10 Fun Facts About the Critters of Texas

Critters of Texas is a pocket-size wildlife guide for children that’s informative, concise, and easy to use. Wildlife biologist Alex Troutman introduces some of the wonderful critters found in Texas. Each species is showcased with a professional-quality photograph paired with neat details such as habitat, range, and preferred food sources. Illustrations of critter tracks complement the information, and a “Did You Know?” paragraph provides fascinating trivia. Here are 10 Fun Facts about the Critters of Texas.

1. Nine-banded Armadillo is the state small mammal of Texas. There are around 20 species of armadillos, but the nine-banded is the only one found in the United States. Though they are called nine-banded armadillos, they can have as few as 7 bands or as many as 11! Armadillo translates from Spanish to mean “little armored one.”

2. Common grackles are tough birds who will steal worms from American robins. They also have a tool built into their beak! The hardened area on the inside of their upper beak allows them to saw open acorns. They have learned to use ants as a type of pesticide through a process called anting. This is when ants crawl over the body of the grackle, releasing an acid that helps get rid of parasites on the bird.

3. All ocelots have a different coat pattern, and the right side and left side of the body even have different coat patterns. It is estimated that there are less than 100 ocelots left in the US.

4. The largest wild sheep in North America is the desert bighorn sheep. Its horns can be over 3 feet long, as thick as 1 foot, and can weigh over 20 pounds. Bighorn sheep are agile, able to run over 30 miles per hour and jump over 19 feet from one ledge to another.

5. The crested caracara is actually a falcon! While other falcons will make a scrape on the ground or use an old nest built by other birds, the crested caracara is the only falcon that collects materials to build a nest for itself.

6. The fur of the Swift Fox is tannish orange with a salt-and-pepper color on the back, sides, and legs. Their chest, belly, and the insides of their legs are white. In the summer, they have shorter fur that is a deeper red in color.

7. Brown pelicans are the only species of pelican in the United States that dives from the sky to catch food. Sometimes they dive from over 55 feet above the water. The pelican’s beak system (beak and pouch) can hold an incredible amount of water, up to 3 gallons, and lots of fish!

8. The greater roadrunner can run over 15 miles per hour! It is so quick that it can grab dragonflies and hummingbirds from midair! Its quick speed also allows it to hunt and eat rattlesnakes.

9. The Northern mockingbirds get their name from their ability to mimic or “mock” sounds of other birds, organisms, and even machines. They can sing 40 to more than 200 songs, depending on their region. Mockingbirds will bravely defend their nests from larger birds like raptors. When danger is present, mockingbirds can form an allegiance with neighbors to protect the shared area.

10. Alligator snapping turtles are the largest freshwater turtle species in North America! They can weigh over 200 pounds and have a bite force of 1,000 pounds. That’s not the only amazing thing about their mouth; an alligator snapping turtle has a built-in “lure” (or skin protrusion) on its tongue that acts like bait to attract prey.

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