Forest Wildlife

The red fox is the largest of the fox family, found throughout this continent, from the Arctic Circle to Central America, as well as in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. DNA tests have shown that the red fox is indeed native to North America and that the populations in the mid-Atlantic and southern states are the result of range expansion from the northeast and Canada.

The Eastern wild turkey performs a year-round role in the woodlands of Maryland and the mid-Atlantic. Because the turkey does not migrate, they may be found across Maryland year round.

Of the three bear species native to North America, Maryland is home only to the black bear. The mammal was once widespread throughout the state, but habitat loss and unregulated hunting reduced the population to its current range.

One of the benefits of returning to Standard Time in the late fall is the opportunity to see great horned owls at dusk, as they begin their hours of hunting. Even if you do not see them, you will know they are in your woodlands, as their deep hooting calls can be heard echoing across forests on mid-winter nights.

The weasel or “mustelid” family has several members that live in Maryland. The one that is found throughout most of the state is the mink. If you have woodlands with a permanent water source such as a lake, river, or wetland, you may have prime mink habitat.

North America is home to a variety of wild cats. But the bobcat is the most widely-distributed native wild cat on the continent, and can be found in habitats from central Mexico to Canada. The bobcat’s range covers much of the United States, including Maryland.

As winter days shorten, you may hear an odd call drifting through Maryland’s landscapes after sunset and into the evening. The call sounds much like the whinny of a horse, but in fact it belongs to one of the state’s native hunters: the Eastern Screech-Owl.

Maryland is home to a variety of squirrel species. But the one species that most have not seen is the Southern flying squirrel. The main reason is that this mammal is nocturnal and lives high in the trees of hardwood forests across the state.

Maryland’s geography features a wide variety of aquatic ecosystems. If your property includes any of these habitats, it may be home to one of North America’s native rodents: the common muskrat.

The first time you see one of these birds, you might be inclined to label them as “red-headed” woodpeckers. That name actually belongs to another species, which has red feathers covering its head. Instead, the red-bellied woodpecker is named for the adult male’s red belly, which is often difficult to see. Its other distinguishing features are barred wing, back, and tail feathers, and a stripe of red feathers across the bird’s head and neck.