Wildlife in Iowa

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

84,549

recent observations

30

species listed

10

birds

8

insects & arthropods

6

plants

Naturalists have logged 84,549 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Iowa. The most frequently seen is the House Sparrow, with 7,039 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (10 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (8).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in Iowa

Passer domesticus

7,039 observations

Danaus plexippus

5,631 observations

Common Eastern Bumble Bee

Bombus impatiens

5,281 observations

Turdus migratorius

4,116 observations

common milkweed

Asclepias syriaca

3,778 observations

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

3,686 observations

Brown-belted Bumble Bee

Bombus griseocollis

3,553 observations

Branta canadensis

3,409 observations

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

3,132 observations

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

2,538 observations

Asian Lady Beetle

Harmonia axyridis

2,493 observations

Anaxyrus americanus

2,367 observations

Eastern Fox Squirrel

2,347 observations

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

2,250 observations

tall bellflower

Campanulastrum americanum

2,230 observations · iNaturalist

Golden Oyster Mushroom

Pleurotus citrinopileatus

2,218 observations · iNaturalist

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

2,210 observations

Monarda fistulosa

2,158 observations

Vanessa atalanta

2,135 observations

Western Honey Bee

2,124 observations

Haemorhous mexicanus

2,101 observations

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

2,050 observations

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

2,031 observations

Anas platyrhynchos

2,029 observations

Amur honeysuckle

Lonicera maackii

2,001 observations

American Goldfinch

1,986 observations

Glechoma hederacea

1,973 observations · iNaturalist

American pokeweed

Phytolacca americana

1,916 observations

Black Swallowtail

Papilio polyxenes

1,907 observations

Silver-spotted Skipper

Epargyreus clarus

1,860 observations

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