Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Ohio

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

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 13,084 records
  2. Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 11,840 records
  3. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 11,707 records
  4. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 11,558 records
  5. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 11,140 records
  6. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 9,499 records
  7. Song Sparrow Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 7,918 records
  8. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 7,863 records
  9. American Goldfinch American Goldfinch Spinus tristis 7,114 records
  10. Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens 6,735 records
  11. Red-Tailed Hawk Red-Tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 6,645 records
  12. Red-Bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus 6,205 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Ohio

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Virginia Springbeauty Claytonia virginica 11,335 records
  2. Mayapple Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum 10,351 records
  3. Amur Honeysuckle Amur Honeysuckle Lonicera maackii 8,308 records
  4. American Pokeweed American Pokeweed Phytolacca americana 8,001 records
  5. Multiflora Rose Multiflora Rose Rosa multiflora 7,733 records
  6. Common Milkweed Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca 7,628 records
  7. Bloodroot Bloodroot Sanguinaria canadensis 7,195 records
  8. Garlic Mustard Alliaria petiolata 7,174 records
  9. Large White Trillium Large White Trillium Trillium grandiflorum 6,806 records
  10. Cut-Leaved Toothwort Cut-Leaved Toothwort Cardamine concatenata 6,764 records
  11. Common Jewelweed Common Jewelweed Impatiens capensis 6,422 records
  12. Common Pawpaw Common Pawpaw Asimina triloba 6,368 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Ohio

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Eastern Pondhawk Eastern Pondhawk Erythemis simplicicollis 18,626 records
  2. Blue Dasher Blue Dasher Pachydiplax longipennis 17,663 records
  3. Eastern Forktail Eastern Forktail Ischnura verticalis 17,610 records
  4. Monarch Monarch Danaus plexippus 16,820 records
  5. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens 15,300 records
  6. Fragile Forktail Fragile Forktail Ischnura posita 15,020 records
  7. Common Whitetail Common Whitetail Plathemis lydia 13,460 records
  8. Widow Skimmer Widow Skimmer Libellula luctuosa 13,366 records
  9. Eastern Amberwing Eastern Amberwing Perithemis tenera 11,918 records
  10. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 11,817 records
  11. Autumn Meadowhawk Autumn Meadowhawk Sympetrum vicinum 9,880 records
  12. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 9,839 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) Laura Keene, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Laura Keene  ·  (c) anonymous, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)  ·  (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) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Chris Fisher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chris Fisher  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  no rights reserved, uploaded by mefisher  ·  (c) Andrew Conboy, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Andrew Conboy  ·  (c) Douglas Goldman, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Douglas Goldman  ·  (c) csozanne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Haley Selen, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Haley Selen  ·  (c) sandy richard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher  ·  (c) Thomas Shahan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Thomas Shahan  ·  (c) Wendell Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Roger Smith, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Cameron Eckert, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Cameron Eckert  ·  (c) Mark Rosenstein, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Mark Rosenstein  ·  (c) Virginia Rivers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) scotstewart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by scotstewart  ·  (c) Zachary Dankowicz, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Zachary Dankowicz  ·  (c) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley  ·  (c) John Wright, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) David Alan Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Alan Rogers