BREC's Fauna Conservation Park Guide
This guide provides a resource for a majority of the animals that you may come across within a BREC Conservation Area. Make sure you use it as a checklist to document what you see at our parks! From turtles and snakes, to beavers and dragonflies use this to learn more about your local ...more ↓
Racer
Coluber constrictor is a species of nonvenomous, colubrid snake, endemic to North America and Central America. Eleven subspecies, including the nominotypical subspecies, are recognized, which as a group are commonly referred to as the eastern racers.
Mississippi Ringneck Snake
Diadophis punctatus stictogenys, commonly known as the Mississippi ringneck snake, is a subspecies of Diadophis punctatus that is indigenous to the United States.
Common Kingsnake
Lampropeltis getula (Common names include eastern kingsnake,common kingsnake,chain kingsnake, (more)) is a harmless colubrid species found in the United States and Mexico. It has long been a favorite among collectors. Eight subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Diamondback Watersnake
Nerodia rhombifer, commonly known as the diamondback water snake, is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid endemic to the central United States and northern Mexico. There are three recognized subspecies of N. rhombifer, including the nominotypical subspecies.
Gray Ratsnake
The gray ratsnake or gray rat snake (Pantherophis spiloides), also known as the central ratsnake, is a member of the genus Pantherophis in the subfamily Colubrinae. Within the genus Pantherophis, which includes ratsnakes, corn snakes, and fox snakes, the gray ratsnake is one of ten species.
Eastern Ribbon Snake
The eastern ribbon snake or common ribbon snake (Thamnophis sauritus sauritus) is a subspecies of ribbon snake found in the northeastern United States.
Western Ribbon Snake
The western ribbon snake (Thamnophis proximus) is a species of garter snake, with several subspecies.
Eastern Garter Snake
The Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is an indigenous North American snake found widely across the continent. Most garter snakes have a pattern of yellow stripes on a brown or green background and their average length is about 55 cm (22 in), with a maximum length of about 137 cm (54 in). The average body mass is 150 g (5.3 oz).
Brown Snake
Storeria dekayi, commonly known as the brown snake or De Kay's snake, is a small species of colubrid snake.
Rough Green Snake
Opheodrys aestivus, commonly known as the rough green snake, is a nonvenomous North American colubrid. It is sometimes called grass snake or green grass snake, but these names are more commonly applied to the smooth green snake (Opheodrys vernalis). The European colubrid called grass snake (Natrix natrix) is unrelated. The rough green ...more ↓
Cottonmouth
Agkistrodon piscivorus is a venomous snake, a species of pit viper, found in the southeastern United States. Adults are large and capable of delivering a painful and potentially fatal bite. When antagonized, they will stand their ground by coiling their bodies and displaying their fangs. Although their aggression has been exaggerated, on rare occasions territorial males will ...more ↓
Copperhead
Agkistrodon contortrix is a species of venomous snake endemic to North America, a member of the Crotalinae (pit viper) subfamily. The common name for the species is the copperhead. The behavior of Agkistrodon contortrix may lead to accidental encounters with humans. Five subspecies are currently recognized, including the nominate subspecies described here.
Rainbow Snake
Farancia erytrogramma (also known as the rainbow snake, and less commonly, the eel moccasin) is a large, nonvenomous, highly aquatic, colubrid snake endemic to coastal plains of the southeastern United States.
