Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in Washington

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

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 20,893 records
  2. Great Blue Heron Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 15,066 records
  3. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 14,117 records
  4. Bald Eagle Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus 13,912 records
  5. Dark-Eyed Junco Dark-Eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 13,118 records
  6. American Crow American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 12,603 records
  7. Song Sparrow Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 12,428 records
  8. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 11,808 records
  9. Northern Flicker Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 7,847 records
  10. Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna 7,712 records
  11. Spotted Towhee Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 7,375 records
  12. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 7,141 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In Washington

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Western Sword Fern Western Sword Fern Polystichum munitum 15,973 records
  2. Salmonberry Salmonberry Rubus spectabilis 14,126 records
  3. Western Redcedar Western Redcedar Thuja plicata 13,894 records
  4. Salal Salal Gaultheria shallon 12,712 records
  5. Pacific Trillium Pacific Trillium Trillium ovatum 11,237 records
  6. Douglas-Fir Douglas-Fir Pseudotsuga menziesii 11,090 records
  7. Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus 9,371 records
  8. Cascade Oregon-Grape Cascade Oregon-Grape Berberis nervosa 9,360 records
  9. Bigleaf Maple Bigleaf Maple Acer macrophyllum 9,086 records
  10. Osoberry Osoberry Oemleria cerasiformis 8,437 records
  11. Western Skunk Cabbage Lysichiton americanus 7,597 records
  12. Herb Robert Geranium robertianum 7,594 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In Washington

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 6,680 records
  2. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 5,072 records
  3. Black-Tailed Bumble Bee Black-Tailed Bumble Bee Bombus melanopygus 4,096 records
  4. Fuzzy-Horned Bumble Bee Bombus mixtus 3,823 records
  5. Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides 3,302 records
  6. European Paper Wasp European Paper Wasp Polistes dominula 3,272 records
  7. Isabella Tiger Moth Isabella Tiger Moth Pyrrharctia isabella 3,262 records
  8. Western Conifer Seed Bug Western Conifer Seed Bug Leptoglossus occidentalis 3,196 records
  9. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys 3,074 records
  10. European Mantis European Mantis Mantis religiosa 3,064 records
  11. Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle Seven-Spotted Lady Beetle Coccinella septempunctata 2,900 records
  12. Western Tiger Swallowtail Western Tiger Swallowtail Papilio rutulus 2,399 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) 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) Glenn Perelson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Glenn Perelson  ·  (c) Craig K. Hunt, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Craig K. Hunt  ·  (c) Jacob McGinnis, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (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) Greg Lasley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Greg Lasley  ·  (c) mme_renn, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Harry Hill, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Harry Hill  ·  (c) Nicholas Sly, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Nicholas Sly  ·  (c) maxillarynode, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Brent Miller, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Tracy S., some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tracy S.  ·  (c) Emily Scherer, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Emily Scherer  ·  (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy  ·  (c) James Gaither, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)  ·  (c) Sean McCann, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) Bill Keim, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Larry Clarfeld, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Larry Clarfeld  ·  (c) Holger Krisp, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Konrad Zobel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Konrad Zobel  ·  (c) Ryszard, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Thomas Shahan, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Thomas Shahan  ·  (c) Tom Benson, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND)