F Genus: Morchella15. Truffles F Order: Tuberales16. Shelf Fungi F Kingdom: Fungi17. Mushrooms F,T Kingdom: Fungi18. Crustose Lichens F,T Kingdom: Fungi19. Fruticose Lichens F,T Kingdom: Fungi20. Foliose Lichens F,T Kingdom: Fungi

GREEN PLANTS21. Green Algae W Division: Chlorophycota22. Mosses F,T Class: Bryopsida23. Sphagnum Moss F,T,W Class: Bryopsida24. Club Mosses F,T Genus: Lycopodium25. Horsetail F,T,W Genus: Equisetum26. Ferns F,T Class: Filicineae

TREES – CONIFERS27. Lodgepole Pine F,W Pinus contorta28. Black Spruce F,W Picea mariana29. Tamarack F,W Larix laricina30. White Spruce F Picea glauca31. Sitka Spruce F Picea sitchensis32. Western Hemlock F Tsuga heterophylla33. Mountain Hemlock F Tsuga mertensiana34. Alaska Cedar F Chamaecyparis nootkatensis

GRASSES, SEDGES, RUSHES35. Cattail W Genus: Typha36. Bur Reed T,W Genus: Sparganium37. Pondweed W Family: Potamogetonaceae38. Eelgrass W Zostera marina39. Arrowgrass W Family: Juncaginaceae40. Pendent Grass T,W Family: Gramineae41. Grasses F,T,W Family: Gramineae42. Agriculture Grains W Family: Graminaceae43. Sedges T,W Family: Cyperaceae44. Cotton Grass T,W Genus: Eriophorum45. Rushes T,W Family: Juncaceae

FLOWERING PLANTS46. Twisted Stalk F Genus: Streptopus47. Wild Iris W Family: Iridaceae

TREES – BROADLEAFS48. Willow F,T,W Genus: Salix49. Aspen F Populus tremuloides50. Balsam Poplar F Populus balsamifera51. Black Cottonwood F Populus trichocarpa52. Dwarf Birch F,T,W Betula nana53. Paper Birch F Betula papyrifera54. Alder F,W Genus: Alnus

FLOWERING PLANTS continued55. Water Smartweed W Polygonum punctatum56. Moss Campion T Silene acaulis57. Yellow Pond Lily T,W Nuphar polysepalum58. Marsh Marigold W Caltha palustris59. Sundew W Drosera rotundifolia60. Wild Rose F Genus: Rosa61. Mountain Ash F Sorbus sitchensis62. Raspberry/Salmonberry F Genus: Rubus63. Dryas F,T Genus: Dryas64. Marsh Fivefinger W Potentilla palustris65. Soapberry F Sheperdia canadensis66. Fireweed F Epilobium angustifolium

Plant or Animal Name Scientific Name

F = Forest HabitatT= Tundra HabitatW = Wetlands HabitatKE

Y:

67. Mare’s Tail W Hippuris vulgaris68. Water Milfoil W Myriophyllum heterophyllum69. Devil’s Club F Oplopanax horridus70. Bunchberry F Cornus canadensis71. Skunk Cabbage F Lysichiton americanum72. Crowberry F,T Empetrum nigrum73. Lowbush Cranberry F,T,W Vaccinium vitis-idaea74. Alpine Bearberry F,T,W Arctostaphylos alpina75. Blueberry/Huckleberry F,T,W Genus: Vaccinium76. Labrador Tea F,W Genus: Ledum77. Heather T Genus: Cassiope78. Lousewort T Genus: Pedicularis79. Bladderwort W Utricularia vulgaris80. Twinflower F Linnaea borealis81. High Bush Cranberry F Viburnum edule82. Harebell T Genus: Campanula

ANIMALS – INVERTEBRATES83. Roundworms F,T,W Phylum: Nemathelminthes84. Rotifers F,T,W Phylum: Rotifera85. Clam W Genus: Siliqua86. Mussel W Order: Mytilidae87. Snail W Order: Gastropoda88. Slugs F Family: Philomycidae89. Water Bears F,T,W Phylum: Tardigrada90. Segmented Worms F,T,W Phylum: Annelida91. Spiders F,T,W Order: Araneae92. Mites F,T Order: Acarina93. Copepod W Order: Copepoda94. Amphipod W Order: Amphipoda95. Water Flea W Order: Cladocera96. Fairy Shrimp W Order: Anostraca97. Millipedes F Class: Diplopoda98. Centipedes F Class: Chilopoda99. Springtail F,T,W Order: Thysanura100. Bristletail F Order: Collembola101. Mayflies W Order: Ephemeroptera102. Dragonflies F,W Order: Odonata103. Damselflies W Order: Odonata104. Grasshoppers F,W Order: Orthoptera105. Lice F,T,W Order: Anoplura, Mallophaga106. Thrips F Order: Thysanoptera107. True Bugs F,T,W Order: Hemiptera108. Water Boatman W Order: Hemiptera109. Water Striders F,T,W Order: Hemiptera110. Leafhoppers F,T,W Order: Homoptera111. Aphids F,T,W Order: Homoptera112. Lacewings F,W Order: Neuroptera113. Carrion Beetles F,T Order: Coleoptera114. Ground Beetles F,T Order: Coleoptera115. Rove Beetles F,T Order: Coleoptera116. Diving Beetles W Order: Coleoptera117. Whirligig Beetles W Order: Coleoptera118. Bark Beetles F Order: Coleoptera119. Ladybird Beetles F Order: Coleoptera120. Caddisflies W Order: Trichoptera121. Moths F,T Order: Lepidoptera122. Butterflies F,T,W Order: Lepidoptera123. Black Flies F,T,W Order: Diptera124. Crane Flies F,T,W Order: Diptera125. Mosquitoes F,T,W Order: Diptera126. Midges F,T,W Order: Diptera127. Blow Flies F,T,W Order: Diptera128. Bot and Warble Flies F,T Order: Diptera129. Fungus Gnats F,T,W Order: Diptera130. Bumble Bees F,T,W Order: Hymenoptera131. Sawflies F,T Order: Hymenoptera132. Ichneumons F,T,W Order: Hymenoptera133. Yellowjackets and Hornets F,T,W Order: Hymenoptera134. Horntails F Order: Hymenoptera135. Ants F,T,W Order: Hymenoptera

Plant or Animal Name Scientific Name Plant or Animal Name Scientific NameFISHES – VERTEBRATES

136. Slimy Sculpin F,T,W Cottus cognatus137. Nine-spine Stickleback F,T,W Pungitius pungitius138. Three-spine Stickleback F,T,W Gasterosteus aculeatus139. Blackfish F,T,W Dallia pectoralis140. Whitefish F,T,W Genera: Prosopium, Coregonus141. Burbot F,T,W Lota lota142. Arctic Grayling T,W Thymallus arcticus143. Eulachon W Thaleichtys pacificus144. Northern Pike W Esox lucius145. Arctic Char T,W Salvelinus alpinus146. Lake Trout F,T,W Salvelinus namaycush147. Pacific Herring W Clupea pallasii148. Sockeye Salmon W Oncorhynchus nerka149. Pink Salmon W Oncorhynchus gorbuscha150. Coho Salmon W Oncorhynchus kisutch151. Chum Salmon W Oncorhynchus keta

AMPHIBIANS152. Wood Frog F,T,W Rana sylvatica153. Salamander and Newt F Order: Caudata

BIRDS – WATERFOWL154. Loons F,T,W Genus: Gavia155. Grebes F,T,W Genus: Podiceps156. Tundra Swan T,W Cygnus columbianus157. Greater White-fronted Goose T,W Anser albifrons158. Brant T,W Branta bernicla159. Emperor Goose W Chen canagica160. Cackling Canada Goose T,W Branta canadensis minima161. Dusky Canada Goose W Branta canadensis ccidentalis162. Northern Pintail T,W Anas acuta163. Oldsquaw T,W Clangula hyemalis164. Canvasback W Aythya valisineria165. Mergansers T,W Genus: Mergus166. Eiders T,W Genera: Polysticta, Somateria167. Scoters F,T,W Genus: Melanitta

BIRDS – RAPTORS168. Bald Eagle F,W Haliaeetus leucocephalus169. Northern Harrier T,W Circus cyaneus170. Sharp-shinned Hawk F Accipiter striatus171. Northern Goshawk F Accipiter gentilis172. Red-tailed Hawk F,W Buteo jamaicensis173. Rough-legged Hawk T Buteo lagopus174. Golden Eagle T Aquila chrysaetos175. American Kestrel F Falco sparverius176. Merlin F Falco columbarius177. Gyrfalcon T Falco rusticolus

BIRDS – GROUSE178. Spruce Grouse F Dendragapus canadensis179. Blue Grouse F Dendragapus obscurus180. Ptarmigan T Genus: Lagopus181. Ruffed Grouse F Bonasa umbellus182. Sharp-tailed Grouse F Tympanuchus phasianellus

BIRDS – CRANES183. Sandhill Crane T,W Grus canadensis

BIRDS – SHOREBIRDS & GULLS184. Plovers T,W Genera: Pluvialus, Charadrius185. Sandpipers T,W Calidris mauri186. Phalaropes T,W Genus: Phalaropus187. Parasitic Jaeger T,W Stercorarius parasiticus188. Glaucous Gull T,W Larus hyperboreus189. Terns F,T,W Genus: Sterna

BIRDS – OWLS190. Northern Saw-whet Owl F,W Aegolius acadicus191. Great Horned Owl F Bubo virginianus192. Great Gray Owl F Strix nebulosa193. Boreal Owl F Aegolius funereus194. Northern Hawk Owl F Surnia ulula195. Snowy Owl T,W Nyctea scandiaca196. Short-eared Owl T,W Asio flammeus

BIRDS – HUMMINGBIRD197. Rufous Hummingbird F Selasphorus rufus

BIRDS – KINGFISHER198. Belted Kingfisher F,T,W Ceryle alcyon

BIRDS – WOODPECKERS199. Northern Flicker F Colaptes auratus

200. Hairy/Downy Woodpeckers F Genus: Picoides201. Black-backed Woodpecker F Picoides arcticus202. Three-toed Woodpecker F Picoides tridactylus203. Red-breasted Sapsucker F Sphyrapicus ruber

BIRDS – SONGBIRDS204. Flycatchers F,T,W Family: Tyrannidae205. Horned Lark T Eremophila alpestris206. Swallows F,T,W Family: Hirundinidae207. Gray Jay F,T Perisoreus canadensis208. Steller’s Jay F Cyanocitta stelleri209. Black-billed Magpie F,W Pica pica210. Northwestern Crow F,W Corvus caurinus211. Common Raven F,T,W Corvus corax212. Chickadees F Genus: Parus213. Red-breasted Nuthatch F Sitta canadensis214. Brown Creeper F Certhia americana215. Winter Wren F Troglodytes troglodytes216. American Dipper F Cinclus mexicanus217. Warblers F Family: Emberizidae218. Kinglets F Genus: Regulus219. Northern Wheatear T,W Oenanthe oenanthe220. American Robin F,T,W Turdus migratorius221. Varied Thrush F Ixoreus naevius222. Small Thrushes F,T,W Family: Turdidae223. Water Pipits F,T,W Anthus spinoletta224. Bohemian Waxwing F,W Bombycilla garrulus225. Northern Shrike F,T,W Lanius excubitor226. Sparrows F,T,W Family: Emberizidae227. Snow Bunting T Plectrophenax nivalis228. Lapland Longspur T Calcarius lapponicus229. Gray-Crowned Rosy Finch T Leucosticte arctoa230. Common Redpoll F,T Carduelis flammea231. Pine Grosbeak F Pinicola enucleator232. Crossbills F Genus: Loxia233. Pine Siskin F Carduelis pinus

MAMMALS234. Shrews F,T,W Genus: Sorex235. Little Brown Bat F,W Myotis lucifugus236. Collared Pika T Ochotona collaris237. Snowshoe Hare F Lepus americanus238. Tundra Hare T Lepus timidus239. Woodchuck F Marmota monax240. Marmots T Genus: Marmota241. Red Squirrel F Tamiasciurus hudsonicus242. Northern Flying Squirrel F Glaucomys sabrinus243. Arctic Ground Squirrel T Spermophilus parryi244. Beaver F,T,W Castor canadensis245. Deer Mouse F,T Peromyscus maniculatus246. Voles F,T,W Genus: Microtus247. Lemmings T,W Genera: Lemmus, Dicrostonyx, Mictomys248. Muskrat T,W Ondotra zibethica249. Meadow Jumping Mouse F Zapus hudsonius250. Porcupine F Erethizon dorsatum251. Coyote F,T,W Canis latrans252. Wolf F,T,W Canis lupus253. Arctic Fox T,W Alopex lagopus254. Red Fox F,T,W Vulpes vulpes255. Black Bear F Ursus americanus256. Brown Bear F,T,W Ursus arctos257. Marten F Martes americana258. Ermine F,T,W Mustela erminea259. Least Weasel F,T Mustela nivalis260. Mink F,T,W Mustela vison261. Wolverine F,T Gulo gulo262. River Otter T,W Lutra canadensis263. Lynx F Lynx canadensis264. Sitka Black-tailed Deer F Odocoileus hemionus265. Moose F,W Alces alces266. Caribou F,T Rangifer tarandus267. Mountain Goat T Oreamnos americanus268. Muskox T Ovibus moschatus269. Dall Sheep T Ovis dalli270. Humans F,T,W Homo sapiens

F = Forest Habitat T= Tundra Habitat W = Wetlands HabitatKEY:

1. AIR F,T,W

Traits: Air is made of several gases, includingnitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.Occurrences: Air surrounds us, but we rarelynotice that we breathe it every minute we live.Values: The thin layer of air that blankets theearth provides living things with oxygen andcarbon dioxide. It traps heat from the sun andblocks harmful high-intensity light rays.

Do You Know? Although the sky above us looksendless, the earth’s atmosphere is actually verythin. If the earth were the size of an apple, theatmosphere would be the same thickness as theapple's skin.

2. WATER F,T,W

Traits: Water molecules are made of two atomsof hydrogen and one atom of oxygen.Occurrence: As a liquid in rain, lakes, rivers,oceans; as a solid in ice, snow; as a gas in clouds,humidity, evaporation; some collectsunderground in the water table.Values: All living things need water for most lifeprocesses.

Do You Know? Water cycles continuously fromclouds to rain or snow to plants, rivers, lakes,and oceans, then back to clouds. Today we areusing the same “recycled” water that dinosaursused thousands of years ago.

3. SOIL F,T,W

Traits: Rocks are made of elements andcompounds. Wind and water erodes rocks intofine sand and clay particles, which becomeorganic mineral soils. Organic soils are enrichedby nutrients from decomposed plants, animals,and other living things.Occurrence: Much of the land on earth iscovered by soil.Values: Most plants (producers) require soil togrow. Soil anchors them and feeds their roots.

Do You Know? A teaspoon of soil may contain3-10 billion microscopic organisms.

4. SUN F,T,W

Traits: The sun is a dwarf yellow star and a denseball of gases and dust.Occurrences: The sun is located in the center ofour solar system, 93 million miles from planetEarth.Values: Plants and other producers capture theenergy in sunlight and, through photosynthesis,store it in the form of sugar. They use this “storedsunlight energy” to grow and reproduce.

Do You Know? The amount of solar energystriking the earth every day is about 1.5 billiontimes greater than the amount of electricitygenerated each year in the United States.

5. BACTERIA F,T,W

Traits: Bacteria (monerans) are single-celledmicroscopic organisms that have no chlorophylland that multiply by simple division. They occurin three main forms: round, rod-shaped, andspiral.Habitat: Every moist environmentFoods: Dead plants, fungi, animal materials;some kinds of bacteria live as parasites of livingthings, and some are able to make their ownfood.Eaten by: Protozoans and some fungi

Do You Know? Some types of bacteria live in thedigestive tracts of animals and aid in digestion.

6. CYANOBACTERIA F,W

Traits: Cyanobacteria (monerans) aremicroscopic organisms that are single-celled orin colonies of cells. They can appear blue-green,brown, red, or yellow depending on pigments.Habitats: Small ponds, lakes, estuaries, openoceanFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Protozoans, roundworms, segmentedworms, springtails, mites

Do You Know? The Red Sea gets its name fromthe occasional abundance of blue-green algae,which is really red.

10. AMOEBAS W

Traits: Microscopic organisms (protists) thatmove and capture prey by “pseudopodia” (falsefeet), which are flowing extensions from theirbodiesHabitat: Fresh and salt waterFoods: Small organisms, including otherprotozoans, bacteria, algae, diatomsEaten by: Other protozoans

Do You Know? Certain kinds of amoebas causediseases, such as amoebic dysentery in people.

11. CILIATES W

Traits: Microscopic, single-celled organisms(protists) that have cilia (short, hairlikestructures), which they use to move around andcapture foodHabitat: Fresh and salt water; some live insideof, or attached to, other organisms.Foods: Rotifers, protozoans, bacteria, algae,detritus, diatoms; some are parasites on otherorganisms.Eaten by: Protozoans, roundworms, segmentedworms, fish larvae

Do You Know? Certain ciliates live in thedigestive tracts of hoofed mammals and helpthem digest their foods.

12. SLIME MOLDS F

Traits: Slimy covering on logs, trees, and moistsoil; they are sometimes covered with smallflaglike fruiting bodies. During part of its life, theslime mold slowly rolls along like an amoeba andleaves a trail of slime.Habitat: Wet, shaded locations in forestsFoods: Bacteria and other microscopicorganismsEaten by: Unknown

Do You Know? The classification of slime molds isstill being debated. Some scientists consider themfungi, while others consider them to be protists.This organism has nine distinct life cycles.

7. PROTOZOANS F,T,W

Traits: Microscopic organisms (protists) eachmade of a single cell or group of identical cellsHabitat: Water droplets on leaves, leaf litter,under rocks, and in soilFoods: Dead plant material and animal wastes;some eat bacteria, algae, or other protozoans.Eaten by: Protozoans, round worms, segmentedworms

Do You Know? Some protozoans live in theintestines of certain animals and aid them indigestion of foods. Many are parasites ofanimals.

8. DIATOMS F,W

Traits: Microscopic, single-celled organisms(protists) that live individually or in colonies;diatoms have two lenslike shells made of silica(an element of glass).Habitat: Fresh and salt waterFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Amoebas, small crustaceans, larvae ofinvertebrates, fish

Do You Know? When diatoms die, their shells fallto the bottom of the sea. Large deposits formedover centuries are now mined and used byindustry in a variety of products.

9. FLAGELLATES W

Traits: Microscopic, single-celled organisms(protists) with long, whiplike structures calledflagella, which help them moveHabitat: Fresh and salt water; some are parasiteson other organisms.Foods: Produce their own food throughphotosynthesis, ome eat other microscopicorganisms.Eaten by: Zooplankton, small crustaceans, larvaeof invertebrates, fish

Do You Know? Red tides that can kill thousandsof fish are caused by vast swarms of certain kindsof flagellates.

16. SHELF FUNGI F

Traits: Fungi with a fruiting body (called a conk)that grow from trees or logs and form a shelflikestructure; the conks grow and produce sporeseach year.Habitat: Old trees, logs, or other woodFoods: Dead woodEaten by: Millipedes and a variety of insects

Do You Know? Some species of shelf fungi areparasites on living trees. They slowly decay thedead heartwood of the tree and may also attackliving parts of the tree. Eventually the tree maybe weakened and killed.

17. MUSHROOMS F,T

Traits: Fungi with fruiting bodies that consist ofstalks and caps; the undersides of the caps aremade of many slits or tubes.Habitat: Soil, leaf litter, rotting logs, and deadvegetationFoods: Mainly dead plant material and animalwastesEaten by: Lemmings, ground squirrels, fungusgnats, caribou, humans

Do You Know? Most fungi that grow in tundraareas, such as the gilled mushroom, are able togrow at temperatures lower than can those thatgrow in warmer environments.

18. CRUSTOSE LICHENS F,T

Traits: One of four types of lichen, this type lookslike a thin crust on rocks and trees.Habitat: Forest and tundra environmentsFoods: Make their own food by photosynthesisEaten by: Mites, nematodes

Do You Know? Lichens are made of two kinds oforganisms: algae and fungi. Algae capture energythrough photosynthesis while fungi provide aprotective shell and also help absorb water fromrain. Sometimes they absorb pollution.

13.MOLDS, MILDEWS, AND RUSTS F,T

Traits: These fungi look like a fine powder, fuzz, orfurry coating on plant parts or animal droppings.Molds, mildews, and rusts can also be abnormalgrowths.Habitat: Dead plants or waste materials; certainkinds can grow on living plants or insects.Foods: Dead plant materials (rarely wood); somespecies live as parasites on plants or insects.

Do You Know? Some of these fungi, particularlyrusts, are parasites of plants and cause abnormalgrowths such as galls or witches brooms.

14. MORELS F

Traits: Mushroomlike fungi that look like naturalsponges on stalks; the hollow dome-shaped capis gray-brown to sandy colored and looks like ahoneycomb.Habitat: Varies by species, favor spruce forestsand old burnsFoods: Dead plant material and animal wastesEaten by: Squirrels, voles, mice, humans

Do You Know? Morels are considered one of thefinest edible mushrooms and are much soughtafter in North America and Europe. They growabundantly in the spring following a forest fire.

15. TRUFFLES F

Traits: Fungi that produce underground fruitingbodies that look like spongy ballsHabitat: Underground in forests, usually insymbiosis with a treeFoods: Sugar supplied by the tree or other plantit associates with and on minerals absorbed fromthe soilEaten by: Flying squirrels, voles, humans

Do You Know? These fungi help trees and otherplants obtain the minerals they need to grow.The organisms that eat them spread their sporesthroughout the forest.

22. MOSSES F,T

Traits: Small plants, either flat and scalelike orwith stems and leaves; lack water-conductingcells and true roots; they reproduce by sporesthat grow in caplike structures, or capsules, atthe tips of long stalks.Habitat: Moist soil, rocks, and logsFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Springtails, mites

Do You Know? Mosses have the ability toalternate periods of growth and dormancy, whichallows them to survive harsh environments.

23. SPHAGNUM MOSS F,T,W

Traits: A soft-stemmed moss with featherlikeleaves, varying from white to green to pinkHabitat: Wet sites in coastal wetlands, muskegs,tundra, and forests; often forms thick, spongymats that cover large areasFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Certain small invertebrate animals andmicroscopic organisms

Do You Know? Sphagnum mosses have beenused as a substitute for gauze in surgicaldressings and as diaper lining by NativeAmericans.

24. CLUB MOSSES F,T

Traits: Ground cover plants with stems growingupward or along the ground; tiny, single-veinedleaves in pairs or spirals around the stem; thespores develop in conelike structures located atthe tips of upright stalks.Habitat: Moist soils in forest and tundraenvironmentsFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Springtails, mites

Do You Know? Club mosses become inactiveduring harsh living conditions and then resumeactivities when living conditions are good.Despite their name, club mosses are moreclosely related to ferns than to mosses.

19. FRUTICOSE LICHENS F,T

Traits: This member of the Fungi Kingdom lookslike fine hairs or branches growing on trees androcks.Habitat: Forest and tundra environmentsFoods: Lichens make their own food byphotosynthesis.Eaten by: Caribou, lemmings, mites, nematodes

Do You Know? Lichens are one of the mostcommon climax species that dominatesundisturbed tundra and boreal forest habitats.They are two kinds of organisms (fungi andalgae) living in symbiosis.

20. FOLIOSE LICHENS F,T

Traits: This member of the Fungi Kingdomresembles curly leaves growing on trees androcks. It is two kinds of organisms (fungi andalgae) living in symbiosis.Habitat: Forest and tundra environmentsFoods: Lichens make their own food byphotosynthesis.Eaten by: Lemmings, mites, nematodes

Do You Know? Lichens are able to survive yearsof unfavorable conditions by becoming dormant.Some specimens have been revived after 100years of dormancy.

21. GREEN ALGAE W

Traits: Green algae are single-celled organismscapable of photosynthesis. They occurindividually, in filaments, or in colonies. The cellsstore food in the form of starch.Habitat: Green algae can grow wherever wateroccurs. Some grow in damp or moist soil or intree bark.Foods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Protozoans, roundworms, smallcrustaceans, certain mollusks, other aquaticinvertebrates, fish, geese, ducks

Do You Know? Some algae join with certain fungito form lichens.

28. BLACK SPRUCE F,W

Traits: Small conifer (evergreen) tree with shortsparse branches that often droop' needles arelong, stiff, blue-green and occur on all sides ofthe twig; the twigs are covered with very short,reddish hairs.Habitat: Wet bogs, muskegs, and lake marginsthroughout central, eastern, and southern AlaskaFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Red squirrels, porcupines, beetles,horntails, aphids, carpenter ants, crossbills,redpolls

Do You Know? The stiff-scaled cones of the blackspruce stay on the tree for many years and areopened by fire or years of drying in the sun.

29. TAMARACK F,W

Traits: A small- to medium-sized conifer treewith dark gray bark; the leaves are needles thatare deciduous (shed in fall) and grow in clustersof 12-20.Habitat: Muskegs throughout central and partsof western AlaskaFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Porcupines eat the inner bark. Redsquirrels cut cones and seeds. Voles and somebirds eat the seeds.

Do You Know? Tamarack is the only Alaskaconifer that sheds its leaves in winter. A certainspecies of mushroom, the yellow-pored boletemushroom, grows only with tamaracks.

30. WHITE SPRUCE F

Traits: Conifer tree with four-angled, sharplypointed needles with white lines on all sides,hairless twigs, and thin gray bark; cones are long,hang downward, and fall off at maturity.Habitat: Well-drained soils in boreal forestFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Spruce grouse, porcupines, crossbills,red squirrels, bark and longhorn beetles,horntails, certain moths and flies, spruce aphids,carpenter ants, redpolls, siskins

Do You Know? White spruce is used extensivelyin Alaska for log cabins.

25. HORSETAIL F,T,W

Traits: Ground-cover plant with distinctly jointedstems that grow from an underground rhizomeHabitat: Wet, moist, and dry soils in forests,tundra, and wetlandsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Bears, moose, grouse

Do You Know? Horsetail stems contain silica (anelement in sand). They can be used like ascouring brush to clean pots and pans.Horsetails were among the dominant plantswhen dinosaurs roamed the earth; many kindsgrew to tree size then. Today, only one speciesgrows more than 6 1/2 feet (2 m) tall.

26. FERNS F,T

Traits: Plants with stems, leaves, and roots; mosthave stems that grow underground; leaves(called fronds) are usually divided into very fineparts; reproduces by spores on the undersides ofthe leaves or on special frondsHabitat: Moist habitats; most common incoastal forestsFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Grouse, deer, hares, springtails, slugs,humans (in early spring)

Do You Know? Young blades or fronds, calledfiddleheads, first appear curled at the base of theplant and are edible.

27. LODGEPOLE PINE F,W

Traits: A low-spreading or scrubby conifer treethat has two needles per bundle; sometimesgrows as a shrub in poor soilHabitat: Open muskegs and along open lakeshores in southeast Alaska; intolerant of shadeFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: The seeds are eaten by pine grosbeaksand squirrels. Porcupines eat the bark. Deer andmoose browse younger trees.

Do You Know? The lodgepole pine along with itsclose relative, the shore pine, are the only truepines naturally found in Alaska.

34. ALASKA CEDAR F

Traits: Conifer tree with scalelike, flattenedleaves in sprays, drooping branches, and gray tobrown bark with shreds and fissures; the roundcones have four to six scales, each with a pointedknob in its center.Habitat: Wet, cool climate of coastal rainforestFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Wood-boring insects, aphids, otherherbivorous insects

Do You Know? Natives of southeast Alaska madetheir canoe paddles from this durable, aromaticwood.

35. CATTAIL W

Traits: Tall plant with broad leaves on a central,reddish-brown spikeHabitat: Shallow water and marshes in InteriorAlaskaFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Muskrats

Do You Know? Called “the supermarket of themarsh,” all parts can be eaten by humans.

36. BURR REED T,W

Traits: Plant with long, flat leaves whose flowersand seeds occur in round, burrlike clustersHabitat: Deep or shallow water from alpine tolowland areasFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Ducks, swans, sandhill cranes,common snipes, muskrats

Do You Know? The shape of the flower headsgives this plant its name. Male and femaleflowers occur in separate burrs on the sameplant.

31. SITKA SPRUCE F

Traits: Conifer tree with sharply pointed needles,flattened with slight ridge; hairless twigs; gray topurplish-brown bark; cones with stiff, long scalesfall off every year.Habitat: Well-drained soils in wet, moderateclimates of coastal rainforestFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Red squirrels, crossbills, porcupines,deer mice, bark beetles, horntails, certain mothsand flies, spruce aphids, carpenter ants

Do You Know? Sitka spruce is the largest and oneof the most valuable trees in Alaska. It is also thestate tree.

32. WESTERN HEMLOCK F

Traits: Conifer tree with needles arranged in tworows along a hairy twig; needles have two whitelines on the underside; reddish-gray outer barkwith red inner barkHabitat: Coastal forests on deep, well-drainedsoil at low elevationsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Deer, red squirrel, blue grouse,crossbills, pine siskins, bark beetles, horntails,certain moths and flies, spruce aphids, sawflies

Do You Know? Alaska Indians made coarse breadfrom the inner bark of this tree and of the shorepine tree.

33. MOUNTAIN HEMLOCK F

Traits: Conifer tree with rounded, blunt needles;fine hair on twigs; gray to dark brown bark; thin-scaled cones hang downHabitat: Wet, moderate climates on well-drainedand poorly drained sites of the coastal rainforestFoods: Makes its own food by photosynthesis.Eaten by: Red squirrels, crossbills, porcupines,larvae of bark and longhorn beetles, certainmoths and flies, sawflies

Do You Know? This tree's scientific name honorsthe German naturalist Karl Heinrich Mertens whodiscovered it near Sitka, Alaska, in 1827.

40. PENDENT GRASS T,W

Traits: Emergent, aquatic grass (plant) with long,narrow leaves; small, red-brown flowers occur inone to seven tight clusters (spikelets) at the topof a tall stalk.Habitat: Shallow water of wet tundra and alonglake shores and stream banksFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Geese, ducks, certain insects, snailsother aquatic invertebrates; it is a major springforage for brown and black bears.

Do You Know? Loons and grebes use the leavesand hollow stems of this grass to build nests thatfloat on the water.

41. GRASSES F,T,W

Traits: Ground cover plants with long, narrowleavesHabitat: Wet, moist, and dry soils depending onthe speciesFoods: Make their own food by photosynthesisEaten by: Bison, lemmings, voles, groundsquirrels, marmots, goats, sheep; the seeds areeaten by snow buntings, longspurs, redpolls.

Do You Know? Their long, narrow leaf shape isless likely to be shredded or ripped by strongwinds.

42. AGRICULTURE GRAINS W

Traits: Grains are actually types of grasses thatonce grew wild. They have narrow leaves, smallgreen flowers, and round, hollow stems.Habitat: Large agriculture fields throughout theworld in regions of moderate climates; barley isgrown in Alaska.Foods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Bison; many waterfowl eat shoots andseeds, especially during migration and wintering.People worldwide depend upon grains for bread,cereal, and other foods.

Do You Know? Some national wildlife refugesgrow special crops of grains just for waterfowl toeat during winter.

37. PONDWEED W

Traits: Aquatic plant with floating leaves havingparallel veins; the leaves are submerged onyoung plants and are long and narrow in mostspecies. Flowers occur in a spike.Habitat: Shallow to deep water in lakes andponds throughout AlaskaFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Insect larvae, snails, muskrat,waterfowl

Do You Know? There are about 40 species ofpondweed in North America, almost all of whichare important either as food or shelter foranimals.

38. EELGRASS W

Traits: A marine (salt water) plant with slender,branched, green stems and leaves with parallelveins; separate male and female flowers grow onthe same plant.Habitat: Shallow estuaries and lagoons aroundthe worldFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten By: Ducks, geese, fish, a variety of marineinvertebrates (including mollusks andcrustaceans), humans

Do You Know? Eelgrass is the primary food forbrant geese on their staging areas and winteringgrounds.

39. ARROWGRASS W

Traits: An emergent, aquatic plant with long,narrow leaves that rise from a horizontal root; therounded fruits are loosely arranged along thestem. May grow 4 to 35 inches (10-89 cm) tall,but they are usually small. This plant containssmall amounts of cyanide.Habitat: Fresh or salt water wetlandsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Ducks, geese, some aquaticinvertebrates

Do You Know? The same species of arrowgrassthat occur in Alaska also grow in Canada, Europe,Asia, and Siberia.

46. TWISTED STALK F

Traits: Ground-cover plant with long leavesemerging from stem on alternate sides; its pinkbell-like flowers grow beneath the leaves, and itsberries are orange to dark red.Habitat: Coastal forest sites with open canopiesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth and butterfly larvae, leafhoppers,true bugs, aphids, slugs, snails, mites, grouse,pine grosbeaks, voles, moose, hares, bears

Do You Know? The stem of this plant changesangles of growth between leaves to form astairstep shape.

47. WILD IRIS W

Traits: Tall plant with broad, grasslike leaveshaving parallel veins and a thick, round flowerstalk; flowers have three large, purple-violetpetals.Habitat: Bogs, meadows, shorelines, riverbanksFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Unknown; may be poisonous to mostanimals

Do You Know? This plant is poisonous andcauses vomiting.

48. WILLOWS F,T,W

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree or shrub withlong, narrow leaves; both male and femaleflowers occur in soft, fuzzy catkins.Habitat: Wetlands, forests, and tundrasthroughout northern regions of the world; prefermoist or wet sitesFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Muskoxen, caribou, moose, snowshoehares, ptarmigan, redpolls, beaver

Do You Know? Willow bark contains salicylic acid,the active ingredient in aspirin, and was used asa painkiller at least 2,400 years ago.

43. SEDGES T,W

Traits: Herbs with long, narrow leaves that haveparallel veins and solid, usually triangular, stems("sedges have edges" to their stems); the tiny,inconspicuous flowers grow in clusters.Habitat: Shallow water, mud, or moist soil offresh or salt water wetlandsFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Caribou, muskoxen, ground squirrels,lemmings, voles, geese, seed-eating birds suchas snow buntings, longspurs, rosy finches

Do You Know? The long, narrow leaf shape ofsedges reduces fraying by strong winds.

44. COTTON GRASS T,W

Traits: Herb with long, narrow leaves and solidstems; tiny, inconspicuous flowers grow in tightclusters. Tufts of white cottonlike bristles arepresent on the seeds.Habitat: Wet tundra, muskegs, coastal wetlands,stream or lake marginsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Caribou, muskoxen, lemmings, voles,geese, seed-eating birds such as longspurs,redpolls, snow buntings

Do You Know? Tussocks formed by cotton grassprovide shelter and nest sites for small tundrabirds and mammals.

45. RUSHES T,W

Traits: Emergent, aquatic plants with roundleaves that have parallel veins; the tiny flowershave three greenish petals and grow in clustersalong the side of the leaves.Habitat: Marshes, wet tundra, riverbanks,estuaries, and ponds in temperate, subarctic, andarctic regionsFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Some aquatic invertebrates; seeds areeaten by seed-eating birds.

Do You Know? Rushes compete with otheraquatic plants and sometimes crowd out otherspecies.

52. DWARF BIRCH F,T,W

Traits: A low, broadleaf shrub with small, rounddeciduous leaves; male and female flowers growon the same plant in catkins.Habitat: Moist soil, muskegs, rocky alpineslopes, tundraFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Ptarmigan, caribou, muskoxen, andseed-eating birds such as redpolls, longspurs,snow buntings

Do You Know? This shrub can grow horizontallyto avoid the wind and to take advantage of warmsoil temperatures. Its perennial growth allows itto survive and reproduce despite the shortgrowing season in tundra regions.

