Species library

Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.

1–36 of 764 species

African Moonfish

African Moonfish

Selene dorsalis

Witness the shimmering 'Phantom of the Atlantic.' With its paper-thin profile and metallic silver armor, the African ...

Fish
African Pompano

African Pompano

Alectis ciliaris

The African Pompano is a shimmering ghost of the tropical reefs, recognizable by its steep profile and brilliant silv...

Fish
Agujon Needlefish

Agujon Needlefish

Tylosurus acus

A sleek, silver arrow of the sea, the Agujon Needlefish is a master of surface stealth. With its needle-like jaws and...

Fish
Alabama Hog Sucker

Alabama Hog Sucker

Hypentelium etowanum

A master of the riffles, the Alabama Hog Sucker uses its specialized 'vacuum' mouth to navigate the rocky currents of...

Fish
Albacore

Albacore

Thunnus alalunga

The ultimate ocean wanderer, the Albacore is famous for its remarkably long fins and its tireless journeys across the...

Fish
Alewife

Alewife

Alosa pseudoharengus

Witness the silver tide of the Alewife, a resilient wanderer that bridges the gap between the deep ocean and our loca...

Fish
Almaco Jack

Almaco Jack

Seriola rivoliana

A sleek, deep-water powerhouse, the Almaco Jack is a prize of the open ocean. With its distinctive high-profile fin a...

Fish
Alpine Galaxias

Alpine Galaxias

Galaxias paucispondylus

A slender ghost of the Southern Alps, the Alpine Galaxias is a resilient survivor of New Zealand's coldest, highest s...

Fish
Amazon Molly

Amazon Molly

Poecilia formosa

Meet the Amazon molly, the world’s first-discovered asexual vertebrate. This all-female species uses a unique form of...

Fish
American Brook Lamprey

American Brook Lamprey

Lethenteron appendix

A harmless and ancient resident of North American streams, the American Brook Lamprey is a master of the hidden world...

Fish
American Eel

American Eel

Anguilla rostrata

A mysterious traveler of both salt and fresh water, the American Eel is a master of camouflage and one of nature's mo...

Fish
American Gizzard Shad

American Gizzard Shad

Dorosoma cepedianum

A shimmering cornerstone of North American waterways, the American Gizzard Shad is a master of the school. With its s...

Fish
American Pickerel

American Pickerel

Esox americanus

A pint-sized predator with a lightning-fast strike, the American Pickerel is the hidden king of the backyard pond. Di...

Fish
American Sand Lance

American Sand Lance

Ammodytes americanus

The American Sand Lance is the shimmering 'hidden' hero of the Atlantic coast, famous for its incredible ability to v...

Fish
American Shad

American Shad

Alosa sapidissima

Meet the 'Founding Fish' of the Americas. This silver-scaled marathon runner travels thousands of miles from the deep...

Fish
Arctic Char

Arctic Char

Salvelinus alpinus

A master of the frozen north, the Arctic Char is the world's northernmost freshwater fish. Famous for its breathtakin...

Fish
Arctic Grayling

Arctic Grayling

Thymallus arcticus

The 'Sailfish of the North' is a dazzling iridescent gem found in the world's most pristine, ice-cold waters, easily ...

Fish
Atlantic Blue Tang

Atlantic Blue Tang

Acanthurus coeruleus

Meet the reef's most colorful gardener. The Atlantic Blue Tang is a vibrant surgeonfish famous for its striking color...

Fish
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Thunnus thynnus

Meet the undisputed titan of the Atlantic—a shimmering, silver-blue powerhouse built for extreme speed and transocean...

Fish
Atlantic Bluespotted Cornetfish

Atlantic Bluespotted Cornetfish

Fistularia tabacaria

With its whip-like tail and neon-blue spots, the Atlantic Bluespotted Cornetfish is a masterpiece of underwater steal...

Fish
Atlantic Bonito

Atlantic Bonito

Sarda sarda

A high-speed predator of the Atlantic, the Bonito is a shimmering bullet of the sea known for its aggressive hunting ...

Fish
Atlantic Bumper

Atlantic Bumper

Chloroscombrus chrysurus

A shimmering specter of the coastline, the Atlantic Bumper moves in dazzling silver schools through estuaries and sur...

Fish
Atlantic Capelin

Atlantic Capelin

Mallotus villosus

The Atlantic Capelin is the shimmering silver pulse of the North Atlantic, driving the marine food web. Known for the...

Fish
Atlantic Chub Mackerel

Atlantic Chub Mackerel

Scomber colias

Often called the 'Tinker Mackerel,' this shimmering speedster of the Atlantic is famous for its intricate zig-zag pat...

Fish
Atlantic Crevalle Jack

Atlantic Crevalle Jack

Caranx hippos

Meet the Atlantic's most powerful sprinter. Known for its blunt profile and aggressive schooling, the Crevalle Jack i...

Fish
Atlantic Croaker

Atlantic Croaker

Micropogonias undulatus

The Atlantic Croaker is the bronze-hued 'drummer' of the coast, famous for its vocal personality and shimmering scale...

Fish
Atlantic Flyingfish

Atlantic Flyingfish

Cheilopogon melanurus

Witness the spectacular gliders of the deep. The Atlantic Flyingfish turns the ocean surface into a runway, escaping ...

Fish
Atlantic Herring

Atlantic Herring

Clupea harengus

The Atlantic Herring is the 'Silver of the Sea,' a shimmering marvel of the North Atlantic that moves in massive, syn...

Fish
Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Atlantic Horse Mackerel

Trachurus trachurus

A shimmering icon of the Atlantic, this fast-moving schooling fish is easily identified by its unique 'armored' later...

Fish
Atlantic Mackerel

Atlantic Mackerel

Scomber scombrus

A masterpiece of marine engineering, the Atlantic Mackerel is famous for its shimmering iridescent scales and lightni...

Fish
Atlantic Menhaden

Atlantic Menhaden

Brevoortia tyrannus

Known as the silver foundation of the Atlantic ecosystem, these shimmering filter feeders travel in massive, mesmeriz...

Fish
Atlantic Moonfish

Atlantic Moonfish

Selene setapinnis

A master of optical illusion, the Atlantic Moonfish uses its mirror-like skin and razor-thin body to vanish in the su...

Fish
Atlantic Needlefish

Atlantic Needlefish

Strongylura marina

Meet the silver arrow of the shallows. The Atlantic Needlefish is a sleek, surface-dwelling predator famous for its l...

Fish
Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray

Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray

Mobula hypostoma

The Atlantic Pygmy Devil Ray is a miniature marvel of the western Atlantic, known for its incredible acrobatic leaps ...

Fish
Atlantic Salmon

Atlantic Salmon

Salmo salar

Witness the 'King of Fish' on its epic journey from the deep ocean to mountain headwaters. A marvel of endurance and ...

Fish
Atlantic Sawtail Catshark

Atlantic Sawtail Catshark

Galeus atlanticus

A mysterious resident of the deep, the Atlantic Sawtail Catshark is a master of the Mediterranean's darkest corners. ...

Fish

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