A New Tail
When Curator Mollie walked by with Aldo on her glove, a flash of white caught my eye. The tip of the kestrel's tail was brighter than I...
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Haley Selen
Aug 31, 20202 min read
Prey
Like many people, I've been spending more time at home since the pandemic began. I don't mind too much because it means I get to spend...
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Haley Selen
Jul 25, 20203 min read
Body Language
When I first started working with owls, I was surprised that they reminded me more of a prey species than a ferocious predator. They...
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Haley Selen
Jul 1, 20202 min read
Snakes on the Move
One of Emory's favorite activities seems to be coiling cozily under her heat lamp, but we decided it was time for a field trip. I...
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Haley Selen
Jun 10, 20202 min read
Not Always Cold-Blooded
Whether meeting a snake in person or virtually via Zoom, "ectothermic" seems like a complicated word to drop in a snake program for...
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Haley Selen
Jan 15, 20201 min read
Bald Eagles in Wisconsin
A friend once took a tour at the Carolina Raptor Center where, upon seeing their Bald Eagle reintroduction program, had to ask, "why?"...
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Haley Selen
Dec 12, 20191 min read
Eye Caps
Have you ever had a staring contest with a snake? Anyone attempting such a competition should be prepared to lose. The snake will always...
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Haley Selen
Sep 4, 20191 min read
Slit
The hyssop flowers behind us were buzzing with bumble bees as we basked in the sun next to the pollinator garden. Aldo the kestrel had...
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Haley Selen
Jul 25, 20192 min read
Camper Questions
One of the best parts of my job is the chance to take our raptors on the road. Yesterday, Aldo the kestrel and I drove carefully up the...
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Haley Selen
Mar 5, 20192 min read
Bristles
Another evening of taxidermy brought me nose-to-beak with another arctic owl. Figuratively, of course. Even though I'm lucky to have...
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Haley Selen
Feb 7, 20191 min read
Fasting
Can you imagine not eating for 3 months, and not losing any weight during such a fast? That’s just what Digger the hognose snake tested...
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Haley Selen
Jan 24, 20191 min read
Chilly
Red-tailed hawks are a hardy species. While some move farther south for the winter, many red-tails choose to stay in Wisconsin as long as...
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Haley Selen
Jan 10, 20191 min read
Climber
Great Plains Rat Snakes are known to be excellent climbers. They climb into shrubs and trees in the wild, perhaps in search of tasty...
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Haley Selen
Jan 3, 20191 min read
Alula
The Wisconsin DNR recently shared a stunning photo captured by a trail camera in the Snapshot Wisconsin program. The reddish feathers of...
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Haley Selen
Dec 20, 20183 min read
SNOW
I coughed and waved my hand in front of my face as a flurry of fluffy white feathers engulfed me. A thick downy coat makes taxidermying...
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Haley Selen
Dec 13, 20181 min read
Taking a Drink
Water is an amazing molecule. The oxygen atom pulls on its two hydrogens in a way that creates a slightly-negative side and a...
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Haley Selen
Dec 6, 20181 min read
Tough Guy
Digger the Western Hognose Snake is usually pretty docile. She arrived at the Museum in 2013 as a hatchling no bigger than a pencil....
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Haley Selen
Nov 20, 20181 min read
Turkey Day
Sometimes enrichment is more enriching for me than it is for the birds. I had fun last weekend designing, cutting, and painting ...
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Haley Selen
Nov 13, 20181 min read
Drawing Snakes
I usually rely on science to learn more about an animal or plant. I instinctively scour scientific articles, my animal physiology...
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Haley Selen
Oct 24, 20181 min read
Weighing a snake
How quickly does a 5-year-old hognose snake grow? As animals with indeterminate growth, snakes continue growing throughout their life,...
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