ANIMALS OF THE LOUISIANA BAYOU! (Wildlife of North America and other educational books.)

What is a Bayou? The word bayou is thought to originate from a Choctaw word “bayuk” meaning “small, slow stream.” A bayou is a slow moving body of water found in the southern United States, that is filled with aquatic vegetation and animals of all kinds. The water is dark and rarely can you see more than a few inches through it. This makes for a great hiding place for predators. The water is often filled with huge bald cypress trees. The trees have a broad base and several feet of it may be submerged under water. The cypress bark is red to brown and most of the trunk is slender. The roots grow up above the water line and are known as cypress knees because of their knee like appearance. Spanish moss often covers much of the limbs. Few habitats will sustain as much life as bayous will. The water is filled with huge numbers of fish. The fish will range in size from tiny minnows to the huge alligator gar, which can be 8-10 feet in length and weigh several hundred pounds. Amphibians are found all around the water’s edge and in the aquatic vegetation. Their springtime calls can be almost deafening at times. Reptiles of all types are everywhere. Lizards are found in almost all trees and bushes. Snakes are everywhere lying in ambush. Some prefer dry ground and others the water. The venomous copperhead and water moccasin are just a few. Turtles can be seen sunning on logs to warm themselves. The American alligator can be heard calling for a mate. This very deep call is often compared to a grunt or bellow. Birds of all types live in the bayou. Some are there year round and others migrate south in the winter. Herons, egrets, ducks, kingfishers, killdeer, cranes, bald eagles, and more can be found. Mammals like the Louisiana black bear, white tailed deer, nutria rat, and more are found everywhere. Louisiana truly is the sportsman’s paradise. Read more