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Monday, 5 October 2026

Global Animal Guide

Animals A–Z index Conservation Wildlife help

Animals of North America

North America stretches from Arctic sea ice to Central American rainforest. It is home to bald eagles, gray wolves, polar bears, and the critically endangered axolotl of Mexico.

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224 animal profiles from North America

Free-range chicken foraging in farmyard

Bird

Chicken

The world's most common bird

Arctic fox in thick white winter coat sitting on snow-covered tundra

Mammal

Arctic Fox

The white fox of the frozen tundra

Leatherback sea turtle with ridged leathery shell

Reptile

Leatherback Sea Turtle

The giant jellyfish specialist

Gray wolf standing alert in a snowy forest, looking into the distance

Mammal

Gray Wolf

The ancestor of the domestic dog

Brown bear standing in a mountain meadow with forest behind

Mammal

Brown Bear

The widespread bear of the Northern Hemisphere

Domestic cow grazing in a green pasture at sunrise

Mammal

Cow

The domestic cattle that feeds the world

Polar bear walking across Arctic sea ice under a pale sky

Mammal

Polar Bear

The largest land carnivore, ruler of the Arctic

Grizzly bear standing in a shallow river with pine forest behind

Mammal

Grizzly Bear

North America's iconic brown bear

Hawksbill turtle on coral reef

Critically Endangered

Reptile

Hawksbill Sea Turtle

The tortoiseshell turtle

Sperm whale with wrinkled head breaching in open ocean

Mammal

Sperm Whale

The deep-diving giant with the largest brain

Alligator snapping turtle with ridged shell and hooked beak resting on a muddy riverbed

Reptile

Alligator Snapping Turtle

The prehistoric lure-fishing giant of American rivers

Ocean sunfish basking at sea surface

Fish

Ocean Sunfish

The heaviest bony fish

American black bear foraging in a deciduous forest

Mammal

American Black Bear

North America's adaptable forest bear

Rainbow trout with pink stripe in clear mountain stream

Fish

Rainbow Trout

The colourful fly-fisher's favourite

California condor soaring with white underwing triangles and numbered wing tag visible

Critically Endangered

Bird

California Condor

North America's largest flying land bird

Geoffroy's spider monkey hanging by its prehensile tail from a rainforest branch

Mammal

Geoffroy's Spider Monkey

The long-limbed acrobat of Central American forests

Male elephant seal on beach with trunk-like nose

Mammal

Northern Elephant Seal

The deep-diving seal giant

Reindeer herd migrating across snowy Arctic tundra

Mammal

Reindeer

The Arctic migrator and both-sex antlered deer

Thresher shark with extremely long tail fin

Fish

Thresher Shark

The whip-tailed hunter

Bull elk with large antlers bugling in a mountain meadow

Mammal

Elk

The bugling giant of North American meadows

Walrus with long tusks resting on Arctic sea ice

Mammal

Walrus

The tusked giant of the Arctic ice

White beluga whale swimming in Arctic water

Near Threatened

Mammal

Beluga Whale

The white whale of the Arctic

Red deer stag with branched antlers in misty woodland

Mammal

Red Deer

The roaring stag of Eurasian woodlands

Giant anteater with bushy tail walking on knuckles in grassland

Mammal

Giant Anteater

South America's two-metre tongue specialist

Scarlet macaw with red body and blue-and-yellow wing covert perched on a rainforest canopy branch

Bird

Scarlet Macaw

Iconic red-and-blue rainforest parrot

Loggerhead sea turtle swimming in ocean

Reptile

Loggerhead Sea Turtle

The powerful-jawed sea turtle

Wild boar with bristly coat and tusks in European woodland

Mammal

Wild Boar

The ancestor of the domestic pig

Channel catfish with barbels near river bottom

Fish

Channel Catfish

North America's whiskered bottom feeder

Osprey diving talons-first toward water with white head and dark eye stripe visible

Bird

Osprey

The fish-hunting raptor of coasts and lakes

North American beaver swimming with stick in mouth near a dam

Mammal

North American Beaver

Nature's engineer of wetlands

Fin whale surfacing with asymmetric jaw in cold ocean waters

Mammal

Fin Whale

The sleek greyhound of the seas

Copperhead coiled on leaf litter showing hourglass crossbands and copper-coloured head

Reptile

Copperhead

Common US pit viper with hourglass bands

Basking shark with cavernous open mouth filtering near the surface of a green coastal sea

