Bio-Diversity in Minnesota

By: Katie Osmundson

Merlin (Falco Columbarius)Description: Body length is 10-13 in. Wingspan is 20-26 in. Weighs

5-9 lbs. Female merlins are dark brown with a streaked neck. The male is gray-blue to purple. A merlin's tail has light and dark bands and a white tip.

Habitat: Open country and coniferous forests. Northeastern and North central part of the state. Nest and hunt along lake shores.

Food: 90% birds- insects, small mammals, lizards, and snakes.Predators: Hawks, Falcons and Eagles.Population: Merlins are not common in MN, but they don’t have a

protected status. Reproduction: Lays 1-8 eggs. Mates in late winter.Hunting: Hunted by larger non-bird species. Fun Facts: 1) Will catch prey in flight, smacks it with it’s feet to

knock it out.2) Does not build new nests, will take over old nests3) Rests on Magpie nests

Merlins

River Otter (Lontra Canadensis)Description: Long, short legs, webbed feet, long tapered tail. Fur is rich

brown, short and dense. 4-5 in length. 18 in tail. 15-19 lb average. Reproduction: After adult females have a litter of one to five babies

they’t bred and become pregnant for close to a full year. The embryos do not start growing until about eight months later, and 50 days later the cubs are born. The cubs will remain with the parents through the first winter, but separate in spring.

Food: clams, fish, muskrats, turtles, chipmunks, mice and young rabbits.

Predators: Bobcats, coyotes and wolves.Habitats: common all over the state, near bodies of water.Population: Fur is valuable – easy to trap Hunting: Trapping is carefully controlled, each pelt must be registered

with the DNR.Fun Facts: 1) River Otters can travel up to 25 miles in a week.2) They enjoy wrestling and sliding in mud.3)Despite their size they are skilled in hunting small mammals.

River Otter

Freshwater Drum (Aplodinotus Grunniens)

Description: Small tail and a silver cast to its scales. Its mouth is located toward bottom of its face. It's the only freshwater fish on which the lateral line, a sense organ used to detect motion.

Reproduction: The males and females meet at the surface of the water, where the female releases up to 300,000 eggs at a time.

Food: Insect larvae, crayfish, clams, snails, and small fish. Drum feed near the bottom of the lake or river.

Predators: Walleyes, muskellunge and northern pike and humans.Habitat: Everywhere in Minnesota except in the Lake Superior. They like

shallow water in lakes and rivers. They like to hang out at the bottom but stay less than 40 feet deep.

Population: No danger, all over the place.Hunting: Humans fish for the Drum because of the rich flavor.Fun Facts: 1) Drum’s eggs float making it easier to spread thought water

systems2) Otoliths have been used by humans for currency, jewelry, and good luck

charms, which are found near the Drum’s ear.3) Drum grunts when it sees something it would like to eat.

Freshwater Drum

Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis)

Description: Black with three yellow stripes on their back and sides, reaching up to 3 feet in length.

Reproduction: Give birth in August or September. Baby garters live on their own after birth.

Food: Frogs, small mammals, earthworms and insects.Predators: Crows, ravens, weasels, mink, raccoons, foxes, ground

squirrels, skunks, hawks, owls.Habitat: Normally found in a rock crevice, an ant mound or a tunnel made

by a burrowing animal. Many are found in road ditches. These winter dens are used by garter snakes for years.

Hunting: No one kills them because they are used for getting rid of rodents.

Population: There are many around to kill animals and insects that no one wants.

Fun Facts: 1) They may defecate on the person holding them, releasing a foul smelling odor.

2) Almost half of baby garter snakes die after birth.3) Indians would use the snake as a type of hazing for new members.

Common Garter Snake

Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) Description: 40' to 60', up to 24" in diameter,

topped with skinny spreading branches.Bark: Dark brown or gray, tintedwith red.Leaves: Pointed and slightly toothed in the

middle, bright green or yellowish-green on both sides, turning yellow in the fall.

Seeds: Wide part spreads out down past middle part, slightly notched at outer end.

Economic: Decoration, landscaping.Fun Fact: Most commonly used to make

baseball bats.

Green Ash

Jack-in-the-Pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum)

Description: Striped green/purple, two leaves, divided into 3 leaflets each.

When it flowers: May- JuneUses: May be eaten by birds and

animals, but poisonous to humans.Fun Facts: Also called the Indian turnip.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

BibliographyAll About Birds. The Cornell Lab of Orinithology, n.d. Web. 28 Sept. 2012. <http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/merlin/lifehistory>. American Hikers. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.americanhikings.com>. Bird Siteings. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.thewesternisles.co.uk>. Blurt It. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.blurtit.com/q268776.html>. Home Garden Lanscaping. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.cdr3.com/ash/>.“Merlin.” The Peregrine Fund. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Sept. 2012. <http://www.peregrinefund.org/subsites/explore-raptors-2001/falcons/merlin.html>. Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/birds/merlin.html>. Minnesota DNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/freshwaterdrum.html>.

Minnesota DNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/freshwaterdrum.html>. Minnesota DNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/reptiles_amphibians/snakes_turtles/commongartersnake.html>. Minnesota DNR. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/trees_shrubs/deciduous/greenash.html>. MN Home Town Locator. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2012. <http://www.google.com/imgres?q=map+of+minnesota&um=1&hl=en&safe=active&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=jVV3E8XmqCiWiM:&imgrefurl=http://minnesota.hometownlocator.com/maps/statecountymap.cfm&docid=jTP_E20q02vNYM&imgurl=http://minnesota.hometownlocator.com/images/state_county_maps/state27.gif&w=499&h=568&ei=0FRkUL2RMYKk8ASw44DYDw&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=181&vpy=228&dur=610&hovh=240&hovw=210&tx=85&ty=169&sig=102129715782878848683&page=2&tbnh=153&tbnw=135&start=27&ndsp=35&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:27,i:185&biw=1280&bih=827>. National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/american-river-otter/>. Texas and Beyond. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.texasbeyondhistory.net/st-plains/nature/images/fish-FreshwaterDrum.html>. Wild About Birds. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Oct. 2012. <http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/british-birds/17935-info-re-merlin-sighting.html>.