Although the killdeer is considered a shorebird it prefers to nest in open spaces like fields golf courses and even parking lots. It's named for its signature call that sounds like "kill-deeeee" and will protect its young by feigning a broken wing to lure predators away. #animals

Spittlebugs: these tiny insects can create bubbles by excreting plant sap and air and they often cover themselves with a layer of bubbles in an effort to hide from predators #animals

This is the red crested tree rat. It is endemic to Colombia. Believed extinct for over a century one appeared suddenly at the front door of an ecolodge in a Colombian nature preserve where researchers took pictures of it for two hours. Afterwards it left and was never seen again. #animals

Mating occurs underwater in shady spots in the wild. Cloacal sniffing bridge sniffing mounting following the female biting shifting the head from side to side and interlocking tails are some of the several actions that males display during mating. Loggerhead musk turtles are native to the USA.

Snow leopards are primarily crepuscular meaning that they are most active during dawn and dusk. They are capable of killing animals more than three to four times their own weight. #animals

Frother Moths (Genus Amerila): when these moths feel threatened they secrete a frothy yellow substance from their prothoracic glands producing chemicals that are distasteful to predators #animals

The call of a blacksmith lapwing is a noisy and metallic tink tink tink like a blacksmith hammering on an anvil. It's an exceedingly bold bird when defending its chicks known to attack raptors and go after elephants using the sharp spurs on its carpal (wrist) joints. #animals

Moss-and-Lichen Katydid (Genus Anaphidna): these katydids have cryptic features that allow them to blend in with the mossy lichen-covered terrain of the rainforests in which they live and their long slender wings are typically held at a 45-degree angle in order to mimic the shape of a twig #animals

The underwool of a Musk Ox is called "Qiviut" & is a very valuable fiber. It's extremely soft & 8 times warmer than wool by weight yet not itchy like wool can be as the fibers lack the hooks & barbs wool has. A 1 oz skein of Qiviut Yarn fetches close to $100. #animals

The Rove Beetle Austrospirachtha carrijoi is a master of disguise. It uses mimicry by enlarging and reshaping its abdomen to resemble a termite replica. This deception allows it to trick real termites into feeding it enabling the beetle not only to infiltrate but also thrive within their colony.

Pallas cats are small felines about the size of domestic cats but appear heavier due to their long fluffy fur coats. They may be poor runners. Photo credit: Sondra Eriksen Hensema #animals

The Sumatran Short-Eared Rabbit is a rare species found at 600 to 1600 metres in the Barisan Mountains of western Sumatra Indonesia and surrounding areas. The local people do not have a name for it as they were not aware it even existed due to being so rare nocturnal & living in remote forests.

The Barred eagle-owl is a species of owl native to Southeast Asia. They probably pair for life and are very attached to a particular nesting site where they will nest for years unless disturbed. #animals Source: ReturntoPleistocene

The ears of the long-eared hedgehog longer than half the length of its head are much larger than those of other hedgehogs. It lives in steppes and deserts employing its astute hearing (and smell) to track down food as well as using its ample ears to radiate heat and keep cool.

Male magnificent frigatebirds have a red inflatable throat pouch called a gular sac. During the breeding season they inflate their large red gular sacs as a mating display. Their inflated sacs can get so large that they obscure the bird's head. #animals Source: MistWeaver80

Cheetah cubs stay with their mother until they are 15 to 17 months old. Deciduous milk teeth in cubs erupt between 3 and 6 weeks of age and will not be replaced with permanent teeth until the cubs are around 8 months old. #animals Source: MistWeaver80

Wild palm cockatoos (Probosciger aterrimus) craft bespoke instruments for musical mating rituals according to their individual tastes. Male palm cockatoos woo mates with percussive musical displays featuring custom-crafted drumsticks which they throw to the ground after each performance.

Madame Berthe's mouse lemur is the smallest primate in the world. On average it measures 10 centimetres (3.9 in) plus a 13-cm (5-in) tail and weighs just 33 grams (1.2 oz) lighter than a golf ball. #animals Source: IdyllicSafeguard

Osmia avosetta: these solitary bees place their eggs in colorful nesting capsules that they build using flower petals nectar and mud #animals Source: SixteenSeveredHands

Spotted lanternflies are an invasive species to North American first discovered in Berks County Pennsylvania in 2014. They are planthoppers and related to cicadas and aphids. Lanternflies suck the sap from plants and are an agricultural pest harming orchards vienyards and even home gardens.

The greater roadrunner uses its speed to run down prey. It feeds mainly on small animals such as insects spiders (including black widows and tarantulas) centipedesscorpions mice small birds (including hummingbirds) and especially lizards and small snakes. #animals Source: My_Bird_Buddy

Mourning Doves are monogamous and form strong pair bonds. They are prolific breeders and in warmer areas these birds may raise up to six broods in a season. #animals Source: Pardusco

Strong hind legs allow caracals to leap up to 10 feet high and grab birds midair with their thick hooked claws. #animals Source: Toasty_Mostly

A small elephant was found in Sri Lanka. His height is about 1.5 meters. This is considered proof of dwarfism in the wild. #animals Source: Julia21hi

Momma scorpions carry their babies called scorplings on their back for up to two weeks. #animals Source: DawnOfArkham

The blue-eyed ground dove was believed to be extinct for 75 years until twelve were rediscovered in the Brazilian Cerrado in 2015. Current population estimates range from over 250 wild individuals to as few as 16. #animals Source: IdyllicSafeguard

Pudus are the world's smallest deer. The northern pudu stands only 35 to 45 cm (14 to 18 in) at the shoulder while the southern species is only slightly larger. Males will grow dainty antlers that are shed and regrown seasonally. Young pudus are speckled with white spots on their sides.

