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Wildlife on the Monastery Property
White-tail Deer
ן Canada
Goose ן
Ground Squirrel
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Great Horned Owl
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Ring-Necked Pheasant
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Porcupine
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Red Fox
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Coyote
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Bald Eagle
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Golden Eagle |
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You may be treated to seeing some wildlife
during your visit to our monastery. Don't be surprised if you see white-tail
deer, pheasants, wild turkey, Canada geese, fox, owls, and other animals
like the ground squirrel. They share our love of this land. |
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White-Tail Deer |
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The beautiful white-tail deer are one of the most pleasing sights we witness
from our home. They range from a reddish-brown coat in the summer to a
grayish-brown coat in the winter. Fawns have beautiful red-brown coats
speckled with white spots. |
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Adults hold their white tails erect when sensing danger to alert others.
They have a keen sense of hearing which allows them to sense humans at quite
a distance. To control overpopulation, these deer are a popular game animal
in the fall of the year. |
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Canada Goose |
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This is one of the most common of geese in Canada. They live throughout the
majority of North America and love our North Dakota grasslands and stubble
fields. |
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They fly in an amazing "V" formation which tells a story of its own in how
they care for each other in flight. Canada Geese have brownish colored
bodies with a long black neck and head. A distinguishing white chin strap is
located behind the bill and eye of the Canada Goose. Flocks of geese can be
heard from a long way off as their rich, musical honking fills the air as
they fly overhead. |
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Ground Squirrel |
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The thirteen lined ground squirrel is a common sight in North Dakota. These
pesky, but darling rodents enjoy making a home in pastures, roadsides, and
our flower beds! |
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A
beautiful pattern of dark stripes and white dots mark the head and back of
this little cutie. They are active during the day and hibernate over the
winter months. They feast on both plant and animal matter, insects, and
seeds. They have to keep a watchful eye overhead as we have several hawks,
owls, and eagles with a hankerin' for these "delicacies"! |
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Red Fox |
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Occasionally, we spot a red fox on our property. In fact, last spring we
enjoyed a peek at some playful new fox pups outside a fox den nearby. The
red fox has pointy ears which are black on the back, a long snout, and a
long bushy red tail with a white tip. |
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The
red fox enjoys an open habitat and are not strictly nocturnal so they are
sighted frequently during the daytime. Their diet consists largely of
rodents, birds and insects. When chased, the red fox swishes its tail from
side to side to spread its scent in many directions. This makes it more
challenging for its predators to follow.
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Coyote |
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We have not spotted coyotes around the
monastery, however, North Dakota farmers can attest to the fact that they’re
around. Although typically afraid of humans, the coyote poses a threat to
livestock and domestic pets. |
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Coyotes can weigh up to 50 pounds and stand about 20 inches in height. They
resemble a large dog with a bushy tail and can survive in very cold
climates. The coyote's diet consists of reptiles, small animals, birds and
some vegetation. Coyotes are territorial and may stay in one location for
many years as long as food is abundant. They hunt both alone and in pairs
and have a keen sense of hearing and smell.
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Great Horned
Owl |
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This commonly recognized owl is distinctive because of its tufted ears that
resemble horns. It is large and has a wingspan of up to five feet. Ranging
in color from brown to light gray, the great horned owl nests in mature
trees or tree rows. |
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It is mostly nocturnal, but will occasionally
hunt during daylight hours. This owl is so powerful it can overcome large
and dangerous prey such as skunks and porcupines. Most commonly, however, it
feasts on ground squirrels, rabbits, ducks, and other rodents.
[Photo courtesy ND Game and Fish Dept] |
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Ring-Necked
Pheasant |
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This gorgeous pheasant is another popular game bird in North Dakota. The
colorful plumage of the male includes a brilliant green head and a white
ring around the neck. Body feathers range from brown, copper, tan, green,
and black with a purplish hue. |
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The females are typically shades of brown. These hardy pheasants have
extremely good eyesight and hearing and can typically be found in stubble
fields and along roadsides.
[Photo courtesy ND Game and Fish Dept] |
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Bald Eagle |
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The
bald eagle, our regal national symbol, is a beautiful sight to behold.
The bald eagle is not bald at all, but rather, has white feathers on its
head, neck and tail. They prefer habitats near coastlines, rivers,
lakes and wet prairies. Like the golden eagle, the bald eagle may use
the same nest year after year, adding more to the nest at each nesting. |
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Average flight speed for the bald eagle is 20 to 40 mph but they can dive at
speeds over 100 mph. The bald eagle feeds on fish, small mammals, waterfowl
and birds. Amazingly, the bald eagle can swim!
[Photo courtesy ND Game and Fish Dept]
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Golden Eagle |
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One
of the sights we appreciate most is that of a golden eagle soaring overhead.
They are common to this area, living in trees along the Missouri River.
They enjoy hunting the wide open farmlands where there is little cover for
its prey — rabbit, fox, snakes, game birds. |
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Its
sharp eyesight allows it to see small prey from a long distance and swoop
through the air at speeds of up to 95 miles per hour, catching birds
in midair. The nests of the golden eagle are used year after year, with the
adult bird adding more twigs each nesting season. Eggs usually number from
one to three, although the firstborn typically kills the following chicks.
[Photo courtesy ND Game and Fish Dept]
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Porcupine |
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We share our home with the North American
Porcupine. The porcupine is the second largest rodent. They usually weigh
between 10 to 40 pounds, and average about 22 pounds.
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Porcupines are plant-eaters. During the spring
and summer, they feed on plants, twigs, and leaves. In the winter, they
survive by chewing through the bark of trees and eating the tender flesh
below. This often results in the death of the tree. In the wild, porcupines
have a life expectancy of 5 to 6 years.
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