North Carolina Habitats, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles

North Carolina has many diverse habitats from mountains to coastline. The state is often broken into three geographic sections, each with their own collection of forests, wetlands and open areas – the Appalachian Mountains of western North Carolina, the broad belt that cuts diagonally across the middle of the state called the Piedmont Plateau, and the Coastal Plain which has three distinct sections - from the coast inward – the tidewater (outer coastal plain), inner coastal plain, and inland.

To study the natural communities in North Carolina, however, look at the state's habitats and the animals and plants that live in each.

Forests
North Carolina has more than 18-million acres of forest covering more than half the state (60%). More than half of that forest is made up of hardwoods - mostly oak-hickory (40%). Another dominate forest is loblolly-shortleaf pine forests (30%). There are a smaller percentage of oak-pine forests (13%) and oak-gum cypress forest (10%) and others, including elm-ash-cottonwood (3%), longleaf-slash pine (2%), white-red-jack pine (1% ), maple-beech-birch, spruce-fir, other hardwoods, and cedars (1% ).

North Carolina’s forests have a high diversity of animal species. Because it is under a flyway, North Carolina's forests see 80% of all bird species found in eastern North America as they make their way north and south on their annual migratory routes. Seventy-nine species of amphibians have been identified in North Caroline's forests as well.

Wetlands
North Carolina has many kinds of important wetlands including riverine swamp forests, headwater swamps, swamp forests, pocosin wetlands, pine flats, tidal salt marshes. The Coastal Plain, that forms the eastern edge of North Carolina on the Atlantic Ocean, makes up about 45% of the state’s total land area and is dominated by wetlands. Wetlands are very important habitats. They provide valuable wildlife habitat. They stabilize shorelines and protect the land from storm surges and flooding. They act as filters to pollutants that run off the land from farms, towns and cities. About 2/3 of North Carolina’s rare, threatened and endangered plant and animal species live in wetlands.

Check out the North Carolina State Refuges.

bat (big brown)
bat (Brazilian big-eared)
bat (eastern pipistrelle)
bat (evening)
bat (gray)
bat (hoary)
bat (Indiana)
bat (Keen's)
bat (little brown)
bat (Rafineque's Big-eared)
bat (red)
bat (seminole)
bat (silver-haired)
bat (small-footed)
bat (southeastern)
bat (Virginia big-eared)
bear (black)
beaver
boar (European wild)
bobcat
chipmunk (eastern)
coyote
deer (white-tailed)
fox (gray)
fox (red)
jumping mouse (woodland)
lemming (bog)
mole (eastern)
mole (hairy-tailed)
mole (star-nosed)
mountain lion
mouse (cotton)
mouse (deer)
mouse (eastern harvest)
mouse (golden)
mouse (old-field)
mouse (white-footed)
muskrat
nutria
opossum
otter (river)
rabbit (eastern cottontail)
rabbit (New England cottontail)
rabbit (marsh)
rabbit (swamp)
raccoon
rat (Norway)
rat (rice)
shrew (Carolina short-tailed)
shrew (least)
shrew (long-tailed)
shrew (masked)
shrew (pygmy)
shrew (southeastern)
shrew (smoky)
shrew (water)
skunk (eastern spotted)
skunk (striped)
squirrel (fox)
squirrel (gray)
squirrel (red)
squirrel (northern flying squirrel)
squirrel (southern flying squirrel)
vole (meadow)
vole (pine)
vole (red)
weasel (least)
weasel (long-tailed)
woodchuck
woodrat

Coastal Mammals:
dolphin (Atlantic bottle-nosed)
dolphin (Atlantic spotted)
dolphin (pantropical spotted)
dolphin (Risso's)
dolphin (rough-toothed)
dolphin (saddleback)
dolphin (spinner)
dolphin (striped)
manatee
porpoise (harbor)
seal (harbor)
seal (hooded)
whale (bowhead)
whale (Antillean beaked)
whale (Atlantic pilot)
whale (dense-beaked)
whale (dwarf sperm)
whale (false killer)
whale (fin)
whale (goosebeaked)
whale (gray)
whale (humpback)
whale (killer)
whale (minke)
whale (pygmy sperm)
whale (right)
whale (sei)
whale (short-finned pilot)
whale (sperm)
whale (True's beaked)

