Deniz Martinez is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on biogeography, ornithology, and mammalogy. Deniz has been researching, teaching, and writing about animals for over 10 years and holds both an MS degree from American Public University earned in 2016 and an MA degree from Lindenwood University earned in 2022.
A resident of Pennsylvania, Deniz also runs Art History Animalia, a website and associated social media dedicated to investigating intersections of natural history with art & visual culture history via exploring animal iconography.
The silky anteater (Cyclopes didactylus), also known as the pygmy anteater and two-toed anteater, is a furry forest-dwelling mammal of the Neotropics. Its scientific name means "two-toed circle-foot," referring to… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Although first scientifically described back in 1873, there is still little known about the mysterious pacarana (Dinomys branickii). This curious creature is the sole living member of an entire family… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
The Cockatoo family (Cacatuidae) includes 21 species of crested parrots mainly native to Australasia. They are unique amongst the parrot order (Psittaciformes) for having a plumage palette limited almost entirely… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Like every other state, South Dakota has named several official state symbols. Among these are five different animals, each with their own unique ties to The Mount Rushmore State. Read… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
The United Kingdom is home to just two squirrel species: the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) and the eastern grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis). Both species share similar life histories, including being… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Every state of the United States has named at least one official state bird, along with Washington, D.C., and three of the five official U.S. territories. The most common state… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Australia is famous for its native wildlife, including some iconic species of reptiles. But are there any true alligators native to Australia? Read on to find out! How Are Crocodilians… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Hummingbirds have the highest metabolic rates among vertebrates and require a specialized diet to meet their extraordinary energy needs. The ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) is no exception. This iconic species… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Ostriches (Struthio spp.) may not be able to fly, but that hasn’t stopped them from holding several records in the animal kingdom. Those records include being the largest and heaviest… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Owls are any of the 248 bird species in the Strigiformes order. Within this order, the larger Strigidae family contains 228 species known as the typical owls, while the smaller Tytonidae… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Australia is full of amazing wildlife, including many species found nowhere else in the world. But does Australia have its own native bear? Read on to find out! Australia’s Mythical… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Wisconsin is home to just one bear species, the North American black bear (Ursus americanus). While this bear has always been native to the state, both its population size and… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
Canada is home to two large native eagle species. In addition, a third, even larger vagrant species has been flying through Canada recently. Read on to find out which three… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
The official state bird of Minnesota is the common loon (Gavia immer). The state legislature adopted this bird as an official state symbol on March 13, 1961. Minnesota hosts the… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 7 months ago
The official state bird of Oklahoma is the scissor-tailed flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus). It was designated the state bird under House Joint Resolution Number 21, signed into law on May 26,… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Lions are a famous example of a sexually dimorphic species. In such species, males and females are typically easily distinguished by physical appearance. These traits can include differences in size,… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
The Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos, meaning "many-tongued mimic") is a well-known species throughout much of the United States. This popular songbird is also the official bird of five states —… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Although the lion (Panthera leo) is often referred to as the proverbial "king of the jungle," jungles are not the usual habitat of these famous big cats. Furthermore, while well-known… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
There are at least two dozen birds from all around the world whose common names start with the last and best letter of the alphabet, Z. Read on to discover… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Owls are any of the 248 bird species in the Strigiformes order. Within this order, the larger Strigidae family contains 228 species known as typical owls, while the smaller Tytonidae… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
What is the official state bird of Maine? The answer is not quite as simple as it should be. While the state did indeed designate the "chickadee" as the official… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
The world of flowers seems to have a flower for every letter of the library, from A to Z. If you want to add some variety to your garden or… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Raccoons (Procyon lotor) in captivity are often observed dunking food items in water. This has led to the persistent belief that raccoons wash their food before eating it. Alternately, some… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Guinea pigs are obligate herbivores. The bulk of their diet should always consist of fresh hay and grazed grass supplemented with high-quality pellet food, along with moderated amounts of leafy… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Arkansas has two native fox species? Both the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) call Arkansas home. Both species are a mix of crepuscular… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Illinois has two native fox species? Both the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) call Illinois home. Both species are a mix of crepuscular… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
“Macaw” is the common name given to a group of large Neotropical parrots spread across a half dozen different genera (Anodorhynchus, Ara, Cyanopsitta, Diopsittaca, Primolius, and Orthopsittaca). There are currently… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
The official Indiana state bird is the Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis). Indiana declared the northern cardinal its official state bird in 1933. Also known colloquially as the cardinal, common cardinal,… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Marsupials are one of the three lineages of modern mammals, alongside the monotremes and placentals. All three of these groups share the defining features common to the Mammalia class, including… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Delaware has two resident fox species? Both the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) call Delaware home. Furthermore, the gray fox is Delaware's official… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Hummingbirds are relatively rare in the state of South Dakota. There are only two native species that each breed in only small areas of the state. One is the ruby-throated… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Iowa only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Iowa part of its home territory. In fact, this is… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know New Hampshire only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls New Hampshire part of its home range. In fact,… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
While it used to be difficult to find any dinosaurs at all that started with the letter X, there are now at least 19 of them! A big reason for… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Michigan only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Michigan part of its native territory. In fact, this is… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Rhode Island only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Rhode Island home. In fact, this is the only… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 8 months ago
Did you know Connecticut only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Connecticut part of its home turf. In fact, this is… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Did you know New Jersey has two resident fox species? Both the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and gray fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) call New Jersey home. Both species are a mix… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Did you know North Dakota only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) includes North Dakota as part of its regular range. In… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
While you can spot rabbits and hares (family Leporidae) across England today, did you know they are actually not native to the area? In fact, only one species is native… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Parrots (order Psittaciformes) are one of the most colorful groups of birds — and of all animals! — on the planet. You can find every color of the rainbow and… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Did you know Delaware only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls Delaware part of its regular home turf. In fact, this… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Did you know West Virginia only has one truly native hummingbird species? That's right, only the ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) calls West Virginia a home state. In fact, this is… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
The Gorilla genus comprises two closely related primate species native the tropical forests of equatorial Africa. These species are the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla). As… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
There are more fish whose English common names start with the letter Z than you might think - over 50, in fact! And while it's true that a bunch of… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
The wild Atlantic canary (Serinus canaria) is native to the Macaronesian Islands in the North Atlantic Ocean, including the aptly named Canary Islands. Europeans may have started importing wild stock… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
Key Points: No hummingbirds have ever migrated east or west across the Atlantic or Pacific to colonize other continents or distant islands. In order to help combat further biodiversity loss,… Read More
By Deniz Martinez 9 months ago
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more about us & read our affiliate disclosure.
A-Z-Animals.com is Copyright © 2008 - 2024 A-Z Animals