Places CitiesSeattle

Wildlife near Seattle, Washington

Illustrated wildlife of Seattle

Seattle sits between Puget Sound and Lake Washington, and the wildlife is thoroughly amphibious. Great blue herons nest in colonies over the neighborhoods, bald eagles and ospreys fish the sound, and harbor seals and even orcas turn up offshore. Salmon still run up the Ballard Locks and the city creeks in fall, drawing gulls and sea lions. In the forested parks it is Douglas squirrels, Steller’s jays, and barred owls.

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

171,213
recent observations
30
species listed
13
birds
7
plants
4
other

Naturalists have logged 171,213 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species near Seattle. The most frequently seen is the Mallard, with 12,606 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (13 of the species listed here), followed by plants (7).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species near Seattle

Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
12,606 observations
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
9,402 observations
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
8,376 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
8,112 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
7,632 observations
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
7,287 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
6,835 observations
Ochre Sea Star
Pisaster ochraceus
6,724 observations · iNaturalist
western sword fern
Polystichum munitum
6,699 observations
Cross Orbweaver
Araneus diadematus
5,863 observations
western redcedar
Thuja plicata
5,821 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
5,638 observations
Pacific chorus frog
Pseudacris regilla
5,506 observations
Salmonberry
Rubus spectabilis
5,506 observations
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
5,291 observations
Pacific Banana Slug
Ariolimax columbianus
5,142 observations · iNaturalist
Mottled Star
Evasterias troschelii
4,702 observations · iNaturalist
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
4,695 observations
Horned Nudibranch
Hermissenda crassicornis
4,649 observations · iNaturalist
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
4,609 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
4,294 observations
Spotted Towhee
Pipilo maculatus
4,270 observations
salal
Gaultheria shallon
4,236 observations
Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
4,135 observations
bigleaf maple
Acer macrophyllum
4,111 observations
Osoberry
Oemleria cerasiformis
3,846 observations · iNaturalist
Herb Robert
Geranium robertianum
3,841 observations
American Bullfrog
Lithobates catesbeianus
3,827 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
3,823 observations
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
3,735 observations

Get rare-sighting alerts for Seattle

We’ll email you when an uncommon or rare species is spotted here. One check a day, only when there’s something new.

Free. Unsubscribe from any email. See our Privacy Policy.

More wildlife near Seattle

Exploring Seattle?

Take Huck with you. Identify any wildlife you find in seconds, and watch the live map of what is being spotted near Seattle right now.

Get Huck

Exploring Seattle? Get Huck field notes

Spotting tips, new species, and the best of what naturalists are finding - straight to your inbox.

By subscribing you agree to receive Huck emails. No spam, unsubscribe anytime. See our Privacy Policy.