NatureMapping - Conifer Wetlands/Habitats

Definition of "Wetlands" - General Code 500: Vegetated areas where plants are rooted in water or water saturated soil or that regularly tolerate flooding for extensive time periods.

Wetlands: Conifer Marsh (524)


Descriptive Habitat Code: This wetland (5) is a freshwater marsh (2) surrounded by conifer trees (4).
Photo: KMD

American wigeon
Anas americana
Code: ANAAM
Photo: RA

Distribution and Habitat:
It is distributed across North America from Alaska southward to Costa Rica

Diet:
It feeds primarily upon aquatic plants, such as wild celery.

Interesting fact:
The American wigeon can be found feedingon large grassy areas, such as golf courses,.

Green heron
Butorides striatus
Code: BUST
Photo: RA

Distribution and Habitat:
The green heron is found in secluded wetlands, wooded sloughs, and along slow-moving water in ditches.

Diet:
It feeds largely on fish. Frogs and other small animals are also occasionally taken.

Interesting fact:
It is a good climber, adept at moving among the tangles of trees and bushes near the water while in search of food. This species is also known as the green-backed heron.

Red-legged frog
Rama aurora
Code: RAAU
Photo: BL

Distribution and Habitat:
The red-legged frog is found in moist grasslands, forests, woodlands, wetlands, stream banks, and in or near other areas with standing water.

Diet:
It feeds primarily on insects

Interesting fact:
During the late 1800s and early 1900s this frog was harvested heavily by the restaurant industry for their use as frog legs on their menus.

Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
Code: BUAL
Photo: RA

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in both freshwater lakes and wetlands as well as salt marshes and inshore marine areas.

Diet:
It feeds primarily on emergent and submergent aquatic vegetation as well as shrimp, crayfish, bivalves, leeches, snails and insects.

Interesting fact:
During mating season, the males compete actively for the attention of the females.

Black bear
Ursus americanus
Code: URAM
Photo: KMD

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in mountainous, forested, and wetland habitats

Diet:
It is an omnivore and feeds upon a variety of foods which include vegetation, carrion, fish, fruit, grubs, and hoofed mammals.

Interesting fact:
The largest black bear ever recorded weighed approximately 600 pounds, although the average size is around 200 pounds. The black bear may have brown or tan fur. It climbs trees easily.

Ensatina
Ensatina eschsholtzi
Code:ENES
Photo: WDFW

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found under bark, logs and rocks in coniferous and deciduous forests; both in open and wooded settings.

Diet:
The ensatina feeds primarily on insects.

Interesting fact:
During cold periods, this salamander may be found in burrows of meadow mice or gophers.

Pacific giant salamander
Dicamptodon tenebrosus
Code: DITE
Photo: BL

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in moist forests on the rocky shores of mountain lakes and in or near cold streams.

Diet:
It feeds on small insects and invertebrates.

Interesting fact:
This salamander is capable of climbing as high as 8 feet into trees, logs and bushes. The bite of this salamander can break the skin.

Pacific tree frog
Hyla regilla
Code:PSRE
Photo: WDFW

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout the Pacific Northwest, never too far from small ponds.

Diet:
It feeds on a variety of small insects.

Interesting fact:
The Pacific tree frog and the bullfrog are the only 2 frogs you can easily hear croaking in Washington State. The Pacfic tree frog is smaller in size than a chicken egg and may be shades or green or brown.

Painted turtle
Chrysemys picta
Code: CHPI
Photo: WDFW

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in wetlands, lakes, ponds and rivers.

Diet:
In the wild, this turtle feeds below the surface of the water on aquatic insects, fish, tadpoles, worms, carrion and certain types of water plants. In captivity, the painted turtle will accept raw hamburger meat, steak or lettuce.

Interesting fact:
The painted turtle populations need monitoring. Although painted turtles are common, young turtles are not as common as they once were.

Raccoon
Procyon lotor
Code: PRLO
Photo: KMD

Distribution and Habitat:
It is native throughout most of the United States and southern Canada, but has also been introduced into Europe and Asia. It is a common inhabitant of agricultural and residential areas.

Diet:
It feeds upon crayfish, insects, small birds, small rodents, insects, fruits, nuts, and garbage.

Interesting fact:
The raccoon is largely nocturnal in its habits and uses riparian (stream) corridors to travel. When it searches for food in water, it keeps its head up watching for predators and lets its hands find the food.

River otter
Lutra canadensis
Code: LUCA
Photo: RA

Distribution and Habitat:
It can be found in coastal marine areas, rivers and lakes.

Diet:
It feeds largely on a variety of fish species.

Interesting fact:
The river otter is a member of the weasel family, but has webbed toes for swimming.

River Otter Fact Sheet >>

Steller's jay
Cyanocitta stellari
Code: CYST
Photo: RA

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout conifer forests and developed areas with large trees.

Diet:
It is an omnivore, feeding upon seeds, nuts, fruits and a variety of insects, such as grasshoppers and beetles. During nesting time it may also eat the eggs of other birds, as well as small mammals.

Interesting fact:
Steller's jays cache (store) food in the ground and cover it with a leaf or plant material to mark the location. Two Steller's jays are able to cache 100,000 nuts in a period of three months.

Van Dyke's salamander
Plethodon vandykei
Code: PLVA
Photo: WDFW

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found under rocks and logs located near lakes, streams, creeks, rivers, wetlands and areas of saturated soil.

Diet:
It feeds on insects as well as other foods.

Interesting fact:
Van Dyke's salamander is nocturnal, being especially active during or following periods of rain.

Western pond turtle
Clemmys marmorata
Code: CLMA
Photo: WDFW

Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in marshes, ponds, streams, rivers, wetlands and ditches. This turtle is primarily found in open canopy forests, such as oak woodlands. It will be found in conifer wetlands that have open meadows and grasslands nearby.

Diet:
It is an omnivore that feeds upon aquatic plants, insects, fish, worms, and carrion.

Interesting fact:
Bullfrogs prey on young turtles and are believed to be one of the causes of the turtle's decline.