Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Delaware

The birds, plants, and insects most often recorded in Delaware. A starting field list, drawn from iNaturalist research-grade observations, for what is likely living near you.

See What's Near You → All States
Birds

Birds Commonly Recorded In Delaware

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 2,183 records
  2. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 1,725 records
  3. Osprey Osprey Pandion haliaetus 1,379 records
  4. Laughing Gull Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla 1,370 records
  5. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 1,303 records
  6. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 1,082 records
  7. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 1,065 records
  8. Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 1,057 records
  9. Great Egret Great Egret Ardea alba 1,027 records
  10. Snowy Egret Egretta thula 993 records
  11. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 913 records
  12. Turkey Vulture Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 837 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Delaware

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. American Pokeweed American Pokeweed Phytolacca americana 1,303 records
  2. American Sweetgum American Sweetgum Liquidambar styraciflua 1,260 records
  3. Multiflora Rose Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora 1,054 records
  4. American Holly American Holly Ilex opaca 1,006 records
  5. Sassafras Sassafras Sassafras albidum 917 records
  6. Eastern Poison Ivy Eastern Poison Ivy Toxicodendron radicans 910 records
  7. American Tuliptree American Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 813 records
  8. Japanese Honeysuckle Lonicera japonica 803 records
  9. Mayapple Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum 783 records
  10. Virginia Creeper Virginia Creeper Parthenocissus quinquefolia 717 records
  11. Wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius 693 records
  12. Virginia Springbeauty Claytonia virginica 655 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Delaware

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 2,088 records
  2. Monarch Monarch Danaus plexippus 1,467 records
  3. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 1,135 records
  4. Spotted Lanternfly Spotted Lanternfly Lycorma delicatula 1,034 records
  5. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens 980 records
  6. Blue Dasher Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis 953 records
  7. Huron Skipper Atalopedes huron 918 records
  8. Eastern Pondhawk Eastern Pondhawk Erythemis simplicicollis 839 records
  9. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 830 records
  10. Black Swallowtail Papilio polyxenes 818 records
  11. Common Whitetail Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia 791 records
  12. Fragile Forktail Fragile Forktail Ischnura posita 754 records

Go Deeper

Use the live finder to narrow this to your town and season. Then read Who Lives Here, how to attract wildlife to your yard, and planting for local wildlife. For tools and field guides, see the recommended gear.

Photographs via iNaturalist contributors, used under their Creative Commons licenses: (c) Dan Roach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dan Roach  ·  (c) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley  ·  (c) José Antonio Linage Espinosa, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by José Antonio Linage Espinosa  ·  (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Laura Keene, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Laura Keene  ·  (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds  ·  (c) Seig, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Seig  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) Randy Puckett, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Randy Puckett  ·  (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman  ·  (c) dogtooth77, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Tom Potterfield, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Sam Fraser-Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Kew on Flickr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  no rights reserved, uploaded by mefisher  ·  (c) Suzanne Cadwell, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Virginia Rivers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) David Alan Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Alan Rogers  ·  (c) Sakern | 永隔一江水, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sakern | 永隔一江水  ·  (c) scotstewart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by scotstewart  ·  (c) Cameron Eckert, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cameron Eckert  ·  (c) Roger Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zachary Dankowicz