Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
he
American white pelican
(Pelecanus erythrorynchos)
can be 5 feet (1.5 m) long and have
a wingspan of 9 feet (2.7 m). Park Service regulations protect the pelican's nesting place (the
lake's Molly Islands) from approach by any watercraft.
A much smaller fish-eating bird is the
osprey
(Pandion hali-aetus).
Its body is black or
brown above and white below, with a black patch under the crook of its wing and powerful
talons for catching fish. One can see osprey nests on high pillars or tall pines in the Grand
Canyon of the Yellowstone. The 2003 Frank Island fire destroyed many osprey nests.
he
California gull
(Larus californicus)
nests on the islands of inland lakes, including Yel-
lowstone Lake, and winters along the Pacific coast, turning from a brownish color when young
to all white underneath and gray above as it matures.
The park has its share of
Canada geese
(Branta canadensis),
which have become
something of a pest around northern U.S. cities. This large goose is characterized by its black
neck and white chin strap and its deep honking.
Small Mammals of the Forest
If something is flying over your head at dusk, it may be a
little brown bat
(Myotis lucifugus).
Three to four inches (7-10 cm) long, this bat finds moths, mosquitoes, and other insects at
night by echolocation. It hibernates for about half of the year.
Yellow-bellied marmots
On rocky slopes, near mountain passes, and at the Yellowstone Canyon, you'll see the
much larger
yellow-bellied marmot
or
rockchuck
(Marmota flaviventris),
whose low-slung
body may be over 2 feet (0.7 m) long. The marmot digs burrows and spends much time un-
derground but also loves to soak up the sun.
Nocturnal rodents are the common
deer mouse
(Peromyscus maniculatus)
and the much
larger
bushy-tailed woodrat
(Neotoma cinerea).
This pack rat collects and hoards miscel-
laneous objects, especially shiny ones. Old Faithful Inn sets up mouse motels, since the con-
cessionaire must follow the park policy of killing no wildlife.
