Field Guide · Regional

Wildlife in West Virginia

The birds, plants, and insects most often recorded in West Virginia. 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 West Virginia

Most-recorded birds reported across the state.

  1. American Robin American Robin Turdus migratorius 1,639 records
  2. Canada Goose Branta canadensis 1,604 records
  3. Northern Cardinal Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis 1,220 records
  4. Mallard Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 1,191 records
  5. Song Sparrow Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 869 records
  6. Wild Turkey Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo 857 records
  7. Turkey Vulture Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 781 records
  8. Mourning Dove Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 718 records
  9. American Goldfinch American Goldfinch Spinus tristis 669 records
  10. Blue Jay Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata 652 records
  11. Red-Winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus 616 records
  12. House Sparrow House Sparrow Passer domesticus 601 records
Plants

Plants Commonly Recorded In West Virginia

Plants observers log most often statewide.

  1. Christmas Fern Christmas Fern Polystichum acrostichoides 1,880 records
  2. Mountain Laurel Mountain Laurel Kalmia latifolia 1,767 records
  3. Great Rhododendron Great Rhododendron Rhododendron maximum 1,648 records
  4. Virginia Bluebells Virginia Bluebells Mertensia virginica 1,397 records
  5. Mayapple Mayapple Podophyllum peltatum 1,395 records
  6. American Cancer-Root Conopholis americana 1,381 records
  7. Ground-Ivy Ground-Ivy Glechoma hederacea 1,337 records
  8. Eastern Hemlock Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis 1,253 records
  9. Ghost Pipe Ghost Pipe Monotropa uniflora 1,222 records
  10. Common Milkweed Common Milkweed Asclepias syriaca 1,216 records
  11. American Sycamore American Sycamore Platanus occidentalis 1,216 records
  12. Colt's-Foot Colt's-Foot Tussilago farfara 1,212 records
Insects

Insects Commonly Recorded In West Virginia

The insects that turn up most in records.

  1. Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus 1,678 records
  2. Common Eastern Bumble Bee Common Eastern Bumble Bee Bombus impatiens 1,533 records
  3. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis 1,390 records
  4. Monarch Monarch Danaus plexippus 1,380 records
  5. Pipevine Swallowtail Pipevine Swallowtail Battus philenor 1,022 records
  6. Isabella Tiger Moth Isabella Tiger Moth Pyrrharctia isabella 993 records
  7. Spotted Lanternfly Spotted Lanternfly Lycorma delicatula 883 records
  8. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera 806 records
  9. Celery Leaftier Moth Udea rubigalis 806 records
  10. Silver-Spotted Skipper Epargyreus clarus 735 records
  11. Red-Spotted Admiral Red-Spotted Admiral Limenitis arthemis 703 records
  12. Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Brown Marmorated Stink Bug Halyomorpha halys 699 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) Ad Konings, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Ad Konings  ·  (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY)  ·  (c) Seig, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Seig  ·  (c) Donna Pomeroy, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Donna Pomeroy  ·  (c) Chris Fisher, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Chris Fisher  ·  (c) Josiah Reed, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Josiah Reed  ·  (c) Ximo Galarza, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA)  ·  (c) earthtoerin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by earthtoerin  ·  (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair  ·  (c) Lori A Owenby, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Lori A Owenby  ·  (c) tlit46, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by tlit46  ·  no rights reserved, uploaded by mefisher  ·  (c) viktorie_kolouchova, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) jaskir, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by jaskir  ·  (c) cgbb2004, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by cgbb2004  ·  (c) csozanne, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  no rights reserved, uploaded by Andy Wilson  ·  (c) snsergeevna, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) David Alan Rogers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by David Alan Rogers  ·  (c) scotstewart, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by scotstewart  ·  (c) Virginia Rivers, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) kbarylski, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)  ·  (c) Larry Clarfeld, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Larry Clarfeld  ·  (c) Sakern | 永隔一江水, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sakern | 永隔一江水  ·  (c) Sharon Forsyth, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Sharon Forsyth  ·  (c) Konrad Zobel, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), uploaded by Konrad Zobel