Animals

Birds

Audubon Bird Guide – This is my favorite website for bird identification. It if part of the larger National Audubon Society site. Waterfowl ID – Need a way to identify ducks, geese and swans? The US Fish and Wildlife Service has you covered. View illustrations, full-color photos, and video footage of each species. Learn more about their behavior, migration patterns, and the sounds they make. Study flock patterns and wing characteristics.

Merlin Bird Identifier  – Is the ultimate bird identification app for your smartphone. You do not even have to see the bird which you want to identify, it lists all the birds it hears and shows you the bird’s and what each one looks like.

Bird Migration Explorer – Your guide to the heroic annual journeys made by over 450 bird species, and the challenges they face along the way.

Mammals

 Mammals of Wisconsin Database – Prepared by the UW Stevens Point, the database includes for each species in Wisconsin: a description of the animal, its distribution across the state, mating and reproduction information, as well as ecology and behavioral characteristics. This is good primer for learning about species you want to manage on your land.

Badger Fisher Otter
Bat Fox Porcupine
Bear Elk Rabbit (hare)
Beaver Linx Racoon
Bison Mole Shrew
Bobcat Moose Skunk
Chipmunk Mouse Squirrel
Cougar Mink Weasel
Coyote Muskrat Wolf
Deer Opossum Woodchuck

Insects

Native

Prairie Insects of Wisconsin – This is a list of insects known to be present in Wisconsin prairies. The list was compiled by Rich Henderson, Research Ecologist, WI DNR Bureau of Science Services.

Additional resources for identifying insects on your land:

Invasive Insect Species

Insects know to be invasive in Wisconsin.

Asian longhorn beetle
emerald ash borer (EAB)
gypsy moth

Bugwood – This database is run by the Center for