Scientific Name: Ursus americanus
Common Name(s): Black bear

©Diginatur

Identification:
The black bear is the most common and smallest species of bear in North America. Most black bears in this region are black in color. Some sub-species found in the northeast, northwest, and Alaska can be brown, cinnamon, and nearly white. Besides color and size, black bears can be distinguished from other bears by their broad skull with a narrow muzzle and small, rounded ears that are set back on its head.
Black bears have relatively large paws with their rear foot length ranging in size from 5.5 to 9 inches which is comparable to much larger polar or brown bears. Their paws are very dexterous, and they can open screw top jars and manipulate doors. Sows (female bears) tend to have a more slender point to their nose and are smaller, weighing around 30% less than males. Males tend to weigh between 130 to 650 pounds, while females weigh between 90-180 pounds. The largest wild black bear record was shot in New Brunswick in 1972 and weighed 1100 pounds!

Range:
Ursus americanus is native to most of North America with a historic range engulfing most of the continent. In the United States it can be found in most of the northern Midwest, northeast, Alaska, the Appalachians, Rocky Mountains, and in parts of southern Missouri and forested regions of Arkansas. There have also been reports of fragmented populations occurring in other regions throughout the United States. Of the bears native to North America, black bears are the most common and widespread. They are rapidly expanding their range in the southeast recolonizing their former range.

Ecology:
The black bears are generalist species with flexible eating, sleeping, and living preferences. Black bears are omnivorous which means it will eat a variety of foods including plants and meat. Black bears are strong climbers that use trees for food, predator evasion, and hibernation. They are most often found in mountains with dense forests with thick understories but can also be found in semi-urban areas near woods.

Black bears are elusive bears which tend to avoid contact with other bigger animals. Black bears have good eyesight and hearing, and a sense of smell that is seven times more sensitive than that of a domestic dog. Larger grizzly bears occupy more open forest habitats, so black bears prefer dense forests. Black bears are more active during the day when they share habitat with brown bears and more active at night when they live near humans. They have few natural predators with a few instances of being predated upon by big cats or brown bears.

Bears reach maturity at age 3 and achieve full size by age 5. Sows undergo a 2-year mating cycle. Mating occurs between May and July depending on the region. Black bears have a 235-day gestation period which includes delayed implantation of the eggs. Fertilized eggs do not implant into the uterine wall until November. This ensures that the cubs are born in late January or early February. Cubs are blind and less than 1 pound when born. They are heavily dependent on their mother for 30 weeks after birth. The average litter has 2 to 3 cubs, but a healthy female can have 4 or more. Cubs become independent between 16 to 18 months when the mother drives them away. She will mate again a few months later. The average lifespan of a black bear is 18 years with the oldest recorded wild black bear being 39 years old.

Special Notes:
Bella Vista has the habitat to support black bears, but they prefer to be further away from human development. Occasional sightings are usually young male bears attempting to establish a territory which have recently been driven away by their mother. For the most part, they are just passing through. As the population continues to increase, bear sightings will likely also increase. They do permanently inhabit the larger undeveloped tracts of land west of Bella Vista.

News Article: Bella Vista Man Has Close Encounter With Bear

 

Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus
Common Name(s): Killdeer

Identification:
The killdeer is North America’s best-known plover. Plovers are shorebirds, but killdeer are often found long distances from water. Adult killdeer are 8-11 inches in length, having a wingspan between 23-25 inches, weighing 2.5-4.3 oz. Coloration is brown with a rust-colored fringe on the top. They have a white stomach and throat with two black bands on their breast. The bright orange buff rump can only be seen in flight. Killdeer are quite vocal and make a distinct “kill-deer” call. The call is usually sharp and shrill. There are many online resources demonstrating this call.

Range:
The killdeer is a medium distance migrant but is a year-round resident in most of North America. Northern populations avoid harsh winters by migrating south. In the central and southern United States as well as the Pacific coast, killdeer are year-round residents.

