Download Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus) American Goldfinch

Monarch Butterfly
(Danaus plexippus)
American Goldfinch
(Carduelis tristis)
Identification
Identification
• Large butterfly (wingspan of 3.54.0 in.)
• Length: 13 cm, wingspan 23 cm.
• Breeding males are bright yellow, with black
wings, white wing-bar, black forehead.
• Adults have orange and black
wings
• Females and nonbreeding males are duller
with yellow-brown plumage, dark wings and
light wing-bars.
• Adults can be confused with
viceroy butterflies, which have a
black stripe across their lower
wings. Monarchs do not have
that stripe.
Habitat
Brushy thickets, weedy grasslands, and
nearby trees.
• Monarch caterpillars are
distinctive, with yellow, black, and
white stripes.
Habitat
Breeding male
Interesting Fact
Viceroy butterfly
Found anywhere milkweed grows, including meadows and disturbed
habitats like roadsides and agricultural fields.
Interesting Fact
The caterpillars feed on milkweed and store plant compounds that
make them poisonous to predators.
Brown-headed cowbirds sometimes lay eggs
in American goldfinch nests. However, the
cowbird young rarely survive, probably
because goldfinches feed mostly seeds to their
nestlings, and this diet is inadequate for
cowbird development.
Nonbreeding male
Phenophases – Do you see…?
Adult bird? Adult(s) in flight or at rest.
Phenophases – Do you see…?
Active adults? Adult(s) in flight or at rest.
Courtship? A male approaching a female, even if it is rejected or
otherwise fails to copulate.
Copulation? A male and female coupled via copulatory organs. Can
be at rest or in flight.
Caterpillars? Caterpillars (larvae), usually found on milkweeds.
Occupied nest? Adult(s) entering, sitting on,
or leaving nest.
Breeding female
Nestlings being fed? Adult(s) carrying food to nest.
Eating fruits or seeds? Individual(s) eating fruit or seeds from a
cone, plant, or the ground.
Male in breeding plumage? Adult male(s) in full summer plumage
Quaking Aspen
(Populus tremuloides)
Staghorn Sumac
(Rhus hirta)
Identification
Identification
• 40-70 ft. high, 1-1.5 ft. diameter, and
leaves 1.25-3 in. long.
• 30 ft. high, 8 in. diameter, leaves 1-2 ft. long,
and leaflets 2-4 in. long.
• Leaves roundish, abruptly short-pointed,
• Leaves pinnately compound. Leaflets lance-
rounded at base, finely saw-toothed, and
turn golden-yellow in autumn.
• Bark whitish, smooth, and thin, becoming
gray, furrowed, and thick on large trunks.
• Flowers occur as drooping catkins 1-2 in.
long. Fruits similarly occur in drooping
clusters.
Habitat
Many soil types, especially sandy and gravelly slopes.
Interesting Fact
Quaking aspen is the most widely distributed tree in North America.
shaped, saw-toothed, nearly stalkess, and
turn bright red with purple and orange in
autumn.
• Bark dark brown, smooth to scaly. Twigs
covered with velvety, brown hairs.
• Flowers have greenish petals and occur in upright clusters up to 8
in. long. Fruits rounded, 1-seeded, dark red, covered with long,
dark red hairs, and also occur in upright clusters.
Habitat
Open uplands, edges of forests, roadsides, and old fields.
Interesting Fact
Native Americans made a lemonade-like drink from the crushed fruit.
Phenophases – Do you see…?____________________________
______________________________________________________
Unfolded leaves? A leaf is “unfolded” when the leaf stalk or leaf
base is visible.
All leaves fallen? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of the
leaves have fallen.
≥ 50% leaves colored? For the whole plant, at least half of the
leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have changed to
their late-season colors.
Open flowers? The reproductive parts of at least one flower are
visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include spent
(wilted) flowers that remain on the plant.
All leaves colored? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of
the leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have
changed to their late-season colors.
Full flowering? For the whole plant at least half of the flowers are
open and still fresh.
≥ 50% leaves fallen? For the whole plant, at least half of the leaves
have fallen.
Unripe fruits? An unripe fruit is visible.
Ripe fruits? A ripe fruit is visible.
Common Elderberry
(Sambucus nigra)
Rough-stemmed Goldenrod
(Solidago rugosa)
Identification
Identification
• 16-25 ft. high, 6-12 in. diameter, leaves
5-9 in. long, and leaflets 1.5-4 in. long.
• 1-6 ft. high, leaves 1.5-5 in. long.
• Leaves opposite, pinnately compound.
Leaflets elliptical, sharply saw-toothed,
and stalkless or nearly so.
• Bark light gray or brown with raised dots.
• Flowers 0.25 in. wide, fragrant, white
with 4 or 5 lobes, in upright, flat-topped
clusters. Fruits black or dark blue berries, juicy with 3-5 nutlets.
Habitat
• Leaves rough, sharply toothed, very hairy,
and wrinkled.
• Stem rough, hairy with divergent or
arching branches that bear flowers on the
upper side.
• Flower heads are small (0.17 in. long) and yellow with about 6-11
ray flowers and 4-7 disk flowers.
Habitat
Fields, roadsides, and borders of woods.
Wet soils, especially in open areas near water at forest edges.
Interesting Fact
Most plant parts, including the berries, are poisonous when raw, but
are often used for making jelly, preserves, pies, and wine.
Interesting Fact
Physicians in ancient times believed that goldenrod had healing
powers.
Phenophases – Do you see…?____________________________
______________________________________________________
Unfolded leaves? A leaf is “unfolded” when the leaf stalk or leaf
base is visible.
All leaves withered? Virtually all (95-100%) of the leaves are dried
and dead.
≥ 50% leaves colored? For the whole plant, at least half of the
leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have changed to
their late-season colors.
Open flowers? The reproductive parts of at least one flower are
visible between unfolded or open flower parts. Do not include spent
(wilted) flowers that remain on the plant.
All leaves colored? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of
the leaves (including any that have fallen to the ground) have
changed to their late-season colors.
Full flowering? For the whole plant at least half of the flowers are
open and still fresh.
≥ 50% leaves fallen? For the whole plant, at least half of the leaves
have fallen.
All leaves fallen? For the whole plant, virtually all (95-100%) of the
leaves have fallen.
Unripe fruits? An unripe fruit is visible.
Ripe fruits? A ripe fruit is visible.