Fish

Basking Shark

Second-largest fish; gentle plankton feeder

Pink axolotl with feathery external gills underwater

Critically Endangered

Amphibian

Axolotl

The salamander that never grows up and can regrow body parts

Brown-throated three-toed sloth hanging from a mossy branch in the rainforest canopy

Mammal

Sloth

The slowest mammal on Earth

Domestic pig rooting in pasture

Mammal

Domestic Pig

The intelligent farm mammal

Sand tiger shark showing protruding teeth

Fish

Sand Tiger Shark

The toothy aquarium shark

Bobcat with spotted coat pausing in woodland understory

Mammal

Bobcat

North America's adaptable wild cat

Rooster with red comb crowing at sunrise in a farmyard

Bird

Rooster

The crowing guardian of the barnyard flock

White whooping crane with black wingtips and red crown walking in a coastal marsh

Bird

Whooping Crane

Tallest North American bird and conservation icon

Bald eagle with a white head and yellow beak perched on a branch

Bird

Bald Eagle

The fish-hunting raptor and national bird of the United States

Wolverine with thick brown fur crossing snow in boreal forest

Mammal

Wolverine

The fierce scavenger of the boreal north

Canada geese flying in V formation

Bird

Canada Goose

The honking V-formation flyer

Mule deer buck with large ears in sagebrush country

Mammal

Mule Deer

The big-eared deer of western North America

Sea otter floating on its back on calm ocean water

Mammal

Sea Otter

The tool-using keystone of the kelp forest

West Indian manatee floating in clear turquoise spring water, showing its rounded grey body and paddle-like flippers

Mammal

Manatee

The gentle sea cow of warm coastal waters

Domestic ferret with playful expression

Mammal

Ferret

The playful domestic mustelid

Capuchin monkey in tropical forest

Mammal

Capuchin Monkey

The clever New World monkey

Goat standing on rocky outcrop

Mammal

Domestic Goat

The agile browser

Nurse shark resting on sandy seabed

Fish

Nurse Shark

The docile reef bottom-dweller

Female black widow hanging upside-down in a cobweb showing red hourglass on abdomen

Invertebrate

Black Widow

Venomous cobweb spider with a red hourglass

Jaguar with a rosette-patterned coat walking along a rainforest riverbank

Near Threatened

Mammal

Jaguar

The Americas' largest and most powerful cat

Howler monkey in tropical tree canopy

Mammal

Howler Monkey

The loudest land animal in the Americas

Ocelot with rosetted coat in dappled forest light

Mammal

Ocelot

The spotted cat of the Americas

Male ring-necked pheasant with long tail in autumn field

Bird

Common Pheasant

The ring-necked game bird of field and forest

Great barracuda with silver body and underbite hovering over a coral reef ledge

Fish

Great Barracuda

Torpedo-shaped reef ambush predator

Eastern diamondback rattlesnake with brown diamonds edged in white coiled in wiregrass

Reptile

Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake

Largest rattlesnake of North America

Red fox with a bushy tail standing in a snowy field looking alert

Mammal

Red Fox

The most widespread wild carnivore on Earth

American alligator resting at the edge of a sunlit swamp with reeds

Reptile

American Alligator

The armored survivor of the southern swamps

Water buffalo wallowing in muddy pool

Mammal

Water Buffalo

The wallowing bovine of Asia

Sandhill crane pair dancing with wings spread

Bird

Sandhill Crane

North America's dancing crane

Sheep flock grazing on hillside pasture

Mammal

Domestic Sheep

Humanity's oldest livestock

Nine-banded armadillo with armoured bands foraging on grass

Mammal

Nine-Banded Armadillo

North America's armoured digger

Largemouth bass with open mouth near lily pads

Fish

Largemouth Bass

America's favourite freshwater game fish

Pronghorn buck with black cheek patches and forked horns running across open sagebrush

Mammal

Pronghorn

Fastest land mammal in the Americas

Breeding common loon with black head and white-checkered back floating on a still boreal lake

