Species library
Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor
The Wilson's Phalarope is a shorebird that breaks all the rules, featuring brightly colored females and a unique 'vor...
Birds
Wilson's Plover
Anarhynchus wilsonia
Meet the beach's most dedicated crab-hunter. With its signature heavy bill and striking single band, the Wilson's Plo...
Birds
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
A secretive shorebird with a bill that acts like a precision tool, the Wilson's Snipe is the ultimate prize for backy...
Birds
Wilson's Warbler
Cardellina pusilla
A tiny spark of golden energy, the Wilson's Warbler is easily recognized by the male's dapper black cap and his restl...
Birds
Wing-barred Seedeater
Sporophila americana
A dapper little finch with striking tuxedo-like plumage, the Wing-barred Seedeater is a master of the grasslands. Wat...
Birds
Winter Wren
Troglodytes hiemalis
The Winter Wren is a tiny, feathered dynamo that brings a powerful voice to the forest floor. Often seen scurrying li...
Birds
Wolverine
Gulo gulo
The ghost of the high country, the wolverine is a symbol of rugged endurance and untamed spirit. With the strength of...
Mammals
Wonga Pigeon
Leucosarcia melanoleuca
Meet the Wonga Pigeon, the dapper, ground-dwelling giant of the Australian forest floor. With its striking black-and-...
Birds
Wood Carpet
Epirrhoe rivata
A masterpiece of natural geometry, the Wood Carpet moth brings a touch of intricate elegance to the night garden. Oft...
Insects
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
The Wood Duck is arguably North America's most stunning waterfowl, sporting a kaleidoscope of iridescent feathers and...
Birds
Wood Frog
Lithobates sylvaticus
The wood frog is a master of camouflage and a miracle of biology, capable of freezing solid during the winter. As the...
Amphibians
Wood Sandpiper
Tringa glareola
A dappled gem of the wetlands, the Wood Sandpiper is a graceful traveler known for its energetic bobbing and striking...
Birds
Wood Stork
Mycteria americana
Often called the 'Ironhead,' the Wood Stork is a living link to the prehistoric past. As the only stork species that ...
Birds
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
The Wood Thrush is the hidden virtuoso of the eastern forests, known for its spotted breast and a song that sounds li...
Birds
Wood Tiger Beetle
Cicindela sylvatica
Meet the 'cheetah' of the heathland. The Wood Tiger Beetle is a lightning-fast predator that combines a dark, bronzed...
Insects
Wood Warbler
Phylloscopus sibilatrix
A vibrant lemon-and-lime songbird of the high canopy, the Wood Warbler is a master of the ancient forest. Watch for i...
Birds
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma woodhouseii
A clever and understated beauty of the Interior West, the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay brings a flash of azure and a sharp w...
Birds
Woodhouse's Toad
Anaxyrus woodhousii
Meet the Woodhouse's Toad, the resilient garden guardian of the American West. With its distinct dorsal stripe and rh...
Amphibians
Woodland Kingfisher
Halcyon senegalensis
A flash of electric blue and a piercing, trilling song announce the arrival of the Woodland Kingfisher. This bold, ch...
Birds
Woodlark
Lullula arborea
The Woodlark is the soulful songster of the forest edge, blending perfectly into the heathland with its masterfully c...
Birds
Woolly Alder Aphid
Prociphilus tessellatus
Often mistaken for a fungus or a dusting of snow, the Woolly Alder Aphid is one of the most charismatic insects in th...
Insects
Woolly Apple Aphid
Eriosoma lanigerum
Often mistaken for a fungus or a bit of cotton, the Woolly Apple Aphid is a fascinating insect that builds its own wa...
Insects
Woolly Beech Aphid
Phyllaphis fagi
Look closely at the underside of beech leaves and you might find a miniature winter wonderland. These tiny sap-sucker...
Insects
Woolly Whitefly
Aleurothrixus floccosus
The Woolly Whitefly is a master of disguise, cloaking itself in intricate waxy curls. This tiny Neotropical native ha...
Insects
Wrinkled Frog
Glandirana rugosa
With its uniquely textured skin and resilient nature, the Wrinkled Frog is a master of camouflage in Japan's waterway...
Amphibians
Wrybill
Anarhynchus frontalis
The Wrybill is a true New Zealand original, holding the title of the only bird in the world with a beak that always c...
Birds
Wyoming Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus elegans
A vigilant sentry of the sagebrush, the Wyoming Ground Squirrel is a master of the high-plains hustle. Known for thei...
Mammals
Yacare Caiman
Caiman yacare
Often called the 'Piranha Caiman,' this resilient reptile is the undisputed star of South American wetlands. With its...
ReptilesYaldwyn's Triplefin
Notoclinops yaldwyni
A master of rocky camouflage, Yaldwyn's Triplefin is a vibrant yet elusive inhabitant of New Zealand's North Island r...
Fish
Yangtze Finless Porpoise
Neophocaena asiaeorientalis
The Yangtze Finless Porpoise is one of the few remaining freshwater cetaceans on Earth, known for its gentle 'smile' ...
Mammals
Yelkouan Shearwater
Puffinus yelkouan
The Yelkouan Shearwater is a hauntingly beautiful seabird that spends its life dancing over Mediterranean waves, retu...
Birds
Yellow Anaconda
Eunectes notaeus
The Yellow Anaconda is a stunning, golden titan of the South American wetlands. While smaller than its green cousin, ...
Reptiles
Yellow Baboon
Papio cynocephalus
With their golden coats and expressive, dog-like faces, Yellow Baboons are the charismatic socialites of the African ...
Mammals
Yellow-banded Bumble Bee
Bombus terricola
Meet the resilient Yellow-banded Bumble Bee, a master of the cold and a vital pollinator for northern gardens. With i...
Insects
Yellow Bass
Morone mississippiensis
With its brilliant brassy scales and bold racing stripes, the Yellow Bass is a striking inhabitant of North America's...
Fish
Yellow-bellied Elaenia
Elaenia flavogaster
The Yellow-bellied Elaenia is the charismatic 'punk rocker' of the tropical garden, recognizable by its spiky crest a...
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