I think it might be a beaver..(video) - Wildlife Gardeners

CitraBenzoet · 04-16-2011, 03:54 PM

Its been a while since ive been around the forums but i thought id share a short video i took this past week.
I live on a marsh and there is quite the variety of wildlife. I have always seen muskrats and always wondered if the big lodge in the middle of the marsh was muskrats or if there was or is a beaver around.

This past week i was out at sunset watching the marsh when i saw something swimming in the water. I figured it was a muskrat but its head was so much bigger than any other muskrat i had seen. It also acted a bit different than the muskrats ive seen. But it was getting dark so when this guy started slapping its tail on the surface of the water i took a quick video of it. I havent seen it again since i took the video but i figured someone on here would know if muskrats slap their tails like this or if just beavers or what.

YouTube - muskrat or beaver?

havalotta · 04-16-2011, 04:57 PM

Hmmm I can't make heads nor tails about it.

dapjwy · 04-17-2011, 10:00 AM

Welcome back, CitraBenzoet! It was nice to see your name appear in my un-read messages list.

Great video, unfortunately I'm not an expert on beavers nor muskrats. My *guess* would be a beaver--I know they slap their tails.

Hopefully someone else will give you a more definitive answer.

Gloria · 04-17-2011, 10:21 AM

I increased screen size to get a better look at that tail as it flaped. It looks like the flap paddle shape of a beaver tail. A muskrat's tail looks like a big rats tail in the water. While the muskrat will slap water as a warning it looks completely different more like a whip. I think it is a beaver.
If the stucture has branches and good sized pieces of wood it is a beaver home.

I have looked at that video a couple of times now and that is definitely a beaver.

havalotta · 04-17-2011, 04:11 PM

I couldn't tell if it was a narrow or a wide tail as you say, It flipped so quick!

CitraBenzoet · 04-19-2011, 03:18 PM

Well i went looking around the marsh and found signs that beavers do indeed live here.

This first picture is of a lodge. Its been in the marsh for years. I always figured that it at one point was a beaver lodge and then had just been used by muskrats and geese(a Canadian goose is nesting on top of it).

If i get a better picture or video of the beaver ill post it.

dapjwy · 04-19-2011, 04:16 PM

CitraBenzoet,

You are lucky to live near a marsh.

Thanks for the pictures of the goose and the clear signs of beaver activities.

havalotta · 04-19-2011, 04:41 PM

Don't tell anyone or you may loose it to a trapper!

04-16-2011, 03:54 PM	#1
CitraBenzoet Grub Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minnesota	I think it might be a beaver..(video) Its been a while since ive been around the forums but i thought id share a short video i took this past week. I live on a marsh and there is quite the variety of wildlife. I have always seen muskrats and always wondered if the big lodge in the middle of the marsh was muskrats or if there was or is a beaver around. This past week i was out at sunset watching the marsh when i saw something swimming in the water. I figured it was a muskrat but its head was so much bigger than any other muskrat i had seen. It also acted a bit different than the muskrats ive seen. But it was getting dark so when this guy started slapping its tail on the surface of the water i took a quick video of it. I havent seen it again since i took the video but i figured someone on here would know if muskrats slap their tails like this or if just beavers or what. YouTube - muskrat or beaver? __________________ Wildlife of Suburbia Last edited by CitraBenzoet; 04-16-2011 at 03:56 PM. Reason: ok the video did not embed itself .. my bad

04-16-2011, 04:57 PM	#2
havalotta WG Prize & Gift Coordinator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan	Hmmm I can't make heads nor tails about it. __________________ The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it! A walk among the elusive Whitetail Deer

04-17-2011, 10:00 AM	#3
dapjwy WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pennsylvania	Welcome back, CitraBenzoet! It was nice to see your name appear in my un-read messages list. Great video, unfortunately I'm not an expert on beavers nor muskrats. My guess would be a beaver--I know they slap their tails. Hopefully someone else will give you a more definitive answer. __________________ "If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

04-17-2011, 10:21 AM	#4
Gloria A Bee's Best Friend Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Chicago Illinois USA	I increased screen size to get a better look at that tail as it flaped. It looks like the flap paddle shape of a beaver tail. A muskrat's tail looks like a big rats tail in the water. While the muskrat will slap water as a warning it looks completely different more like a whip. I think it is a beaver. If the stucture has branches and good sized pieces of wood it is a beaver home. I have looked at that video a couple of times now and that is definitely a beaver. __________________ "Half Earth Quest" Edward O. Wilson http://pollinators-welcome.blogspot.com/

04-17-2011, 04:11 PM	#5
havalotta WG Prize & Gift Coordinator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan	I couldn't tell if it was a narrow or a wide tail as you say, It flipped so quick! __________________ The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it! A walk among the elusive Whitetail Deer

04-19-2011, 03:18 PM	#6
CitraBenzoet Grub Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Minnesota	Well i went looking around the marsh and found signs that beavers do indeed live here. This first picture is of a lodge. Its been in the marsh for years. I always figured that it at one point was a beaver lodge and then had just been used by muskrats and geese(a Canadian goose is nesting on top of it). If i get a better picture or video of the beaver ill post it. Attached Thumbnails __________________ Wildlife of Suburbia

04-19-2011, 04:16 PM	#7
dapjwy WG Hospitality & UAOKA recipient Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pennsylvania	CitraBenzoet, You are lucky to live near a marsh. Thanks for the pictures of the goose and the clear signs of beaver activities. __________________ "If suburbia were landscaped with meadows, prairies, thickets or forests, or combinations of these, then the water would sparkle, fish would be good to eat again, birds would sing and human spirits would soar." ~ Lorrie Otto ~ A Native Backyard Blog ~

04-19-2011, 04:41 PM	#8
havalotta WG Prize & Gift Coordinator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Michigan	Don't tell anyone or you may loose it to a trapper! __________________ The successful woman is the woman that had the chance and took it! A walk among the elusive Whitetail Deer

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