Species library

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

973–1008 of 3912 species

Common Ostrich

Common Ostrich

Struthio camelus

The Common Ostrich is the undisputed heavyweight champion of the avian world. This flightless giant of the African sa...

Birds
Common Parasol

Common Parasol

Neurothemis fluctuans

A splash of crimson in the garden, the Common Parasol is one of Asia's most recognizable dragonflies. Known for its u...

Insects
Common Raccoon

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Meet the backyard's most clever opportunist, the 'masked bandit' known for its incredible dexterity and problem-solvi...

Mammals
Common Raven

Common Raven

Corvus corax

Meet the most intelligent bird in the Northern Hemisphere. From soaring over mountain peaks to solving puzzles in the...

Birds
Common Red Flash

Common Red Flash

Rapala iarbus

A metallic jewel of the Asian tropics, the Common Red Flash earns its name with every sun-drenched flight. This agile...

Insects
Common Red Soldier Beetle

Common Red Soldier Beetle

Rhagonycha fulva

The Common Red Soldier Beetle is a bright summer icon of the backyard garden, easily identified by its orange-red bod...

Insects
Common Redshank

Common Redshank

Tringa totanus

With its unmistakable bright orange legs and a piercing alarm call that earns it the nickname 'Sentinel of the Marshe...

Birds
Common Reed Warbler

Common Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus scirpaceus

A master of the marshes, the Common Reed Warbler is best known for its rhythmic chattering and its incredible archite...

Birds
Common Remora

Common Remora

Remora remora

The ultimate hitchhiker of the high seas, the Common Remora uses a unique suction-disk head to travel the world's oce...

Fish
Common Ringed Plover

Common Ringed Plover

Charadrius hiaticula

With its iconic black neck ring and bright orange legs, the Common Ringed Plover is the spirited sprinter of the shor...

Birds
common rinkhals

common rinkhals

Hemachatus haemachatus

Not a 'true' cobra but every bit as dramatic, the Rinkhals is famous for its striking white throat bands and its abil...

Reptiles
Common River Frog

Common River Frog

Amietia delalandii

The Common River Frog is the quintessential sound of a Southern African summer. Renowned for its Olympic-level jumpin...

Amphibians
Common Sandpiper

Common Sandpiper

Actitis hypoleucos

The Common Sandpiper is a tireless traveler of the world's waterways, instantly recognizable by its rhythmic tail-bob...

Birds
Common Sawshark

Common Sawshark

Pristiophorus cirratus

Equipped with a toothy 'saw' and sensitive whiskers, the Common Sawshark is a master of Australia's southern seafloor...

Fish
Common Scarlet

Common Scarlet

Axiocerses harpax

A flash of fire in the African savanna, the Common Scarlet is a dazzling butterfly known for its brilliant red wings ...

Insects
Common Scimitarbill

Common Scimitarbill

Rhinopomastus cyanomelas

With its signature sickle-shaped bill and shimmering midnight plumage, the Common Scimitarbill is the acrobat of the ...

Birds
Common Scoter

Common Scoter

Melanitta nigra

A sleek, velvety master of the northern waves, the Common Scoter is a deep-diving specialist known for its striking o...

Birds
Common Shelduck

Common Shelduck

Tadorna tadorna

With its striking piebald plumage and bright red bill, the Common Shelduck is a majestic sight on coastal mudflats. O...

Birds
Common Shiner

Common Shiner

Luxilus cornutus

A shimmering inhabitant of North American streams, the Common Shiner is a master of the underwater world, known for i...

Fish
Common Shrew

Common Shrew

Sorex araneus

The Common Shrew is a miniature marvel of the undergrowth, a velvet-clad hunter that lives life in the fast lane. Des...

Mammals
Common Silverline

Common Silverline

Cigaritis vulcanus

A master of disguise with shimmering metallic accents, the Common Silverline is a jewel of the South Asian landscape....

Insects
Common Slender Mongoose

Common Slender Mongoose

Herpestes sanguineus

The Common Slender Mongoose is Africa's most iconic backyard predator, known for its sleek silhouette and its signatu...

Mammals
Common Smooth-hound

Common Smooth-hound

Mustelus mustelus

Meet the 'Greyhound of the Sea,' a sleek and social coastal shark that roams the Atlantic shelf. Unlike its toothier ...

Fish
Common Snapping Turtle

Common Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

Meet the prehistoric survivor of North America's waterways. With its rugged shell and powerful jaws, the Common Snapp...

Reptiles
Common Snook

Common Snook

Centropomus undecimalis

Master of the mangroves and the king of the canal, the Common Snook is a sleek, powerful predator easily identified b...

Fish
Common Stingaree

Common Stingaree

Trygonoptera testacea

Australia's most abundant inshore ray, the Common Stingaree is a master of the 'sand-dance,' blending perfectly into ...

Fish
Common Stingray

Common Stingray

Dasyatis pastinaca

A silent glider of the sandy shallows, the Common Stingray blends perfectly into the seafloor of the Atlantic and Med...

Fish
Common Tern

Common Tern

Sterna hirundo

A master of the air and sea, the Common Tern is a graceful visitor to shorelines across the globe. Known for its stri...

Birds
Common Tit

Common Tit

Hypolycaena erylus

A master of disguise with 'false' antennae and shimmering wings, the Common Tit is one of the most charismatic small ...

Insects
Common Tody-Flycatcher

Common Tody-Flycatcher

Todirostrum cinereum

Meet the tiny powerhouse of the tropical garden. With its striking white eyes and an unmistakable side-to-side tail w...

Birds
Common Torpedo

Common Torpedo

Torpedo torpedo

Meet the ocean's living battery. The Common Torpedo is an electrifying ambush predator that hides in plain sight bene...

Fish
Common Treeshrew

Common Treeshrew

Tupaia glis

Meet the Common Treeshrew, a high-speed, long-snouted marvel of the Southeast Asian undergrowth. Neither a shrew nor ...

Mammals
Common Triplefin

Common Triplefin

Forsterygion lapillum

The Common Triplefin is the tiny, darting king of New Zealand's rock pools. With its unique three-finned silhouette a...

Fish
Common Two-banded Seabream

Common Two-banded Seabream

Diplodus vulgaris

The striped sentinel of the Mediterranean, known for its bold bands and curious personality. A favorite for coastal u...

Fish
Common Velvet Ground Beetle

Common Velvet Ground Beetle

Graphipterus limbatus

A master of the desert sprint, the Common Velvet Ground Beetle is a striking predator known for its high-speed hunts ...

Insects
Common Vole

Common Vole

Microtus arvalis

The common vole is a master architect of the undergrowth, creating hidden highways beneath our feet. These energetic ...

Mammals

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