Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Idaho

The birds, plants, and insects most often recorded in Idaho. 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 Idaho

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 4,370 records
  2. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 3,946 records
  3. Red-Tailed Hawk Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 3,475 records
  4. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 2,796 records
  5. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 2,215 records
  6. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 1,798 records
  7. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 1,708 records
  8. Song Sparrow Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 1,459 records
  9. American Kestrel Falco sparverius 1,451 records
  10. Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator 1,385 records
  11. Black-Billed Magpie Pica hudsonia 1,344 records
  12. Northern Flicker Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 1,336 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Idaho

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus 2,444 records
  2. Big Sagebrush Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata 2,295 records
  3. Showy Milkweed Showy Milkweed Asclepias speciosa 1,979 records
  4. Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata 1,874 records
  5. Douglas-Fir Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii 1,723 records
  6. Common Yarrow Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium 1,702 records
  7. Golden Currant Golden Currant Ribes aureum 1,658 records
  8. Antelope Bitterbrush Antelope Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata 1,536 records
  9. Western Ponderosa Pine Western Ponderosa Pine Pinus ponderosa 1,525 records
  10. Creeping Mahonia Creeping Mahonia Berberis repens 1,506 records
  11. Redstem Stork's-Bill Erodium cicutarium 1,488 records
  12. Fireweed Fireweed Chamaenerion angustifolium 1,284 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Idaho

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 2,205 records
  2. European Mantis European Mantis Mantis religiosa 1,263 records
  3. Hunt's Bumble Bee Hunt's Bumble Bee Bombus huntii 1,189 records
  4. California Tortoiseshell California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica 1,182 records
  5. European Paper Wasp European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula 1,046 records
  6. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 928 records
  7. Brown-Belted Bumble Bee Brown-Belted Bumble Bee Bombus griseocollis 878 records
  8. Two-Striped Grasshopper Two-Striped Grasshopper Melanoplus bivittatus 868 records
  9. Convergent Lady Beetle Hippodamia convergens 850 records
  10. Small White Small White Pieris rapae 814 records
  11. Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle Coccinella septempunctata 764 records
  12. Western Tiger Swallowtail Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus 740 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) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds  ·  (c) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Dan Roach, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Dan Roach  ·  (c) Ad Konings, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ad Konings  ·  (c) Kala Murphy King, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Kala Murphy King  ·  (c) brak, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) stormcatcher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by stormcatcher  ·  (c) Tracy S., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tracy S.  ·  (c) Steve Guttman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) joeverica, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by joeverica  ·  (c) Jared Manninen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Jared Manninen  ·  (c) mattstrieby, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Anton Dangl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anton Dangl  ·  (c) Ryszard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) John Kolts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John Kolts  ·  (c) Lauren Sobkoviak, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Steven Mlodinow, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Steven Mlodinow  ·  (c) Liu JimFood, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Liu JimFood  ·  (c) Thomas Shahan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Thomas Shahan  ·  (c) Tom Benson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)