Wildlife Ambassadors

Baby the Barred Owl

Baby came to Blandford in 2011 after being abandoned by her parents due to her having juvenile cataracts in both eyes. While her cataracts have since cleared up, she still does not have 100% vision and has also become dependent upon humans to take care of her.

Diet

Barred owls are “sit and wait” predators. They will perch on a tree branch and scan the forest for any movement of prey. In Michigan, the preferred food choice is deer mice, but they also eat voles, squirrels, and the occasional amphibian or small bird.

Habitat

Barred owls prefer densely forested areas with large trees for nesting and live mostly on the eastern side of the United States and Canada. The barred owl can live in a variety of habitats as long as there are enough trees and open areas for hunting

Species Conservation & Management

This species is a year-round resident in Michigan. Currently, there are no threats to barred owl populations but instead, their numbers have actually been increasing.

Interesting Facts

• Barred owls help keep nocturnal small mammal populations in check.
• The barred owl gets its name from the horizontal banding or “barring” pattern around the neck and upper breast area with vertical barring found below.

Click Here to Watch Baby!

Bart the Barred Owl

Bart was brought to us after being hit by a car in 2010, leaving him blind in his right eye and now has permanent brain damage. With these injuries, he is unable to hunt and survive in the wild.

Diet

Barred owls are “sit and wait” predators. They will perch on a tree branch and scan the forest for any movement of prey. In Michigan, the preferred food choice is deer mice, but they also eat voles, squirrels, and the occasional amphibian or small bird.

Habitat

Barred owls prefer densely forested areas with large trees for nesting and live mostly on the eastern side of the United States and Canada. The barred owl can live in a variety of habitats as long as there are enough trees and open areas for hunting

Species Conservation & Management

This species is a year-round resident in Michigan. Currently, there are no threats to barred owl populations but instead, their numbers have actually been increasing.

Interesting Facts

• Barred owls help keep nocturnal small mammal populations in check.
• The barred owl gets its name from the horizontal banding or “barring” pattern around the neck and upper breast area with vertical barring found below.

Katherine the Great Horned Owl

Katherine was found on the Blandford’s east loop trail in 1991 suffering from a fractured left wing. The wing did not heal properly, leaving her unable to catch prey or escape predators. Great horned owls mate for life, and every once in a while Katherine’s mate from the wild will visit and bring her gifts in the form of small rodents!

Diet

Great horned owls are the deadliest hunters in the owl family, hunting from perches near open areas. They eat mainly small mammals (including skunks), as well as birds, snakes, amphibians, fish and other species of owls!

Habitat

Great horned owls prefer forests with clearings, croplands, woodlots, meadows, riparian woodlands. They also like wooded areas around suburban parks, landfills, and town dumps.

Species Conservation & Management

This species is a common year-round resident of Michigan. There are currently no threats to this species.

Interesting Facts

• Like most owls, great horned owls help keep nocturnal small mammal populations in check.
• The great horned owl is the only animal known that regularly eats skunks!

Luna the Barn Owl

On July 4, 2011, this female barn owl was found in Clarkston, Washington with an injured wing that impaired her flight. Later in August of 2012, she was transferred to Blandford where she is cared for by our wildlife staff.

Diet

The majority of the barn owl’s diet is small mammals, however, they will take fish, reptiles, other birds, and some insects.

Habitat

This species prefers open lowlands with some trees including farmlands, plantations, and various forest types.

Species Conservation & Management

The barn owl is currently an endangered species that is legally protected in Michigan. According to wildlife biologists, barn owls are extirpated from Michigan, meaning they are extinct from the Michigan region. Barn owls have become extremely rare in Michigan as farming practices have changed and abandoned buildings have become fewer and farther between.

Interesting Facts

• Barn owls don’t hoot the way most other owls do; you can listen for their harsh screeches at night.
• Barn owl females are somewhat showier than males. Females will have a more reddish and more heavily spotted chest. The spots may indicate the quality of the female.

Click Here to Watch Luna!

Dr. Hoot the Eastern Screech Owl

We got Dr. Hoot in 2018 after he was hit by a car in Indiana and acquired permanent damage to his left wing. He needed a new home and care so our wildlife staff took him in permanently.

