Bobcats, black caps and Northern Michigan habitat

In this episode of the Wildtalk Podcast, we talk to Mike Kowalski about habitat work happening in Michigan's Northern Lower Peninsula, fly away with a discussion about black-capped chickadees, and we wrap up the episode with a chat about the elusive bobcat.

Episode Hosts: Rachel Lincoln and Eric Hilliard
Producer/editor: Eric Hilliard

• All things habitat
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Prescribed fire explained
• All things feathers
  • Black-capped chickadee
  • Avian influenza
• All things fur
  • Bobcat

Questions or comments about the show? Contact the DNR Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 (WILD) or email dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.

Transcript

Announcer 
The Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App is your digital connection to all things hunting and fishing in Michigan by store and display your hunting and fishing licenses, check your points and chances for elk and bear, apply for the draw and view drawing results, access all the hunting and fishing regulations, view your hunter safety certificate, and report your harvest all from within the Michigan DNR Hunt Fish App. Just click the app banner at the top of the page for download instructions at michigan.gov/hunting.

 Announcer
You know what that sound means. It's time for the Michigan DNRs WildTalk podcast. Welcome to the WildTalk Podcast, where representatives from the DNRs Wildlife Division chew the fat and shoot the scat about all things habitat, feathers, and fur. With insights, interviews and your questions answered on the air, you'll get a better picture of what's happening in the world of wildlife here in the great state of Michigan.

 Rachel 
Welcome to our February edition of the Wil Talk podcast, the month of Love, especially for coyotes. This is your host, Rachel Lincoln. And joining me as always is co-host extraordinaire Eric Hilliard, who forgot to take himself off mute in the year 2025.

 Rachel 
Still fooling.

 Eric
Yeah, yeah. I'm picturing a couple of coyotes, sort of like Lady in the Tramp style outside of an Italian restaurant. She went for the same noodle. You've seen that one, right? Or is that is, is that one too old even for you?

 Rachel
Oh, no, I have seen that one probably 100 times. And actually, I just recently rewatched it. I'm in a whole Disney movie phase as I get ready to go to Disney World in a couple of weeks. Revisiting all of the iconic Disney movies and was pleasantly surprised that Bug's Life holds up as well as it does. That movie is still hilarious and well done.

 Eric
Yep, still a great movie. Disney is my worst nightmare. I am not a fan of Disney. You don't have to give me any of your comments on Disney. Maybe you can tell after you return from Disney how you feel about Disney. But as for me, having been there twice, once as a kid, once as an adult with my own kids, I feel it is. It's not the place for me.

 Rachel 
There's no magic for you in Disney. Got it. I'm looking forward to it. I'll definitely keep you updated. I have never been to Disney, so I've I don't even know how what to like expect out of the experience, but I am super excited to just be in sunshine in February and in a warmer state. And because I was like, I don't know if we're going, if Disney is going to be for me and I want some nature time. We're also going to go to Everglades National Park. And so I'm going to get to see some Florida wildlife here in a couple of weeks and I'm super stoked for that. And I'll probably will be more excited to talk about seeing crocodiles and alligators than any of the rides at Disney. So stay tuned.

 Eric
You should just talk to Heidi, our secretary. You know how into Disney Heidi is. I'm sure she could tell you everything you wanted to know about Disney.

Rachel
I have picked her brain several times. And honestly, I've asked a lot of people about their experiences at Disney. And everybody has different opinions and different expertise. And it is so grand, and it is such a large amusement park that everybody has different takes on food, on rides, on lines, on this, that and the other thing. So, after asking enough people and having a list of 100 things you have to do there, like, I am just going to let all my expectations go and see what happens.

 Eric
Yeah. You could ask Donald Duck if he ever makes his way past the managed waterfowl areas that we have here in the state of Michigan during his migration time 

Rachel

Or if he's ever heard of his cousin from Michigan, Maverick the Mallard. Man, I don't miss wearing that costume as a student assistant. But we all have to pay our dues, right?

 Eric
That's right.

 Rachel
Well, we're now officially one month into the new year. Eric, are you keeping up on any of your New Year's resolutions?

 Eric
I don't make New Year's resolutions. I'm kind of… I’m very Yoda-esque. It's like a do or do not. There is no try. I'm either going to do something or I'm not. And I'm going to make that decision at whatever point it makes the most sense.

 Rachel
Very Eric response of you to say.

Eric

How about you? Do you have any New Year’s resolutions?  

Rachel

Actually, no, I am usually a big New Year's resolutions person and more of just like a challenge. Like I love a challenge, right? So, like, I'm not gonna do this or I'm gonna do this, yadda, yadda. But not this year.

 Eric
Not, not Yoda Yoda.

 Rachel
No, actually I'm leaning into Yoda because again, I'm going to Disney. So, I did watch Star Wars. I am trying to learn more about Yoda for the first time in my life. But no, no, New Year’s resolutions. I'm pretty excited for this year. I think it's going to be a good one. For some reason, I'm much more partial to years that end in odd numbers. So, like 2025 has a very pleasing ring to it. And also, I'm sorry, I'm going to say it, Eric, I know I'll break your heart a little bit, but I am super excited. In a couple of weeks, I'm going to go on a pretty incredible experience up to the UP to document a new research project. And I can't say more about it, but we'll give you all the details in March.

