We called them helicopters when I was a kid. Whirlybirds were another common nickname, but they are actually called samaras, and they are most common with maple trees. Chipmunks — like this one that recently visited my backyard camera trap — collect them and store them for winter. They peel back the paper-y outer wings and eat the seed that sits inside. Nikon D3300 with Nikkor 18-55mm lens (at 29mm) ISO 400, f/14 at 1/250th of a second, Camtraptions camera housing and triggers, Nikon SB-900 flash units.
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We called them helicopters when I was a kid. Whirlybirds were another common nickname, but they are actually called samaras, and they are most common with maple trees. Chipmunks — like this one that recently visited my backyard camera trap — collect them and store them for winter. They peel back the paper-y outer wings and eat the seed that sits inside. Nikon D3300 with Nikkor 18-55mm lens (at 29mm) ISO 400, f/14 at 1/250th of a second, Camtraptions camera housing and triggers, Nikon SB-900 flash units.