Diet

An eastern screech owl’s diet includes a wide variety of prey. They eat large insects, such as moths, crayfish, earthworms, amphibians, reptiles, small mammals and small birds.

Habitat

Eastern screech owls can live in just about any habitat below 1500 meters of elevation.

Species Conservation & Management

The eastern screech owl can be found in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula throughout the year. There are currently no serious threats to this species.

Interesting Facts

• Most screech owls mate for life.
• Unlike other owls, this species has symmetrical ears which may suggest that they have superior vision and hearing.

Archimedes the Long-eared Owl

Archimedes came to Blandford in 2020 after he was found as a fledgling who failed to successfully leave his nest. Due to multiple fractures in his right wing, he is no longer able to fly and also imprinted on the humans who cared for him during his recovery.

Diet

A long-eared owl’s diet consists of mostly small rodents, but they can also eat small birds on the ground and herptiles.

Habitat

Long-eared owls prefer conifer or deciduous forests for roosting and hunt in nearby meadows or shrublands.

Species Conservation & Management

The Long-eared owl is considered an endangered species here in Michigan.

Interesting Facts

• Long-eared owls have adapted to conserving energy in the winter by roosting in groups (anywhere from 10-20 owls on average) in large tree holes.
• These owls do not make their own nests and will often use corvid nests to rear their young

Freya the American Kestrel

Freya came to Blandford after her time at the North Sky Raptor Sanctuary in 2022. She was found in the Petoskey area with an open wrist wound and fractured humerus in her right wing. Sadly, she never regained the ability to fly after her injury and will need permanent care for the remainder of her life.

Diet

American kestrels eats large insects, mice, small birds, and amphibians.

Habitat

American kestrels can live in a wide variety of habitats as long as there are open areas nearby for hunting.

Species Conservation & Management

This species is a year-round resident in Michigan. Currently, there are no serious threats to American kestrel populations.

Interesting Facts

• American kestrels have a notch on their beak called a “tominal tooth” for easily snapping the necks of their prey.
• Kestrels hide extra food in grass clumps, bushes, tree cavities and other places for a day when food is hard to find.

Buddy the Red-Tailed Hawk

Buddy was found in Cedar Springs after being hit by a car in 2011. His wing was fractured and healed in a way that only allows him limited flight.

Diet

Red-tailed hawks look for prey from either a high perch or while soaring in the sky. Once they spot food, they drop down to capture it. They eat small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles.

Habitat

Red-tailed hawks prefer open country with some trees, roadsides, fields, woodlots, and mixed forests.

Species Conservation & Management

Red-tailed hawks are common and year-round residents in most of the Lower Peninsula. There are currently no serious threats to this species.

Interesting Facts

• Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawks we have in West Michigan, and people often see them in trees by expressways.
• It takes two years for Red-tailed hawks to develop the red tail feathers that give them their name. Buddy grew in his first reddish tail feathers after being with us for a year, so we know that he was a year old when he was admitted.

River the Osprey

River was brought to Blandford in 2013 after being on the ground for several days, likely due to a car accident. She had an open fracture on her left wing and during the time spent on the ground it had accumulated dirt, debris and dead tissue leading ultimately to her wing being partially amputated. Ospreys are rare to have in captivity since it can be hard to get them to eat and they are clumsy when walking around because of their reversible outer toe.

Diet

The main staple in an osprey’s diet is fish. You can find them angling for a catch as they soar above bodies of water looking for a fish that is close to the surface so they can dive in to grab it.

Habitat

Ospreys settle around nearly any body of water: marshes, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, estuaries, and even coral reefs. Their conspicuous stick nests are placed in the open on poles, channel markers, and dead trees, often over water.

Species Conservation & Management

Ospreys are migratory birds of prey, arriving in Michigan throughout the summer for breeding habitat. Ospreys are seen around the many bodies of water and are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. In the early 1950s, osprey numbers crashed when pesticides poisoned the birds and thinned the shells of their eggs. After the 1972 U.S. DDT ban, populations rebounded, and the osprey became a conservation success symbol. According to the North American Breeding Bird Survey, their populations grew by about 2.5 percent per year from 1966 to 2010.

