Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in District of Columbia

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

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Birds

Birds Commonly Recorded In District of Columbia

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 3,615 records
  2. House Sparrow House Sparrow Passer domesticus 3,227 records
  3. European Starling European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 2,730 records
  4. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 2,595 records
  5. Rock Pigeon Rock Pigeon Columba livia 1,621 records
  6. Northern Mockingbird Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 1,602 records
  7. Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 1,559 records
  8. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 1,201 records
  9. Mourning Dove Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 1,136 records
  10. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 991 records
  11. Blue Jay Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata 978 records
  12. Red-Tailed Hawk Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 926 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In District of Columbia

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Amur Honeysuckle Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii 2,114 records
  2. Lesser Celandine Lesser Celandine Ficaria verna 1,975 records
  3. Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata 1,717 records
  4. American Pokeweed American Pokeweed Phytolacca americana 1,608 records
  5. Porcelain Berry Porcelain Berry Ampelopsis glandulosa 1,558 records
  6. Box Elder Box Elder Acer negundo 1,453 records
  7. Japanese Knotweed Reynoutria japonica 1,372 records
  8. American Beech American Beech Fagus grandifolia 1,336 records
  9. Common Ivy Common Ivy Hedera helix 1,335 records
  10. Christmas Fern Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides 1,333 records
  11. Wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius 1,318 records
  12. American Tuliptree American Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 1,105 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In District of Columbia

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 1,897 records
  2. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 1,825 records
  3. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens 1,771 records
  4. Spotted Lanternfly Spotted Lanternfly Lycorma delicatula 1,688 records
  5. Eastern Carpenter Bee Eastern Carpenter Bee Xylocopa virginica 1,595 records
  6. Huron Skipper Atalopedes huron 1,121 records
  7. Blue Dasher Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis 1,102 records
  8. Monarch Monarch Danaus plexippus 1,074 records
  9. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 1,053 records
  10. Yellow-Striped Leafhopper Yellow-Striped Leafhopper Sibovia occatoria 833 records
  11. Versute Sharpshooter Versute Sharpshooter Graphocephala versuta 824 records
  12. Brown-Belted Bumble Bee Brown-Belted Bumble Bee Bombus griseocollis 736 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) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Ximo Galarza, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Fran Wiesner, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Fran Wiesner  ·  (c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds  ·  (c) Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Kevin Milazzo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Laura Keene, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Laura Keene  ·  (c) Dan Roach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dan Roach  ·  (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy  ·  (c) Josiah Reed, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Josiah Reed  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) Andrew Conboy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Conboy  ·  (c) Bernard Picton, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Bernard Picton  ·  (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher  ·  (c) thewindcriesmary, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Sara Rall, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sara Rall  ·  (c) Marianna Boi, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Marianna Boi  ·  (c) earthtoerin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by earthtoerin  ·  (c) Kew on Flickr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) scotstewart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by scotstewart  ·  (c) Sakern | 永隔一江水, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sakern | 永隔一江水  ·  (c) Christopher Eliot, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christopher Eliot  ·  (c) Cameron Eckert, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cameron Eckert  ·  (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) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Katja Schulz  ·  (c) Steven Mlodinow, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Steven Mlodinow