Rainbow TroutA group of rainbow trout is called a hover.

Their favorite habitat is rivers, streams, and lakes that are cold and clear.Rainbow trout feed on insects, crustaceans, and small fish.

Rainbow trout are members of the salmon family and the largest can get up to 4 feet long.They are famous for their beautiful blue, green coloring with pink streaks.

Bald EagleBald eagles build some of the biggest nests known in the animal kingdom (10 feet deep and 20 feet across is one of the largest ever recorded).Eagles are excellent at catching fish, diving at speeds of 100 miles an hour.

The largest populations of bald eagles are in Canada and Alaska.Bald eagles are the national bird of the United States of America.

Eagles can live up to 28 years in the wild.

Canada GooseCanada geese fly in special V patterns when they migrate. This helps them travel more aerodynamically.Geese are very social birds, sticking with their flocks all year long.They are one of the most common birds found in North America.Flocks of geese can fly very large distances, travelling up to 1500 miles in a day.Geese are known for their “honking” calls, this helps them communicate during the long migration.

BeaverBeavers are one of the largest rodent species on the planet.Beavers can cut down large trees using their massive front teeth.Beavers have the capability to alter their environments by building dams. These dams can block streams and creeks, flooding the surrounding area.A pair of beavers construct a lodge for their family. A lodge is built in the middle of a pond, with underwater entrances so they are protected from predators.A family of beavers is made up of a monogamous pair of parents, newborn kits, and young from the year before called yearlings.

Deer MouseMice are great climbers.They are nocturnal, looking for food during the night to avoid predators.During the winter, mice form large groups so they can huddle together for warmth.Mice are a vital food source for many predators such as owls, snakes, and foxes.Mice are active during the entire winter, feeding on nuts and seeds.

Mallard DuckMallard ducks are the most common duck species on the planet.

The male mallards are called drakes, they have the classic green heads and colorful bodies.Mallards are typically seen looking for food on the surface of calm, shallow bodies of water, looking for insects, small fish, and plants to eat.Mallard ducks migrate north during the summer so they can breed. Females lay around a dozen eggs.A group of mallard ducks in flight is called a sord.

MooseMoose are the largest of the deer family, weighing up to 1800 lbs.Moose antlers are so large they can span 6 feet from end to end.Moose have large hooves that act as snowshoes, keeping its enormous weight on top of the snow.Moose are talented swimmers and they can spend around 30 seconds fully submerged underwater.Moose are fast runners, getting up to speeds of 35 miles an hour.

CougarThese large cats are also known as mountain lions, pumas, or panthers.Cougars have very little contact with humans and are rarely seen. They are nocturnal predators, staying most active from dusk until dawn.Cougars can be found from the Canadian Rockies all the way down to the swamps of Florida.They are shy and solitary creatures, with each cat covering a 30-square mile territory.Cougars hide and store prey for times when food is scarce.

Black BearThis is the most common bear species in North America, ranging from Canada to northern Mexico.Black bears are opportunistic feeders. Their diet includes roots, berries, fish, and mammals.Black bears spend the winter months hibernating in dens. They can survive off large fat reserves they built up from an entire summer of eating non-stop.Mother bears are extremely protective of their cubs. The cubs will stick with the mother for two years.

Despite the name, black bears come in a variety of colors including cinnamon, white, and grey.

LynxLynx have thick fur coats that keep them comfortable during the winter season.

The lynx have large, fluffy paws that allow them to move with ease through deep snow, acting like snowshoes.

Lynx have tufts located on the tops of their ears that function like hearing aids.Their vision is so excellent they can see a mouse from 250 feet away.

Lynx hunt small prey such as mice, squirrels, and birds.

Snowshoe HareHares have large hind legs that allow them to move across the snow with speed and agility.