Interesting Facts

• An osprey may log more than 160,000 migration miles during its 15-to-20-year lifetime.
• Ospreys are unusual among hawks as they possess a reversible outer toe that allows them to grasp with two toes in front and two behind. Barbed pads on the soles of the birds’ feet help them grip slippery fish.

Georgia the Red Shouldered Hawk

Georgia was brought to Blandford after her time at the North Sky Raptor Sanctuary in the fall of 2023. She was hit by a car in Atlanta, Michigan, and her right eye needed to be removed. Because of this injury, Georgia would not be able to hunt effectively in the wild, which is why she is now one of our Wildlife Ambassadors here at Blandford.

Diet

Red-shouldered hawks use their keen eyesight from perches or while soaring in the sky to look for prey. They primarily hunt for small mammals and small birds, but will also prey on reptiles and amphibians.

Habitat

Red-shouldered hawks can be found in both mature deciduous and mixed deciduous-conifer forests. They often choose habitats that are near wetlands like wet meadows and swamps.

Species Conservation & Management

In Michigan, red-shouldered hawks are currently a species of special concern. Habitat loss, as well as the use of pesticides and other industrial pollutants that make their way into the food chain, are large contributing factors in their population decline.

Interesting Facts

• Red-shouldered hawks get their name from the reddish-brown feathers on their upper wings that look like “red shoulders”.
• Although they are part of the genus Buteo (as are red-tailed hawks), when watching them fly you’ll notice a “Flap, Flap, Glide” more like hawks in the genus Accipiter (like Cooper’s hawks).

Lefty the Turkey Vulture

Lefty came to Blandford in the spring of 2018 after rehabilitation for damage to their left wing which left them flightless – this was likely due to being hit by a car. It is difficult to determine the sex of Turkey Vultures in comparison to other bird species with sexual dimorphism, so the sex of this wildlife ambassador is unknown.

Diet

Turkey vultures eat carrion (dead animals). They are one of the few bird species to have a sense of smell, which they use to find their stinky food.

Habitat

They can be seen flying above open country, shorelines, and roads with their wings held in a V-shape. They are not common in forested areas.

Species Conservation & Management

Turkey vultures are very common throughout Michigan from Spring up until the late Fall when they migrate south to warmer areas. Currently, there are no threats to populations of this species. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and it is illegal to kill turkey vultures in the United States.

Interesting Facts

• Turkey vultures will vomit up their food when threatened by a predator. The vomited food may distract the predator and make the vultures lighter, making it easier to fly away to safety.
• Since Turkey vultures are in the New World vulture group, they lack a voice box and are only able to grunt and hiss.

Lucy the Turkey Vulture

Lucy was born at the Potter Park Zoo in Lansing in 1978 where she was hand raised by zoo staff, leading her to imprint on humans and have no knowledge for how to survive in the wild. She was transferred to Blandford in 1996 to live on our Wildlife Trail as one of our education ambassadors.

Diet

Turkey vultures eat carrion (dead animals). They are one of the few bird species to have a sense of smell, which they use to find their stinky food.

Habitat

They can be seen flying above open country, shorelines, and roads with their wings held in a V-shape. They are not common in forested areas.

Species Conservation & Management

Turkey vultures are very common throughout Michigan from Spring up until the late Fall when they migrate south to warmer areas. Currently, there are no threats to populations of this species. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and it is illegal to kill turkey vultures in the United States.

Interesting Facts

• Turkey Vultures have very large olfactory (smelling) systems, involving nostrils so large you can see straight through them if you get close enough.
• These fascinating scavengers aren’t built for winter so they migrate as far as Central and South America to avoid the snow. This is why our Turkey Vultures are off display during the winter.

Click Here to Watch Lucy!

Righty the Turkey Vulture

Righty came to Blandford in the spring of 2018 after rehabilitation for damage to their right wing which left them flightless – this was likely due to being hit by a car. It is difficult to determine the sex of Turkey Vultures in comparison to other bird species with sexual dimorphism, so the sex of this wildlife ambassador is unknown.