Amphibians
amphiuma (two-toed)
bullfrog (American)
frog (Brimley's chorus)
frog (bronze)
frog (Carolina gopher)
frog (carpenter)
frog (green)
frog (little grass)
frog (mountain chorus)
frog (northern cricket)
frog (ornate chorus frog)
frog (pickerel)
frog (river)
frog (southern chorus)
frog (southern leopard)
frog (upland chorus)
frog (wood)
hellbender (eastern)
mudpuppy (common)
newt (broken-striped)
newt (red-spotted)
salamander (Atlantic coast slimy)
salamander (black-bellied)
salamander (black-chinned red)
salamander (Blue Ridge dusky)
salamander (Blue Ridge gray-cheeked)
salamander (Blue Ridge red)
salamander (Blue Ridge spring)
salamander (Blue Ridge two-lined)
salamander (Carolina mountain dusky)
salamander (Carolina spring)
salamander (Chattahoochee slimy)
salamander (Cheoah Bald)
salamander (dwarf)
salamander (dwarf black-bellied)
salamander (eastern tiger)
salamander (four-toed)
salamander (green)
salamander (imitator)
salamander (Jordan's)
salamander (Junaluska)
salamander (long-tailed)
salamander (Mabee's)
salamander (many-lined)
salamander (marbled)
salamander (mole)
salamander (mud)
salamander (northern dusky)
salamander (northern gray-cheeked)
salamander (northern pigmy)
salamander (northern red)
salamander (northern slimy)
salamander (northern spring)
salamander (Ocoee)
salamander (pygmy)
salamander (red black-backed)
salamander (red-legged)
salamander (Santeetlah dusky)
salamander (seal)
salamander (seepage)
salamander (shovel-nosed)
salamander (southern Appalachian)
salamander (southern gray-cheeked)
salamander (southern ravine)
salamander (southern red-backed)
salamander (southern two-lined)
salamander (southern zigzag)
salamander (South Mountain gray-cheeked)
salamander (spotted)
salamander (spotted dusky)
salamander (southern dusky)
salamander (tellico)
salamander (three-lined)
salamander (Wehrle's)
salamander (Weller's)
salamander (white-spotted)
salamander (Yonahlossee)
siren (eastern lesser)
siren (greater)
spadefoot (eastern)
spring peeper (northern)
toad (American)
toad (eastern narrow-mouth)
toad (Fowler's)
toad (oak)
toad (southern)
treefrog (barking)
treefrog (common gray)
treefrog (Cope's gray)
treefrog (green)
treefrog (pine barrens)
treefrog (pine woods)
treefrog (squirrel)
waterdog (dwarf)
waterdog (Neuse River)

