1. Hellbender (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis) Hellbender is already a pretty unique name for this clean stream-loving salamander, but its nicknames—which include snot otter, devil dog,
2. Whistlepig (Marmota monax) Commonly known as woodchucks or groundhogs, this stocky critter gets the nickname whistlepig from the shrill, piercing whistle that it uses when threatened.
3. Lumpsucker (Cyclopterus lumpus) The lumpfish, also known as the lumpsucker, is a saltwater fish that occasionally travels south from its North Atlantic home to the Chesapeake Bay.
4. Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) Buffleheads, also known as butterballs, are small, chunky, energetic diving ducks that visit the open waters of the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers from autumn through spring.
5. Sea walnut (Mnemiopsis leidyi) The sea walnut is one of the two species of comb jelly that can be found in the Chesapeake Bay.
6. Spoonbill (Anas clypeata) The northern shoveler, also known as the spoonbill, is a medium-sized dabbling duck with a distinctive shovel- or spoon-shaped bill it uses to separate particles of food from the water.
7. Dutchman’s breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) Dutchman’s breeches are native perennials with white flowers that look like tiny pantaloons.
8. Sea cow (Trichechus manatus latirostris) The Florida manatee, a large aquatic mammal that occasionally visits the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters in summer, is also known as the sea cow.
9. Timberdoodle (Scolopax minor) American woodcocks, also known as timberdoodles, Labrador twisters and bog suckers, are stocky shorebirds that live in forests and fields throughout the Chesapeake region.
10. Hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus) The unusually named hogchoker is a small, flat fish with a brown, rounded body.
About the author
Rebecca Chillrud
[email protected]
Rebecca is the Communications Staffer at the Chesapeake Bay Program. She has a Master’s in Climate Science and Policy from Bard College and a Bachelor’s in Geological Sciences from SUNY Geneseo. Originally from upstate New York, she currently resides in Washington, D.C.
