Wildlife
Mason Neck is adjacent to a rapidly growing metropolitan area where habitat is constantly being altered and degraded. The refuge, which extends out into the Potomac River, provides a relatively remote area of upland forests and freshwater marshes which are frequented by a diverse group of wildlife species. The monotypic mature upland hardwoods, freshwater marshes, and small grassland areas which comprise the Refuge habitat hosts over 211 species of birds, 31 species of mammals, and 44 species of reptiles and amphibians.
Birds
List of Birds of the Mason Neck Area (PDF 13Kb)
Turtles
Snapping Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Painted Turtle
Red-Bellied Turtle
Musk Turtle
Spotted Turtle
Lizards
Fence Lizard
Five-lined Skink
Broad-headed Skink
Ground Skink
Salamanders, Frogs, and Toads
Red-Backed Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Spotted Salamander
Red-spotted Newt
Slimy Salamander
Bullfrog
Upland Chorus Frog
Spring Peeper
Gray Treefrog
Green Treefrog
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Northern Cricket Frog
American Toad
Snakes
Eastern worm snake
Eastern garter snake
Eastern ribbon snake
Northern black racer
Black rat snake
Northern water snake
Ringneck snake
Northern copperhead
Eastern milk snake
Eastern earth snake
Northern Brown Snake
Eastern hognose snake
Mammals
Of 45 species of mammal that may occur on Mason Neck based on the presence of suitable habitat, a study conducted in 1995 confirmed the existence of 28. The black bear and bobcat were present at one time but their recent occurrence on Mason Neck is doubtful. The following mammals have been spotted and/or collected on Mason Neck NWR (Klimkiewicz et al, Year Unknown).
Virginia Opossum
Short-Tailed Shrew
Eastern Mole
Eastern Pipistrelle
Big Brown Bat
Eastern Cottontail
Eastern Chipmunk
Woodchuck
Groundhog
Gray Squirrel
Red Squirrel
Southern Flying Squirrel
Beaver
Rice Rat
White-footed Mouse
Meadow Vole
Pine Vole
Muskrat
Norway Rat
House Mouse
Red Fox
Gray Fox
Raccoon
Long-tailed Weasel
Mink
Striped Skunk
River Otter
White-tailed Deer
Feral Dogs/Cats
