🏡 Backyard and town animal reports, grades 1–2

18 sheets, one animal each, so every child in a group gets a different one. Pick another set or one animal.

Backyard and town, grades 1–218 pages · Letter or A4 · portrait

Name:Date:

My report: the ruby-throated hummingbird

Archilochus colubris · Grades 1–2

Length	3 to 3.5 in (7.5 to 9 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	0.11 to 0.12 oz (3 to 3.5 g)
Top speed	60 mph (97 km/h)
How long it lives	5 to 9 years

Read about it

Hummingbirds are tiny birds. Their wings flap so fast they make a humming sound. They drink sweet nectar from flowers.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/media/ruby-throated-hummingbird-10, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Northeast Temperate Network, nps.gov/articles/netn-species-spotlight-ruby-throated-hummingbird.htm, checked 2026-10-30
US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/story/2024-08/august-2024-bird-month-ruby-throated-hummingbird, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the honey bee

Apis mellifera · Grades 1–2

Length	not checked yet: look it up!
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	0.12 to 0.5 years

Read about it

Honey bees live together in a hive. They visit flowers to collect nectar and make honey. Bees help plants grow fruit.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

USDA, Pollinator Facts (National Pollinator Week factsheet), usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/pollinator-week-factsheet-final.pdf, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the monarch butterfly

Danaus plexippus · Grades 1–2

Length	2.8 to 3.9 in (7 to 10 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	0.018 oz (0.5 g)
Top speed	9.9 to 30 mph (16 to 48 km/h)
How long it lives	0.04 to 0.1 years

Read about it

Monarchs are orange and black butterflies. Their caterpillars eat milkweed leaves. In fall, monarchs fly far away to stay warm.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, species profile, fws.gov/species/monarch-danaus-plexippus, checked 2026-10-30
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Monarch Butterfly Festival page, fws.gov/event/monarch-butterfly-festival, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the white-tailed deer

Odocoileus virginianus · Grades 1–2

Length	not checked yet: look it up!
Height at the shoulder	30 to 36 in (76 to 91 cm)
Weight	90 to 300 lb (41 to 136 kg)
Top speed	30 mph (48 km/h)
How long it lives	10 years

Read about it

White-tailed deer have a fluffy white tail. Baby deer, called fawns, are born with white spots. They hide in tall grass and wait for their mother.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Jewel Cave, nps.gov/jeca/learn/nature/white-tailed-deer-odocoileus-virginianus.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Prince William Forest Park, home.nps.gov/prwi/learn/nature/deer.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Chattahoochee River, home.nps.gov/chat/blogs/the-park-after-dark-white-tailed-deer.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the red fox

Vulpes vulpes · Grades 1–2

Length	3.6 ft (1.1 m)
Height at the shoulder	15 to 20 in (38 to 51 cm)
Weight	9 to 11 lb (4.1 to 5 kg)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	3 to 4 years

Read about it

Red foxes have orange-red fur and a bushy tail. A baby fox is called a kit. Foxes live in forests and even in towns.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Yellowstone, nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/red-fox.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Pipestone, nps.gov/pipe/learn/nature/mammals.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service (The Clever Red Fox), nps.gov/articles/fox.htm, checked 2026-10-30
USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/vuvu, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the raccoon

Procyon lotor · Grades 1–2

Length	24 in to 3.1 ft (60 to 95 cm)
Height at the shoulder	9 to 12 in (23 to 31 cm)
Weight	15 to 40 lb (6.8 to 18 kg)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	1.8 to 3.1 years

Read about it

Raccoons have a black mask and a ringed tail. Their front paws work like hands. They come out at night.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service (raccoon quick facts), nps.gov/articles/racoon.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Pipestone, nps.gov/pipe/learn/nature/mammals.htm, checked 2026-10-30
USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/prlo, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the eastern gray squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis · Grades 1–2

Length	9 to 12 in (23 to 31 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	1 year to 6 years

Read about it

Gray squirrels bury nuts in the ground for later. They forget some, and little trees grow! Their bushy tail helps them balance.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Castle Clinton, nps.gov/cacl/learn/nature/index.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Lowell, nps.gov/lowe/learn/nature/squirrel.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the little brown bat

Myotis lucifugus · Grades 1–2

Length	9.1 to 11 in (23 to 28 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	0.5 oz (14 g)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	6.5 years

Read about it

Little brown bats fly at night. They hang upside down to sleep. They eat lots of bugs, like mosquitoes.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Lassen Volcanic, nps.gov/lavo/learn/nature/bats.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Jewel Cave, nps.gov/jeca/learn/nature/bats.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the peregrine falcon

Falco peregrinus · Grades 1–2

Length	14 to 23 in (36 to 58 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	1.1 to 3.1 lb (500 g to 1.4 kg)
Top speed	200 mph (322 km/h)
How long it lives	20 years

