I am writing a new song about the Little Pocket MouseCategory: Animal Songs Published: Friday, February 26, 2010
The above photo is of a Little Pocket Mouse. I am currently writing a new animal song for kids about this very cute and rare rodent. The Pacific Pocket Mouse, a subspecies of the Little Pocket Mouse, is on the U.S. Endangered Species List. It is classified as an endangered animal in California. This coastal-dweller dropped in number as houses overtook its habitat. For about 20 years it was assumed to be extinct, but a single population of fewer than 40 mice was discovered in 1993. Pacific Pocket Mice are actually one of the most endangered species in the entire North American continent, and interesting because they are also one of the smallest rodent species in the world. I first learned about the Little Pocket Mouse when I went on a hike in San Onofre State Beach in San Clemente, California. There I learned that the Pacific Pocket Mouse was a hero of sorts, because it's endangered status is one of the key things that kept a new toll road from being built right through its habitat in San Onofre State Beach. When an animal has been declared endangered, wildlife protection laws usually also protect their habitat, and it very difficult to get approval to build on that habitat or put a road through it. San Onofre is a very beautiful park and many people believe that the Little Pacific Pocket Mouse saved this park from being nearly destroyed! Whenever I write an new animal song for kids, I first learn as much as I can about the animal. Here are some of the facts I've learned about the Little Pocket Mouse: --The little pocket mouse is, indeed, a small mouse. Total length is about 4 inches to 6 inches (110-151 mm) and their tail length is just over 2 to 3 inches (53-86 mm). They each weigh about 1/4 ounce. --They are soft-furred and their colors vary. Their upper body is grayish yellow or light brown, interspersed with black hairs that vary from paler to darker, depending on the color of soil they live in. Their underparts are pale brown, brownish, or white. Their tail is uniformly pale brownish. They have 2 small white patches at base of ears. -- They live in the ground, and burrow deeper into the soil to escape extremes of heat or cold. These tiny mice mostly eat seeds, some insects, grass, and leaves, though they are so small that they cannot maintain their energy unless they eat constantly while they are active. They store their extra food in fur-lined external cheek pouches. I am still writing my Little Pocket Mouse song and look forward to adding it to my collection of animal songs for kids. Here's a verse I've written so far: "Pocket mouse Oh, where's your house? It's underground Where I can not be found Oh no, no, no. Stay tuned for the rest of the song in a future blog. -Birdsong (of Birdsong and the Eco-Wonders )
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Post a CommentOther Recent ArticlesWatch a video of a Blue Whale -The largest animal on Earth!Category: Animal Song Videos Published: Friday, December 02, 2011 Dear Friends. Check out this video of a kayaker's amazing encounter with a blue whale, the largest animal on Earth. It gives you a close-up look at just how big and magnificent these creatures are. I felt excited and tingly inside when I watched this. You can learn just how big a blue whale by listening to my song So Big! Blue Whale! on our CD IF I WERE A FISH and other Ocean Songs for Kids by Birdsong and the Eco-Wonders®. I wrote this song as a tribute to the world's largest animal. See if you can if you can find facts about a blue whale's lungs, heart and tongue in the song! (The lyrics to the song are below.) Meet some Mexican and Alaskan Gray Wolves! More photos from California Wolf CenterCategory: Animal Songs-Wolves Published: Tuesday, August 16, 2011 Dear Friends, Meet some of the 29 Mexican and Alaskan Gray wolves at the California Wolf Center in Julian, CA. You can see the entire album of these eight Mexican and Alaskan Gray Wolves on California Wolf Center's Facebook page. The names of these wolves include: Inuk, Chaco, Kiana, Taku and Ketchikan. Wolves such as these inspired my song and music video, LEADERS OF THE PACK. This video has a slideshow of beautiful wolf photos, courtesy of All -About -Wolves. You can also find the lyrics to this animal song for kids below. Please read and sing along with me! Soon we will be recording this song for our next CD. Stay tuned! Silly Wolf Photo from California Wolf CenterCategory: Animal Songs-Wolves Published: Friday, July 29, 2011 Dear Friends, Check out this silly wolf photo from the California Wolf Center in Julian, CA. You can see the entire album of these silly wolf photos on California Wolf Center's Facebook page. Wolves such as these inspired my song and music video, LEADERS OF THE PACK. This video has a slideshow of beautiful wolf photos, courtesy of All -About -Wolves. You can watch my kids music video LEADERS OF THE PACK on my December, 2009 blog post. You can also find the lyrics to this animal song for kids below. Please read and sing along with me! We will be in the music studio this autumn to record this song for our next CD. Stay tuned! Wolf Pups Video from California Wolf CenterCategory: Animal Songs-Wolves Published: Wednesday, July 27, 2011 Check out this video of wolf pups from the California Wolf Center in Julian, CA, uploaded in June, 2011. These pups were born this past Spring. Wolf families such as these inspired my song and music video, LEADERS OF THE PACK. This video has a slideshow of beautiful wolf photos, courtesy of All -About -Wolves. You can watch my kids music video LEADERS OF THE PACK on my December, 2009 blog post. You can find the lyrics to this animal song for kids below. Please read and sing along with me! We will be in the music studio this year to record this song for our upcoming CD. Stay tuned! Watch DOLPHIN DINNER - An animal video about dolphins by National GeographicCategory: Animal Song Videos Published: Saturday, July 09, 2011 Dear Friends. This is a fun National Geographic kids' video about dolphins. Here you will see a pod of dolphins using their sounds to locate large schools of anchovies. After locating the fish, they then use dolphin teamwork to catch the anchovies for dinner. Echolation and cooperation are the names of the game in this educational kids video. You can watch more natiuonal geographic videos at National Geographic Kids Online. You can also watch my animal song video about dolphins and echolocation, called Clickety Clack, in a previous blog post. In the video you will find the dolphin photos by NOAA and the lyrics of the song so that you can sing along. Clickety-Clack is the first song on my CD IF I WERE A FISH and other Ocean Songs for Kids by Birdsong and the Eco-Wonders. I love seeing dolphins off the coast of California where I live. I hope you enjoy these dolphin videos. -Birdsong 
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