That furry, brown critter scurrying along the shoreline might just be an American mink, one of our lesser known semiaquatic mammals.
Plenty of humans go bald, but do other animals lose their hair as they age?
Red blood certainly isn't unique in the animal kingdom, but it's far from universal.
The story of the whooping crane is a troubled one that nearly ended with these majestic birds' extinction. And while small populations of these cranes still do exist today, they haven't experienced the conservation successes that we've seen with other birds, like bald eagles and great egrets.
If you see a rodent scurrying across your floor, you may not care if it is a mouse or a rat, but there are several key differences between them. And while some mice and rats are non-native nuisances, native species of both also live in Illinois.
The red fox has earned its reputation for being clever and cunning.
With more than 10,000 described bird species in the world, some of them are bound to be a little, well, unusual.
In their adult plumage, golden eagles and bald eagles are easy to distinguish from one another. As juveniles, however, they look much more similar.
Sandhill cranes are the supermodels of the bird world, tall, elegant and eye-catching with their gray plumage and crimson eye patches.
Each spring and fall, our lakes undergo a quiet but essential change that keeps them healthy for aquatic species.
Ring-necked pheasants aren't native to Illinois or even the United States, but these birds have been common since the 1800s after being introduced as a game bird.
Buffalo and bison are not synonyms, although the term buffalo has been in widespread use in reference to bison for centuries.
When does a grassland become a prairie or a savanna? It has a lot to do with the trees, or lack thereof.
Keeping your bird feeders full is only half the equation when it comes to keeping the birds happy and healthy. In addition to keeping the food coming, you need to clean your feeders regularly too.
Birds make the same migratory journeys year after year, but weather can play a big role on how many birds are traveling at any given time.
Ants are powerhouses in the animal kingdom, always busy and able to carry many times their body weight. There's plenty about them that makes them interesting.
That furry, brown critter scurrying along the shoreline might just be an American mink, one of our lesser known semiaquatic mammals.
Plenty of humans go bald, but do other animals lose their hair as they age?
Red blood certainly isn't unique in the animal kingdom, but it's far from universal.
The story of the whooping crane is a troubled one that nearly ended with these majestic birds' extinction. And while small populations of these cranes still do exist today, they haven't experienced the conservation successes that we've seen with other birds, like bald eagles and great egrets.
If you see a rodent scurrying across your floor, you may not care if it is a mouse or a rat, but there are several key differences between them. And while some mice and rats are non-native nuisances, native species of both also live in Illinois.
The red fox has earned its reputation for being clever and cunning.
With more than 10,000 described bird species in the world, some of them are bound to be a little, well, unusual.
In their adult plumage, golden eagles and bald eagles are easy to distinguish from one another. As juveniles, however, they look much more similar.
Sandhill cranes are the supermodels of the bird world, tall, elegant and eye-catching with their gray plumage and crimson eye patches.
Each spring and fall, our lakes undergo a quiet but essential change that keeps them healthy for aquatic species.
Ring-necked pheasants aren't native to Illinois or even the United States, but these birds have been common since the 1800s after being introduced as a game bird.
Buffalo and bison are not synonyms, although the term buffalo has been in widespread use in reference to bison for centuries.
When does a grassland become a prairie or a savanna? It has a lot to do with the trees, or lack thereof.
Keeping your bird feeders full is only half the equation when it comes to keeping the birds happy and healthy. In addition to keeping the food coming, you need to clean your feeders regularly too.
Birds make the same migratory journeys year after year, but weather can play a big role on how many birds are traveling at any given time.
Ants are powerhouses in the animal kingdom, always busy and able to carry many times their body weight. There's plenty about them that makes them interesting.
See the dazzling spectacle of nesting herons, egrets and cormorants at our weekly bird viewings at Lake Renwick Heron Rookery Nature Preserve.
Turn this summer into a summer of adventure with weekly explorations at Monee Reservoir and Plum Creek Nature Center.
Catching lightning bugs is a summer rite of passage, but do you know how these bugs light up? Or why?
Participating in No Mow May isn't just a way to cut down on your yardwork for a month. You'll be helping bees and other essential insects too.
Forget "Snakes on a Plane." There are snakes in Asia that can fly without any help from an aircraft.