Forests & Uplands

Also known as the cinnamon bear, the American black bear is a common bear whose color varies from black to yellow-brown.

The American chestnut was once an abundant native tree that could grow 100 feet tall. Now, threatened by disease, the tree rarely makes it to maturity.

The American holly is an evergreen tree with stout, stiff branches and spine-tipped leaves. Female trees have small, bright red berries. It grows in moist areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The American mink is a semiaquatic mammal that can be found in most of North America. This animal is a key predator of small mammals, fish, amphibians and insects.

The American persimmon is a native tree that produces bright orange fruits in the fall. The fruits have a long history of use by humans and serves as a critical food source for wildlife at a time when food is scarce.

The Atlantic white cedar is a tall evergreen tree with scaly, fan-shaped foliage and a cone-like shape. It grows in swamps, marshes and other wet areas near the coast in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. 

The bald cypress is a tall, deciduous tree with needle-like leaves and distinctive “knees” that rise up from the soil or water around it. It grows in swamps and forests in parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

The bald eagle is a large raptor with a yellow, hook-shaped bill and a white head and tail. It lives in forested, sparsely developed areas near rivers, wetlands and other waterways throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The Baltimore checkerspot is a black, orange and white butterfly that feeds on white turtlehead leaves and nectar. It can be found in the entire Chesapeake Bay region.

Baltimore orioles are orange and black songbirds, slightly smaller than a robin. They visit the Chesapeake Bay region during the summer months.

The barn owl is a medium-sized raptor with a large, heart-shaped face. It is found throughout the Chesapeake region. 

Barred owls are large owls with round heads and a stout stature. They can be recognized by their "who-cooks-for-you, who-cooks-for-you-all" call. Barred owls and common barn owls are the only eastern owl species that have dark brown eyes.

The black rat snake is a non-venomous snake with a long, black body and white belly. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from the mountains to the shoreline.

The black vulture is a large raptor that scavenges and eats dead animals. 

The black-eyed Susan is a native plant with golden yellow flowers that bloom throughout the summer.

Blazing star is a native perennial plant with clumps of feathery purple or white flowers that bloom in summer.

The bobcat is a wild cat that is brownish with dark spots and stripes. It lives mostly in forested and mountainous areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The broad-headed skink is the largest skink in the Chesapeake Bay region. It gets its name from the large, swollen jowls males develop as they mature.

Bumble bees are small, black and yellow fuzzy insects found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They are important pollinators and are threatened by pesticides, herbicides, habitat loss, disease and climate change.

Butterflyweed, also known as butterfly flower or butterfly milkweed, is a native perennial plant with clusters of tiny, five-petaled orange flowers. It blooms in late spring and early summer.

Cardinal flower is a native perennial plant with small, red, tubular flowers that bloom in late summer.

The Carolina chickadee is a small, plump songbird that lives in wooded areas, including parks and backyards, throughout the southern half of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Annual cicadas, also known as dog-day cicadas, emerge every summer in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

The common raven is an entirely black bird about the size of a hawk. It can be found in New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as western Maryland and Virginia.

The Cooper's hawk is a mid-sized hawk with broad, rounded wings and a long tail. It can be found year-round in wooded areas throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The copperhead snake is one of only a few venomous snakes found in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, although it is rarely lethal to humans.

The deer tick—named for its preferred host, the white-tailed deer—can carry and transmit to humans the bacteria that causes Lyme disease. Ticks are most active in late spring and summer. 

The Delmarva fox squirrel is a large, gray squirrel that lives in quiet forests on the Delmarva Peninsula. 

The devil crayfish is a brownish-red crustacean that resembles a miniature lobster. They typically have red-tipped claws. They can be found burrowing in forested areas where the water table is near the surface.

Dutchman’s breeches are native perennials with white flowers that look like tiny pantaloons. They can be found in woodlands throughout the watershed.

The eastern bluebird is a small, plump bird in the thrush family. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.

The eastern box turtle is a terrestrial reptile found primarily in woodlands across the Chesapeake watershed.

The eastern cottontail is a brownish, medium-sized rabbit that lives in fields, farms, woods and backyards throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Once only a species found in the western U.S., the eastern coyote is a variant of the western coyote and lives in a variety of habitats.

The eastern garter snake is a common terrestrial snake. It is known for the three white or yellow stripes that run down the length of its back. 

