Species library
Field marks, habits, and camera tips for the wildlife that visits backyard habitats.
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
Chelydra serpentina
Meet the prehistoric survivor of North America's waterways. With its rugged shell and powerful jaws, the Common Snapp...
Reptiles
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 Squirrel Monkey
Saimiri sciureus
A social powerhouse of the Amazonian canopy, the Common Squirrel Monkey is easily recognized by its 'death's head' fa...
Mammals
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
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
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
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
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
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
Tupaia glis
Meet the Common Treeshrew, a high-speed, long-snouted marvel of the Southeast Asian undergrowth. Neither a shrew nor ...
Mammals
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
Diplodus vulgaris
The striped sentinel of the Mediterranean, known for its bold bands and curious personality. A favorite for coastal u...
FishCommon 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
Microtus arvalis
The common vole is a master architect of the undergrowth, creating hidden highways beneath our feet. These energetic ...
Mammals
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
With their iconic tusks and vertical tails, Common Warthogs are the spirited 'architects' of the African savanna. The...
Mammals
Common Water Monitor
Varanus salvator
The Common Water Monitor is the world's second-largest lizard and a master of the Asian wetlands. Intelligent, adapta...
Reptiles
Common Watersnake
Nerodia sipedon
The Common Watersnake is North America's most frequent aquatic visitor, often seen sunning itself on riverbanks or gl...
Reptiles
Common Whitetail
Plathemis lydia
A bold guardian of the garden pond, the Common Whitetail stands out with its striking chalk-white body and checkered ...
Insects
Common Whitethroat
Curruca communis
With its brilliant white throat and energetic song flights, the Common Whitethroat is the quintessential sound of a t...
Birds
Common Wildebeest
Connochaetes taurinus
Witness the thunderous heart of the African savanna. The Common Wildebeest is a resilient nomad, famous for its epic ...
Mammals
Common Wolf Snake
Lycodon capucinus
A slender, nocturnal climber often found in garden walls and rafters, the Common Wolf Snake is a non-venomous gecko s...
Reptiles
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
Meet the 'Yellow Bandit' of the brush—a charismatic warbler known for its bold black mask and rhythmic 'witchety' son...
Birds
Comstock Mealybug
Pseudococcus comstocki
A tiny, waxy hitchhiker from East Asia, the Comstock Mealybug has become a master of disguise in backyard orchards wo...
Insects
Congo Dwarf Crocodile
Osteolaemus osborni
Meet the world's smallest crocodile, a shy 'living fossil' that prowls the flooded forests of the Congo Basin by night.
Reptiles
Connecticut Warbler
Oporornis agilis
A secretive ghost of the boreal bogs, the Connecticut Warbler is a master of the forest floor, distinguished by its r...
BirdsConvergent Lady Beetle
Hippodamia convergens
The ultimate garden ally, the Convergent Lady Beetle is famous for its massive mountain migrations and its distinctiv...
Insects
Convex Slippersnail
Crepidula convexa
Meet the tiny hitchhiker of the shoreline. The Convex Slippersnail is a master of camouflage and coastal adaptation, ...
Insects
Convict Blenny
Pholidichthys leucotaenia
The ultimate architect of the reef, the Convict Blenny builds vast underground cities and exhibits some of the most u...
Fish
Cook's Petrel
Pterodroma cookii
A master of the Pacific winds, Cook's Petrel journeys from the deep ocean to the high forests of New Zealand. This el...
Birds
Cook's Scorpionfish
Scorpaena cardinalis
The Cook's Scorpionfish is the South Pacific's most colorful master of disguise, blending perfectly into rocky reefs ...
Fish
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
The 'fighter pilot' of the backyard, the Cooper's Hawk is a master of speed and agility, turning suburban gardens int...
Birds
Copper Flash
Rapala pheretima
A shimmering jewel of the tropical garden, the Copper Flash is known for its metallic orange glow and high-speed aeri...
Insects
Copper Rockfish
Sebastes caurinus
The patient sentinel of the Pacific reefs, the Copper Rockfish is a master of camouflage and a long-lived resident of...
Fish
Copper-rumped Hummingbird
Saucerottia tobaci
A bold and territorial jewel of the Caribbean, the Copper-rumped Hummingbird dazzles with its metallic green plumage ...
Birds
Copperhead Rat Snake
Coelognathus radiatus
Meet Asia's most dramatic nonvenomous serpent, a master of mimicry with a signature copper crown. Famous for its thea...
ReptilesNot sure what you saw?
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