Bird

Common Loon

Iconic diving bird of northern lakes

Raccoon with a black mask standing on a fallen log in a forest at dusk

Mammal

Raccoon

The masked, clever-handed night raider

Muskox with curved horns standing on Arctic tundra

Mammal

Muskox

The Ice Age survivor of the Arctic

Brown lemming on Arctic tundra

Mammal

Brown Lemming

The tundra rodent of myth

Brown pelican diving into ocean for fish

Bird

Brown Pelican

The plunge-diving fisher

Largetooth sawfish with long toothed rostrum swimming over an estuarine sandbank

Critically Endangered

Fish

Largetooth Sawfish

Giant ray with a toothed rostral saw

Blue-footed booby lifting bright turquoise feet in a courtship display on bare rock

Bird

Blue-footed Booby

Plunge-diving seabird with vivid blue feet

California sea lion resting on a coastal rock, showing its sleek brown fur, whiskers, and small external ear flaps

Mammal

Sea Lion

The agile, barking acrobat of the coast

Narwhal surfacing in cold Arctic water near pack ice, showing its mottled body and long spiraled ivory tusk

Mammal

Narwhal

The tusked unicorn of the sea

Spectacled caiman basking at the edge of an Amazon wetland

Reptile

Spectacled Caiman

The common crocodilian of the Americas

Grey seal pup with white lanugo coat

Mammal

Grey Seal

The horse-faced seal of the Atlantic

Male wild turkey displaying fanned tail

Bird

Wild Turkey

North America's ground bird

Eastern box turtle with domed shell

Reptile

Eastern Box Turtle

North America's hinged turtle

Atlantic cod with barbel on chin over sandy seabed

Fish

Atlantic Cod

The fish that built Atlantic nations

Bighorn ram with full curl horns standing on a rocky desert mountain ledge

Mammal

Bighorn Sheep

Mountain sheep with massive curling horns

Male house sparrow with grey crown and black bib perched on a brick wall

Bird

House Sparrow

Ubiquitous sparrow of towns and farms

Common garter snake with three light longitudinal stripes crossing damp garden mulch

Reptile

Common Garter Snake

Familiar harmless snake of North American yards

Tarantula on rocky desert ground with detailed hairy legs

Invertebrate

Tarantula

The large, hairy spider with a gentle reputation

Black-tailed prairie dog standing at burrow entrance

Mammal

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

The keystone burrower of the plains

Eastern coral snake with red, yellow, and black rings on sandy pine-woods soil

Reptile

Eastern Coral Snake

Brightly banded venomous elapid of the Southeast

Mountain goat with long white coat and black horns standing on a near-vertical cliff ledge

Mammal

Mountain Goat

Sure-footed climber of North American peaks

Goblin shark with pinkish body and protruded jaws beneath an elongated snout in deep water

Fish

Goblin Shark

Deep-sea shark with a protrusible jaw

Bright orange goldfish swimming in clear aquarium water

Fish

Goldfish

The world's most popular pet fish

Painted turtle basking on log in pond

Reptile

Painted Turtle

The pond slider of North America

Minke whale surfacing with pointed snout in cold coastal waters

Mammal

Minke Whale

The smallest and most abundant rorqual

Muskrat with scaly tail swimming in a cattail marsh

Mammal

Muskrat

North America's pond-building rodent

Sidewinder rattlesnake with supraocular horns leaving J-shaped tracks on desert sand

Reptile

Sidewinder

Horned rattlesnake that sidewinds across dunes

Male magnificent frigatebird with inflated scarlet gular pouch soaring over mangroves

Bird

Magnificent Frigatebird

Aerial pirate with a scarlet throat pouch

Silver oarfish with red dorsal crest swimming vertically in open blue water

Fish

Oarfish

World's longest bony fish

Monarch butterfly with orange and black wings perched on a purple flower

Insect

Monarch Butterfly

The insect that migrates thousands of miles

Groundhog standing near burrow entrance

Mammal

Groundhog

North America's weather-watching marmot

North American porcupine with quills raised in a tree

Mammal

North American Porcupine

The quilled climber of northern forests

Leafcutter ant workers carrying green leaf discs in a trail across rainforest floor

Insect

Leafcutter Ant

Ant farmers that cut leaves to grow fungus

White winter snowshoe hare with oversized hind feet sitting in snow beneath spruce

Mammal

Snowshoe Hare

Colour-changing hare of northern forests

Barn owl with a heart-shaped white face perched on a wooden post at dusk

Bird

Barn Owl

The ghostly, heart-faced night hunter

American mink on riverbank

Mammal

American Mink

The semi-aquatic mustelid

Donkey standing in a sunny pasture with long ears forward

Mammal

Donkey

The hardy working companion of arid lands

Brown recluse spider showing violin marking on cephalothorax

Invertebrate

Brown Recluse Spider

The violin-marked spider of the American South

Northern goshawk with barred grey underparts launching through a mature pine forest