The eastern gray squirrel is a grayish-brown, bushy-tailed rodent that lives in forests, parks and backyards throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Eastern hemlocks are important riparian trees that can live for centuries.

The eastern milksnake is a secretive creature that spends most of its life underground or under rocks and logs. 

With a complex life cycle, the eastern newt can be found in aquatic and terrestrial environments throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed depending on the stage it is in.

This small, well-camouflaged owl can be found year-round throughout forested areas of the Bay watershed.

The eastern tiger salamander is the largest land dwelling salamander in North America. It is found across the United States, but is an endagndered species in Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.

The emerald ash borer is a green, shiny beetle that lives on ash trees in certain parts of Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania. It is an invasive species.

The European honey bee, found worldwide, is known for its honey and is an important pollinator for flowering plants.

The evening bat is a small tree bat that can be found foraging for insects at dawn and dusk. 

Fairy shrimp are relatively large and slow-moving crustaceans that live in vernal pools which are small, shallow forest ponds, fed by melting snow, rain or groundwater, but dry up during certain times of the year.

The fisher is a dark brown furry predator about the size of a house cat. It can be found in coniferous forests throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The five-lined skink is a small reptile with five distinctive stripes running along the length of its body. It can be found in damp forested areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Garlic mustard is an invasive weed that creates a dense monoculture wherever it grows. 

The gray fox has coarse, gray fur and a black-tipped tail. It can be found in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The hemlock woolly aldelgid is an invasive insect that sucks the sap of hemlock trees.

Also known as bog onion or Indian turnip, the jack-in-the-pulpit is a perennial plant in the Arum family, which includes relatives like skunk cabbage and arrow arum. Its hooded flower blooms in the spring and gives the plant its common name.

Leafcutter bees are solitary bees that are critical pollinators and leave distinct circle cutouts on the leaves they cut to build their nests. 

The little brown bat is a small, mostly nocturnal flying mammal with long, brownish fur. It lives in buildings, trees, caves and similar areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The loblolly pine is a tall evergreen tree with long, thin needles and scaly bark. It grows along the edges of the Chesapeake Bay and its tidal rivers and wetlands.

The long-tailed shrew is a mid-sized shrew with a slim body and long tail. It lives in cool, rocky, forested areas and can be found year-round in the Appalachian Mountains.

The luna moth is a light green, giant silk moth that lives only one week in their adult stage.

The marbled salamander is black with silvery crossbands along its body. It is found throughout the southern portion of the Chesapeake Bay region.

Mason bees are solitary bees, best known for their ability to pollinate fruit-trees. There are both native and non-native species within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

The monarch butterfly is known for its bright orange and black wings, which signal to potential predators that the species is poisonous.

Morrow’s honeysuckle is an invasive deciduous shrub with white, tube-shaped flowers. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The grey-brown dove with a sorrowful call is one of the most common birds in North America. 

The North American porcupine is a large rodent that uses its quills for defense. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The northern bobwhite is a small, rounded bird that lives in patchworks areas of fields, forests and cropland.

The northern cardinal is a small, red songbird that lives in gardens, backyards and wooded areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The northern flicker is a ground-feeding woodpecker with eye-catching patterns. 

Plagued by disease, the northern long-eared bat is a threatened native species. You can identify the mammal by its exceptionally long ears. 

The northern red salamander is a small, reddish amphibian with black, irregularly shaped spots covering its back. It lives in cool freshwater streams and adjacent wooded areas throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The elusive saw-whet owl stands at only eight inches tall and hides in Chesapeake forests. 

The northern spring peeper is a tiny, brownish tree frog with a distinctive X-shaped cross on its back. It lives in marshy woods and near ponds and swamps throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Its “peeping” call is one of the first signs of spring in the region.

The passifloraceae family includes more than 700 species, most of these are native to the Americas and each one supports a wide variety of wildlife. Passiflora incarnata is native to the southern United States and can be found as far north as Pennsylvania. 

The paw paw is a small, deciduous tree with large, long leaves and distinctive green, mango-like fruits. It grows in rich, moist forested areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The peregrine falcon is a blue-gray raptor about the size of a crow. It has a black head and narrow black bars along its back and underside.

The pink lady’s slipper, also commonly called a moccasin flower, is a native wildflower with a unique shape that can be found in wooded areas around North America.

