Home: Boreal Forest: Central Mixedwood

Central Mixedwood Wildlife

The wildlife of the Central Mixedwood Subregion is the most diverse and varied of the Boreal Forest Natural Region. The species of coniferous forests are wide-ranging and include Western wood Peewee, Gray Jay, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Golden and Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Siskin, Red and White-winged Crossbills, Dark-eyed Junco, Boreal Chickadee, and Red Squirrel.  Three warblers -- Bay-breasted, Cape May and Black-throated Green -- are confined largely to mature conifer dominated mixedwood stands in the central and eastern portions of the Subregion.  Balsam fir stands have a particularly diverse assemblage of coniferous forest birds.

Characteristic species of deciduous forests are similar to those in the Dry Mixedwood Subregion and include Least Flycatcher, House Wren, Ovenbird, Red-eyed and Warbling Vireos, Baltimore oriole and Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Species of mixedwood forests include Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Swainson's Thrush, Solitary Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, White-throated Sparrow and Northern Goshawk.

The most species-rich habitats are mixedwoods and shrublands associated with swamps, ponds, streams, and lakes.  Some species, such as Yellow and Black-and-white Warblers, American Redstart, Song Sparrow, Northern water Thrush, Fox Sparrow and Philadelphia Vireo are mostly restricted to these sites.  Barred Owl occasionally occurs in mature mixedwoods along lakeshores and river valleys.

Typical, widespread animals include Beaver, Moose, varying types of hares, Black Bear, wolf, lynx, Gapper's Red-backed Vole, Deer Mouse, Least Chipmunk, Moose and Ermine.  Others, such as Fisher, Wolverine, River Otter, and Woodland Caribou, are less common and locally distributed.

Information provided by and printed with the permission of Alberta Community Development, Parks and Protected Areas.

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