Animals & Science

Plovers are a variety of shore bird belonging to the genus Charadrius. Although they prefer sandy beaches, they may migrate inland for breeding in summer. Some North American varieties of plover...

The capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus) is the largest member of the grouse family, and it also is known as the western capercaillie and the wood grouse. Both male and female have a patch of bright...

House spiders, also known as cobweb spiders, live all over the world except for the coldest regions. The American (or common) house spider, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, is one of many species of...

The United States is known for having the largest variety of crab populations in the world. One species in particular, the blue crab, is especially known for its sweet, tender meat. Its popular...

Reptiles come in all shapes and sizes, from tiny geckos to mammoth dinosaurs. Their reproductive methods and behaviors generally differ greatly from mammals, though there are some similarities....

Bee hummingbirds (Mellisuga helenae) are the smallest birds recorded. They can be found in Cuba and the Isle of Pines in woodland areas and gardens. The male birds are smaller and, when courting,...

The hummingbird, among the smallest bird in the world and a native of the Americas, is the only bird that can fly backward. Its name comes from the hum its wings make as they flap 12 to 90 times...

Chinchillas become sexually mature between six and eight months old. Although domesticated chinchillas will breed with any of the opposite sex that they choose, in the wild, they are reported to...

Salmon are awe-inspiring fish that swim the oceans before traveling upriver to spawn. Salmon are also delicious, and are a popular fish purchased in supermarkets and restaurants. Whether you are a...

Goanna refers to 30 species of monitor lizards, most of which are found in Australia with a few in Southeast Asia. Included in the category is the world's largest lizard --- the Komodo dragon....

Mantid is the genus name for all species of praying mantis, predatory insects that feed upon other insects and small animals. Efficient at hunting its next meal, the praying mantis' head will turn...

The desert buzzard, also known as Harris' hawk and scientifically named Parabuteo unicinctus, is a raptor found in the southwestern United States, northwestern Mexico, and Central and South...

Jerboa are fun little creatures resembling a kangaroo mixed with a rat. Their habitat is in arid parts of Asia, Africa and Europe. The jerboa are a species of jumping rodent and have long...

Mammals life cycles can vary, especially in some varieties of mammals that may not be so obvious, such as dolphins and platypuses. The life cycle, while seemingly simple, can be fairly complicated...

The common newt is an amphibian, and like all amphibians, divides its time between water and land. It inhabits most of Europe, and prefers forestland, gardens, parks and wet meadows. This...

When a female King crab reaches sexual maturity and is ready to mate, she releases a chemical substance, called a pheromone, which attracts males. The chemical nature of the pheromone is not...

Rabbits are split into two major families: hares and rabbits. Rabbits build nests to give birth to their young, where hares find a covered location to build their nests. Because of their rapid...

Muskrats are aquatic mammals that closely resemble beavers but have a long, rat-like tails and webbed feet. They are found throughout most of North America, and are often considered pests because...

There are many advantages to artificial insemination (AI) in domesticated and zoo animals. There is less of a chance of injury to either partner during the mating process. There is less stress to...

Female squirrels reproduce by mating and then birthing live young. They are able to begin the mating process at the age of one year. The first mating season begins in late winter, usually around...

Male and female frogs and toads lack the familiar external markings that male and female mammals possess. There are a few ways to tell male and female frogs and toads apart from one another.

Male spiders have their work cut out for them. When a male detects the signs of a female nearby, he first checks whether she is the same species and if she is ready to mate. Spiders are known...

Just how to tell if your baby chickens are male/female

The yellow anaconda is the cousin of the world famous green anaconda, and is notably smaller in size. Even still, the yellow anaconda is one of the larger snakes in the world. This boa is found in...

You can distinguish a male dolphin from a female dolphin by examining its lower stomach. A male dolphin has two slits: One slit contains the penis and the other contains the anus. Female dolphins...

While most animals remain the same sex throughout their lifetimes, many types of fish can switch between sexes. These changes are usually dependent on a number of physiological and environmental...

House sparrows are an extremely common bird in the United States. They were imported in the 1850s as a form of pest control for growing cities, but they soon spread throughout the U.S. and Canada....

Cows are members of the family Bovidae. They are commonly raised as livestock for milk production for dairy products, for meat and to carry or pull heavy loads. Cows are also often killed for...

Spring is the catfish mating season. The catfish do their best mating in warm water. Eggs hatch in about a week. The best mating conditions occur when the females are six years old, and weigh more...

Understanding whale gender differences is key to understanding the mating process. Whale gender is often hard to judge, as neither gender has greatly visually defining characteristics. Generally,...

Though large alligators are generally solitary animals, they have managed to develop complex mating rituals. When the weather gets warm in the spring, male and female alligators begin looking for...

Mating season for most snakes begins in mid-spring. Unlike most other creatures, snakes have no rituals or competitions involved in the process of mate selection. When male snakes are ready for...

Have you heard of an animal called the manatee? These are mammals that are classified under the Sirenia order. There are three distinct species (they look like the sea cow) living at present: (1)...

Hippopotamuses are polygamous, meaning they mate with more than one partner. Hippos may choose to mate with a different partner every time they mate. Female hippos reach sexual maturity at...

As a female shark reaches maturity, it is able to produce certain hormonal chemicals to attract a mate. Each species of shark emits a different chemical, dependent on its genus, though some sharks...

There are many different species of bears, from grizzly bears to polar bears to black bears. Many bears are considered endangered today due to development in their natural habitat and illegal...

Elephants are the largest land mammals in the world. Their only predators are humans. Elephants are gentle animals unless the need to protect themselves forces them not to be. Unfortunately, the...

Dolphins are widely recognized as being incredibly intelligent animals--capable of play and occasionally given credit for rescuing humans who have been lost at sea. Through study and observation,...

The verdict is still out about exactly when the gender of a sea turtle embryo is decided. Researchers do agree, however, that the determination is made after fertilization and that the nest...

Any time from late winter through early spring, female blue jays will pick a male to mate with. It is believed that older birds go through the process earlier than younger blue jays. When ready to...

Spring is mating season for panda bears. The mating season runs from mid-March to mid-May. During this time, however, a female panda only has a window of three to seven days annually in which to...

Hummingbird mating season begins in early spring. In mid to late March, hummingbirds return to the U.S. and Canada from their southern winter migration to Mexico and Central America. Males of most...

Manatees are also known as dugongs and are commonly found around Florida, where they migrate every year. They are typically a solitary creature, but the bond between a mother and her calf is very...

Female gorillas reach sexual maturity at approximately 10 years of age. It can have a baby as often as every four to five years. Like humans, female gorillas ovulate, every 28 days on average. The...

Giraffes don't have a particular mating season. Female giraffes go into estrus every two weeks throughout the year. When a female is in estrus, she excretes pheromones that let the males know that...

Butterflies are some of the most beautiful insects on earth. They gain energy to fly through the sun's warmth. If you notice a butterfly sitting and spreading their wings as they slowly close...

The red back Australian spider is a native arachnid to the Outback though in recent years it has turned up in Japan and New Zealand. By and large, this relative of the North American black widow...

Female deer, known as does, have a different appearance and behavior pattern than their male counterparts. Identifying a female deer may bring challenges, however, if you don't know what to look...

The wild turkey is the largest game bird found in North America. If you're more a connoisseur of the subtleties of dark and light meat during Thanksgiving, then knowing the difference between a...

The Rose Haired Tarantula is one of the most common pet tarantulas kept by hobbyists. They are very mild-tempered and hardy, requiring only basic care and accommodations. Due to their calm nature,...