Bird

Northern Goshawk

Powerful forest hawk of the north

Green basilisk with sail-like head and dorsal crests running bipedally across a stream

Reptile

Green Basilisk

Jesus Christ lizard that runs on water

Bed bug on mattress seam beside a penny for scale

Insect

Bed Bug

The blood-feeding pest of mattresses worldwide

Barn swallow in flight showing deeply forked tail streamers and rufous throat

Bird

Barn Swallow

Fork-tailed aerial insectivore of farms

White-tailed deer buck with antlers in a misty forest clearing at dawn

Mammal

White-tailed Deer

The Americas' most familiar deer

Harbor seal resting on a sandy beach, showing its spotted silver-grey coat and large dark eyes with no external ears

Mammal

Harbor Seal

The shy, spotted true seal of northern coasts

Northern flying squirrel gliding between conifer trees at dusk

Mammal

Northern Flying Squirrel

North America's gliding rodent

Stoat in brown summer coat

Mammal

Stoat

The ermine in winter white

Blacklegged tick on a green leaf with legs spread

Invertebrate

Blacklegged Tick

The Lyme disease vector of eastern forests

Breeding male American goldfinch with lemon-yellow body and black forehead on a thistle head

Bird

American Goldfinch

Bright yellow finch of North American fields

Fisher with dark brown coat and long bushy tail climbing a conifer trunk in snowy forest

Mammal

Fisher

Arboreal mustelid that can prey on porcupines

Army ant swarm of Eciton workers cascading over leaf litter in a rainforest raid

Insect

Army Ant

Nomadic swarm-raiding ants of the Neotropics

Coyote standing alert in a dry North American grassland at golden hour

Mammal

Coyote

North America's adaptable 'song dog'

American crow with glossy black feathers perched on a bare branch

Bird

Crow

The glossy black genius of the bird world

Green anole male with extended pink dewlap clinging to a garden fence post

Reptile

Green Anole

Colour-changing lizard of southern US gardens

Eastern gray squirrel sitting upright holding a nut with its bushy tail curled behind

Mammal

Squirrel

The agile, tree-climbing rodent of parks and woods

Red ladybug with black spots resting on a green leaf

Insect

Ladybug

The spotted beetle gardeners love

Chuckwalla with loose folds of skin flattened against dark desert basalt

Reptile

Chuckwalla

Rock-dwelling desert lizard that inflates to wedge itself

Otter floating on its back in calm water with sleek wet fur and whiskers

Mammal

Otter

The playful, water-loving member of the weasel family

Mudpuppy with bushy red external gills walking on a submerged river rock

Amphibian

Mudpuppy

Fully aquatic salamander with external gills

Bat with outstretched skin-membrane wings flying against a dark night sky

Mammal

Bat

The only mammals capable of true flight

Ruby-throated hummingbird hovering beside a red flower with wings blurred in motion

Bird

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

A tiny hovering bird with a blazing throat

Silver Atlantic salmon leaping up a rushing river

Fish

Atlantic Salmon

The fish that swims upriver to spawn

Close-up of a black ant standing on soil

Insect

Ant

The tireless team-working insect

American bison with a shaggy dark brown coat and curved horns standing on open prairie

Near Threatened

Mammal

American Bison

North America's largest land animal

Cougar with tan fur crouched on a rocky outcrop in a mountainous landscape

Mammal

Cougar

The wide-ranging big cat with many names

Bull moose with large flat antlers standing in a shallow lake surrounded by forest

Mammal

Moose

The largest member of the deer family

Boa constrictor with brown saddle markings coiled around a tree branch

Reptile

Boa Constrictor

The powerful constricting snake of the Americas

Northern harrier gliding low over a marsh with white rump patch and owl-like facial disc visible

Bird

Northern Harrier

Owl-faced hawk of North American marshes

Roseate spoonbill wading in shallow lagoon with pink plumage and spatulate bill sweeping the water

Bird

Roseate Spoonbill

Pink wader with a sweeping spoon bill

American white ibis probing wet lawn with curved red bill and black-tipped wings folded

