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Wildlife in North Carolina

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

516,478
recent observations
30
species listed
11
birds
8
insects & arthropods
6
plants

Naturalists have logged 516,478 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in North Carolina. The most frequently seen is the Eastern Gray Squirrel, with 29,853 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (11 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (8).

Rarer finds confirmed in North Carolina include Spotted Wintergreen - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

Spotted Wintergreen
🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in North Carolina

Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
29,853 observations
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
26,884 observations
Green Anole
Anolis carolinensis
26,851 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
26,787 observations
Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
25,520 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
23,275 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
21,538 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
19,582 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
18,900 observations
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica
18,819 observations
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
18,760 observations
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
17,873 observations
American Sweetgum
Liquidambar styraciflua
15,973 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
15,689 observations
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
15,640 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
14,891 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
14,758 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
13,882 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
13,201 observations
Striped Wintergreen
Chimaphila maculata
13,076 observations
Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
13,026 observations
Crane-fly Orchid
Tipularia discolor
12,842 observations · iNaturalist
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
12,617 observations
Silver-spotted Skipper
Epargyreus clarus
12,611 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
12,571 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
12,527 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
12,424 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
12,185 observations
Yellow Garden Spider
Argiope aurantia
12,023 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
11,900 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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