Habitat in West Virginia
Swamps
Forested wetlands with standing water much of the year, such as cypress and gum swamps. Schafale
- Plants
- 185
- Birds
- 88

Plants
Plants that grow wild in this habitat in West Virginia. Not a planting list.
Most characteristic plants of this habitat 185
Natives first, plants found in fewer other habitats first.
- Oval Ladies TressesSpiranthes ovalis var. erostellata
- Canadian ClearweedPilea pumila
- Twoleaf MiterwortMitella diphylla
- American FeatherfoilHottonia inflata
- Fen OrchidLiparis loeselii
- Swamp WedgescaleSphenopholis pensylvanica
- Silky WillowSalix sericea
- Northern Highbush BlueberryVaccinium corymbosum
- Smooth AzaleaRhododendron arborescens
- Shingle OakQuercus imbricaria
- Possumhaw ViburnumViburnum nudum
- White Morning-gloryIpomoea lacunosa
- Hooded Blue VioletViola sororia
- LeConte's VioletViola affinis
- Green HawthornCrataegus viridis var. viridis
- Midwestern Evening-primroseOenothera pilosella
- Green AshFraxinus pennsylvanica
- Larger Blue Flag, Northern Blue FlagIris versicolor
- Grove BluegrassPoa alsodes
- Hooked Buttercup; Recurved ButtercuoRanunculus recurvatus var. recurvatus
- Bristly SedgeCarex comosa
- Carolina SedgeCarex caroliniana
- Drooping SedgeCarex prasina
- Hop SedgeCarex lupulina
- Pointed Broom SedgeCarex scoparia
- Sallow SedgeCarex lurida
- Thicket SedgeCarex abscondita
- Tussock SedgeCarex stricta
- Virginia IrisIris virginica
- Rough Hedge-nettleStachys aspera
- Broad Leaf Arrow HeadSagittaria latifolia var. latifolia
- Pale DockRumex altissimus
- Starry Solomons PumeMaianthemum stellatum
- Anglestem Primrose-willowLudwigia leptocarpa
- Bulb-bearing Water-hemlockCicuta bulbifera
- Virginia DayflowerCommelina virginica
- Canada YewTaxus canadensis
- CrossvineBignonia capreolata
- Bald SpikerushEleocharis erythropoda
- White CutgrassLeersia virginica
- Showy Lady's-slipperCypripedium reginae
- Goldie's Wood-fernDryopteris goldieana
- Lizard's-tailSaururus cernuus
- Southern Blue MonkshoodAconitum uncinatum
- Stiff CowbaneOxypolis rigidior
- Canadian BurnetSanguisorba canadensis
- BuckbeanMenyanthes trifoliata
Wildlife
Animals whose habitat model includes this habitat in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food.
Most characteristic birds of this habitat 55
Ranked by how much of their habitat model this habitat is.
- American Black DuckAnas rubripes
- Yellow-crowned Night-heronNyctanassa violacea
- Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
- Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
- Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
Widespread birds also seen here (33)
Found in many habitats here, so not listed above.
- Alder Flycatcher
- American Goldfinch
- American Kestrel
- American Robin
- Belted Kingfisher
- Blue Grosbeak
- Blue Jay
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
- Cedar Waxwing
- Chimney Swift
- Common Nighthawk
- Common Raven
- Cooper's Hawk
- Eastern Kingbird
- European Starling
- Fox Sparrow
- Great Horned Owl
- Least Flycatcher
- Mourning Dove
- Northern Cardinal
- Northern Flicker
- Northern Mockingbird
- Osprey
- Purple Finch
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Tufted Titmouse
- Turkey Vulture
- Wild Turkey
- Yellow-breasted Chat
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
Sources
- Schafale, Guide to the Natural Communities of North Carolina, Fourth Approximation (NC Natural Heritage Program, 2012) habitat description
- Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition, habitat text phone app
- NC Parks species accounts
- USDA Forest Service Fire Effects Information System (reviewed notes)
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001)
- NatureServe Explorer ecological systems (CC BY 4.0)
- The Chickahominy Swamp LCCN2004661405, William McIlvaine (1813-1867) habitat picture
Habitat classes are filed under these habitat types by reviewed matches; descriptions are short glosses.












































