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Wildlife near Tampa, Florida

Illustrated wildlife of Tampa

Tampa curls around its bay on the Gulf coast, and the warm shallow water is full of life. Manatees gather at the power-plant outflows in winter, roseate spoonbills and wood storks feed in the mangroves, and brown pelicans and ospreys work the bay. Alligators live in the lakes and golf-course ponds, and the coastal preserves hold gopher tortoises, which dig burrows that dozens of other animals shelter in.

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

120,336
recent observations
30
species listed
16
birds
4
reptiles & amphibians
4
plants

Naturalists have logged 120,336 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species near Tampa. The most frequently seen is the Brown Anole, with 12,953 recorded sightings.

Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (16 of the species listed here), followed by reptiles & amphibians (4).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species near Tampa

Brown Anole
Anolis sagrei
12,953 observations
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
7,442 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
7,380 observations
White beggarticks
Bidens alba
6,287 observations · iNaturalist
American Alligator
Alligator mississippiensis
5,432 observations
Spanish moss
Tillandsia usneoides
4,840 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
4,819 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
4,361 observations
resurrection fern
Pleopeltis michauxiana
4,093 observations · iNaturalist
Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga
3,984 observations
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata
3,900 observations
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper
Romalea microptera
3,867 observations
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
3,835 observations
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
3,735 observations
Cuban Tree Frog
Osteopilus septentrionalis
3,372 observations
American beautyberry
Callicarpa americana
3,269 observations
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
3,119 observations
Western Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
3,021 observations
Christmas lichen
Herpothallon rubrocinctum
3,019 observations · iNaturalist
Gopher Tortoise
Gopherus polyphemus
2,929 observations
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
2,912 observations
Gulf Fritillary
Dione vanillae
2,677 observations · iNaturalist
Common Gallinule
Gallinula galeata
2,565 observations
Sandhill Crane
Antigone canadensis
2,554 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
2,511 observations
White Peacock
Anartia jatrophae
2,451 observations · iNaturalist
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
2,296 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
2,254 observations
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
2,245 observations
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
2,214 observations

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