Table 1: SuAsCo Focal Species by Group

Group

Species

Habitat

Comments

Mammal

beaver

red maple swamp

keystone species, changes area to beaver meadow

Mammal

bobcat

mixed oak/white pine forest

has been seen in SuAsCo, needs large area with abundant cover, rocky ledges

Mammal

fisher

mixed oak/white pine forest

wide ranging species uses a variety of habitats. needs good tree canopy

Mammal

gray fox

mixed oak/white pine forest

an elusive species that has been seen in various parts of the watershed

Mammal

mink

river and streams

other habitat such as streams more appropriate listing; indicator of healthy stream system

Mammal

muskrat

emergent and deep water marsh

keystone species

Mammal

river otter

emergent and deep water marsh, rivers and streams

 

Mammal

porcupine

mixed oak/white pine with hemlock groves

requires ledges and hemlock

Mammal

southern bog lemming

bog, fen

state-listed “special concern”

Mammal

water shrew

wet meadows and streams

state-listed “special concern”

 

 

 

 

Bird

pied-billed grebe

lakes and ponds, emergent and deep water marsh

state-listed as “endangered”

Bird

wood duck

wooded swamps, rivers, ponds

once very rare in the state; Great meadows NWR manages for this species, nests in trees; Partners in Flight

Bird

hooded merganser

red maple swamp

nests in trees

Bird

great blue heron heronry

rivers and streams, emergent and deep water marsh,

common bird, but heronries are unusual; flagship species

Bird

black-crowned night heron

lakes and ponds, rivers and streams, shrub swamp and riverine.

birds roost in colonies in trees

Bird

green heron

red maple swamp

 

Bird

least bittern

emergent and deep water marsh

state-listed as “endangered”

Bird

American bittern

emergent and deep water marsh

state-listed as “endangered”

Bird

Virginia rail

emergent and deep water marsh

 

Bird

sora

emergent and deep water marsh

 

Bird

king rail

emergent and deep water marsh

state-listed as “threatened”

Bird

American woodcock

alder swamps, fields, red maple swamps in combination

Partners in Flight

Bird

spotted sandpiper

lakes and ponds, rivers and streams

undisturbed shorelines

Bird

ruffed grouse

pitch pine-oak forest, oak forest

excellent indicator of oak forest and scrub oak habitat

Bird

wild turkey

oak forest

making a come back,

Bird

Cooper’s hawk

mixed oak/white pine forest

marginal selection as is adapted to fragmented habitat; state listed as “special concern”

Bird

northern goshawk

mixed oak white pine forest

requires large areas undisturbed by human activity

Bird

red-shouldered hawk

red maple swamp

 

Bird

broad-winged hawk

mixed oak/white pine forest

large areas

Bird

osprey, nesting

emergent and deep water marsh, lakes and ponds, rivers and streams

nesting osprey are very rare in SuAsCo.

Bird

American kestrel

grasslands

a declining species

Bird

great horned owl

mixed oak/white pine forest

large pine tress for nesting

Bird

barred owl

mixed oak/white pine forest

near swamps

Bird

common nighthawk

pitch pine-oak forest

more open habitat than whip-poor-will

Bird

whip-poor-will

pitch pine-oak forest, dense shrubs with open areas

not at all common except perhaps occasional in Desert; used to be  more common.

Bird

belted kingfisher

lakes and ponds, rivers and streams

requires banks to nest in

Bird

pileated woodpecker

mixed oak/white pine forest

large trees for nesting

Bird

great crested flycatcher

mixed oak/white pine forest

 

Bird

eastern peewee

mixed oak/white pine forest

 

Bird

willow flycatcher

shrub swamp

with willows

Bird

alder flycatcher

shrub swamp

with alders

Bird

brown creeper

mixed oak/white pine forest

requires older trees

Bird

winter wren

mixed oak/white pine forest near red maple swamp

large unfragmented forest, richer woods

Bird

marsh wren

emergent and deep water marsh

locally common but Sudbury supports main part of population in the state

Bird

brown thrasher

pitch pine-oak forest. shrubby habitat

declining species

Bird

eastern blue bird

red maple swamps and fields

nesting boxes have helped to increase the numbers of bluebirds

Bird

hermit thrush

mixed oak/white pine forest, pitch pine-oak forest

large unfragmented forest; near ground nester

Bird

veery

red maple swamp

 

Bird

wood thrush

mixed oak/white pine forest

large unfragmented forest, near ground nester; Partners in Flight

Bird

blue-headed vireo

(formerly solitary)

mixed oak/white pine forest

Estabrook woods.

Bird

black-throated green warbler

mixed oak/white pine forest

large unfragmented forest with hemlock; partners in flight

Bird

black-and-white warbler

mixed shrub

 

Bird

chestnut-sided warbler

shrubby habitat

Partners in Flight.

Bird

pine warbler

pitch-pine forest

 

Bird

blue-winged warbler

shrubby edge

Partners in Flight

Bird

prairie warbler

brushy openings

Partners in Flight

Bird

northern waterthrush

red maple swamp with streams

requires unfragmented, secluded areas;

Bird

Louisiana waterthrush

rivers and streams

cool streams flowing through cool, rich forest; Partners in Flight

Bird

oven bird

mixed oak/white pine forest

 

Bird

bobolink

grassland > 5 acres

 

Bird

eastern meadowlark

grassland

 

Bird

Indigo bunting

shrubby edge

 

Bird

eastern towhee

any shrubby habitat, pitch pine oak-forest

declining species

Bird

field sparrow

successional scrub

declining species

Bird

swamp sparrow

emergent and deep water marsh

 

Bird

grasshopper sparrow

grassland

state-listed as “threatened”

Bird

Savannah sparrow

grassland

 

 

 

 

 

Amphibian

blue-spotted salamander

vernal pool; red maple and shrub swamps which have standing water 2-3 months out of year

state-listed “special concern”

Amphibian

spotted salamander

vernal pool; red maple and shrub swamps which have standing water 2-3 months out of year

“watch-list”

Amphibian

marbled salamander

mixed oak/white pine forest

woodlands from swampy to dry; in western part of watershed; state-listed as “threatened”

Amphibian

northern dusky salamander

mixed oak/white pine

forest

seeps, small streams; streams with rocks

Amphibian

two-lined salamander

cold streams, brooks, seeps in forests

rocky bottom

Amphibian

four-toed salamander

bog, fen

requires sphagnum moss; state-listed “special concern”

Amphibian

northern leopard frog

floodplains, wet meadows

appears to be declining in SuAsCo.

Amphibian

wood frog

vernal pool

 

 

 

 

 

Reptile

spotted turtle

bogs, vernal pools, swamps

state-listed “special concern”

Reptile

wood turtle

rivers and streams; woodlands; fields

need protected upland habitat as well for nesting; state-listed “special concern”

Reptile

Blanding’s turtle

emergent and deep water marsh, lakes and ponds, variety of wetlands

state-listed as “threatened;” SuAsCo harbors a good percentage of a disjunct population.

Reptile

eastern box turtle

pitch pine-oak forest, mixed oak/white pine forest, grassland