Native Species

Maryland is home to two members of the skunk family. The striped skunk is found throughout the state. The striped skunk is actually a very successful species, with a range that occupies a large portion of North America. While the mammals have adapted to a wide range of environments, they prefer habitat with a variety of woodlands and open fields, and with a water supply within 2 miles of their home range.

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 striped skunk is found throughout Maryland and is actually a very successful species, with a range that occupies a large portion of North America. They prefer habitat with a variety of woodlands and open fields, which means they can also be found in both rural and suburban settings.

The red fox is the largest of the fox family, found throughout this continent, from the Arctic Circle to Central America, as well as in Europe, Asia, and parts of Africa. DNA tests have shown that the red fox is indeed native to North America and that the populations in the mid-Atlantic and southern states are the result of range expansion from the northeast and Canada.

The Eastern wild turkey performs a year-round role in the woodlands of Maryland and the mid-Atlantic. Because the turkey does not migrate, they may be found across Maryland year round.

Of the three bear species native to North America, Maryland is home only to the black bear. The mammal was once widespread throughout the state, but habitat loss and unregulated hunting reduced the population to its current range.

One of the benefits of returning to Standard Time in the late fall is the opportunity to see great horned owls at dusk, as they begin their hours of hunting. Even if you do not see them, you will know they are in your woodlands, as their deep hooting calls can be heard echoing across forests on mid-winter nights.

The weasel or “mustelid” family has several members that live in Maryland. The one that is found throughout most of the state is the mink. If you have woodlands with a permanent water source such as a lake, river, or wetland, you may have prime mink habitat.

North America is home to a variety of wild cats. But the bobcat is the most widely-distributed native wild cat on the continent, and can be found in habitats from central Mexico to Canada. The bobcat’s range covers much of the United States, including Maryland.

As winter days shorten, you may hear an odd call drifting through Maryland’s landscapes after sunset and into the evening. The call sounds much like the whinny of a horse, but in fact it belongs to one of the state’s native hunters: the Eastern Screech-Owl.