 Rachel 

I do want to thank our listeners. Last episode we announced that we were having a listener survey open, and we've received almost 500 responses from that, which has been incredible. And so you participated and provided responses to give us feedback on what you like or what you want to see changed on the show. Just know we're taking it very seriously and really appreciate the time you spent because there were some really thoughtful responses in there. And so several of you will be randomly selected to receive a WildTalk Podcast camp mug, and we will be contacting you shortly to get your information so we can make sure you get your super cool mug.

 Eric 
Yeah. I especially like the ones where, you know, people don't pull any punches and they're just, they lay it all out there. Tell us how they feel.

 Rachel
It's helpful. I will say that if nothing more, it gives you something to think about.

 Eric
So what do we have lined up for this February edition of the show?

 Rachel
Well, first up, we're going to head up to northern Michigan to talk with Mike Kowalski. He's a wildlife assistant out of the Traverse City office and he knows a thing or two about wildlife habitat management. So, he's going to give us an update on what's happening in the region. Then we're going to talk about the black-capped chickadee, a bird many of us are seeing this time of year. And hopefully we'll tell you all of the reasons why you should love it because you should. And then we will switch gears and talk about one of the finest hunters we have on the landscape, the bobcat. Of course, we will have a chance for you to participate in our Mug Me trivia section to win a WildTalk Podcast camp mug. And again, we're going to encourage you to submit us an audio file asking your burning wildlife or conservation questions. We really want to put your voice on this podcast and then have one of our DNR experts provide an answer. So if we learned anything from the survey, it's that you all have very good questions and you want to hear interesting topics.

 Eric
That's right. And if you send us your voice memo, don't worry, we're going to tweak the editing on things, so you sound nice and clear and concise with your question. Depending on how many we get, we might not be able to get them all on in a single month, but we're going to take what we can and put them on the air and get your question answered.

 Rachel

Yes, absolutely. So, take a minute to record your questions using the Voice Memo app on your phone, and you can e-mail those to us at DNR-Wildlife@michigan.gov. It would be awesome if we could include you in this podcast. We've got a great show lined up for you. Let's dive into it.

 Announcer
Trees provide for the well-being of our state. That's why we work so hard to keep our forests healthy and abundant. So, wildlife has a home and so do people. So that there's clean air and water for everyone. And so, Michigan's economy can be as strong as the trees that support it. Because every branch of forestry ensures that future generations will always have a tree for life and forests for a lifetime. To learn how sustainable forestry benefits your life, visit Michigan.gov/ForestsForALifetime.

Rachel
Welcome back to the WildTalk podcast. Today we have Mike Kowalski, senior Wildlife assistant out of the Traverse City office here to tell us about the work he's doing for wildlife in the Northern lower region of Michigan. Thanks so much for joining us, Mike. We are looking forward to hearing more from you about your work. Why don't you tell us about yourself and your position in the Wildlife Division?

 Mike
Well, like you said, my name is Mike Kowalski. I work out of the Traverse City office. I started off way back in 2000, which seems like yesterday, as a seasonal, and worked as a seasonal for a few years and then got hired in full time in 2008 and have been trudging along steadily ever since 2008 here in the Traverse City area.

 Rachel
I have to imagine you're probably partial to Traverse City at this point. What's your favorite thing about that part of the state?

 Mike
I have to tell you; it was really cool because I do know that a lot of folks in our in our line of work have to kind of jump around different places to get to where they want to be. And luckily enough, my wife at the time decided that we wanted to get away from northern Ohio and decided to come up here because we had visited many times, and we moved basically for her job. And I happened to, it wasn't two or three days after we moved up here that I saw an ad in the paper, and I said that's always what I always wanted to do. And I've been here ever since. So it's a beautiful area to grow up in and grow old in.

 Rachel 
Yeah, it's certainly better than northern Ohio.

Mike

Yes.

 Rachel
Anyways, moving on. Oh, that's great, Mike. Why don't you tell us a little bit about the projects or initiatives you're working on in your region and why it's important out there?

 Mike
Well, a lot of the stuff that I take care of personally is and then and work with others doing is our opening maintenance projects. We out of the Traverse City office, we manage five different counties, Benzie, Leelanau, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska and Manistee County. Roughly 330,000 acres of state land, along with the private stuff too, which includes roughly about 30,000 acres of non-forested openings. So the non-forested stuff, everybody's going to kind of wonder, you know, kind of what that means that non forested openings are, openings within the forest area as defined as having less than 25% canopy cover of vegetation of 36 inches or taller.

 Rachel
Go ahead and translate that for us in layman's terms.

 Mike
It's basically any area for us, it's like any area within the state forest that is, has very low density of trees or no trees at all. So, we have a couple different things. We have the kind of the way that they're typed out. We have G types which are mostly grasslands and then we have U, types which are in our area it’s where you get a lot of cherry trees, or shrubs. So, and the shrubs can, you know, be varied of, of anything. There's invasives of autumn olive and things like that. But we have good stuff, even some honeysuckle that's, that's around. Some of that is they're finding out now is invasive too. But U types are mostly shrubs. The G types are mostly open grasslands.

 Rachel
And so you are working on maintaining openings in those parts or creating New Forest opening in those parts?

 Mike
Most of our stuff right now is maintaining. The division in that sort has sort of gotten out of now of creating new ones because we have so many. There was a really big push back in the 80s to create more deer hunting opportunities. So, there was a lot of opening creation that was done then. But nowadays most of our stuff is maintaining those openings that were created way back then and taking care of the other stuff that was, you know, already naturally occurring.

 Rachel
So that's a lot of land to cover. And like you just mentioned, you have a lot of forest openings you're maintaining. What are some of the challenges or successes you've seen with those types of projects so far?