53. PAPER BIRCH F

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with toothedleaf edges and white, smooth bark; the male andfemale flowers appear on the same twig, and theseeds develop on a conelike fruit.Habitat: Boreal forests; grows best on siteswithout permafrostFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, metallic woodborers, pine grosbeaks, redpolls, ruffed grouse,moose, hares

Do You Know? Birch are generally found in amixture with white or black spruce, which replaceit in the successional sequence after a fire. Birchsap is used to make syrup.

49. ASPEN F

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with roundleaves sharply pointed at the tip; whitish orgreenish-gray bark containing black scars andknots; the male and female flowers are ondifferent trees producing cottony seeds.Habitat: Well-drained soils on warm slopesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, true bugs,leafhoppers, mites, pine grosbeaks, ruffedgrouse, moose, snowshoe hares

Do You Know? Aspen trees often grow in densepure stands, especially following forest fires.They live about 80-100 years.

50. BALSAM POPLAR F

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with spade-shaped leaves having small, rounded teeth; graybark containing deep furrows; the male andfemale flowers grow on different trees. The long,egg-shaped seed capsules within long catkinshave tiny, cottony seeds.Habitat: Well-drained soils in boreal forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Aphids, moth larvae, sawflies, truebugs, leafhoppers, moose, snowshoe hares, pinegrosbeaks, beaver

Do You Know? The wood of balsam poplar isused for boxes, crates, and pulpwood.

51. BLACK COTTONWOOD F

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with spade-shaped leaves having small, rounded teeth; graybark containing deep furrows when full-grown;the male and female flowers grow on differenttrees; round, three-parted seed capsules withinlong catkins; tiny cottony seedsHabitat: River bottoms in coastal forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, leafhoppers, truebugs, blue grouse, pine grosbeaks

Do You Know? Black cottonwood is the largestbroadleaf tree in Alaska, growing rapidly toheights of 80 to 100 feet (24-30 m) at maturity.

54. ALDER F,W

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with horizontallines (lenticels) on a smooth, gray bark; the leafmargins are finely toothed, and the fruit is a darkbrown cone appearing in groups of three to nine.Habitat: Disturbed sites such as gravel slopes,flood plains, landslides, and along streams andmarshesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Deer and moose browse the twigs andleaves. Some birds eat the buds and seeds.

Do You Know? Alder roots usually have rootnodules that fix nitrogen from the air and enrichthe soil. They help other trees grow.

58. MARSH MARIGOLD W

Traits: A small herb with shovel-shaped, net-veined leaves and showy yellow flowersHabitat: Wet and moist placesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moose, muskrats, some aquaticinvertebrates

Do You Know? Marsh marigolds are poisonouswhen raw, but are edible after careful boiling.

59. SUNDEW W

Traits: Small carnivorous plant with sticky glandscovering the leaves; the small flowers have fivepetals.Habitat: Common in muskeg bogsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesis andeats insectsEaten by: Unknown

Do You Know? Sundew plants trap insects ontheir sticky leaves; the leaves close around thetrapped insect and digest it. The nitrogen andphosphorus in an insect’s body are valuablenutrients that the sundew needs to produce itsflowers.

60. WILD ROSE F

Traits: Broadleaf shrub with leaves made of threeto nine leaflets whose leaves emerge from thestems on alternate sides; stems covered withsmall thorns and large pink flowersHabitat: Shaded understory of mature borealforest, in old burn sites, tall shrub thickets, andalong beachesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, pine grosbeaks,grouse, thrushes, hares, mice, humans

Do You Know? The fruit of the rose, called rosehips, is one of the richest known food sources ofvitamin C.

55. WATER SMARTWEED W

Traits: Aquatic plant with long petioles (smallstem that attaches leaf to a main stem) onoblong, smooth-edged leaves; leaves oftentinged with red; pink flowers grow in densespikes (upright cluster)Habitat: Wetlands, ponds, bogsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Muskrats, moose, ducks, some aquaticinvertebrates

Do You Know? This plant grows in wetlands ofnorthern areas around the world.

56. MOSS CAMPION T

Traits: A low-growing, densely tufted plant thatlooks like a small cushion; has short, flat leavescovered with stiff hairs; small pink-purple flowersHabitat: Dry soil in alpine and lowland tundraFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Dall sheep, mountain goats

Do You Know? The low growth form and cushionshape of this plant allow it to withstand severewinds and to retain heat.

57. YELLOW POND LILY T,W

Traits: Floating, aquatic plant with large, long-stemmed, heart-shaped floating leaves; its large,yellow flowers have seven to nine petals.Habitat: Ponds and slow streams throughoutmost of Alaska; bogs and muskegs except inwestern Alaska and north of the Brooks RangeFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Roots eaten by muskrats, ducks, and,traditionally, by Alaska Natives.

Do You Know? Seeds may be popped likepopcorn and served as a cereal or snack.

64. MARSH FIVEFINGER W

Traits: A sprawling plant with a woody rootstalk.;leaves are toothed and in separate groups of fiveto seven leaflets; its flowers are purplish-brownwith five pointed petals.Habitat: Very wet meadows, marshes, shallowwater, along streamsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Unknown

Do You Know? Also called marsh cinquefoil.

65. SOAPBERRY F

Traits: Broadleaf shrub with oval leaves growingin pairs (opposite) along the stem and coveredwith reddish-brown hairs on the underside; hassmall, yellow flowers and red to yellow berriesHabitat: Dry, well drained, woody places nearrivers and lakesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Bears, grosbeaks, waxwings, grouse,insects such as aphids, larval moths, butterflies

Do You Know? The raw berry of this plant is verybitter because of the presence of “saponin,” achemical also found in detergents.

66. FIREWEED F

Traits: Herb (plant) with long, narrow leaves on astalk, many reddish-purple flowers along the topof its stem, and cottony seedsHabitat: Disturbed soils and forests with opencanopies that allow plenty of sunlight to reachthe groundFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, gall aphids,certain flies, true bugs, leafhopppers, slugs,redpolls, sparrows, moose, hares, bears

Do You Know? Fireweed is one of the first plantsto appear after a fire, sometimes just a few daysfollowing a fire. People eat fireweed honey.

61. MOUNTAIN ASH F

Traits: Broadleaf (deciduous) tree with oblong,toothed leaves, each made of 9-11 leaflets;smooth gray bark, red berries, and showy flowersin large clustersHabitat: Moist, cool climates in coastal forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Aphids, true bugs, leafhoppers, mothlarvae; berries are eaten by pine grosbeaks,waxwings, thrushes, and jays. The leaves andbuds are a favorite of moose.

Do You Know? The fruits from this tree are eatenby many birds, especially in winter.

62.RASPBERRY AND SALMONBERRY F

Traits: Broadleaf shrubs with leaves made ofthree leaflets, toothed along edges; showy whiteor pink flowers; yellow to red fruit of many smallseeds encased in fleshy coatsHabitat: Moist, cool forest climatesFoods: Make their own by photosynthesisEaten by: Aphids, true bugs, leafhoppers, mothlarvae, slugs, grouse, grosbeaks, jays, waxwings,thrushes, crows, sparrows, voles, deer mice, deer,moose, bears, hares, foxes, marten, humans

Do You Know? The fruit from these plants aredelicious eaten raw and make a very good jam.

63. DRYAS F,T

Traits: A low-growing, evergreen, herbaceousshrub with narrow, sometimes wavy-edged,leaves; this dwarf plant often appears matted.Habitat: Dry soil of boreal forest and tundraFoods: Makes it own by photosynthesisEaten by: Caribou, lemmings, ground squirrels,Dall sheep

Do You Know? The small, leathery leaves of dryaslose less water than do other kinds of leaves andare more resistant to winds.

70. BUNCHBERRY F

Traits: Ground cover plant with four to six oval-shaped leaves arranged in a circle around acentral flower cluster; tiny flowers surrounded bywhite petal-like bracts; clusters of red berriesHabitat: Mature and old-growth coastal forests,boreal forests, subalpine forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Aphids, moth larvae, true bugs,leafhoppers, pine grosbeaks, thrushes, sparrows,red squirrels, voles, mice, deer

Do You Know? This plant depends on mycorrhizalfungi to help it obtain soil nutrients and oninsects to pollinate its flowers.

71. SKUNK CABBAGE F

Traits: Herb (plant) with large leaves havingsmooth edges; its flowers grow on a spikesurrounded by a bright yellow, modified leaf. Itproduces its own heat by a chemical reaction tomelt snow, allowing its leaves to quickly emergein the spring.Habitat: Wet, shaded locations in coastal forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Slugs, bears, deer

Do You Know? Skunk cabbage depends upon fliesto pollinate its flowers and attracts thesepollinators with a skunklike odor.

72. CROWBERRY F,T

Traits: Hardy, low-growing evergreen shrubwhose fruit is an edible blue-black berryHabitat: Moist or wet ground in alpine andlowland tundra and boreal forestsFoods: Makes its own food by photosynthesisEaten by: Berries eaten by lemmings, voles,geese, plovers, snow buntings, longspurs, rosyfinches, humans

Do You Know? The small, wax-coated leaves areresistant to drying by wind and cold. This plantreduces its exposure to the wind by growingclose to the ground. Crowberry is a perennial.

67. MARE’S TAIL W

Traits: Emergent, aquatic plants with 6-12 palegreen leaves in a whorl (circle) around the stem;its flowers grow between the stem and leaf.Habitat: In Alaska, one species grows in shallowrunning water, one in mountain streams, and onein estuaries.Foods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Ducks, certain sandpipers, someaquatic invertebrates

Do You Know? Only a few species of mare’s tailexist; they occur in wetlands worldwide.

68. WATER MILFOIL W

Traits: Emergent, aquatic plant with finelydivided leaves that form a circle around the stem;its flowers grow on a spike that sticks abovewater.Habitat: Shallow, slow-moving or still watersFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Muskrats, ducks, some shorebirds

Do You Know? The male flowers have largerpetals than do the female ones, and both maleand female flowers grow on the same plant.

69. DEVIL’S CLUB F

Traits: Spines cover the stems and very largeleaves of this plant. Large cluster of flowers; fruitis a red berry.Habitat: Coastal forests: old-growth stands andclearingsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Deer, red squirrels, leafhoppers, truebugs

Do You Know? The bark, stems, and ash havebeen used by the Tanaina, Eskimo, and Haidapeople as a remedy for fever and colds and as ageneral cure-all.

76. LABRADOR TEA F,W

Traits: Shrub with long, narrow leaves that arethick and rolled under on the sides and havereddish-brown, hairy undersides; sweet-smellingwhite flowers grow in clusters at ends of twigs; itsfruit is a capsule.Habitat: Poorly drained soils, muskegs, old-growth forestsFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, true bugs,leafhoppers, snowshoe hares

Do You Know? The strongly aromatic leaves ofthis plant can be used to make a tasty tea.

77. HEATHER T

Traits: Low-growing, mosslike shrub with white,bell-shaped flowersHabitat: Dry soil of alpine and arctic tundraFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Lemmings, ground squirrels

Do You Know? Heather's perennial growth allowsit to survive despite the short growing seasons intundra regions. The bell-shaped flowers retainsolar heat and deflect wind from the seed-producing flower parts.

78. LOUSEWORT T

Traits: Perennial plant with one to two simplestems arising from the roots and topped by alarge flower spike; a dense gray wool covers theplant.Habitat: Dry soil of alpine and lowland tundraFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Ground squirrels, lemmings, caribou

Do You Know? The dead leaves of this plant donot fall off. They help protect the shoots andflower buds during winter. Lousewort ispollinated by bumble bees.

73. LOWBUSH CRANBERRY F,T,W(also called LINGONBERRY)

Traits: Ground cover plant with small, ovalleaves; small, white to pink bell-shaped flowers;small, edible red berry.Habitat: Moist soils in alpine and lowlandtundra and boreal forestsFoods: Makes its own food by photosynthesisEaten by: Bears, lemmings, voles, ptarmigan,grouse, geese, plovers, snow buntings,longspurs, moth larvae, aphids, leafhoppers,cranes, humans

Do You Know? The small, wax-coated leaves oflow-bush cranberry are resistant to drying bywind and cold.

75. BLUEBERRY F,T,W(also called HUCKLEBERRY)

Traits: Shrub with small, oval leaves havingsmooth edges; small, bell-like flowers; blue, black,or red berries.Habitat: Well-drained soils in wet, moderateclimatesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, aphids, gall aphids, certainflies, true bugs, leafhoppers, slugs, snails, deer,pine grosbeaks, jays, voles, mice, thrushes, bears,cranes, humans

Do You Know? The berries are available in late falland make good pies, jams, and jelly.

74. ALPINE BEARBERRY F,T,W

Traits: Low-growing shrub with evergreen leavesand small, white, bell-shaped flowers; fruit is anedible berry.Habitat: Dry and moist soil in alpine andlowland tundra, forests, and muskegsFoods: Makes its own food by photosynthesisEaten by: Bears, voles, lemmings, ptarmigan,geese, plovers, humans

Do You Know? Bearberry plants depend onmycorrhizal fungi to help them obtain nutrientsfrom the soil. In exchange, they provide sugars tothe fungi. These plants depend on animals totransport their seeds.

82. HAREBELL T

Traits: A slender, delicate perennial plant withclusters of blue bell-shaped flowersHabitat: Dry to moist soil in rock crevices ofalpine tundraFoods: Makes it own by photosynthesisEaten by: Lemmings, voles, ground squirrels,hares

Do You Know? This plant’s blue, cup-shapedflowers absorb and retain heat better than dolight-colored flowers of other shapes.

83. ROUNDWORMS F,T,W

Traits: Slender worms tapered at both ends,without any segments; invertebrate animalsHabitat: Soil, mosses, lichens, leaves, or waste,materials, also in waterFoods: Dead things, algae, insects, or wastematerialEaten by: Centipedes, other invertebrates

Do You Know? These worms often hitch rides tonew areas on the legs of flies, beetles, birds, ormammals.

84. ROTIFERS F,T,W

Traits: Microscopic invertebrate animals havingone or more rings of cilia at the front end of thebodyHabitat: Fresh water, or on mosses, other plants,or lichensFoods: Aquatic detritus (dead organic matter),protozoans, other small animalsEaten by: Roundworms, other invertebrates

Do You Know? Terrestrial rotifers survive severeenvironmental conditions by going dormant foras long as three to four years.

79. BLADDERWORT W

Traits: Carnivorous aquatic plant with finelydivided, underwater leaves, bearing small flowersthat stick out of the waterHabitat: Ponds and lakes throughout AlaskaFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesis; alsofeeds on small insects.Eaten by: Ducks

Do You Know? Small air sacs (or bladders) on theunderwater leaves are traps for insects. When aninsect touches the sensitive hairs outside thetrap, the air sac pops open. Water then rushes in,carrying the unsuspecting insect into the trap,and the bladderwort then eats it.

80. TWINFLOWER F

Traits: Ground cover plant with small, ovalleaves with tips divided into three parts; thesmall, pink, bell-shaped flowers grow in pairs ona tall stalk, and the fruit is a capsule.Habitat: Boreal and coastal forests with an opencanopy that allows light to reach the forest floorFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth larvae, leafhoppers, true bugs,deer, voles, sparrows, grouse

Do You Know? Twinflower needs mycorrhizalfungi to help it get soil nutrients, and it dependson insects to pollinate its flowers.

81. HIGHBUSH CRANBERRY F

Traits: Shrub with three-lobed leaves growing inpairs along the stem; white flowers in clusters atthe end of short twigs; bright red berriesHabitat: Understory in aspen and birch forests;grows best in well-drained, warm sitesFoods: Makes its own by photosynthesisEaten by: Moth and butterfly larvae, leafhoppers,true bugs, aphids, other insects, ruffed andspruce grouse, pine grosbeaks, voles, moose,hares, bears, humans

Do You Know? Highbush cranberry is also called“cramp bark” because the bark is a natural sourceof muscle relaxant.

88. SLUGS F

Traits: A snail-like invertebrate animal without ashell; it has four antennae, with eyes that arelocated on the tips of one pair of antennae.Habitat: Moist or wet forests, mainly in coastalAlaska; the larvae lives on rotten leaves and logs.Foods: Leaves of plants, including skunkcabbage, salmonberry, and othersEaten by: Certain ground beetles

Do You Know? In dry air, a typical slug will lose asmuch as 16 percent of its body weight per hour ifit is active. If dry conditions continue, death willresult in a few hours.

89. WATER BEARS F,T,W

Traits: Tiny to microscopic invertebrate animals.They are chubby with eight short legs having fourto eight claws on each leg; they can survive foryears in an inactive state when conditions are bad.Habitat: In the water film around mosses andlichensFoods: Fluids from inside the cells of mossesand lichensEaten by: Roundworms, centipedes, otherinvertebrates

Do You Know? Most of a water bear's life is spentin a dried, desiccated state. When water isavailable, it swells to four to five times its dried-up size.

90. SEGMENTED WORMS F,T,W

Traits: Slender-bodied worms with distinctsegments along the body; invertebrate animalsHabitat: Many habitats; moist soil and decayingvegetation in forestsFoods: Varies by species; those that live in soileat decaying vegetation, algae, or otherinvertebrate animals.Eaten by: Thrushes, centipedes, ground beetles

Do You Know? Some segmented worms, calledleeches, are parasites on other animals,including mammals, fish, birds, insects, snailsand worms.

85. CLAM W

Traits: Invertebrate animal (mollusk) with two-valved shells hinged on one side, a small head,and a compressed bodyHabitat: Varies by species; some burrow in sand,mud, or rocks.Foods: Filter detritus, algae, protozoans, smallcrustaceans, insect larvae from the waterEaten by: Snails, sea stars, certain fish, divingducks, emperor geese, shorebirds, sea otters,humans

Do You Know? Clams can burrow very rapidly byextending their “foot” into the sand or mud,expanding the tip to act as a anchor, and pullingthemselves down.

