Wildlife Identification

The Cooper's Hawk is found across much of the continental United States and throughout Maryland. It excels at flying through dense woodland cover in search of prey, but can also found in wooded suburbs and parks.

The downy woodpecker is the smallest of seven species found in Maryland, and can be found in a wide variety of natural and human-made environments.

Maryland has several species of snakes that live in rural, suburban, and urban areas. All are perfectly harmless except for the copperhead and the timber rattlesnake

The sharp-shinned hawk is unlike many of the raptors that make a home in Maryland. Some migrate to warmer habitats; others will remain year round. The sharp-shinned hawk, apparently, does both.

The first time you see one of these birds, you might be inclined to label them as “red-headed” woodpeckers. That name actually belongs to another species, which has red feathers covering its head. Instead, the red-bellied woodpecker is named for the adult male’s red belly, which is often difficult to see. Its other distinguishing features are barred wing, back, and tail feathers, and a stripe of red feathers across the bird’s head and neck.

Red-shouldered hawks are a common resident in the mid-Atlantic states. They are medium-sized raptors that can be found perching on tree branches in bottomland hardwood stands, flooded deciduous swamps, and upland mixed deciduous-conifer forests. They prefer relatively open understories that enable them to soar between trees in search of prey.

See the tracks of different common animals in Maryland and test yourself on what animal made each track.