Who Pooped?
Replica Scat Photo: N. Sincero 2011, Scat Wrangler: S. Sumrall
This scat can reach up to 8.8 cm (3.5 in) in length. It is a distinctive green color, often with a nitrogenous white coating. You can find this scat all over North America, but you’re more likely to see it in the south during the winter months.
Who pooped?
Leave a comment below with your guess. We will reveal the answer in the comments section on Tuesday, September 20th.
If you have your own natural history mystery (an unidentified animal, plant or other specimen), send a photo or two to naturalist@calacademy.org. We’ll do our best to help out. Please include location, date and any other details that seem pertinent.
Sources:
Scats and Tracks of the Pacific Coast, including British Columbia: A Field Guide to the Signs of 70 Wildlife Species / James C. Halfpenny; illustrated by Todd Telander. Helena, Mont.: Falcon, c1999. Naturalist Center Reference QL768 .H36 1999
The hint makes it sound like a bird, but it must be large in size plus it must know how to get airborne to head south. Maybe it eats algae to make the scat green, perhaps from calm waters to make the algae more accessible? Is my reasoning correct? And is it a goose?
These games are fun guys. Thanks for doing this.
Comment by george — September 16, 2011 @ 2:08 pm
You’re absolutely correct! It is the scat of Branta canadensis, the Canada goose.
You can report sightings and read more about them at one of our favorite sites, All About Birds: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Canada_Goose/id
Comment by nature — September 20, 2011 @ 9:12 am