Creatures & Critters on Campus
The white-tailed deer is tan or brown in the summer and grayish brown in winter. It has white on its throat, around its eyes and nose, on its stomach and on the underside of its tail. The male has antlers. Males weigh between 150 and 300 pounds and females weigh between 90 and 200 pounds.
Deer collect in family groups of a mother and her fawns. Female fawns may stay with their mother for two years, males usually leave after a year. Winter is a dangerous time for deer. Their long narrow legs and pointed hooves make it hard for them to move around in the snow and ice and it is easier for predators to catch them. |
![]() A perennial favorite among people, the Northern Cardinal is the state bird of seven states. The oldest recorded Northern Cardinal was a female, and was 15 years, 9 months old when she was found in Pennsylvania. A mated pair shares song phrases, but the female may sing a longer and slightly more complex song than the male. |