Eastern Worm Snake
Carphophis amoenus, commonly known as the worm snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid endemic to the Eastern United States.C. amoenus can be found east of the Mississippi, from southwest Massachusetts south to southern Alabama west to Louisiana and then north to Illinois. This species of snake protects a large range, and normally prefers a moist habitat in the ...more ↓
Eastern Hognose Snake
Heterodon platirhinos, commonly known as the eastern hog-nosed snake,spreading adder, or deaf adder, is a harmless colubrid species endemic to North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Scarlet Milksnake
Lampropeltis elapsoides, commonly known as the scarlet kingsnake, is a nonvenomous species of kingsnake found in the southeastern and eastern portions of the United States. They are found in pine flatwoods, hardwood hammocks, prairies, cultivated fields, and suburban areas. Long thought to be divergent from other tricolored kingsnakes and milksnakes, Pyron & Bubrink ...more ↓
Corn Snake
The Red Cornsnake (Pantherophis guttatus), corn snake, or red rat snake, is a North American species of rat snake that subdues its small prey by constriction. The name "corn snake" is a holdover from the days when southern farmers stored harvested ears of corn in a wood frame or log building called a crib. Rats and mice came to the corn crib to feed on the corn, ...more ↓
Mississippi Green Watersnake
The green water snake (Nerodia cyclopion) is a common species of nonvenomous natricine snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Western rat snake
The western rat snake (Pantherophis obsoletus), also commonly known as the Texas ratsnake,black rat snake, pilot black snake, or simply black snake, is a nonvenomous colubrid species found in North America. No subspecies are currently recognized.
Midland Water Snake
The midland water snake (Nerodia sipedon pleuralis), a subspecies of the northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon), is a nonvenomous natricine snake, which is endemic to North America.
Glossy Crayfish Snake
Regina rigida, commonly known as the crayfish snake, is a species of snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Graham's Crayfish Snake
Regina grahamii, commonly known as Graham's crayfish snake, is a species of nonvenomous colubrid snake, which is endemic to North America.
Southeastern Crowned Snake
The southeastern crown snake (Tantilla coronata) is a common species of small colubrid snake endemic to the southeastern United States.
Redbelly Snake
Storeria occipitomaculata, commonly known as the redbelly snake, is a species of snake endemic to North America. The following subspecies are recognized:
Timber Rattlesnake
Crotalus horridus, commonly known as timber rattlesnake, canebrake rattlesnake or banded rattlesnake, is a species of venomous pit viper found in the eastern United States. This is the only rattlesnake species in most of the populous northeastern United States. No subspecies is currently recognized.
Western Pigmy Rattlesnake
Sistrurus miliarius streckeri is a venomous pitviper subspecies found in the south-central United States.
Rough Earthsnake
The rough earth snake (Virginia striatula) is a species of nonvenomous natricine colubrid snake native to the southeastern United States. It was first described by Carolus Linnaeus in 1766, as Coluber striatulus.
American Alligator
The American alligator (Alligator mississippiensis), sometimes referred to colloquially as a gator or common alligator, is a large crocodilian reptile endemic to the southeastern United States. It is one of two living species in the genus Alligator within the family Alligatoridae and larger than the other extant alligator species, the Chinese alligator. ...more ↓
Eastern Glass Lizard
Ophisaurus ventralis, the eastern glass lizard, is a legless lizard species found in the Southeastern United States.
Mediterranean House Gecko
Mediterranean House Gecko, scientific name Hemidactylus turcicus (not to be confused with the Asian species Hemidactylus frenatus known as Common House Gecko) is a small gecko common to the Mediterranean which has spread to many parts of the world. It is also commonly referred to as the Turkish Gecko as represented in its Latin name. They are insectivorous, rarely ...more ↓
Eastern Fence Lizard
The eastern fence lizard (Sceloporus undulatus) is a medium-sized species of lizard found along forest edges, rock piles, and rotting logs or stumps in the eastern United States. It is sometimes referred to as the prairie lizard, fence swift, gray lizard, or pine lizard.
Green Anole
The Carolina anole (Anolis carolinensis) is an arboreal lizard found primarily in the southeastern United States and some Caribbean islands. Other common names include the green anole, American anole and red-throated anole. It is also sometimes referred to as the American chameleon due to its ability to change color from several brown hues to bright ...more ↓
Brown Anole
The brown anole (Anolis sagrei) is a lizard native to Cuba and the Bahamas. It has been widely introduced elsewhere, by being sold as a pet lizard, and is now found in Florida and as far north as southern Georgia, Texas, Taiwan, Hawaii, Southern California, and other Caribbean islands.
Little Brown Skink
The Little Brown Skink (Scincella lateralis), also known as the Ground Skink (which may refer to any Scincella species however), is a small species of skink found throughout much of the eastern half of the United States, and into northern Mexico.
