Animal Life in the Taiga Biome
Long-Eared Owl
The Long-Eared Owl is a owl of medium size, roughly 35cm in length. One of its ears is a half inch larger than the other, which is a necessary adaptation for hunting at night. The name is a misconception, its ears are not long, but it has yellow feathers on its head that look like ears. This species has yellow eyes and a black beak.
Snowshoe Rabbit
The Snowshoe Rabbit is larger than the typical rabbit you would see in your backyard. It measures about 20 inches long and weighs about 3-4 pounds. It gets its name because its feet spread out like a snowshoe. Its white color helps it hide from predators by blending into the snow, although it chages to a grayish-brown in the summers. It is an herbivore that feeds on grass and soft leaves.
Gray Wolf
The Gray Wolf is the largest wild canine, and dwells in the Taiga biome. It has yellow eyes and pointy ears like the Siberian Husky, which makes it easily identifiable. It has a rough coat that could black, brown, white, or gray. This fur insulates the wolf from the cold winters. It has longs legs and large paws that allow it to traverse areas covered in thick, obsticale-like snow, It allows has sharp hearing and a hightened sense of smell like other dogs. The male is larger than the female, and they hunt deer, caribou, moose, and other animals.
Bohemian Waxwing
The Bohemian Waxwing has a pink-gray crest and a black mask. It is a large waxwing with gray upper and underparts. It lives in forests and eats insects and fruit. There are only three species of waxwing: the Bohemian, the Japanese, and the Cedar. Even though it is called the Bohemian Waxwing, it cannot be found in Bohemia. Instead, it is found in taigas all around the world.
Hawk Owl
This species of owl is of a medium size, with white facial feathers and brownish-black sides. They have white eyebows and pale yellow eyes like the Long-Eared Owl. It's between 35 and 42 cm long, with a wingspan of 22-25 cm. They prey mostly on small mammals like mice, oher birds, and occasionally fish. They utter high screeches to speak.
Bald Eagle
The Bald Eagle is classifed as a least concerned species and is the national emblem of the United States. They prefer to live near bodies of water, and they hunt all manner of fish. The females are larger than the males, and they have a wingspan of roughly 66 in. They can be 24-45 in long, and the smallest birds can be found in Florida. They can live up to 30 years, and are a magnificant bird.
Pine Grosbeak
The Pine Grosbeak is a fairly large Grosbeak. It eats seeds, berries and buds. It is a type of finch. It lives in pine trees in coniferous forests like the taiga. 99% of it's diet is vegetable matter. In French, it is called the Durbec des Sapins. It moves very slowly.
Black Bear
This bear is found mostly in North America, is identifiable by its lack of a shoulder hump. This particular species has a shor tail, short claws, and round ears. Most of them are black, hence their names, but some are brown or even a bluish color. They have a thick coat which allows them to live in the Taiga. They feed on coniferous trees, honey, carcasses, insects and small mammals. The black bear can hibernate to escape scarcity of food.
Canadian Lynx
The Canadian Lynx can be found in forests in northern parts of the United States and Canada. It has a life span of about 15 years. It can be 2-3 feet tall and can be 32-36 in. long. It weighs about 25-40 lbs. They are primarily solitary and nocturnal.
Siberian Husky
Siberian Huskies are strong dogs that are known to pull sleds. Some of the common coat colors are gray, tan or black. The ears, when erect, are triangular in shape, and the teeth are incisors like all carnivores. The thick coat can withstand temperatures as low as -58 degrees to -76 degrees F!
Questions!
1. What are some animals that live in the taiga?
2. Are there a lot of birds in the Taiga biome?
2. Are there a lot of birds in the Taiga biome?