Diet

Turkey vultures eat carrion (dead animals). They are one of the few bird species to have a sense of smell, which they use to find their stinky food.

Habitat

They can be seen flying above open country, shorelines, and roads with their wings held in a V-shape. They are not common in forested areas.

Species Conservation & Management

Turkey vultures are very common throughout Michigan from Spring up until the late Fall when they migrate south to warmer areas. Currently, there are no threats to populations of this species. They are protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, and it is illegal to kill turkey vultures in the United States.

Interesting Facts

• Turkey vultures will vomit up their food when threatened by a predator. The vomited food may distract the predator and make the vultures lighter, making it easier to fly away to safety.
• Since Turkey vultures are in the New World vulture group, they lack a voice box and are only able to grunt and hiss.

Poe the Common Raven

Poe came to Blandford in 2021 after being found in Copemish, Michigan where he was grounded for around three weeks – likely the result of being hit by a car.  He was brought to a local wildlife rehabilitator where it was discovered he had fractured his first 4 primary feathers in his right wing. The bones from this portion of his wing had to be removed and Poe is no longer able to fly and wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild, so he now lives at Blandford.

Diet

Habitat

Ravens can most often be found in open and forested habitats, however they are very adaptable to a variety of habitats, including urban areas.

Interesting Facts

Amelia the Southern Flying Squirrel

Found as a baby, Amelia was cold on the ground after a possible cat attack. Now, she is non-releasable after missing crucial learning interactions with her own species and imprinting on humans during her care here.

Diet

Southern flying squirrels mostly eat insects, nuts, bird eggs, berries, carrion and seeds.

Habitat

Southern flying squirrels can be found in large hickory and beech trees while also living in maple and oak trees within large forests.

Interesting Facts

• Flying squirrels don’t actually fly but instead glide using an extra skin between their legs called a patagium. They can make 180 degree turns while gliding.
• The longest recorded “flight” was 300 ft, however, they typically only go 20-30 ft.

Rocky the Southern Flying Squirrel

Due to his accident, Rocky has brain damage which limits his mobility to fly (glide). Although he cannot fly, he helps educates visitors on wildlife rehabilitation and facts about his species.

Diet

Southern flying squirrels mostly eat insects, nuts, bird eggs, berries, carrion and seeds.

Habitat

Southern flying squirrels can be found in large hickory and beech trees while also living in maple and oak trees within large forests.

Interesting Facts

• Flying squirrels don’t actually fly but instead glide using an extra skin between their legs called a patagium. They can make 180 degree turns while gliding.
• The longest recorded “flight” was 300 ft, however, they typically only go 20-30 ft.

Click Here to Watch Rocky!

Quillber the North American Porcupine

In April of 2020, Quillber was found in the Mount Pleasant area abandoned by his mother behind someone’s shed. After no return by mom for over 24 hours, a DNR officer brought him to a local wildlife rehabilitator and veterinarian. Without interaction with an adult porcupine to foster him or other juveniles during his care, he imprinted on humans. He doesn’t have the fear of humans that would keep him safe in the wild or the critical knowledge, like foraging and finding winter shelter, he would’ve learned from mom, so he was transferred to Blandford that August.

Diet

North American porcupines are herbivores who eat leaves, roots, stems, seeds, nuts, fruits and even flowers.

Habitat

North American porcupines can live in forested areas with both deciduous trees and conifers.

Interesting Facts

• North American porcupines are the second largest rodent in North America, behind the American Beaver.
• Porcupines can’t actually shoot their quills, instead contact and pressure is required on the outer edge of the quill in order for you (or your dog’s!) skin or clothing to extract one.

Ophelia the Virginia Opossum

Ophelia was found as an abandoned juvenile and was taken in by our friends at the Wildlife Rehab Center who soon realized that she was born without eyes. Between this and not learning essential survival skills from her mother, she will need permanent care to survive.

Diet

Opossums are omnivores that feed on a wide variety of food items that can be foraged or scavenged for. They will eat plant materials like grain, seeds, and fruit that are available in their habitat. Their protein sources come in invertebrate as well as vertebrate form, from ticks and snails to frogs and mice.

