As you drive country highways, it sometimes seems that hawks are everywhere -- perched on telephone poles and fence posts or circling overhead.

If you venture out near the woods after dark, you might hear the high-pitched cry of a flying squirrel.

Discover Nature this week with Missouri’s dabblers and divers. Dabblers and divers are two main types of ducks, and you can tell them apart by the way they eat, fly and look.

Discover Nature this week with Missouri’s dabblers and divers. Dabblers and divers are two main types of ducks, and you can tell them apart by the way they eat, fly and look.

November is prime mating season for white-tailed deer. It's not too hard to see deer today, but around 100 years ago they were hard to spot.

Discover Nature this week with Missouri’s creepy critters. It's that spooky time of year -- when plastic bats and spiders abound. But the real critters are not as scary as people think – plus, they bring benefits.

Discover nature this week with Missouri's caterpillars. While all bears are preparing for the winter, it's the familiar fuzzy caterpillar known as the woolly bear that clearly signals that cold weather is just around the corner.

A speedy wanderer has returned to Missouri's skies. The Peregrine falcon was nearly wiped out in the mid-1900s due to pesticide poisoning. Historically, peregrines nested in small numbers on bluffs along the Mississippi, Missouri, and Gasconade rivers. By the late 1800s, only a few pairs remained in the state.

Persimmons are a sweet fall treat often used in breads, puddings, and pies. They're also a favorite for wildlife (so you may have to race the raccoons to harvest them).

Fall is a great time for hiking. The weather is cooler, the colors are changing, and our conservation areas offer many choices.