Back South of the coniferous forest biomes are the deciduous forests. Deciduous forests begin at the northeastern border, between the United States and Canada, and cover the eastern United States.

Deciduous trees shed their leaves in the autumn. New leaves grow back in the spring. The summers in the deciduous forests are warm and the winters are cold, but they are not as cold as in the coniferous forests. Rainfall in the deciduous forests is between 75 and 150 centimeters a year. There are more than 2500 kinds of deciduous trees. Oak, birch, maple, beech, and hickory are the most common varieties found in the deciduous forests of the United States. As you can see in the picture to the right, autumn in the deciduous forests is one of the most beautiful seasons of the year because of the bright colors the leaves display before they fall to the ground. In the spring, wildflowers and ferns cover the forest floor.

Many different kinds of animals make their homes in the deciduous forests. Thrushes, woodpeckers, cardinals, and blue jays are some of the many birds you might see in a deciduous forest. Snails, worms, snakes, and salamanders slither along the forest floor. Small mammals, such as gray squirrels and raccoons, live among the branches of the trees.

The hollow trunk of a deciduous tree makes a cozy home for the pileated woodpecker and its ound, as well as for these baby raccoons. The black bear cub is just visiting, however. Black bears live in dens on the ground.

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