Wildlife IdentificationWildlife Identification

Chris EllisAnd

Nicole White

Provided by Dr. James Corbett, Agriculture Teacher, Lowndes Co. High School

GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office

To accompany Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum

July 2002

Modified by CTAE Resource Network, 2010

Basic FactsBasic Facts

Wildlife identification is a skill that is developed by studying the animal’s physical features and its tracks.

Each species of wildlife has its own identity. For example: horns, antlers, hooves, paws, claws, teeth, tails, ears, size, shape, color, and habitats.

White-Tailed DeerWhite-Tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus Length: 6 ft. Shoulder height: 3.75 ft. Male weight: 125-400 lbs. Female weight: 100-150

lbs. Habitat: forests, desert,

shrubs, brushy areas, and rocky uplands

CoyoteCoyote Canis latrans Head and body: 46-49 in. Tail: 13-15 in. Weight: 24-31 lbs. Habitat: prefers open

spaces such as grasslands, farmlands, or brush country

Black BearBlack Bear Ursus americanus Length: 5-6 ft. Shoulder height: 2-3 ft. Weight: 200-400 lbs. Habitat: forests, swamps,

or mountains

Mountain LionMountain Lion Felis concolor Head and body: 42-54 in. Tail: 30-36 in. Shoulder height: 26-31 in. Weight: 80-260 lbs. Habitat: forests, remote

mountains, plains, and swamps

American AlligatorAmerican Alligator Alligator mississipiensis Length: up to 19ft, 2 in. Habitat: usually near

water such as rivers, ponds, or swamps

BobcatBobcat Lynx rufus Head and body: 32-40 in. Tail: up to 4 in. Shoulder height: 20-29.5

in. Weight: 15-30 lbs. Habitat: prefers forest

areas, swamps, and tundras

RaccoonRaccoon Procyon lotor Head and body: 24-37.5in. Tail: 7.5-16 in. Weight: 12-48 lbs. Habitat: streams, rivers,

lakes, woods, and swamps

Gray FoxGray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus Head and body: 21-44 in. Tail: 11-16 in. Shoulder height: 11-14 in. Weight: 7-13 lbs. Habitat: usually associated

with wooded and brushy areas

Red FoxRed Fox Vulpes vulpes Head and body: 22-42 in. Tail: 14-16 in. Shoulder height: 14-16 in. Weight: 8-15 lbs. Habitat: areas combining

forests, open country, and inhabited areas

Fox SquirrelFox Squirrel Sciurus niger Head and body: 17.875 to

27.5 in. Tail: 7.875 -13 in. Weight: 17.625 – 37.125

lbs. Habitat: hardwood forests,

borders of cypress swamps, thickets, and urban areas– prefers large trees

Gray SquirrelGray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Head and body: 8-10 in. Tail: 8-10 in. Weight: 14-25 oz. Habitat: hardwood forests

of nut trees, like oak and hickory, residential areas, and city parks

Striped SkunkStriped Skunk Mephitis mephitis Head and body: up to 18

in. Tail: up to 10 in. Weight: up to 10 lbs. Habitat: nearly all areas

– prefers woods, plains, and meadows

OpossumOpossum

Didelphis virginiana Head and body: 15-20 in. Tail: 9-13 in. Weight: 6-12 lbs. Habitat: open woods,

farming areas, forest edges, and brushy wastelands

Swamp RabbitSwamp Rabbit Sylvilagus Head and body: 14-17 in. Ears: up to 4 in. Weight: 3.5-6 lbs. Habitat: moist bottomland

and swamps to upland thickets and farmland

Eastern CottontailEastern Cottontail Sylvilagus Head and body: 14-17 in. Ears: 2.5-3 in. Weight: 2-4 lbs. Habitat: from swampy

wood to upland thickets, farmlands, forests with open areas nearby, and heavy brush

Wild TurkeyWild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Male: up to 48 in. Female: up to 38 in. Habitat: open timberland,

mountain forests, logged areas, and prairies with food available

Ruffed GrouseRuffed Grouse Bonasa Umbellus Size: 16-19 in. Habitat: brushy

timberlands and coniferous forest edges.

Mourning DoveMourning Dove Zenaida macroura Size: 11-13 in. Habitat: dry uplands, grain

fields, suburbs, and deserts

CrowCrow Corvus brachyrhynchos Size: 17-21 in. Habitat: fields, coastlines,

city parks, river woodlands, and orchards

Bald EagleBald Eagle

Size: 32-40 in. Wingspread: 7.5 ft. Habitat: associated with

large bodies of water that provide an abundant food source– only located in North

America

Red-Tailed HawkRed-Tailed Hawk Size: 19-25 in. Wingspread: 4.5 ft. Habitat: woodlands,

fields, plains, and deserts

Peregrine FalconPeregrine Falcon Size: 15-21 in. Wingspread: 3.75 ft. Habitat: grasslands and

meadows from the mountains to the coast

Great Horned OwlGreat Horned Owl Size: 18-25 in. Habitat: found throughout

North America in various habitats

Screech OwlScreech Owl Size: 7-10 in. Habitat: orchards, woods,

suburbs, and small towns

Putting The Chapter in a Putting The Chapter in a NutshellNutshell

A responsible hunter will not shoot what he/she cannot POSITIVELY

identify.

Who is who???Who is who???

Gray Squirrel Fox Squirrel Gray Fox Red Fox

Who is who???Who is who???

Great Horned Owl Red-tailed Hawk Bald Eagle Peregrine Falcon Screech Owl

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