Field Guide

Explore the Field Guide to learn about more than 350 species of birds, fish, insects, algae, invertebrates, mammals, plants, reptiles and amphibians that live in the Chesapeake Bay region.

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AlewifeAlosa pseudoharengus
Alexandrium MonilatumAlexandrium monilatum
American AvocetRecurvirostra americana
American BeautyberryCallicarpa americana
American Black BearUrsus americanus
American Black DuckAnas rubripes
American Brook LampreyLampetra appendix
American ChestnutCastanea dentata
American CootFulica americana
American EelAnguilla rostrata
American HalfbeakHyporhamphus meeki
American HollyIlex opaca
American minkNeovison vison
American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus
American PersimmonDiospyros virginiana
American PondweedPotamogeton nodosus
American ShadAlosa sapidissima
American WigeonMareca americana
ArksFamily: Arcidae
Arrow ArumPeltandra virginica
Atlantic CroakerMicropogonias undulatus
Atlantic Ghost CrabOcypode quadrata
Atlantic MenhadenBrevoortia tyrannus
Atlantic NeedlefishStrongylura marina
Atlantic Oyster DrillUrosalpinx cinerea
Atlantic Ribbed MusselGeukensia demissa
Atlantic SilversideMenidia menidia
Atlantic SturgeonAcipenser oxyrhynchus
Atlantic White CedarChamaecyparis thyoides
BackswimmerNotonectidae
Bald CypressTaxodium distichum
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
Baltimore CheckerspotEuphydryas phaeton
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula
Barn OwlTyto alba
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
BarnaclesOrder: Sessilia
Barred owlStrix varia
Bay AnchovyAnchoa mitchilli
Bay ScallopArgopecten irradians
BeaverCastor canadensis
Bee FlyBombylius spp.
Belted kingfisherMegaceryle alcyon
Black DrumPogonias cromis
Black Rat SnakeElaphe obsoleta obsoleta
Black Sea BassCentropristis striata
Black SkimmerRynchops niger
Black VultureCoragyps atratus
Black-Crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Black-eyed SusanRudbeckia hirta
Black-Fingered Mud CrabPanopeus herbstii
Blackhaw ViburnumViburnum prunifolium
Blazing StarLiatris spicata
BlenniesSuborder: Blennioidei
BloodrootSanguinaria canadensis
Blue CatfishIctalurus furcatus
Blue CrabCallinectes sapidus
Blue FlagIris versicolor
Blue-Winged TealAnas discors
Blue-Winged WaspScolia dubia
Blueback HerringAlosa aestivalis
BluefishPomatomus saltatrix
BluegillLepomis macrochirus
BobcatLynx rufus
Bog TurtleGlyptemys muhlenbergii
Boring SpongeCliona spp.
Bottlenose DolphinTursiops truncatus
BrantBranta bernicla
Brazilian WaterweedEgeria densa
Brief SquidLolliguncula brevis
Bristle WormsClass: Polychaeta
Broad-Headed SkinkPlestiodon laticeps
Brook FloaterAlasmidonta varicosa
Brook TroutSalvelinus fontinalis
Brown BullheadAmeiurus nebulosus
Brown CreeperCerthia americana
Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis
BuffleheadBucephala albeola
Bull SharkCarcharhinus leucas
Bumble BeesBombus Spp.
ButterflyweedAsclepias tuberosa
CaddisfliesTrichoptera
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
CanvasbackAythya valisineria
Cardinal FlowerLobelia cardinalis
Carolina ChickadeePoecile carolinensis
CattailsTypha spp.
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
Chain PickerelEsox niger
Channel CatfishIctalurus punctatus
Chesapeake ChannaChanna argus
Chesapeake LogperchPercina bimaculata
Chinese Mitten CrabEriocheir sinensis
CicadaNeotibicen canicularis
CobiaRachycentron canadum
Comb JelliesPhylum: Ctenophora
Common CarpCyprinus carpio
Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
Common Grass ShrimpPalaemonetes pugio
Common LoonGavia immer
Common MilkweedAsclepias syriaca L.
Common RavenCorvus corax
Common Sea StarAsterias forbesi
