Parks & Trails Fun Quiz: February 2022

The Snowshoe Hare turns white in winter!

Minnesota is home to three kinds of rabbits/hares that look similar. Both the Snowshoe Hare and White-tailed Jackrabbit turn white in winter, although the White-tailed Jackrabbit's fur is a mottled white.

Photo by Dave Doe/Flickr CC

The FALSE statement is that snowy owls turn brown in summer!

Snowy owls actually stay white all year. The photo shows a female Snowy Owl with dark bands.

Photo by Jongsun Lee, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

These are Whitetail Deer tracks!

These deer make heart-shaped prints with their hoofs that follow a neat line when they walk. The hind hoof falls directly into the print created by the forehoof.

True!

Even though you likely won't see many beavers in winter, they are staying active within their lodges, which are usually occupied by a family group. They often swim out through an underwater entrance and forage for vegetation in the water. The lodge rarely dips below freezing thanks to their body heat and good insulation.