What in the Woods Is That?

Play our biweekly guessing game!

Whatever draws us into the forest—be it birdwatching or logging, hiking or hunting—all of us are unified by the sense of wonder we feel in the outdoors. The forests, fields, and streams of our region are full of mystery, and if you stop and look closely, you’ll see all sorts of oddities.

Below find a picture of one such woodlands curio. Guess what it is and you’ll be eligible to win a Northern Woodlands woodpecker magnet designed by artist Liz Wahid. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner’s name, will appear when the next column is posted and in our newsletter (sign up here!).

Who Lost A Head?

This skull was found in southern Vermont in a small patch of woods at the edge of a farm field. What kind of animal is it?

Answer

Virginia opossum.

Note the pronounced sagittal crest (the Mohawk-looking ridge of bone on the top of the head), which indicates that this opossum was a mature animal. As an animal ages, and its jaw and neck muscles grow and develop, the sagittal crest becomes more pronounced.

To learn more about opossums, check out Tracking Tips in the summer issue.

This week’s contest winner was Michael Gagnon