| Grey Tree
Frog: very vocal frog making up to 700 calls an hour, also has a slight
chameleon ability to slowly change colors between grey and green |
|
| Green Tree
Frog: only found near surface waters |
|
| Southern Leopard
Frog: common inhabitant along open water |
|
| Gulf Coast
Toad: commonly found in hot and humid areas |
|
| Marbled
Salamander: small and highly lethargic |
|
| Mole Salamander:
burrowing salamander that spends almost its entire life underground,
except when mating |
|
| Small Mouthed
Salamander |
| Green-winged
teal: broad and opportunistic feeder, dabbling duck found in shallow
waters and mudflats |
|
| Gadwall:
very common winter inhabitant, gadwalls have expanded their range more
than any other duck this century |
|
| Shoveler:
Sieves invertebrates and seeds through its beak, will up-end to feed.
Populations have been increasing the past 50 years |
|
| Blue-winged
teal: First duck to arrive and last to leave. Dabbles primarily
on submerged plants, algae, and invertebrates |
|
| Pintail:
Not as common in the Louisiana coastal wetlands, numbers have been declining
nationally, mainly feeds on seeds on dry land |
|
| Wigeon:
found throughout the saline, brackish, and fresh marshes feeds on
seeds and grasses |
|
| Scaup: One
of the most common inhabitants of the coastal wetlands, dives for seeds
and submerged vegetation. Prefers open water habitat of either salty
or fresh |
|
| Mallard:
Most common duck in the US. Most use the Mississippi flyway and
are therefore major inhabitants of the coastal wetlands. Dabble to feed
on seeds, roots, tubers |
|
| Common Egret:
Migrates south from the Minnesota region. Diet consists of fish,
frogs, crustaceans, snakes. Nests in colonies with other egret species |
|
| Snowy Egret:
Nearly hunted to extinction for plumages, has since recovered. Feed
on crustaceans, amphibians, insects |
|
| Roseate
Spoonbill: Louisisana success story - At one time only 30 Roseate
Spoonbills were alive due to heavy hunting. Populations have stabilized
and returned to healthy numbers. |
|
| Wood Stork:
All of the wading birds in the Louisiana coastal wetlands are protected
now, but in the past these birds were hunted heavily for their plumage
for hats. The wood stork is the only wading birds remaining on the
threatened list |
|
| White Ibis:
Highly sociable bird who nests, feeds, and roosts in large flocks. Primarily
eats crabs and crawfish |
|
| Great Blue
Heron: Feeds almost exclusively on fish but will also eat insects,
crustaceans, and snakes. Nests in large colonies of the same species.
|
|
| Green Heron:
Considerably smaller and better fliers than other herons. Feeds
on fish, insects, and invertebrates. |
|
| Anhinga:
Dives to feed on primarily fish and some insects, crawfish, and amphibian
larvae. Nest in tree colonies which can be shared with heron species |
|
| Barn Swallow:
Amazingly maneurverable flyer. Feed primarily on flying insects.
Build nests out of mud and vegetative matter |
|
| Tree Swallow:
Migrate in large flocks in which they remain in all year. Feeds
on insects |
|
| Kingfisher:
Build tunnel-like nests deep into mud banks. Feed primarily
on fish |
|
| Bachman's Warbler:
The rarest native songbird in the US, possibly extinct. Last
seen in 1975 in Georgia. Habitat loss in Cuba is primary reason for
decline, historically was found in the Lousiana coastal wetlands |
|
| Orchard
Oriole |
|
| Yellow Breasted
Cuckoo |
|
| Purple Gallinule:
Prefers open freshwater habitat with floating vegetation. Feeds
on frogs, insects, and submerged vegetation |
|
| Black Skimmer:
This bird nests on barrier islands but due to habitat destruction
its numbers are declining rapidly. Numerous restoration projects aimed
to protect and restore barrier island habitat have the potential and the
goal to protect this species and other similar species. |
|
| Osprey:
Most common raptor in the coastal wetlands. Feeds on fish. |
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| Bald Eagle |
|
| Peregrine Falcon |
|
| Nutria:
Exotic pest species from South America. The nutria eats the
roots of marsh plants and can cause massive damage to large sections of
wetland |
|
| Muskrat:
High reproductive rates needed to offset high mortality. Rapid
population growth can lead to eat outs. Primarily east the roots of
marsh vegetation. Found in salt and fresh marshes |
|
| Marsh Rabbit:
Capable of swimming to avoid predators |
|
| Mink |
|
| Black Drum:
largest member of the drum family, uses the wetlands for spawning |
|
| Blue Crab:
Use high salinity regions of the marsh for spawning. All life
stages utilize the marshes. |
|
| Red Drum:
|
|
| Brown Shrimp:
Larvae stages utilize the marshes for protection and food, adults
move to deep water. |
|
| Gulf Menhaden:
|
|
| White Shrimp |
|
| Southern
Flounder: Spawn offshore but young migrate into marshes to feed on crustaceans, |
|
| Spotted
Sea Trout: Spawns in wetlands |
|
| Alligator:
Common inhabitat of the freshwater marshes. Top-level predator
feeding on fish, mammals, and reptiles. Can create important habitat
known as alligator holes during dry months |
|
| Copperhead:
Poisonous member of pit viper family. Feeds primarily on frogs |
|
| Water Moccasin |
|
| Diamond-backed
Water Snake: Commonly found in open water habitats |
|
| Green Water
Snake |
|
| Yellow Bellied
Water Snake: Feeds primarily on amphibians |
|
| Eastern
Hog-nosed Snake |
|
| Garter Snake:
Primarily feeds on earthworms and leeches. May secrete a saliva
poisonous to amphibians. |
|
| Speckled
King Snake: Feeds on rodents |
|
| Broadhead
Skink: Highly territorial, heads turn bright orange during mating
season |
|
| Five-line
Skink: Burrowing skink found in upland habitats |
|
| Green Anole:
Very common throughout the marsh, feeds on insects |
|
| Snapping
Turtle: Large, can reach weights of over 40 pounds. Known to lie
still on the bottom and lure fish with a worm shaped tongue. |
|
| Spiny Soft-shelled
Turtle: |
|
| Stinkpot
Turtle: Prefers murky water with plenty of plant growth. |
|
| Location |
Wetland
Formation |
Hydrology |
Climate |
| Animal
Life |
Plant
Life |
Ecosystem
Function |
Restoration |
| Human Settlement |
Human
Interactions |
Sources |
Home |