Seneca County, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Seneca County is a county located in the state
of Ohio
, United States
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,745. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/39147.html Its county seat
is Tiffin
and it is named for the Seneca Indians.
The Tiffin Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Seneca County.
and the post–World War II baby boom. In 1980 it was censused at 61,901, and has been declining since. Since about 2000, the county's population declines by about 100-300 persons annually, mainly due to a migration deficit of about 300 persons annually. This decline is projected to continue in the future.
, the county has a total area of 552 square miles (1,431 km²).551 square miles (1,426 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.32%) is water.
Almost 80% of the county's total area is agricultural land. Some 10% is covered by forest, and the rest is mostly taken up by built-up areas and to a slightly lesser extent by pasture
land.
The terrain
of Seneca County is nearly level, gently sloping from about 290 meters ASL
in the southeast to about 210 m ASL at the edge of the erstwhile Great Black Swamp
in the northwest. Most of the county's area is located between 230 and 260 m ASL however. Almost the entire county belongs to the Sandusky River
drainage basin
; the river itself bisects the county from north to south slightly west of its middle, running through Tiffin
as it does so. There is some steeper terrain along the rivers's course, formed by the occasional ravine
of its tributaries.
Despite the presence of the Great Lakes
which make for a somewhat milder climate
in the region, Seneca County has a rather continental climate
, namely after removal of the forests which once covered most of it upset the microclimate
. Winters can be harsh, with plentiful snowfall due to lake-effect snow, and summers are often hot and sometimes oppressively humid, bordering on subtropical. The mostly featureless surface can result in rather extreme wind chill
. In a 1906 description, the local climate was actually described as "rather unhealthful".
, there were 58,683 people, 22,292 households, and 15,738 families residing in the county. The population density
was 107 people per square mile (41/km²). There were 23,692 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.04% White
, 1.76% Black
or African American
, 0.18% Native American
, 0.38% Asian
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
, 1.39% from other races
, and 1.25% from two or more races. 3.36% of the population were Hispanic
or Latino
of any race.
There were 22,292 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples
living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,037, and the median income for a family was $44,600. Males had a median income of $32,387 versus $22,383 for females. The per capita income
for the county was $17,027. About 6.10% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.
in the northwest, there was also an extensive area of marshland in the Bloomville
area as well as smaller patches of swamp terrain which were formed due to the county's essentially level terrain. Native American
inhabitants and later settlers used the region mainly for hunting fur
animals, with little agriculture
of note until the early 19th century.
Starting in the early-mid 19th century, the county's area was subject to wholesale deforestation
. This led to massive alteration of much of the local wildlife, with grassland and farmland animals replacing the native woodland fauna
. Migrant
waterbirds, in ancient times commonly encountered throughout the region as they foraged in the swamps on their way south, are nowadays rare and concentrate on the few remaining waterbodies large enough to sustain them. The Passenger Pigeon
(Ectopistes migratorius) had several roosting (and probably nesting) places in the county when it was still wooded. Removal of the forest had driven the birds away by the 1860s, foreshadowing its eventual total extinction due to large-scale logging which rendered this species unable to sustain the massive hunting pressure.
Several species
of waterbirds, formerly frequently encountered during migration, are only rarely seen nowadays. These include, for example, the Common Loon (Gavia immer), American Wigeon
(Anas americana), Redhead
(Aythya americana), Canvasback
(Aythya valisneria), and several species of mergansers.
Landbirds were apparently less seriously affected; apart from the Passenger Pigeon, the Ruffed Grouse
(Bonasa umbellus), Wild Turkey
(Meleagris gallopavo), Golden Eagle
(Aquila chrysaetos) and Marsh Wren
(Cistothorus palustris) had essentially or completely disappeared by 1900. However, it is not known how many of the numerous species of New World warbler
s, most of which today only occur only as transient migrants, formerly bred in Seneca County.
The Eskimo Curlew
(Numenius borealis), possibly extinct today, occurred as a transient in Ohio until about 1900; to what extent it migrated through Seneca County is not well known but even if it did it is unlikely that it was often seen after deforestation had gotten underway in earnest. The extinct Carolina Parakeet
(Conuropsis carolinensis) - or probably individuals of the western subspecies
, the Louisiana Parakeet (C. c. ludovicianus) - may have on occasion have occurred in Seneca County as a vagrant before 1862.
