Places › National Historical Parks › C&O Canal

Wildlife in Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park

Here’s what naturalists are spotting in C&O Canal right now - pulled live from recent research-grade observations. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.

140,221
recent observations
30
species listed
10
birds
9
plants
6
insects & arthropods

Naturalists have logged 140,221 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in C&O Canal. The most frequently seen is the White-tailed Deer, with 12,871 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (10 of the species listed here), followed by plants (9).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in C&O Canal

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
12,871 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
7,888 observations
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
7,019 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
6,200 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
5,690 observations
Spotted Lanternfly
Lycorma delicatula
5,531 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
5,184 observations
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
5,031 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
4,937 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
4,629 observations
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
4,468 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
4,332 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
4,314 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
4,232 observations
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
4,214 observations
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
4,046 observations
Garlic Mustard
Alliaria petiolata
3,876 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
3,873 observations
Huron Skipper
Atalopedes huron
3,749 observations · iNaturalist
Virginia Bluebells
Mertensia virginica
3,684 observations
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
3,662 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
3,637 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
3,629 observations
Wineberry
Rubus phoenicolasius
3,555 observations
Amur Honeysuckle
Lonicera maackii
3,522 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
3,330 observations
Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
3,328 observations
Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
3,321 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
3,287 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
3,182 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

Get rare-sighting alerts for C&O Canal

We’ll email you when an uncommon or rare species is spotted here. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

More wildlife near C&O Canal

Exploring C&O Canal?

Take Huck with you. Identify any wildlife you find in seconds, and watch the live map of what is being spotted in C&O Canal right now.

Get Huck

Exploring C&O Canal? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what naturalists are finding - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.