UNDERSTAND AND IDENTIFY THE QUALITIES AND CHARACTERISTICS OF NC WILDLIFE SPECIES

NATURAL RESOURCES 1

FISHERY AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT

OBJECTIVE 5.04

MAMMALS

MAMMALS• N IN E BA N D E D A R M A D IL LO • a. Covered by bony armor

with nine movable rings between the shoulder and hip shield. The head is small with a long, narrow, pig-like snout.

• b. More than 90% of the armadillo’s diet is made up of insects and their larvae.

• c. The armadillo prefers dense, shady cover such as brush, woodlands, forests, and areas adjacent to creeks and rivers

MAMMALS

• VIRGINIA BIG EARED BAT • a. The Virginia big-eared bat is a very rare resident of the northwestern mountains of NC

• b. It has 1-inch long ribbed ears and glandular lumps on its nose; has brown fur on its back and tan underparts

• c. Favorite habitats include oak-hickory forests having caves or cliffs.

MAMMALS• BLACK BEAR • a. Bears are abundant in the

Mountain and Coastal regions of North Carolina, and increasingly common in the Piedmont.

• b. Omnivorous diet including acorns, berries, carrion, corn, fish, frogs, fruits, grasses, grubs, honey, insects, larvae, nuts.

• c. Usually black with a brown muzzle and sometimes a white patch on its chest.

MAMMALS• BEAVER • a. Largest rodent in North

America, weighing between 35 and 50 pounds as adults.

• b. Known for its ability to construct a sturdy dam, creating a pond which floods vegetation and allows them to feed in an aquatic environment.

• c. Strict vegetarians adapted to a diet of the inner bark of woody plants and herbs.

MAMMALS• BOBCAT • a. Fur is short, dense and soft

and is light brown to reddish brown on the back.

• b. Is a carnivore that favors early successional prey such as rabbits and mice.

• c. Can be active day or night, but tend to exhibit crepuscular (dawn and dusk) activity.

MAMMALS• EASTERN COUGAR • a. Color most often it ranges

from tawny to grayish brown on its back and flanks, with a white chest, belly and throat.

• b. An excellent hunter in all weather conditions, an expert swimmer and climber.

• c. It has speed and agility and is a stealthy stalker that hunts by sight and smell.

MAMMALS

• COYOTE • a. Color is typically dark gray but can range from blonde, red, and even black.

• b. Native only in North America and, of all wild canine species, the coyote has the widest range in this country.

• c. Classified as a carnivore, but it is an opportunistic feeder, feeding on a variety of food sources that are easy to obtain.

MAMMALS• WHITE TAILED DEER • a. Coat is usually a tannish

brown, ranging almost to gray. It usually has a white patch on its neck and large prominent ears.

• b. Bucks, or male deer, grow and shed their antlers each year.

• c. An herbivorous animal, eating many green-leaved succulent plants and the tender new growths of stems and fruits. Other important food sources include acorns and a variety of agricultural crops.

MAMMALS• FERAL SWINE • a. “Wild boar”, “feral hogs”, and

domestic swine, are all the same species (Sus scrofa).

• b. Can significantly impact agricultural land, plant communities and wildlife habitat because they root through the ground’s surface in search of food.

• c. Pose a substantial disease risk for both domestic swine and wildlife.

MAMMALS

• GRAY FOX • a. North Carolina’s only native fox species and has the ability to climb trees.

• b. Coloration is salt and pepper gray with a dark streak extending down the back and along the top of the tail.

• c. Thrive in diverse habitats and forage on a variety of foods such as mice, rabbits, wild fruit, corn and peanuts

MAMMALS• RED FOX • a. Tail, body and top of the

head are all some shade of orange. The undersides are light, and the tips of the ears and lower legs are black.

• b. Preferred habitats include farmland, pastures, brushy fields and open forest stands.

• c. Forages on a variety of prey, but mice, meadow voles and rabbits form the bulk of its diet.

MAMMALS

• GROUNDHOG • a. Heavy-bodied rodents attaining weights of 5 to 12 pounds and can be up to 2 feet long.

• b. Herbivorous and prefer succulent plants such as clover, alfalfa, and grasses.

• c. Classified as a nongame animal for which there is no closed hunting season or bag limit.

MAMMALS

• MINK • a. Small mammal with a long, thin body and short, sturdy legs, a flattened head, small eyes and ears, and a pointed nose.

