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Animals of Europe

Europe supports varied wildlife across forests, mountains, plains and wetlands. Species differ in their adaptations and roles within local ecosystems.

Which animals live in Europe?

Familiar examples include bears, wolves, deer, lynx and many migratory birds. Both common and protected species occur.

A

alpaca

AlpacaVicugna pacos

A green aphid with long antennae on a flower petal

AphidsAphidoidea

arctic fox

Arctic foxVulpes lagopus

Black Asian tiger mosquito with white stripes on its legs and body biting human skin

Asian tiger mosquitoAedes albopictus

Silvery asp with an elongated body and large mouth, seen from the side underwater

AspLeuciscus aspius

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) swimming in an aquarium

Atlantic salmonSalmo salar

B

badger

BadgerMeles; Taxidea; Mellivora

bat

bear

beaver

BeaverCastor fiber; Castor canadensis

Large grey beluga sturgeon with a short snout, barbels and rows of bony plates swimming in blue water

Beluga sturgeonHuso huso

Beluga whale facing the camera underwater, showing its rounded forehead and pectoral flippers

Beluga whaleDelphinapterus leucas

bison

BisonBison bison; Bison bonasus

Flat, sand-coloured turbot with both eyes on its upper side lying on the seabed

Black Sea turbotScophthalmus maeoticus

Black stork with dark glossy plumage, a white belly and a red bill

Black storkCiconia nigra

Glossy black widow spider with a red hourglass mark on its abdomen

Black widow spiderLatrodectus

Yellowish-brown blotched snake with dark markings, head raised

Blotched snakeElaphe sauromates

brown bear

Brown bearUrsus arctos

Brown shield-shaped stink bug with white-banded antennae on a green leaf

Brown marmorated stink bugHalyomorpha halys

Brown shrimp (Crangon crangon) with long antennae and a segmented abdomen

Brown shrimpCrangon crangon

Brown trout (Salmo trutta), showing its spotted body and body shape.

Brown troutSalmo trutta

buffalo

BuffaloBubalus; Syncerus

bumblebee

BumblebeeBombus

C

carpathian red deer

Carpathian red deerCervus elaphus

Female Ixodes ricinus tick on a dry grass stem

Castor bean tickIxodes ricinus

caterpillar

CaterpillarLepidoptera (caterpillar larval stage)

chameleon

ChameleonChamaeleonidae

chamois

ChamoisRupicapra rupicapra

Cicada on tree bark, showing its eye and transparent wings

Cicada orniCicada orni

Yellow Colorado potato beetle with black lengthwise stripes on a green stem

Colorado potato beetleLeptinotarsa decemlineata

Common barbel with an elongated snout and mouth barbels swimming near the bottom

Common barbelBarbus barbus

Silvery common bream showing its deep, laterally flattened body underwater

Common breamAbramis brama

Common carp showing its large scales and barbels beside the mouth

Common carpCyprinus carpio

Common chaffinch male with a blue-grey crown, pink-brown breast and white wing markings

Common chaffinchFringilla coelebs

Common cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha) on bark

Common cockchaferMelolontha melolontha

Coiled European adder among grasses, showing its zigzag pattern

Common European adderVipera berus

Tiny yellowish-brown fruit fly with bright red eyes on the edge of a leaf

Common fruit flyDrosophila melanogaster

Female kestrel with barred and spotted rufous-brown plumage standing on a rock

Common kestrelFalco tinnunculus

Common kingfisher in flight with blue wings spread and a long pointed bill

Common kingfisherAlcedo atthis

Common moorhen with a red forehead, yellow-tipped bill and long green toes

Common moorhenGallinula chloropus

Silvery common roach with an orange-red iris and reddish lower fins

Common roachRutilus rutilus

Common silverfish with an elongated body, antennae and three terminal filaments

Common silverfishLepisma saccharinum

Common starling perched on a mossy branch, showing a pointed yellow bill, pink feet and green-violet iridescent feathers

Common starlingSturnus vulgaris

Common swift in flight with long sickle-shaped wings and a dark body

Common swiftApus apus

Common toad with warty skin and copper eyes sitting on a rock

Common toadBufo bufo

cormorant

CormorantPhalacrocoracidae

corsac fox

Corsac foxVulpes corsac

coypu

CoypuMyocastor coypus

crane

Crested porcupines (Hystrix cristata) resting on the ground

Crested porcupineHystrix cristata

Field cricket viewed from above at an angle, showing long antennae, six legs, folded wings and paired rear cerci

