Wildlife & Nature
What calls Cove home
Birds, pollinators, dragonflies, and plants recorded at Cove Island — browsable by season.
Birds & Other Animals
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
A swift woodland hawk that hunts birds and other small animals with sudden bursts of speed. Cooper’s Hawks can be found at the Cove throughout the year, often perched quietly within the trees.
Magnolia Warbler
Setophaga magnolia
A colorful spring and fall visitor, the Magnolia Warbler stops at Cove to rest and forage for insects during its long migration.
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis
A migratory warbler often found walking along wetland edges, bobbing its tail as it searches for insects and other small prey. At the Cove, it is most likely to appear during spring and fall migration.
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
A familiar resident of the Cove that browses on leaves, shoots and other vegetation. Its name comes from the bright white underside of its tail, which flashes as a warning when the deer runs.
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
A small warbler commonly found in the Cove’s marshes and dense vegetation. It often stays low among the reeds, feeding on insects and announcing itself with its distinctive “wichity-wichity-wichity” song.
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
A year-round presence at Cove, bright against the winter woods.
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
An uncommon migrant at Cove, the Yellow-breasted Chat favors dense, tangled vegetation, where its bright yellow breast can be surprisingly difficult to spot.
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
A ground-feeding woodpecker, easy to spot by its flash of color in flight.
Butterflies & Insects
Orange Sulphur
Colias eurytheme
One of Cove’s most common butterflies, the Orange Sulphur can be seen fluttering low over meadows and feeding on goldenrod and other wildflowers.
Monarch Butterfly
Danaus plexippus
Passes through the meadow gardens on its long fall migration.
Blue-winged Scoliid Wasp
Scolia dubia
Twelve-Spotted Dragonfly
Libellula pulchella
A large dragonfly named for the dark spots across its four wings. It patrols sunny wetlands and open areas at the Cove, hunting mosquitoes and other flying insects.
Black Saddlebags Dragonfly
Tramea lacerata
A migratory dragonfly named for the dark patches on its hindwings. At the Cove, it may be seen gliding over open areas and wetlands while hunting flying insects during summer and fall.
Plants
Goldenrod
Solidago
Goldenrod’s late-season flowers provide an important source of nectar and pollen for bees, butterflies, beetles, and other insects.
Mexican Sunflower
Tithonia rotundifolia
Its vivid late-summer flowers attract butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds, providing nectar until the arrival of frost.
Hairy Sunflower
Helianthus hirsutus
Named for its rough, bristly stems and leaves, this native sunflower provides valuable late-season food for bees and other pollinators.
New England Aster
Symphyotrichum novae-angliae
A late-blooming native wildflower that provides an important source of nectar for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators as summer gives way to fall.
Habitats & Ecology
See how it all connects
Every species here belongs to a habitat — meadow, woodland and groves, pollinator garden, and coastal edge — each shaping what you’ll find and when. Cove has also documented 26 species of dragonflies and damselflies, among the most remarkable hunters in the sanctuary.
Explore Cove’s habitats