Tide pools offer an amazing opportunity to learn about ocean wildlife. One of the most recognizable animals is the Ochre Sea Star. Many people call Sea Stars a Starfish, even though these animals are not fish.
The Ochre Sea Star are related to sea urchins, sea cucumbers, brittle stars, and basket stars. There are approximately 1,500 known species in this animal grouping that inhabit artic, temperate, and tropical waters.
Habitat
Ochre Sea Stars prefer cold salt water and can be found in many Oregon all year round. They can be found on wave-washed rocky shores, tidepools, and amazingly out of water for limited times. Pisaster ochraceus can tolerate a loss of 30 percent of its body fluids for short periods, huge temperature changes, wave surges, and rain diluting salt water.
Identification
These animals come in more than just ochre colors of yellow, orange, curry, and brown. This heavy echinoderm can also be reddish or purple in color. The radius of an adult Sea Star with five stout arms may be up to 18-inches in diameter. The size of the Sea Star is dependent on the food supply.
Prey
Royalty free Unsplash by David Clode
The underside has short, white spines in a pentagonal pattern. In addition, they have tube feet which help them find and capture prey.
Sea Stars are carnivores and feed on mussels, chitons, limpets, snail, barnacles, echinoid, and crustacea. They also eat zooplankton and phytoplanton. If they are so lucky to trap a prey that is too large to swallow whole, they are able to evert their stomach over the prey and digest it before swallowing.
Predators
Sea Stars have few predators such as sea otters, sea gulls, and human visitors to tide pools and collectors.
Royalty free Unsplash by G-R Motlez
If I only had a brain
Sea Stars are a simple organism that does not have a brain. Nerves coordinate activities through nerves that extend around the mouth and through each arm. Each arm has light sensitive cells which help support visual perception. Other perception channels used to communicate include tactile (touch) and chemical.
More than just a pretty face
Sea Stars serve as a keystone species in some communities as a keystone species. They help control mussel populations which will expand to quickly exclude other species.
Sea Stars, through their predation of mussels, balance structure and species diversity in specific communities. Not all communities are affected by Sea Stars.
Next time you see a Sea Star in a tidepool you will know that it is more than just a beautiful unique animal, but also a hard working one as well.
REFERENCES –National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (https://www.omao.noaa.gov/topic/general/sea-star-starfish) –Animal diversity Web (https://animaldiversity.org/Pisaster ochraceus) –Wikipedia, Sea Stars (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pisaster_ochraceus) –Keystone species (https://www.britannica.com/science/keystone-species#ref1111359)
The word “peregrine” means wanderer or pilgrim. Peregrine is a perfect name for this falcon that lives on several oceanic islands and every continent except Antarctica.
Humans and Peregrine falcons have history. Humans have trained falcons as a hunting partners for thousands of years.
This knowledge and experience became critical between 1950-1970 when populations were wiped out by DDT poisoning. Populations in captivity and handling techniques were used to help re-establish populations and save this species.
After significant recovery efforts, Peregrine Falcon populations have rebounded with an estimated global breeding population of around 140,000. They are now regularly seen in many large cities and coastal areas, reside in Oregon, and the species was removed from the Endangered Species List in 1999.
Super Bird
Peregrine falcons have such amazing skills they dwarf comic book super heros. To start with they are, without a doubt, the fastest bird alive.
SPEED: General traveling flight is only around 25-34 mph, In pursuit, these numbers dramatically change to nearly 69 mph, with spectacular skydives reaching speeds of 240 mph.
These skydives, called stoops, begin 300–3,000 feet above their prey. The falcon tucks its pointy wings tightly to the body to maximize speed. It then either strikes or grabs the prey hard enough to stun or kill.
Peregrine falcon hunting (royalty free Unsplash)
HUNTING TECHNIQUES: Other hunting techniques include selecting birds out of a large flock, level pursuit, and ground hunting. If you see a sudden eruption of a peaceful flock, a Peregrine is most likely nearby. Some of the flock may be trying to mob the Peregrine and drive it off.
FLEXIBLE DIET: Prey predominantly includes primarily birds, but can include bats, rodents, fish and prey pirated from other raptors. Falcons consume over 450 North American species. Worldwide diet choices can run upward of 2,000 choices worldwide.
This can include birds ranging from a large Sandhill Crane to a tiny hummingbird. More typical prey species include shorebirds, ptarmigan, ducks, gulls, pigeons, and songbirds.
FEW PREDATORS: Predators include eagles, Great Horned owls, Gyrfalcons, and other peregrines.
SHARED CHARACTERISTICS: All falcons have some shared characteristics that includes: a conspicuously toothed and notched bill, a nasal cone, and pointed wings which may span over 44 inches.
Nesting
It is not unusual to find a 24/7 camera poised on a Peregrine falcon nest perched on a tall building in the city. Peregrines will perch and nest on any open tall structure such as a skyscraper, water tower, power structures, bridges, rim of the Grand Canyon, in trees on steep slopes, and more.
They typically create a nest about one-third down the cliff face anywhere from 25 to 1,300 feet high. The nest itself is pretty minimal ‘scrape’ about nine inches across and two inches deep.
In a pinch, falcons will select abandoned nests created by other birds such as, Bald Eagles, Osprey, Red-tailed Hawk.
Superstar Chicks
At birth, this baby is entirely helpless with closed eyes. Yet, the tiny falcon chick will work up to 36 hours to peck free of it shell. This amazingly, difficult process has been the focus of many morning falcon-cam programs.
Juveniles have many vertical bars on their breasts. Adults also have the barred under breast, with blue-gray feathers above and a dark head with thick sideburns. This barred look is standard across all ages and geographic variation.
Where to find them
Peregrines inhabit open landscapes from tundra to deserts when not nesting. Areas include coastlines, barrier islands, lake edges, mudflats, and cliff sides. They may also be found near concentrations of prey, such as Rock Pigeons.
Peregrines in the Arctic tundra will migrate to South American earning their high mileage discount by covering as much as 15,500 miles in one year. Their sharp homing instinct will lead them back to favored nesting spots which may have been in continuous use for hundreds of years, by successive falcon generations.
Common, or North American, Porcupines range from northern Mexico north into Canada, and Alaska. Porcupine species can be found in tropical and temperate habitats on every continent except Antarctica.
Common porcupine (courtesy of ODFW)
Different species of porcupines developed similar but different types of quills. The 11 species of ‘Old World’ porcupines have quills grouped in clusters. The 12 species of ‘New World’ species, like the Common Porcupine, have quills that are attached singly.
There are other differences as well with the ‘Old World’ preferring rocky areas in higher elevations. The ‘New World’ porcupines are somewhat smaller, live in lower elevations, are excellent climbers, and prefer woodlands.
Oregon’s Porcupine
One ‘New World’ porcupine lives in Oregon, the Common porcupine. Is a large, stocky, short-legged rodent. Male can weigh over 23 pounds and stretch out nearly 4 feet (including the tail). Females are lighter and smaller.
Porcupines are usually dark brown or black and have white highlights. Modified hairs, or quills, cover most body surfaces (except the underbelly, face, and feet). Quills are scattered among the course dark guard hair and normally lie flat against the body.
Diet
These slow-moving rodents live in mixed coniferous and hardwood forests and some rockier areas. Porcupines are active mostly at night, but can be seen feeding in the trees at any time.
Their diet is predominantly vegetarian (including twigs, roots, stems, berries, needles, bark, etc.) and they are pretty picky when choosing which tree to munch on.
They also like salt of any kind and will seek out salt in any form (like that used in plywood, in a backpackers bag, collected on a hand tool, etc.).
Quills
Porcupines do not hibernate and are active year around. Their hollow quills and wooly underfur keep them warm. The quills insulate the porcupine, similar to a polar bear’s fur, and help the porcupine swim.
Native American tribes used quills as tools and decoration (baskets, clothing, and on any item decorated with beads).
Baby porcupines or “porcupettes” are born with quills. These quills typically harden within one hour of birth. Only one porcupette is in the nest at any one time.
Solitary Animals
Male porcupines are solitary (and quiet) for most of their lives, except during breeding season. The volume and activity gets turned up during breeding season.
Males may fight for the right to mate. Males also perform an elaborate dance as part of the mating process.
Females are also solitary most of the time except when breeding and caring for their young. The female provides all parental care. Their solitary life style is cited as one reason for their long lives (up to 30 years in the wild).
Chatter
Porcupines make a variety of vocalizations, some which can be heard at considerable distance. Sounds include moans, grunts, coughs, wails, whines, shrieks, and tooth clicking. They are very vocal during mating season and during attacks.
Even though they are physically slow, they are intelligent and able to learn quickly. They have good memories and will remember being mistreated.
Defense
Porcupines are not aggressive. Even so, they have several effective defense strategies. Like a skunk, the mammal first let’s go a very strong warning odor. They may also loudly clatter their teeth and give a verbal warning.
The quills however are most deadly defense.
In an attack, the porcupine turns its rear to the predator and contracts muscles near the skin. This causes the quills to stand up and out from the body (‘bristle’), it also reveals a white stripe down the porcupine’s back.
The white stripe is a warning to other animals and is relatively visible in the dark. Two other North American mammals have contrasting black and white warning colorations. Can you name them? Answer at the end of the story.)
Quill Defense
Bristled quills can detach relatively easy at this point, particularly if the porcupine connects a tail-full at the attacker’s face. The hollow quills easily imbed into the attacker’s flesh.
Quills easily penetrate and embed into skin. They are very painful and difficult to remove.
Each quill has a microscopic barb on the end which makes it difficult to dislodge. Body heat causes the barbs to expand and become deeply embedded.
Embedded quills can cause death or injury to most predators. It takes about 10-42 days to replace quills lost in defense.
Typically, the attacker will retreat. If not, the porcupine will try to escape by climbing a tree. ‘New World’ porcupines are good climbers, and yet, occasionally fall out of trees usually when trying to get that tempting morsel at the end of the branch.
Do they stab themselves?
That brings up the question of ‘Does a porcupine stab itself when it falls from a tree?’ Why yes.
Porcupines have a special protection against self- inflicted pokes/infections. They are the only North American mammal with antibiotics in its skin.
Predators
Predators can include cougars, wolves, coyotes, bears, raptors (golden eagles and great horned owls), and fishers (a cat-sized mammal related to a weasel).
Fishers and cougars are high risk predators for the porcupine. Both are tree climbers and will force the porcupine to the ground. Fishers will repeatedly bite the porcupine face and wear the animal down.
Quills, however, are not much of a threat to a cougar. It is able to tolerate them to a certain level, although some have been killed with dozens of quills embedded in their gums.
REFERENCES: –Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife (https://myodfw.com/wildlife-viewing/species/porcupine) –Porcupines (http://www.nhptv.org/natureworks/porcupine.htm) –Wikipedia, common porcupines (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_porcupine) –USDI, Fish & Wildlife Service (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/Tetlin/wildlife_and_habitat/porcupine.html and https://www.fws.gov/refuge/julia_butler_hansen/wildlife_and_habitat/mammals/porcupine.html)
ANSWERS:
True and false: 1. True. Porcupines have 30,000 quills. 2. False. They don’t throw them. 3. True. 4. True and maybe reminiscent of the 1980’s Disco (just kidding!). 5. True. 6. True. 7. True, the air in the quills help them float.
Other white-striped animals: wolverines and skunks.
