Animals

This page lists animals in the Northeast Creek inventory. This inventory is classified by indicator guilds. An indicator guild is a set of species sharing a common habitat or resource use characteristic.

The species listed here are the beginning of an inventory. Some of them are those most likely seen in suburban yards. There are no doubt other species in different places throughout the Northeast Creek basin.

Links for birds are to the Cornell University, Department of Ornithology, All about Birds: Bird Guide.

Links for all other animals are to NatureServe’s guide called NatureServe Explorer: An Online Encyclopedia of Life.

Forest interior species

Birds

Accipiter striatus (sharp-shinned hawk)
Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered hawk)
Strix varia (barred owl)
Caprimulgus carolinensis (Chuck-wills-widow)
Picoides villosus (hairy woodpecker)
Dryocopus pileatus (pileated woodpecker)
Empidonax virescens (Acadian flycatcher)
Polioptila caerulea (blue-gray gnatcatcher)
Hylocichla mustelina (wood thrush)
Vireo flavifrons (yellow-throated vireo)
Vireo olivaceus (red-eyed vireo)
Parula americana (northern parula)
Mniotilta varia (black-and-white warbler)
Setophaga ruticilla (American redstart)
Protonotaria citrea (prothonotary warbler)
Seiurus aurocapillus (ovenbird)
Seiurus motacilla (Louisiana waterthrush)
Oporornis formosus (Kentucky warbler)
Wilsonia citrina (hooded warbler)
Piranga olivacea (scarlet tanager)

Reptiles

Terrapene carolina (eastern box turtle)

Amphibians

Ambystoma opacum (marbled salamander)
Plethodon glutinosus (slimy salamander)
Bufo americanus (American toad)
Hyla chrysoscelis (Cope’s gray treefrog)
Pseudacris triseriata (western chorus frog)

Insects

Battus philenor (pipevine swallowtail)
Eurytides marcellus (zebra swallowtail)
Anthocharis midea (falcate orangetip)
Polygonia interrogationis (question mark)
Polygonia comma (eastern comma)
Nymphalis antiopa (mourning cloak)
Asterocampa celtis (hackberry emperor)
Asterocampa clyton (tawny emperor)
Satyrodes appalachia (Appalachian eyed brown)

Forest/Edge Species

Mammals

Didelphis virginiana (Virginia opossum)
Sciurus carolinensis (Eastern gray squirrel)
Glaucomys volans (southern flying squirrel)
Peromyscus leucopus (whitefooted deermouse)
Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox)
Procyon lotor (raccoon)
Odocoileus virginianus (white-tailed deer)

Birds

Butorides virescens, Butorides striatus (green heron, green-backed heron, striated heron)
Cathartes aura (turkey vulture)
Colinus virginianus (northern bobwhite, quail)
Scolopax minor (American woodcock)
Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)
Archilochus colubris (ruby-throated hummingbird)
Melanerpes carolinus (red-bellied woodpecker)
Picoides pubescens (downy woodpecker)
Colaptes auratus (northern flicker)
Contopus virens (eastern wood-peewee)
Myiarchus crinitus (great crested flycatcher)
Cyanocitta cristata (blue jay)
Poecile carolinensis (Carolina chickadee)
Baeolophus bicolor (tufted titmouse)
Sitta carolinensis (white-breasted nuthatch)
Sitta pusilla (brown-headed nuthatch)
Thryothorus ludovicianus (Carolina wren)
Dendroica dominica (yellow-throated warbler)
Dendroica pinus (pine warbler)
Piranga rubra (summer tanager)
Cardinalis cardinalis (northern cardinal)
Pipilo erythrophthalmus (eastern towhee)
Spinus tristis, Carduelis tristis (American goldfinch)

Reptiles

Sceloporus undulatus (southern fence lizard)
Plestiodon fasciatus, Eumeces fasciatus (five-lined skink)
Diadophis punctatus (ring-necked snake)
Pantherophis obsoletus, Elaphe obsoleta (eastern ratsnake)

Amphibians

Pseudacris crucifer (spring peeper)

Insects

Erynnis juvenalis (Juvenal’s duskywing)
Erynnis horatius (Horace’s duskywing)
Lerema accius (clouded skipper)
Pompeius verna (little glassywing)
Poanes zabulon (Zabulon skipper)
Papilio glaucus (eastern tiger swallowtail)
Papilio troilus (spicebush swallowtail)
Atlides halesus (great purple hairstreak)
Celastrina ladon (spring azure)
Libytheana bachmanii (American snout)
Vanessa atalanta (red admiral)
Cyllopsis gemma (gemmed satyr)
Hermeuptychia sosybius (Carolina satyr)
Megisto cymela (little wood satyr)

Long-Distance Migrants

Birds

Caprimulgus carolinensis (Chuck-will’s-widow)
Archilochus colubris (ruby-throated hummingbird)
Empidonax virescens (Acadian flycatcher)
Myiarchus crinitus (great crested flycatcher)
Tyrannus tyrannus (eastern kingbird)
Progne subis (purple martin)
Polioptila caerulea (blue-gray gnatcatcher)
Hylocichla mustelina (wood thrush)
Vireo flavifrons (yellow-throated vireo)
Vireo olivaceus (red-eyed vireo)
Mniotilta varia (black-and-white warbler)
Setophaga ruticilla (American redstart)
Protonotaria citrea (prothonotary warbler)
Seiurus aurocapillus (ovenbird)
Seiurus motacilla (Louisiana waterthrush)
Oporornis formosus (Kentucky warbler)
Wilsonia citrina (hooded warbler)
Icteria virens (yellow-breasted chat)
Piranga rubra (summer tanager)
Piranga olivacea (scarlet tanager)