The only record of the Long-billed Murrelet
(Brachyramphus perdix) in Ohio comes from Seneca County. A stray individual of this North Pacific auk
was observed and photographed between November 12–18, 1996. The rare Kirtland's Warbler
(Dendroica kirtlandii) is again increasing in numbers and may occasionally range as far north as Seneca County.
The introduced House Sparrow
(Passer domesticus) is common since at least the late 19th century. The Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), another species introduced from Europe
, never seems to have become really plentiful, though it has been a breeding resident since at least 1901.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. As of the 2010 census, the population was 56,745. http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/39/39147.html Its county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Tiffin
Tiffin, Ohio
Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,135 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Tiffin as a Tree City USA....
and it is named for the Seneca Indians.
The Tiffin Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Seneca County.
History
The county was barely inhabited until the 1830s, but by 1860 its population had massively increased to about half the current number of inhabitants. It grew slowly from thereon, with periods of more marked increase towards the end of the 19th century, during the Great DepressionGreat Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and the post–World War II baby boom. In 1980 it was censused at 61,901, and has been declining since. Since about 2000, the county's population declines by about 100-300 persons annually, mainly due to a migration deficit of about 300 persons annually. This decline is projected to continue in the future.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the county has a total area of 552 square miles (1,431 km²).551 square miles (1,426 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km²) of it (0.32%) is water.
Almost 80% of the county's total area is agricultural land. Some 10% is covered by forest, and the rest is mostly taken up by built-up areas and to a slightly lesser extent by pasture
Pasture
Pasture is land used for grazing. Pasture lands in the narrow sense are enclosed tracts of farmland, grazed by domesticated livestock, such as horses, cattle, sheep or swine. The vegetation of tended pasture, forage, consists mainly of grasses, with an interspersion of legumes and other forbs...
land.
The terrain
Terrain
Terrain, or land relief, is the vertical and horizontal dimension of land surface. When relief is described underwater, the term bathymetry is used...
of Seneca County is nearly level, gently sloping from about 290 meters ASL
Above mean sea level
The term above mean sea level refers to the elevation or altitude of any object, relative to the average sea level datum. AMSL is used extensively in radio by engineers to determine the coverage area a station will be able to reach...
in the southeast to about 210 m ASL at the edge of the erstwhile Great Black Swamp
Great Black Swamp
The Great Black Swamp, or simply Black Swamp, was a glacially caused wetland in northwest Ohio, United States, extending into extreme northeastern Indiana, that existed from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation until the late 19th century...
in the northwest. Most of the county's area is located between 230 and 260 m ASL however. Almost the entire county belongs to the Sandusky River
Sandusky River
The Sandusky River is a tributary to Lake Erie in north-central Ohio in the United States. It is about long and flows into Lake Erie at Sandusky Bay.-Course:...
drainage basin
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
; the river itself bisects the county from north to south slightly west of its middle, running through Tiffin
Tiffin, Ohio
Tiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,135 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Tiffin as a Tree City USA....
as it does so. There is some steeper terrain along the rivers's course, formed by the occasional ravine
Ravine
A ravine is a landform narrower than a canyon and is often the product of streamcutting erosion. Ravines are typically classified as larger in scale than gullies, although smaller than valleys. A ravine is generally a fluvial slope landform of relatively steep sides, on the order of twenty to...
of its tributaries.
Despite the presence of the Great Lakes
Great Lakes
The Great Lakes are a collection of freshwater lakes located in northeastern North America, on the Canada – United States border. Consisting of Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, and Ontario, they form the largest group of freshwater lakes on Earth by total surface, coming in second by volume...
which make for a somewhat milder climate
Climate
Climate encompasses the statistics of temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, wind, rainfall, atmospheric particle count and other meteorological elemental measurements in a given region over long periods...
in the region, Seneca County has a rather continental climate
Continental climate
Continental climate is a climate characterized by important annual variation in temperature due to the lack of significant bodies of water nearby...
, namely after removal of the forests which once covered most of it upset the microclimate
Microclimate
A microclimate is a local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles...
. Winters can be harsh, with plentiful snowfall due to lake-effect snow, and summers are often hot and sometimes oppressively humid, bordering on subtropical. The mostly featureless surface can result in rather extreme wind chill
Wind chill
Wind chill is the felt air temperature on exposed skin due to wind. The wind chill temperature is always lower than the air temperature, and the windchill is undefined at the higher temps...
. In a 1906 description, the local climate was actually described as "rather unhealthful".