Common Five-lined Skink
The (American) five-lined skink (Plestiodon fasciatus) is a species of lizard endemic to North America. It is one of the most common lizards in the eastern U.S. and one of the seven native species of lizards in Canada.
Alligator Snapping Turtle
The alligator snapping turtle (Macrochelys temminckii) is the largest freshwater turtle in the world based on weight. It is often associated with, but not closely related to, the common snapping turtle. They are the sole living member of the genus Macrochelys, while common snappers are in the genus Chelydra. The epithet temminckii is in honor of Dutch ...more ↓
Snapping Turtle
The common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) is a large freshwater turtle of the family Chelydridae. Its natural range extends from southeastern Canada, southwest to the edge of the Rocky Mountains, as far east as Nova Scotia and Florida. This species and the larger alligator snapping turtle are the only two species in this family found in North America (though the common ...more ↓
Keeled Musk Turtle
The razor-backed musk turtle, Sternotherus carinatus, is a species of turtles native to the southern United States. No subspecies are recognized.
Common Musk Turtle
Sternotherus odoratus is a species of small turtle native to southeastern Canada and much of the Eastern United States. It is also known as the common musk turtle or stinkpot due to its ability to release a foul musky odor from scent glands on the edge of its shell, possibly to deter predation.
Red-eared Slider
The red-eared slider (Trachemys scripta elegans), also known as red-eared terrapin, is a semiaquatic turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. It is a subspecies of the pond slider. It is the most popular pet turtle in the United States and is also popular as a pet in the rest of the world, as, among other factors, it is easy to maintain. It has, therefore, become the most ...more ↓
Mississippi Map Turtle
The Mississippi map turtle (Graptemys pseudogeographica kohni) is a subspecies of emydid turtle endemic to the central United States.
Eastern River Cooter
The river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) is a freshwater turtle native to the central and eastern United States, from Virginia south to mid-Georgia, west to eastern Texas, Oklahoma, and north to southern Indiana. They are usually found in rivers with moderate current, as well as lakes and tidal marshes.
Gulf Coast Smooth Softshell
The smooth softshell turtle (Apalone mutica) is a softshell turtle of the family Trionychidae. It is endemic to North America.
Eastern Box Turtle
The Eastern box turtle (Terrapene carolina carolina) is a subspecies within a group of hinge-shelled turtles, normally called box turtles. T. c. carolina is native to an eastern part of the United States.
Eastern Spiny Softshell
The spiny softshell turtle (Apalone spinifera) is a species of softshell turtle, one of the largest freshwater turtle species in North America. They get their name from the spiny, cone-like projections on the leading edge of their carapaces, which are not scutes (scales).
Three-toed Amphiuma
The three-toed amphiuma, Amphiuma tridactylum, is a species of aquatic salamander native to the Southeastern United States.
Southern Dusky Salamander
The southern dusky salamander (Desmognathus auriculatus) is a species of salamander native to the coastal regions of the southeastern United States, from Virginia to Texas. Older sources often refer to it as the eared triton.
Dwarf Salamander
The dwarf salamander (Eurycea quadridigitata) is a species of salamander native to the southern United States, from North Carolina to Oklahoma, south to Texas along the Gulf of Mexico states to northern Florida. Some sources refer to it as the four-fingered manculus, dwarf four-toed salamander, or the Florida dwarf salamander.
Three-lined Salamander
The three-lined salamander (Eurycea guttolineata) is a species of salamander in the Plethodontidae family, endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, freshwater marshes, intermittent freshwater marshes, freshwater springs, and canals and ditches. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Four-toed Salamander
The Four-toed Salamander (Hemidactylium scutatum) is a Lungless Salamander native to eastern North America. It is a species of the monotypic Hemidactylium genus. (In Francophone Canada, it is called the salamandre à quatre orteils.)
Southern Two-lined Salamander
The southern two-lined salamander (Eurycea cirrigera) is a species of salamander in the Plethodontidae family, endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, rivers, intermittent rivers, swamps, and freshwater springs.
