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Deer
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The whitetail deer is one of the most common animals found in the forest. The timid animal once had manageable populations because of the abundance of natural predators such as wolves and mountain lions, but human hunting habits have thinned the predator population, leading to the overpopulation of deer in many areas. This results in the whitetail deer being a commonly encountered animal in the forests.
These deer are usually brown in color during the warmer months and are sometimes grayish in the cold winter months. They are white under the neck, on the belly and under the tail. The animals range from around 90 pounds for a small female adult to around 300 pounds for the largest male adults. Antlers make the male easily identifiable.
Deer are herbivores, meaning they are plant eaters, and they are most visible in the early morning and late afternoon when feeding.
Squirrels
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Squirrels are a type of rodent that exists in forests all over the country. There are 365 separate species of squirrels. These animals are considered cute and non-threatening, despite their affiliation with the rodents of the world.
Squirrels are seen most often in the winter months as the mating season begins. Squirrels are usually brown or gray, but also exist in species that have black bodies with white tails.
These animals typically live alone as adults and are often seen chewing branches to clean and sharpen teeth, running in an evasive zigzag pattern or grooming themselves.
Woodpeckers
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There are approximately 200 species of woodpeckers throughout the world, most of which reside in forests. The woodpecker frequents wooded areas because of the nature of their feeding habits. They use their string beaks to peck or drill into wood in order to find food. They often have long tongues capable of reaching into the holes they create in order to extract insects.
The woodpecker also knocks on trees as a way of attracting mates and communicating. They are often black, white, green and red, with some exceptions.
Whippoorwills
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Whippoorwills are easily identified by their unique call. These birds are commonly found in American forests and typically reside on the forest floor. They are grayish-brown and spotted, helping them to blend in with the dry leaves that often cover the forest floor.
These floor-dwelling birds feed on fallen nuts and seeds as well as worms and insects that live in the soil.
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Animals & Birds Found in a Forest
The forest is an area with a high density of trees and plants that covers approximately 30 percent of the Earth's surface. Within these wooded areas are a large variety of wildlife including animals and birds in great numbers. The species of animals existing in forests depend on the type of forest in question. In America, several types of animals and birds that can be seen and heard on a regular basis inhabit the forests.