Washington NatureMapping Program

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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: Shrub-steppe Marsh (522)

Descriptive Habitat Code: This wetland (5) is a freshwater marsh (2) and emergent vegetation (2).
Photo:KMD


California gull
Larus californius
Code: LACAL
Photo: RA
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout parts of the western North Pacific Ocean. It breeds on gravel beds along the Columbia River and large lakes in the Columbia Basin.

Diet:
It is an opportunistic scavenger feeding on fish, crustaceans, bivalves and other invertebrates, as well as carrion and scavenging items from dumps and other areas of human habitation.

Interesting fact:
This gull is often found nesting together with the Ring- billed gull. It is Utah's state bird because it saved settlers from starvation when flocks of California gulls ate the locusts ruining their crops.



Coyote
Canis latrans
Code: CALAT
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in mountainous areas, grasslands, deciduous and mixed coniferous forests and even urban areas.

Diet:
It feeds on whatever it can find, mostly mammals and carrion, although it also eats birds, fruit, and insects.

Interesting fact:
Efforts to exterminate coyotes have taken place during the 20th century. Their numbers are still increasing.



Great horned owl
Bubo virginianus
Code: BUVI
Photo: KMD
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found across the state in cliff areas.

Diet:
If feeds largely on small mammals including squirrels, rabbits, gophers, prairie dogs, chipmunks, mice, rats and other small rodents, as well as domesticated poultry, other small birds, grasshoppers, beetles, crayfish and fish.

Interesting fact:
The great horned owl is large (the length of an adult's arm from the hand to the elbow). Screech owls have "horns" and are misidentified as baby great horned owls. Baby owls are the size of their parents when they leave the nest.

Great Horned Owl Fact Sheet >



Great Basin spadefoot toad
Spea intermontana
Code: SPIN
Photo: WDFW
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in semi-arid shrublands, dry woodlands, and other areas where it lives in the underground burrows of gophers, etc.

Diet:
It is an omnivore, feeding upon ants, beetles, grasshoppers, crickets, flies and plant material.

Interesting fact:
This toad breeds following heavy rains. It burrows during dry weather and droughts and may not be seen until heavy rains come--which could be up to 10 years apart.



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.



Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Code: ANPL
Photo: KMD
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in wetlands, lakes, ponds, rivers, estuaries and coastal marine areas.

Diet:
It is an omnivore and feeds upon aquatic plants, seeds, nuts, fruits, wild rice, earthworms, small fish, snails, leeches, small frogs, toads, tadpoles, insects, including dragonfly nymphs, mice, lizards and newts.

Interesting fact:
The mallard nests on the ground, laying between 6 and 10 eggs. A female will kill a duckling that is not hers.



Night snake
Hypsiglena torquata
Code: HYTO
Photo: TM
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in a variety of habitats including deserts, woodlands, mountain meadows, grasslands, chaparral, sagebrush flats, and also in both rocky and sandy areas.

Diet:
It feeds upon salamanders, frogs, lizards and other small snakes.

Interesting fact:
The night snake breeds between April and August, during which time 2-9 eggs are laid. Although they are not considered poisonous, people may suffer from a reaction to the bite.



Northern leopard frog
Rana pipiens
Code: RAPI
Photo: BL
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found from sea level to over 11,000 feet, in ponds, lakes, streams, wetlands and other permanent bodies of standing water.

Diet:
It feeds on a variety of insects.

Interesting fact:
Scientists speculate that native populations of frogs and other groups of amphibians may be rapidly declining due to the destructive power of increased levels of UV radiation caused by the decreased filtering ability of the ozone layer.



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.



European cottontail
Orychtolagus cuniculus
Code:
Photo: KMD
Distribution and Habitat:
It is native to parts of Europe and northwest Africa. It is only known to occur on nine of the islands in San Juan County, WA. The Eastern cottontail has been introduced to Washington and is found in most habitats except medium/high development, estuaries, and closed-canopy forests.

Diet:
It is a herbivore and feeds on a variety of plant life.

Interesting fact:
It is believed that all strains of the domesticated rabbit are derived from the European cottontail.



Red-winged blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Code: AGPH
Photo: RA
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found in wetland areas.

Diet:
It is an omnivore and feeds on seeds and a variety of insects, including caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles.

Interesting fact:
The red-winged blackbird always nests in swampy places, usually in reeds. The most dominant males set up their territory in the middle of the marsh, which is more protected from predators.



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.



Yellow-bellied marmot
Marmota flaviventris
Code: MAFL
Photo: WDFW
Distribution and Habitat:
It is found throughout parts of eastern Washington in semi-arid habitats.

Diet:
It is known to feed upon seeds and nuts.

Interesting fact:
Once marmots build their den, they do not venture far from it.


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