Animals Found In The Piedmont Region Of Georgia

Some of the animals that exist in Georgia's Piedmont Region live in more than one area of the state. The Piedmont Region of Georgia is in the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Coastal Plain. Shelter for several animals comes from the oak trees as well as the hickory trees that make up the region's predominant vegetation.

Mammals of the Piedmont region live in several habitats such as wetlands, fields and forests. Raccoons live across the state including the Piedmont. They've adapted to environmental changes, including the loss of natural habitat. Usual food sources for this type of animal are acorns, insects, fruit and random food choices in garbage. The gray fox is another mammal that makes its habitat in the state of Georgia. Its name comes from its predominant gray fur color, though there are some that have reddish fur. The tailed deer is the smallest deer in North America and resides in forests as well as open fields. Opossums prefer to live in the area's pine forests. They feed on numerous food sources such as berries, insects and small rodents.

Great horned owls hunt by sight while using their talons and beaks to capture and hold prey. These owls actually have no horns but ears that resemble horns. Their habitats are forests or wooded sections. Blue jays and cardinals also reside in the region. Both live in forests with diets of fruit, nuts and insects. Other birds of the area include crows.

The venomous timber rattlesnake grows to 4 feet in length. It is considered an endangered species because of the dwindling habitat. Painted turtles exist in ponds or marshes. Another turtle in the region is the snapping turtle, which is among the world's largest type of aquatic turtles. The American toad as well as the bird-voiced tree frog are two of the toad species that live in the Piedmont. A marbled salamander lives in forest burrows or swamps and grows up to 5 inches.

There is a wide selection of fish in the Piedmont region. The shoal bass, spotted bass and largemouth bass are three examples. From the sunfish family, crappies and bluegills both represent freshwater fish varieties. The robust redhorse was thought to be extinct at one time but its rediscovery came in 1991. Catfish as well as walleyes are found in much of the area. The record as of 2011 for the largest walleye catch in the state of Georgia comes from the Richard B. Russell Lake in this region.