Adjacent counties
- Sandusky CountySandusky County, OhioSandusky County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 60,944. Its county seat is Fremont and it is named for a native word meaning "water" ....
(north) - Huron CountyHuron County, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 59,487 people, 22,307 households, and 16,217 families residing in the county. The population density was 121 people per square mile . There were 23,594 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile...
(east) - Crawford CountyCrawford County, OhioCrawford County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. It was named for Colonel William Crawford, a soldier during the American Revolution....
(southeast) - Wyandot CountyWyandot County, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 22,908 people, 8,882 households, and 6,270 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 9,324 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...
(southwest) - Hancock CountyHancock County, OhioHancock County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 74,782. Its county seat is Findlay and was named for John Hancock, the first signer of the Declaration of Independence...
(west) - Wood CountyWood County, OhioWood County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 125,488. Its county seat is Bowling Green. The county was named for Captain Eleazer D. Wood, the engineer for General William Henry Harrison's army, who built Fort Meigs in the War of 1812...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the census of 2000United States Census, 2000
The Twenty-second United States Census, known as Census 2000 and conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2% over the 248,709,873 persons enumerated during the 1990 Census...
, there were 58,683 people, 22,292 households, and 15,738 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 107 people per square mile (41/km²). There were 23,692 housing units at an average density of 43 per square mile (17/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 95.04% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.76% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.18% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.38% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.01% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.39% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.25% from two or more races. 3.36% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There were 22,292 households out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.10% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.40% were non-families. 24.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56 and the average family size was 3.04.
In the county, the population was spread out with 26.00% under the age of 18, 10.40% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 22.40% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 98.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.70 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $38,037, and the median income for a family was $44,600. Males had a median income of $32,387 versus $22,383 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the county was $17,027. About 6.10% of families and 9.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.60% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over.
Communities
Cities
- BellevueBellevue, OhioBellevue is a city in Erie, Huron, Sandusky and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 8,193 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Bellevue as a Tree City USA....
(partly) - FostoriaFostoria, OhioAs of the census of 2000, there were 13,931 people, 5,565 households, and 3,628 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,917.6 people per square mile . There were 6,024 housing units at an average density of 829.2 per square mile...
(partly) - TiffinTiffin, OhioTiffin is a city in and the county seat of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 18,135 at the 2000 census. The National Arbor Day Foundation has designated Tiffin as a Tree City USA....
Villages
|
Green Springs, Ohio Green Springs is a village in Sandusky and Seneca counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 1,247 at the 2000 census.Its "claim to fame" is Mineral Springs, the largest natural sulfur spring in the world. St. Francis Health Care Centre is located there.-History:The Green Springs area... (partly) New Riegel, Ohio New Riegel is a village in Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 226 at the 2000 census.-Geography:New Riegel is located at .... Republic, Ohio Republic is a village in Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 614 at the 2000 census.-History:In 1834, Sidney Smith hired R.M. Shoemaker of Cincinnati to survey a new town at the corners of sections 15, 16, 21, and 22 in Scipio Township... |
Townships
|
Hopewell Township, Seneca County, Ohio Hopewell Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,874 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the west central part of the county, it borders the following townships:... Jackson Township, Seneca County, Ohio Jackson Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,640 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:... Liberty Township, Seneca County, Ohio Liberty Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,340 people in the township, 1,556 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:... Loudon Township, Seneca County, Ohio Loudon Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 2,395 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Jackson Township - north... Pleasant Township, Seneca County, Ohio Pleasant Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,685 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northern part of the county, it borders the following townships:... |
Reed Township, Seneca County, Ohio Reed Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 949 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the eastern part of the county, it borders the following townships:*Thompson Township - north... Seneca Township, Seneca County, Ohio Seneca Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,585 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern part of the county, it borders the following townships:... Thompson Township, Seneca County, Ohio Thompson Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,422 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the northeastern corner of the county, it borders the following townships:... Venice Township, Seneca County, Ohio Venice Township is one of the fifteen townships of Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 1,871 people in the township, 916 of whom lived in the unincorporated portions of the township.-Geography:... |