Bird

American White Ibis

Red-billed white wader of the Southeast

Wood stork standing in shallow swamp with dark bald head and thick downcurved bill

Bird

Wood Stork

Tactile-fishing stork of southern swamps

Jabiru stork wading in flooded savanna with black neck, red neck base, and enormous bill

Bird

Jabiru

Giant stork of Neotropical wetlands

Northern gannet plunge-diving into grey Atlantic water with wings folded and yellow head

Bird

Northern Gannet

Plunge-diving giant of Atlantic cliffs

Common murre standing upright on narrow cliff ledge beside pear-shaped speckled egg

Bird

Common Murre

Pear-egg diver of northern sea cliffs

Willow ptarmigan in white winter plumage with black tail and red eyebrow on snowy tundra

Bird

Willow Ptarmigan

Snow-white grouse of Arctic willows

Ruffed grouse on log with raised black neck ruff and crested head in autumn forest

Bird

Ruffed Grouse

Drumming phantom of northern woods

Flock of starlings swirling in dense murmuration against an orange winter sunset sky

Bird

Common Starling

Speckled invader of global cityscapes

Nine-banded armadillo rooting in leaf litter showing segmented armour plates and long snout

Mammal

Nine-banded Armadillo

Armoured digger marching through the Americas

Collared peccary standing in desert scrub with pale neck band and bristly dark coat

Mammal

Collared Peccary

Collared herd animal of American scrublands

Dall ram on alpine ridge with massive curling horns and pure white winter coat

Mammal

Dall Sheep

White horned climber of northern peaks

Spring peeper clinging to wetland reed with X-shaped cross on back and inflated vocal sac

Amphibian

Spring Peeper

Thumb-sized herald of eastern spring

Pacific tree frog on coastal fern with dark eye stripe and green or brown skin

Amphibian

Pacific Tree Frog

West Coast chorus frog behind the movie ribbit

Megamouth shark with wide rubbery lips and luminous white band around deep ocean mouth

Fish

Megamouth Shark

Deep-sea filter ghost discovered in 1976

Lemon shark cruising mangrove shallows with pale yellow sides and broad blunt snout

Fish

Lemon Shark

Yellow coastal shark of mangrove nurseries

Oceanic whitetip shark with rounded dorsal fin and mottled white-tipped pectoral fins in blue water

Critically Endangered

Fish

Oceanic Whitetip Shark

Critically Endangered lord of the open ocean

Porbeagle shark with white flank patch and stout body gliding through cold Atlantic water

Fish

Porbeagle

Warm-blooded hunter of cold Atlantic seas

Cookiecutter shark showing oval bite scar pattern and greenish glow from belly photophores

Fish

Cookiecutter Shark

Bioluminescent plug-biter of the deep

Lanternfish with silver flank and glowing photophore dots in deep Atlantic water

Fish

Lanternfish

Bioluminescent commuter of the twilight zone

Sloane's viperfish with needle teeth, gaping jaws, and green photophores along flank

Fish

Viperfish

Fang-faced ambusher of the abyss

Gulper eel with enormous dark mouth and thread-like glowing tail tip in black water

Fish

Gulper Eel

Pelican-jawed phantom of the abyss

Bonnethead shark with rounded hammer head cruising seagrass bed in clear shallows

Fish

Bonnethead

Seagrass-munching hammerhead of warm shallows

Red abalone with oval shell and row of respiratory pores clinging to California kelp reef

Critically Endangered

Invertebrate

Red Abalone

Critically Endangered nacre snail of Pacific kelp

Live sand dollar partially buried in Atlantic sand showing purple spine fringe and flower pattern

Invertebrate

Sand Dollar

Buried flower of Atlantic sand flats

Gumboot chiton on rocky tidepool with brick-red leathery mantle covering eight shell plates

Invertebrate

Gumboot Chiton

Leathery giant of Pacific tidepools

Moon jellyfish pulsing with four pink horseshoe gonads visible through transparent bell

Invertebrate

Moon Jellyfish

Glass-disc drifter of harbours worldwide

Vampire squid hovering in deep water with webbed arms and red-blue photophores

Invertebrate

Vampire Squid

Detritus-eating cape of the oxygen minimum zone

Dumbo octopus hovering above abyssal mud with ear-like fins flapping beside pale body

