The buzz

Despite what you learned in school many years ago, dinosaurs do still exist. The birds we see today are actually modern-day dinosaurs.

If you've ever caught a glimpse of a muskrat, it was probably near water. These rodents spend most of their time in and around water, feasting on aquatic plants and animals.

The wattle on a turkey is its most identifiable feature, but what's it for anyway?

Can you tell a gull from a tern? Here's a few quick pointers to tell them apart. 

Deer antlers seem to grow overnight, and in reality they actually do. A buck's antlers can grow a quarter inch a day, but it's a process that requires a lot of energy.

From eagle eyes to Benjamin Franklin, dive into these offbeat facts.

Turkey vultures are raptors just like eagles and hawks, but there are a few things that set them apart.

Is that a chipmunk or a ground squirrel scurrying around your yard in preparation for winter? Learn how to tell the difference between these two similar-looking rodents.

Loved or reviled, the raccoon is one of the most common mammals in Illinois. 

Trillions of cigarettes are littered each year, creating a lasting impact for the environment. And now, with the rising popularity of e-cigarettes, litter from smoking includes both hazardous and electronic waste.