 Mike 
You know, some of the stuff is, is that we just really have to be able to stay on top of it. Some of the challenges is it unfortunately is funding, and we seem to be our hunter numbers are falling off. That's a majority of our funding comes from license sales, and we do get PR things which are recreational federal dollars that come to us as well. But those across the landscape and it's not just Michigan, those are shrinking. The costs of managing these as far as fuel and seed and fertilizer are increasing. And so it's becoming a little bit tougher to maintain those same amount of acreages that we had in the past. That seems to be the biggest, the, the biggest one. Wildlife uses these areas for, cover, especially the transition areas between the treed and the open area. There, are a lot of wildlife are, are edge, edge critters and stuff like that. And so, they use these for, they use them for cover, they use them for browsing. These openings are used even for breeding like woodcock and, and turkeys use those openings a lot. So, you know, we try to keep them open. One of the other reasons is for hunting purposes, the hunters really enjoy going out and seeing a nice green field of, of rye. Rye grows very well everywhere. And so they enjoy those so it increases the hunting opportunities, but it also increases wildlife viewing opportunities as well, especially at dawn and dust. The wildlife likes to visit those areas and people are there wanting to check a quick peek at something that's a great place to go to go view them at in those openings.

 Rachel
Gotcha. So, these areas really help a whole lot of wildlife species. And you mentioned that we're constantly removing some of those vegetation layers. How do you do that? What does keeping those openings maintained look like?

 Mike
A lot of the grasslands were able to do that just by mowing. Obviously, it's when we're when we're planting our crops, if we're going to put in a food plot or something like that. Then there's farming that keeps it open as well. But where we have areas where it's really tough keeping that, succession back. But one of the newer pieces of equipment that we have is a is a forestry mulcher. And this was something that we rented off and on over the past probably oh, 7 to 10 years now. And I made a really big push to say, hey, can we stop renting one of these things and can we get our own so that we have it available when we need it, not just when, you know, when it's available through the rental companies and stuff like that. And the division made the leap a few years ago in 2023. And we purchased, finally purchased our own unit along with a truck and trailer to the haul it around. And that unit is actually shared across all of Northern lower and by all of the offices. So that's one of the other things that we do. You're able to chop up the brush and, knock down some of the dead stuff. It helps on a lot of our prescribed burn areas. If, some of our stuff, the way that the woody vegetation grows back so fast that we, if we don't burn it, if we miss a burn window or miss it for a couple of years, then the, the burn is not as successful. I'm it doesn't, it doesn't take out enough, of that woody vegetation or burns too cool if it's not being done at the right time. So, the Fecon is the name of the, the actual brand. So that's how I always refer to what it is as the Fecon. When, we get out there with the Fecon and we can really set back a lot of that encroachment and succession and really open those areas back up to allow the fire to do its job and really get going. So that's one of the biggest things in in our area, one of the new tools I guess in the tool belt that we have to keep our openings open.

Rachel

Sounds like a well utilized piece of equipment that you've brought on board. So it's very exciting for the region.

 Mike
It is, very much so.

 Rachel
Any other upcoming next steps for these projects or other projects coming down the pipeline you're particularly excited about?

 Mike
One of our big areas that we have that's, unique is the Fletcher Grasslands, which is located in southeast Kalkaska County. It was the, it was referred to historically as the as the Fletcher Sharp tail area. It's one of the, it's, it probably is the last known location of Sharp tail in the northern lower. There was, there's been talk off and on whether or not if there was ever going to be a reintroduction of Sharp tail to the Lower Peninsula that would be an ideal spot. So, we have sort of, even though they are not there, there are other species that take advantage of that same type of landscape. So, we sort of manage it out there like it still is managed for Sharp tail, you know, minus a few things. But there's been sort of a renewed effort to take care of that grassland here. So we've got an extra, a little bit of extra funding to take care of some projects that are long overdue with keeping back some of the shrubbery that's there. Enhancing the grasslands that are there just because they're kind of unique on state land, especially in the northern lower. If it's not an area that's farmed in the northern lower, it has trees on it. So, and you know, most of the stuff in our area, the state forest is, you know, is trees. So, it's a unique area that would that we like to take care of. And with having the Fecon out there, we're able to take care of those areas and, actually expand some of that stuff down into, adjoining the Missaukee County as well to take care of things have been identified as, you know, remnant oak, pine barrens and oak savannah and stuff like that. And the Fecon really lets us get in there and remove some of that vegetation to restore the traditional land type that was there.

 Eric
The word Fecon to me sounds like it's probably short for something.

 Mike
Is that's the name of the company. Yep, it's the Fecon FTX 150-2. So Fecon is the name of the company.

 Eric
Interesting. I just think of like Marine Corps recon 

Rachel

Mike, you strike me as someone who might be a little bit of an equipment junkie.

Mike

When it comes to this thing, yes. To this day I still treat it like it's like it is my baby. So, it's hard every time I sign the little papers over for inspection to sit there and say, yeah, go ahead and use it, please bring it back okay. So yeah. 

Rachel

It's awesome. It's awesome to hear people talk about their jobs with such joy and enthusiasm. And you certainly have it and we love to hear it. Well, thank you, Mike, for sharing your insights and giving us a closer look at the important work happening in your neck of the woods. It is very clear that these efforts are making meaningful impacts to wildlife and their habitats, but also hunters and others who are using the land and the communities. So, we appreciate you sharing on it.

 Mike
Not a problem.

 Rachel
Get ready for some feathered fun as we explore the world of the Black-capped Chickadees and the All-Things Feathers segment coming up next.

