The woodchuck (Marmota monax), or groundhog, is a burrowing rodent common in northern Georgia. It's 15 to 30 inches long with a heavy build and short, powerful legs. Woodchucks are covered in coarse, grizzled fur that's grayish-brown or reddish. They're foragers that feed primarily on grasses and tender plants, although they sometimes eat cultivated plants as well. Despite being shy, wary creatures, woodchucks sometimes have run-ins with humans and are occasionally hunted as pests.
The bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus) is common in brushy habitat throughout the central part of Georgia. They have a rounded body covered in mottled-brown feathers with a dark cap, gray tail feathers and pale markings around the eyes, which are white on males and buff on females. They're seasonally omnivorous feeders, eating insects in the summer and plant matter in the winter. The name "bobwhite" is an onomatopoeic reference to the sound of their call.
The bobcat (Lynx rufus) is the most common and widely distributed wildcat in North America, found in forested areas of Georgia. They're medium-size cats with a gray or reddish-brown coat and black ears with white markings. The belly is pale with black spots. They're the only short-tailed wildcats in North America. They're 24 to 40 inches long and weigh up to 25 pounds, with legs that are long in proportion to the rest of the body. Bobcats are nocturnal animals, hunting rabbits, rodents and birds under cover of darkness.
White snakeroot (Ageratina altissima) is a poisonous perennial plant found in the upland areas of Georgia. It's found in open fields and wooded areas, and is an upright-growing plant with heart-shaped, slightly serrated leaves and nodding clusters of tiny white flowers. It seldom exceeds 4 feet in height. White snakeroot is a toxic plant fatal to humans and cattle. Animals that feed on the plant can produce milk that's toxic to humans.
Scarlet buckeye (Aesculus pavia), also called firecracker plant, is a deciduous flowering shrub found in the southern half of Georgia. It prefers shaded woods and wet ravines with rich, loamy soil. They have compound leaves with five lightly serrated leaflets arranged in a palmate shape. In early spring, scarlet buckeye erupts with showy red flowers arranged in erect spikes. The flowers later develop into thin-skinned fruit that's deadly if consumed.
Maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum) grows in deep forest throughout the Appalachian plateau region of Georgia. It's a shade-loving plant that requires constant moisture and humus-rich soil. It cannot tolerate heat or direct sunlight. Sometimes called five-fingered fern, its leaves are arranged along five slender stems that together resemble a fan. The individual leaflets are light green and extremely tender. All parts of the plant produce a pleasantly aromatic oil.
