South Carolina Habitats, Mammals, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles

Forests
South Carolina has more than 13-million acres of forestland. This is 68% of the state’s total land area. Of that forest, more than half (54%) are hardwood trees.

Wetlands
Most (90%) of South Carolina’s wetlands are freshwater wetlands. They have three kinds of freshwater wetlands - palustrine, lacustrine, and riverine. Palustrine wetlands include wet pine flatwoods, pocosins, Carolina bays, beaver ponds, bottom-land hardwood forests, swamps, and tidal-freshwater marshes. Lacustrine wetlands are the shallows of permanently flooded lakes, reservoirs and intermittent lakes. Riverine wetlands are limited to shallow freshwater river and stream channels or, in the case of deep rivers, to shallow areas near the bank. Estuarine wetlands are saltwater or brackish wetlands. They include intertidal flats and flooded salt marshes with plants like saltmeadow cordgrass, black needlerush, and smooth cordgrass.

South Carolina is divided into five geographical regions running roughly parallel to the coastline called Physiographic Provinces – the Coastal Plain, Sandhills, Fall Line, Piedmont and Blue Ridge Mountains.

Along the southern coast is the Coastal Plain that is divided into Outer and Inner Coastal Plains. From north to south it has three distinct regions: the Grand Strand, Santee River Delta, and the Sea Islands. The coastline has many habitats including bays, estuaries, and salt marshes. Inland are the Middle Atlantic coastal forests. These temperate coniferous forests are made up of mixed pine-oak forests - dominated by with long leaf pine, but also home to loblolly and shortleaf pines. Some of the hardwoods that are intermixed in the forest are turkey oak, myrtle oak, Spanish oak, live oak and southern catalpa. Saw palmetto, southern bayberry, sweetly, common persimmon, Carolina holly and Spanish moss are also common. Many wetland habitats thrive in the Middle Atlantic coastal forests like freshwater marshes, bogs, swamps, and wet hammocks. Cypress swamps and cedar swamps have trees and plants adapted to "wet feet" - like water oak, willow oak, swamp chestnut oak, pawpaw and swamp tupelo. Another wet habitat found here are the pocosins which are flat, wet, shrubby areas.

South Carolina provides important winter habitat for waterfowl that are traveling south along the Atlantic Flyway from the northern prairies, Great Lakes and eastern Canada. South Carolina's coastal and interior wetlands provide important habitat for mallards, green-winged teals, ring-necked ducks, northern pintails, wood ducks, and other waterfowl.

Inland, the Sandhill region shows dunes from millions of years ago where the coast was once located.

The Atlantic Seaboard Fall Line is a long cliff (900-miles long) that runs parallel to the coastline and marks where the Piedmont and Coastal Plain region come together.

The Piedmont (or foothills) is a plateau of rolling hills and thin, rocky, clay soils that stand between the Coastal Plain and the Blue Ridge Mountains. The Fall Line marks its eastern boundary with the Coastal Plain. The temperate forests here are southeastern mixed forests of oak-hickory. Other trees include hophornbeam, sassafras, hawthorn, and flowering dogwood as well as some sugar maple, shirtless pine and loblolly pine. There is also blueberry, huckleberry, and mountain laurel.

The Blue Ridge Mountains is just a tiny area in the northeast corner of the state and represents a the most eastern range of the Appalachian Mountains.

Mammals:
armadillo
bat (Brazilian big-eared)
bat (eastern pipistrelle)
bat (evening)
bat (hoary)
bat (Indiana)
bat (Keen's)
bat (little brown)
bat (northern yellow)
bat (Rafineque's big-eared)
bat (red)
bat (seminole)
bat (silver-haired)
bat (small-footed)
bat (southeastern)
bear (black)
beaver
boar (European wild)
bobcat
chipmunk (eastern)
coyote
deer (white-tailed)
fox (gray)
fox (red)
jumping mouse (meadow)
jumping mouse (woodland)
mink
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
opossum
otter (river)
rabbit (eastern cottontail)
rabbit (New England cottontail)
rabbit (marsh)
rabbit (swamp)
raccoon
rat (black)
rat (Norway)
rat (rice)
shrew (Carolina short-tailed)
shrew (least)
shrew (masked)
shrew (pygmy)
shrew (southeastern)
shrew (smoky)
skunk (eastern spotted)
skunk (striped)
squirrel (fox)
squirrel (gray)
squirrel (red)
squirrel (southern flying squirrel)
vole (meadow)
vole (pine)
vole (red-backed)
weasel (least)
weasel (long-tailed)
wolf (red)
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)

For more about SC mammals (including Latin names), click on individual animal links or for another (off-site) resource: South Carolina's mammals. 