 Announcer

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 Rachel
Today we're talking about Black-capped Chickadees.

Eric

Chickadee D-D-D-D-D-D. Chickadee D-D-D-D-D-D

 Rachel
That is the song. Everyone has seen a Chickadee. We've got them in Michigan year-round. They're fairly common bird to see, but I'm hoping that we take away just like a few extra reasons to love them because they've got some super cool adaptations that let them stick around all year.

 Rachel
I also learned something about the Chickadee D-D-D that I had no idea existed, that the number of D's you hear in Chickadee D-D-D actually has meaning behind it.

 Eric

So, it's kind of like a Morse code for birds?

Rachel

A little bit. It cues you in on to what is going on in this environment around you. So, it's one of those really cool wildlife facts like once you know to pay attention to it, you can pick up on lots of other things happening around you. So, chickadees are really neat. I will say this winter, in particular, I have developed a real sweetness for Black-capped Chickadees. And it's not like I never didn't appreciate them, but I have this new appreciation for them. They've been a little bit of a saving grace for me this winter. I think I mentioned I got a dog and she's very cute. All good dog things, but I have to go outside with the dog, right? So, I'm a Michigan girl and I love all the seasons. I'm not going to rank them, but it is cold, and I prefer warmer weather. So, I've been going outside in the wintertime a couple times a day for like 20 minutes at a time to take my dog outside. And there are so many chickadees that hang out at eye level. They're close to the ground. You see them frequently when you go outside. And it's developed just like it sucked a little less to be outside in the wintertime, especially when we have like the -20 below temperatures that we've had for so much of January. So, I have really enjoyed watching chickadees this winter.

Eric (voice edited)
Here's to you, Black-capped Chickadee for making winters a little bit better for Rachel. Here’s to you Black-capped Chickadee.

 Rachel
Yeah, no kidding. Winters suck less when you've got pretty birds to watch, that's for sure.

 Eric
I really like how the Black-capped Chickadee looks like it could be a bicycle messenger. It's got like a little bicycle helmet on.

 Rachel
Yeah, they do. They have a little cap. I mean, the name is extremely descriptive. Little black caps. Yes, so they are little messengers for other birds. Chickadees are known as the alarm calls for the forests and will sound off to let other birds in the area know when there are potential threats nearby. So the name Chicka D-D-D is also the sounds that they make, right? That Chicka D-D-D, like they're saying their names. So, the number of D’s that are enunciated in their call is equivalent to the higher threat level. So, more D’s, higher threats and those threats would be like, you know, hawks, owls, birds of prey. But they act as this, the technical term is a sentinel of a multi-species flock. So basically these birds are just super chatty. They're always chit chatting and they can alert other birds in the area when those potential threats are around.

 Eric 
So basically, it'd be like going to DEF CON four with four chickadees, or if they go all the way to 12, it's like threat level midnight.

 Rachel
Excellent translation.

 Eric
I wonder if anybody's even going to get that office reference. 

Rachel

I'm sure if there's anything else I took away from our wildlife surveys, it's that the only one not getting your movie references is me. Everybody else is. So, I need to increase my pop culture references. Like we've mentioned, you've probably seen chickadees before and they do have that black cap on the tops of their heads, but they also have some different color variations to them. So, they do have a big round bulbous head, like they have a bulbous shaped forehead and a little black chin and a teeny tiny cone like bill that has white cheeks that start from their bill that fans out towards the back of their neck. So, you can picture the little black cap white cheeks. And then they've got this white breast feathers with white belly feathers and the grayish light blue back and tail feathers. And those tail feathers are actually much longer than the rest of the body and they point downward. There are some bird species like Wrens where you can really know what you're looking at because their tail feathers point up where as Black-capped Chickadees point downwards. Really what makes these birds most visible is one, you're basically looking for like a little puff ball, but two, they do stick close to the ground. So, they hang out right within, you know, the average humans eye line site so you can see them from a closer distance. They're not really spending a lot of time up in the tops of trees, but they're foraging on the ground and also, they're extremely curious of people and other animals. And so they're not one to immediately flee when you are in a closer distance to them.

 Eric
When I think about Black-capped Chickadees, a lot of times I think about them spending more time on the ground around a bird feeder than actually up on the bird feeder itself.

 Rachel
Yeah, big fans, bird feeders, that's for sure. They're one of the most common bird feeder species that we see. You can also know that you're looking at a chickadee if you see a bird and it's standing upside down. You've seen a little bat hanging upside down by its toes, it wouldn't be too unusual to see a chickadee doing the same. Because they are insectivores, so they primarily are eating insects, especially spiders. They need to get into tight spaces to get to where those insects are at. And so they have these special leg muscles that will help them to move up and down trees and be able to turn on their sides or upside down. Now, like we mentioned, those specialized leg muscles help them to be insectivores. So, they're able to get into, you know, kind of different types of positions to get into the crevices of trees in between the bark layers to be able to get to those spiders, caterpillars, insect eggs. But occasionally they do feed on berries and in the wintertime when food is sparse, suet and other scavenged foods. Now these birds can stick around in Michigan during this cold month when so many other songbirds have to fly south because of some really unique adaptations that they have. And really there are three that help them stick around during cold months. The first is that chickadees have the ability to lower their body temperature during the nighttime when it is obviously much colder and there's not a lot of food to be foraged during the evening hours. They will lower their body temperatures so that they use less energy, which helps them to stay warmer and they can feed less. They can eat less because they require less energy. The second adaptation is that they really focus on eating the right foods. So, we just mentioned suet, berries, insects when they can find them, they're eating foods that are high in energy and protein. And then they also love snacks. So, if they find a lot of foods, they will stash them. They will take those foods, and they will hide them in places where they will return back to them later when they need a quick snack or quick pick me up. And they are we mentioned that they will eat fat. So, suet provided by bird feeders, but there have been chickadees observed actually scavenging fat from deer carcasses and then they go and stash that for snacks later. So, they are efficient little hiders. They pack the snacks and holes and crevices and trees or downed wood and come back to it when they need a quick pick-me-up. The last thing that helps these chickadees thrive in Michigan winters is that they stay with the group. So, we mentioned that they are social critters, and they can be found with lots of other species, but usually chickadees hang out in groups of six to ten birds and this again helps them to communicate. So, one can be on alert watching for threats while others are foraging. But actually, during the winter they almost always sleep at their own place. So they socialize in the day and they head to their singular homes in the evening.

