When I penned last week’s column on river otters, I did a little more research to confirm that all my info was accurate. I knew otters fed primarily on fish, but I didn’t know that they can also feed on some aquatic plants.

In fact, one of the pictures I had taken showed her with what looked like the underwater stem of a cattail in her mouth. So, I thought I’d give you some facts on animals you might see regularly in this region but maybe you didn’t know.

I discussed this before, but did you know that a denning black bear, does not defecate or urinate? Woodchucks, which are true hibernators, also don’t defecate or urinate, but unlike black bears, their body temperature drops to about 40 degrees and the heart rate slows dramatically. For a bear, with helpless cubs lying next to her and nursing while it is 10 degrees outside the den, she needs to maintain her body temperature. Why then, through respiration and utilizing her stored fat, doesn’t she need to eliminate her wastes while relatively alert? Biologist still don’t know.

Did you know that a baby porcupine doesn’t have stiff quills like the adult? They are born covered with soft bristles that harden into the quills in about two weeks. As an added note, they are able to leave their “mom’s” care in about two to three months because of their excellent quill protection.

Did you know that snakes shed their skin regularly to grow? A young snake may shed its skin four or five times a summer. As it ages it may only shed its skin once a year because it begins reaching maximum adult size.

Did you know that is why you can’t age a rattlesnake by the number of its rattles? One rattle is added each time it sheds and some could break off as well.

Did you know that snakes have no eyelids but they have a scaly eyecap that comes off the eye every time it sheds.

Did you know that we have a number of shrew species living in the Times News coverage area, and their metabolism is meteoric. Their hearts beat about 1,000 times a minute and they need to eat their own weight in food each day.

Did you know that a ruby-crowned kinglet, weighing a little more than a penny, can lay up to 10 eggs in her nest? But remember they only lay one egg per day. Carrying 10 formed eggs would make it impossible for her to fly.

Did you know that only one stage of an insect survives the winter? For example: A female yellow jacket is the only one in the hive to survive being frozen. Tent caterpillar eggs are the overwintering stage of their life cycle. The banded woolly bear caterpillar is an example of a larval stage that survives the winter, even being frozen.

Did you know that in 1975 (my first year observing hawk migrations along the Blue Mountain) Hawk Mountain hawk watchers recorded 19 bald eagles for the entire fall migration? This year they recorded 791.

Did you know that golden crowned kinglets, tiny and very active winter birds (weighing less than a penny), eat three times their weight in food each day. If they don’t eat something in an hour or two, they’ll starve or freeze to death. Note: they weigh the same as our ruby-throated hummingbird.

I kept this did you know about the kinglet so that when you take that cold walk in the winter woods you can look for these always-on-the move birds. Look for them hovering like a hummingbird as they glean almost unseen insects.

Test Your Outdoor Knowledge: A baby porcupine is called a (n): A. porcupette; B. cub; C. kit; D. colt; E. kid.

Last Week’s Trivia Answer: A young otter is called a pup.

Email Barry Reed at breed71@gmail.com