Walk this way: What animal tracks can tell us

5 hours ago
3 min read

Any time of year is a good time to look for animal tracks. In the winter, you can find tracks in fresh snow. In the spring and fall, you find fresh tracks after a rainstorm. In the summer, the best place to find tracks is down by the water.

Animal tracks scattered on gray, muddy ground, featuring different sizes and shapes. The texture is rough with a natural outdoor setting. — (Photo by Glenn P. Knoblock)

It is no secret that you can identify an animal by the tracks it leaves behind, but did you know that certain animals walk a specific way? The way an animal walks, hops or gallops is called a gait. How their feet land in relation to their other feet is called their register. For example, if an animal is walking and their back paws land in the front paw’s track, that is a direct register.

There are five types of register, and they all tell us something about the animal.

(Courtesy of Teage O'Connor, executive director at Crow's Path)

Direct register: The back foot lands exactly in the front foot’s track. This is common in cats, foxes, deer and other animals that are labeled as efficient walkers. Usually, the animal is walking or trotting.
Overstep or over register: The back foot lands in front of the front foot’s track. This happens normally when an animal is moving faster or going downhill. This is common in animals that have longer legs as well as animals that hop. Squirrels and rabbits are our most common for over register.
Under step or under register: The back foot lands behind the front foot’s track. An under register can happen when the animal is being cautious or stalking its prey.
Side register or offset register: The back foot lands just to the side of the front foot’s track. The most common animal with this register is the raccoon. They have waddling or ambling gaits.
Cross register: The back foot crosses the center of the animal and lands near or over the opposite front foot’s track. The cross register mostly shows up in animals that are making tight turns or have awkward footing.

As you have learned, the register can tell us how fast the animal was going, if it was hunting or ambling around and what effect the terrain can have on their gait.

Take a look at the tracks below. What type of register do you notice?

Animal tracks in snow, leading from bottom left to top right. Multiple paw prints create a path across the white, snowy surface. — (Photo by Suzy Lyttle)

If you said over step or over register, you are correct! The pair of tracks that are closer together are the front tracks of a squirrel. Notice how they are behind two tracks that are farther apart (the back foot tracks).

Next time you see animal tracks, ask yourself this: Is the back foot behind, in or ahead of the front track? That will help you determine the register of the animal.

Words to know

Amble: To walk or move at a slow, relaxed pace.

Gait: A person or animal’s manner of walking.

Stalk: To pursue or approach stealthily.

Trot: To proceed at a pace faster than a walk.

Try walking on all fours in the snow or sand. What kind of register would you have if you walked on all four limbs? What happens when you try each register? Is one easier than the others? Why? See which register helps you travel the fastest!

A good place to look for tracks right now is somewhere with squishy mud. There are plenty of places to look in the preserves, but two good ones are around Snapper Pond at Plum Creek Nature Center or around the water at Hidden Lakes Trout Farm at Hidden Oaks Preserve. Keep your eyes on the ground and see what you can spot next!