Low-Nesting Species

Birds

Colinus virginianus (northern bobwhite, quail)
Scolopax minor (American woodcock)
Caprimulgus carolinensis (Chuck-wills-widow)
Mniotilta varia (black and white warbler)
Seiurus aurocapillus (ovenbird)
Seiurus motacilla (Louisiana waterthrush)
Oporornis formosus (Kentucky warbler)
Wilsonia citrina (hooded warbler)
Icteria virens (yellow-breasted chat)
Cardinalis cardinalis (cardinal)
Pipilo erythrophthalmus (eastern towhee)
Spizella pusilla (field sparrow)

Big Tree or Snag Species

Mammals

Glaucomys volans (southern flying squirrel)

Birds

Aix sponsa (wood duck)
Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered hawk)
Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)
Strix varia (barred owl)
Picoides villosus (hairy woodpecker)
Dryocopus pileatus (pileated woodpecker)
Sitta carolinensis (white-breasted nuthatch)
Protonotaria citrea (prothonotary warbler)

Wide-Ranging Species

Mammals

Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox)
Neovison vison, Mustela vison (American mink)
Lontra canadensis, Lutra canadensis (North American river otter)

Birds

Cathartes aura (turkey vulture)
Accipiter striatus (sharp-shinned hawk)
Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered hawk)
Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)
Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)
Strix varia (barred owl)
Dryocopus pileatus (pileated woodpecker)

Carnivores

Mammals

Urocyon cinereoargenteus (gray fox)
Procyon lotor (raccoon)
Neovison vison, Mustela vison (American mink)
Lontra canadensis, Lutra canadensis (North American river otter)

Raptors

Birds

Accipiter striatus (sharp-shinned hawk)
Buteo lineatus (red-shouldered hawk)
Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)
Bubo virginianus (great horned owl)
Strix varia (barred owl)

Human-sensitive Species

Mammals

Neovison vison, Mustela vison (American mink)
Lontra canadensis, Lutra canadensis (river otter)

Birds

Aix sponsa (wood duck)
Accipiter striatus (sharp-shinned hawk)
Colinus virginianus (northern bobwhite, quail)
Scolopax minor (American woodcock)

Reptiles

Terrapene carolina (eastern box turtle)
Pantherophis obsoletus, Elaphe obsoleta (eastern rat snake)
Lampropeltis getula (common kingsnake)
Thamnophis sauritus (eastern ribbonsnake)

Non-forest Species

Mammals

Sylvilagus floridanus (eastern cottontail)
Sigmodon hispidus (hispid cotton rat)

Birds

Buteo jamaicensis (red-tailed hawk)
Charadrius vociferus (killdeer)
Zenaida macroura (mourning dove)
Chaetura pelagica (chimney swift)
Sayornis phoebe (eastern phoebe)
Tyrannus tyrannus (eastern kingbird)
Progne subis (purple martin)
Corvus brachyrhynchos (American crow)
Corvus ossifragus (fish crow)
Troglodytes aedon (house wren)
Sialia sialis (eastern bluebird)
Turdus migratorius (American robin)
Dumetella carolinensis (gray catbird)
Mimus polyglottos (northern mockingbird)
Toxostoma rufum (brown thrasher)
Sturnus vulgaris (European starling)
Vireo griseus (white-eyed vireo)
Dendroica discolor (prairie warbler)
Geothlypis trichas (common yellowthroat)
Icteria virens (yellow-breasted chat)
Passerina caerulea, Guiraca caerulea (blue grosbeak)
Passerina cyanea (indigo bunting)
Spizella passerina (chipping sparrow)
Spizella pusilla (field sparrow)
Agelaius phoeniceus (red-winged blackbird)
Quiscalus quiscula (common grackle)
Molothrus ater (brownhead cowbird)
Carpodacus mexicanus (house finch)
Passer domesticus (house sparrow)

Amphibians

Gastrophryne carolinensis (eastern narrow-mouthed toad)

Insects

Epargyreus clarus (silver-spotted skipper)
Achalarus lyciades (hoary edge)
Thorybes bathyllus (southern cloudywing)
Erynnis zarucco (Zarucco darkwing)
Pyrgus communis (common checkered skipper)
Pholisora catullus (common sootywing)
Nastra lherminier (swarthy skipper)
Hylephila phyleus (fiery skipper)
Wallengrenia otho (southern broken-dash)
Atalopedes campestris (sachem)
Amblyscirtes vialis (common roadside skipper)
Papilio polyxenes (black swallowtail)
Pieris rapae (cabbage white)
Colias sp. (clouded yellows)
Phoebis sennae (cloudless sulphur)
Callophrys gryneus, Mitoura gryneus (olive hairstreak)
Strymon melinus (gray hairstreak)
Cupido comyntas, Everes comyntas (eastern tailed-blue)
Phyciodes tharos (pearl crescent)
Vanessa virginiensis (American lady)
Vanessa cardui (painted lady)
Junonia coenia (common buckeye)
Cercyonis pegala (common wood nymph)
Danaus plexippus (monarch)

Invaders

Birds

Sturnus vulgaris (European starling)
Molothrus ater (brownhead cowbird)
Carpodacus mexicans (house finch)
Passer domesticus (house sparrow)

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