Tavia Fuller Armstrong is a writer at A-Z Animals where her primary focus is on birds, mammals, reptiles, and chemistry. Tavia has been researching and writing about animals for approximately 30 years, since she completed an internship with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Tavia holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology with a wildlife emphasis from the University of Central Oklahoma.
A resident of Oklahoma, Tavia has worked at the federal, state, and local level to educate hundreds of young people about science, wildlife, and endangered species.
The Piping Plover, Charadrius melodus, lives in North America. It exists primarily in three distinct breeding populations. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists two populations as threatened, and the… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
Hummingbirds, the jewels of the sky, excite the senses of the people who see them. When can residents of California expect hummingbirds to return to their neighborhoods? Some of these… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
What would you name a sloth? Here are 400 fitting and clever suggestions for sloth names, separated into 16 different unique categories. Enjoy! Sloth Names That Emphasize Their Slow Nature… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
Nearly half of the Snowy Plover population in North America breeds in a limited range on the salt plains of Utah and Oklahoma. This tiny migratory shorebird makes its home… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
The African Pygmy Goose is not a goose. Scientists classify it as a particular type of duck known as a perching duck. This type of duck has a very small… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
There may be no other bird as unappreciated by birdwatchers as the American Coot. Among waterfowl, this much maligned bird usually elicits about as much excitement as a pile of… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
How deep is Grand Lake O' the Cherokees? As one of Oklahoma’s deepest lakes, it has an average depth of just over 36 feet, but its maximum depth is much… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 2 months ago
Portuguese Water Dog Summary The Portuguese Water Dog, as its name suggests, naturally takes to the water. Originally bred in Portugal, these hardy dogs found work all along the Portuguese… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
What is a sploot? If you look in most dictionaries, you won’t find the word. According to the Washington Post, the word probably originated in the 21st century and rocketed… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Flies and the great outdoors just go together, especially in the summer. Outside of sitting with a fly swatter in your hand, how can you get rid of flies naturally?… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Have you ever seen a newly hatched baby lobster? Even if you did, you might not know what you were looking at. The youngest juvenile lobsters are practically invisible. Not… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Australian cattle dogs are among the brightest and hardiest working dogs in the world. Bred to serve in demanding environments, these clever dogs have nearly boundless energy and can learn… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Are you getting excited about the total solar eclipse coming up on April 8, 2024? The path of totality will sweep across North America, from the western coast of Mexico,… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Rabbits tend to enjoy a variety of different treats, including a wide range of vegetables and fruits. Most people associate rabbits with leafy greens from the garden and the occasional… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Have you ever seen a baby squirrel? Most people have not. Squirrels may have only one or two litters each year. And baby squirrels typically stay safely hidden in their… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 3 months ago
Rabbits enjoy a wide variety of treats, including many different types of vegetables and fruits. Most people know that rabbits love leafy greens and the occasional root vegetables, like carrots.… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Arcadia Lake ranks as one of the smaller lakes in Oklahoma, but it is an absolute favorite for many people living in the Oklahoma City metropolitan area and beyond. The… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Lake Tenkiller, also known as Tenkiller Ferry Lake, lies in northeastern Oklahoma. This Oklahoma gem has a history intertwined with the Cherokee Nation. Completed in 1952, the lake was named… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Think of squirrels. The picture in your mind probably depends greatly on where you live. You may adore these fluffy creatures or despise them. Watching squirrels can provide hours of… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Almost everyone knows how much rabbits enjoy grazing in a vegetable garden. They seem to love nibbling on leafy greens and the occasional carrot or turnip. But what about radishes?… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Over time, humans have continued to encroach on the territory of wild animals. Sometimes we coexist peacefully, and other times not so much. Often, the wild animals are the ones… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
The official Vermont State Bird is the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus). This small, mostly brown bird with a beautifully melodic, flute-like voice can be found all over the state. Celebrated… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Almost everyone knows how much rabbits enjoy leafy green vegetables and the occasional carrot. But what about spicier vegetables? It turns out, yes, rabbits can eat bell peppers. These colorful… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Are you familiar with the Alaskan Malamute? It looks a lot like a Siberian husky, but larger and with more rounded ears and a curved tail. Alaskan Malamutes served an… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
