Wood ducks (Aix sponsa) are one of North America’s most striking waterfowl! Males sport iridescent greens, blues, and purples, and females show elegant, softer patterns. Unlike your typical open-water ducks, wood ducks are forest-adapted cavity nesters, meaning they raise their young in tree holes near water or in nest boxes put up by people.

If you’ve ever seen tiny dark birds darting and twisting above your yard in summer evenings, that was probably a Purple Martin, one of North America’s coolest aerial insectivores. These birds are social, charismatic, and incredible at gobbling up flying insects while putting on an airborne show that makes every bird nerd (and backyard wanderer) smile.

You probably know about honey bees from the stories, the hives, or maybe even local beekeepers. But here’s the secret… the vast majority of bee species don’t live in colonies at all; they live solo. These bees are called solitary bees, and they’re some of the most efficient pollinators around. Each female bee builds and provisions her own nest with pollen and nectar for her young, which means when they show up in your yard, they’re working hard for your garden and local wildflowers.

Flying squirrels aren’t rockets or tiny gliders from sci-fi; they’re real woodland creatures with a patagium, a stretchy flap of skin that turns them into airborne ninjas after dark. They don’t actually fly like birds, but they can glide up to about 45 meters between trees, flipping and twisting in mid-air with enviable squirrel skill. Most are nocturnal and shy, leaving their acrobatic shows mostly for night owl audiences.

Bats are kind of like the secret ninjas of your night sky, swooping through the dark and gobbling up insects that bug both you and your plants. Most bats in North America eat insects, which means fewer mosquitoes, gnats, and other pests in your yard. They play a huge role in healthy ecosystems, and with natural habitats disappearing, your backyard can become a tiny oasis that helps them thrive.