Reptiles
anole (green)
coachwhip (eastern)
cooter (eastern river)
cooter (Florida)
cooter (red-bellied)
gecko (Mediterranean)
horned lizard (Texas)
kingsnake (eastern)
kingsnake (mole)
kingsnake (Outer Banks)
lizard (eastern glass)
lizard (eastern slender glass)
lizard (mimic)
lizard (northern fence)
racerunner (six-lined)
rattlesnake (Carolina pygmy)
rattlesnake (eastern diamondback)
rattlesnake (timber)
sea turtle (Atlantic Hawksbill)
sea turtle (green)
sea turtle (Kemp's Ridley)
sea turtle (loggerhead)
skink (broad-headed)
snake (brown)
skink (coal)
skink (five-lined)
skink (ground)
skink (southern five-lined)
snake (black rat)
snake (Carolina swamp)
snake (corn)
snake (eastern coral)
snake (eastern cottonmouth)
snake (eastern hognose)
snake (eastern mud)
snake (eastern ribbon)
snake (eastern worm)
snake (glossy crayfish)
snake (milk)
snake (northern black racer)
snake (northern copperhead)
snake (northern pine)
snake (northern red-bellied)
snake (northern ring-necked)
snake (northern scarlet)
snake (pine woods)
snake (queen)
snake (rainbow)
snake (rough earth)
snake (rough green)
snake (smooth earth)
snake (southern copperhead)
snake (southern crowned)
snake (southern hognose)
snake (southern ring-necked)
snake (yellow rat snake)
terrapin (diamondback)
turtle (bog)
turtle (common map)
turtle (Cumberland slider)
turtle (eastern box)
turtle (eastern chicken)
turtle (eastern mud)
turtle (eastern musk)
turtle (eastern painted)
turtle (eastern spiny softshell)
turtle (Gulf coast spiny softshell)
turtle (red-eared slider)
turtle (snapping)
turtle (striped mud)
turtle (stripe-necked musk)
turtle (spotted)
turtle (yellow-bellied slider)
water snake (banded)
water snake (brown)
water snake (Carolina)
water snake (northern)
water snake (red-bellied)

