Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Maryland

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

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 12,103 records
  2. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 11,667 records
  3. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 11,465 records
  4. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 10,166 records
  5. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 10,106 records
  6. Eastern Bluebird Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 8,281 records
  7. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 8,119 records
  8. White-Throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis 7,756 records
  9. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 6,659 records
  10. Mourning Dove Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 6,586 records
  11. Northern Mockingbird Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 6,250 records
  12. Red-Shouldered Hawk Red-Shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 6,175 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Maryland

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Wineberry Rubus phoenicolasius 7,531 records
  2. Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata 7,438 records
  3. Christmas Fern Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides 7,265 records
  4. Virginia Springbeauty Claytonia virginica 7,058 records
  5. American Tuliptree American Tuliptree Liriodendron tulipifera 6,935 records
  6. Mayapple Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum 6,890 records
  7. American Pokeweed American Pokeweed Phytolacca americana 6,536 records
  8. Ground-Ivy Ground-Ivy Glechoma hederacea 6,522 records
  9. Eastern Poison Ivy Eastern Poison Ivy Toxicodendron radicans 6,517 records
  10. American Holly American Holly Ilex opaca 6,307 records
  11. Multiflora Rose Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora 6,118 records
  12. Eastern Skunk Cabbage Eastern Skunk Cabbage Symplocarpus foetidus 6,022 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Maryland

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 11,459 records
  2. Monarch Monarch Danaus plexippus 10,200 records
  3. Spotted Lanternfly Spotted Lanternfly Lycorma delicatula 10,051 records
  4. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 8,671 records
  5. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens 8,137 records
  6. Huron Skipper Atalopedes huron 8,047 records
  7. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 6,186 records
  8. Eastern Carpenter Bee Eastern Carpenter Bee Xylocopa virginica 5,764 records
  9. Pearl Crescent Pearl Crescent Phyciodes tharos 5,635 records
  10. Silver-Spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus 5,432 records
  11. Common Whitetail Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia 5,051 records
  12. Zabulon Skipper Zabulon Skipper Lon zabulon 5,050 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) 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) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds  ·  (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Shreybae, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Shreybae  ·  (c) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy  ·  (c) Kevin Milazzo, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Richard Wottrich, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Richard Wottrich  ·  (c) earthtoerin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by earthtoerin  ·  (c) Kew on Flickr, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  no rights reserved, uploaded by mefisher  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) viktorie_kolouchova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Sam Fraser-Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) dogtooth77, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman  ·  (c) Clare Dellwo Cole, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Clare Dellwo Cole  ·  (c) David Alan Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Alan Rogers  ·  (c) Virginia Rivers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (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) Christopher Eliot, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Christopher Eliot  ·  (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley  ·  (c) Bill Bouton, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)