Habitat

In Michigan opossums can be found in a variety of habitats from open and forested areas, to farms and urban areas. However, habitat choice is heavily dependent on shelter availability in the colder seasons as their bodies are not equipped for winter conditions.

Interesting Facts

• Due to an opossum’s low body temperature and successful immune system, it’s very rare for one to carry rabies.
• The ancestors of the Virginia opossum had enough fatal encounters with rattlesnakes that through many generations they eventually developed an immunity to rattlesnake venom.
• Scientists have found that opossums will eat an estimated 5,000 ticks in a season.

Apollo the Bobcat

Apollo came to Blandford towards the end of 2021 with his sister, Artemis. They were found as orphaned kittens after their mother was hit and killed by a car near Hart, Michigan, and were raised by wildlife rehabilitators. Their caretakers determined that Apollo and Artemis wouldn’t be able to survive in the wild after rehabilitation, so they met with Blandford staff and decided this would make a good permanent home for the bobcat siblings.

Artemis found an unknown weak spot in the enclosure at Blandford and escaped onto the property. The Blandford wildlife staff spent a few months attempting to live trap her and were unsuccessful. However, there is consistent trail camera footage and in-person observations that show Artemis is in good health and surviving in the wild with her natural instincts. Because of this, we concluded that she doesn’t need to be in captivity, but we will continue to monitor her movements in this area. Apollo has preferred getting his meals provided and having the safety of his enclosure at Blandford, and it is unlikely he would be able to adapt to the wild the way his sister has at this point in his development.

Artemis is not a danger to our visitors and it is likely that she will avoid humans on and around our property as much as possible.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• They are not social animals, and males and females only meet to breed. Females then raise the young on their own and then have them disperse before the next breeding season.
• If you don’t see Apollo out in his enclosure when you visit, he’s likely sleeping in his hollow log or his shed because Bobcats are nocturnal!

Willow the Wood Turtle

Leonardo the Painted Turtle

Leonardo came in with leg injuries due to a car accident or attack by predators in 2011. Due to his leg injuries, he would not be able to dig into the mud to hibernate during the winter.

Diet

Habitat

Painted turtles prefer bodies of shallow water with muddy bottoms. They can be found in ponds, lakes marshes, slow-moving rivers, and streams.

Interesting Facts

• Hatchling painted turtles produce a type of natural antifreeze to survive the cold temperatures of the fall and winter season while hibernating.
• Painted turtles can tolerate organic pollution better than some other turtle species.

Trudy the Painted Turtle

Trudy came to us in 2020 from a local wildlife rehabilitator after being attacked by a predator. She no longer has feet on both of her front legs and also acquired damage to her plastron (bottom shell) from the teeth or claws of the predator. Her injuries make mobility a little more difficult for her, but winter would be especially dangerous for her since she would not be able to bury herself into the substrate of her aquatic habitat.

Diet

Habitat

Painted turtles prefer bodies of shallow water with muddy bottoms. They can be found in ponds, lakes marshes, slow-moving rivers, and streams.

Interesting Facts

• The Greek and Latin roots of the scientific name for painted turtles (Chrysemys picta) can be translated to the “golden freshwater tortoise that is painted”.
• During courtship, male painted turtles use the long nails on their front feet to titillate (or tickle) the female’s chin.

Brutus the Eastern Box Turtle

Brutus was brought in to Blandford in 2005. He was found in Grand Rapids and was missing part of both his back legs and one eye, most likely due to an attack by a predator. Brutus would not be able to properly bury himself for hibernation in the wild.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Eastern box turtles have a plastral hinge (the front part of the shell on their belly) that allows the box turtle to sick their legs and head into the shell and fold up shut, like a box.
• Eastern box turtles can live over 100 years!

Phillip the Eastern Box Turtle

Phillip was brought to us in 2012. He was confiscated by a veterinarian who had taken him from a man that had been keeping him as an illegal pet. Under his owner’s improper care, Phillip developed kidney disease so he periodically needs medication for his kidneys.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Eastern box turtles have a plastral hinge (the front part of the shell on their belly) that allows the box turtle to sick their legs and head into the shell and fold up shut, like a box.
• Eastern box turtles can live over 100 years!

