<< Back to Hickey Run Watershed Main Page
Hickey Run watershed has many valuable features. The watershed is entirely within the District and spans over 1,100 acres. Forests cover 14 percent of the watershed, and Hickey Run flows through the National Arboretum, where many species of plants and animals are found.
- Bald Eagle - For the first time in over 70 years, bald eagles have nested in the National Arboretum. The return of the bald eagle, a national symbol, shows the improvements conservations efforts have made and the need to build upon this success.
- Red Fox - Red foxes are commonly found it towns and cities, but tend to avoid people. The red fox is an opportunistic forager, eating fruit, insects, mice and birds. They sometimes appear gray in color, but can be spotted by their white-tipped tail and black legs.
- Wood Duck -The male wood duck is the most colorful of North American waterfowl. The bird can be found in flooded forests, lakes, ponds, and freshwater marshes.
- Scarlett Oak - The official tree of the District, the Scarlett Oak, can grow to 80 feet in height and its leaves turn a brilliant color in autumn. The tree’s acorns provide food for many of the wildlife found in Hickey Run’s watershed.
- Golden Coreopsis - This flower blooms a colorful yellow in the summer. It is often called a “Tickseed” because its small seeds resemble ticks.
- Redbud - The redbud is a shrubby tree that grows to only 30 feet in height. The tree blooms a wonderful pink color from March to May and is popular in landscaping.
From Left to right:
- Hickey Run on a warm summer day. The bricks are from an old kiln facility from the 1920s nearby (more info)
- Bald Eagle sun bathing near the confluence of the stream with the Anacostia River
- There is a dedicated group of individuals committed to making the stream better