Wendy Bowman is a freelance writer working out of San Clemente, California. Wendy has 30-plus years of experience creating content for magazines, websites and more, and she writes about a wide variety of topics for HowStuffWorks. Find her on LinkedIn.
Recent Contributions
People often use the words Holland and the Netherlands interchangeably when talking about the country in Western Europe. Are the two places the same?
By Wendy Bowman
From the fictional Hedwig in the Harry Potter series, to those that live wild and free, the snowy owl is one of the most captivating species of owl in the world.
By Wendy Bowman & Talon Homer
This exotic bird could seriously injure or kill a person or a dog in an instant with its deadly claws.
By Wendy Bowman & Marie Look
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While the cheetah is the fastest land animal in the world, the peregrine falcon, a large predatory raptor, is by far the fastest bird on planet Earth.
By Wendy Bowman
Red-tailed hawks are the most common hawk species in North America. These massive birds are known to mate for life, and, despite their name, to have feathers in a variety of colors.
By Wendy Bowman
Providing a great backdrop for any sunny garden, the butterfly bush comes in many colors and attracts butterflies, hummingbirds and bees galore.
By Wendy Bowman
The designer of New York's Central Park believed that public parks were 'democratic spaces' belonging to all citizens, and aren't we glad he did?
By Wendy Bowman
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Sunflowers are incredibly tough and can be grown in almost any soil. Plus, it's hard not to smile when you see a field of these bright yellow rays.
By Wendy Bowman
Requiring little care and upkeep, daffodils are bright, showy perennials that symbolize rebirth and new beginnings.
By Wendy Bowman
Cork is the go-to material for wine stoppers and bulletin boards. So are we really running out of it? And if so, what happens?
By Wendy Bowman
These two sea creatures can be easy to confuse. But they're actually quite different. We talked to experts to find out how to tell them apart.
By Wendy Bowman
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On Sept. 7, 1936, Benjamin, the last known Tasmanian tiger, died in captivity at the Hobart Zoo in Tasmania, Australia. But there are those who believe this extinct species still walks the Earth.
By Wendy Bowman
Puma, panther, mountain cat, mountain lion, mountain screamer, painter, catamount and, yes, cougar. This cat has a lot of names!
By Wendy Bowman
These showy pink, purple, red and white blossoms dazzle through the spring and summer and are ubiquitous throughout the southern U.S.
By Wendy Bowman
Septum piercing has been a worldwide symbol of beauty and a rite of passage in many cultures for centuries, but there are definitely some things to know before you take the plunge and pierce.
By Wendy Bowman
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Horses are extremely sensitive to human emotions and are able to pick up on our subtlest feelings to help us uncover emotional blind spots.
By Wendy Bowman
As the 197th breed to be recognized by the AKC, the Biewer terrier is popping up on the radar of dog lovers everywhere.
By Wendy Bowman
The British imposition of the Stamp Act in 1765 drew street demonstrations against the new law in the American colonies, resulting in its eventual repeal.
By Wendy Bowman
There are over 60 species of langur in the world, all of which eat a plant-based diet and most of which burp a lot.
By Wendy Bowman
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The showy lionfish is a stunning beauty. But this invasive species, which was released into the wild in the 1980s, is wreaking havoc on delicate reef ecosystems worldwide.
By Wendy Bowman
Sperm whales are one of the largest creatures in the ocean. And they have the biggest brain on the planet. So are they also the smartest? We'll tell you.
By Wendy Bowman
What do you get when you mix a poodle and a golden retriever? An oodleriever? Nope - you get a goldendoodle. They're great pets, but have a ton of rambunctious energy and need a lot of play time and attention.
By Wendy Bowman
Fleas are essentially freeloaders that live off the blood off the blood of us and our pets. So how can you get rid of these nasty parasites?
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A popular companion dog for European royalty for centuries, this elegant breed is still sought after worldwide, though somewhat difficult to find in the U.S.
By Wendy Bowman
From the four-headed male reproductive organ to hosting the world's largest flea and sporting a body covered in spiny hairs, this cute little creature takes the cake for mammalian weirdness.
By Wendy Bowman