Prickly pear is a native perennial cactus with large, showy yellow flowers that bloom in late spring and early summer.

Purple coneflower is a native perennial plant with large, lavender flowers that bloom in early summer.

The raccoon is a grayish mammal with a distinctive long, ringed tail and black “mask” over its eyes. It lives in nearly every part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, from cities and suburbs to swamps and marshes.

The red fox is a small, reddish, dog-like mammal that lives in swamps, forests and farms throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The red maple is a hardy and adaptable deciduous tree common in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and throughout eastern North America.

The rough green snake is a non-venomous snake with a long, slender, bright green body. It lives in leafy trees and shrubs in thickly vegetated areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.

The ruby-throated hummingbird is a tiny, iridescent green bird that visits forests, swamps and gardens throughout the Chesapeake Bay region from spring through autumn.

The sassafras is a medium-sized, deciduous tree with bright green, mitten-like leaves. It grows in moist, open woods throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The shadbush is a small tree with white flower clusters that bloom in early spring. It grows in wet areas such as swamps and forested wetlands throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed, mostly in the coastal plain.

The sika deer is a small, brown elk that lives in quiet marshes and forested wetlands on the lower Eastern Shore of Maryland.

The snowberry clearwing is a type of hummingbird moth that can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. It is a pollinator that hovers in front of flowers to drink nectar.

Also known as the Arctic owl or great white owl, the snowy owl has white feathers with black and brown markings and is the largest North American owl species by weight.

The southern flying squirrel is a small, grayish-brown mammal. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed in hardwood forests and areas with lots of deciduous trees.

Previous known as the Gypsy moth, the spongy moth moth is a destructive, invasive pest. Moth larvae gorge themselves on shrub and tree leaves, leaving them bare and susceptible to disease and damage from other pests.

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive insect with distinctive spotted wings. It damages plants by feeding on the sap which weakens the plant and attracts mold and other insects.

Spotted salamanders are grey, black or bluish and live in all of Chesapeake Bay watershed except the Delmarva Peninsula. They spend most of their lives sheltered under leaf litter, logs and rocks. 

The striped skunk is a black and white mammal about the size of a house cat. It can be found throughout nearly all of North America, including the continental United States, southern Canada, and northern Mexico.

The sugar maple is a deciduous hardwood tree with pointed lobed leaves. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake watershed.

The sweetbay magnolia is a small, semi-evergreen tree with large, creamy white flowers that bloom in early summer. It grows in forested swamps and wetlands throughout most of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Tree-of-Heaven is a quick-growing, invasive tree that can be found throughout the Chesapeake region.

Trout lily is a native perennial plant with nodding yellow flowers that bloom in early spring.

Diptera, commonly referred to as “true flies,” are a class of two-winged insects such as mosquitos, backflies or horseflies. One of the largest insect orders, it numbers more than 125,000 species.

The Virginia big-eared bat is an endangered, medium-sized bat. It is known for its distinguishing long ears and large glands on its nose.

The Virginia bluebell is a perennial with blue, trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom in spring. It can be found throughout the Chesapeake watershed.

The Virginia opossum is a gray, heavyset mammal found throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The white oak is a large shade tree with light gray furrowed bark and lobed green leaves. It is found throughout the Chesapeake Bay region. 

The white-tailed deer is a brownish, medium-sized deer. It is found in forests, farms, parks and backyards throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Wild columbine is a native perennial plant with nodding, bell-shaped, red and yellow flowers that bloom in spring and early summer.

Wild geraniums are a native broadleaf perennial plant thats grow in dense patches and has light pink or purple flowers with five rounded petals.

The wild turkey is a large, dark, ground-dwelling bird with a long neck and a fan-shaped tail and lives in open, wooded areas throughout the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Wolf spiders are the most common spiders around the world and 200 species live in the United States. Wolf spiders are black or brown with long, thin legs.

The wood frog is a small amphibian with a characteristic black marking on its face that resembles a robber’s mask. It can be found in forests and wetlands throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.

The woodchuck, also known as the groundhog, is a heavy-bodied, burrowing critter that hibernates from October to February.

The zebra swallowtail is a butterfly with thick, black stripes on its white wings. It lives in moist, low woodlands where its host plant, the paw paw tree, grows.