Discover Nature Notes

Here are three adventures to get you out of the house and into Missouri's great outdoors this winter. They offer a chance to engage all the senses as well as your family and friends. Tap into the fun in this week's Discover Nature Note.

The pileated woodpecker is the real-life inspiration for the Woody Woodpecker cartoon. Its real call is more piercing than the familiar "ha-ha, ha-ha-hah". Spongy skull bones help protect their brains during tree hammering. Learn more in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Learn more about our national symbol and where you can view bald eagles up-close in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Learn about these giants of the flyways in this week's Discover Nature Note.

The Holiday Tree Thief: People have been stealing kisses under its branches for years, but in nature, mistletoe is the real thief. This parasite plant steals nutrients from trees. It also provides food and homes for birds and mammals. Discover more about mistletoe and where you can find it naturally in Missouri, in this week's Discover Nature Note.

Winter Sparrows: They're all around us in winter, eat cheap, and frequently feed on the ground. Sparrows are small birds with thick bills for cracking seeds. Sparrows are mostly brown but some have showy accents like yellow eyebrows, red caps, and white mohawks. Discover how sparrows can lively-up your backyard in the dead of winter, and hear their calls and chirps in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.

MISSOURI'S SPICY EVERGREEN: Its aromatic wood is used for chests and closets, its oils for soaps and gin, and its high-energy berries feed hungry birds. Meet the Eastern red cedar. A shapely, spicy evergreen that is Missouri's most common and a yuletide favorite for people and wildlife. Red cedar branches provide greenery during winter and protect deer and rabbits from the wind. Learn more fun facts about red cedar trees in this week's Discover Nature Note.

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT:  Try a new outdoor adventure by joining an old holiday tradition.  Several Missouri counties have openings where you can be part of Audubon's annual Christmas Bird Count, the longest-running, citizen-science effort in the U.S.  Each count takes place on a single day between December 14, and January 5, from before sunrise to after sunset.  New birders are often paired with experienced counters.  Many groups enjoy a warm meal together after the count.  Learn how you can help birds by counting them in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.

THE THANKSGIVING TURKEY: Wild turkeys are birds simmered in American tradition. They have over 5,000 feathers, are swift runners, as well as quick flyers for short distances. Learn more about these powerful birds, how they got here, and watch a video with some tasty ways to prepare them with MDC's Kyle Lairmore and Missourinet's Bill Pollock in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.

DABBLERS VS. DIVERS:  Ducks are amazing creatures.  Discover how to tell dabbling ducks from diving ducks by the way they eat, fly and look.  Check out a video and photos and where you can see them in this week's Discover Nature Notes blog.