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Why do birds lose their feathers?

Rachel Mertens, age 8, Imperial

When birds lose one or two feathers at a time, it's usually because the feathers are worn out, and they need to grow new ones so they can fly well and stay on the move. Wing, tail and body feathers generally fall out, or molt, just a few at a time-kind of like the way we lose and grow new hair. Some species go through a much more dramatic molt. Ducks, for example, lose all their wing feathers at once and, for a time, can't fly. Sometimes a bird's new feathers are a different color for winter, or grow in a different color as the bird grows older.

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In your June issue I read about all the different kinds of grasshoppers. I was wondering why they spit juice when you pick them up, and why they are all different colors.

Josh Whittam, Kirksville

Grasshoppers spit juice in self-defense. The juice-some people say it looks like tobacco juice-is watery, undigested food that is stored in the grasshopper's crop, or part of their gut. They spit it at potential predators or other animals that disturb them, hoping to chase them away. Grasshoppers and other insects rely on coloration to help them stay camouflaged, warn their enemies or attract mates.

Why is it illegal to shoot animals out of season?

Angela Briner, 6th grade, Bolckow

We need hunting laws and regulations to protect and manage wild animals. If everyone was allowed to hunt whenever they felt like it, wild animals would quickly disappear. In the past, animals have become rare or extinct because we did not have laws protecting them. For example, in the 1930s deer were rare in Missouri. Hunting seasons protect wild animals and also allow people who like to hunt the chance to do so for many years to come.

Are there any kinds of poisonous lizards or frogs in Missouri? If so, what are their names and what do they look like?

Ashley Owens, Birch Tree

There are no poisonous frogs and no venomous lizards in Missouri. However, most toads and frogs found in Missouri produce skin secretions-or fluids-that make them taste bad to predators. Some species have more of this protective toxin than others. Toads, for example, produce strong skin toxins and so they are not a favorite food of most predators. People like to eat frogs' legs but we have to remove the skin before cooking them to keep bad-tasting skin secretions off the meat. Also, if you touch a treefrog, you need to keep your hands away from your eyes. Treefrogs' skin secretions can cause severe eye irritation. Always wash your hands after any contact with frogs or toads!

The next issue of Outside In will feature Missouri's endangered species.

How do you feel about endangered animals? Have you done anything at home or school to learn about them or help protect them? What do you think we should do to preserve their habitats? Please tell us by sending a letter, essay, story or artwork. We will include some submissions in the next issue. Mail to:

Professor Oakley Q. Nutkins
Outside In, Missouri Conservationist
P.O. Box 180
Jefferson City, MO 65102-0180