2024 Brandeis Bioliteracy Project's Journal

The red-winged blackbird, or Agelaius phoeniceus, is a songbird native to North America. They inhabit most of the continental United States, as well as parts of Mexico and Canada in the winter and summer, respectively.

Red-winged blackbirds are sexually dimorphic. The coloration of males is very iconic; they are jet-black with red and gold shoulder patches. The females, meanwhile, are more drab, with feathers of various shades of brown. While some populations in warmer climates are permanent, northern populations tend to be migratory; individuals that live in Massachusetts and New England in the spring and summer will fly south to Mexico and the southern US in the winter.

Red-winged blackbirds have interesting breeding dynamics: while most males are monogamous and only breed with one female, a few (the most dominant and appealing to females) will breed with many females. These dominant males will breed with females who have other partners to increase their chances of having offspring. Females will also seek out other males than their partners to increase copulation and chance of offspring. Both the female and her partner will raise young chicks together. Clutches typically consist of 3 or 4 small blue-gray eggs with dark speckles.
Due to their interesting breeding behavior, red-winged blackbirds are territorial. Males will control areas to ensure things like access to food and hiding places from predators. Males can hold their territory for years, often until ousted by a younger individual.

Original post from 2019 Brandeis Biodiversity Project on April 30, 2019 04:53 AM by ifreedman

The species of the week is Henbit Deadnettle (Lamium amplexicaule). It is an annual plant originally native to the Mediterranean, but has been naturalized around the world. The plants often grow in patches, and can be identified by their hairy stems and leaves, and uniquely shaped purple flowers. It grows in open grassy areas, such as gardens and meadows. At Brandeis, it can be found in most grassy areas that aren’t manicured lawn space.

In the northeast, henbit deadnettle blooms in early spring, before most native plant species. It can play a beneficial role in the ecosystem, providing early pollinators with nectar, and birds with seeds. It can also provide erosion control in croplands. The USDA classifies it as a weed with invasive properties, because it can spread fast. Once the weather gets warmer out in late spring, it dies off.

The Red Fox, also known as Vulpes vulpes, is the largest member of the sub-family Caninae (more commonly referred to as "True Foxes"). At Brandeis, the Red Fox is a rare sight to see, and one would have to be lucky (or unlucky) to spot one. However, they can still sometimes be spotted throughout the day roaming around or marking their territory. In North America, the Red Fox is widespread as they are very adaptable and are usually found in grasslands and small forests. The Red Fox has been able to adapt to live in urban areas as well. This is due to the fact that Red Foxes are omnivores. Throughout the day, the Red Fox will primarily feed on small rodents, birds, and a variety of different fruits.

(My observation of a Red Fox)

Red Foxes can be identified by their unique features and colors. They have orange-red fur, black legs and ears, a white-tipped tail, and a white belly. Although the Red Fox live in small families, they can usually be spotted alone. The Red Fox will be solitary when it is hunting or patrol its territory. They utilize their own urine to mark their territory. Another reason why the Red Fox is hard to spot is because they live in underground burrows and will only come out when it needs to, particularly in a crowded area such as Brandeis.

Currently, there has not been an observation for the Red Fox posted since the start of the 2024 Brandeis Bioliteracy Project. It will be interesting to see if a Red Fox can be observed before the semester ends.

The Eastern Gray Squirrel, or Sciurus carolinensis, is a commonly spotted rodent in around Brandeis Campus and the broader East coast of North America.

This tree dwelling species is famous for its consumption of the fruit of oak trees, acorns, particularly regarding their behavior of burying their acorns under a top layer of soil to be retrieved in colder months when food is less available. However, these small mammals have a rather diverse diet when more food becomes available and have been observed munching on nuts, fruits, flowers, berries and seeds of all sorts.

Eastern gray squirrels can be heard making a chirping or barking noise as seen here, both to warn others of predators or to attract mates. Even if you can't see a squirrel running around a tree's canopy, you can likely still see their nest, called a drey, hidden in the upper branches of deciduous trees around campus. These structures look like large clumps of twigs, leaves and moss and are often found in the base of a fork of two larger branches. Keep an eye out for these areas this month, because as the leaves reemerge, it will become more difficult to spot the dreys.

The Great Blue Heron, also known as Ardea herodias, is one of the largest and most widespread species of herons and is commonly found in wetland areas in North America. At Brandeis, the Great Blue Heron can often times be found near the Charles River behind the Charles River Apartments and even in Massell Pond. The Great Blue Heron can easily be identified not only by its size, but also by its unique colors. They exhibit a bluish-gray color on their feathers, have a long orange beak, and black plumes on the top of their head.

(My iNaturalist observation of Great Blue Heron in Massell Pond)

The Great Blue Heron primarily feeds on fish, insects, and even other small birds. They are considered to be a partial migratory species, meaning that some individuals will stay in the Northeast and other colder climates throughout the winter, while others will migrate. Great Blue Herons usually start to appear during the beginning and middle of March. After this coming break, be on the lookout for the Great Blue Heron!

Garlic Mustard, also known as Alliaria petiolata, can be found in the herbaceous layer of Charles river wetlands, the Sachar Woods, and in just about every nook and cranny around campus. This invasive plant spreads quickly through wind spread seeds and sprouts early in the spring. Garlic mustard is also allelopathic, meaning it excretes chemicals that limit the growth of other species of plant and soil enriching ribosomal fungi. With no native herbivores to keep it in check, the fast spreading and fast growing garlic mustard can easily outcompete native herbaceous plants and take over New England forests.

Originally found in Europe and Western/Central Asia, this edible plant was brought to North America by European colonists for its use as a spice. The round, heart-shaped leaves can be cut and ground up to be included in a pesto. When collecting, it is better to pick younger leaves, as second year garlic mustard plants are more bitter. Happy harvesting!

Skunk Cabbage, or Symplocarpus foetidus, is native to eastern North America. It can be found in wetland habitats, and is fairly abundant in Massachusetts. At Brandeis, Skunk Cabbage can be found in the Chapels wetlands and Sachar Woods. It can be identified by the skunky, foul odor that it emits when crushed or bruised.

Skunk Cabbage is a perennial plant, and starts blooming as early as February. It is able to do so because it has thermogenic properties that allow it to produce heat during respiration, which melts nearby snow and keeps the plant from freezing. The flowers emerge in a spathe (which looks like a pointy hood), and are purple or greenish in color.

The plants are pollinated by blowflies and other carrion-feeding insects that emerge early on in the season. The skunky odor that these plants produce helps attract these pollinators.

After pollination, the flowers grow into berry-like fruits, and are dispersed by animals and water. In the early spring, the Skunk Cabbages produce leaves that are up to 1 foot long, and by mid summer, the leaves die off, and the plant is left dormant. The root system contracts, and the plant is pulled into the ground until the next spring.

Skunk Cabbage is toxic to most animals, so it doesn’t experience much herbivory. However, preparing the roots and leaves by boiling them can eliminate the toxicity, and many different Native American tribes have used parts of the plant for medicinal purposes.