Species of a Lake Erie coastal marsh
Below are some of the species found at Mentor Marsh, one of the largest natural marshes remaining along the Lake Erie shoreline. A superb birding spot, Mentor Marsh is among the best places in the state to see waterfowl or to witness the spring and fall migrations of songbirds.
Mentor Marsh is stewarded by the Cleveland Museum of Natural History through its Natural Areas Program, which protects more than 12,500 acres across Northern Ohio. Explore the species below, learn more about the preserve, or dive deeper into the Natural Areas Program.
American beaver
Castor canadensis
Beavers cut down trees to eat the inner bark, twigs, and leaves, and use the stripped wood to construct lodges and dams. Look for beavers, or signs of them (chewed and cut-down trees, stick lodges), in open water areas at Mentor Marsh.
Photo: Nan Patrick.
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Bald eagles favor rivers and wetlands, where they hunt for fish and scavenge for carrion. They build bulky nests out of sticks, and typically rear one to three eaglets each year. Eagles have nested at Mentor Marsh since 2010. Cleveland Museum of Natural History staff were instrumental in the recovery of bald eagles in Ohio—see The Recovery of the Bald Eagle in Ohio.
Photo: Jacquelyn Hall
Blanding's turtle
Emydoidea blandingii
A distinctive reptile with a bright yellow chin, Blanding's turtles are an indicator species for healthy wetlands. The species is endangered throughout much of its range. If you see a Blanding’s turtle at Mentor Marsh, please send a picture of it to us at mentormarsh@cmnh.org.
Photo: Andrew Cannizzaro
Bur-reed
Sparganium eurycarpum
With its long, straplike leaves and tendency to form dense stands, this robust native plant resembles cattail, but its spherical flowers differ from the long flower spikes of cattail. Bur-reed's spiky fruit is eaten by ducks, muskrats, and other animals.
Buttonbush
Cephalanthus occidentalis
A native wetland shrub, buttonbush provides nesting cover for birds. Its spherical clusters of white flowers support native pollinators, like this bumblebee (Bombus sp.), and its button-like fruit are eaten by waterfowl, small mammals, turtles, and even fish.
Cardinal flower
Lobelia cardinalis
Cardinal flower thrives in moist soils along streams and wetland edges. The vivid red flowers of this native perennial attract hummingbirds and other pollinators.
Common milkweed
Asclepias syriaca
Common milkweed is a host plant for monarch caterpillars, and its fragrant pink flowers are an important nectar source for pollinators, like the solitary digger bee (Anthophora sp.) pictured here.
Eastern cottonwood
Populus deltoides
This fast-growing tree often colonizes open, wet areas. Its soft wood provides nesting sites for cavity-nesting birds like woodpeckers, and other birds often use its cottony seed down to line their nests.
Photo: Natalie Gertz-Young
Lincoln's sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii
This reclusive sparrow with a rich, musical song favors dense, wet meadows and shrubby edges during migration and breeding. It is pictured here perched in woolgrass (Scirpus cyperina).
Photo: Nan Patrick
Lizard's tail
Saururus cernuus
Dense stands of lizard’s tail provide cover for invertebrates, amphibians, and small fish, and its drooping white flower spikes attract native bees, flies, and other pollinators.
Monarch butterfly
Danaus plexippus
This striking orange-and-black butterfly is in decline across its range, largely as a result of habitat loss. Adults nectar on many flowering plants, including the swamp milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) pictured here. Its caterpillars feed exclusively on milkweed species.
Northern harrier
Circus hudsonius
This slim raptor hunts small mammals and birds by flying low over marshes and grasslands. It relies on open wetland habitats like the marsh for nesting and hunting.
Photo: Jacquelyn Hall
Northern leopard frog
Lithobates pipiens
In early spring, you can hear the snore-like calls of this medium-sized frog. After the Cleveland Museum of Natural History began its restoration work at Mentor Marsh, leopard frog populations expanded dramatically.
Red oak
Quercus rubra
This sturdy deciduous tree supports not only mammals and birds but hundreds of other species as well, including insects and, especially, moth caterpillars.
Red-winged blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
Red-winged blackbirds are commonly observed in wetlands during the breeding season, when males belt out their distinctive "conk-la-ree" songs. The glossy black feathers and red shoulder patches of adult males contrast sharply with the brown-streaked females and young. They build nests woven into the low vegetation of the marsh.
Photo: Nan Patrick
Seedbox
Ludwigia alternifolia
Often found in damp meadows and on the edges of marshes, seedbox has distinctive, box-shaped seed pods. Its seeds are eaten by waterfowl, muskrats, and other wetland animals, and its flowers are visited by native bees, hoverflies, and other insects.
Silver Maple
Acer saccharinum
This fast-growing, relatively soft-wooded tree tolerates wet, poorly drained soil. Its shallow roots stabilize soils, and its winged seeds, called samaras, feed birds and small mammals.
Photo: Bob Morecki
Skunk Cabbage
Symplocarpus foetidus
Early-blooming skunk cabbage is thermogenic—it generates heat—and its flower can melt surrounding snow. The flower mimics the scent of carrion, attracting insect pollinators well before other plants emerge in spring.
Spring peeper
Pseudacris crucifer
The high-pitched, peeping call of this diminutive frog can be deafening in spring, when it breeds in both upland pools and in the open marsh. Camouflaged in shades of brown, green, and gray, spring peepers also sport a dark, X-shaped mark on their backs.
Swamp loosestrife
Decodon verticillatus
This woody-stemmed perennial forms dense thickets at the edges of wetlands, offering habitat and nectar for both insects and birds. It is not related to the invasive purple loosestrife.
Swamp rose mallow
Hibiscus moscheutos
A young red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) alights on swamp rose mallow. The showy flowers of this charismatic native plant are a source of nectar for butterflies, hummingbirds, native bees, and other pollinators.
Photo: Nan Patrick
Trout lily
Erythronium americanum
Named for its leaves, which are thought to resemble the fish, trout lily emerges early in spring, allowing it to take advantage of the sunlight before trees leaf out.
White oak
Quercus alba
Like red oak, white oak is a keystone species, important to the life cycles of hundreds of native animal species for both shelter and food.
Wilson's snipe
Gallinago delicata
Wilson’s snipe uses its long bill to probe soft mud for invertebrates. Mentor Marsh has the open habitat snipe need for feeding, as well as the low, dense vegetation they rely on for cover.
Photo: Jacquelyn Hall
Yellow birch
Betula alleghaniensis
This medium- to large-sized tree with shiny, peeling, yellow-bronze bark prefers cool, moist sites. It supports dozens of insect species, and its seeds are eaten by finches and other seed-feeding birds.
