Author: Howard Redmon

Graptopetalum macdougallii, or MacDougall’s Ghost Plant, is an easy-to-grow succulent that’s an excellent choice for beginner gardeners looking to add something new to their collection of plants. It gets its name from the way the leaves curl up when they dry out, giving them a ghostly appearance – but only during the cooler months when it’s not actively growing. It has narrow green leaves with white markings along its edges and veins that grow upward from a central stalk. This succulent plant requires little care and thrives in dry, warm conditions. The low-maintenance characteristics of graptopetalum make it an excellent choice for beginners or…

The green heron bird, also called Butorides virescens, green backed heron, greenback heron, or just the green heron, is a medium-sized, approximately 41 – 46 cm long, stocky brown and gray bird with short legs and a short neck, that belongs to the Heron and Egret family, Ardeidae. It was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema Naturae in 1758 as Ardea virescens. The green heron bird (Butorides virescens) is found throughout the entire United States and Canada, as well as Central America, northern South America, the Caribbean islands, and on various Pacific islands. It can be found in both saltwater…

The little penguin, also known as the little blue penguin, fairy penguin, Eudyptula minor, korora, or just blue penguin, is a species of small penguin that lives on rocky shores and coastal estuaries. Eudyptula minor is a small, brightly-colored seabird native to Australia, New Zealand, and the surrounding islands. The species also goes by the nickname little penguin to distinguish it from other types of penguins in the family Spheniscidae, such as the white-flippered penguin (Eudyptula albosignata). At less than 18 inches (45 cm) tall and weighing only 3 pounds (1.5 kg), this species fits into the little category alongside its cousins. The…

Unique among birds, the blue bunting bird (Cyanocompsa parellina) has a blue-colored body with black wings and tail feathers that are used to attract the female blue bunting bird. The blue-colored plumage of the male blue bunting bird allows it to be better camouflaged from predators because it can blend in more with its surroundings such as trees and bushes than other types of birds such as the yellow-bellied warbler which uses mostly green colors to protect itself from predators in its natural environment. Blue Buntings are small passerine birds native to North America and are part of the passerine family. There is a particularly high…

Also used in some sources as Apteryx australis or Apteryx bulleri (before the year 2000, and some till now), the North Island brown kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) is an endangered species of kiwi bird found in the wild on New Zealand’s North Island, one of three subspecies of brown kiwi (the others being the Okarito brown kiwi and the Little Barrier Island brown kiwi). It is an elusive nocturnal forest bird, and despite its gentle nature, it can inflict a nasty bite with its large beak if it feels threatened. Apteryx mantelli, like other species of kiwi, is a nocturnal bird that typically grows to be…