Amphibians:
amphiuma (one-toed)
amphiuma (two-toed)
bullfrog (American)
frog (Brimley's chorus)
frog (carpenter)
frog (gopher)
frog (greenhouse)
frog (little grass)
frog (mountain chorus)
frog (northern cricket)
frog (ornate chorus frog)
frog (pickerel)
frog (pig)
frog (southern chorus)
frog (southern cricket)
frog (southern leopard)
frog (upland chorus)
frog (wood)
hellbender (eastern)
mudpuppy (common)
newt (red-spotted)
salamander (striped)
salamander (Apalachiola dusky)
salamander (blackbelly)
salamander (Blue Ridge two-lined)
salamander (brownback)
salamander (cave)
salamander (Chamberlain's dwarf)
salamander (dwarf)
salamander (dwarf black-bellied)
salamander (flatwoods)
salamander (four-toed)
salamander (Georgia Blind)
salamander (green)
salamander (Jordan's)
salamander (long-tailed)
salamander (Mabee's)
salamander (many-lined)
salamander (marbled)
salamander (mole)
salamander (mud)
salamander (Pigeon Mountain)
salamander (red)
salamander (seal)
salamander (seepage)
salamander (shovel-nosed)
salamander (slimy)
salamander (southern Appalachian)
salamander (southern dusky)
salamander (southern red-backed)
salamander (southern two-lined)
salamander (southern zigzag)
salamander (spotted)
salamander (spotted dusky)
salamander (spring)
salamander (Tennessee)
salamander (three-lined)
salamander (tiger)
salamander (Webster's)
siren (dwarf)
siren (lesser)
siren (greater)
spadefoot (eastern)
spring peeper (northern)
toad (American)
toad (eastern narrow-mouth)
toad (Fowler's)
toad (oak)
toad (southern)
treefrog (barking)
treefrog (bird-voiced)
treefrog (Cope's gray)
treefrog (green)
treefrog (pine barrens)
treefrog (squirrel)
waterdog (Alabama)
waterdog (dwarf)
waterdog (greater)
waterdog (lesser)

Reptiles:
alligator (American)
anole (brown)
anole (green)
coachwhip (eastern)
cooter (Florida)
kingsnake (eastern)
kingsnake (mole)
lizard (eastern fence)
lizard (eastern glass)
lizard (eastern slender glass)
lizard (island glass)
lizard (mimic)
lizard (Texas horned)
racerunner (six-lined)
rattlesnake (pygmy)
rattlesnake (eastern diamondback)
rattlesnake (timber)
sea turtle (Atlantic Hawksbill)
sea turtle (green)
sea turtle (Kemp's Ridley)
sea turtle (leatherback)
sea turtle (loggerhead)
skink (broadhead)
skink (coal)
skink (five-lined)
skink (ground)
skink (mole)
skink (southern five-lined)

snake (black racer)
snake (black swamp)
snake (brown)

snake (central Florida crowned)
snake (corn)
snake (cottonmouth) or water moccasin
snake (eastern garter)
snake (eastern hognose)
snake (eastern indigo)
snake (eastern mud)
snake (eastern ribbon)
snake (Florida brown)
snake (glossy crayfish)
snake (milk)
snake (mud)
snake (pine)
snake (pine woods)
snake (rat)
snake (rainbow)
snake (ringneck)
snake (rough earth)
snake (rough green)
snake (scarlet)
snake (smooth earth)
snake (southern copperhead)
snake (southeastern crowned)
snake (southern hognose)
snake (striped crayfish)
snake (worm)
terrapin (diamondback)
tortoise (gopher)
turtle (Alabama map)
turtle (Alligator snapping)
turtle (Barbour's map)
turtle (bog)
turtle (chicken)
turtle (eastern box)
turtle (eastern map)
turtle (eastern musk)
turtle (eastern painted)
turtle (Florida redbelly)
turtle (Florida softshell)
turtle (spiny softshell)
turtle (snapping)
turtle (striped mud)
turtle (stripe-necked musk)
turtle (spotted)
water snake (banded)
water snake (brown)
water snake (green)
water snake (northern)
water snake (red-bellied)

For more about South Carolina's amphibians and reptiles (including Latin names) click on individual animal links or for another (off-site) resource: amphibians and reptiles.