Common Snapping TurtleChelydra serpentina
Common Spider CrabLibinia emarginata
Common WaterweedElodea canadensis
CoontailCeratophyllum demersum
Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
CopperheadAgkistrodon contortrix
Cownose RayRhinoptera bonasus
Curly PondweedPotamogeton crispus
Deer TickIxodes scapularis
Delmarva Fox SquirrelSciurus niger cinereus
Devil CrayfishLacunicambarus diogenes
Devil's Walking StickAralia spinosa
Diamondback TerrapinMalaclemys terrapin
DidymoDidymosphenia geminata
Double-Crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritus
Dragonflies and DamselfliesOdonata
Dutchman's BreechesDicentra cucullaria
Eastern American toadAnaxyrus americanus
Eastern Black RailLaterallus jamaicensis jamaicensis
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
Eastern Box TurtleTerrapene carolina carolina
Eastern CottontailSylvilagus floridanus
Eastern CoyoteCanis latrans var.
Eastern DobsonflyCorydalus cornutus
Eastern ElliptioElliptio complanata
Eastern Fence LizardSceloporus undulatus
Eastern FloaterPyganodon cataracta
Eastern Garter SnakeThamnophis sirtalis sirtalis
Eastern Gray SquirrelSciurus carolinensis
Eastern HemlockTsuga canadensis
Eastern MilksnakeLampropeltis triangulum
Eastern NewtNotophthalmus viridescens
Eastern OysterCrassostrea virginica
Eastern Painted TurtleChrysemys picta picta
Eastern PondmusselLigumia nasuta
Eastern Red BatLasiurus borealis
Eastern screech-owlMegascops asio
Eastern Skunk CabbageSymplocarpus foetidus
Eastern SpadefootScaphiopus holbrookii
Eastern Tiger SalamanderAmbystoma tigrinum
Eastern Whip-Poor-WillAntrostomus vociferus
Eastern Worm SnakeCarphophis amoenus
EelgrassZostera marina
Emerald Ash BorerAgrilus planipennis
English IvyHedera helix
Eurasian WatermilfoilMyriophyllum spicatum
European Honey BeeApis mellifera
European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Evening BatNycticeius humeralis
Fairy ShrimpEubranchipus vernalis
Fiddler CrabsOcypodidae
FisherPekania pennanti
Five-lined SkinkPlestiodon fasciatus
Flathead CatfishPylodictis olivaris
FlatwormsOrder: Polycladida
Florida ManateeTrichechus manatus latirostris
Flowering DogwoodCornus florida
Fowler's ToadAnaxyrus fowleri
Garlic MustardAlliaria petiolata
Ghost AnemoneDiadumene leucolena
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
GobiesFamily: Gobiidae
Golden-Winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
Gould's ShipwormBankia gouldi
Gray FoxUrocyon cinereoargenteus
Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
Great EgretArdea alba
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
Greater ScaupAythya marila
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca
Green FloaterLasmigona subviridis
Green HeronButorides virescens
Green TreefrogHyla cinerea
Green-Winged TealAnas crecca
Harbor SealPhoca vitulina
Hard ClamMercenaria mercenaria
Hay's Spring AmphipodStygobromus hayi
HellbenderCryptobranchus Alleganiensis
Hemlock Woolly AdelgidAdelges tsugae
Hermit CrabsPagurus spp.
Hickory ShadAlosa mediocris
Hoary BatLasiurus cinereus
HogchokerTrinectes maculatus
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus
Hooked MusselIschadium recurvum
Horned GrebePodiceps auritus
Horned PondweedZannichellia palustris
Horseshoe CrabLimulus polyphemus
Humpback WhaleMegaptera novaeangliae
HydrillaHydrilla verticillata
Inshore LizardfishSynodus foetens
Jack-in-the-pulpitArisaema triphyllum
JellyfishOrder: Semaeostomeae
JewelweedImpatiens capensis
Joe-pye WeedEupatorium dubium
Kemp's Ridley Sea TurtleLepidochelys kempii
Knobbed WhelkBusycon carica
Largemouth BassMicropterus salmoides
Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla
Leafcutter BeesMegachile spp.
