Creature features

A large bird flying low over a field as it hunts could be any number of birds. It could be a hawk. It could be an owl. Or it could be a hawk that looks and acts a little like an owl. A northern harrier. (Photo via Shutterstock) Northern harriers are hawks, but they share a few traits with owls despite not being closely related to them. A harrier's face has a round disk shape just like an owl's. They also hear exceptionally well and can hunt in low light conditions like many o

Meet the pyrrhuloxia, a cousin of the northern cardinal. Learn where this desert bird lives, what it eats and why its population is declining.

Is it a wasp, a mantis or a fly? Meet the brown wasp mantidfly, an interesting insect that uses mimicry and special claws to survive in the wild.

Learn fun facts about cottontail rabbits, including where they live, how many babies they have and why they are important to Illinois ecosystems.

Discover the surprising stages of ladybug metamorphosis, from tiny yellow eggs to helpful garden heroes.

Flying snakes don't really fly, they glide. Discover how paradise tree snakes soar through the forests of Asia and what makes them one of nature's most surprising reptiles.

Get to the know the endangered turtles that live at Isle a la Cache Museum.

Learn about scarlet tanagers, bright red birds that live high in forest trees. Discover where they live, what they eat and why they are hard to spot.