Mount Davis is the tallest mountain in Pennsylvania, located in Somerset County. The mountain is surrounded by forests and natural landscapes that provide habitats for many different plant and animal species.
In this article, we will discover six notable animals that live near Mount Davis. These animals include mountain lions, red foxes, snowshoe hares, bobcats, ruffed grouse, and common ravens.
You are reading: Discover 6 Animals That Lurk Atop Pennsylvania’s Tallest Mountain
While these animals are notable, there are many other species that live near Mount Davis. The forests and natural landscapes around the mountain provide benefits to many different species.
6 Animals That Lurk Atop Pennsylvania’s Tallest Mountain
Mountain Lions
Mountain lions, also known as cougars or pumas, are large feline predators that are not commonly found in Pennsylvania. While there have been reports of mountain lion sightings in the state, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has not confirmed any sightings since the 1930s.
In fact, the commission has stated that there is not a large enough habitat area in the state to safely have mountain lions without conflicts with livestock and people. Despite this, many people still believe that there are mountain lions in Pennsylvania.
If you do happen to spot a mountain lion in Pennsylvania, it is encouraged to report the sighting to the game commission through a toll-free number such as 1-833-PGC-WILD.
Red Foxes
Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are small, agile carnivores belonging to the same family (Canidae) as the dog, coyote, and wolf. They are found throughout Pennsylvania and are intelligent predators with extremely sharp senses of sight, smell, and hearing.
Red foxes generally prefer sparsely settled, rolling farm areas with wooded tracts, marshes, and streams, while gray foxes are more commonly found in brushy areas, swampy lands, and rugged, mountainous terrain.
However, both species are very adaptable and can be found throughout the state, sometimes in areas not considered prime habitat.
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Red foxes seem less bothered by people than are grays and often inhabit heavily populated areas, although they are rarely seen due to their nocturnal habits.
There are countless stories of reds rearing young in suburban settings. Generally, if the area can provide food and shelter, foxes will consider it, especially since coyotes continue to push out, or displace, reds from their historic habitats.
Snowshoe Hares
Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are a species of hare found in North America. They are known for their large, snowshoe-like hind feet that allow them to move across snow-covered surfaces with ease.
Snowshoe hares are also known for their seasonal fur color changes that aid in protection from predators by blending with their surroundings. They live in forests with sufficient amounts of undergrowth such as bushes and shrubbery.
Snowshoe hares are found in Canada and the northern United States, where their adaptive survival qualities are suited for the cold, winter climates. They inhabit mixed deciduous forests with conifers and escape cover, such as rhododendron and mountain laurel in Pennsylvania.
Snowshoe hares are herbivores and eat mostly plants, enjoying grasses, flowers, and new growth from trees. They are common throughout their range and are one of the most athletic and adaptive hare species.
Bobcats
Bobcats (Lynx rufus) are medium-sized cats native to North America. They are known for their short, bobbed tails, tufted ears, and distinctive facial ruffs.
Bobcats are found throughout most of the contiguous United States, southern Canada, and Oaxaca in Mexico. They are adaptable animals that can live in a wide variety of habitats, including forests, swamps, deserts, and scrublands.
Bobcats are carnivorous and mainly hunt small mammals like rabbits, hares, and mice, along with birds close to the ground and the occasional lizard. During the harsher winter months, they are also known to hunt larger animals, including deer, and will also feed on fresh carrion.
Bobcats are solitary and territorial animals that mark their ranges with scents from their urine and feces and distinctive claw marks on trees to alert others of their presence.
While thought to no longer exist in western New York and Pennsylvania, multiple confirmed sightings of bobcats (including dead specimens) have been recently reported in New York’s Southern Tier and in central New York, and a bobcat was captured in 2018 on a tourist boat in Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Ruffed Grouse
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Ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus) are medium-sized game birds that are widely distributed across North America. They are non-migratory and are found in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska.
Ruffed grouse are known for their distinctive drumming display, which is used by males to proclaim their territory. The sound is made by beating their wings against the air to create a low-frequency sound that can be heard up to a quarter of a mile away.
Ruffed grouse are chunky, medium-sized birds that weigh from 450–750 g (0.99–1.65 lb), measure from 40 to 50 cm (16 to 20 in) in length, and span 50–64 cm (20–25 in) across their short, strong wings. They have two distinct morphs: grey and brown.
In the grey morph, the head, neck, and back are grey-brown, and the breast is light. In the brown morph, the overall color is much more reddish-brown.
Ruffed grouse are forest birds and are found in suitable habitats from the Appalachian Mountains and Canadian Maritime provinces across Canada to the Northern Rockies.
Common Ravens
Common ravens (Corvus corax) are large, all-black passerine birds that are widely distributed across the Northern Hemisphere. Here are some interesting facts about common ravens:
– Ravens are known by many names at the subspecies level, with at least eight subspecies with little variation in appearance.
– Ravens are the most widely distributed of all corvids, found across the Northern Hemisphere.
– Ravens are acrobatic fliers, often doing rolls and somersaults in the air.
– Young ravens are fond of playing games with sticks, repeatedly dropping them, then diving to catch them in midair.
– Breeding pairs of ravens hold territories and try to exclude all other ravens throughout the year.
– In winter, young ravens finding a carcass will call other ravens to the prize. They apparently do this to overwhelm the local territory owners by force of numbers to gain access to the food.
– Ravens are smart, which makes them dangerous predators. They sometimes work in pairs to raid seabird colonies, with one bird distracting an incubating adult and the other waiting to grab an egg or chick as soon as it’s uncovered. They’ve been seen waiting in trees as ewes give birth, then attacking the newborn lambs.
– Ravens can mimic the calls of other bird species. When raised in captivity, they can even learn to mimic human speech.
– Ravens are massive birds with a thick neck and distinctive shaggy throat feathers.
– Ravens have strong, large feet and long bills.
– Most ravens are a solid black and have slender wings and a wedge-shaped tail.
– Ravens usually range in size from between 22 and 27 inches (56 to 69 centimeters) in height and between 1 and 3.5 pounds (0.7 to 1.6 kilograms).
– Ravens are found across the Arctic regions and temperate regions of North America and Eurasia and far south to the mountains of South America and North Africa.
– Ravens are extremely common in woodlands, usually in coniferous forests and along rocky coastlines.
FAQS
1. What is the tallest mountain in Pennsylvania?
The tallest mountain in Pennsylvania is Mount Davis, located in Somerset County.
2. What animals live near Mount Davis?
Some notable animals that live near Mount Davis include mountain lions, red foxes, snowshoe hares, bobcats, ruffed grouse, and common ravens.
3. Are there mountain lions in Pennsylvania?
While there have been reports of mountain lion sightings in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has not confirmed any sightings since the 1930s.
4. What do snowshoe hares eat?
Snowshoe hares are herbivores and eat mostly plants, including grasses, flowers, and new growth from trees.
5. What is the distinctive display of ruffed grouse?
Ruffed grouse are known for their distinctive drumming display, which is used by males to proclaim their territory.
6. What is the habitat of common ravens?
Common ravens are found across the Arctic regions and temperate regions of North America and Eurasia and far south to the mountains of South America and North Africa. They are usually found in woodlands, usually in coniferous forests and along rocky coastlines.
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