Invertebrate

Dumbo Octopus

Fin-flapping octopus of the abyssal plain

Giant Pacific octopus with reddish skin and suckered arms flowing from rocky den

Invertebrate

Giant Pacific Octopus

Largest octopus of the North Pacific

Water bear tardigrade with eight stubby legs and barrel body viewed under microscope

Invertebrate

Water Bear

Near-indestructible moss dweller under the microscope

Transparent sea angel with wing-like parapodia and orange gut visible in cold polar water

Invertebrate

Sea Angel

Shell-less winged hunter of polar seas

Eastern carpenter bee hovering at azalea blossom with shiny black abdomen and yellow thorax fuzz

Insect

Carpenter Bee

Wood-boring giant bee of eastern gardens

Snowy owl with white plumage and yellow eyes perched on snow-covered ground

Bird

Snowy Owl

The white owl of the Arctic tundra

Close-up of a mosquito with slender legs resting on skin

Insect

Mosquito

The tiny insect with an outsized impact

Fuzzy black and yellow bumblebee gathering pollen on a purple flower

Insect

Bumblebee

The fuzzy, hard-working pollinator of meadows and gardens

Yellow and black common wasp resting on a wooden surface

Insect

Wasp

The yellow-and-black predator and scavenger of summer

Glossy black widow spider hanging in its web showing the red hourglass marking

Invertebrate

Black Widow Spider

The glossy black spider with the red hourglass

Eastern chipmunk with striped back and full cheek pouches perched on a mossy log

Mammal

Chipmunk

The striped, cheek-stuffing squirrel of North America

Large green American bullfrog sitting at the edge of a pond among reeds

Amphibian

American Bullfrog

North America's largest and loudest frog

Firefly glowing yellow-green on a leaf in the dark

Insect

Firefly

The glowing beetle of warm summer nights

Blue crab with bright blue claws and a broad shell on a sandy estuary bottom

Invertebrate

Blue Crab

The swift swimming crab of Atlantic estuaries

Western diamondback rattlesnake coiled with raised rattle on dry desert ground

Reptile

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

The venomous pit viper with a warning rattle

Corn snake with orange and red blotched pattern coiled on a wooden surface

Reptile

Corn Snake

The gentle, colorful beginner's pet snake

Common snapping turtle with a rugged shell and hooked jaws standing on a muddy bank

Reptile

Snapping Turtle

The powerful-jawed freshwater turtle of North America

Cicada with clear veined wings clinging to a tree trunk

Insect

Cicada

The loud summer singer with a long underground youth

Atlantic horseshoe crab with a domed shell and long pointed tail on a sandy beach

Invertebrate

Atlantic Horseshoe Crab

The ancient living fossil with blue blood

Close-up of a fuzzy jumping spider with large round front eyes on a leaf

Invertebrate

Jumping Spider

The big-eyed spider that pounces on its prey

Common vampire bat perched on a branch at night showing its small nose and teeth

Mammal

Vampire Bat

The only mammal that lives entirely on blood

Striped skunk with bold white stripes on black fur and bushy tail walking through grass

Mammal

Skunk

The black-and-white mammal with a chemical defence

Atlantic puffin with a colorful orange and blue bill standing on a grassy cliff

Bird

Atlantic Puffin

The colorful 'sea parrot' of the North Atlantic

Peregrine falcon perched on a cliff ledge with slate-grey back and barred chest

Bird

Peregrine Falcon

The fastest animal on the planet

Green praying mantis perched on a stem with front legs raised

Insect

Praying Mantis

The patient ambush predator with folded arms

Pale termites clustered on dark decaying wood

Insect

Termite

The colony-building recycler of dead wood

Common housefly with red eyes and clear wings resting on a surface

Insect

Housefly

The familiar fly found wherever people live

Reddish-brown centipede with long antennae and many legs on damp leaf litter

Invertebrate

Centipede

The fast, venomous predator with many legs

Gila monster with black and orange beaded skin walking across desert sand

Near Threatened

Reptile

Gila Monster

One of the few venomous lizards

Garter snake with yellow stripes along a dark body resting in green grass

Reptile

Garter Snake

One of North America's most common and widespread snakes

Golden eagle perched on a rocky crag showing golden-brown nape feathers and powerful talons