Pebbles the Eastern Box Turtle

Blandford got Pebbles in 2018 after being kept illegally as a pet. She is missing her front left foot due to an attack by a predator and missed a crucial growing/territory claiming stage of her life by being removed from the wild.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Eastern box turtles have a plastral hinge (the front part of the shell on their belly) that allows the box turtle to sick their legs and head into the shell and fold up shut, like a box.
• Eastern box turtles can live over 100 years!

Click Here to Watch Pebbles

Theodore the Eastern Box Turtle

We received Theodore in 2017 as a fully grown adult. He has injuries on both his shell and inner belly, most likely due to an attack by a predator.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Eastern box turtles have a plastral hinge (the front part of the shell on their belly) that allows the box turtle to sick their legs and head into the shell and fold up shut, like a box.
• Eastern box turtles can live over 100 years!

Sweet D the Red-Eared Slider

Stubs the Common Snapping Turtle

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• The feisty snapping behavior of snapping turtles comes from having a smaller plastron (front shell) that leaves them more vulnerable on land.
• Common snapping turtles are most vulnerable as hatchlings but can live up to 30 years.

Bernadette the Blanding’s Turtle

We received Bernadette in 2012 after she was hit by a car in an accident which caused damage to her outer shell.

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Blanding’s turtles can live to be 100 years old, and are not old enough to have babies until they are 14-20 years old.
• They can range anywhere from 5 – 10 inches long in size.

Atlas the Common Map Turtle

Atlas came to us from the Calvin Ecosystem Preserve in 2022. He was rehomed after the intern who was caring for him graduated.

Diet

Habitat

Species Conservation and Management

Map turtles are currently a species of least concern. As habitat specialists (meaning they require specific resources), however, they are at risk of being displaced by more tolerant species the more we alter their habitats.

Interesting Facts

• Map turtles get their name from the swirling marks on their upper shell (carapace) that resemble the appearance of waterways and roads on maps.
• Males and females can be differentiated by body size as well as tail size: The female body tends to be larger than males, sometimes up to twice as large as a male; whereas, the males typically have longer and thicker tails than the females.

Topanga the Common Map Turtle

Topanga came to us in 2023 after she was kept as an illegal pet and fed an improper diet and not given full spectrum light. This caused a spinal deformity called Pyramiding, which reduces the space a turtle’s lungs and other organs have to grow and function. She will need permanent care to provide the nutrients and light she needs to prevent further Pyramiding.

Diet

Habitat

Species Conservation and Management

Map turtles are currently a species of least concern. As habitat specialists (meaning they require specific resources), however, they are at risk of being displaced by more tolerant species the more we alter their habitats.

Interesting Facts

• The rear margin of their upper shell (carapace) has spikes that look like the teeth of a saw, giving them their nickname “sawback turtle”.
• Map turtles display temperature-dependent sex determination, which means that the temperature of the nest will dictate whether the turtles will be male or female. Warmer nests (86-95F) will produce females, and cooler nests will produce males.

Tallulah the American Toad

Diet

Habitat

Interesting Facts

• Contrary to the myth, toads cannot give you warts by urinating on you. No urine comes out during this defensive strategy, it’s actually just water.
• One American toad can eat up to 1,000 insects every day. The main predators to American toads are snakes.

Gertrude the Gray Tree Frog

Diet

Habitat

Species Conservation and Management

Gray treefrogs are currently a species of least concern, however, over time we may see a decline in their populations due to habitat destruction and pollution in those habitats.

Interesting Facts

• Michigan actually has two species of gray treefrogs: Eastern gray treefrogs and Cope’s gray treefrogs. These species can’t be distinguished by appearance, however, a difference in their calls can be heard.
• Treefrogs are able to climb and cling to vertical surfaces (like trees, or even your garage door!) by secreting a mucous that makes their toe pads sticky.

Bantam Chickens

Blandford’s current flock of 8 chickens was hatched in the Spring of 2018. Our flock consists of hens and are classified as Bantam chickens. Our chickens have a life expectancy of 4-5 years and are about 1-2 pounds when they are fully grown. As a whole flock, our bantam chickens average about 2-3 dozen eggs per week; approximately 2-3 eggs per chicken per week.