Lesser Siren
The lesser siren (Siren intermedia) is a species of aquatic salamander native to the eastern United States and northern Mexico. They are referred by numerous common names, including two-legged eel, dwarf siren, and mud eel. The specific epithet intermedia denotes their intermediate size, between the greater siren, Siren lacertina, and ...more ↓
Gulf Coast Waterdog
The Gulf Coast waterdog, speckled waterdog or Beyer’s waterdog (Necturus beyeri) is a species of aquatic salamander native to Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in the United States.
Spotted Salamander
The spotted salamander or yellow-spotted salamander (Ambystoma maculatum) is a mole salamander common in the eastern United States and Canada. The spotted salamander is the state amphibian of South Carolina. This salamander ranges from Nova Scotia, to Lake Superior, to southern Georgia and Texas. Its embryos have been found to have symbiotic algae living inside them.
Mole Salamander
The mole salamander (Ambystoma talpoideum) is a species of salamander found in much of the eastern and central United States, from Florida to Texas, north to Illinois, east to Kentucky, with an isolated population in Virginia. Older sources often refer to it as the tadpole salamander.
Marbled Salamander
The marbled salamander (Ambystoma opacum) is a species of mole salamander found in the eastern United States.
Small-mouthed Salamander
The small-mouth salamander (Ambystoma texanum) is a species of mole salamander found in the central United States, from the Great Lakes region in Michigan to Nebraska, south to Texas, and east to Tennessee, with a population in Canada, in Pelee, Ontario. It is sometimes referred to as the Texas salamander, porphyry salamander, or the narrow-mouthed ...more ↓
Two-toed Amphiuma
The two-toed amphiuma (Amphiuma means) is a snake-like salamander found chiefly in the southeastern United States. It is commonly, but incorrectly, called "congo snake", "conger eel" or the "blind eel". One of the largest extant species of amphibians in the world, they can grow from 39 to 1,042 g (1.4 to 36.8 oz) in mass and from 34.8 to 116 cm (13.7 to 46 in) in length. ...more ↓
Fowler's Toad
Fowler's toad (Anaxyrus fowleri syn. Bufo fowleri) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is native to North America, where it occurs in much of the eastern United States and parts of adjacent Canada.
Oak Toad
The oak toad (Anaxyrus quercicus) is a species of toad in the family Bufonidae. It is endemic to the coastal regions of southeastern United States. It is regarded as the smallest species of toad in North America, with a length of 19 to 33 mm (0.75 to 1.3 in).
Southern Toad
The Southern Toad (Anaxyrus terrestris) is a true toad native to the southeastern United States, from eastern Louisiana to southeastern Virginia. It often lives in areas with sandy soils. It is nocturnal and spends the day in a burrow. Its coloring is usually brown but can be red, gray, or black. It is approximately 3 inches long.
Southern Cricket Frog
The southern cricket frog (Acris gryllus) is a small Hylid frog native to the Southeastern United States. It is very similar in appearance and habits to the Northern cricket frog, Acris crepitans, and was formerly conspecific (Dickerson 1906). The scientific name Acris is from the Greek word for locust, and the species name gryllus is Latin for cricket ...more ↓
Northern Cricket Frog
The northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) is a species of small hylid frog native to the United States and northeastern Mexico. Despite being members of the tree frog family, they are not arboreal. It has three recognized subspecies.
Cope's Gray Treefrog
Cope's gray tree frog (Hyla chrysoscelis) is a species of tree frog found in the United States. It is almost indistinguishable from the gray tree frog, Hyla versicolor, and shares much of its geographic range. Both species are variable in color, mottled gray to gray-green, resembling the bark of trees. These are tree frogs of woodland habitats, though they will sometimes ...more ↓
Green Tree Frog
The American green tree frog, Hyla cinerea, is a common species of New World tree frog belonging to the genus Hyla. A common backyard species, it is popular as a pet, and is the state amphibian of Georgia and Louisiana.
Barking Treefrog
The barking tree frog (Hyla gratiosa) is a species of tree frog endemic to the southeastern United States.
Squirrel Treefrog
The squirrel tree frog (Hyla squirella) is a small species of tree frog found in the southeastern United States, from Texas to Virginia.