The Cockchafer Beetle: these beetles use chemosensory organs on their antennae to detect the sex pheromones released by potential mates; when the prongs on their antennae are fanned out it often indicates that they are actively searching for a mate #animals Source: SixteenSeveredHands

The naked mole-rat is eusocial; living in a complex subterranean colony that has one queen who reproduces and many fertile workers that maintain and defend the colony - the same social structure as ants and termites. They are also very long-lived rodents - up to 30 years!

The laughing owl (Ninox albifacies) is a recently extinct species of owl from New Zealand. It was named for it's weird calls that have been described as "a loud cry made up of a series of dismal shrieks frequently repeated". They went extinct in the 1950s due to hunting & invasive predators.

Basenjis were one of the first ever dog breeds. Instead of barking they yodel. They also groom themselves like cats sometimes. Basenjis are also rare dog breeds. #animals Source: Teenytiny_Mochi

Most sea turtles dont emerge from sand until after sunset. This helps them better avoid predators but it leaves them vulnerable to disorientation from artificial light. If you find a hatchling late in the day check with the local sea turtle or wildlife rescue. #animals Source: kec04fsu1

Owston's civet is a cryptic creature from the Annamite Mountains straddling the border of Vietnam and Laos. With its skinny snout it sniffs and searches through leaf litter for its favourite food: earthworms. #animals Source: IdyllicSafeguard

Spotted hyena clans are matrilinear and females are dominant over males. Juvenile males emigrate after puberty to join new clans. Females however have stable linear dominance hierarchies as rank is inherited from the mothers. #animals Source: MistWeaver80

The Titicaca water frog lives solely in the depths of Lake Titicaca in the Andes mountains at elevations of 3810 metres (12500 feet). Its copious skin folds allow it to breathethrough cutaneous respiration (skin breathing)at such high altitudes its lungs are only 1/3 the size they should be.

The southern lesser galago is a small nocturnal primate that lives in trees throughout the African savannah. When two galagos meet they smell and touch noses to identify each other after which they may either decide to groom one another or become aggressive. #animals Source: IdyllicSafeguard

Despite being polygynandrous (the kind of polygamy in which a female pairs with several males each of which also pairs with several different females) tigers are solitary and do not associate with mates except for mating. #animals Source: MistWeaver80

Sea sheep (Costasiella kuroshimae) are among the few sea creatures who can photosynthesize #animals Source: anirudhsky

The wattled jacana is a wading bird that lives in the marshes of South America. It walks atop floating plantssuch as waterlily leavesusing its long legs that end in freakishly long toes and claws. #animals Source: IdyllicSafeguard

Rufous Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers using a long extendable tongue or catch insects on the wing. They require frequent feeding while active during the day and become torpid at night to conserve energy. Because of their small size they are vulnerable to insect-eating birds and animals.

The rows of orange warts along an emperor newt's back are actually poisonous glands. When it's grabbed and squeezed by a predator the tips of its ribs push poison out from the glandswith enough toxins in one newt to kill up to 7500 mice. Although it is generally safe to handle if treated gently.

Perucetus colossus a fossil whale an article just published in the journal Nature suggests its body mass between 85 and 340 tonnes heavier than blue whale. #animals Source: AfterAside6394

The northern hairy-nosed wombat is the largest species in its family and one of the largest burrowing animals on the planet. Its stocky bodycomplete with muscular forearms for diggingcan grow to be a metre in length (3.25 feet). It is also exceedingly rare with only around 300 left in the wild.

The Dhole (Cuon Alpinus) also known as The Asiatic Wild Dog is an endangered species of canine found in Eastern/Southern Asia from Siberia to The Malay Peninsula. They use a variety of noises like whistles clucks & high-pitched screams while hunting in a pack which can include up to 30 members.

Sandhill cranes are fairly social birds that usually live in pairs or family groups through the year. During migration and winter unrelated cranes come together to form "survival groups" that forage and roost together. They often congregate at migration and winter sites sometimes in the thousands.

This somewhat dishevelled lady is a Blakiston's fish owl from a rare species of eagle owl that lives in China Japan and the Russian Far East. Since males of the species can weigh 3.6kg (7.9lb) and females 4.6kg (10lb) and their wingspan can reach 2m (6') they rate as the largest living owl.

The red junglefowl's plumage is gold red brown dark maroon orange with a bit of metallic green and gray. There are also some white and olive feathers. They can measure up to 70 centimeters in length. #animals Source: MistWeaver80

The black skimmer uses its uneven bill to catch fish in a unique way; it flies low over the water's surface with its lower mandiblewhich is 2 - 3 cm longer than the upperdipped into the water snapping shut when it hits a fish. When it's tired after fishing it lays down flat on the sand to rest.

Both male and female Rufous Hummingbirds are territorial; however they defend different types of territories. The more aggressive males fight to defend areas with dense flowers pushing females into areas with more sparsely populated flowers. #animals Source: My_Bird_Buddy

A remora uses the sucking disk on top of its head to attach itself to larger marine animals like sharks rays and sea turtleswhere it can stay for 3 months. The host provides the remora with protection food and a fast flow of water over its gills which the remora needs in order to survive.