Wildlife of Washington, DC
DC sits on the fall line between Piedmont and Chesapeake tidewater, so Rock Creek Park catches enormous spring warbler waves while the tidal Potomac supports bald eagles, ospreys and returning shad. Urban peregrine falcons nest on downtown buildings and river otters have quietly recolonised the whole watershed.
Best timeLate April to mid-May for peak warbler migration through Rock Creek Park.
- 1Bald eagles nest along the Anacostia and Potomac inside the district.
- 2Rock Creek Park is a 1,700-acre urban forest with resident foxes and beavers.
- 3The tidal Potomac has recovering populations of shad and osprey.
Signature species
Curated for Washington, DC, each tagged with its IUCN Red List status.
- LC
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- LC
Wood duck
Aix sponsa
- NT
Cerulean warbler
Setophaga cerulea
- VU
Eastern box turtle
Terrapene carolina
- LC
American shad
Alosa sapidissima
IUCN codes — EX extinct · EW extinct in wild · CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened · LC least concern · DD data deficient
Dos & don'ts
Local etiquette that keeps wildlife wild.
Do
- Join the DC Audubon Society's monthly bird walks.
- Report deer-tick sightings — Lyme disease is up regionally.
- Keep distance — use zoom or binoculars, never bait animals closer.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling nests, burrows and plants.
Don't
- Don't feed the ducks bread at the Tidal Basin.
- Don't remove native plants from Rock Creek.
- Never feed wildlife — human food changes behaviour and shortens lives.
- Don't share exact locations of nests, dens or rare species online.
Spotted here lately
Live from iNaturalist — research-grade observations within 40km, last 30 days.
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