Discover Nature Notes

No human could survive or want their diet. Their looks are kind of creepy. These magnificent flying scavengers have keen skills that help reduce the spread of disease and clean our environment. You've seen them soaring on thermals, and picking at carcasses on roadsides, but catch a rare glimpse of their family life, hidden from public view in this Discover Nature Note.

Gearing up for a camping or day trip or some Labor Day fun? Gather some prep tips for cooking outdoors along with recipes from MDC's seasoned chefs in this nature note.

Blooming sunflowers and other natural landscapes create dynamic photo ops. Learn tips to make the most of your nature photos and discover more about sunflowers in this nature note.

Watch for these aerial diners and flyers this summer while enjoying your favorite ball team at play. Discover Nighthawks in action and raising young in this Discover Nature Note.

To mark the Independence Day holiday, we are celebrating red, white, and blue in nature. It's surprising how often these colors appear and where. You can see patriotic colors on display in the wild, watch a video, and learn more in this Discover Nature Note.

They can leap at heights that in humans would allow us to high jump the Gateway Arch and pull G forces more than 80 times a diving fighter pilot or ascending astronaut. Spittlebugs create their own protective bubble to grow up in as nymphs. Discover more about their superpowers in this Discover Nature Note.

Beavers are ecological engineering marvels. Their constructions create communities where other wildlife travel, rest, and feed. See who shows up when beavers build a dam, and learn more about them in this Discover Nature Note.

While the steadfast tortoise wins his race with the hare, when it comes to contests with automobiles, turtles always lose. Discover more about turtles in this Discover Nature Note.

Forests are energy factories! Discover what's blooming and who's moving in Missouri forests this spring in this Discover Nature Note.

There are thousands of ferns with creative names and healthy features. You can now officially go "gaga" over them with a newer genus of 19 plants named after Lady Gaga, inspired by a Grammy costume and DNA sequencing. Discover the resurrection fern. It comes back to life, has been to space, and is used medicinally. Learn more in this Discover Nature Notes blog.