 Rachel
However, there are a few exceptions, and it was once documented that chickadees gathered in a large tree cavity with over 50 other birds to overwinter, and you can imagine it was probably either a really cold night that that occurred on or there was a nearby food source. But again, chickadees. Now chickadees are a forest bird, and though we do see them commonly around our homes and our bird feeders, their natural habitat involves living in the forest near deciduous trees and flitting about with other chickadees. You can occasionally spot the nests of chickadees because again, they are within eyesight usually, and so their nests are about four to 10 feet above the ground, though if you do spot one, of course you always want to leave it be in the tree and not touch it. But these birds are nomadic, and they will use a new nest every year. So Black-capped Chickadees will build their own nest, but they also will use nest boxes that humans provide. So, they are especially attracted to boxes where they're filled with sawdust or wood shavings. For whatever reasons, woodpeckers are too. It's like they have to feel like they earned that nest box or something. So, you can build these boxes, but then fill them with sawdust or wood shavings and they will go in and excavate it out before they move in.

Eric
So it's kind of like those old home improvement shows where like a bunch of other guys do the work and then the other, the host of the show walks in and measures something and acts like they built the whole thing.

Rachel

Something like that. I get the sense that like, they want to work for it, but they don't want to work that hard for it, you know? So certainly, along the same lines. Now, if you were thinking about putting in a nest box, that's great. You just might want to watch out for a few other critters that are interested in that nest box. Mice, squirrels and other birds such as Wrens are also very curious in that nest box and would consider moving in there first before the chickadees can make it their homes. But you can avoid some of this by setting that nest box back farther. So, if you have a forest or if you have a grove of trees, if you put the box, if you install it a few rows back so deeper into that grove of trees, that can deter squirrels and mice, which apparently like to live on the edge of those groves of forests. So, yeah, keep a watchful eye on those nest box to avoid any of these nest predators from entering. And then you also can think about attaching guard on that box and that will help to keep predators from raiding the eggs or the young. Things like raccoons, big nest predator. And so, if you can find a way to prevent raccoons from getting into that box, it can make sure that those birds are able to successfully have eggs and raise babies before they leave and find a new place to live.

 Eric
What do those guards look like?

 Rachel 
It's a cage that has holes in it that are big enough for these small pocket-sized birds to be able to get in and out, but not big enough for or a raccoon's hand or its arm to reach into the nest box. So, it really only allows smaller critters in there. But some other ones that are clever are these twirling contraptions that you can put at the base of a post if you've got the nest box or a feeder on a post. And so when the small mammal, be it a raccoon or a squirrel, climbs up the post, it gets to this twirling device. And as it grabs it, it spins with the motion of the animal and basically just twirls them off. And they can't get up past this spinning device.

 Eric
I think I've seen videos of stuff like that for squirrels where they're just hanging on for dear life and it's just whipping them around till, they finally fly off.

 Rachel
Yeah, we've all seen some of those videos. They go viral pretty quickly. And honestly, mammals like raccoons and squirrels are not easily deterred. If there is an easy food source, they're gonna they're gonna have to learn their lesson on that a couple of times. But overall, it can be really effective for keeping them away from, you know, your nest box or your bird feeders. And something else to keep in mind, raccoons and squirrels can jump far distances and are comfortable falling great distances to get to, you know, a tasty meal. So if you've got trees, like trees with tall canopies in your yard and you know there's a branch that's 10 feet above a nest box or a bird feeder, that is still within the realm of possibilities for a raccoon to go on that limb and drop down 10 feet plus to get to these food sources. They are not deterred by heights very frequently. So be mindful where you put these places or food sources for birds you want to make sure they are well out of reach of other critters that are also interested in them. While we're talking about bird feeders, we should also talk about Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, also known as HPAI, also known as bird flu, which is a virus that's infecting wild birds and waterfowl, as well as domestic poultries such as chickens, turkeys, quail and geese. Now, HPAI is being talked about a lot right now and is important for you to know about if you're going to feed wild birds this winter or the spring or anytime throughout the rest of the year. This virus is spread through poop, so it's spread through bird fecal droppings or nasal discharge. So basically, bodily fluids that birds emit from an infected bird and that can contaminate the medium it lands on. So, it can contaminate the bird feeder or anything that it lands on.

 Eric
Can like imagine going to a salad bar with no sneeze guard and a bunch of sick people kind of that sort of thing, right?