Least BitternIxobrychus exilis
Least TernSternula antillarum
Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
Lined SeahorseHippocampus erectus
Little Brown BatMyotis lucifugus
Loblolly PinePinus taeda
Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianus
Loggerhead TurtleCaretta caretta
Long-Tailed DuckClangula hyemalis
Long-tailed ShrewSorex dispar
Longleaf PinePinus palustris
Longnose GarLepisosteus osseus
LookdownSelene vomer
LumpfishCyclopterus lumpus
Luna MothActias luna
MackerelScomberomorus spp.
Macoma ClamsMacoma spp.
Mahogany TideProrocentrum minimum
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Mantis ShrimpSquilla empusa
Marbled SalamanderAmbystoma opacum
Marsh CrabSesarma reticulatum
Marsh PeriwinkleLittorina irrorata
Marsh RabbitSylvilagus palustris
Marsh Rice RatOryzomys palustris
Mason BeesOsmia spp.
MayfliesEphemeroptera
Meadow VoleMicrotus pennsylvanicus
MillipedesDiplopoda
Monarch ButterflyDanaus plexippus
Morrow's HoneysuckleLonicera morrowii
Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
MummichogFundulus heteroclitus
MuskratOndatra zibethicus
Mute SwanCygnus olor
NaiadsNajas spp.
North American PorcupineErethizon dorsatum
Northeastern Beach Tiger BeetleCicindela dorsalis dorsalis
Northern BobwhiteColinus virginianus
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
Northern HarrierCircus cyaneus
Northern Long-Eared BatMyotis septentrionalis
Northern PikeEsox lucius
Northern Pine SnakePituophis melanoleucus melanoleucus
Northern PintailAnas acuta
Northern PufferSphoeroides maculatus
Northern Red SalamanderPseudotriton ruber ruber
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
Northern Sea RobinPrionotus carolinus
Northern ShovelerAnas clypeata
Northern Spring PeeperPseudacris crucifer crucifer
Northern StargazerAstroscopus guttatus
Northern Water SnakeNerodia sipedon sipedon
NutriaMyocastor coypus
Oriental BittersweetCelastrus orbiculatus
OspreyPandion haliaetus
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
Oyster ToadfishOpsanus tau
PassionflowerPassiflora incarnata
Paw PawAsimina triloba
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
PhragmitesPhragmites australis
Pink Lady's SlipperCypripedium acaule
Pinxter azaleaRhododendron periclymenoides
PipefishSyngnathus spp.
Piping PloverCharadrius melodus
Poison IvyToxicodendron radicans
Prickly PearOpuntia humifusa
PumpkinseedLepomis gibbosus
Purple ConeflowerEchinacea purpurea
Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus
Purple LoosestrifeLythrum salicaria
RaccoonProcyon lotor
Rainbow SnakeFarancia erytrogramma erytrogramma
Rainbow TroutOncorhynchus mykiss
Red Beard SpongeMicrociona prolifera
Red DrumSciaenops ocellatus
Red FoxVulpes vulpes
Red MapleAcer rubrum
Red-bellied CooterPseudemys rubriventris
Red-Bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
Red-Breasted MerganserMergus serrator
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
RedheadAythya americana
Redhead GrassPotamogeton perfoliatus
Ribbon-Leaf PondweedPotamogeton epihydrus
River OtterLontra canadensis
Rose MallowHibiscus moscheutos
Rough Green SnakeOpheodrys aestivus aestivus
Royal TernThalasseus maximus
Ruby-Throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis
Rusty CrayfishFaxonius rusticus
Sago PondweedPotamogeton pectinatus
Saltmarsh SparrowAmmospiza caudacuta
Saltmeadow CordgrassSpartina patens
Sandbar SharkCarcharhinus plumbeus
SanderlingCalidris alba
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
SassafrasSassafras albidum
Scarlet OakQuercus coccinea
Sea CucumbersOrder: Dendrochirotida
Sea LettuceUlva lactuca
Sea SlugsClass: Gastropoda
Sea SquirtMolgula manhattensis
Seaside GoldenrodSolidago sempervirens
