Ask the Naturalist
A bird? A bug? Something strange in the natural world nearby? Ask us and we’ll find the answer! And check here for answers to great questions you didn’t even know you had.
Latest from Ask the Naturalist
Who builds those stick houses, anyway? Woodrats!
May 10, 2013 by Dan Rademacher
Stewart Gilbert of San Rafael writes to ask: “Who makes these homes built out of sticks? They’re very common at …
Surge of pine siskins means dead birds, but also new neighbors
April 30, 2013 by Dan Rademacher
We’ve been hearing a lot about dead pine siskins all over the country. Turns out it’s natural, and it might mean more siskins in more places for a while.
Why are there so fewer songbirds, and so many crows?
April 17, 2013 by Alison Hawkes
Songbirds seem to be disappearing, but crows are everywhere. Is there a connection?
How do barnacles make baby barnacles?
April 03, 2013 by Michael Ellis
Barnacles are hermaphroditic – they contain both male and female sex organs. You’re thinking, “Well, they always have a date on Saturday night.” No, it’s a really bad idea to self-fertilize: Inbreeding results in little genetic diversity. Worms, slugs, snails – slow-moving animals with low rates of encounter – are all hermaphroditic. And you could not get any slower than an adult barnacle!
Dinosaur eggs on Point Reyes Estero Trail?
March 29, 2013 by Dan Rademacher
Tim Hastings wrote to us wondering about “many large round, almost ‘dinosaur-egg’ like rocks dotting the muddy sands” when he …
What’s the California newt’s lifespan?
March 13, 2013 by Dan Rademacher
What’s a California newt’s lifespan? Surprisingly long for captive newts, and wild newts’ potent poison likely helps them live longer than other amphibians.
Are deer twins common?
March 03, 2013 by Dan Rademacher
Are deer twins common? Turns out, yes, even though any individual twin fawn is less likely to survive than its singleton cousins. What gives, nature?
Should we be worried about asbestos in serpentine rock?
January 31, 2013 by Michael Ellis
Should we worry about asbestos in serpentine rock? Yes, a bit. In California, we have North America’s largest exposures. It’s even our official state rock.
Biggest Local Land Invertebrate? The Tarantula
July 01, 2012 by Michael Ellis
Q: What’s the largest underground-dwelling invertebrate in the Bay Area? How does it live?
Why do pelicans fly so low?
June 12, 2012 by Michael Ellis
Learn a few secrets of efficiency from the majestic pelican.