Pine Woods Treefrog
The pine woods tree frog (Hyla femoralis), is a species of frog in the Hylidae family, endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, swamps, intermittent freshwater lakes, and intermittent freshwater marshes.
Spring Peeper
The spring peeper (Pseudacris crucifer) is a small chorus frog widespread throughout the eastern USA and Canada.
Cajun Chorus Frog
Pseudacris fouquettei is a species of chorus frog found in the south-eastern United States. It was recently separated from similar species, Pseudacris feriarum.
Rio Grande Chirping Frog
The Rio Grande Chirping Frog or Mexican Chirping Frog (Eleutherodactylus cystignathoides) is a small Leptodactylid frog found from the southern United States in scattered locales in the state of Texas, Louisiana, and south into the Mexican states of Nuevo León, Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, and Veracruz. It is a terrestrial frog, that lays its eggs in moist areas of soil ...more ↓
Greenhouse Frog
The greenhouse frog, Eleutherodactylus planirostris, is a species of frog in the family Eleutherodactylidae, native to Cuba, the Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, and it has been introduced to other areas, such as Florida and Hawaii.
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
The Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad (Gastrophryne carolinensis) is a species of microhylid frog. It is a relatively small, toad-like amphibian found in damp, shady habitats. The species is highly fossorial, and feeds primarily on ants. These North American microhylids (Family: Microhylidae) are distinguished from true toads (genus Bufo), and other anurans due to their moist, ...more ↓
Eastern Spadefoot
Scaphiopus holbrookii, commonly known as the Eastern spadefoot, is a species of spadefoot endemic to North America.
Bird-voiced Treefrog
The bird-voiced tree frog (Hyla avivoca) is a species of frog in the Hylidae family, endemic to the United States. Its natural habitats are temperate forests, shrub-dominated wetlands, and swamps.
American Bullfrog
The American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus), often simply known as the bullfrog in Canada and the United States, is an aquatic frog, a member of the family Ranidae, or “true frogs”. This species has traditionally been classified as Rana catesbeiana, however the classification has been changed to Lithobates due to paraphyly in Ranidae. This frog has an ...more ↓
Green Frog
The green frog (Lithobates clamitans) is a species of frog native to the eastern half of the United States and Canada. The two subspecies are the bronze frog and the northern green frog.
Pig Frog
The pig frog (Rana grylio) is a species of aquatic frog found in the Southeastern United States, from South Carolina to Texas. Some sources also refer to it as the lagoon frog or the southern bullfrog.
Southern Leopard Frog
The Southern Leopard Frog (Lithobates sphenocephalus) is a species of mostly aquatic true frog, found in the south-eastern third of the United States. There are two accepted subspecies.
Cedar Waxwing
The Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) is a member of the family Bombycillidae or waxwing family of passerine birds. It is a medium sized, mostly brown, gray, and yellow bird named for its red wax-like wing tips. It is a native of North and Central America, breeding in open wooded areas in southern Canada and wintering in the southern half of the United States, Central America, ...more ↓
Blue Jay
The Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to North America. It is resident through most of eastern and central United States and southern Canada, although western populations may be migratory. It breeds in both deciduous and coniferous forests, and is common near and in residential areas. It is predominately blue with a white chest and ...more ↓
Northern Cardinal
The Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a North American bird in the genus Cardinalis; it is also known colloquially as the redbird or common cardinal. It can be found in southern Canada, through the eastern United States from Maine to Texas and south through Mexico. It is found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and swamps.
Red-winged Blackbird
The Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) is a passerine bird of the family Icteridae found in most of North and much of Central America. It breeds from Alaska and Newfoundland south to Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, Mexico, and Guatemala, with isolated populations in western El Salvador, northwestern Honduras, and northwestern Costa Rica. It may winter as far north as ...more ↓
Brown-headed Cowbird
The Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) is a small brood parasitic icterid of temperate to subtropical North America. They are permanent residents in the southern parts of their range; northern birds migrate to the southern United States and Mexico in winter, returning to their summer habitat around March or April.
