Small Birds

  • Small Birds
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
  • Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography
    Photo by David Rosen, Wildside Photography

Red-winged Blackbird

common name: Red-winged Blackbird
scientific name: Agelaius phoeniceus
phylum: Chordata
class: Aves
order: Passeriformes
family: Emberizidae
habitat: wetlands, cropland, grasslands and roadside ditches

Western Meadowlark

common name: Western Meadowlark
scientific name: Sturnella neglecta
phylum: Chordata
class: Aves
order: Passeriformes
family: Emberizidae

Killdeer

common name: Killdeer
scientific name: Charadrius vociferous
phylum: Chordata
class: Aves
order: Charadriiformes
family: Charadriidae
Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
Patient, little bees

Solitary Bees generally only collect pollen and nectar from a single species of plant (or from a few closely-related plants). Researchers have discovered that vernal pool Solitary Bees can hibernate underground for up to four years, waiting for the 2-3 weeks when their host plant is in bloom.

Learn more about these native California bees...
Sacramento Splash - Helping children understand and value their natural world picture
Bacteria made life possible on Earth

For 2 billion years, bacteria were the only creatures on Earth. Long before the dinosaurs, a special type of bacteria slowly increased the level of oxygen in the Earth's air to 20 percent. Without this oxygen other plants and animals could not have evolved, including us.

Learn more about bacteria...