 Rachel
Exactly. Yep. So, it's highly contagious for birds and easily transmissible. So, if you're going to put out bird feeders or bird waterers, you remember to keep them clean. And honestly, it's easy to keep them clean. You just got to get into the mindset that you got to do it frequently. So, it's a simple cleaning solution at least once a week. It's just 10% bleach to water solution, so just a little bit of bleach to water. You give that bird feeder a scrub, you clean off all the gunky bits and then you can put it up with fresh bird seed to help reduce the spread of bird flu amongst our wild birds. Of course, when you are dealing with these bird feeders, you will want to make sure you are taking proper safety precautions. You are wearing gloves and washing your hands after you touch them just to prevent any potential spread of bird flu. Now, if you start to notice death of birds in your area, in particular if you notice the death of six or more wild birds, you can file a report with us through the DNR's Eyes in the Field reporting form, and you can find that on our website at michigan.gov/wildlife.

 Eric
We do have a direct link also for Eyes in the Field. You can get to it by going to michigan.gov/wildlife and clicking on Wildlife Diseases, but you can also go to michigan.gov/EyesintheField and that will take you directly to that form.

 Rachel
That sounds way more efficient than multiple clicks. And if you have poultry, so if you have domestic birds, you can contact Michigan Department of Agricultural and Rural Development for any suspect cases. Any questions that you have about bird flu in your captive flock. Well, hopefully you learned a thing or two about why these Black-capped Chickadees are such fascinating little birds that we have here. They play vital roles in our ecosystems, and they serve their fellow bird communities. So, they're very resilient birds with these unique adaptations and a social nature. And honestly, it's just makes them a joy to watch and observe year-round. All right, folks, you will want to stick around. We just started to talk about how chickadees are cool with all their other forest birds, and now we'll pivot to talk about another cool cat, the bobcat.

 Announcer
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 Rachel
Bobcat, one of two of our wildcat species and one that is so high on my list of wildlife species to see because somehow, I still have never seen one. Also on that list is badgers. If you have any badger photos that you'd like to send to us for me to see, I would love to see them because they're elusive, very hard to find.

 Eric

Bobcats, Badgers, Battlestar Galactica.

 Rachel
You got it, the three B’s of wildlife.

Eric
That's my second office reference today.

 Rachel
Crushing it. I'm so sorry I did not acknowledge either one. I'm so bad at show references. I've seen all these shows. Well anyways, bobcats are utterly fascinating. Now, despite being the smallest wildcat species, they are still two to three times larger than most of our domestic cats. So, our pet cats. Now we have two species of Wildcat here in Michigan. The occasional transient male cougar that wanders around the Upper Peninsula, from time to time. And the bobcat, which can be found throughout much of Michigan. Bobcats are really only one-of-a-kind in Michigan and there's a few traits you can look forward to knowing whether or not you're looking at a bobcat or if you've seen some tracks left behind. What to look for bobcat tracks. If you can keep these tips in mind, you'll be able to identify one when you come across to. First of all, Bobcats are a cat as we mentioned, so it's movement and general shape is really not too different from our house cats that we know and love. You just have to add just a few inches here or there because they are slightly bigger than the average house cat size. They also come in a range of colors, so typically there are grayish, brownish with black and white speckles all over it. And those speckles are really important because they help it blend into its natural surroundings so easily. So, you often can't see it in shady areas where Bobcats are usually moving close to the ground under the cover of bushes or brush piles or trees, where sunlight is kind of moving through those wooded areas and casting different shadows. And so those shadows are reflected on the fur of the bobcat in those speckled type patches. So, it looks like, you know, they blend super well into sun streaming through these underbrush type habitats.

 Eric
I think what you meant was that the sunlight was reflected, but you said the shadows were reflected.

 Rachel
I think it's both. So maybe I'm not describing this well.

 Eric
In terms of like physics, it's impossible for a shadow to reflect because it's an absence of light and not light.

 Rachel
OK, touché, I forgot that you are a physics extraordinaire on your own time. So let me stand corrected. I definitely think you should keep that in the podcast, by the way.

 Eric
Really you think that should stay?

 Rachel
I'm all for it. I think that's a great correction, yes. So they have these pelts that help them blend into their shady environments and ways that they move across the ground. They also have tall ears. So they have very tall catlike ears that are tipped with small black tufts. And they have these jowls around their chin. So, if you look at a bobcat straight on its head almost appears boxy. So right under its eyes and connected to its chin are these patches of longer hairs that give it kind of a bigger looking head than it actually has. But those two characteristics combined the long hair on the jowls and the ears tipped with small black tufts and also the eyes that are aligned with black. Kind of how you know for those of us who wear makeup, we may be familiar with the eyeliner technique called the cat eye. This is where it comes from. So the the black lines, cat eyes, the tipped ears with black tufts and the jowls are all characteristics to look for in a bobcat. Of course, it is a cat, so it would not be complete without a small pink nose and long white whiskers that, frankly, are just cute as heck.

 Eric
Bobcat kittens are some of the cutest dang things you'll ever see.

 Rachel
They certainly are.

 Eric
But if you see a kitten, do not pick it up. Do not go cuddle it or snuggle it. Leave it be.

