Cornwall’s State-Listed Rare Species

As required by the state’s Endangered Species Act, Connecticut keeps track of native plant and animal populations and lists species at risk.  The state’s Natural Diversity Database maps where at-risk species have been documented. When the Cornwall Conservation Trust considers a property for conservation, we can find out from the state whether the property shelters any state-listed rare species. Here are just a few of the state-listed species documented at or near CCT preserves –

1. Alder Flycatcher

Alder flycatchers are plain brown flycatchers with a nasal “three beers” call. They breed from May to August in thickets of tall shrubby vegetation in close proximity to streams or open water before migrating to the tropics for the winters.

2. Naked Miterwort

A small perennial with attractive leaves and delicate flowers that bloom in the spring, this plant occurs in shady, wet woodlands. Native peoples used the plant for medicinal purposes.

3. Eyed Brown

The Eyed Brown butterfly has spots that look like eyes. Marshes and wet meadows are its habitat, and its caterpillars eat sedges.  Caterpillars in late stages of development hibernate through the winter.

4. Wood Turtle

A large, handsome turtle with black and orange markings, Wood Turtles range through deciduous forests and open fields and hibernate in forest streams.

5. Slimy Sculpin

A small fish with a fan-like fin, the Slimy Sculpin is found in pure coldwater streams. Its mottled coloration is camouflage against the stream’s gravel bottom. It eats insects, and is itself a food source for trout.

As these species struggle across their range with habitat loss and pollution. Cornwall Conservation Trust’s protected forests, fields, and wetlands provide shelter and food where at least some of their members can find safe haven.