Wildlife near Scottsdale, AZ

Scottsdale runs from the valley floor up into the McDowell Mountains, and the desert preserve on its edge is one of the largest in any American city. Javelinas, coyotes, and desert cottontails move through the washes, Gila woodpeckers and cactus wrens nest in the saguaros, and Harris’s hawks hunt in family groups. Desert bighorn range the McDowells, and Gila monsters turn up after summer rains.

Everything below is pulled live from recent research-grade observations near Scottsdale. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.

Most-observed species near Scottsdale

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.