Big Oak Tree State Park

08/29/2026

More Egrets! Another species of egret that we have in Missouri is the snowy egret. They are also a species of concern in Missouri. Snowy egrets can be distinguished from great egrets by their smaller size, shorter legs, black bills, and yellow feet. Snowy egrets are about 2 feet tall, so much shorter than great egrets. They also have a more active feeding style and will pursue prey, while other egrets will stand still while hunting. Both species were heavily hunted for their breeding plumage, which was used as decoration in ladies hats in the late 1800's and early 1900's. In 1918, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act was passed, which banned commercial hunting of native birds and their feathers.

Photos courtesy of Chuck Homler and Will Parson

08/28/2026

Egrets-we have a few! The largest egret in Missouri is the great egret, which is a species of conservation concern in Missouri. They are large white birds with a yellow bill and long black legs and feet. Growing to over three feet tall and with a wingspan of more than four feet, they are a sight to see! They eat fish, amphibians, crayfish, and small mammals. Look for them in bodies of water in the Bootheel, and other areas where herons are typically seen.

Photos courtesy of Stlouisaudobon.org and Roy Lukes

08/22/2026

Did you know that some dragonflies migrate? The common green darner dragonfly travels through North America over several generations. Individual insects fly for hundreds of miles north in the spring, and successive generations travel south in the fall. To complete the migratory cycle, it takes three generations. Though little is known about these travels, recent research has shown that insect migrations are more common than we think!

Photos courtesy of Judy Gallagher and Mark Chappelle

08/22/2026

Mississippi Kites are small raptors that not many people are familiar with. A species of conservation concern in Missouri, they are slowly making a comeback in the Mississippi River valley. Adults are gray with a black tail and black wingtips. While most raptors focus on small animals as prey, Kites hunt for large insects both on the ground and in the air. Though they historically occurred in the bootheel only, they have expanded their range and now occur in many areas of Missouri. Their call is a two-syllable whistle that can be heard high above the treetops.

Photos courtesy of allaboutbirds.com

08/15/2026

Bullfrogs are the largest frogs in Missouri, and the official state amphibian. They can weigh up to a pound and reach up to 8 inches in body length. These large members of the frog family range in color from green to brown, and their long back legs have brown bars. Their call is a deep, resonating “jug-o-rum, jug-o-rum” and can be heard up to a half mile away! They hunt insects, fish, crayfish, other amphibians, and even small mammals. Bullfrogs can be found in the park along the Cypress trail, near the water.
Fun facts: Bullfrogs can jump more than 10 times their body length!
A group of bullfrogs is called an army
Female bullfrogs can lay up to 25,000 eggs at a time
Photos courtesy of Alan D. Wilson naturespicsonline and KBIA

08/13/2026

You may have seen large gatherings of butterflies on wet gravel, mud, or even carrion! This is called puddling. Butterflies use their proboscis (a long mouthpart like a straw) to obtain important nutrients that are missing from their diets. Male butterflies puddle more frequently than females, and it is believed that sodium gained from puddling helps improve flight and courtship displays. Males have even been observed head butting each other to compete for the perfect spot in the puddle! Next time you see a group of butterflies puddling, take a moment to appreciate this interesting behavior!

Top photo courtesy of Birds and Blooms

08/08/2026

Missouri is home to more than 40 species of jumping spiders. Jumping spiders are compact, fuzzy, and have 2 eyes that are larger than the rest (8 in total)! They are ambush predators and can leap surprisingly long distances-up to 50 times the length of their body! Females are larger than males, and male jumping spiders have elaborate mating dances to avoid being mistaken for prey. They are important for helping to control insect populations and are food for other animals such as birds.

Photo of bold jumping spider courtesy of Wikimedia

08/07/2026

Great blue herons are the largest wading bird in North America. Standing four and a half feet tall, they have a wingspan of over 6 feet! Despite their large size, they only weigh about five pounds. They eat their prey, which is just about anything they can spear with their beak-whole and alive! They nest in large colonies called rookeries but are otherwise solitary. Look for Great blue herons in the park along the Cypress Trail.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia

08/05/2026

08/01/2026

Did you know that dragonflies eat mosquitoes? These aerial acrobats are excellent hunters! As nymphs (larvae), they live in water where they eat anything they can catch-even small fish! As adults, they have impressive hunting skills and catch their prey while in flight. They are able to fly backwards, sideways, and even upside-down! They are considered to be the world’s fastest insect, reaching speeds of over 35 mph. That combined with an almost 360-degree field of vision enables them to be fantastically efficient predators.