Leader Wildlife Sculptures
Red-headed Woodpecker
Sculpture by Grant McLaughlin
Photo by Erin Trautwein |
Leader and area is the most northerly range of the Red-headed
Woodpecker.
The adult woodpeckers are best identified by their
bright red head, neck and throat, and can be found on both farmland and along
the South Saskatchewan
River.
The Red-headed rarely
bores holes to find insects. Instead, they will forage on
both tree trunks and the ground for insects and berries.
Burrowing Owls
Sculpture by Ralph Berg |
Burrowing Owls are comical little birds that generally look
like short, fat owls on stilts.
These owls live in a burrow in the ground. They are active
during the day, and prefer to eat insects and small rodents.
This owl's migration patterns are a mystery, but it is known
that some spend their winter in the southwestern U.S. and
Mexico.
Ferruginous Hawk
Sculpture by Grant McLaughlin |
The Ferruginous Hawk is the largest hawk in North America, with
the female being one-third larger than the male.
Ferruginous Hawks live in sparsely treed grassland habitat
in Southern Saskatchewan during the summer months.
Prey consists mainly of ground squirrels (gophers). Their most
successful hunting technique is a long, low flight close
to the ground.
Lake Sturgeon
Sculpture by Grant McLaughlin |
One of the largest freshwater fish in North America, sturgeon
may reach a length of 2.5 meters (8 feet) and weigh more than
140 kg (300 lbs).
These fish have been known to live more than 150 years. They
are also slow growing, weighing less than 5 kg at age 20.
Sturgeon are found in the South Saskatchewan River north of
Leader.
Mule Deer
Sculpture by Ralph Berg |
Mule Deer in Saskatchewan are found in rough, open, semi-arid
country, and tend to form into herds, particularly in winter.
Mule Deer are characterized by a jumping gait, large mule-like
ears, and a white rump with a short black tail.
The greatest percentage of the Mule Deer's food is twigs, leaves
and buds of shrubs and trees.
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Sculpture by Ralph Berg |
The Ord's Kangaroo Rat is a true wildlife species that has little
to do with humans, and lives in sandy soils where it burrows
its den.
The name Kangaroo Rat comes from its kangaroo-like large hind
legs, and the name rat is associated with its long tail.
The Ord's Kangaroo Rat are known for their jumping ability,
and can hop a distance of 8 feet in a single leap.
Western Meadowlark, Prairie Rattlesnake & Prickly Pear Cactus
Sculpture by Ralph Berg, 1995 |
The Western Meadowlark is best known by its song, which is familiar to almost everyone. It arrives in Saskatchewan the last week of March and remains until October. The Meadowlark is typically a prairie bird that builds its nest on the ground and spends most of its time close to the nest. Males sing their unique and melodious song from a perch, likely a fence post. Three quarters of the Western Meadowlark’s food consists of insects, including beetles, crickets, grasshoppers and caterpillars and a quarter of their diet is seeds, especially grain.
The Prairie Rattlesnake is restricted to two areas of Saskatchewan, the Val Marie and Leader regions. Primarily, they are found within 15 km on the north and south side of the South Saskatchewan River, west of Leader. The rattle is composed of interlocking segments which are loosely fitted together so that when the tail is vibrated, they produce a sharp buzzing sound. The Prairie Rattlesnake produces 4 to 21 young in a brood, usually in August or September. The young are about 41/2 inches long at birth. They are poisonous and have only the terminal “button” of their rattle at this stage. The main prey of rattlesnakes is small mammals – mice, rats, ground squirrels, gophers and rabbits. The rattlesnake will usually retreat to shelter at any sign of danger. If a rattlesnake is encountered, slowly move away and the snake will not harm you.
Loggerhead Shrike & Long-Billed Curlew
Sculpture by Grant McLaughlin, 2009 |
Loggerhead Shrike
This western subspecies of predatory songbird is listed as threatened in Canada. It is a robin-sized passerine with a robust hooked bill, black face mask, white under parts, and black wings with a prominent white wing patch.
Loggerhead Shrikes hunt from perches in open country, and prefer a combination of pasture or other grassland with scattered low trees and shrubs. They display an unusual habit of impaling prey, mostly insects, but occasionally small birds or mice, on twigs or thorns.
Long-Billed Curlew
This is the largest North American member of the sandpiper family. Its long bill is used for probing into dirt and mud for insects to eat. The females are larger than the males. Both partners will incubate the eggs in a nest made from a scrape on the ground. The female often leaves once the babies are hatched, leaving dad to protect the clutch.
Bobcat
Sculpture by Grant McLaughlin |
Bobcats are solitary mammals that make their territory where food is abundant. They live mainly in wooded areas making one main den and several shelters under fallen trees, hallow logs and bushes. They mark their territory by scent and claw markings. Bobcats are excellent climbers and swim when necessary. They live off small rodents such as mice, fish, birds, gophers, rabbits and small deer.
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