Wildlife. Best viewing is early morning/late evening at large open areas and balds such as cades...

Wildlife

Wildlife

• Best viewing is early morning/late evening at large open areas and balds such as cades cove/cataloochee.

Review Biology-6 Kingdoms/Diversity

• 1) Eubacteria, Archaebacteria

• 3) Fungi

• 4) Protista

• 5) Plantae

• 6) Animalia-Invertebrates and

• Vertebrates

fish,amphibians,mammals,birds,reptiles-5 types of vertebrates

• A) 65* Mammals-most common are deer, squirrel, chipmunk, woodchuck, raccoon, opossum, fox, skunk, bat, cottontail, mouse, rat, shrew, mole. Reclusive ones are coyote, bobcat, Black bear, beaver, weasel, mink, cougar

Mammals

• Extirpated-no longer here-Bison, gray wolf, elk*, red wolf*, fisher (otter*) *reintroduced

• Exotic-European Wild Boar

Elk, Deer, Black Bear, Coyote, Bobcat

Cougar, Bison, Gray wolf, Red fox, Gray fox

Beaver, Opossum, cottontail, skunk, otter

Boar, bat, raccoon, woodchuck, gray, squirrel

Chipmunk, rat, mouse, mole

39 species of reptiles

• Snakes-2 venomous- northern Copperhead common below 3,000ft

• Timber Rattler up to 6,000ft. Pit vipers (hemotoxin)

Copperhead

Timber rattler

Common snakes

• Black rat, garter, common water snake

Turtles

• Most common-eastern box turtle, common snapping turtle.

• Lizards-skinks (especially 5 lined)

Box turtle, skink, horned, green anole

Amphibians

• 27 species of newt/salamander

• Jordan’s salamander only found in GSMNP

• Hellbender over 5ft

Jordan’s, eastern spotted

Hellbender

Toads and frogs

• 13 species-ex. Eastern spadefoot, American bullfrog, S. leopard frog

Leopard, bullfrog

Birds Vireo.acnatsci.org

• 230 species, 110 breed in the park (others seasonal)

• Viewing times (early morning) places- sugarlands, cades cove, oconaluftee

Common birds

• Red eye vireo, juncos, Y. throated vireo, blue headed vireo, blue jay, crow, barn swallow, Carolina chickadee, tufted titmouse, nuthatch, Carolina wren, winter wren, kinglet, dove, chimney swift, cardinal.

Red eye and Y. throated vireo

Common birds

• Flycatcher, phoebe, gnatcatcher, thrushes, starling (exotic), warbler, tanager, towhee, sparrow (exotic), indigo buntings, E. bluebird, larks, red-w blackbirds, wild turkeys.

Titmouse, chickadee, warbler, tanager, bunting, pewee,

(flycatcher)

B. Throated vireo, gnatcatcher

Bird Classification

• By feet: 1) Perching, grasping, holding-songbirds, woodpeckers.

• 2) Predators, Killing, Talon-Eagle, hawk, kestrel. 3) Scratching, running-turkey, chicken. 4) Wading-heron, egret, stork. 5) Swimming, paddle, webbed-duck, goose.

Classification

• Bills and beaks can also be used to classify birds.

Seasonal and specialty birds

• Summer e. kingbirds, barn swallows, Y. warblers, indigo buntings

• Autumn-golden eagles, pileated woodpecker

• Night-barred owl.

W. turkey, barred owl, P. woodpecker, kestrel, catbird, B.

heron