Forest Wildlife

The dragonfly is one of the most ancient on earth, with fossil records stretching back as much as 350 million years. They are one of the world’s most successful species, with representatives on every continent except Antarctica. Approximately 300 species are known in the United States.

The woodchuck may be one of the most celebrated yet misunderstood or maligned mammals in North America. One the one hand, it has a handful of nicknames and its best-known representative has an international day of fame every year. Yet there are many who are not fans of the woodchuck; some consider them to be pests.

The barred owl (Strix varia) is one of North America’s most typical species. It is also known colloquially as the hoot owl, the laughing owl, and the swamp owl. It inhabits old growth woodlands, wooded river bottoms, and wooded swamps.

The bobwhite quail's emphatic whistle calls out “bob-white” across grassy fields or piney woods. It has been in sharp decline over the last fifty years, leading the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources to list the species as “near threatened.”

Virginia opossums are common throughout Maryland and the eastern United States, and are found in a wide variety of habitats.

Throughout Maryland’s habitats, you will find one of the most successful raptors in North America: the Red-tailed Hawk. This bird of prey is found as far north as Alaska and as far south as Panama and the West Indies, occupying deserts, grasslands, deciduous and coniferous forests, as well as agricultural and urban areas.

Resources for information about common wildlife posing challenges to woodland owners in Maryland and the mid-Atlantic region.

This spreadsheet presents a sample budget for a hunting lease enterprise venture.

This publication outlines hunting lease methods, skills, knowledge, and equipment needed, and marketing concerns.

In Maryland, two species of vole (the meadow vole and the pine vole) eat roots, bark, and bulbs; even at low population levels, they cause significant damage to forest plantations, orchards, nurseries, and landscapes. This fact sheet explains how to identify these injurious rodents and provides information on vole biology and management for forest plantations.