First Children Encyclopedia

(Marvins-Underground-K-12) #1
Caterpillars – and many
other insects – chew on
leaves. That’s their food.

Birds hunt caterpillars,
especially in spring when
they have chicks to feed.

Foxes prey on birds,
small mammals, and
other creatures.

Autumn colours
In the growing season,
deciduous leaves
appear green because
of a chemical called
chlorophyll. In autumn,
the leaves turn yellow,
brown, or red as the
chlorophyll is destroyed.

Making an entrance


Woodpeckers use their beaks to dig


out grubs and to make nest holes. They


have amazingly long tongues


to probe and seek out insects.


A squirrel’s tail helps it to balance as it leaps from tree to tree.


Deciduous forests


Leaves act like solar
panels to gather sunlight
to make food.

Links in a chain


Food chains connect a


species with what it eats.


Woodpeckers have thick skulls to
protect against the shock as they
hammer into wood.

Trees as homes
Woodpeckers take two to three
weeks to dig out a nest hole,
into which the female lays
several eggs. The hole is
usually in a dead tree.

Woodpecker

Maple leaf

When mature,
a fern bud
unrolls and
the leaflets
open out.

A leaf is a tree's food
factory. In autumn, it
begins to shut down.
Free download pdf