 Rachel
Yeah, like red explanation point, do not disturb, do not touch. Do not pet. Walk away. Admire from a distance. Now there is one physical characteristic of the bobcat that totally gives this cat's identity away and that is the short, bobbed tail. That's where they get their name from. They have these very short just a couple inch long tails that are tipped in black and white. And actually, this tail can be a tool for survival. So, there's been these studies that we're looking at bobcat behavior. And those tails, once the female mother raises her tail, it shows this black and white spotted tip on the tail and that can actually be a signal to all of the kittens to follow where she's headed. And they're able to see this black and white tip tail through grasses or woody areas. You know, these places of high cover where bobcats are typically found. And so, it helps to be a beacon for the babies to follow. Commonly bobcats are moving in, as we mentioned forests, grasslands, places where there, you know, there's vegetation that's tall enough to keep them really well hidden, but they also move along rivers and waterways because they will feed off of the other animals in those areas. But really, they are starting to thrive in subdivisions and in urban spaces. And we didn't quite know this until the last couple of years with the increase in technology and doorbell cameras and security systems capturing footage of wildlife in the night or, you know, throughout the day. We really didn't know that these bobcats were moving as close as they are or coming up on our porches as frequently as they are until we started to get photos from this technology. And so, it's been super interesting to see how bobcats are using these urban spaces because so many of us have never seen bobcats, but yet their populations can really flourish in these urban environments where we have food sources like bird feeders that attract birds and small mammals, which are the foods of the bobcat. And so it seems like pretty routinely now the wildlife division is seeing emails come in with attachments of a bobcat that has walked across the back porch or is it's in its prowl hunting mode while it sits at a bird feeder waiting for a bird to come in. So super interesting to watch the response of bobcats in these urban environments.

 Eric
So speaking of bobcats in urban environments like that, is there an increase of or is there a concern that people should have for pet safety if they have their pets outside and there might be some Bobcats wandering around. 

Rachel
Both yes and no. So first of all, bobcat attacks on humans are extremely unlikely. They are a cat species that is much more afraid of you than you need to be of it. However, when it comes to your pets, it is a really good idea always. Regardless of whatever species wildlife species you might have, it's a good idea to accompany your small pets outside when you take them out. Wild animals, be it a bobcat or a coyote, can't tell the difference between a small wild mammal and a small pet as a small dog or a small cat. And it's just best for you to accompany your small furry friends outdoors at all times.

 Eric
Yeah, because let's face it, even if a bobcat doesn't, you know, kill a pet, it could still inflict a lot of damage. I'd take that pet to the vet now and get it all cleaned up and healthy again. So, yeah, just a good idea.

 Rachel

It is a good idea. Now that I'm a new dog owner and I've seen the price tag on those vet bills, I'm going to try to do everything I can to prevent having to take her to the vet so I can just keep a little bit of money left in my pocket. So, bobcats can thrive living close to our homes. And in the same way that coyotes can make good neighbors, bobcats can actually make pretty good neighbors too, because of the critters that they are mostly feeding on, rabbits, small mammals like mouse squirrels. These are kind of some of the primary protein sources for the bobcat, which can be helpful to those of us who are, you know, trying to keep a garden or keep some landscaping and you're tired of rabbits mowing down your bean plants every spring. Bobcats are carnivores. And actually, there's a term called hypercarnivore, which all wildcats are classified as, and that means they rely almost exclusively on animals for food. So, they are meat eaters, and they have adaptations to help them do that. So, if you've ever given your cat, your house cat, a treat and you've watched them eat it, you'll notice that they move that treat to the very back of their teeth and they get a good chomp. Like a good crunch happens. That's because back there they have a pair of teeth, they're called the carnassial pair that are basically super sharp knives that can crunch down on those hard items to break them up. And, and all carnivore species have those, even our precious little house cats, which helps them cut through meat especially. So, it tears through meat through fur and can crunch down hard on bone as well to help them easily digest and eat these meat foods. So, in addition to, you know, live critters like rabbits and squirrels and mice, bobcats will also take advantage of fresh carcasses from vehicle collisions. And so, a lot of people who do see bobcats see them along roadways as they're traveling to and from because they're scoring on that free meal that was just unfortunately hit by a vehicle. And there has been some super interesting predation behavior observed. So in 2015, not here in Michigan, but down in Florida, a pop cat was observed pulling a shark out of the ocean. 

Eric

This must have been one of those like little sandbar sharks that kind of swim in the shallows.