ShadbushAmelanchier canadensis
Shoal GrassHalodule wrightii
Shortnose SturgeonAcipenser brevirostrum
Sika DeerCervus nippon
Silver PerchBairdiella chrysoura
Skeleton ShrimpCaprella spp.
SkilletfishGobiesox strumosus
Slender PondweedPotamogeton pusillus
Smallmouth BassMicropterus dolomieu
Smooth CordgrassSpartina alterniflora
Snow GooseChen caerulescens
Snowberry ClearwingHemaris diffinis
Snowy EgretEgretta thula
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus
Soft Shell ClamMya arenaria
Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
Southern Flying SquirrelGlaucomys volans
Southern Leopard FrogLithobates sphenocephalus
Southern MagnoliaMagnolia grandiflora
Southern Red OakQuercus falcata
Spiny DogfishSqualus achanthias
Spongy MothLymantria dispar
SpotLeiostomus xanthurus
Spotted LanternflyLycorma delicatula
Spotted SalamanderAmbystoma maculatum
Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
Spotted SeatroutCynoscion nebulosus
Spotted TurtleClemmys guttata
SticklebacksFamily: Gasterosteidae
StonefliesPlecoptera
Striped BassMorone saxatilis
Striped BurrfishChilomycterus schoepfi
Striped KillifishFundulus majalis
Striped SkunkMephitis mephitis
Sugar MapleAcer saccharum
Summer FlounderParalichthys dentatus
Swamp chestnut oakQuercus michauxii
Sweat BeesHalictidae
Sweetbay MagnoliaMagnolia virginiana
SwitchgrassPanicum virgatum
TautogTautoga onitis
Tessellated DarterEtheostoma olmstedi
Timber RattlesnakeCrotalus horridus
Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
Tree-of-heavenAilanthus altissima
Tricolored BatPerimyotis subflavus
Trout LilyErythronium americanum
True FliesDiptera
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus
Turkey VultureCathartes aura
Veined Rapa WhelkRapana venosa
Virginia Big-Eared BatCorynorhinus townsendii virginianus
Virginia BluebellMertensia virginica
Virginia OpossumDidelphis virginiana
Virginia railRallus limicola
WalleyeSander vitreus
Water ChestnutTrapa natans
Water StargrassHeteranthera dubia
Water StarwortCallitriche spp.
WeakfishCynoscion regalis
Whip CoralLeptogorgia virgulata
White CatfishAmeiurus catus
White OakQuercus alba
White PerchMorone americana
White TrilliumTrillium grandiflorum
White-Tailed DeerOdocoileus virginianus
Widgeon GrassRuppia maritima
Wild CeleryVallisneria americana
Wild ColumbineAquilegia canadensis
Wild GeraniumGeranium maculatum
Wild RiceZizania aquatica
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
WilletTringa semipalmata
Winter FlounderPleuronectes americanus
WinterberryIlex verticillata
WitchhazelHamamelis virginiana L.
Wolf SpiderFamily: Lycosidae
Wood DuckAix sponsa
Wood FrogLithobates sylvaticus
Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina
Wood TurtleGlyptemys insculpta
WoodchuckMarmota monax
Yellow Garden SpiderArgiope aurantia
Yellow LampmusselLampsilis cariosa
Yellow PerchPerca flavescens
Zebra MusselDreissena polymorpha
Zebra SwallowtailEurytides marcellus
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Showing: 3 of 3

Bottlenose Dolphin

Tursiops truncatus

The bottlenose dolphin is a large, grayish aquatic mammal that visits the lower and middle Chesapeake Bay in summer.

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Mammals

Florida Manatee

Trichechus manatus latirostris

The Florida manatee is a large, gray aquatic mammal that occasionally visits the Chesapeake Bay’s shallow waters in summer.

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Mammals

Humpback Whale

Megaptera novaeangliae

The humpback whale is a school bus-sized mammal that occasionally visits the Chesapeake Bay. It is known for its knobbed head and acrobatic breaching displays.

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Mammals