People living outside of Georgia, or who have no connection to the poultry industry, may never have heard of J. D. Jewell, Inc. The company went bankrupt in the 1970s.… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
What do you know about baby walruses? Unless you live in the Arctic region or happen to have a fondness for semi-aquatic mammals, you probably don’t know much about this… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
According to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, there are at least two dozen different raptor species in the State of Illinois. These include eight different types of owls, nine… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
The Cubalaya chicken, once a source of great pride in Cuba, has become nearly extinct in the island nation. The Livestock Conservancy lists the breed in its critical category, meaning… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
Rabbits are so soft and fluffy, much like a beloved stuffed animal. Seeing them outside in the winter, facing off against the cold temperatures and the elements, one might wonder… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
San Francisco, California maintains nearly uniform temperatures all year round. Bounded by the warm Pacific Ocean on the west, and the San Francisco Bay on the east, the city of… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 4 months ago
If you are looking for an ornate chicken that closely resembles the jungle fowl from which domestic chickens arose, the Old English Game chicken may be your best bet. This… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Zebras, with their horse-like bodies and distinctive black and white stripes, are among the most recognizable animals in the world. Within their natural habitat, though, these stripes do not seem… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Most people don’t think of snow when they think of Florida. But does it ever snow in the Sunshine State? Yes, it snows in Florida. It doesn’t snow much, and… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
The Australian cattle dog is a hardy and robust breed. It was bred for hard work in demanding conditions. For a long time, an Australian cattle dog held the record… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
What do you want to know about hawk poop? Maybe you have never really thought much about the fecal matter of hawks before. Perhaps you think this is a weird… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Texas is usually a relatively balmy place to be in the month of December. While the residents of many other states spend the holidays shivering, Texans often do their Christmas… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
When most people think of Hawaii, they envision warm, Pacific islands complete with palm trees, sun-soaked beaches, and an endless supply of beautiful, tropical flowers. But what about wintry weather?… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
The Illinois River flows from a spring in the Ozark Mountains. It winds its way from far northwestern Arkansas through the hills of northeastern Oklahoma, eventually joining the Arkansas River… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Have you ever wondered whether it snows in Texas? After all, this state is rather well known for being hot and dry, or near the coast rather hot and steamy.… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Key Points: Lake Eufaula is the largest lake that rests entirely within the borders of Oklahoma. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began construction on the lake in 1956 and… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
At least 13 different bat species are known to live in Ohio. Some are common, others are quite rare. They roost everywhere from caves and trees to vacant buildings. Let's… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Jumping spiders are relatively small spiders that belong to the Salticidae family. More than 6,000 species belong to this family. They live all over the world and represent approximately 13… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
In a state like Oklahoma, with very little in the way of deserts, even relatively small sand dunes can be breathtaking. The sand dunes at Little Sahara State Park and… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
The chestnut-backed chickadee, Poecile rufescens, has a distinctive feature that sets it apart from the other six species of chickadees that live in North America. Can you guess what it… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
The Carolina chickadee, Poecile carolinensis, is one of seven chickadee species native to North America. This adorable bird is a frequent guest at many backyard feeders in the southeastern United… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Some animals absolutely love eating mushrooms in the wild. Some others eat mushrooms only occasionally, perhaps when they cannot find more desirable foods. Eating mushrooms can be a tricky business,… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
A moose, Alces alces, can run at a top speed of up to 35 miles per hour, or approximately 56 kilometers per hour. The average moose cannot maintain that top… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
The official New Hampshire state bird is the purple finch (Haemorhous purpureus). The purple finch belongs to the Fringillidae family of true finches. This family includes roughly 240 species of… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
When people think of yellow finches in the United States, they typically picture the American goldfinch. This beautiful, bright yellow and black bird ranges throughout the United States, as well… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
Orangutans are among the most intelligent animals in the world. We know that orangutans are exceptionally smart, based on multiple factors that have been studied over time. For instance, we… Read More
By Tavia Fuller Armstrong 5 months ago
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