Unincorporated communities
|
Caroline, Ohio Caroline is an unincorporated community in Venice Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. It is located along State Route 4, just south of Attica. The community is served by the Attica post office.... Carrothers, Ohio Carrothers is an unincorporated community in Venice Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. It is located along State Route 4, just north of the border between Seneca and Crawford County. The community is served by the Attica post office.... Flat Rock, Ohio Flat Rock is a census-designated place in northeastern Thompson Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44828.... |
Fort Seneca, Ohio Fort Seneca is a census-designated place in Pleasant Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. It is located on State Route 53, approximately North of Tiffin. Although unincorporated, Fort Seneca had a post office, with the ZIP code of 44829 until 1998. The post office was opened on... Kansas, Ohio Kansas is a census-designated place in northwestern Liberty Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44841. It is located along State Route 635.... |
Lowell, Seneca County, Ohio Lowell is an unincorporated community in Adams Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. It is located at the intersection of State Route 778 and State Route 101.... Melmore, Ohio Melmore is a census-designated place in central Eden Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44845. It is located at the intersection of State Routes 67 and 100.... Old Fort, Ohio Old Fort is a census-designated place located in northern Pleasant Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. Although it is unincorporated, it has a post office, with the ZIP code of 44861.... |
Siam, Ohio Siam is an unincorporated community in Venice Township, Seneca County, Ohio, United States. This town is also known as Attica junction. CSX and NS intersect here. It is located along State Route 4, just north of Attica. The community is served by the Attica post office.... |
Major highways
|
Other highways
|
 State Route 67 State Route 100 State Route 101 State Route 162Ohio State Route 162 State Route 162 is an east–west state highway in the north central and northeastern parts of state of Ohio. Its western terminus is in Republic at State Route 18 and State Route 67 and its eastern terminus is in Akron at State Route 18 and State Route 261....  State Route 228 |
 State Route 231Ohio State Route 231 State Route 231 is a long north–south state highway in the northwestern quadrant of the U.S. state of Ohio. SR 231 has its southern terminus at its intersection with East Street in the village of Morral...  State Route 587 State Route 590 State Route 635 State Route 778 |
State Route 4
State Route 12
State Route 18
State Route 19
State Route 53Airports
- Bandit Field Airdrome
- Fostoria Metropolitan AirportFostoria Metropolitan AirportFostoria Metropolitan Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located two nautical miles northeast of the central business district of Fostoria, a city in Hancock, Seneca, and Wood Counties, Ohio, United States. According to the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2009-2013,...
- Seneca County AirportSeneca County AirportSeneca County Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located southwest of the central business district of Tiffin, a city in Seneca County, Ohio, United States.-Facilities and aircraft:...
- Weiker AirportWeiker AirportWeiker Airport is a privately-owned public-use airport in Seneca County, Ohio, United States. It is located two nautical miles southeast of the central business district of the village Green Springs. It is privately owned by Wayne Weiker....
Natural history
Before widespread settlement, the area of Seneca County was for the most part woodland. Besides the fringe of the Great Black SwampGreat Black Swamp
The Great Black Swamp, or simply Black Swamp, was a glacially caused wetland in northwest Ohio, United States, extending into extreme northeastern Indiana, that existed from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation until the late 19th century...
in the northwest, there was also an extensive area of marshland in the Bloomville
Bloomville, Ohio
Bloomville is a village in Seneca County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,045 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Bloomville is located at ....
area as well as smaller patches of swamp terrain which were formed due to the county's essentially level terrain. Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
inhabitants and later settlers used the region mainly for hunting fur
Fur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
animals, with little agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
of note until the early 19th century.
Starting in the early-mid 19th century, the county's area was subject to wholesale deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
. This led to massive alteration of much of the local wildlife, with grassland and farmland animals replacing the native woodland fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
. Migrant
Bird migration
Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...
waterbirds, in ancient times commonly encountered throughout the region as they foraged in the swamps on their way south, are nowadays rare and concentrate on the few remaining waterbodies large enough to sustain them. The Passenger Pigeon
Passenger Pigeon
The Passenger Pigeon or Wild Pigeon was a bird, now extinct, that existed in North America and lived in enormous migratory flocks until the early 20th century...
(Ectopistes migratorius) had several roosting (and probably nesting) places in the county when it was still wooded. Removal of the forest had driven the birds away by the 1860s, foreshadowing its eventual total extinction due to large-scale logging which rendered this species unable to sustain the massive hunting pressure.
Several species
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of waterbirds, formerly frequently encountered during migration, are only rarely seen nowadays. These include, for example, the Common Loon (Gavia immer), American Wigeon
American Wigeon
The American Wigeon, also American Widgeon or Baldpate, is a species of wigeon in the dabbling duck genus Anas. If this is split up, all wigeons will go into their old genus Mareca again...
