Wildlife that lives in the Midwest USA

For part of my life, I have lived in the Midwest, but that is only fairly recently. I grew up along the coast in Southern California, where the temperatures allow for a whole different kind of life for animals and gardening. It has been interesting to see how different it is in other parts of the country.

I love to learn about an area's natural beauty and wildlife, its native plants and animals, etc. Its truly fascinating. One can really enjoy the nature around you if you just keep your eyes open to see it. Temperatures can drop so low here, and I would have thought that to not be a climate that can support the life that I see. Nature has a way of helping out wildlife though, and during the colder months especially, we all can benefit from seeing and appreciating the beauty and life around it. There is so much to learn!

From all kinds of varieties of birds and snakes, to deer, turkeys and more, you will see what kind of diverse things can live in this climate and habitat. Thank you for stopping by.

Some of the wildlife we have seen just around our home include turkeys, robins, cardinals, blue jays, wood peckers, red foxes, squirrels, rabbits, hawks, owls, snakes, raccoons, and more. I wish I could convey the excitement some of us feel when we do see any of these things, but especially the ones we have not seen before.

Red Foxes!

Red foxes are the latest addition to what we have seen, and this was one of the more exciting and gorgeous animals seen here. Unfortunately, I don't have a photo of this, but I wish I did. We found out that red foxes like to eat little rodents or animals, and other things. My husband describes them as very beautiful, like out of a scene on a piece of art. He said their form was even beautiful, not to mention the color. The very next day, my older son also saw one. I found out both times through texts on the phone that came to me when working. When I could look, I saw what they had just seen, and I was so happy for them!

Deer

We have seen deer nearby many times. There actually is an overpopulation of deer in our area which is good news for the hunters here. They are very beautiful creatures also. Since we have a wildlife refuge not too far, that is one great place to go and see them on occasion.

Ducks and Geese

We see lots of ducks and geese here in the Midwest USA. In fact, just the other day we saw several flying overhead, and that has to be one of my favorite sounds! That may sound strange to some, but these are not wimpy birds, and they have a lot to say and say it loud and proud as they are flying over, it seems. The photos I show here, are when it is cold, and another time when it was not so cold.

Wild Turkeys

The turkeys love to run in packs, and while very cautious on the one hand, they come around to get some of the food they love that my neighbor puts out. He actually purchased a turkey feeder, and they respond very well.

Butterflies

Those that know me know my love and fascination for butterflies and moths. These are not considered too big a deal to many people, but they are a very big deal to me. I grow a garden just for these guys, and have planted some perennials to attract them as well. I hope the future years for butterflies and moths are better than this last one, where I saw hardly any. I will keep doing my part to bring them in!

Tree Frogs

We love all kinds of creatures, but these ones can get very loud in the summer months. They are very small little guys, but can really do a shout out when they are looking for their friends. One year, we saved several from a pool that hadn't been opened up in time. Ever since that year, the common ground in the back has seemed to really surge with these little creatures!

Fish

We go fishing periodically here, and catch a variety of things. You can catch bluegill, crappie, bass, and catfish and more. We have fished on trout farms as well, but that is a little bit different. For that, we have gone to Rock Bridge in Missouri, and absolutely love that place. Going to Busch Wildlife is a great place to go as well if you are interested in catching fish. We have made lots of memories there with the boys, with both family and friends, over the years.

Creating Wildlife Habitats

I used to watch a show called wildlife habitats, and our whole family loved this show. Even if people only had an upper deck on an apartment or condominium, you can create a small habitat for little birds, butterflies, etc. Ideally, if you had more room, the options expand beyond that and you would be amazed at how creating a habitat for these creatures, they feel more welcomed and will stick around a bit more.

When viewing the photos, make sure to watch the slideshow also, to see them all, or click on the tabs above the larger photos. Every time I think I have come to a point where I won't see anything new in our area, I become surprised again. So perhaps I will be adding more later on, as I get new surprises like the red foxes seen recently.

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