• b. Semi-aquatic, living in a variety of wetland habitats.

• c. Lustrous waterproof fur is generally chocolate brown to black, often with a white patch on the chin or chest.

MAMMALS

• MUSKRAT • a. Requiring a permanent supply of water, they occupy a variety of wetland habitats including marshes, canals, ditches, ponds, lakes, rivers and streams.

• b. Burrowing activities can cause damage to dikes, road beds, and dams.

• c. Mussels and clams are a common food source as well as bark, acorns, frogs and small fish.

MAMMALS

• VIRG IN IA O PO S SUM • a. The only marsupial (mammal with a pouch) native to North America.

• b. Inhabit all habitats from sea level to elevations over 10,000 feet, though they prefer deciduous woodlands in association with streams.

• c. Breed up to twice yearly and produce litters ranging in size from four to seven young that are born after a short gestation period of 12 days.

MAMMALS

• RIVER O T T E R • a. Sleek body with a short blunt snout, a thick neck, and a thick tail that is flattened on the top and tapers to a point.

• b. Inhabit a variety of habitats ranging from warm, slow-moving coastal streams and marshes to cold and rapidly moving mountain streams.

• c. Feed primarily on fish and crayfish, but also consume crabs and amphibians

MAMMALS

• RACCOON • a. Great adaptability has allowed it to flourish in almost all environments.

• b. Easily recognized by its grayish brown fur coat, its distinctive black-ringed tail and mask-like black band around its eyes.

• c. Eats wild berries and fruits, acorns and other nuts, vegetables from gardens, and a variety of insects, frogs, and fish.

MAMMALS

• ST R IPE D SK UN K • a. Known for its black and white coloration and its ability to spray a smelly secretion from scent sacs located in its hind quarters

• b. Inhabit areas with a mixture of woods, brush and open fields broken up by wooded ravines and rocky outcrops.

• c. Omnivorous, with about 80 percent of its diet consisting of insects, worms, small rodents, bird eggs and reptiles.

MAMMALS

• C A RO L IN A N O RT HE R N FLYIN G SQUIRR E L

• a. Cinnamon colored fur dorsally, gray fur around the face and the end of the tail, and bicolored fur on the belly.

• b. Inhabits the cool, wet boreal and deciduous forests of North Carolina’s highest mountains, where it prefers a mix of conifers.

• c. They sail from the tops of trees by pushing off with powerful hindquarters and gliding to the ground or the base of a nearby tree.

MAMMALS

• F O X SQUIR R E L• a. Largest and most colorful

tree squirrel in NC, lives primarily in mature longleaf pine and open pine-oak forests in the Sandhills and southern Coastal Plain.

• b. Eat seeds from green and mature pinecones, acorns, hickory nuts, buds and berries from a variety of plants, fungi, and insects.

• c. Diurnal and are generally active for 8 to 14 hours a day.

MAMMALS

• SO UT HE R N F L YIN G SQUIR R E L• a. Diminutive rodent with the

big saucer-like eyes and is probably the most common mammal never seen by humans in NC.

• b. Weighs no more than 2 or 3 oz. and measures from 8 1/2 in. to 9 7/8 in., including a 3- to 4-inch-long tail.

• c. Distinctively features a cape of loose skin that stretches from its wrists to its ankles and forms the membrane on which it glides.

MAMMALS

• RED WOLF • a. Inhabit upland and bottomland forests, coastal prairies, swamps and marshes.

• b. Diet typically consists of White-tail deer, raccoon, rabbits, nutria and smaller rodents.

• c. Habitat destruction, hybridization with coyotes, and predator control programs had resulted in population decline to the point of extinction.

BIRDS

BIRDS• NORTHERN BOBWHITE QUAIL • a. Thrive best in weedy fields

and meadows, clear cuts and open woods dense with native grasses.

• b. Live on the ground, both day and night. At night, they hide under weeds and bushes.

• c. Eat mainly seeds, fruit and insects.

BIRDS

• MOURNING DOVE • a. The only game bird to nest in all of the continental 48 states

• b. Has a thin, delicate-looking bill, a neat head, and a long, graduated tail bordered with large white spots.

• c. Eats seeds of grass, waste grain, buckwheat, peanuts, cow peas, seeds of pine, pokeberry, some insects and snails. 98 percent of diet is seeds.