albatross (Black-browed)
albatross (yellow-nosed)
anhinga
ani (black-billed)
ani (smooth-billed)
avocet (American)
bittern (American)
bittern (least)
blackbird (red-winged)
blackbird (rusty)
blackbird (yellow-headed)
black duck (American)
bluebird (Eastern)
blue jay
bobolink
bobwhite (northern)
booby (brown)
booby (masked)
bufflehead
bunting (indigo)
bunting (lazuli)
bunting (painted)
bunting (snow)
Canada goose
canvasback
cardinal (northern)
catbird (gray)
chat (yellow-breasted)
chickadee (black-capped)
chickadee (Carolina)
chuck-will's-widow
coot (American)
cormorant (double-crested)
cormorant (great)
cowbird (brown-headed)
crane (sandhill)
creeper (brown)
crossbill (red)
crossbill (white-winged)
crow (American)
crow (fish)
cuckoo (black-billed)
cuckoo (yellow-billed)
curlew (long-billed)
dickcissel
dove (common ground)
dove (Eurasian collared)
dove (mourning)
dovekie
dowitcher (long-billed)
dowitcher (short-billed)
duck (black-bellied whistling)
duck (fulvous whistling)
duck (harlequin)
duck (long-tailed)
duck (masked)
duck (Ring-necked)
duck (tufted)
dunlin
eagle (bald)
eagle (golden)
eider (common)
eider (king)
egret (cattle)
egret (great)
egret (reddish)
egret (snowy)
falcon (peregrine)
finch (house)
finch (purple)
flicker (northern)
flycatcher (Acadian)
flycatcher (alder)
flycatcher (ash-throated)
flycatcher (fork-tailed)
flycatcher (gray)
flycatcher (great-crested)
flycatcher (least)
flycatcher (olive-sided)
flycatcher (scissor-tailed)
flycatcher (vermilion)
flycatcher (wiilow)
flycatcher (yellow-bellied)
frigatebird (magnificent)
fulmar
gadwall
gallinule (common)
gallinule (purple)
gannet (northern)
gnatcatcher (blue-gray)
godwit (bar-tailed)
godwit (black-tailed)
godwit (Hudsonian)
godwit (marbled)
goldeneye (common)
goldfinch (American)
goldfinch (lesser)
goshawk (northern)
goose (barnacle)
goose (brant)
goose (cackling)
goose (Canada)
goose (greater white-fronted)
goose (Ross's)
goose (snow)
grackle (boat-tailed)
grackle common)
grèbe (Clark's)
grèbe (eared)
grèbe (horned)
grèbe (pied-billed)
grèbe (red-necked)
grèbe (western)
grosbeak (blue)
grosbeak (black-headed)
grosbeak (evening)
grosbeak (pine)
grosbeak (rose-breasted)
guillemot (black)
grouse (ruffed)
gull (Bonaparte’s)
gull (black-headed)
gull (black-tailed)
gull (California)
gull (Franklin's)
gull (glaucous)
gull (great black-backed)
gull (herring)
gull (Iceland)
gull (laughing)
gull (little)
gull (lesser black-backed)
gull (mew)
gull (ring-billed)
gull (Sabine's)
gull (slaty-backed)
gull (Thayer's)
gyrfalcon
harrier (northern)
hawk (broad-winged)
hawk (Cooper's)
hawk (red-shouldered)
hawk (red-tailed)
hawk (rough-legged)
hawk (sharp-shinned)
hawk (Swainson's)
heron (great blue)
heron (little blue)
heron (tri-colored)
heron (black-crowned night)
heron (yellow-crowned night)
horned lark
hummingbird (Allen's)
hummingbird (Anna's)
hummingbird (black-chinned)
hummingbird (broad-billed)
hummingbird (broad-tailed)
hummingbird (buff-bellied)
hummingbird (calliope)
hummingbird (ruby-throated)
hummingbird (rufous)
ibis (glossy)
ibis (white)
ibis (white-faced)
jaeger (long-tailed)
jaeger (parastic)
jaeger (pomarine)
kestrel (American)
killdeer
kingbird (eastern)
kingbird (gray)
kingbird (tropical)
kingbird (western)
kingfisher (belted)
kinglet (golden-crowned)
kinglet (ruby-crowned)
kite (Mississippi)
kite (Snail)
kite (Swallow-tailed)
kite (White-tailed)
kittiwake (black-legged)
lapwing (northern)
limpkin
longspur (chestnut-collared)
longspur (Lapland)
longspur (Smith's)
loon (common)
loon (Pacific)
loon (red-throated)
mallard
martin (purple)
meadowlark (eastern)
merlin
merganser (common)
merganser (hooded)
merganser (red-breasted)
mockingbird (northern)
mourning dove
murre (common)
murre (thick-billed)
murrelet (long-billed)
noddy (brown)
nighthawk (Antillean)
nighthawk (common)
nighthawk (lesser)
nuthatch (brown-headed)
nuthatch (red-breasted)
nuthatch (white-breasted)
oriole (Baltimore)
oriole (Bullock's)
oriole (orchard)
oriole (Scott's)
osprey
ovenbird
owl (barn)
owl (barred)
owl (burrowing)
owl (great horned)
owl (eastern screech)
owl (long-eared)
owl (northern saw-whet)
owl (short-eared)
owl (snowy)
