Category Archives: Fang & Claw

History’s Fur Baby

Ferrets, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears. I have come to tell you about one of ancient Rome’s most surprising pets: ferrets, whose small size and playful nature belie their fierce hunting abilities. These wily weasels were primarily kept to hunt rabbits and keep pest populations under control, including by soldiers. As the Roman Empire expanded, so too did the humble ferret’s range. According to the Roman historians Pliny and Strabo, around 6 BCE, Emperor Augustus sent γαλέη — a Greek word believed to have been referring to ferrets, though it also could have meant mongooses or polecats — to the Balearic Islands in modern-day Spain to control their plague of rabbits.

Though certainly not as common as cats and dogs, ferrets remain popular pets today. They’re beloved for their mischievous personalities — their name literally means “little thief” due to their habit of taking small objects and hiding them — and how much they love to play, including with other animals. They’re also high-maintenance, meaning you shouldn’t attempt to channel your inner Roman without giving it a good deal of thought first.

The Stealth Tree

Two frogmouth birds

A few factslaps about frogmouth birds:

  • Masters of Camouflage: Frogmouths are experts at blending into their surroundings. Their mottled feathers resemble tree bark, which helps them avoid predators by making them nearly indistinguishable from branches.
  • Not Owls, But Close Relatives: Though often mistaken for owls due to their nocturnal habits and similar appearance, frogmouths belong to a different family called Podargidae. They are more closely related to nightjars.
  • Wide, Frog-like Mouths: Their name comes from their wide, flattened beaks, which resemble a frog’s mouth. This adaptation helps them catch insects in flight or snap up prey on the ground.
  • Diet: While some species focus on insects, larger frogmouths can catch small vertebrates, such as mice or frogs.
  • Daytime Masters of Stillness: During the day, frogmouths often adopt a motionless posture that makes them look like a broken branch. They even stretch their bodies and align themselves with the tree’s texture to enhance the effect.
  • Silent Hunters: Unlike owls, frogmouths don’t rely on acute hearing to catch prey. Instead, they use their sharp vision at night and snatch insects with their wide beaks.
  • Monogamous Birds: Frogmouths are generally monogamous and share parental duties. Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, and after hatching, they continue to care for the young together.
  • Geographical Range: Frogmouths are found primarily in Australia, Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent, thriving in various habitats from forests to urban areas.
  • Call: Their vocalizations are quite soft and often sound like a low, humming noise or soft growls, very different from the hoots of owls.
  • Not Agile Flyers: While they are strong hunters, frogmouths are not particularly adept at flying. They tend to sit still and wait for prey to come near, using short bursts of flight when necessary.