Wintertime Animals

Julia Spainhour

Red-tailed Hawk (buteo jamaicensis)

Walking around campus, you may have recently spotted a red-tailed hawk soaring about, perching in a tree, or hunting for prey. The red-tail is considered to be the most common hawk in North America, and its reach goes far and wide. Anywhere there’s some open space and high places to perch, a red-tailed hawk is probably nearby. This can include forests, mountains, deserts, plains, roadsides, and tropical rainforests in Mexico. Some migrate in and out of Illinois, but many of them are permanent residents to the state, with many of them nesting from February to May. The male and female work together to build their nests in high trees, and after about a month of incubation, 2-4 eggs hatch. These birds are active hunters, and will watch from above until the right moment, when they swoop down and capture their prey in their talons. They’re opportunistic feeders, meaning they’re not very picky with their food and will go for just about anything they’re able to get. They mostly eat small mammals, like squirrels, voles, and rabbits, but will also go for birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects.

Fun fact: Their eyesight is 8x better than that of humans

Raccoon (procyon lotor)

Raccoons are common mammals in North America known for their black masks and mischievous behavior. They’re found all across the state of Illinois, especially in urbanized areas. Their dexterous paws have allowed them to exploit human resources for shelter and food, which is most prevalent in cities. Around 2/3 of their cerebral cortexes are designated to their tactile senses, which is more than in any other studied animal. They can interpret objects without ever touching them, detect stimuli in the environment to determine if something is edible, and easily handle things in their hands. This allows them to swim, climb, hold things, open doors, and other behaviors which aid them in behaviors such as breaking into homes or stealing food. However, they’re nocturnal creatures and not very fond of people, so if you see one, don’t get too close as they can get aggressive. Typically, they remain fairly solitary, but they occasionally meet at feeding grounds or form loose groups. As omnivores, they’ll eat insects, fish, frogs, clams, slugs, and young mammals, as well as fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds, and of course the junk food they find in dumpsters.

Fun fact: Since the 1930s, the raccoon population in North America has increased dramatically

Eastern Box Turtle (terrapene carolina carolina)

Residing in forested land near campus is the Eastern box turtle, one of two terrestrial turtle species in Illinois. They are recognizable by their vivid orange and yellow colorations on their carapaces, feet, and faces, which they use to camouflage in fallen foliage. The plastron, which is the bottom of the shell, is hinged, meaning they can completely shut themselves in. When damaged, their shell can regenerate over time with the growth of new granular tissue and keratin. Ranging from 4 to 6 inches, they are pretty small creatures, but slightly larger than nearby counterparts. They lay their eggs in May to June, although a female can wait up to four years after fertilization to lay her eggs. During the earlier years of their lives, they spend more time in water, where it’s easier to catch prey. Later on, however, they spend most of their time on land. In 2022, the largest survey ever of Eastern box turtles was led by researchers at the University of Illinois to monitor their health

Fun fact: Eastern box turtles can live to be more than 100 years old.

Great Horned Owl (bubo virginianus)

The great horned owl is another bird species that can be found in Illinois around the wintertime. This is your quintessential owl: staring yellow eyes, ear tufts, and distinctive hoot call. They’re large, ranging from 18 to 25 inches, and widespread throughout North America. These owls begin nesting in January, which is very early in comparison to other birds in the region. This is a smart strategy, because it gives the offspring more time to learn to hunt in time for the next winter, providing them an advantage against their counterparts. They don’t build their own nests, and instead utilize nests abandoned by hawks, eagles, ravens, and even squirrels. As nocturnal creatures, they come out at nighttime, and so they have excellent night vision to help them navigate the darkness. The great horned owl is known for its impeccable hunting abilities. They survey the area from a perch up above, and then swoop down to capture their prey, which typically includes mammals and other bird species, including falcons and ospreys. They’re also very territorial, and when another owl threatens to come nearby, they respond with aggressive hooting, hissing, screaming, and stomping their feet.

Fun fact: Since they can’t turn their eyes, their head can turn up to 270 degrees.

While some of us are enjoying the coziness of the winter season, many with poor housing and financial situations are struggling to stay warm, and you can help by donating clothing to charities and thrift shops!

Donating clothing is a great way to lower your carbon footprint. The volume of clothing Americans throw away each year has doubled from 7 million to 14 million tons in the last 20 years! Textile waste in landfills eventually emit harmful greenhouse gasses while deteriorating, contributing to the environmental crisis.

Please considering donating your clothing this winter season, particularly anything from this list of the most needed items at shelters and charities in the wintertime: