You may be surprised what you'll find living in your own neighborhood if you take the time to see and hear.
Urban wildlife have the same habitat needs of creatures in the wild—food and water, shelter and space—so you're most likely to glimpse your wild neighbors if you visit habitats that meet their needs. A sterile environment won't foster much life. A creek channelized between concrete banks cannot support the vegetation needed to provide food and shelter for a web of life; it becomes merely a path to carry water. Likewise, a park with carefully tended bluegrass lawns won't attract and support the variety of wildlife seen in a park planted and managed to "go native."
Aquatic areas with untended vegetation are excellent sites to discover wildlife. The large guinea-pig-sized animal, frequently seen creating a V-shaped wake in the water as he swims in urban ponds and streams, is a muskrat—an aquatic rodent that lives along stream-banks and feeds on aquatic vegetation. At night raccoons frequent city streams and waterways, fishing for invertebrates in the water; check the soft mud at the water's edge for their human-like "hand" and footprints. Go wild and wade. Look for crayfish, turtles, fish, tadpoles and salamanders. You might even see otter tracks where clean rivers flow through undisturbed areas. And teeth-felled willows or aspen are a sure sign that beaver have moved in.
The natural drainage paths found in playgrounds and open spaces around schools, churches and other buildings often foster tiny wetlands—cattail marshes soon inhabited by territorial red-winged blackbirds. The long vegetation may also shelter frogs and snakes, mice and shrews and maybe a hunting red fox.
The solitude and lush landscaping of cemeteries beckon to many species. Rabbits nibble the shrubs and plants; mice and voles find shelter in the grass, in turn attracting foxes, owls, hawks, garter snakes and other hunters.
Sound may be the best way to enjoy amphibians in the city. On spring and summer evenings, visit a local pond or waterway and listen for the croaking of amphibian choruses as male toads and frogs sing to establish their territories and to attract mates.
Winter is one of the best times to discover the wild residents of the city as they leave their signature in the snow. After a fresh snowfall, look for tracks, wing marks and other disturbances, and try to interpret the story they tell—a fox's dog-like paw prints following a trail, perhaps pouncing on a mouse under the snow; a pheasant taking flight, its wing tips and long tail brushing patterns in the snow. These tantalizing clues reveal the secret lives of the wild neighbors we may never see.
Land humans consider worthless—junkyards, abandoned lots, waste dumps, rough areas around industrial sites—is often inhabited by wildlife. Junked cars, broken concrete pipe and abandoned sheds offer holes for mice, nest sites for songbirds, and burrow concealment for skunks. Jackrabbits hide under shrubs on dry, overgrown lots. And show a prairie dog an open field, highway median or untended strip next to a baseball diamond, and he'll move right in with lots of family in tow. Prairie dog communities attract all kinds of hungry predators. Ferruginous and other hawks, coyotes and owls arrive looking for a meal, while bullsnakes and burrowing owls set up housekeeping in recently abandoned burrows.
Fence and utility poles along roads and streets are great places to watch for raptors, everything from small kestrels to golden eagles. At night you just might see bats hunting above streetlights; they're attracted by the insects that are drawn to the light. At dusk bats stir from their daytime roosts in attics and buildings, under eaves or other dark, secluded spots in the city. Sometimes you can hear the high-pitched squeaking overhead as bats search for food.
So now that you know they're in the neighborhood, take the time to get acquainted with your wild neighbors!