Bird

Golden Eagle

One of the largest and fastest birds of prey

Pale green luna moth with long curved tails on its hindwings resting on bark

Insect

Luna Moth

The large, pale-green silk moth with long tails

Dark blue-green American lobster with large front claws on a rocky seabed

Invertebrate

American Lobster

The long-lived clawed crustacean of cold seas

Dark cylindrical millipede curled on the forest floor with many short legs

Invertebrate

Millipede

The slow, many-legged recycler of the forest floor

Weasel standing upright on its hind legs in a grassy field showing its slender brown body and white underside

Mammal

Weasel

Britain's smallest carnivore, built for chasing prey into burrows

Virginia opossum with pale grey fur, pink nose, and hairless tail on a tree branch at night

Mammal

Opossum

North America's only marsupial

Red-eyed tree frog with vivid red eyes and orange feet clinging to a green leaf

Amphibian

Red-Eyed Tree Frog

The bright-eyed icon of the rainforest canopy

Mottled gray tree frog with large toe pads clinging to a tree branch

Amphibian

Gray Tree Frog

The color-changing tree frog of eastern forests

Northern mockingbird perched on a branch with beak open, grey with white wing patches

Bird

Northern Mockingbird

The bird that learns 200+ songs and sings through the night

Blue dragonfly with outstretched transparent wings resting on a reed

Insect

Dragonfly

The agile aerial hunter of ponds and streams

Close-up of a dark, flattened flea with long hind legs

Insect

Flea

The wingless parasite famous for jumping

Green iguana with spiny crest and dewlap perched on a tree branch in the rainforest

Reptile

Green Iguana

The large tree-dwelling lizard of the tropics

Red-tailed hawk perched on a branch showing its rust-red tail and hooked beak against a blue sky

Bird

Red-tailed Hawk

North America's most familiar soaring hawk

Glossy black common raven perched on a weathered branch with a thick beak

Bird

Common Raven

One of the world's most intelligent birds

Vaquita porpoise with dark eye and lip markings surfacing in blue-green sea

Critically Endangered

Mammal

Vaquita

The world's most endangered marine mammal

Black spotted salamander with two rows of bright yellow spots on the forest floor

Amphibian

Spotted Salamander

The yellow-spotted salamander of eastern forests

Male mallard duck with iridescent green head and yellow bill floating on calm water

Bird

Mallard

The familiar wild duck found around the world

Green grasshopper with long hind legs perched on a blade of grass

Insect

Grasshopper

The jumping insect of fields and meadows

Great horned owl with prominent ear tufts and yellow eyes perched in a forest at dusk

Bird

Great Horned Owl

The powerful nocturnal hunter with feathered tufts

Blue jay with vivid blue crest and black necklace markings perched on an oak branch

Bird

Blue Jay

The bold, noisy blue songbird of North America

Large brown warty cane toad sitting on damp soil at night

Amphibian

Cane Toad

A large, toxic toad turned invasive pest

Brilliant red male northern cardinal with black face mask perched on a snowy branch

Bird

Northern Cardinal

The bright red songbird of North American gardens

American robin with orange-red breast standing on green grass

Bird

American Robin

The orange-breasted herald of spring

Large black rhinoceros beetle with a curved horn on a log

Insect

Rhinoceros Beetle

One of the strongest animals for its size

Brown-shelled garden snail gliding across a green leaf

Invertebrate

Garden Snail

The slow, shell-carrying garden mollusk

Brown cockroach with long antennae on a flat surface

Insect

Cockroach

The hardy survivor that lives almost anywhere

Brown cricket with long antennae and hind legs on the ground

Insect

Cricket

The chirping insect of warm evenings

Reddish-brown earthworm on dark moist soil

Invertebrate

Earthworm

The soil engineer that enriches the earth

Tiny translucent glass frog on a leaf with internal organs visible through its skin

Amphibian

Glass Frog

The frog with see-through skin

Stout dark tiger salamander with yellow blotches crawling across damp soil

Amphibian

Tiger Salamander

A stout, burrowing salamander of North America

Brown wood frog with a dark eye mask sitting on damp leaf litter in a forest

Amphibian

Wood Frog

The frog that freezes solid to survive winter

Bright orange red eft, the juvenile stage of the eastern newt, on a mossy log

Amphibian

Eastern Newt

The newt with a bright orange land stage

Large flat brown hellbender salamander with wrinkled skin on a streambed rock

Amphibian

Hellbender

North America's giant, fully aquatic salamander

Close-up of a yellowjacket wasp with bold yellow and black stripes on a leaf

Insect

Yellowjacket

The bold black-and-yellow social wasp