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Wildlife in Tennessee

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

263,084
recent observations
30
species listed
11
plants
9
birds
6
insects & arthropods

Naturalists have logged 263,084 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Tennessee. The most frequently seen is the Northern Cardinal, with 15,271 recorded sightings.

Plants account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (11 of the species listed here), followed by birds (9).

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

Spotted Wintergreen
🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in Tennessee

Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
15,271 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
12,725 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
12,416 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
11,663 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
10,854 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
10,767 observations
Common Box Turtle
Terrapene carolina
10,598 observations
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
10,365 observations
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
10,173 observations
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
9,613 observations
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
9,151 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
9,050 observations
Mountain Laurel
Kalmia latifolia
8,438 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
8,126 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
8,037 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
7,709 observations
Downy Rattlesnake Plantain
Goodyera pubescens
7,697 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
7,675 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
7,394 observations
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
7,392 observations
Striped Wintergreen
Chimaphila maculata
7,152 observations
Eastern Carpenter Bee
Xylocopa virginica
7,077 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
7,054 observations
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
6,839 observations
Great Rhododendron
Rhododendron maximum
6,789 observations
American Cancer-root
Conopholis americana
6,773 observations
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
6,643 observations
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
6,634 observations
Galax
Galax urceolata
6,519 observations · iNaturalist
Common Jewelweed
Impatiens capensis
6,490 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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