86. MUSSEL W

Traits: Invertebrate animal (mollusk) with two-valved shells hinged on one side, a small head,and a compressed body; they attach themselvesto a surface with “byssal threads.”Habitat: Rocks or wharf pilings in salt waterFoods: Filter detritus, algae, protozoans, smallcrustaceans, insect larvae from the waterEaten by: Snails, sea stars, certain fish, divingducks, emperor geese, shorebirds, sea otters,humans

Do You Know? Mussels are edible.

87. SNAIL W

Traits: Invertebrate animal (mollusk) with flatcreeping foot, a one-piece shell, and a well-developed headHabitat: Land as well as water; on rocks, sandyor silty bottoms, and aquatic plants in eitherfresh or salt waterFoods: Fresh-water snails graze on algae, aquaticplants, detritus, and fungi. Some marine formsprey on other marine animals, including othermollusks.Eaten by: Crustaceans, fish, birds, mammals

Do You Know? There are more than 35,000species of snails.

94. AMPHIPOD W

Traits: Crustacean with many legs, a hardexoskeleton, and a body compressed from side toside; eyes of amphipods not on stalks (unlikeshrimp); invertebrate animalHabitat: Salt water, fresh-water lakes and pondsFoods: Detritus and small invertebratesEaten by: Fish, water birds, whales, otheraquatic predators

Do You Know? Beach amphipods, sometimescalled sand fleas, are only 0.75 inches (2 cm)long, but they can leap 1.1 yards (1 m); that isfarther than any organism of their size.

95. WATER FLEA W

Traits: Crustacean (invertebrate animal) with abody compressed side to side; hard shell coversbody but not head; uses second set of antennaeto swimHabitat: Lakes, ponds, streamsFoods: Filters detritus, protozoans, rotifers,crustaceans, algae, diatoms and other planktonfrom the waterEaten by: Ducks, shorebirds, diving beetles,other aquatic invertebrates, fish

Do You Know? Females produce two kinds ofeggs: thin-shelled eggs in the summer, whichdevelop without fertilization, and thick-shelledones in winter, which are fertilized by males.

96. FAIRY SHRIMP W

Traits: Crustacean (invertebrate animal) thatswims upside down; 20 body segments withappendages on the first 11-12 segments; eyes onstalks; no hard shell covering bodyHabitat: Small ponds, springs, meltwater poolsFoods: Detritus, small crustaceans, rotifers,protozoans, algae, diatoms and other planktonEaten by: Ducks, phalaropes, water shrews,diving beetles, other aquatic invertebrates, fish

Do You Know? Females are often more abundantthan males. In some types, no males are knownand develop from eggs that have never beenfertilized.

91. SPIDER F,T,W

Traits: Small invertebrate animals with eightlegs; the body appears divided into a largeabdomen and a small head with large fangs.Habitat: Soil, leaf litter, plants, rotten logsFoods: Mainly insects such as aphids, flies, rovebeetles, springtails, bristletails, othersEaten by: Insect-eating birds such as thrushesand winter wrens

Do You Know? The silk produced by spiders maystretch as much as one-fourth its length beforebreaking. It is one of the strongest natural fibersknown.

92. MITE F,T

Traits: Tiny to microscopic invertebrate animals,each with eight legs and a pear-shaped bodyHabitat: Mosses, rotten leaves, humus, forestsoilsFoods: Varies by species; many prey onroundworms, other mites, and insect larvae;others feed on plants (dead or live) and animals.Eaten by: Centipedes, some ground beetles,ladybird beetles, winter wrens, thrushes,sparrows

Do You Know? Some mites ride on the backs ofcarrion beetles. Other mites parasitize otheranimals.

93. COPEPOD W

Traits: Crustacean (invertibrate animal) with ashort, cylindrical body of ten segments; the firstfew segments have appendagesHabitat: Fresh and salt water wetlands and atseaFoods: Filter detritus or algae from the water;some capture small zooplankton. Some areparasites on the gills of fish and largecrustaceans.Eaten by: Fish and other aquatic animals,including whales

Do You Know? Although they are tiny, copepodsand other small crustaceans are the chief food ofhumpback and gray whales.

100. BRISTLETAIL F

Traits: Wingless insects with three tail-like partsand long antennae, often covered with scales;chewing mouthparts; invertebrate animalsHabitat: Damp or moist litter and soil of forestsand meadows; under bark of logs or under rocksFoods: Decaying leavesEaten by: Centipedes, shrews, thrushes, groundbeetles

Do You Know? These insects are able to runrapidly or jump.

101. MAYFLIES W

Traits: Delicate insects with two to three hairlikeparts at the end of the abdomen; rear wings aresmaller than forewings; invertebrate animalHabitat: Adults: near water; nymphs: streams,lakes, pondsFoods: Nymphs feed on diatoms, algae, anddetritus; adults cannot feed because their mouthparts do not function.Eaten by: Diving beetles, frogs, fish, waterfowl,shorebirds

Do You Know? Most adult mayflies live for onlytwo to three days; some live for just one to twohours.

102. DRAGONFLY F,W

Traits: Insect with long, narrow abdomen; sixlegs, large eyes and four wings; invertebrateanimalHabitat: Adults: near water; nymphs: bottom ofstreams and ponds or on aquatic plantsFood: Adults prey on small flying insects,including mosquitos and black flies. Nymphsprey on mosquito larvae, snails, tadpoles, andsmall fish.Eaten by: Adults eaten by flycatchers, fish, andswallows; dippers feed on nymphs.

Do You Know? Adults catch mosquitos in the airwith their basketlike legs and eat their prey “onthe wing.”

97. MILLIPEDE F

Traits: Slender-bodied, wormlike invertebrateanimals with distinct segments along the body,two leglike structures on each segmentHabitat: In Alaska's coastal forests: under rocksor logs and in rotten leaves, wood or soilFoods: Varies by species; decaying plants andfungi or centipedes, worms, or insectsEaten by: Thrushes, sparrows, wrens, groundbeetles

Do You Know? Some kinds have poison glandsthat secrete hydrogen and cyanide. Millipedeswill coil up when disturbed.

98. CENTIPEDE F

Traits: A small, wormlike invertebrate animalwith two legs on each of its body segments; allhave poison claws for capturing prey.Habitat: Soil and humus or beneath stones,bark, or logsFoods: Invertebrates that live in the soil,including springtails, bristletails, ground beetles,fly larvae, flea larvae, mites, worms, snailsEaten by: Thrushes, winter wrens

Do You Know? Centipedes have poison glands ontheir jaws that can cause pain if they bite you.Not usually dangerous to people.

99. SPRINGTAIL F,T,W

Traits: A small, wingless insect (invertebrateanimal) with chewing mouthparts and a tube onthe underside of the first abdominal segmentHabitat: Soil, litter, decaying logs, mosses; somein trees, and a few live in groundwaterFoods: Algae, lichens, pollen, fungal spores,decaying materialsEaten by: Centipedes, ground beetles, spiders,shrews, birds

Do You Know? This insect’s furcula (tail-likeforked organ) folds down under the body andreleases, springing the animal three to fourinches (7-10 cm) into the air.

106. THRIP F

Traits: Tiny winged or wingless long-bodiedinsects; if winged, they have four narrow wingswith fringes of long hairs; antennae, suckingmouthpartsHabitat: Flowers and leaves of plantsFoods: Flowers, leaves, buds, fruits; few eatfungal spores, mites, and small insects.Eaten by: Warblers, chickadees, creepers, wrens,ants, hornets, ground beetles, lacewings

Do You Know? Some thrips carry microscopicorganisms that cause plant diseases.

107. TRUE BUG F,T,W

Traits: Front wings thick, colored, and hardenednear body; wings thin and often clear at the tips;held flat over body. Beaklike mouthparts at frontof headHabitat: Variety of habitat typesFoods: Varies by species; some live only on thespecies of plant they eat; others are predatory.Eaten by: Chickadees, thrushes, warblers,shrews, wasps, ground beetles

Do You Know? Many true bugs give off odors torepel predators.

108. WATER BOATMAN W

Traits: Aquatic insect with four long legs used forswimming; front legs modified to form scoops;the nymphs and adults look alike.Habitat: Margins of lakes, ponds, estuariesFoods: Decaying leavesEaten by: Diving beetles, frogs, fish, waterfowl,shorebirds

Do You Know? Water boatmen are like scubadivers. They trap an air bubble under their wingsat the water surface, then use this “air tank” tobreathe while diving underwater.

103. DAMSELFLY W

Traits: Insects with very large eyes and shortantennae; adults have four wings of the samesize.Habitat: Adults: near water; nymphs: on aquaticplants or the bottom of streams and pondsFoods: Adults prey on flying insects, includingmidges and mosquitos. Nymphs eat mosquitolarvae, tadpoles, and small fish.Eaten by: Diving beetles, frogs, fish, waterfowl,shorebirds

Do You Know? Fossil records indicate that someprehistoric relatives of damselflies hadwingspans of 27 inches (69 cm).

104. GRASSHOPPER F,W

Traits: Insects with large hind legs for jumping;thickened, narrow front wings and hind wingsthat are clear and large; all have chewingmouthparts.Habitat: Places with herbs and grassesFoods: Leaves, stems, other parts of plantsEaten by: American kestrels and other insect-eating birds

Do You Know? Grasshoppers serve as animportant food source for birds and mammals.

105. LICE F,T,W

Traits: Small, wingless insects with sucking orchewing mouthparts; invertebrate animalsHabitat: Skin, fur, or feathers of birds andmammalsFoods: Varies by species; some suck blood ofmammals or birds; others eat skin, feathers, orfur.Eaten by: Sometimes eaten by birds ormammals during grooming

Do You Know? All lice are parasites of birds ormammals. Some blood-sucking lice carrymicroscopic organisms that cause diseases inmammals and birds.

112. LACEWINGS F,W

Traits: Green or brown insects with large, clearwings with netlike veins; small head with largeeyes and chewing mouthparts; long antennaeHabitat: Leaves of trees and shrubs; Eggs areattached to a leaf by a thread the female forms.Larvae spin cocoons.Foods: Adults eat pollen, nectar, and aphidhoneydew. Larvae prey on mites, aphids, andother insects.Eaten by: Thrushes, warblers, chickadees,kinglets, hornets, dragonflies, bats, shrews

Do You Know? Green lacewings have glands ontheir bodies that emit foul odors when the insectis handled.

113. CARRION BEETLES F,T

Traits: Large, round-bodied insects withthickened front wings; black with red, orange, oryellow markings; clubbed antennaeHabitat: Soil and litter of forests and otherhabitatsFoods: Dead animals and other insects, such asfly larvae, that feed on dead animals; the adultfemale lays her eggs and buries them with a deadanimal.Eaten by: Thrushes, shrews, mice, voles

Do You Know? All carrion beetles have mitesriding on their backs. These mites get a free rideto new food sources, but do not harm the beetle.This is an example of commensalism.

114. GROUND BEETLES F,T

Traits: Dark, flattened insects with thick frontwings and grooves running from front to back;long legs, large mouthpartsHabitat: In most habitats on landFoods: Varies by species; dead animal remains,insects (such as caterpillars), slugs, snailsEaten by: Jays, thrushes, wrens, sparrows,centipedes

Do You Know? Most ground beetles are activeonly at night and hide during the day under logs,rocks, or leaf litter. Tundra species produceantifreeze that allows them to survive freezingtemperatures.

109. WATER STRIDER F,T,W

Traits: Insect with body and long legs coveredwith stiff, waterproof hair that allows the insectto “skate” across the water surfaceHabitat: Ponds and streamsFoods Small living or dead insects on the watersurfaceEaten by: Fish, water birds, water shrews

Do You Know? A water strider will sink and drownif the hairs on its legs become wet and it cannotreach a place to dry out.

110. LEAFHOPPERS F,T,W

Traits: Insect with front pair of wings thin andclear, or only slightly colored; held rooflike overbody; Beaklike mouth comes out of the rearunderside of the head; one or more rows ofspines on the hind legs.Habitat: Plants in forests and other habitatsFoods: Sap of plantsEaten by: Warblers, thrushes, chickadees,shrews, ground beetles, centipedes

Do You Know? Leafhoppers often discharge aclear, watery fluid called “honeydew,” whichattracts other insects (especially ants).

111. APHIDS F,T,W

Traits: Pear-shaped insects with winged andwingless forms in the same species; most havetwo tubes (called cornicles) on the top of theirabdomens.Habitat: Leaves and stems of plantsFoods: Sap of plants; they cause plant leaves towilt, curl, and turn yellowEaten by: Ants, wasps, ladybugs, warblers,chickadees, kinglets, wrens, sparrows

Do You Know? Aphids produce a secretion, calledhoneydew. To obtain this honeydew, certain antsprotect and tend aphids.

118. BARK BEETLES F

Traits: Small, round-bodied insects withthickened front wings; small antennae with clubson the tipsHabitat: Under tree barkFoods: Varies by species; majority eat theunderside of tree bark or wood; others eat fungithat grow in the tunnels the beetles bore into woodEaten by: Woodpeckers, brown creepers,ichneumon larvae

Do You Know? Most bark beetles need fungi tobreak down and digest wood. Some species havethese microscopic organisms living in theirstomachs.

119. LADYBIRD BEETLES F

Traits: Brightly colored insects with very roundbodies and thickened front wings, usually withspots on them; larvae are usually dark with bandsof color and covered with spines.Habitat: Leaves and stems of plants in forests,shrub thickets, and meadowsFoods: Aphids, other small insects, mites; a fewspecies eat plant leaves.Eaten by: Warblers, chickadees, thrushes

Do You Know? Also known as ladybugs, the adultbeetles gather by the thousands and hibernateunder fallen branches and rocks.

120. CADDISFLIES W

Traits: Adults have wings covered with hairs.Long antennae. Larvae have hooklike parts at theends of their abdomens and some havefeatherlike gills.Habitat: Adults are nocturnal and rest in cool,dark places. Larvae live in ponds, lakes, andstreams.Foods: Adults eat flower nectar. Larvae eataquatic plants, algae, diatoms, and aquaticinsect larvae.Eaten by: Diving beetles, frogs, fish, waterfowl,shorebirds

Do You Know? Many larvae build cases made ofleaves, twigs, or sand in which to pupate.

115. ROVE BEETLES F,T

Traits: Dark, flattened insects with short, thickfront wings and long, slender bodies; some havelarge mouthparts that cross at the tips; May becovered by hairsHabitat: Soil in forests and other habitatsFoods: Varies by species; dead animal or plantremains, insects such as antsEaten by: Thrushes, jays, wrens, sparrows,centipedes, ground beetles, mice, shrews

Do You Know? Some rove beetles live in thenests of mammals.

116. DIVING BEETLES W

Traits: Aquatic insects; adults are oval-shapedand have legs with hairlike fringes; Larvae havelarge heads, long mandibles, and eight to tenabdominal segments.Habitat: Ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, estuariesFoods: Adults and larvae prey on aquatic insects,small fish, and tadpoles.Eaten by: Fish, water birds, water shrews

Do You Know? Diving beetles obtain air at thesurface of the water, but can remain underwaterby carrying an air bubble with them.

117. WHIRLIGIG BEETLES W

Traits: Aquatic insects; adults are flat, oval-shaped and have two eyes on top of the headand two on the bottom. They are black orgreenish and often swim in circles together.Larvae are slender and have featherlike gills onabdomens.Habitat: Ponds, lakes, streamsFoods: Insect larvae, small fish, tadpolesEaten by: Fish, water birds

Do You Know? Whirligig beetles can seeunderwater and above water at the same time.

124. CRANE FLY F,T,W

Traits: Long-legged, mosquito-like insects withtwo clear wingsHabitat: Adults: damp habitats with abundantvegetation; larvae: moist soil and decaying plantsin forests; some live in water.Foods: Some adults eat flower nectar. Larvae eatalgae, detritus, and larvae of other insects.Eaten by: Bats, shrews, insect-eating birds,centipedes, spiders, other insect-eatinginvertebrates

Do You Know? Although craneflies look like giantmosquitoes, they do not bite. They do, however,eat mosquitoes.

125. MOSQUITO F,T,W

Traits: Adult insects have scales and long,tubular mouthparts (proboscis) for sucking.Larvae are wormlike.Habitat: All types; larvae are aquatic and live inponds, lakes, and still waters.Foods: Adult females suck blood from birds andmammals. Adult males feed on flower nectar.Larvae feed on algae, protozoans, and detritus.Eaten by: Adults are eaten by dragonflies, fish,frogs, birds, bats. Larvae are eaten by fish andwater birds.

Do You Know? Some female mosquitoes carrymicroscopic organisms that cause diseases inmammals and birds.

126. MIDGE F,T,W

Traits: An adulthas six long legs, a long narrowabdomen, and two wings that are narrow at thebase. Larvae are aquatic.Habitat: Adults swarm over water and moisthabitats. Larvae live in water or wet moss.Foods: Adults eat flower nectar and pollen.Larvae eat algae or plant material or filtermicroscopic organisms from the water. Someprey on other insects.Eaten by: Fish, aquatic animals, birds, shrews,ground beetles

Do You Know? Adults live for only five to tendays. Larvae live as long as seven years.

121. MOTH F,T

Traits: Insects with four large wings withpowderlike scales; large eyes, long antennae, andtubelike mouths that coil up when not in useHabitat: Adults use a variety of habitats. Larvaecan only live on certain plants.Foods: Adults eat flower nectar. Larvae eat plantleaves, fruit, stems, and roots.Eaten by: Bats, shrews, ground beetles, warblers,flycatchers, swallows, chickadees, kinglets

Do You Know? Larvae spin cocoons. Some larvaemake tents of silk threads.