(Anas americana), Redhead
Redhead (duck)
The Redhead is a medium-sized diving duck, 37 cm long with an 84 cm wingspan.The adult male has a blue bill, a red head and neck, a black breast, yellow eyes and a grey back. The adult female has a brown head and body and a darker bluish bill with a black tip.The breeding habitat is...
(Aythya americana), Canvasback
Canvasback
The Canvasback is the largest of the North American diving ducks, that ranges from between long and weighs approximately , with a wingspan of . The canvasback has a distinctive wedge-shaped head and long graceful neck. The adult male has a black bill, a chestnut red head and neck, a black...
(Aythya valisneria), and several species of mergansers.
Landbirds were apparently less seriously affected; apart from the Passenger Pigeon, the Ruffed Grouse
Ruffed Grouse
The Ruffed Grouse is a medium-sized grouse occurring in forests from the Appalachian Mountains across Canada to Alaska. It is non-migratory.The Ruffed Grouse is frequently referred to as a "partridge"...
(Bonasa umbellus), Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey
The Wild Turkey is native to North America and is the heaviest member of the Galliformes. It is the same species as the domestic turkey, which derives from the South Mexican subspecies of wild turkey .Adult wild turkeys have long reddish-yellow to grayish-green...
(Meleagris gallopavo), Golden Eagle
Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is one of the best known birds of prey in the Northern Hemisphere. Like all eagles, it belongs to the family Accipitridae. Once widespread across the Holarctic, it has disappeared from many of the more heavily populated areas...
(Aquila chrysaetos) and Marsh Wren
Marsh Wren
The Marsh Wren is a small North American songbird of the wren family. It is sometimes called Long-billed Marsh Wren to distinguish it from the Sedge Wren, also known as Short-billed Marsh Wren....
(Cistothorus palustris) had essentially or completely disappeared by 1900. However, it is not known how many of the numerous species of New World warbler
New World warbler
The New World warblers or wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are not related to the Old World warblers or the Australian warblers....
s, most of which today only occur only as transient migrants, formerly bred in Seneca County.
The Eskimo Curlew
Eskimo Curlew
The Eskimo or the "Northern Curlew" is a critically endangered shorebird, now considered by many to be extinct.-Taxonomy:The Eskimo Curlew is one of eight species of curlew, and is classed with them in the genus Numenius. It was formerly placed in the separate genus Mesoscolopax. Numenius is...
(Numenius borealis), possibly extinct today, occurred as a transient in Ohio until about 1900; to what extent it migrated through Seneca County is not well known but even if it did it is unlikely that it was often seen after deforestation had gotten underway in earnest. The extinct Carolina Parakeet
Carolina Parakeet
The Carolina Parakeet was the only parrot species native to the eastern United States. It was found from the Ohio Valley to the Gulf of Mexico, and lived in old forests along rivers. It was the only species at the time classified in the genus Conuropsis...
(Conuropsis carolinensis) - or probably individuals of the western subspecies
Subspecies
Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...
, the Louisiana Parakeet (C. c. ludovicianus) - may have on occasion have occurred in Seneca County as a vagrant before 1862.
The only record of the Long-billed Murrelet
Long-billed Murrelet
The Long-billed Murrelet is a small seabird from the North Pacific. It is an unusual member of the auk family, often nesting far inland in old growth forests...
(Brachyramphus perdix) in Ohio comes from Seneca County. A stray individual of this North Pacific auk
Auk
An auk is a bird of the family Alcidae in the order Charadriiformes. Auks are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits...
was observed and photographed between November 12–18, 1996. The rare Kirtland's Warbler
Kirtland's Warbler
Kirtland's Warbler is a small songbird of the New World warbler family , named after Jared P. Kirtland, an Ohio doctor and amateur naturalist. Nearly extinct just 50 years ago, it is well on its way to recovery. It requires large areas of dense young jack pine for its breeding habitat...
(Dendroica kirtlandii) is again increasing in numbers and may occasionally range as far north as Seneca County.
The introduced House Sparrow
House Sparrow
The House Sparrow is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. One of about 25 species in the genus Passer, the House Sparrow occurs naturally in most of Europe, the Mediterranean region, and much of Asia...
(Passer domesticus) is common since at least the late 19th century. The Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus), another species introduced from Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, never seems to have become really plentiful, though it has been a breeding resident since at least 1901.