Fish

Rosyside Dace

Although Guilford Courthouse National Military Park preserves and interprets a 1781 battle that helped hasten the end of the Revolutionary War, it also contains some significant and interesting natural resources.

In 2004, National Park Service biologists sampled the streams that occur within Guilford Courthouse National Military Park to discover what fish live within the park. Surveys were conducted with electrofishing, a device used to deliver electricity to the water that stuns fish. In each survey, fish were captured, identified and measured, and released alive back into the stream.

Another of the more common, and plain looking fish, was the bluehead chub. This species, like the creek chub, regularly live in small, headwater streams, and can tolerate a wide range of conditions. Surprisingly, given the small size of the streams and the fact that one even goes underground for several hundred feet, the biologists were able to collect and identify a total of 14 different fish species. The most abundant species were creek chubs (Semotilis atromaculatus), bluehead chubs (Nocomis leptocephalus), and bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus).

Creek Chubs

The creek chubs found within the park were some of the largest ever seen by the biologists; some were as large as a small bass. A few largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) were captured, but only one was larger than about 6 inches. Rosyside dace (Clinostomus funduloides) was one of the most interesting species found.

Rosyside Dace

Inarguably the most colorful fish species collected in the park, the rosyside dace is characterized by vivid red coloration and a large mouth; much larger than most other minnows.

Bluehead Chub

Another of the more common, and plain looking fish, was the bluehead chub. This species, like the creek chub, regularly live in small, headwater streams, and can tolerate a wide range of conditions.

Game Species

The only two true game species found in the park were largemouth bass and black crappie. Most individuals found were juveniles, not adults, with the largest bass being only 7 inches long.

Sunfish

Several species of sunfish (bluegill, redbreast, warmouth, and pumpkinseed) were also found in the park, mainly in Hunting Creek. The downstream location of Hunting Creek with the lakes in Greensboro County Park likely results in it having the most fish diversity in the park.

Mussels

While not a fish, mussels, which are indicators of water quality, were found in the park in Hunting Creek. Threats to these species include sedimentation, which increases in streams as urban areas become more developed.

Eastern Mosquitofish

The eastern mosquitofish is the only livebearer that was found during the survey. Livebearers, as their name suggests, give birth to live young rather than laying eggs. Mosquitofish, also as their name implies, have been stocked widely as a way to control mosquitoes.

Sucker Species

The only sucker species that was found, the creek chubsucker is another regular inhabitant of small streams. It’s mouth is adapted for feeding on the bottom of the stream, hence its classification as a sucker.

Catfish

Several species of catfish (flat bullhead, brown bullhead, and yellow bullhead) were found in the park, mainly in Hunting Creek downstream of the lakes in the Greensboro County Park. These fish are fairly tolerant of pollution.