122. BUTTERFLY F,T,W

Traits: Adults have four large wings withpowderlike scales; large, compound eyes, longantennae with clubs at the tips, and tubelikemouths that coil up when not in use.Habitat: Adults use a variety of habitats. Larvaecan live only on certain plants.Foods: Adults eat flower nectar. Larvae eat plantleaves, fruit, stems, or roots.Eaten by: Warblers, flycatchers, ground beetles,wasps, dragonflies

Do You Know? Larvae form a chrysalis forpupation.

123. BLACK FLY F,T,W

Traits: Adult black flies have six legs and are darkcolored with two broad wings and short legs.Larvae are wormlike.Habitat: Adults live around water. Larvae liveunderwater, attached to rocks and plants.Foods: Adult males feed on flower nectar. Adultfemales suck blood from birds and mammals.Larvae filter detritus (decaying matter).Eaten by: Adults are eaten by swallows andsome insects. Larvae eaten by fishes, such asblackfish, and dippers.

Do You Know? Female black flies are viciousbiters. Males don’t bite.

130. BUMBLE BEE F,T,W

Traits: Insects with four wings; hind wings muchsmaller than front ones; hairy, black bodiescovered with yellow markingsHabitat: Any habitat with a variety of nectar-producing flowers, including pioneer, tall shrub,and old-growth forest; nests in the groundFoods: Nectar and pollen of flowering plantsEaten by: Flycatchers, swallows, warblers

Do You Know? Bees are among the mostimportant plant pollinators. Some species eatthe nectar and pollen and pollinate only onespecies of plant.

131. SAW FLY F,T

Traits: Insects with four clear wings; hind wingssmaller than forewings; long antennae, broadabdomensHabitat: Adults use a variety of habitats, butlarvae usually live only on certain plants.Foods: Leaves of conifers, certain broadleaftrees, other plants; some larvae are leaf miners.Some species eat nectar or pollen.Eaten by: Flycatchers, swallows, certain wasps

Do You Know? These insects look scary becauseof their well-developed oviposters (egg-layer),which look like a stingers, but they do not stingor bite.

132. ICHNEUMON F,T,W

Traits: Insects with long, narrow bodies and fourclear wings; antennae are at least half as long asthe body. Some have a long, narrow tail-likestructure for egg-laying.Habitat: Any habitat where there are host insectsFoods: Adults lay their eggs inside larvalsawflies, horntails, butterflies, moths, andspiders. When the eggs hatch, the larvae eat thehost.Eaten by: Flycatchers, swallows, thrushes,warblers, chickadees

Do You Know? These wasplike insects areimportant parasites of immature insects.

127. BLOW FLY F,T,W

Traits: Insects with two clear wings and twosmall knobs (called halteres), large eyes, metallicblue or green backs; invertebrate animalHabitat: Soil and dead animalsFoods: Liquids from decaying plants andanimals, animal wastes, bloodEaten by: Warblers, flycatchers, chickadees,thrushes, shrews, carrion beetles, dragonflies,hornets, centipedes

Do You Know? Some blow flies are important asplant pollinators. Many flies transportmicroscopic organisms that cause diseases inanimals. Flies taste with their feet.

128. BOT AND WARBLE FLY F,T

Traits: Beelike, hairy flies; invertebrate animalHabitat: Larvae develop inside a host animal.Foods: Larvae eat body fluids or tissues of theirhosts (hares, squirrels, caribou, marmots, andother mammals). Foods of the adults areunknown.Eaten by: Insect-eating birds

Do You Know? Bot flies lay their eggs on theirhost’s skin. The larvae burrow under the skin andfeed on tissues or body fluids of the host, thenemerge and drop to the ground where theydevelop into adults who will continue the cycle.

129. FUNGUS GNAT F,T,W

Traits: A slender, mosquito-like insect with longlegs and long antennae; invertebrate animalHabitat: Decaying vegetation, fungi, moist soilFoods: Fungi, decaying plants, roots of liveplantsEaten by: Ground beetles, spiders, insect-eatingbirds

Do You Know? There are more than 600 speciesof fungus gnats in North America.

136. SLIMY SCULPIN F,T,W

Traits: Small fish (animal) with a large head,short lateral line ending below the second dorsalfinHabitat: Lakes and fast-moving streams; adultsmove to shallow water to spawn.Foods: Larvae of flies, mayflies, caddisflies,dragonflies, amphipods; also some eggs andyoung fishEaten By: Grebes, loons, mergansers, other fish

Do You Know? Male builds nest and defends eggsagainst predators. The color of its skin makes itnearly invisible when motionless on river andlake bottoms.

133. YELLOWJACKET AND HORNET F,T,W

Traits: Insects with bright black and yellow orwhite markings; the tip of the abdomen ispointed and has a stinger; invertebrateHabitat: Variety of typesFoods: Adults eat flower nectar, ripe fruit, otherinsects; larvae eat caterpillars, flies, meat fromdead animals, nectar.Eaten by: Insect-eating birds such as flycatchersand swallows

Do You Know? These wasps build paper nests inthe ground and in a protected site above ground.

134. HORNTAIL F

Traits: Insects (invertebrate animal) with fourclear wings, hind wings smaller than forewings;long cylinder-shaped abdomen with a spinelikepart at the tail end, which is used for egg-laying;this insect does not sting.Habitat: Forests; larvae live in wood of living ordead trees.Foods: WoodEaten by: Woodpeckers, creepers, nuthatches,icheneumons

Do You Know? Some horntails are parasitized byichneumons.

135. ANT F,T,W

Traits: Body clearly divided into three segmentsby narrow constrictions, last segment forming apointed end; many secrete formic acid as adefense. Only certain kinds of adults have wings.Habitat: In colonies in the ground or in woodFoods: Varies by species; flower nectar, plantjuices, or aphid honeydew; seeds, leaves, or deadorganisms; some are predators on other insects.Eaten by: Flickers, wrens, thrushes, sparrows

Do You Know? Some ants protect aphids frompredators, then feed on the sugary secretion(honeydew) the aphids produce.

137. NINE-SPINE STICKLEBACK F,T,W

Traits: Fish with nine spines on its dorsal (back)fin; animal (vertebrate).Habitat: Lakes and rivers; spends the winter indeep water, then migrates to shallow water andtributaries to spawnFoods: Midges, water fleas, copepods,crustaceans, aquatic insectsEaten by: Arctic char, lake trout, grayling, loons,grebes, terns, gulls, mink, river otters, humans

Do You Know? Sticklebacks can lock their spinesupright to prevent predators from swallowingthem.

138. THREE-SPINE STICKLEBACK F,T,W

Traits: Fish with three sharp spines on its back;animal (vertebrate)Habitat: Fresh and salt waterFoods: Copepods, water fleas, midges, rotifers,seed shrimp, aquatic worms, mollusks,amphipods, leeches, flatworms, water mitesEaten by: Salmon, Dolly Varden, loons, grebes,mergansers, adult sticklebacks will eat youngsticklebacks.

Do You Know? Sticklebacks have a high toleranceto low oxygen levels in shallow, frozen lakes.They can survive where other fish cannot.

139. BLACKFISH F,T,W

Traits: Fish with a broad, flat head; large dorsaland anal fins placed far back on body; roundedtail, three rays in pelvic fin; animal (vertibrate).Habitat: Heavily vegetated lowland ponds andstreamsFoods: Copepods, water fleas, insect larvae,mollusks, segmented worms, algaeEaten by: River otters, mink, loons, grebes,terns, humans

Do You Know? The antifreeze in blackfish bloodallows them to tolerate icy cold water and survivepartial freezing.

142. ARCTIC GRAYLING T, W

Traits: Fish with a large sail-like dorsal fin andsmall mouth; dorsal fin dotted with largeiridescent red or purple spots; animalHabitat: Cold, clear streams, lakes, ponds;spawn in streams with sandy gravel bottoms.Foods: Mayflies, stoneflies, caddisflies, salmoneggs and smolt; also voles or shrews that fall intothe waterEaten by: Larger fish, loons, grebes, mergansers,humans

Do You Know? Grayling migrate from deep, freshwater holes upstream to spawn in smallerstreams and headwaters.

140. WHITEFISH F,T,W

Traits: Fish with slender, rounded bodies; forkedtails; small mouths with upper jaw overlappingthe lower jaw; animal (invertebrate)Habitat: Lakes, streams, estuariesFoods: Mainly insects, including larval mayflies,stoneflies, midges, dragonflies, mosquitoes; alsoeggs and larvae of other fishEaten by: Lake trout, burbot, arctic char,humans; fry are eaten by fish-eating birds, suchas mergansers and grebes.

Do You Know? Most whitefish migrate longdistances between feeding and spawninggrounds. Some migrate to salt water feedingareas, but spawn and overwinter in fresh water.

141. BURBOT F,T,W

Traits: Fish with a large head, wide gill openings,two dorsal fins (second one long), small barbelon chin; rounded tail, no spines on fins; animalHabitat: Deep waters of lakes and rivers; spawnin moderately deep water with gravel and sandybottomsFoods: Adults: mainly fish, some insect larvae,mollusks, copepods, fish eggs, shrews; young:stonefly and mayfly larvae, other insects, smallfishEaten by: Young eaten by other fishes, humans

Do You Know? A single female burbot can lay1,000,000 eggs!

144. NORTHERN PIKE W

Traits: A fish with a long, flat snout; rearplacement of dorsal and anal fins; large mouthwith many sharp teeth; elongated body and head;animal (invertebrate)Habitat: Deep, fresh water lakes and rivers inwinter; shallow, near-shore waters in summerFoods: Adults eat fish, waterfowl, frogs, watershrews, and insects. Young eat copepods, waterfleas, and insects.Eaten by: Bigger pike, blackfish, humans

Do You Know? A 12-pound pike was found with a4-pound pike in its stomach.

143. EULACHON W

Traits: Fish has circular grooves on gill covers;narrow body, forked tail; animalHabitat: Adults live at sea but return to freshwater streams with sandy gravel bottoms tospawn. The fry are swept out to sea and live inestuaries and near-shore waters.Foods: Copepods, phytoplankton, mysid shrimp,barnacle larvae, water fleas, worm larvaeEaten by: Salmon, seals, sea lions, belugawhales, humans

Do You Know? Eulachon is an oily fish, alsoknown as the “candlefish” because of itstraditional use as a candle when dried and fittedwith a wick.

148. SOCKEYE SALMON W

Traits: Fish with an adipose fin; lacks definitespots on back and tail; animal (vertebrate)Habitat: Adults live at sea, but return to fresh-water streams to spawn.Foods: Squid, copepods, crustaceans, insects,other small fish; fry eat insects and otherinvertebrates.Eaten by: Seals, whales, larger fish, bears, baldeagles, humans

Do You Know? Sockeye salmon, also known asred salmon, are the most abundant salmon inAlaska.

146. LAKE TROUT F,T,W

Traits: Fish with deeply forked tail, adipose fin,and irregular shaped spots on a silver-to-dark-gray background; animal (vertebrate).Habitat: Throughout northern North America incold lakes at high altitudesFoods: Varies with age; young eat adult andlarval insects (including midges, craneflies).Adults eat fish (sticklebacks and whitefish).Eaten by: Other fish, terns, grebes, loons,humans

Do You Know? Lake trout are seven or eight yearsold when they first spawn in Alaska. Thereafterthey spawn every other year.

147. PACIFIC HERRING W

Traits: A medium-sized fish with no lateral line,large mouth, no teeth or jaws, no adipose finHabitat: Mainly at sea and in estuaries; spawnsin shallow waters over eelgrass, kelp, or rocks.Young live in shallow bays and inlets beforemoving to deeper waters.Foods: Adults feed on copepods, amphipods,euphausiids, mollusks, larvae, small fish. Youngfeed on copepods, invertebrate eggs, diatoms.Eaten by: Chum salmon, loons, porpoises,beluga whales, humans

Do You Know? Pacific herring are a veryimportant part of the food web!

145. ARCTIC CHAR T,W

Traits: A medium-sized fish with an adipose fin,small scales, large pink to red spots on sides andback; animal (invertebrate)Habitat: Lakes; spawns in gravel of lake marginsor shallow, quiet stream pools.Foods: Insects, young fish, crustaceans, mollusksEaten by: Other fishes, diving birds, humans

Do You Know? Adults feed on salmon smoltsmigrating to the sea. Arctic char eggs and youngare adapted to survive near-freezing watertemperatures.

149. PINK SALMON W

Traits: Fish with an adipose fin, very large spotson back, and caudal finHabitat: Adults live at sea but move into freshwater to spawn in rivers and river mouths. Younggo to sea shortly after leaving spawning areas.Foods: Copepods, squid, insects, amphipods,small fishEaten by: Larger fish, seals, sea lions, certainwhales, bears, bald eagles, osprey, humans

Do You Know? Pink salmon, the smallest salmon,are also called humpbacks because the breedingmales develop large humps on their backs.

150. COHO SALMON W (also called SILVER SALMON)

Traits: A large salmon with an adipose fin, smallblack spots on the back and upper caudal finHabitat: Adults live at sea, but return to freshwater to spawn in fast-flowing streams withgravel bottoms.Foods: Herring, sandlance, crustaceans, otherinvertebrates; Young feed mostly on insects.Eaten By: Whales, eagles, bears, other salmon,grebes, loons, humans

Do You Know? Young coho salmon may spend upas long as five years in fresh water before goingto sea.

154. LOON F,T,W

Traits: Diving bird with a sharp, pointed bill andwebbed feet; large, heavy body; unable to takeflight from land; animal (vertibrate)Habitat: Nests on freshwater lakes. Wintersalong Pacific coast to Mexico.Foods: Sticklebacks, sculpins, herring, sandlance,young salmon, rockfish, flounders, codfish; alsoeat leeches, snails, shrimp, amphipods, aquaticinsects.Eaten by: Foxes, gulls, jaegers, eagles

Do You Know? Loons can dive to depths as greatas 240 feet (73 m) and fly as fast as 60 miles (101km) per hour.

155. GREBE F,T,W

Traits: Diving bird with a sharp, pointed bill andlobed feet; rarely seen on land or in flightHabitat: Nests on lakes and estuaries; winters inbays and estuaries along Pacific coast to Mexico.Foods: Fish, crustaceans, insects, otherinvertebratesEaten by: Foxes, eagles, mink, weasels, gulls

Do You Know? Grebes eat their own feathers!This is thought to protect their stomachs andintestines from sharp fish bones.

156. TUNDRA SWAN T,W

Traits: Large aquatic bird with a six- to seven-foot (1.8-2.1 m) wingspan, all-white plumage,very long neck; bright yellow spot on black billHabitat: Lowland tundra and small islands,ponds, lakes, riversFoods: Leaves, seeds, and underground roots ofhorsetails, pondweed, sedges, rushes, pond lily,water milfoilEaten by: Foxes, mink, gulls

Do You Know? Once paired, swan mates tend tostay together for life.

151. CHUM SALMON W

Traits: This salmon species has an adipose finand an absence of spots on body and fins. Allfins, except dorsal, have dark tips.Habitat: Adults live at sea, but move into fast-flowing fresh-water streams to spawn.Foods: Copepods, amphipods, squid, crablarvae, young herring, other fishesEaten by: Whales, eagles, bears, other fish,humans

Do You Know? Chum salmon swim 2,000 miles(3380 km) up the Yukon River to spawn.

152. WOOD FROG F,T,W

Traits: Small amphibian with moist skin, noscales or claws, long hind legs, short forelegs,large mouth; animal (vertebrate)Habitat: Forests, muskegs, tundra; adults live onland, but breed in water. Eggs and tadpoles liveonly in water.Foods: Adults eat flies, true bugs, lacewings,dragonflies. Larvae eat algae and small aquaticplants.Eaten by: Pike, sandhill cranes, jays, crows, grebes,loons, mink, river otters; larvae are eaten by certaininsects and fish.

Do You Know? Wood frogs can survivetemperatures as low as 21°F.

153. SALAMANDER AND NEWT F

Traits: Small animals with moist skin, no scalesor claws, short fore and hind legs, long tailHabitat: Moist places in Alaska's coastal forestsFoods: Small insects, springtails, beetles, fliesEaten by: Jays, crows, mink, shrews

Do You Know? Alaska's two salamanders, thenorthwestern salamander and the long-toedsalamander, are nocturnal (active at night) andare secretive. There is one species of newt inAlaska: the rough-skinned newt.

160. CACKLING CANADA GOOSE T,W

Traits: Bird with webbed feet, black head andneck with distinctive white “chin strap"; blackbills, legs, and feet; this subspecies, the size of amallard duck, is the smallest type of Canadagoose.Habitat: Nests in coastal wetlands of the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Winters in wetlands andagricultural areas of Oregon and California.Foods: Grasses, sedges, berries, agriculturalgrainsEaten by: Foxes, gulls, jaegers, ravens, humans

Do You Know? The call of this goose is a short,high-pitched cackle. This is why it is called the“cackling” Canada goose.

161. DUSKY CANADA GOOSE W

Traits: A medium-sized goose with black headand neck marked with white “chin strap” from earto ear; dark breastHabitat: Nests in sedge marshes of the CopperRiver Delta; winters in Oregon along theWillamette River Valley.Foods: Shoots, roots, and seeds of grasses andsedges, bulbs, grains, berries, insects,crustaceans, mollusksEaten by: Gulls, jaegers, bald eagles, brownbears, coyotes, mink

Do You Know? Nests only on the Copper RiverDelta and winters only in Oregon.

162. NORTHERN PINTAIL T,W

Traits: A large, slender duck; male has whitebreast and brown head with a long, pointed tailHabitat: Tundra, lakes, ponds, marshes; wintersin coastal freshwater wetlands.Foods: Ninety percent plant foods, includingseeds of sedges, grasses, pondweeds,smartweeds, grain; will eat aquatic invertebratesand insects.Eaten by: Foxes, eagles, minks; young eaten bygulls, jaegers, humans

Do You Know? Pintails are the most widelydistributed duck in North America.

157. GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE T,W

Traits: Medium-sized, grey-brown goose withorange legs and feet; animal (vertebrate)Habitat: Nests in wetlands and tundra. Wintersin wetlands and agricultural fields in centralCalifornia.Foods: Grasses, sedges, leaves, berries, seeds,roots of many aquatic plants in summer; seeds ofrice, water grass, milo, barley, marsh plants(rushes and cattails) in winter.Eaten by: Foxes, gulls, jaegers, ravens, humans

Do You Know? White fronts are also called“speckle-bellies” because of the dark brown barson their undersides.

158. BRANT T,W

Traits: Small, dark goose with black head andneck and whitish patches on upper neckHabitat: Nests on islands in salt bays, estuaries,coastal tundra lakes and ponds.Foods: In spring and summer, short annualgrasses, sedges, algae, larval insects, smallcrustaceans; eel grass in migration and winterEaten by: Foxes, gulls, jaegers, ravens, humans

Do You Know? All brant gather in fall at IzembeckLagoon, on the Alaska Peninsula. They fly nonstopto the Lower 48 in 48-60 hours.

159. EMPEROR GOOSE W

Traits: Blue-gray goose with round body,rounded head, and short, thick neck; the headand back of neck are white.Habitat: Nests in wetlands within 5-15 miles (8-24 km) of the Bering Sea coast; they winter in thenear-shore waters and intertidal areas of theAleutian Islands.Foods: Grasses, sedges, aquatic vegetation insummer and fall; small invertebrates, eelgrass,algae in winterEaten by: Foxes, gulls, jaegers, ravens, humans

Do You Know? Emperor geese spend their entirelife in Alaska.

166. EIDER T,W

Traits: Large, bulky diving ducks with densedown feathers that help insulate them from thecold northern oceansHabitat: Nest near lowland tundra lakes or onbarrier islands; winter on the ocean.Foods: In fresh water, eiders feed on aquaticinsects and some plants, but at sea they feed on avariety of invertebrate animals (mussels, clams,whelks, seastars, sea urchins, and variouscrustaceans).Eaten by: Foxes, bears; eggs are eaten by jaegersand gulls.

Do You Know? Eiders line their nests with theirdown feathers, thus providing superb insulationfor their eggs.

167. SCOTER F,T,W

Traits: Stocky, short-necked, diving ducks; malesare black with colorful bills. Females are brown.Habitat: Alpine and lowland tundra lakes;coastal wetlands in winterFoods: Insects (caddisflies, damselflies,dragonflies, beetles, water boatmen); at sea:mussels, clams, some crustaceansEaten by: Jaegers, weasels, foxes

Do You Know? Most species breed in the farnorth and migrate in large, compact flocks to andfrom their coastal wintering grounds.

168. BALD EAGLE F,W

Traits: Large, brown bird with rounded tail andwings; hooked yellow bill; long, curved talons;adults have white heads and tails.Habitat: Forested areas along coasts, lakes,rivers; also some treeless coastal regionsFoods: Waterfowl, small mammals, salmon,herring, dead and dying fish, mammals or birdswashed up along shorelinesEaten by: Young occasionally eaten by ravensand magpies

Do You Know?: Bald eagles are almost five yearsold when their heads and tails become all white.

163. OLDSQUAW T,W

Traits: Stocky, diving duck with black, brown, andwhite plumage; males have long tail feathers.Habitat: Ponds and lakes of lowland and alpinetundra in summer. Ocean in winter.Foods: Mussels, clams, snails, and crustaceansare their main foods. In fresh water, they also eatlarvae of midges, craneflies, caddisflies, otherinsects.Eaten by: Foxes, weasels, gulls, jaegers, ravens

Do You Know? Oldsquaws may dive deeper thanany other duck. They have been recorded atdepths of 72-240 feet (22-73 m).

164. CANVASBACK W

Traits: A large-sized duck with sloping foreheadand long black bill; male has dark reddish headand neck. Females are light brown.Habitat: Marshes, sloughs, and lakes withshoreline plants; winters in lakes, rivers, andsaltwater bays.Foods: Pondweeds, seeds of sedges and burrreeds, aquatic invertebrates (especially smallclams).Eaten by: Foxes, falcons, eagles, weasels, gulls,humans

Do You Know? Their legs are located far back onthe body and wide apart, which is good fordiving, but poor for walking.

165. MERGANSER T,W

Traits: Long bill with saw-tooth edges and ahooked tip; most have a crest on head; unable totake off from landHabitat: Nests in cavities on the ground or in atree near rivers, lakes, or estuaries. Wintersalong the coast and on large inland lakes andrivers of the Lower 48.Foods: Sticklebacks, sculpins, eels, eulachon,herring, blackfish, frogs, crustaceans, snails,insects, leechesEaten by: Foxes, weasels, gulls

Do You Know? Mother mergansers will sometimescarry young in her bill from nest to water.

172. RED-TAILED HAWK F,W

Traits: Large, brown bird with rounded tail andwings; reddish tail; hooked bill; talonsHabitat: Nests in old trees, sometimes on cliffs.Hunts in open areas, including early successionalforests, muskegs, and along rivers.Foods: Voles, mice, snowshoe hares, squirrels,shrews, weasels, other small mammalsEaten by: Great horned owls; eggs may be takenby ravens.

Do You Know? Often soars in wide circles abovetrees or mountain ridges and perches on deadlimbs or atop branches of tall trees.

173. ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK T

Traits: Large bird with long, white tail with darkbands; long, rounded wings; wide band of blackacross lower breast and bellyHabitat: Alpine and dry lowland tundra nearcliffs or river bluffs where it nests; winters inopen habitats throughout the Lower 48.Foods: Lemmings, voles, hares, shrews, groundsquirrels, some small birds and insectsEaten by: Foxes and ravens will eat eggs.

Do You Know? Rough-legs may migrate in looseflocks, but are otherwise generally seen singly orin pairs.

174. GOLDEN EAGLE T

Traits: Large, brown bird with golden wash overback of head and neck; dark bill; tail faintlybandedHabitat: Alpine tundraFoods: Arctic hares, marmots, ground squirrels,ptarmigan, carrion (dead animals)Eaten by: No known predators

Do You Know? Eagles are sometimeselectrocuted from high-voltage power lines orcaught in leg-hold traps. These injured birds cansometimes be rehabilitated and placed in zoos orreleased into the wild.

169. NORTHERN HARRIER T,W

Traits: Hawk with large eyes; sharply hooked bill,talons; long tail; long wings; white rump patchHabitat: Open areas, particularly coastal andfresh-water wetlands; nests throughout Alaskaand winters in the Lower 48 south to northernSouth America.Foods: Voles, lemmings, dragonflies, sparrows,sandpipersEaten by: Great horned owls; ravens will take eggs.

Do You Know? The harrier often locates prey bysound, using its curved, sound-reflecting facialruff. The male drops prey items over the nest, andthe incubating female flies up to catch them inmid-air.

170. SHARP-SHINNED HAWK F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with a long tail androunded wings; long, curved talons; hooked billHabitat: Mature broadleaf-conifer forestsFoods: Small birds, including chickadees,warblers, sparrows, thrushes, woodpeckersEaten by: Eggs and young may be taken bysquirrels and ravens.

Do You Know? When hunting, this hawk flies lowthrough the leaves, darting under branches andacross small openings. It can turn abruptly inflight to grasp small birds from the ground orcapture them in mid-air with its sharp talons.

171. NORTHERN GOSHAWK F

Traits: Large gray bird with a long tail androunded wings; long, curved talons; hooked billHabitat: Mixed broadleaf-conifer forests withlarge, old trees for nest sitesFoods: Squirrels, grouse, ptarmigan, snowshoehares, large songbirds, woodpeckers, weaselsEaten by: Great horned owls; eggs and youngeaten by foxes, ravens, gulls.

Do You Know? Goshawks aggressively defendnest sites, and they will not hesitate to strikepeople who stray too close to a nest.

178. SPRUCE GROUSE F

Traits: Chickenlike bird with rusty band at the tipof dark tailHabitat: Conifer and spruce-broadleaf forests;seeks shelter in forest, but feeds in forestopenings. Requires a source of grit and gravel inthe fall.Foods: Insects, leaves, shoots, seeds, berries ofground cover plants; conifer needles in winterEaten by: Goshawks, great horned owls, greatgray owls, foxes, lynx, coyotes, humans

Do You Know? In courtship display, male spreadshis tail, erects red combs above eyes, and strutsin his territory.

179. BLUE GROUSE F

Traits: Chickenlike bird with long, black tailtipped in gray; female brown, male grayHabitat: Coastal rain forests, muskegs, andalpine areas during summerFoods: Leaves and shoots of ground-cover plants(including herbs and ferns) seeds, berries; someinsects (beetles, ants and caterpillars)Eaten by: Great horned owls, goshawks, foxes,humans; weasels and ravens eat eggs and young.

Do You Know? Courting males stand on a highspot and inflate their neck sacs to amplify theirhooting.

175. AMERICAN KESTREL F

Traits: Medium-sized, reddish-brown bird with along tail; pointed wings; sharply hooked bill;talonsHabitat: Forest edges and openings and earlysuccessional stages that include large, dead treeswith holes for nestingFoods: Large flying insects (grasshoppers anddragonflies), small mammals and birds (voles,mice, sparrows, chickadees)Eaten by: Great horned owls, other falcons

Do You Know? The kestrel is the smallest falcon,and uses abandoned woodpecker cavities fornesting.

176. MERLIN F

Traits: Medium-sized falcon with a long tail andsharply pointed wings; hooked bill; talonsHabitat: Open coastal and boreal forests; usesstick nests in spruce trees or (less commonly)nests on the ground.Foods: Thrushes, juncos, swallows, waxwings,sparrows, woodpeckers, warblersEaten by: Squirrels, ravens, and marten may eateggs.

Do You Know? When hunting, the merlin oftenflies low over ground, frequently rising andfalling in flight. It overtakes prey by plucking itout of the air with its sharp talons.

177. GYRFALCON T

Traits: Large falcon with heavy body; pointedwings; narrow tailHabitat: Alpine tundra near rocky outcrops andcliffsFoods: Ptarmigan, other birds (gulls, jaegers,sandpipers, plovers, snow buntings, longspurs),some small mammals (lemmings, groundsquirrels, hares)Eaten by: Great horned owls, golden eagles;eggs and young taken by foxes, ravens.

Do You Know? Gyrfalcons remain in Alaskathroughout the year because their prey,ptarmigan, also stay.

180. PTARMIGAN T

Traits: Chickenlike bird with feathered legs andfeet; molts feathers three times a year from snowwhite to mottled brown to match its habitat.Habitat: Alpine and dry lowland tundraFoods: Buds and twigs of willow, dwarf birch, andother shrubs; also seeds, some insectsEaten by: Foxes, lynx, gyrfalcons, golden eagles,humans

Do You Know? The feathered feet provideinsulation and "snowshoes" that allow ptarmiganto walk on the snow surface. On cold winternights, ptarmigan bury themselves in the snow toroost.

184. PLOVER T,W

Traits: Shorebirds with short tails and longpointed wings; short, stout beak; brown or grayfeathersHabitat: Alpine and lowland tundra; in winter,coastal wetlands and prairiesFoods: Caterpillars, flies, mosquitoes, beetles,grasshoppers, mollusks, crustaceans, marineworms, some berriesEaten by: Jaegers, ravens, falcons, arctic foxes,weasels

Do You Know? Other shorebirds nesting nearplovers gain an advantage from the watchfulplovers’ warning cries when predators approach.

185. SANDPIPER T,W

Traits: Small shorebirds with black legs, longbills, reddish markings on the headHabitat: Drier tundra; winters along coastaltideflats.Foods: Amphipods, small clams, worms, larvaeof craneflies and midgesEaten by: Foxes, falcons, jaegers, gulls, falcons,owls, weasels

Do You Know? Some sandpipers fly as far southas Argentina and Chile to spend the winter!

186. PHALAROPE T,W

Traits: Small bird with a straight, thin bill andfour lobed toes; the only shorebird that swimsHabitat: Nests amid grasses and sedges inwetlands. Winters at sea, mainly in southernhemisphere.Foods: Plankton, mosquitoes, midges, blackflies, craneflies, amphipods, copepods, fairyshrimpEaten by: Foxes, falcons, gulls, weasels, owls,jaegers

Do You Know? Their native name “Nimishuruk”means “spins in a circle,” after the spinningmotion that phalaropes use, while swimming, tostir up prey in water.

181. RUFFED GROUSE F

Traits: Chickenlike bird with a ruff of blackfeathers on sides of neck; dark band at edge ofgray tailHabitat: Broadleaf forests; thickets of willow andalderFoods: Insects, leaves, shoots, seeds and berriesof trees and plants; in winter eats aspen catkinsEaten by: Goshawks, great horned owls, greatgray owls, foxes, lynx, humans

Do You Know? In courtship display, the malestands on a log or stump, erects the ruff on hisneck, and rapidly beats his wings, creating a“drumming” sound.

182. SHARP-TAILED GROUSE F

Traits: Chickenlike bird with narrow, stiff tail andV-shaped markings on breastHabitat: Open grass areas and shrub thickets inboreal forestsFoods: Insects, leaves, shoots, buds, seeds andberries of shrubs and ground-cover plants,insectsEaten by: Goshawks, great horned owls, greatgray owls, foxes, lynx, coyotes

Do You Know? In the spring courtship ritual,males taxi like wind-up airplanes and follow aroutine of feet-drumming and circling.

183. SANDHILL CRANE T, W

Traits: Large, gray bird with long neck, long legs,long beak; red skin on crown; whitish chin, cheek,and upper throatHabitat: Lowland tundra, muskeg and riverbottoms in summer; migrates to plains and coastof Lower 48 during winter.Foods: Shoots, roots, and seeds of wetlandplants; lemmings; voles; insectsEaten by: Foxes, golden eagles, bald eagles,wolves, humans; eggs eaten by gulls.

Do You Know? Cranes migrate at great heights.Some have been observed at elevations of 13,000feet (3,962 m)!

190. NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL F,W

Traits: Small, brown bird with large, forward-facing eyes; long talons; hooked bill; streakedbreastHabitat: Coniferous or mixed forests, woodedswamps, tamarack bogsFoods: Insects, voles, mice, shrews, bats,sparrows, juncos, warblersEaten by: Great-horned owls, marten

Do You Know? This owl depends on woodpeckersto excavate cavities in trees that it needs fornesting and roosting.

191. GREAT HORNED OWL F

Traits: Large, brown bird with large, forward-facing eyes; feathers stick up on its head and looklike horns; sharp talons, hooked billHabitat: Mature and old-growth foreststhroughout AlaskaFoods: Hares, squirrels, voles, mice, weasels,mink, porcupines, grouse, waterfowlEaten by: Other great horned owls

Do You Know? This owl often uses theabandoned nests of hawks, eagles, and ravens. Itis very aggressive and will attack humans indefense of its nest.

192. GREAT GRAY OWL F

Traits: Large, gray bird with forward-facing eyes;rounded head; sharp talons; hooked billHabitat: Boreal forests; nests in old trees butfeeds in open areas, including early successionalstages, muskegs, and along riversFoods: VolesEaten by: Great horned owls

Do You Know? This owl has a very large facial diskwith concentric gray circles. It is the largest owlin Alaska (because of its fluffy plumage),although not the heaviest or strongest.

187. PARASITIC JAEGER T,W

Traits: Gull-like bird with strongly hooked billand long, pointed wings; long central tailfeathers; predatorHabitat: Alpine and lowland tundra throughoutAlaska; in winter, oceanFoods: Lemmings, small birds, fish, eggs andyoung of geese, ducks, shorebirdsEaten by: Eggs and young may be eaten byfoxes, bears, gulls, falcons, eagles, ravens.

Do You Know? Jaegers are pirates chasing smallerbirds and forcing them to drop fish they havecaught or swallowed.

188. GLAUCOUS GULL T,W

Traits: Large bird with pale gray wings and back;light can be seen through the white wing tips.Habitat: Wetlands in tundra and marine coastalbluffsFoods: Scavenges on dead animals; also eggsand young of other birds, crustaceans, insects,fishEaten by: Young bears; eggs eaten by jaegers,ravens, foxes

Do You Know? Gulls can stand on ice and stillkeep warm because of a special arrangement ofblood vessels in their legs. Cold blood returningfrom the feet is warmed before it reaches thegull’s body.

189. TERNS F,T,W

Traits: Birds with webbed feet, deeply forkedtails, straight bills, and slender bodies.Habitat: Wetlands in tundra and forested areasFoods: Small fishEaten by: Falcons; eggs and young eaten byfoxes, weasels, bears, gulls, jaegers, ravens

Do You Know? Terns attack any predators thatcome near their nesting colonies. Other birdsnesting near tern colonies benefit from the terns’harassment of potential predators.

196. SHORT-EARED OWL T,W

Traits: Small, buffy-brownish colored owl withboldly streaked breast; light facial disk; ear tuftsbarely visibleHabitat: Moist tundra and wetlands throughoutAlaskaFoods: Small mammals and birds (voles, shrews,lemmings, young hares, sparrows, shorebirds)Eaten by: Great horned owls; eggs and youngmay be eaten by foxes, bears, ravens, weasels.

Do You Know? Short-eared owls are highlynomadic; they appear when rodents are plentifuland move to other areas when food is scarce.

197. RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD F

Traits: Very small bird; long bill with long, brush-tipped tongue; able to hover and fly backwardsHabitat: Coastal forest openings; nests on aconifer tree branch.Foods: Flower nectar and pollen; also insects,especially spidersEaten by: Eggs or young may be eaten bysquirrels, short-eared owls, sharp-shinned hawks.

Do You Know? The rufous hummingbird is thesmallest bird in Alaska.

193. BOREAL OWL F

Traits: Small, brown bird with large, forward-facing eyes; rounded head; streaked breast; shorttail; curved talonsHabitat: Mixed spruce-broadleaf forests; nests innatural cavities in trees.Foods: Voles, small birds including chickadees,warblers, thrushesEaten by: Great horned owls; eggs may be eatenby squirrels.