Ecology:
The killdeer primarily feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, such as worms, beetles, and grasshoppers, but they will feed on seeds and small vertebrates, as well. During the day, killdeer forage mainly in fields, especially those with short vegetation near water. Pastures are good places to find them. In the non-breeding season, when the moon is full or close to full, the killdeer will forage at night, because of the higher insect abundance at night during this time of year.

Throughout the U.S. and Canada, killdeer prefer open habitats such as fields, meadows, gravel bars, and mudflats, but they can be found in a variety of other habitats. Killdeer are often found in human-modified habitats such as gravel roads, driveways, parking lots, and lawns. They may even be found in upland areas far from water. While they do not require a special habitat for their daily activities, they do require specific nesting habitat.

Killdeer nest in sandy or gravelly areas. These areas are often near wet or muddy areas, but this is not required. During the breeding season, killdeer form pairs, and might even form the same pair in successive breeding seasons. Both male and female killdeer build the nest and incubate the eggs, while the males incubate the eggs more often at night. Killdeer are most vulnerable during breeding season, and while incubating their eggs.

Killdeer have a few mechanisms to escape predation. One iconic mechanism is their “broken-wing” display. When it spots a predator, the killdeer pretends it has a broken wing – calling loudly and limping along as it stretches out one wing and fans its tail. The intensity of the display varies throughout the breeding season. During egg-laying, the killdeer will usually just leave the nest. As incubation progresses, killdeer become more responsive. After hatching, killdeer will only make alarm calls.

Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, killdeer can be found in open fields, backyards, golf courses, and near the water’s edge. Killdeer don’t visit bird feeders, but if you look around your lawn or in gravel parking lots, you might see one. These birds are permanent residents here in Arkansas, so look out for them during breeding season, which is usually in spring. If you see the “injury display” you may be close to a nest. Be careful not to step on it as they are well camouflaged.

Scientific Name: Mephitis mephitis

Common Name(s): Striped Skunk

©Dan & Lin Dzurisin

 

Identification:

The striped skunk is a stout, short-limbed animal with a small, cone-shaped head and a long, furred tail.  They range between 20 and 30 inches long, and weigh 4.0 to 9.9 lb.  Their front feet are armed with five long, curved claws adapted for digging, while those on the hind feet are shorter and straighter.  The coloration can vary, but most have a black body with a white stripe extending from the head, which divides along the shoulders and continues as two stripes down the body to the tail. 

Range:

Stripes skunks are found throughout North America from southern Canada into northern Mexico.

 

Ecology:

The striped skunk is an omnivorous, opportunistic feeder.  Their diet is insectivorous during the spring and summer seasons when insects are abundant, then they switch to a carnivorous diet during colder months.  Throughout the winter, they eat small mammals, amphibians, fish, and ground-nesting birds.  The skunk is primarily nocturnal.  It sleeps in its burrow during the day and hunts at night.  The skunk doesn’t build its own den but finds abandoned burrows or natural hollows to make its den. 

 

The striped skunk lives in a variety of habitats including pasture, mixed woods, brushland, and open prairie.  They are most likely to be found in areas where there is ample food and cover, like agricultural areas.  Though they prefer these open pastures and forests, they are never far from water. 

 

Breeding season occurs from mid-February to mid-March.  The babies are born about two months later.  A female skunk has an average litter of about five to six babies, which are blind and deaf when born.  The babies are nursed in the den for about a month and a half.  They stay with the mother for a year before going out on their own.  

 

While they might not be built for running away from predators, striped skunks have developed a defense system that is quite unique.  When a skunk is threatened, its first response is to run from a predator, and if that doesn’t work, it tries to frighten the predator by arching its back, raising its tail, and turning its back on the predator.  If none of these defense mechanisms deter a predator, the skunk will spray the animal with a strong-smelling fluid. 

 

Special Notes:

Here in Bella Vista, striped skunks can be found in open fields and forested areas, especially around dawn or dusk.  They can also be found in just about any open field or empty forested lot.  Be careful if you see one, because the skunk can spray a strong-smelling fluid up to 12 feet away!

