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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.

139,576
recent observations
30
species listed
14
plants
6
reptiles & amphibians
6
insects & arthropods

Naturalists have logged 139,576 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Kentucky. The most frequently seen is the Common Box Turtle, with 9,817 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
9,817 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
6,537 observations
Monarch
Danaus plexippus
6,169 observations
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
6,115 observations
Christmas Fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
5,470 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
5,393 observations
Mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
5,355 observations
Common Pawpaw
Asimina triloba
4,923 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
4,895 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
4,717 observations
Eastern Newt
Notophthalmus viridescens
4,716 observations
Blue Phlox
Phlox divaricata
4,601 observations
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
4,501 observations
American Toad
Anaxyrus americanus
4,298 observations
American Pokeweed
Phytolacca americana
4,291 observations
Amur Honeysuckle
Lonicera maackii
4,283 observations
Asian Lady Beetle
Harmonia axyridis
4,281 observations
Central Ratsnake
Pantherophis alleghaniensis
4,252 observations
Dwarf Larkspur
Delphinium tricorne
4,197 observations · iNaturalist
Common Eastern Bumble Bee
Bombus impatiens
4,164 observations
American Tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
4,144 observations
Rue Anemone
Thalictrum thalictroides
4,011 observations
Bold Jumping Spider
Phidippus audax
3,920 observations
Cut-leaved Toothwort
Cardamine concatenata
3,672 observations
Fowler's Toad
Anaxyrus fowleri
3,541 observations
Eastern Redbud
Cercis canadensis
3,522 observations
Red Deadnettle
Lamium purpureum
3,474 observations · iNaturalist
Red-spotted Admiral
Limenitis arthemis
3,470 observations
White Snakeroot
Ageratina altissima
3,433 observations
Southern Two-lined Salamander
Eurycea cirrigera
3,414 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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