Do You Know? This owl’s voice sounds like theringing of a soft bell (also compared to thewinnowing of the common snipe).

194. NORTHERN HAWK OWL F

Traits: Medium-sized, gray-brown bird with large,forward-facing eyes; rounded head; barredbreast; long tailHabitat: Recently burned areas with large volepopulations and black spruce forests; nests intops of broken birch or spruce trees.Foods: Small mammals(voles), small birds(sparrows)Eaten by: Great horned owls

Do You Know? Unlike most owls, the northernhawk owl often hunts during daylight hours(diurnal). Watch for it sitting in a tree top.

195. SNOWY OWL T,W

Traits: Large, white bird with a sharply hookedbill; talons; large forward-facing eyes; broadwings and tail; only all-white owl; they havevaried amounts of black speckling. Nests on theground.Habitat: Coastal lowland tundraFoods: Lemmings and other small mammals(voles, shrews, ground squirrels, hares, weasels)Eaten by: Foxes eat young.

Do You Know? These owls have been recorded asfar south as the southern United States andBermuda.

198. BELTED KINGFISHER F,T,W

Traits: Medium-sized, chunky body; large headwith crest; long, sharply pointed bill; small legsand feet; two front toes joined togetherHabitat: Coasts, rivers, lakes, pondsFoods: Sticklebacks, sculpin, blackfish, youngsalmon, herring, eulachon, crustaceans,mollusks, aquatic insectsEaten by: Falcons, hawks, eagles

Do You Know? The kingfisher digs its upslantingburrow in creek, river, lake, or pond bank fornesting. Nest is often lined with fish bones.

202. THREE-TOED WOODPECKER F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with thick, pointed billand stiff tail feathers; back is barred with blackand white; males have yellow crownsHabitat: Old forests and recently burned forestswith many dead and dying trees (snags)Foods: Insects that live beneath tree bark, (barkbeetles, longhorn beetles, horntails, and others)Eaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls

Do You Know? These birds excavate cavities indead and diseased trees for nesting and roosting.Their holes provide homes for other cavity-nesting birds and mammals.

203. RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with stout, pointedbill; reddish head and breastHabitat: Coastal rainforest sites that containmany large dead and dying trees (snags)Foods: Insects that live beneath the bark of dyingand dead trees (bark beetles, longhorn beetles,horntails, and others)Eaten by: Falcons, hawks, owls

Do You Know? Sapsuckers are responsible for thehorizontal rows of squarish holes frequentlyfound on tree trunks. They drink sap from theseholes and may also obtain insects that areattracted by the sap.

204. FLYCATCHER F,T,W

Traits: Small birds with upright posture, longtails, and large mouths.Habitat: Varies by species; some need tall shrubthickets, and others live only in mature boreal orcoastal forests.Foods: Flies, moths, butterflies, other flyinginsectsEaten by: Falcons, hawks, small owls

Do You Know? Flycatchers “hawk” flying insectsby sitting on an elevated perch to spot their prey,flying out, and snapping up these insects in mid-air.

199. NORTHERN FLICKER F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with stout, sharp bill;long tongue; stiff tail feathersHabitat: Open forests and early successionalstages that contain standing dead trees (snags)Foods: Insects that live beneath the bark of trees(such as bark beetles) and some that live in theground, including antsEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls

Do You Know? Two subspecies of the northernflicker occur in Alaska: the red-shafted and theyellow-shafted.

200. HAIRY and DOWNY WOODPECKER F

Traits: Birds with stout, pointed bills and stifftails; white stripes on the backs; black and whitemarkings on the face; red patch on the back ofmale’s headHabitat: Broadleaf or conifer forests, earlysuccessional stages that contain dying and deadtrees (snags)Foods: Insects that live beneath tree bark (barkand longhorn beetles, horntails and others)Eaten by: Merlins, sharp-shinned hawks, falcons

Do You Know? These birds excavate holes in deadtrees for nesting and roosting. Their holes laterprovide homes for other cavity-dependent birdsand mammals.

201. BLACK-BACKED WOODPECKER F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with a black back;thick, pointed bill; long, stout tail; yellow crownon malesHabitat: Recent burns and open forests withdead and dying trees (snags)Foods: Insects that live beneath the bark of deadand dying trees, especially beetle larvaeEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls; marten andsquirrels eat young.

Do You Know? This bird forages on dead conifers,chipping away large patches of bark rather thandrilling into it, in search of larvae and insects. Itmoves into burned forests to feed on insectsattacking injured trees.

208. STELLER’S JAY F

Traits: Medium-sized, dark blue and black birdwith a long tailHabitat: Coastal rainforest, including openingsand edges during summerFoods: Seeds and berries of trees and shrubs,beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, moths,spiders, eggs, young birdsEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls

Do You Know? Jays sometimes follow predatorsaround, or are attracted by predator activities.They then feed on the scraps left by predators.

209. BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE F,W

Traits: Large, black and white bird with glossygreen and blue feathers; very long tail; large,stout billHabitat: Builds a domed stick nest in spruce orbroadleaf trees; feeds in the forests and inopeningsFoods: Small mammals, insects and otherinvertebrates, berries, carrion (dead animals),eggs and young of other birdsEaten by: Squirrels, weasels, marten, and ravenseat eggs and young.

Do You Know? Abandoned nests of this bird aresometimes used by other birds, includingmerlins.

210. NORTHWESTERN CROW F,W

Traits: Medium-sized, black bird with a squaretail and heavy billHabitat: Coastal forests; nests in dense thicketsof spruce or hemlock trees. Feeds along theshoreline.Foods: Invertebrates (mussels and limpets),carrion (dead animals), eggs and young birds,small mammalsEaten by: Great horned owls, goshawks; eggstaken by ravens, jays, squirrels

Do You Know? Crows open clams and mussels bycarrying them aloft and dropping them on rocksbelow.

205. HORNED LARK T

Traits: Medium-sized bird with slender bill; black“horns”; broad black stripe under eye; black bibHabitat: Alpine tundra in summer; plains ofLower 48 in winterFoods: Caterpillars, ants, wasps, grasshoppers,leafhoppers, spiders, seeds of grasses and otherplantsEaten by: Foxes, weasels, jaegers, falcons, short-eared owls

Do You Know? In its courtship flight, the malehorned lark climbs to heights of 800 feet (244 m)and begins its high-pitched flight song as itcircles downward.

206. SWALLOW F,T,W

Traits: Small bird with a slender body and long,pointed wings; tiny bill; short legs; and smallfeet; moderately long, forked tailHabitat: Open areas around lakes, ponds, andrivers; some species nest in tree cavities.Foods: Flying insects (flies and mosquitoes)Eaten by: Hawks, falcons

Do You Know? Swallows catch almost all theirfood in flight, sometimes even skimming insectsoff the surface of ponds and lakes.

207. GRAY JAY F,T

Traits: Medium-sized, gray bird with long tail;rounded wings, slightly hooked billHabitat: Mature forests and forest openings;more common in boreal forestsFoods: Variety; eggs and young of other birds,small mammals, insects and other invertebrates,berries, dead animalsEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls

Do You Know? When gray jays find an abundantfood source, they hide small caches for later use;sticky saliva help them attach to trees andcrevices.

214. BROWN CREEPER F

Traits: Small brown bird with thin, curved billand stiff tail feathersHabitat: Old-growth forest for feeding andnesting; nests in tree cavities or behind bark thathas peeled away from the trunk of a dead tree.Foods: Insects that live in and under the bark oftrees (beetles, moths, flies, spiders)Eaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, boreal owls

Do You Know? Brown creepers spiral up treesfrom near the base, hugging the bark closely asthey search for insects.

215. WINTER WREN F

Traits: Small brown bird that holds its short tailupright; thin billHabitat: Coastal forest habitats that includeshrubs and ground cover plants; old-growthforests during winterFoods: Beetles, sawflies, ants, caterpillars,aphids, lacewings, spiders, mitesEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, boreal and saw-whet owls; shrews and squirrels prey on eggs andyoung.

Do You Know? The wren’s loud song andaggressive territorial defense are surprisingconsidering its small size.

216. AMERICAN DIPPER F

Traits: Plump, all-gray bird with short neck, shortbill, short tail, and long toesHabitat: Clear, fast-moving streams primarily inconifer forestsFoods: Larvae of caddisflies, stoneflies, mayflies,mosquito, midges, water striders, waterboatmen, diving beetles; also clams, snails, smallfish, fish eggsEaten by: Hawks, mink, weasels; sometimeslarge fish

Do You Know? Dippers can walk underwater bygrasping stream bottoms with their long toes andpushing forward with short wing strokes.

211. COMMON RAVEN F,T,W

Traits: Large, black bird with wedge-shaped tail;broad wings; heavy bill.Habitat: Forests, shrublands, tundra, wetlands;builds a stick nest on cliffs or in trees.Foods: Small mammals, birds, berries, carrion(dead animals), eggs and young of other birdsEaten by: Crows, marten, jays, or other predatorsmay take eggs.

Do You Know? Ravens are very intelligent. Theyoften work cooperatively to “steal” food fromlarge predators and pets.

212. CHICKADEE F

Traits: Small gray or brown bird with short, thinbill; long tail; dark cap and chinHabitat: Boreal chickadees need mature borealforests with conifer trees. Black-capped chickadeesuse broadleaf or mixed forests. Chestnut-backedchickadees use old-growth coastal forests.Foods: Insects from leaves, bark, or branches(thrips, moths, butterflies, lacewings, flies,spiders); also seeds and berriesEaten by: Small hawks, owls, shrikes

Do You Know? Chickadees can put on 8 percentof their body weight in fat each day. Each winterday, chickadees go through the same cycle: eatand put on fat in the short daylight, then burn upfat to keep warm through the long night.

213. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH F

Traits: Small bird with a short tail and chunkybody; long, chisel-like bill; dark gray on top,reddish underneathHabitat: Mature forest stands with large treeshaving holes for nesting and roostingFoods: Insects that live on the bark and leaves oftrees; also seeds of conifersEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, boreal owls

Do You Know? By traveling down trunks headfirst, nuthatches find food in crevices that ismissed by other birds (brown creepers) thatmove up the trunk.

220. AMERICAN ROBIN F,T,W

Traits: Medium-sized bird with a long tail andshort, thin bill; gray on back, reddish breastHabitat: Open areas with many ground-coverplants as feeding areas; songposts and nest sitesin tall shrubs or treesFoods: Beetles, grasshoppers, ants, caterpillars,worms, berries and other fruitsEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls, cats

Do You Know? Robins are aggressive during thebreeding season. A male will fight with his ownreflection thinking it is another male robin.

221. VARIED THRUSH F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with a long tail andshort, thin bill; gray on back, reddish underneathwith black “V” on breast.Habitat: Conifer and mixed forests; nests intrees, but feeds on the ground.Foods: Beetles, ants, flies, caterpillars,grasshoppers, spiders, snails, worms, millipedesand other invertebrates; also berriesEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls; red squirrelsprey on eggs.

Do You Know? The song of the varied thrushsounds like a telephone ringing.

222. SMALL THRUSHE F,T,W

Traits: Small birds with long tails and short, thinbills; brown backs; spots on white breastHabitat: Tall shrub thickets, forest openings andedges, old conifer or broadleaf forestsFoods: Beetles, ants, moth and butterfly larvae,flies, treehoppers, millipedes, snails, berriesEaten by: Hawks, falcons, owls; red squirrelsprey on eggs.

Do You Know? Thrush habitat is being rapidlydestroyed; we are in danger of losing these finesongsters from forests in the eastern UnitedStates.

217. WARBLER F

Traits: Small birds with thin bills; many haveyellow markings.Habitat: Varies by species; shrub thickets, mixedand conifer forestsFoods: Insects that live on leaves and twigs oftrees and shrubs (true bugs, leafhoppers, mothand butterfly larvae, aphids, flies, beetles,sawflies, spiders)Eaten by: Merlins, sharp-shinned hawks, shrikes

Do You Know? Most warblers winter in Central orSouth America.

218. KINGLET F

Traits: Tiny birds with short, thin bills and shorttails; males have flame-colored crowns.Habitat: Mature and old-growth forests; ruby-crowned kinglets prefer mixed forests. Golden-crowned kinglets mainly use mature coastalforests.Foods: Insects that live on the leaves of treesand tall shrubs (true bugs, moth and butterflylarvae, aphids, ants, beetles, spiders)Eaten by: Merlins, sharp-shinned hawks, smallowls

Do You Know? Despite being one of the smallestbirds, the ruby-crowned kinglet has a song that isone of the loudest.

219. NORTHERN WHEATEAR T,W

Traits: Small bird with white rump patch; blackand white tail pattern like an upside-down “T”Habitat: Alpine and dry lowland tundra insummer; coastal wetlands in winterFoods: Spiders and other invertebratesEaten by: Jaegers, weasels, foxes, short-earedowls, falcons

Do You Know? The wheatear migrates fromtundra nesting areas to winter in eastern Asiaand Africa.

226. SPARROW F,T,W

Traits: Small birds with stout, cone-shaped bills;majority are brown on the back and lightunderneath; many have streaks on the breast.Habitat: Tall shrub thickets, forest edges, sedgelands, open tundraFoods: Seeds of ground-cover plants and tallshrubs; insects during nesting seasonEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, falcons, smallowls, shrikes; weasels, squirrel, ravens prey oneggs and young.

Do You Know? Sparrows often use hair frommoose or feathers from other birds to line theirnests.

227. SNOW BUNTING T

Traits: Small white bird with long black andwhite wingsHabitat: Alpine and lowland tundra throughoutAlaska in summer; some remain along the coastthroughout winter, but most migrate to centralplains of the Lower 48.Foods: Seeds and buds of tundra plants,amphipods, crane flies, spiders, beetlesEaten by: Foxes, weasels, jaegers, short-earedowls, falcons, small hawks

Do You Know? Snow buntings avoid severe coldby burrowing into the snow. They often nest inbuildings and boxes abandoned by humans.

228. LAPLAND LONGSPUR T

Traits: Small bird; breeding male has blackcrown, face, and breast and chestnut hind neck.Female is nondescript, like many sparrows.Habitat: Alpine and dry lowland tundra; nests inside of tussocks, small clumps of sedge, or dryknollsFoods: Seeds and buds of plants, crane flies,mosquitoes, spidersEaten by: Weasels, foxes, jaegers, gulls, short-eared owls, falcons, small hawks

Do You Know? Longspurs often line their nestswith caribou hair or ptarmigan feathers.

223. WATER PIPIT F,T,W

Traits: Small, ground-dwelling birds with slenderbills and tails with white outer feathersHabitat: Tundra, tidal flats, fields, alpinemeadows, lakeshores, rivers, streamsFoods: Insects, small invertebrate animalsEaten by: Foxes, weasels, jaegers, short-earedowls, falcons

Do You Know? In courtship flight, the male pipitflies 50-150 feet (15-46 m) straight up in the airwhile singing.

224. BOHEMIAN WAXWING F,W

Traits: Medium-sized light brown bird with creston head; short bill; bright yellow and orangemarkingsHabitat: Nests in open black spruce forests andmuskegs; feeds in all types of forests.Foods: Blueberries, cranberries, and otherberries; also flying insects, (flies, butterflies,dragonflies, true bugs, beetles, and others)Eaten by: Hawks, falcons, small owls

Do You Know? The red, waxlike spots on thewings of the adult give this bird its name.

225. NORTHERN SHRIKE F,T,W

Traits: Medium-sized, gray bird with black mask;sharply hooked bill; long talons; predatorHabitat: Tall shrub thickets, forest openings andedgesFoods: Small birds and mammals, large insectsEaten by: Merlins, sharp-shinned hawks

Do You Know? The shrike hangs its prey in theforks of branches. It can kill and store more preythan can be eaten at one time, earning it thename “butcher bird.”

232. CROSSBILL F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with slightly forkedtail; bill crosses at tip; males are reddish, femalesare yellowish.Habitat: Mature and old-growth conifer forestsFoods: Seeds of conifers, alders, birches,willows, poplars; also insectsEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, boreal owls,saw-whet owls; squirrels may eat eggs andyoung.

Do You Know? Crossbills may nest almost anytime of the year. They are nomadic.

233. PINE SISKIN F

Traits: Small bird with stout, cone-shaped bill;yellow on the wings and at base of tailHabitat: Mature conifer forests, old-growthcoastal forests; nests on a branch of a conifer.Foods: Seeds of conifers, alder, birch; also mothand butterfly larvae, aphidsEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, boreal owls;squirrels take eggs.

Do You Know? The siskin’s winter range is highlyerratic; large flocks appear here one year, therethe next.

234. SHREW F,T,W

Traits: Very small mammals with a long, pointednose; short legs; soft, dense fur; Alaska specieshave a long tail.Habitat: Moist areas in forests, shrublands,wetlands, tundraFoods: Springtails, beetles, fly larvae,centipedes, mites, worms, spiders, round worms,eggs and young of small ground nesting birds,young voles, carrionEaten by: Weasels, owls, kestrels, jaegers,shrikes

Do You Know? The shrews metabolism is so rapidthat an individual shrew may eat its own weightin meat every three hours!

229. GRAY-CROWNED ROSY FINCH T

Traits: Small bird with pinkish-brown on wingsand lower bellyHabitat: Alpine tundraFoods: Seeds of alpine tundra plants, insectsEaten by: Weasels, foxes, jaegers, short-earedowls, falcons

Do You Know? During nesting season, both sexesdevelop a pair of sacs in their upper throats,which are capable of carrying food.

230. COMMON REDPOLL F,T

Traits: Small bird with red spot on forehead,stout body, cone-shaped billHabitat: Tall shrub thickets, mixed broadleaf-conifer forests; nests in alder or willow shrubs.Foods: Seeds of birch, willow, aspen, alder andother plants; also insects in summerEaten by: Merlins, boreal and short-eared owls,sharp-shinned hawks, shrikes; weasels andsquirrels may prey on eggs.

Do You Know? Redpolls store food in throatpouches on the back of their necks to digestduring long winter nights. They are nomadic,moving from place to place.

