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Wildlife in Kentucky

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

139,869
recent observations
30
species listed
14
plants
6
reptiles & amphibians
6
insects & arthropods

Naturalists have logged 139,869 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Kentucky. The most frequently seen is the Common Box Turtle, with 9,844 recorded sightings.

Plants account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (14 of the species listed here), followed by reptiles & amphibians (6).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in Kentucky

Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
9,844 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
6,550 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
6,146 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
5,785 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
5,496 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
5,394 observations
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
5,356 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
4,940 observations
Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
4,935 observations
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
4,732 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
4,725 observations
Blue Phlox
Phlox divaricata
4,602 observations
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
4,514 observations
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
4,366 observations
Amur Honeysuckle
Lonicera maackii
4,303 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
4,300 observations
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
4,300 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
4,297 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
4,265 observations
Dwarf Larkspur
Delphinium tricorne
4,207 observations · iNaturalist
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
4,154 observations
Rue Anemone
Thalictrum thalictroides
4,015 observations
Bold Jumping Spider
Phidippus audax
3,933 observations
Cut-leaved Toothwort
Cardamine concatenata
3,673 observations
Fowler's Toad
Anaxyrus fowleri
3,609 observations
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
3,529 observations
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
3,495 observations
Red Deadnettle
Lamium purpureum
3,476 observations · iNaturalist
Red-spotted Admiral
Limenitis arthemis
3,475 observations
White Snakeroot
Ageratina altissima
3,453 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.

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