Diet

They are fed poultry pellets on a daily basis. As a special treat, we give them meal worms.

*Please do not hand feed the animals. If you are interested in interacting with our farm animals, you can visit our Community Calendar to register for a farm program!

Interesting Facts

• There are two different types of breeds within the Bantam family; Sebright Bantam and Pekin/Cochin Bantam. Sebright Bantams have a red rose comb with fine points versus Pekin/Cochin Bantams have a single red comb.
• The beaks on our chickens are made of hornlike material. They work to pick up food and help the chickens groom themselves.

Oboe & Sorrel the Nubian goats

Oboe and Sorrel are male Nubian goats that were born in the spring of 2023. They arrived to Blandford Nature Center in August 2023 from a local organization called Dreamgoats. Mature Nubians weigh between 100 and 250 pounds and stand a minimum of 30 inches high at the withers (shoulders).  The life expectancy of a Nubian goat is 10-15 years.

Diet

They eat hay and grass to give them their daily nutrients.

*Please do not hand feed the animals. If you are interested in interacting with our farm animals, you can visit our Community Calendar to register for a farm program!

Interesting Facts

• This breed is named for the country of its origin in the upper Nile Valley (Nubia). The Nubian is the most popular breed of dairy goat in the United States.
• Male goats are called bucks, females are does, and young goats are kids.
• Goats are sometimes allowed to graze in wetlands and other environmentally monitored areas in order to decrease the number of invasive species or other unwanted plants such as poison ivy.

Maple the Boer Goat

Maple was born in the late spring of 2014 at Blandford Nature Center and has been with us ever since. She has a life expectancy of 10 – 15 years and can weigh up to 150-200 pounds.

Diet

Boer goats snack on shrubs, leaves, and hay.

*Please do not hand feed the animals. If you are interested in interacting with our farm animals, you can visit our Community Calendar to register for a farm program!

Interesting Facts

• Boer goats are considered to be the “Gentle Giants” of the farm world.
• Goats typically have horns or polls. Polls are two round bumps or nubs that you can see and feel on top of the goats head. You will find these when a goat is born naturally hornless. Maple has polls.

Mabel & Florence the Jacob’s Sheep

Mabel and Florence arrived at Blandford in June of 2019. Our two female Jacob’s sheep can grow up to 120 pounds! These girls are very friendly and love to talk to anyone that passes by. These sheep are a multi-horned breed. Most of these sheep have two or four horns, though six horns can also occur. Both males and females are horned, and the males can have horns of impressive size and shape.

Diet

Jacob’s Sheep enjoy eating leafy plants, grass, and hay. As a treat we feed them pellets.

*Please do not hand feed the animals. If you are interested in interacting with our farm animals, you can visit our Community Calendar to register for a farm program!

Interesting Facts

• These sheep have piebald coloring – meaning dark colored with areas of white wool that create a spotted look.
• Sheep wool can be used to make yarn. One sheep produces anywhere from 2 to 30 pounds of wool annually. The wool from one sheep is called a fleece.
• Raw wool contains grease or “lanolin.” Lanolin consists of a highly complex mixture of esters, alcohols, and fatty acids and is used in adhesive tape, printing inks, motor oils, and auto lubrication.

Tiny the Calico Cat

Tiny arrived at the Blandford Farm in the Spring of 2023. Tiny is a working barn cat, and while she is friendly most of the time, there are times where she prefers to be given space.  While visiting the farm, approach her quietly, and assess her interest before trying to pet her.

*Please do not hand feed the animals. If you are interested in interacting with our farm animals, you can visit our Community Calendar to register for a farm program!

Interesting Facts

• Tiny was previously a staff members house cat, but she is much happier outdoors than indoors.
• The reason we have a barn cat is for the health and safety of our program animals and visitors.  Overpopulation of mice in a barn is bad news, as their poop can spread diseases and they can do a lot of damage to supplies, etc.  Traps are only so effective against mice of these numbers, and poison is absolutely out of the question.