anhinga
ani (black-billed)
ani (smooth-billed)
avocet (American)
bittern (American)
bittern (least)
blackbird (red-winged)
blackbird (rusty)
blackbird (yellow-headed)
bluebird (Eastern)
blue jay
bobwhite (northern)
booby (brown)
booby (masked)
booby (red-footed)
bunting (indigo)
bunting (lark)
bunting (lazuli)
bunting (painted)
bunting (snow)
Canada goose
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)
cowbird (shiny)
crane (sandhill)
crane (whooping)
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
duck (American black)
duck (black-bellied whistling)
duck (blue-winged teal)
duck (canvasback)
duck (cinnamon teal)
duck (fulvous whistling)
duck (gadwall)
duck (green-winged teal)
duck (harlequin)
duck (lesser scaup)
duck (long-tailed)
duck (mallard)
duck (mottled)
duck (northern pintail)
duck (redhead)
duck (ring-necked)
duck (ruddy)
duck (greater scaup)
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 (fork-tailed)
flycatcher (great-crested)
flycatcher (least)
flycatcher (olive-sided)
flycatcher (scissor-tailed)
flycatcher (vermilion)
flycatcher (wiilow)
flycatcher (yellow-bellied)
frigatebird (magnificent)
fulmar (northern)
gallinule (common)
gallinule (purple)
gannet (northern)
gnatcatcher (blue-gray)
godwit (Hudsonian)
godwit (marbled)
goldeneye (common)
goldfinch (American)
goshawk (northern)
goose (brant)
goose (cackling)
goose (Canada)
goose (greater white-fronted)
goose (Ross's)
goose (snow)
grackle (boat-tailed)
grackle common)
grèbe (eared)
grèbe (horned)
grèbe (pied-billed)
grèbe (red-necked)
grèbe (western)
grosbeak (evening)
guillemot (black)
grouse (ruffed)
gull (Bonaparte’s)
gull (black-headed)
gull (Franklin's)
gull (glaucous)
gull (great black-backed)
gull (herring)
gull (Iceland)
gull (laughing)
gull (little)
gull (lesser black-backed)
gull (ring-billed)
gull (Sabine's)
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 (black-chinned)
hummingbird (broad-billed)
hummingbird (buff-bellied)
hummingbird (calliope)
hummingbird (ruby-throated)
hummingbird (rufous)
ibis (glossy)
ibis (white)
jaeger (long-tailed)
jaeger (parastic)
jaeger (pomarine)
kestrel (American)
killdeer
kingbird (eastern)
kingbird (gray)
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 (Lapland)
longspur (Smith's)
loon (common)
loon (Pacific)
loon (red-throated)
martin (purple)
meadowlark (eastern)
meadowlark (western)
merlin
merganser (common)
merganser (hooded)
merganser (red-breasted)
mockingbird (northern)
mourning dove
murre (common)
murre (thick-billed)
murrelet (black)
murrelet (long-billed)
noddy (brown)
nighthawk (common)
nuthatch (brown-headed)
nuthatch (red-breasted)
nuthatch (white-breasted)
oriole (Baltimore)
oriole (Bullock's)
oriole (orchard)
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 (black-capped)
pewee (eastern wood)
phalarope (red)
phalarope (red-necked)
phalarope (Wilson's)
phoebe (eastern)
phoebe (say's)
pigeon (band-tailed)
pine siskin
pipit (American)
pipit (Sprague's)
plover (American golden)
plover (black-bellied)
plover (piping)
plover (semipalmated)
plover (snowy)
plover (Wilson's)
rail (black)
rail (clapper)
rail (king)
rail (Virginia)
rail (yellow)
raven (common)
razorbill
red knot
redstart (American)
robin (American)
rock pigeon
ruddy turnstone
ruff
sanderling
sandpiper (Baird's)
sandpiper (curlew)
sandpiper (least)
sandpiper (pectoral)
sandpiper (purple)
sandpiper (sharp-tailed)
sandpiper (solitary)
sandpiper (semipalmated)
sandpiper (spotted)
sandpiper (stilt)
sandpiper (upland)
sandpiper (western)
sandpiper (white-rumped)
sapsucker (yellow-bellied)
scoter (black)
scoter (surf)
scoter (white-winged)
shearwater (Audubon's)
shearwater (Cory's)
shearwater (little)
shearwater (great)
shearwater (manx)
shearwater (sooty)
shrike (loggerhead)
skimmer (black)
sora
snipe (Wilson's)
solitaire (Townsend's)
sparrow (American tree)
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 (Leach's)
Storm-Petrel (Wilson's)
swallow (bank)
swallow (barn)
swallow (cave)
swallow (cliff)
swallow (northern rough-winged)
swallow (tree)
swan (mute)
swan (trumpeter)
swift (chimney)
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)
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 (bell's)
vireo (blue-headed)
vireo (Philadelphia)
vireo (red-eyed)
vireo (warbling)
vireo (white-eyed)
vireo (yellow-throated)
vulture (black)
vulture (turkey)
wagtail (white)
warbler (Bachman's)
warbler (bay-breasted)
warbler (blackburnian)
warbler (blackpoll)
warbler (black-throated blue)
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 (Kirtland's)
warbler (magnolia)
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)
warbler (yellow-rumped)
warbler (yellow-throated)
waterthrush (Louisiana)
waterthrush (northern)
waxwing (cedar)
whimbrel
whip-poor-will (eastern)
widgeon (American)
widgeon (Eurasian)
willet
woodcock (American)
wood duck
wood-pewee (eastern)
woodpecker (downy)
woodpecker (hairy)
woodpecker (pileated)
woodpecker (red-bellied)
woodpecker (red-cockaded)
woodpecker (red-headed)
wren (Bewick's)
wren (Carolina)
wren (house)
wren (marsh)
wren (sedge)
wren (winter)
yellowlegs (greater)
yellowlegs (lesser)
yellowthroat (common)

For more about South Carolina's birds, (including Latin names) click on individual animal links or for another (off-site) resource: birds.