With the changing of the seasons, the coat of the hare goes from brown during the spring and summer, to white during the fall and winter.Snowshoe hares feed during the night, following well established trails they have created in the snow-covered forests of North America.A typical female snowshoe hare will have 2-3 liters a year, with each litter having 6-8 young.They are a popular food item for many predators including coyotes, foxes, and large birds of prey.

Blue HeronBlue herons have long legs, necks and bills that make them great fishers. They standtypically along the shores of creeks and rivers.Despite being such a large bird, they are quick flyers, getting up to speeds of 20-30 miles an hour.Herons are patient predators, waiting for long periods of time before catching fish with their long necks and sharp bills.These birds are known to nest in groups called colonies.A female blue heron can lay 2 to 7 eggs.

Red FoxRed foxes are famed for their exceptional intelligence and cunning abilities.Their thick and bushy tails are used to communicate with other foxes and provide additional warmth during the winter.You can find red foxes in a wide variety of ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, and mountains.Red foxes have adapted well to human environments and can be found in suburban communities.Just because they are called red foxes doesn’t mean they have a red coat, some have silver, black, or golden coats.

BisonThere were once 50 million bison that inhabited the great plains of North America before they were nearly hunted to extinction during the 19th century.Bison are the largest land animals in North America, weighing from 930lbs to 2200lbs.Bison can run surprisingly fast, getting up to speeds of 40 miles an hour.Females are called cows, they give birth to calves after nine-month pregnancies.

Bison have large, thick coats for dealing with the freezing winter climate of the prairies.

Grey WolfWolves use their famous howls to get the attention of pack members or to send territorial

threats to other packs.Despite being known as one of the natural world’s most vicious animals, they rarely

attack humans.Wolf packs are made up of 6 – 10 animals, with a dominant male and female being the

only ones to breed and produce pups.Wolf packs can travel huge distances, running up to 12 miles in a single day.

They work as a team to hunt large prey such as moose, elk, and deer.

PorcupinePorcupines are covered in sharp quills that give it the ultimate protection from predators.

The porcupines that live in North America are exceptional tree climbers.A single porcupine can have up to 30,000 quills on its body.Porcupine’s mostly eat bark, stems, fruit, and sometimes canoe paddles when theysneak into campgrounds.The name porcupine comes from the latin term “quill pig”. These animals are members of the rodent family.

CoyoteCoyotes are omnivores and their diet includes rabbits, frogs, deer and fruit.Coyotes are very quick animals, getting up to speeds of 40 miles an hour.Native American legends describe coyotes as intelligent and clever creatures.They are very adaptable, living in a variety of environments including prairies,deserts, mountains, and cities.Coyotes are also referred to as prairie wolves because of their smaller appearancethan their larger relative the grey wolf.

Common LoonLoons are named for their clumsy way of moving while on land.Loons live in forested lakes and ponds across North America during the summer.Loons have bright red eyes and black and white checkered bodies.They are most famous for their distinctive cries that are used during the mating season or to defend territory.Loons can have long lifespans in the wild, living up to 30 years.

RavenRaven are the largest North American perching bird.Ravens are exceptional flyers. The males will perform acrobatic dances for the females during the mating season.Ravens are monogamous, meaning that pairs stay together for life. Both the mother and father care for the young each spring.Ravens typically scavenge for food but they sometimes work in teams to hunt small prey.Ravens are renowned for having extreme intelligence for a bird.

White Tailed DeerThey are the smallest members of the deer family, weighing from 110 to 330 lbs.

Male bucks grow a set of antlers annually during the summer. Their antlers help them compete for females during mating season.

Deer are herbivores, eating leaves, twigs, fruits, and even fungi.Deer have incredible jumping abilities, leaping 10 feet high and 30 feet wide in

a single bound.Baby deer are called fawns, they have red and brown coats with white spots. This helps

them blend into the forest so they won’t be noticed by predators.

References: nationalgeographic.com & encyclopedia.com

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Thank you to the University of Calgary and Medicine Hat College Be Fit for Life Centres for supporting the development of this resource.