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.
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
Blue 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.
Need suggestions 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.
Find MDC outdoor offerings based on select types of outdoor activities, locations, and more with the free MDC mobile app — MO Outdoors.
It 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.
Adult male summer tanagers are entirely red and easily seen 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.
The deep blue male indigo bunting is frequently seen flying up from gravel roads.