JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — With the Fourth-of-July coming up, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourage people to look for red, white, and blue in nature through a holiday hike, bird watching, backyard fun, fishing, and other outdoor activities.
Adult male summer tanagers are entirely red — an unforgettable sight as they forage for insects among bright green tree leaves in early summer.
Great egrets are large, white herons with yellow bills and black legs and feet.
One of the most colorful birds in Missouri, the indigo bunting is frequently seen flying up from gravel roads. It is one of the most abundant and easily seen and heard birds in the state.
MDC offers some suggestions to get started finding red, white, and blue in nature:
- Red Royal Catchfly Flowers,
- Red Male Summer Tanagers,
- White Beard-Tongues or Foxgloves,
- White Great Egrets,
- Blue False Indigos, and
- Male Indigo Buntings.
Want more information on these and other Missouri plants and animals, including where to find them? Use the handy and helpful MDC online Field Guide at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide.
Want to learn more about birds in Missouri and where to find them? Check out the website of the Great Missouri Birding Trail at greatmissouribirdingtrail.com/Wordpress/ .
Need suggestions on things to do for outdoor adventures? Find Things to Do with MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/activities. Offerings include: cycling on trails, backyard nature fun, birdwatching, fishing, camping, floating, outdoor cooking, hiking, hunting, nature photography, wildlife watching, and more.
Need to find Places to Go for outdoor adventures? Visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places.
With the MDC free mobile app — MO Outdoors – nature lovers can quickly and easily find MDC outdoor offerings based on the types of outdoor activities they want — close to home, work, or even while traveling. MO Outdoors can help folks find MDC conservation areas, fishing accesses, hiking trails, and more around the state based on the desired types of outdoor activities. Users can also mark “favorite” locations to quickly find them in future searches. MO Outdoors also connects users to MDC-area regulations and season information, hours of operation, images, area closings, interactive maps of area boundaries and features, parking lots, boat ramps, and wildlife viewing areas using their device’s GPS. Users can also download maps for offline use. MO Outdoors is available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/mobile-apps/mo-outdoors.