Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Montana

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

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 1,552 records
  2. Black-Billed Magpie Pica hudsonia 1,479 records
  3. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 1,350 records
  4. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 1,297 records
  5. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 1,160 records
  6. Northern Flicker Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 1,002 records
  7. Red-Tailed Hawk Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 968 records
  8. Osprey Osprey Pandion haliaetus 843 records
  9. Cedar Waxwing Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 770 records
  10. Common Merganser Common Merganser Mergus merganser 755 records
  11. Wild Turkey Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo 747 records
  12. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 721 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Montana

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Fireweed Fireweed Chamaenerion angustifolium 2,036 records
  2. Common Yarrow Common Yarrow Achillea millefolium 1,933 records
  3. Creeping Mahonia Creeping Mahonia Berberis repens 1,910 records
  4. Glacier Lily Glacier Lily Erythronium grandiflorum 1,875 records
  5. Common Beargrass Common Beargrass Xerophyllum tenax 1,738 records
  6. Sticky Geranium Geranium viscosissimum 1,613 records
  7. Saskatoon Saskatoon Amelanchier alnifolia 1,604 records
  8. Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata 1,561 records
  9. Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus 1,488 records
  10. Chokecherry Chokecherry Prunus virginiana 1,432 records
  11. Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus 1,351 records
  12. Great Blanketflower Gaillardia aristata 1,298 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Montana

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Vancouver Bumble Bee Vancouver Bumble Bee Bombus vancouverensis 655 records
  2. Hunt's Bumble Bee Hunt's Bumble Bee Bombus huntii 609 records
  3. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 577 records
  4. Spotted Tussock Moth Spotted Tussock Moth Lophocampa maculata 576 records
  5. White-Spotted Sawyer Monochamus scutellatus 555 records
  6. Western Conifer Seed Bug Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis 551 records
  7. Mourning Cloak Mourning Cloak Nymphalis antiopa 526 records
  8. California Tortoiseshell California Tortoiseshell Nymphalis californica 512 records
  9. Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth Leafy Spurge Hawkmoth Hyles euphorbiae 488 records
  10. European Mantis European Mantis Mantis religiosa 461 records
  11. Essex Skipper Essex Skipper Thymelicus lineola 439 records
  12. Two-Striped Grasshopper Two-Striped Grasshopper Melanoplus bivittatus 421 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) John D Reynolds, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John D Reynolds  ·  (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Kala Murphy King, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Kala Murphy King  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley  ·  (c) Manny Salas, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Manny Salas  ·  (c) brian stahls, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by brian stahls  ·  (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Anton Dangl, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Anton Dangl  ·  (c) Steve Guttman, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (c) Kevin Jessop, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) David Anderson, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by David Anderson  ·  (c) Wendy Feltham, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Wendy Feltham  ·  (c) Dan Mullen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Brian Starzomski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Brian Starzomski  ·  (c) John Kolts, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by John Kolts  ·  (c) Paul Bedell, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Paul Bedell  ·  (c) Holger Krisp, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Faby Galleta, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Faby Galleta  ·  (c) Lauren Sobkoviak, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Luca Boscain, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Luca Boscain  ·  (c) Ryszard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) bob15noble, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by bob15noble  ·  (c) Steven Mlodinow, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Steven Mlodinow