This feature is a reprint of a story that originally appeared in Arizona Wildlife Views.

How can I watch wildlife at night?

First, there’s no sense in looking for animals where they aren’t. Scout around in the morning to detect fresh evidence of nighttime activities. Places where you find gnawed branches, droppings, tracks and well-used travel paths warrant another visit at night.

Next, listening is important for locating and identifying wildlife at night. Most of the year, owls can be heard, each calling its own distinctive hoot or whine. Late in their breeding season, northern mockingbird males may be in top form, whistling and chirping dozens of imitations in the calm night hours. Coyotes yip and howl, foxes yap, deer snort. After a heavy summer rain, a nocturnal symphony of frogs may be performing. Beetles and other flying insects are on the move, their delicate wings fluttering with a low buzz.

Third, for those given to high-tech gadgets, try using night-vision viewing devices. This equipment reveals the nighttime world in a soft, greenish light, and provides an entirely new dimension to wildlife viewing after sunset. Alternatives include LED flashlights or flashlights with low-impact red beams. (Placing red cellophane over the white beam of a normal flashlight also works.)

Flashlights with white beams also help you search for animal eye shine. Deer eyes reflect bright green light, while raccoon eyes shine yellow-gold. Cottontail rabbits and bullfrogs have pink eye shine. Even the eyes of spiders shine as light passes by.

Finally, explore edges of lakes, ponds, streams and rivers at night. Crayfish, frogs, snakes, fish, large aquatic insects and all sorts of interesting animals prowl next to shore. Work along the water’s edge with a flashlight. Watch for movement and eye shine through the water.

Now you’re ready to explore the night in search of wildlife. With a little luck, learning a new skill with simple equipment can allow you to show family and friends the true meaning of the phrase, “wild night life.”

—Joe Yarchin, Arizona Game and Fish Department watchable wildlife program manager