oystercatcher (American)
parakeet (Carolina)
parula (northern)
pelican (American white)
pelican (brown)
petrel (Bermunda)
petrel (black-capped)
petrel (Bulwer's)
petrel (Herald)
petrel (Fea's)
pewee (eastern wood)
phalarope (red)
phalarope (red-necked)
phalarope (Wilson's)
pheasant (ring-necked)
phoebe (eastern)
phoebe (say's)
pigeon (band-tailed)
pine siskin
pintail (northern)
pipit (American)
pipit (Sprague's)
plover (American golden)
plover (black-bellied)
plover (piping)
plover (semipalmated)
plover (snowy)
plover (Wilson's)
puffin (Atlantic)
rail (black)
rail (clapper)
rail (king)
rail (Virginia)
rail (yellow)
raven (common)
razorbill
red knot
redshank (spotted)
redstart (American)
robin (American)
rock pigeon
ruddy duck
ruddy turnstone
ruff
sanderling
sandpiper (Baird's)
sandpiper (buff-breasted)
sandpiper (least)
sandpiper (pectoral)
sandpiper (purple)
sandpiper (sharp-tailed)
sandpiper (solitary)
sandpiper (spotted)
sandpiper (stilt)
sandpiper (upland)
sandpiper (western)
sandpiper (white-rumped)
sapsucker (yellow-bellied)
scaup (greater)
scaup (lesser)
scoter (black)
scoter (surf)
scoter (white-winged)
shearwater (Audubon's)
shearwater (Cape Verde)
shearwater (great)
shearwater (manx
shearwater (sooty)
shrike (loggerhead)
shoveler (northern)
skimmer (black)
skua (great)
skua (south polar)
sora
snipe (Wilson's)
sparrow (American tree)
sparrow (bunting)
sparrow (chipping)
sparrow (clay-colored)
sparrow (field)
sparrow (fox)
sparrow (grasshopper)
sparrow (Harris's)
sparrow (Henslow's)
sparrow (house)
sparrow (Le Conte's)
sparrow (lark)
sparrow (Lincoln's)
sparrow (Nelson's)
sparrow (saltmarsh)
sparrow (Savannah)
sparrow (seaside)
sparrow (swamp)
sparrow (song)
sparrow (vesper)
sparrow (white-crowned)
sparrow (white-throated)
spoonbill (roseate)
starling
stilt (black-necked)
stork (wood)
Storm-Petrel (Band-rumped)
Storm-Petrel (Black-bellied)
Storm-Petrel (European)
Storm-Petrel (Leach's)
Storm-Petrel (Swinhoe's)
Storm-Petrel (White-faced)
Storm-Petrel (Wilson's)
swallow (bank)
swallow (barn)
swallow (cave)
swallow (cliff)
swallow (northern rough-winged)
swallow (tree)
swan (mute)
swan (trumpeter)
swan (tundra)
swift (chimney)
tanager (scarlet)
tanager (summer)
teal (blue-winged)
teal (cinnamon)
teal (green-winged)
tern (arctic)
tern (black)
tern (bridled)
tern (Caspian)
tern (common)
tern (forester's)
tern (gull-billed)
tern (least)
tern (roseate)
tern (royal)
tern (sandwich)
tern (sooty)
tern (white-winged)
thrasher (brown)
thrasher (sage)
thrush (Bicknell's)
thrush (gray-cheeked)
thrush (hermit)
thrush (Swainson’s)
thrush (varied)
thrush (wood)
towhee (eastern)
towhee (spotted)
titmouse (tufted)
tropicbird (red-billed)
tropicbird (white-tailed)
turkey (wild)
veery
vireo (blue-headed)
vireo (Philadelphia)
vireo (red-eyed)
vireo (warbling)
vireo (white-eyed)
vireo (yellow-throated)
vulture (black)
vulture (turkey)
warbler (Bachman's)
warbler (bay-breasted)
warbler (black and white)
warbler (blackburnian)
warbler (blackpoll)
warbler (black-throated green)
warbler (black-throated blue)
warbler (black-throated gray)
warbler (black-throated green)
warbler (blue-winged)
warbler (Canada)
warbler (Cape May)
warbler (Cerulean)
warbler (chestnut-sided)
warbler (Connecticut)
warbler (golden-winged)
warbler (hooded)
warbler (Kentucky)
warbler (magnolia)
warbler (MacGillivray's)
warbler (mourning)
warbler (Nashville)
warbler (orange-crowned)
warbler (palm)
warbler (pine)
warbler (prairie)
warbler (prothonotary)
warbler (Swainson's)
warbler (Tennessee)
warbler (Wilson's)
warbler (worm-eating))
warbler (yellow-rumped)
warbler (yellow-throated)
waterthrush (Louisiana)
waterthrush (northern)
waxwing (cedar)
whip-poor-will (eastern)
widgeon (American)
widgeon (Eurasian)
willet
woodcock (American)
wood duck
woodpecker (downy)
woodpecker (hairy)
woodpecker (pileated)
woodpecker (red-bellied)
woodpecker (red-headed)
wren (Bewick's)
wren (Carolina)
wren (house)
wren (marsh)
wren (sedge)
wren (winter)
yellowlegs (greater)
yellowlegs (lesser)
yellowthroat (common)

For more information about NC birds (including Latin names) click on individual animal links or for another (off-site) resource: NC Bird Club.