Read about it

The peregrine falcon is a bird that hunts in the sky. When it dives, it is the fastest animal of all. It nests on cliffs and on tall city buildings.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

USDA Forest Service, Fire Effects Information System, research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/fape, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Denali and Yukon-Charley Rivers, nps.gov/articles/peregrine-falcon.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the great horned owl

Bubo virginianus · Grades 1–2

Length	18 to 25 in (46 to 63 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	2.2 to 3.8 lb (998 g to 1.7 kg)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	13 to 15 years

Read about it

The great horned owl has two tufts of feathers that look like horns. It hunts at night with big, round eyes. It says hoo-hoo in a deep voice.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Bryce Canyon, nps.gov/brca/learn/nature/owls.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Golden Spike, nps.gov/gosp/learn/nature/birds.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the american robin

Turdus migratorius · Grades 1–2

Length	10 in (25 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	2.7 to 3 oz (77 to 85 g)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	1 year to 2 years

Read about it

The robin has an orange-red chest. It hops on the lawn looking for worms. Its eggs are bright blue.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Mount Rainier, nps.gov/mora/learn/nature/bluebirds-robins-thrushes.htm, checked 2026-10-30
Smithsonian's National Zoo, nationalzoo.si.edu/animals/american-robin, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the mallard

Anas platyrhynchos · Grades 1–2

Length	20 to 26 in (50 to 65 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	2 to 3.1 lb (900 g to 1.4 kg)
Top speed	51 mph (83 km/h)
How long it lives	not checked yet: look it up!

Read about it

Mallards are ducks that swim in ponds. The male has a shiny green head. Only the female says quack.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

US Fish and Wildlife Service, fws.gov/species/mallard-anas-platyrhynchos, checked 2026-10-30
USGS, usgs.gov/news/dabbling-duck-flight-speeds-high-tech-update-21st-century, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the common garter snake

Thamnophis sirtalis · Grades 1–2

Length	18 to 30 in (46 to 76 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	4 to 10 years

Read about it

Garter snakes are small snakes with stripes down their backs. They live in gardens and fields. They eat worms and slugs, so they are friends to gardeners.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Jewel Cave, nps.gov/jeca/learn/nature/common-garter-snake.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Klamath Network, nps.gov/articles/000/common-garter-snake.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the american toad

Anaxyrus americanus · Grades 1–2

Length	2 to 4.4 in (5.1 to 11 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	1 year to 2 years

Read about it

The American toad has bumpy brown skin. It hops around gardens at night and eats bugs. In spring, it sings a long trill near ponds.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, nps.gov/chat/learn/nature/american-toad.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Minute Man National Historical Park, nps.gov/mima/learn/nature/reptiles-and-amphibians.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the seven-spotted ladybug

Coccinella septempunctata · Grades 1–2

Length	0.39 in (1 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	1 year

Read about it

A ladybug is a small red beetle with black spots. This kind has seven spots. It eats aphids, tiny bugs that nibble on plants.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Ladybug article, nps.gov/articles/000/ladybug.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the common eastern firefly

Photinus pyralis · Grades 1–2

Length	not checked yet: look it up!
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	0.06 to 0.08 years

Read about it

Fireflies are beetles that glow. On summer nights they flash a light on their tails. The flashes are how they talk to each other.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Congaree National Park, home.nps.gov/cong/learn/nature/synchronous-fireflies-at-congaree.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the common green darner

Anax junius · Grades 1–2

Length	3 in (7.6 cm)
Height at the shoulder	not checked yet: look it up!
Weight	not checked yet: look it up!
Top speed	37 mph (60 km/h)
How long it lives	not checked yet: look it up!

Read about it

The green darner is a big dragonfly with a green body. It has four clear wings and huge eyes. It zooms over ponds, catching mosquitoes.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Mississippi National River & Recreation Area, nps.gov/miss/learn/nature/greendarner.htm, checked 2026-10-30
National Park Service, Species Spotlight: Dragonflies, nps.gov/articles/species-spotlight-dragonflies.htm, checked 2026-10-30

Name:Date:

My report: the coyote

Canis latrans · Grades 1–2

Length	not checked yet: look it up!
Height at the shoulder	16 to 20 in (41 to 51 cm)
Weight	25 to 35 lb (11 to 16 kg)
Top speed	not checked yet: look it up!
How long it lives	6 years

Read about it

Coyotes look like thin gray dogs with big ears. They yip and howl at night. Some live in deserts, and some even live in cities.

It lives in:

It eats:

The coolest thing I learned:

Draw it here, in its home.

Where my facts came from

National Park Service, Yellowstone, nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/coyote.htm, checked 2026-10-30