Wildlife Species Library

Birds

Willow Warbler

Phylloscopus trochilus

The Willow Warbler is a tiny marathon traveler that brings a cascading song to our gardens every spring. Weighing les...

Birds

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

The Wilson's Phalarope is a shorebird that breaks all the rules, featuring brightly colored females and a unique 'vor...

Birds

Wilson's Plover

Anarhynchus wilsonia

Meet the beach's most dedicated crab-hunter. With its signature heavy bill and striking single band, the Wilson's Plo...

Birds

Wilson's Snipe

Gallinago delicata

A secretive shorebird with a bill that acts like a precision tool, the Wilson's Snipe is the ultimate prize for backy...

Birds

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

A tiny spark of golden energy, the Wilson's Warbler is easily recognized by the male's dapper black cap and his restl...

Birds

Wing-barred Seedeater

Sporophila americana

A dapper little finch with striking tuxedo-like plumage, the Wing-barred Seedeater is a master of the grasslands. Wat...

Wildflowers

Winged Loosestrife

Lythrum alatum

The elegant, native alternative to invasive wetland plants, Winged Loosestrife offers striking purple blooms and uniq...

Invertebrates

Winged Mapleleaf

Quadrula fragosa

Meet one of the rarest inhabitants of the Mississippi basin, the Winged Mapleleaf. This ancient bivalve is a living f...

Wildflowers

Winter Aconite

Eranthis hyemalis

The brave golden herald of the late winter garden, Winter Aconite defies the frost to carpet the forest floor in bril...

Birds

Winter Wren

Troglodytes hiemalis

The Winter Wren is a tiny, feathered dynamo that brings a powerful voice to the forest floor. Often seen scurrying li...

Mammals

Wolverine

Gulo gulo

The ghost of the high country, the wolverine is a symbol of rugged endurance and untamed spirit. With the strength of...

Birds

Wonga Pigeon

Leucosarcia melanoleuca

Meet the Wonga Pigeon, the dapper, ground-dwelling giant of the Australian forest floor. With its striking black-and-...

Wildflowers

wood anemone

Anemonoides nemorosa

A delicate herald of the changing seasons, the wood anemone carpets forest floors in a sea of white stars before the ...

Insects

Wood Carpet

Epirrhoe rivata

A masterpiece of natural geometry, the Wood Carpet moth brings a touch of intricate elegance to the night garden. Oft...

Wildflowers

Wood Cow-wheat

Melampyrum nemorosum

Known in Sweden as 'Night and Day,' this striking forest wildflower captivates with its brilliant purple bracts and g...

Birds

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

The Wood Duck is arguably North America's most stunning waterfowl, sporting a kaleidoscope of iridescent feathers and...

Wildflowers

Wood Forget-me-not

Myosotis sylvatica

A woodland treasure that carpets the forest floor in azure, the Wood Forget-me-not is a springtime favorite for garde...

Amphibians

Wood Frog

Lithobates sylvaticus

The wood frog is a master of camouflage and a miracle of biology, capable of freezing solid during the winter. As the...

Birds

Wood Sandpiper

Tringa glareola

A dappled gem of the wetlands, the Wood Sandpiper is a graceful traveler known for its energetic bobbing and striking...

Wildflowers

Wood Speedwell

Veronica montana

A delicate gem of the damp forest floor, Wood Speedwell charms with its pale lilac blooms and creeping green carpets....

Wildflowers

Wood Stitchwort

Stellaria nemorum

A luminous star of the shaded forest, Wood Stitchwort paints the woodland floor with delicate white blooms and heart-...

Birds

Wood Stork

Mycteria americana

Often called the 'Ironhead,' the Wood Stork is a living link to the prehistoric past. As the only stork species that ...

Birds

Wood Thrush

Hylocichla mustelina

The Wood Thrush is the hidden virtuoso of the eastern forests, known for its spotted breast and a song that sounds li...

Insects

Wood Tiger Beetle

Cicindela sylvatica

Meet the 'cheetah' of the heathland. The Wood Tiger Beetle is a lightning-fast predator that combines a dark, bronzed...

Birds

Wood Warbler

Phylloscopus sibilatrix

A vibrant lemon-and-lime songbird of the high canopy, the Wood Warbler is a master of the ancient forest. Watch for i...

Birds

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Aphelocoma woodhouseii

A clever and understated beauty of the Interior West, the Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay brings a flash of azure and a sharp w...

Amphibians

Woodhouse's Toad

Anaxyrus woodhousii

Meet the Woodhouse's Toad, the resilient garden guardian of the American West. With its distinct dorsal stripe and rh...

Birds

Woodlark

Lullula arborea

The Woodlark is the soulful songster of the forest edge, blending perfectly into the heathland with its masterfully c...

Insects

Woolly Alder Aphid

Prociphilus tessellatus

Often mistaken for a fungus or a dusting of snow, the Woolly Alder Aphid is one of the most charismatic insects in th...

Insects

Woolly Apple Aphid

Eriosoma lanigerum

Often mistaken for a fungus or a bit of cotton, the Woolly Apple Aphid is a fascinating insect that builds its own wa...

Insects

Woolly Beech Aphid

Phyllaphis fagi

Look closely at the underside of beech leaves and you might find a miniature winter wonderland. These tiny sap-sucker...

Insects

Woolly Whitefly

Aleurothrixus floccosus

The Woolly Whitefly is a master of disguise, cloaking itself in intricate waxy curls. This tiny Neotropical native ha...

Amphibians

Wrinkled Frog

Glandirana rugosa

With its uniquely textured skin and resilient nature, the Wrinkled Frog is a master of camouflage in Japan's waterway...

Birds

Wrybill

Anarhynchus frontalis

The Wrybill is a true New Zealand original, holding the title of the only bird in the world with a beak that always c...

Mammals

Wyoming Ground Squirrel

Urocitellus elegans

A vigilant sentry of the sagebrush, the Wyoming Ground Squirrel is a master of the high-plains hustle. Known for thei...