Here are some fun facts about animals that you may not have known before.

BIRD FACTS
The Peregrine Falcon is Britain’s fastest bird and can reach speeds of up to 120mph.

The largest and heaviest British bird is the Mute Swan.

The Mute Swan has a wingspan of 6-8 feet (2-2.5 metres) and weighs 22-26lbs (10-12kg)

The Smallest British bird is the Goldcrest. Its wingspan is only 13-15cm.

FOXES
Foxes can run at speeds of more than 40mph.

Foxes are omnivorous so they’ll eat just about anything.

However, in early autumn, up to 90% of the red fox’s diet may consist of apples, blackberries and other fruit.

A group of foxes are called a ‘skulk’ or ‘leash’.

Foxes are descended with wolves and dogs, however, the pupils of a foxes eyes are vertical slits like in cats’ eyes.

GEESE

A group of geese on the ground is called a 'gaggle', but when in flight they are referred to as a 'skein'.

HARES/RABBITS

The brown hare is the fastest land mammal in the UK, reaching speeds of up to 45mph.

Hares are born with fur, with their eyes open; rabbits are born naked, with eyes shut.

Mother hares visit their young for just five minutes a day to feed them on their rich milk.

Hares can reach speeds of up to 60km/h when running flat out.

Rabbits are not native to Britain. They were introduced by the French in the 11th century as a source of fur and food.

Rabbits are the only mammals in the world that can see behind themselves without having to rotate their head.

Rabbits incisors grow constantly.

BADGERS

Badgers are omnivorous so they will eat pretty much anything but earthworms are one of the their favourite foods.

Badgers are the fastest digging animal on the planet.

Badgers have poor eyesight but a very good sense of smell.

Badgers are very clean animals, often changing bedding and using small, dug out, pits near to the sett to use as toilets.

Badgers can use the same badger sett for generations; some badger sett?s are known to have been used for more than a century.

BATS

There are 17 species of bat in Britain and all of them are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

In some bat species, males are known sometimes to produce milk, but it is not known if they ever suckle the young.

Despite the saying ?as blind as a bat?, bats actually have fairly good eyesight. However, they use a type of radar to locate objects.

HEDGEHOGS

Hedgehogs are nocturnal which means they sleep in the day and are active at night.

It is actually lack of food rather than cool weather which causes a hedgehog to hibernate.

The average male hedgehog as approximately 5000-7000 spines on its back and sides. Hedgehogs use their spines to protect themselves from predators.

Approximately 1/5 of the UK hedgehog population is dying out every 4 years. The cause is unknown but by 2025 hedgehogs could be gone from mainland Great Britain. (To see how you can help hedgehogs visit top tips or click here).

SQUIRRELS
Millions of trees are accidentally planted by squirrels that bury nuts and then forget where they hid them.

Grey squirrels have been known to kill and eat rabbits, rats, cockerels and stoats.

An adult red squirrel can sniff out a pine cone buried 30 cm deep.

Squirrels can swim and they are either right or left handed.

SHEEP/GOATS

Sheep and goats were domesticated as early as 7500 BC.

DID YOU KNOW?
Studies in Britain have found that a typical blue tit brood needs to consume 20,000 caterpillars prior to fledging.