Common name: Bird Dropping Moth
Scientific name: Cerma cora Hübner, 1818

Class:
Insecta (Insects)
Order:
Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Skippers, and Moths)
Family:
Noctuidae (Owlet Moths)
Synonyms:
Other common names:

Habitat type(s):
Habitat description(s)
Palustrine:
FORESTED WETLAND
Terrestrial:
Forest - Conifer, Forest - Mixed, Woodland - Hardwood, Woodland - Mixed, Shrubland/chaparral, Savanna

Ecological systems and subsytems (about):
TERRESTRIAL - FORESTED UPLANDS:
Pitch pine-oak forest (guide)
A mixed forest that typically occurs on well-drained, sandy soils of glacial outwash plains or moraines; it also occurs on thin, rocky soils of ridgetops. The dominant trees are pitch pine mixed with one or more of the following oaks: scarlet oak, white oak, red oak, or black oak.
TERRESTRIAL - BARRENS AND WOODLANDS:
Pitch pine-scrub oak barrens (guide)
A shrub-savanna community that occurs on well-drained, sandy soils that have developed on sand dunes, glacial till, and outwash plains.
TERRESTRIAL - BARRENS AND WOODLANDS:
Sandstone pavement barrens (guide)
An open canopy woodland that occurs on very shallow soils over sandstone bedrock; this community is best developed where the bedrock is nearly level, thus forming a pavement. The best developed examples are found on Potsdam Sandstone in Clinton County. Large examples often include wetlands, such as perched bogs and inland poor fens.

Conservation:
Global conservation status rank:
G3G4
Vulnerable globally, or Apparently Secure - At moderate risk of extinction, with relatively few populations or locations in the world, few individuals, and/or restricted range; or uncommon but not rare globally; may be rare in some parts of its range; possibly some cause for long-term concern due to declines or other factors. More information is needed to assign either G3 or G4.
State conservation status rank:
S1S2
Critically Imperiled or Imperiled in New York - Especially or very vulnerable to disappearing from New York due to rarity or other factors; typically 20 or fewer populations or locations in New York, very few individuals, very restricted range, few remaining acres (or miles of stream), and/or steep declines. More information is needed to assign either S1 or S2.
Federal protection:
Not Listed
State protection:
Not Listed
Not listed or protected by New York State.
SGCN:
NYNHP track status:
Y: Track all extant and selected historical EOs

More information:
Conservation guide:
https://guides.nynhp.org/bird-dropping-moth/
NatureServe explorer link:
https://explorer.natureserve.org/Taxon/ELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.108386/Cerma_cora/