BIRDS

• BL A C K D UC K • a. Nests in coastal marshes at low densities and beaver ponds. Can be seen throughout NC in winter after birds have made their fall migration.

• b. Mottled brown-black duck is similar in appearance to the hen mallard, but it has a much darker body. Has a noticeable contrast between the light brown head and the brown-black body.

• c. Considered one of the most highly prized species by waterfowl hunters

BIRDS

• C A N VA S BA C K DU C K• a. Gets its specific name,

Aythya valisineria from Vallisneria americana, or wild celery, which is its preferred food during the non-breeding season.

• b. Its flight is characterized by rapid wing beats and it is considered one of the fastest of all ducks on the wing.

• c. Recognizable by its large, wedge-shaped bill and head. Drakes have a chestnut-red head and neck, and black chest highlighted by a light gray back

BIRDS• MALLARD DUCK • a. The most abundant and

commonly recognized species of duck in North America.

• b. The drake’s distinctive green head and brown chest are separated by a white neck-ring, contrasted by gray sides, a brown back, and a black rump.

• c. Omnivorous and opportunistic feeder; consumes insects and aquatic invertebrates, acorns, seeds, vegetative parts of aquatic plants, and crops, such as corn, soybeans, rice, barley, and wheat.

BIRDS• W O O D D UC K • a. Most often found in wooded

swamps, beaver ponds, freshwater marshes, and along streams and rivers near forests.

• b. Regularly nests in natural cavities, particularly those found in trees.

• c. The drake, is very striking with a large head crest, and is colored with iridescent greens, blues, and purples. The drake’s distinctive facial pattern includes a white throat with fingerlike extensions onto the cheek and neck.

BIRDS

• S N O W Y EG R E T• a. One of the smallest wading

species, approx. 2 ft. long and a wingspan of 3 1/2 ft. Bright white plumage, black beak and legs, and bright yellow feet.

• b. Found in wetlands along the coast of NC and occasionally inland. Nests in colonies or groups on barrier and estuarine islands.

• c. Feed in wetland habitats such as tide pools and shallow bays where they eat fish and other aquatic organisms.

BIRDS• CANADA GOOSE

• a. The most widely distributed waterfowl species in North America. Breeding range includes most of the US (including Alaska) and throughout Canada.

• b. Adults found in NC average about 10 lbs. and between 2 ½ and 3 feet in length. Males, called ganders, are larger than females.

• c. Almost exclusively herbivores, they eat seeds and leaves of a wide variety of plant species including grasses, clover, winter wheat and aquatic plants.

BIRDS

• RUFFED GROUSE • a. Prefer young forest habitats (5-15 years old).

• b. Can be found in many different forest types, although deciduous or mixed forest types are preferred.

• c. Eat a wide variety of foods including herbaceous vegetation, soft mast, and flower and vegetative buds from a variety of tree and shrub species.

BIRDS• RED SHOULDER HAWK • a. Adults have a reddish,

barred belly and strongly barred black-and-white tail.

• b. Favors stream sides with open woods and small clearings to hunt for prey.

• c. The Migratory Bird Treaty Act prohibits the killing of red-shouldered hawks as well as other migratory nongame birds.

BIRDS

• O S PR EY • a. Standing 21 to 24 in. tall and having a wing span of up to approximately 6 ft.

• b. They are dark brown above with white stomach and legs below. The head is white with dark speckles on the crown and a dark brown line through the eye.

• c. Found near water containing abundant fish populations and can be seen along rivers, lakes and the coast.

BIRDS

• G R E AT HO R N ED O W L • a. The largest owl species in NC, it is found in woodland habitats statewide.

• b. Has two prominent ear tufts of feathers, resembling horns, with plumage that is dark reddish brown, and heavily streaked or striped over its entire body.

• c. Opportunistic feeders, they eat almost any protein source they are capable of catching, including beetles, waterfowl, small rodents, skunks, and porcupines.

BIRDS• CLAPPER RAIL

• a. One of the largest rail species, 13 to 16 inches in length.

• b. Long unwebbed toes, long decurved bill and frequent upturned tail.

• c. Found almost exclusively in coastal saltwater marshes, eats crayfish, small crabs, small fish, frogs, slugs, snails, aquatic insects,

BIRDS• W ILD T UR KEY • a. Omnivorous, feeding primarily

on nuts, berries, acorns, grasses, seeds and insects. Will eat almost any small animals, such as lizards or grubs.