231. PINE GROSBEAK F

Traits: Medium-sized bird with a stout, cone-shaped bill; males are red; females are gray withgold markings.Habitat: Young to old conifer and mixed forests;nests in conifer trees.Foods: Buds, seeds, and berries of trees andshrubs; also insectsEaten by: Sharp-shinned hawks, merlins,goshawks

Do You Know? The male pine grosbeak, like theredpoll, gets new feathers only once a year, afterbreeding.

239. WOODCHUCK F

Traits: Small, ground-dwelling mammal withlong front teeth for gnawing; short legs; longbushy tail; hibernates in winter.Habitat: Forest edges in central AlaskaFoods: Green vegetation in spring and summerEaten by: Lynx, coyotes, wolves, red-tailed hawk

Do You Know? When alarmed, the woodchuckwhistles sharply to warn its family.

240. MARMOT T

Traits: Heavy-bodied mammals with gray oryellow fur and dark feetHabitat: Well-drained or rocky slopes of alpinetundra throughout Alaska; the Alaska marmotoccurs only in the Brooks Range. The hoarymarmot occurs elsewhere in the state.Foods: Grasses, sedges, herbsEaten by: Golden eagles, brown bears, wolves

Do You Know? Alaska marmots hibernate incommunal dens, thus reducing heat loss by eachindividual marmot.

235. LITTLE BROWN BAT F,W

Traits: Mammal with forelegs modified to formmembranous wings; keen eyesight; active atnightHabitat: Forested areas with a lake nearby; roostin caves, tree cavities, or buildingsFoods: Mosquitoes, moths, mayflies, caddisflies;usually feeds over water and in forest openingsEaten by: Owls, squirrels

Do You Know? Bats capture flying insects byusing echolocation. A single bat may eat as manyas 1,000 mosquitoes in one evening.

236. COLLARED PIKA T

Traits: Very small mammal with a stocky body;short legs; sharp, curved clawsHabitat: Rocky slopes of alpine tundra in easternand central AlaskaFoods: Stems and leaves of grasses, sedges, andother alpine tundra plantsEaten by: Foxes, weasels, rough-legged hawks,golden eagles, snowy owls

Do You Know? Pikas do not hibernate. Theirwinter survival depends on the amount of storedplant material they have gathered and dried.

237. SNOWSHOE HARE F

Traits: Small mammal with long front teeth forclipping twigs; large, long ears; short tail; longhind legs, and large hind feet; changes to whitein winter.Habitat: Forest mosaic that includes earlysuccessional stages where branches of willows,birch, and aspen are at heights it can reachFoods: Buds and twigs of birch, willows, andaspenEaten by: Lynx, goshawks, great horned owls, redfox, coyote

Do You Know? Hares depend on microscopicorganisms that live in their intestines to produceimportant vitamins.

238. TUNDRA HARE T

Traits: Small mammal with dense, white winterfurHabitat: Windswept rocky slopes and drylowland tundra of western and northern AlaskaFoods: Willow shoots; leaves, flowers, andshoots of other tundra plantsEaten by: Wolves, snowy owls, golden eagles

Do You Know? Newborn hares are covered withfur at birth (thus their name) and have their eyesopen. True rabbits give birth to naked youngwhose eyes are closed.

244. BEAVER F,T,W

Traits: Medium-sized mammal with long incisors;webbed feet; and a long, flat tailHabitat: Slow-moving streams or lakes nearwillow, aspen, or other deciduous trees andshrubsFoods: The cambium (inner bark) of willow,aspen, balsam poplar, and cottonwood trees; alsoshrubs; aquatic plantsEaten by: Wolves, lynx, wolverines, bears, humans

Do You Know? Beavers change their environment tosuit their needs by constructing large dams and bybuilding lodges. Humans are the only animals thatmake more extensive changes in their environment.

245. DEER MOUSE F,T

Traits: Small mammal with long front teeth forgnawing, a long tail that is brown on top andwhite underneath, large eyes; this food-storingmammal is primarily nocturnal.Habitat: Dry forest, tundra, grasslandsFoods: Seeds, nuts, insects, berries, mushrooms,fresh green vegetationEaten by: Foxes, weasels, marten, owls and otherbirds of prey

Do You Know? While eating and caching theirfoods, deer mice scatter the seeds of some plantsand the spores of mycorrhizal fungi.

246. VOLE F,T,W

Traits: Small, mouselike mammals with roundednoses, short tails and legs, and long front teeth(incisors) for gnawingHabitat: Forests, shrublands, wetlands, tundraFoods: Fresh green vegetation, seeds, roots,berries, mushrooms and other fungiEaten by: Coyotes, wolves, foxes, marten,weasels, hawks, owls, jaegers, sandhill cranes,ravens, gulls, and other predatory birds

Do You Know? The singing vole makes a high-pitched trill when danger threatens the colony.

241. RED SQUIRREL F

Traits: Small mammal with long front teeth,short legs, large bushy tail; red-brown on back,whitish underneathHabitat: Conifer forestsFoods: Seeds of spruce and other conifers,berries, mushrooms, some bird eggs and youngEaten by: Marten, goshawks, great horned owls

Do You Know? When carrying and catching itsfood, this squirrel helps scatter seeds of spruceand berry-producing plants.

242. NORTHERN FLYING SQUIRREL F

Traits: Small mammal with long front incisors;long bushy tail; short legs connected by a foldedlayer of loose skin used for gliding between treesHabitat: Old forests with den sites in treecavities and small forest openingsFoods: Mushrooms, truffles, other fungi; lichens,berries, green vegetation, seeds, buds, insects,small mammals and birds (live or dead).Eaten by: Owls, goshawks, marten

Do You Know? Unlike most squirrels, flyingsquirrels are active only at night.

243. ARCTIC GROUND SQUIRREL T

Traits: Large, reddish ground squirrel fleckedwith white; has a very small tailHabitat: Well-drained soil of lowland and alpinetundraFoods: Shoots and leaves of tundra plants,berries, insect larvae, bird eggs, carrionEaten by: Foxes, wolves, wolverines, brownbears, golden eagles, rough-legged hawks, snowyowls

Do You Know? This mammal hibernates for sevenmonths each year.

250. PORCUPINE F

Traits: Mammal with large front teeth forgnawing, short legs; back and tail covered withquillsHabitat: Conifer forests that include large hollowtrees or small caves under rocks or logs fordenningFoods: Green vegetation in spring and summer,the inner bark (cambium) of spruce and birchtrees in winterEaten by: Lynx, coyotes, wolves, wolverine, somebears

Do You Know? The wounds this animal inflicts ontree bark allow various microscopic parasites toenter trees.

251. COYOTE F,T,W

Traits: Doglike mammal with large, sharplypointed ears; long bushy tail; long legs; gray tobrown in colorHabitat: Open areas, including earlysuccessional stages of boreal forest, wetlands,tundraFoods: Hares, voles, lemmings, carrion (deadanimals); some marmots, ground squirrels,muskrats, birds, fish, insectsEaten by: Wolves, great horned owls, goldeneagles, bears

Do You Know? Coyotes scavenge scraps from wolfand bear kills of large prey.

252. WOLF F,T,W

Traits: Large, doglike mammal with sharp teeth;long bushy tail; long legs; lives and hunts inpacksHabitat: Forests, tundra, and wetlands whereverlarge herbivores (moose, deer, caribou, goats, orsheep) are available for foodFoods: Moose, deer, caribou, muskoxen, goats,and Dall sheep adults and young; also marmots,beaver, voles, other small mammalsEaten by: Other wolves occasionally

Do You Know? Social hunting behavior (huntingin packs) allows wolves to prey on large animalssuch as moose, caribou, and muskoxen.

247. LEMMING T,W

Traits: Small mouselike mammal with a thickneck and very short tail; two gnawing teeth(incisors) on both upper and lower jawsHabitat: Alpine and lowland tundra, muskegsFoods: Shoots and leaves of grasses and sedges;bark, twigs, and buds of willow and dwarf birch;some insects, berries, fungiEaten by: Owls, jaegers, gulls, rough-leggedhawks, arctic foxes, weasels, wolves

Do You Know? Collared lemmings turn white inwinter and grow shovel-like claws for diggingthrough ice and snow.

248. MUSKRAT T,W

Traits: Brownish rodent; long, naked tail,flattened side to side with short hairs; hind feetwebbed; two gnawing teeth (incisors) on bothupper and lower jawsHabitat: Ponds, lakes, marshes, estuariesFoods: Aquatic plants (bulrushes, water lilies,pondweeds), some mussels, frogs, fishEaten by: Hawks, owls, foxes, coyotes, mink

Do You Know? During winter, muskrats spendmuch of their time under the ice. They maintainholes through the ice, called “pushups,” forbreathing and as feeding sites.

249. MEADOW JUMPING MOUSE F

Traits: Small mammal with very long tail, largehind feet, small ears, and large front teeth forgnawing; hibernates during the winter and isprimarily nocturnal.Habitat: Forest edges and damp meadows; densites beneath brush, logs, or stumps; well-drained sites to dig its deep winter burrowFoods: Seeds, insects, fruitsEaten by: Weasels, marten, owls, kestrels

Do You Know? The hind feet of jumping mice canpropel them into six-foot (2-m) jumps.

257. MARTEN F

Traits: Small, furbearing mammal with sharpteeth, short legs, yellow to brown fur, long tailHabitat: Conifer forests with high population ofvoles; mature conifer trees for coverFoods: Meadow and red-backed voles, someberries, small birds, bird eggs, squirrels, andcarrion (dead animals)Eaten by: Coyotes, red fox, lynx, eagles, greathorned owls

Do You Know? Martens use squirrel middens(piles of spruce cone scraps left by squirrels) forwinter den sites.

258. ERMINE (SHORT-TAILED WEASEL) F,T,W

Traits: Small, furbearing mammal with sharpteeth; turns white in winter, except the tip of itslong tail.Habitat: Open areas (early successional stagesof boreal forest, wetlands, tundra) with water fordrinkingFoods: Voles, shrews, jumping mice, deer mice,other small mammals; some birds, insects,plantsEaten by: Great horned owls, hawks, red foxes,goshawks

Do You Know? Ermines are chiefly nocturnal, butthey also hunt during the day.

253. ARCTIC FOX T,W

Traits: Mammal with yellow-brown fur insummer, white in winter; also blue-gray varietythat stays dark; short legs, ears, and muzzleHabitat: Wetlands, dry tundra; pack ice in winterFoods: Lemmings, voles, hares, birds and theireggs, fish, carrion from kills of larger animalsEaten by: Occasionally taken by wolves,wolverines, or bears; snowy owls may take youngfoxes.

Do You Know? Arctic foxes were introduced to theAleutian Islands by people for fur harvest andhave caused declines in the populations of severalseabirds and the Aleutian Canada Goose.

254. RED FOX F,T,W

Traits: Doglike mammal with long tail; sharpteeth; red to black fur; long legsHabitat: Early successional stages of borealforest, tundra, or wetlands where prey isabundantFoods: Voles, lemmings, some muskrats,squirrels, hares, birds, eggs, insects, berries,carrion (dead animals)Eaten by: Wolves, coyotes, lynx, wolverine; rarelyby bears, golden eagles

Do You Know? Foxes store excess food whenhunting is good.

255. BLACK BEAR F

Traits: Large mammal with brown, black, or blue-gray fur; brown muzzle; short claws; sharp teethHabitat: Forested areas throughout AlaskaFoods: Varies seasonally; fresh green vegetationin spring, salmon and berries in fall; some moosecalves and deer fawns; also carrion (deadanimals)Eaten by: Brown bears, black bears, humans

Do You Know? Black bears sometimes hibernatein a tree hollow created by fungi and bacteriathat decayed the wood.

256. BROWN BEAR F,T,W

Traits: Heavyset mammal with short tail; longsnout; large hump on shoulders; long claws onforefeet; brown fur; walks on heels rather than ontoes.Habitat: Tundra, forestsFoods: In spring, over-wintered berries, roots,fresh grasses, herbs; summer and fall berries;also small mammals, caribou, moose, salmon,carrion (dead animals)Eaten by: Other brown bears, humans

Do You Know? Brown bears survive winter byremaining dormant in underground dens. Theydo not eat, drink, or defecate for the five to sixmonths spent in the den.

262. RIVER OTTER T,W

Traits: Furbearing mammal with large canineteeth; long, slender body; short legs; webbed feetand a long tail covered with dense furHabitat: Streams, rivers, large lakes, sea coastsFoods: Fish (rockfish, blackfish, sculpins,suckers) frogs, aquatic invertebrates, some birdsand small mammalsEaten by: Occasionally lynx, coyotes, wolves

Do You Know? River otters can dive 60 feet (18.3 m)and stay underwater for as long as four minutes.

263. LYNX F

Traits: Medium-sized mammal in the cat family;large feet, short tail, sharp teethHabitat: Mosaic of old conifer and earlysuccessional stage forests where prey isabundantFoods: Snowshoe hares almost exclusively; smallmammals, birds when hare populations are lowEaten by: Great horned owls or wolverines mayeat young.

Do You Know? The lynx is the only cat native toAlaska.

264. SITKA BLACK-TAILED DEER F

Traits: Small, hoofed mammal with long legs;reddish brown fur; black tail; antlers on male infallHabitat: Coastal hemlock-spruce forest; old-growth forest is critical for winter survival.Foods: Herbs and shrubs (bunchberry andtrailing bramble); blueberry, hemlock, arboreallichens in winterEaten by: Wolves, brown bears, humans

Do You Know? This deer is native to SoutheastAlaska, but humans moved some to Yakutat andto Kodiak and Afognak islands.

259. LEAST WEASEL F,T

Traits: Small furbearing mammal with a long tail;turns white in winterHabitat: Early successional stages of borealforest, tundra where food is abundantFoods: Voles, shrews, lemmings, jumping mice,deer mice, other small mammals; some smallbirds, insects, plantsEaten by: Great horned owls, hawks, red foxes,goshawks, ermine

Do You Know? Speed, ferocity, and its ability tofit into tight spaces help the weasel avoid largerpredators.

260. MINK F,T,W

Traits: Mammals with large canine teeth; a long,slender body; short legs; long, round tail; densebrown fur; feet not webbedHabitat: Streams, lakes, marshes, inlets,estuariesFoods: Muskrats, voles, lemmings; eggs andyoung of ducks, geese, and shorebirds; fish,frogs, mussels, aquatic insectsEaten by: Hawks, owls, lynx, foxes, coyotes,wolves

Do You Know? Like all other weasels, mink havean anal scent gland that produces a strong odor.

261. WOLVERINE F,T

Traits: Furbearing mammal; brown with whitestripes on sides; strong, well-developed teethHabitat: Coastal and boreal forests, tundraFoods: Carrion (dead animals), marmots, voles;some bird eggs, berries, calves of moose andcaribouEaten by: Occasionally killed by wolves or bears

Do You Know? Spinelike hairs on the pads oftheir feet help wolverines walk on snow and ice.Wolverines are fierce and solitary predators.

268. MUSKOX T

Traits: Large, stocky mammal with long, densefur; short legs and tailHabitat: Lowland tundra of northern andwestern Alaska; prefers floodplains and riverbottoms in summer; windblown, snow-free areasin winterFoods: Grasses, sedges, herbs, woody plants(willows)Eaten by: Wolves, brown bears, humans

Do You Know? The muskox is called “oomingmak”in Inupiaq, meaning "the animal with skin like abeard."

269. DALL SHEEP T

Traits: Mammal with dense, white fur and sharphooves specially designed for climbingHabitat: Separate summer and winter ranges ofalpine tundra; cliffs for escape cover; windblownridges where food is available during winterFoods: Alpine grasses and sedges; also floweringherbs, willows, mossesEaten by: Wolves, wolverines, bears, humans;golden eagles will eat lambs.

Do You Know? These high-country animals areseldom found below timberline in Alaska.

270. HUMANS F,T,W

Traits: Large mammals that walk erect on twolegs and have forelimbs with opposable thumbsHabitat: Adaptable; variety of environmentsaround the worldFoods: Moose, caribou, salmon, geese, manyplants, domesticated animalsEaten by: Wild animals kill people rarely;humans have no true predators.

Do You Know? The Alaska population prior toEuropean contact was estimated at 84,750people. In 2000, the population of Alaska was629,932.

265. MOOSE F,W

Traits: Large, hoofed mammal with long legs andlong, drooping nose; large, palmate antlers onmales in fallHabitat: Tall shrub thickets along rivers; shelterin forestsFoods: Woody vegetation (willow, birch, aspen),grasses, sedges, horsetails, aquatic plantsEaten by: Wolves, brown bears, humans

Do You Know? The moose is the largest memberof the deer family in the world, and the Alaskarace is the largest of all the moose.

267. MOUNTAIN GOAT T

Traits: Hoofed mammal with long, white hair onbody and legs; short, black horns; long hair onchinHabitat: Steep hillsides and cliffs of alpinetundra in Southeastern and Southcentral AlaskaFoods: Grass, herbs, low-growing shrubs insummer; hemlock, willow, other woody plants inwinterEaten by: Wolves, coyotes, humans; goldeneagles will kill kids (young goats).

Do You Know? Mountain goats are both grazingand browsing animals, depending on theparticular habitat and season of the year.

266. CARIBOU F,T

Traits: Moderately sized, hoofed mammal withshort ears and tail; mane on neck; antlers largeand variable with forward-projecting brow tinesHabitat: Lowland and alpine tundra, borealforest; cool windblown sites or snow fields insummer to escape insectsFoods: Grasses, sedges, lichens, leaves of willowand birch, herbsEaten by: Wolves, bears, wolverine, humans

Do You Know? Caribou are the only member ofthe deer family in which both sexes grow antlers.

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aksci.orgaksci.org/.../lessons/scan/scandfg_35_LifeScience_InvestigatingPlants.p… · AKSCI ©2011 Alaska Department of Education and Early Development Investigating Plants INVESTIGATING