February Kids Corner
from the Gale River Cooperative Preschool
Hoo comes out at night?
Photo credit: Macon County Conservation District
Although the nights are getting shorter, February is still a great time to explore what animals are up to at night without staying up too late. Animals can be diurnal (most active during the day), nocturnal (most active at night), or crepuscular (most active at dawn and dusk). Because humans are diurnal, we may not get to see many nocturnal animals except in winter when the sun sets early. There are many reasons animals may be nocturnal. Safety from predators or finding prey are big reasons to be nocturnal. Night time is also cooler for animals that live in hot places and there can be less competition at night! In the Northeast, some common large nocturnal animals are owls, bats, racoons, opossums, flying squirrels, and wolves. Insects like fireflies and moths are also nocturnal. Despite not seeing them often, humans can have a large impact on nocturnal animals. Light pollution, in particular, can change the behaviors of birds, sea turtles, and insects as they travel at night. An easy way to prevent this is to turn off outdoor lights at night and use curtains to block light from inside. Looking for ways to explore the world of nocturnal animals? Here are some fun ideas:
Go on an owl prowl! Take an evening walk in a local woodland area and listen closely for owl calls. In our area you’re most likely to hear barred or great horned owls. Barred owls say “who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” While great horned owls say “who’s awake? Me too!” To learn more about New Hampshire owls visit NH Fish & Game’s website here.
Consider purchasing a game camera. Game cameras can be a great way to see who visited during the night. They range in price from $40 to $200. Game cameras help capture images of animals unlikely to be seen during the day or animals that may steer clear of humans.
Interested in nocturnal animal activities and crafts? We’ve got you covered!
Make a toilet paper tube owl! This easy craft lends itself to creativity. Push down the sides of the tube so you have two points that look like the feather tufts of a great horned owl (nope! They’re not ears!) Then add wings, a beak, feet, eyes, and any other decoration you desire
Create a racoon mask. Racoons are known for their scavenging behavior and the black markings on their face are often referred to as a mask. Create your own racoon mask on a paper plate. Cut out holes for your eyes, then take a look at a picture of a racoon to see where to paint black. Once your painting is done you could mount it on a popsicle stick or hole punch holes for string to thread through.
If you have a decent sized group of people, you can play echolocation! Bats use echolocation to “see” objects in the dark using sound pulses that bounce back after hitting an object. They use this to navigate while flying and to catch insects. Form a circle and choose someone to be the bat and another to be the insect. The bat is blindfolded and walks around looking for its prey. If the bat says “echo” the insect has to respond with “echo.” The game ends when the bat catches the insect!
Thanks to our partner, the Gale River Cooperative Preschool in Bethlehem, for helping our area parents get kiddos outside for fun no matter the time of year.