• b. Has dark plumage with bronze, copper and green iridescent colors. Males have spurs on their legs to use when battling other males for mates.

• c. Thrives best in areas with a mix of forested and open land habitats. Forested areas are used for cover, foraging, and for roosting in trees at night.

BIRDS• RED-COCKADED WOODPECKER • a. The only North American

woodpecker to excavate roost and nest cavities in living pine trees.

• b. Diet consists mostly of the egg, larvae and adult stages of insects including, beetles, ants, roaches, spiders and other insects found in or on pine trees.

• c. The primary habitat, the longleaf pine ecosystem, has been reduced to 3% of its original expanse resulting in approximately a 99% population decline since the time of European settlement

REPTILES

REPTILES• AMERICAN ALLIGATOR • a. Common in the lakes,

swamps and rivers along the coastal regions of NC.

• b. Female alligators are the only reptiles in NC to protect their young after hatching.

• c. Eat fish, snakes, frogs, turtles, birds and mammals such as muskrats and are active feeders primarily at dawn and dusk.

REPTILES• CORN SNAKE • a. Dorsal side is orange,

reddish, gray or brownish with prominent large reddish brown blotches and smaller lateral blotches bordered with black.

• b. Common in the pine-wiregrass flatwoods and sandhills of the central and southern Coastal Plain.

• c. Eat mostly rodents and birds and their eggs. Juveniles in particular also eat lizards and frogs, especially tree frogs.

REPTILES• C O T TO N M OU TH S N A KE • a. Has a facial pit for sensing

infrared radiation (heat)

• b. The head is wider than the neck, with a dark bar on both sides from the eye to the angle of the jaw. The pupils of the eyes are vertically elliptical, and is patterned with dark cross bands invaded by light olive or brown centers.

• c. Found in most habitats associated with water and likes bask on branches, logs or stones at the water’s edge.

REPTILES• DIAMONDBACK TERRAPIN • a. Has powerful jaws make a

popping noise as the terrapin eats. The hind legs are large, and the toes have extensive webbing. It exhibits a spotted pattern on the head and along the scutes, or plates.

• b. Prefer protected waters behind barrier islands, salt marshes, estuaries and tidal creeks, and flats hidden among the marsh and cord grass.

• c. Eats crustaceans, mollusks, fish, insects, and occasionally tender shoots

REPTILES• BO G TURT L E • a. Reaches an adult length of

only four to five inches, which makes it the smallest turtle in North America.

• b. Spend most of their time under the water, buried in mud, or hiding in thick vegetation, making them very difficult to locate.

• c. An identifying characteristic of the diminutive bog turtle is the pair of yellow patches on either side of its head.

REPTILES

• EA S T ER N BO X T URT L E • a. Characterized by their highly domed top shell, called the carapace, which can be brightly colored with a mid-dorsal keel down the center.

• b. Most common in wooded habitats, however during hot and dry weather, they will seek refuge in moist or shallow aquatic habitats.

• c. Eats berries, fruit, seeds, roots, flowers, mushrooms, grasses, carrion, and most any small animal they can catch.

REPTILES• S OU TH ER N LE O PA R D FRO G • a. Dorsal coloration is normally

brown and/or green, with scattered dark brown, roundish spots. Adults also have two prominent yellow dorsolateral folds extending the full length of the body.

• b. Inhabit a variety of aquatic and wetland habitats, including ponds, lakes, swamps, marshes, ditches and slower streams.

• c. Primarily live insects and other invertebrates, occasionally small vertebrates.

REPTILES• EA S T E R N H EL L BE N D E R • a. One of only three giant

salamanders found in the world.

• b. 16 to 17 inches long on average, but can grow to be more than 2 ft. long and weigh more than 3 lbs. Color ranges from grayish brown to reddish brown on its back with darker spots or mottled patches.

• c. Live in rivers and large streams with clean, clear water and flat rocks or submerged trees to make nest sites.

REPTILES• G RE E N S A L A M A N D E R • a. Approx. 5 inches in length

and can live for up to 10 years. Has unusual camouflage — its black flat body is covered in patches that range in color from bright green to yellow.

• b. Very difficult to locate and monitor since they are usually active at night and live in small inaccessible rock crevices.

• c. Does not have lungs, instead it must exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide through its skin.