The Canada yew (Taxus canadensis) is an understory shrub common in most forests of Quebec and Eastern North America. This small conifer contains a chemical compound with anti-cancerous properties. Sometimes…

Although it is classed as part of the big Canidae (or canid) family – which includes wolves, coyotes and dogs – the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is related to cats…

The White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) is a regular visitor to bird feeders and lives in the deciduous forests of Québec. It can be observed year-round in wooded areas, parks and…

The star-nose condylure (Condylura cristata) is a remarkable little creature which evolved in the wetland habitats of North America. Its characteristic nasal appendage and its anatomical and behavioural adaptations allow…

We humans are fascinated by the bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), with its majestic presence and its identification as a symbol. In fact, the United States has made it its national…

Equipped with a lo-o-o-o-ng abdomen and impressive mandibles, the dragonfly looks like it could easily sting or bite us. In Québec, it is sometimes called a “crève-yeux” – an eye-puncturer!…

Known colloquially in French as the merisier, the yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) is a tree native to northeastern North America. Due to its rapid growth, long life, beauty and wide…

With its long, strong beak, prominent crest and impressive size, the Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) has a silhouette evocative of that well-known flying dinosaur, the pterodactyl. The Pileated Woodpecker is…

When you touch a cat or a bird, you feel the warmth the animal gives off. If you handle a grass snake or a frog, however, you feel a coolness….

When you see a motionless owl looking straight behind itself, you might think that it could turn its head completely around. So…can it? No animal, including the owl, can swivel…