Scientific Name: Hyla cinerea
Common Name(s): Green Tree Frog, Tree Frog

 

Identification:
The green tree frog is a medium sized frog with long limbs and digits that have sticky toe pads. Their sizes range from 1.25-2.25 inches long. Besides being green, they have a white, yellow, or sometimes iridescent stripe along each side of their body. Males are smaller than females and have wrinkled throats, which indicates a vocal pouch.

Range:
Hyla cinerea is found throughout the southeast but is generally confined to the Coastal Plain.

Ecology:
The green tree frogs are insectivorous, usually eating flies, mosquitoes, and other small insects. These frogs prey on insects that are highly active or happen to be close enough to be caught by the frog’s tongue. Preferring to live in open forested areas with plentiful water near floating vegetation, grasses, and cattails, they are never at a loss for food, but they are subject to more predation than other frogs. They are prey to snakes, birds, and other frogs. Green tree frogs are one of the few species of tree frogs that lays their eggs in waters that have large predatory fish. Green tree frog tadpoles have few mechanisms of defense against large fish, so they are easily caught.

While green tree frogs are usually solitary, they come together during breeding season. Temperature, day length, and precipitation affect the timing of green tree frog breeding, but it usually occurs after a rain event. After mating, females lay up to 400 eggs. The ability for females to produce eggs is related to her size. The larger the female, the more eggs she produces.

Due to their small size and undemanding habitat requirements, these make great pets. Unlike many amphibians, they do not require artificial heating. One thing they do require is a large terrarium. Since they like to climb trees, the terrarium needs to be tall rather than wide. Plenty of branches and other objects need to be placed in the terrarium for the frogs to climb. Another important feature would be substrate that will maintain the humidity in the container, such as commercially shredded bark or coconut husk, and a shallow water dish. Green tree frogs have been found to live up to 6 years in captivity.

Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, green tree frogs are found in most of the forested areas, but you might find them in or near your pool. If you cannot see them, you might hear the male green tree frog make a duck like “reeenk, reeenk, reeenk” during the spring or summer before a rain event or during breeding season.

Scientific Name: Mustela vison
Common Name(s): Mink

Identification:
The mink differs from other similar species like weasels and stouts by its larger and stouter frame. Mink have a long, sleek body about two feet long with short, stubby legs, a long neck, small ears and eyes, and a long, thick tail. Coloration in mink vary from brown to black fur with white fur on its chin and throat. The mink’s fur is soft and thick, and it is covered with oily guard hairs, which make the mink’s coat waterproof. Since the mink spends most of its time in the water, its thin and tapered body and slightly webbed feet help it swim quickly through the water.

Range:
Mustela vison can be found throughout most of the United States and Canada.

Ecology:
American mink are known to be fierce predators, and they defend themselves from other predators like coyotes, bobcats, and birds of prey. They have developed ways of avoiding predation such as their secretive nature, coloration, agility, and limiting most of their activity between dusk and dawn, when their coloring makes them less visible. The American mink is a carnivore that feeds on smaller rodents, fish, crustaceans, amphibians, and birds. It kills vertebrate prey by biting the back of the head or neck, leaving canine puncture marks. The American mink often kills birds, including larger species like seagulls and cormorants, by drowning. In its natural range, fish are its primary prey.

After mating in winter, female mink give birth to litters around April or May. The litter size can range from one to eight, with each newborn weighing less than half an ounce. Young are weaned at six weeks, but they do not become independent until ten weeks. Staying with their mother until fall enables the young to learn how to escape predators and catch prey. Once the young leave, they must establish their own territories, because mink are solitary and territorial animals.

Although American mink are hard to catch, they were among the most frequently trapped furbearers. They are also commercially farmed. Mink are legally trapped from early November to early April, when their pelts were in their best condition.

Special Notes:
Here in Bella Vista, mink are common and can be found around all our lakes and along Little Sugar Creek. They can be seen frequently along the shores of Loch Lomond, and near the walking bridge of Little Sugar near the Walgreens.