Rachel
Oh, yes, I should have, I should have clarified. This was not a great white shark. This was, I can't remember the species of shark, but it was like, you know, 3 feet long, which is still shockingly long and big for a bobcat, but it's just a sand shark that was dwelling on the sandbar. So, Bobcats have all of these adaptations that make them excellent hunters from the ear tufts that they have, which basically absorb and push sound down into their ear, which makes them, you know, obviously very good at hearing sounds around them. And they have quiet paws that they use for stalking, strong back legs that are for leaping so that they can, you know, launch at their food. And they also can run and climb trees super fast. So, if you've probably seen your house cat climb up the cat tree or your couch or something in your house. Bobcats can also climb great distances all the way up to the tops of trees and they can run at over 30 miles an hour. So predatory little critters, these bobcats are. Bobcats are extremely vocal. And they make a lot of different types of noises and they communicate frequently with other bobcats and they do so through, you know, sound, but also scent and visual signals, which is like the tail raising so that the young can follow the mother through dense brush. But they also will raise their hackles just like our house cats do when they when they get freaked out, bobcats will also do the same thing. So, they will use scent markers by urinating along travel routes or they will deposit feces in latrine sites. So, they will poop in specific and intentional areas so that other bobcats in the area are aware of bobcats that are there. And bobcats are notorious for all of the different vocalizations that they can make. So, bobcats will meow similar to domestic cats, or they will make bird like chirps. But they also in the most common sound that people typically hear is during the breeding season and it is a guttural scream. During the spring mating season for bobcats, they will sound like a woman screaming a high-pitched scream. And it's such a terrifying sound to hear in the wild, especially at night, which is when most people hear the sound. And in fact, often times during the spring, when we know the bobcat breeding season is happening, the wildlife division will get phone calls from local police departments who are getting phone calls from their constituents that live in the area saying, like, there's some nefarious business that is happening, like in this wooded lot in a subdivision. But really what is happening is there's two bobcats. They're attempting to court each other through this horrific scream that is quite successful at completing, you know, finding mates for bobcats. And so then, you know, we'll send a wildlife biologist out to these subdivisions to do a little bit of outreach and talk about bobcats in the area and that there's no need to be as alarmed by the sounds that they're hearing in the middle of the night. But it is, it is quite the vocalization for a wildlife species to make. And it's just yet another unique quality of the bobcat. Now, once these bobcats have found mates, they will have two to four kittens a year. And those kittens are born and then the mother swiftly kicks the father out of the picture and primarily raises those kittens alone. And those kittens will stick around for about 3 to 5 months before separating from her for the winter mating season. And so around the fall mark, a lot of people may start to see bobcats show up in their area or in a place you would never expect to see a bobcat. And usually what's happening is these are young kittens that are being kicked out of the den for the first time and are looking for a new place to establish their own den site and live their lives. And if you don't welcome the bobcat near your home, that is a really good time to try to scare bobcats out of the area by making a lot of noise and removing anything in your yard that might attract the food that they are trying to hunt. So brush piles tend to be the number one reason why bobcats are hanging out in your backyard or on your property because there's rabbits and squirrels that are living in that brush pile and that makes for a really easy meal for bobcats. So keep that in mind if you see them and you don't welcome them, there's a couple of small actions you can do to tell them to find a better place to live.

 Eric
Hit the road, cat, and don't you come back. No more, no more, no more, no more.

 Rachel
Bobcats are elusive and fascinating critters that we have here in Michigan, and their adaptations and behaviors really make them remarkable predators. Whether you catch a glimpse of one in the wild or you hear their eerie scream at night, just remember that these cool cats are a vital part of Michigan's diverse wildlife.

 Announcer
Michigan.gov/DNRTrails is your destination for trail maps, trail etiquette, and trail closure information. Trail information for biking, cross country skiing, horseback riding, hiking, off road vehicle riding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and even water trails for kayaking and canoeing are available. While you're there, remember to check out information about pet friendly recreation, track chairs and the Iron Bell Trail, all available at michigan.gov/DNRtrails.

 Rachel
Well, now is your opportunity to win a WildTalk Podcast mug. As a thank you to our listeners, we'll be giving away a mug or two every episode. Our January mug winners are Ken Lewinar and Chet Kilanowski. You will want to check your e-mail as we'll be getting in touch with you soon. They answered the question, “Porcupines are covered in about how many quills?” The answer was 30,000. That medium sized little chunky body has space for 30,000 quills, which is amazing. 

Eric

That's why you definitely want to keep your dogs away from them. 

Rachel

Yes, your pet dogs, but also your dogs. You don't want to step on a porcupine.

 Eric
That would be bad too. You know, it's funny growing up in northern Michigan and growing up out in the woods, like I ran across porcupines a lot. They're so cool to watch when you run across them and they're really slow, so they need those quills.

 Rachel
Anyways, back on track. Now, to be entered into the drawing this month, test your wildlife knowledge and answer our wildlife quiz question. This month's question is, “Bobcats are most active during dusk and dawn. This period of activity is called what?” Is it, A nocturnal, B crepuscular, or C diurnal. E-mail your name and answer to us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov to be entered for a chance to win a mug, be sure to include the subject line is ‘Mug Me’ and submit your answers by February 15th. We will announce winners and answers on the next month's podcast, so be sure to listen in and to see if you've won and for the next quiz question. Good luck everyone.

 Announcer
Michigan Conservation Officers are working hard to protect and keep the outdoors safe for current and future generations. If you witness a natural resources violation, you can call or text the Report All Poaching hotline 24 hours a day at 1-800-292-7800 or fill out the complaint form available at michigan.gov/rap. If you would like more information on becoming a conservation officer, click on Become a CO at michigan.gov/conservationofficers.

 Rachel
All right, and now is the time on the show when we show our appreciation for those who have donated to the Non Game Wildlife Fund to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Michigan's endangered species law. We have almost donated $1000. As of this morning, there has been $980 in donation to this fund, which again goes to help rare species conservation. So, thank you. Also, I want to issue just a small challenge of like we're only $20 away from $1000 being donated. So, which one of you wants to be the listener that takes us over that $1000 threshold? What a badge of honor that would be. An enormous thank you to Trish Marie and Chris Gurry. Or a Gurry, I'm not sure how to pronounce it, but thank you either way. And our reoccurring donor, Tom Colleen. Thank you all for your donations to Rare Species Conservation this past month. Your support makes a really big difference in conserving our state's most vulnerable species. And remember that if you want to hear your name read aloud on this podcast, you can visit michigan.gov/wildlife. Click on the link to donate at the top of the page. And we will look forward to reading your name off on the next episode of this podcast. Thank you everyone for joining on this February edition of the WildTalk Podcast. Remember, if you have questions about wildlife or hunting, you can call 517-284-9453 or e-mail us at dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov. We will see you back here in March. 

Announcer

This has been the WildTalk Podcast, your monthly podcast airing the 1st of each month and offering insights into the world of wildlife across the state of Michigan. You can reach the Wildlife Division at 517-284-9453 or dnr-wildlife@michigan.gov.