CricketsGryllidae

crow

cuckoo

CuckooCuculus canorus

D

Large dark brown death’s-head hawkmoth with a yellowish skull-like pattern on its back

Death’s-head hawkmothAcherontia atropos

deer

dragonfly

DragonflyAnisoptera (within Odonata)

E

A brown eagle with golden nape feathers perched on a rock

EaglesSeveral genera in Accipitridae

Segmented adult earthworm representing Lumbricus terrestris, showing the head end, clitellum and tapering rear end on soil

EarthwormsCrassiclitellata

earwig

EarwigForficula auricularia

Grey edible dormouse with large black eyes and a bushy tail on a branch with red berries

Edible dormouseGlis glis

Male bullfinch with a rosy-red breast, black cap and grey back on a branch

Eurasian bullfinchPyrrhula pyrrhula

Eurasian collared dove with pale grey-beige plumage and a black half-collar

Eurasian collared doveStreptopelia decaocto

Dark grey Eurasian coot with a red eye and white forehead standing on a bank

Eurasian cootFulica atra

Golden-yellow male oriole with black wings among fig leaves

Eurasian golden orioleOriolus oriolus

Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius) with pinkish-brown plumage and barred blue wing feathers

Eurasian jayGarrulus glandarius

Eurasian magpie, Pica pica, perched on a branch with white shoulder and belly patches and a long iridescent tail

Eurasian magpiePica pica

Male siskin with yellow-green plumage, a black cap and black wing bars on a branch

Eurasian siskinSpinus spinus

White Eurasian spoonbill with a long spoon-shaped bill feeding in shallow water

Eurasian spoonbillPlatalea leucorodia

Small, slender silvery anchovy with a bluish back on a sandy seabed

European anchovyEngraulis encrasicolus

European bee-eater flying with a yellow throat, blue underparts and spread wings

European bee-eaterMerops apiaster

european bison

European bisonBison bonasus

European chub with large scales, an elongated body and a broad head in an aquarium

European chubSqualius cephalus

European eel (Anguilla anguilla) with a long body and fins continuous around the tail

European eelAnguilla anguilla

European flat oyster (Ostrea edulis) with a rough shell on the seabed

European flat oysterOstrea edulis

European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis) perched on a wooden post

European goldfinchCarduelis carduelis

Green male lizard with a blue head and throat among dry leaves

European green lizardLacerta viridis

european hamster

European hamsterCricetus cricetus

european hare

European hareLepus europaeus

Large European hornet with a yellow-red head, big eyes and a brown and yellow body on a plank

European hornetVespa crabro

Green European mantis with a triangular head and folded forelegs

European mantisMantis religiosa

Brown European mole cricket with broad digging forelegs on the ground

European mole cricketGryllotalpa gryllotalpa

European perch (Perca fluviatilis) viewed from the side underwater

European perchPerca fluviatilis

Glossy reddish-brown male rhinoceros beetle with a curved horn on its head on a piece of wood

European rhinoceros beetleOryctes nasicornis

European robin (Erithacus rubecula) perched on a branch

European robinErithacus rubecula

Blue European roller with a reddish-brown back perched on a dry branch

European rollerCoracias garrulus

European squid (Loligo vulgaris) with an elongated mantle, side fins and tentacles

European squidLoligo vulgaris

Male European stag beetle with branching mandibles and chestnut-brown wing cases

European stag beetleLucanus cervus

Bright green tree frog with a dark side stripe clinging to a twig

European tree frogHyla arborea

European turtle dove with chestnut-and-black patterned wings and striped neck patches

European turtle doveStreptopelia turtur

F

Unverified RO bird image; identity review pending

FalconFalco spp.

Male fallow deer with a white-spotted reddish coat and broad antlers on grass

Fallow deerDama dama

firefly

FireflyLampyridae

flamingo

FlamingoPhoenicopteridae

fly

FlyDiptera; Musca domestica is the house fly

Grey flying squirrel with large dark eyes on a piece of wood

Flying squirrelPteromyini

frog

G

Grey-brown round goby with a large head and high-set eyes resting on a bed of mussels

Coiled grass snake, Natrix natrix, with pale patches behind the head

Grass snakeNatrix natrix

grasshopper

GrasshopperCaelifera

Great tit on a mossy branch showing white cheeks and the black stripe down its yellow breast

Great titParus major

grey heron

Grey heronArdea cinerea

Grey partridge with an orange face, grey breast and chestnut bars along its sides

Grey partridgePerdix perdix

ground squirrel

Ground squirrelSpermophilus citellus

gull

GullLaridae (gulls in several genera)

H

hamster

HamsterCricetinae

Grey harbour porpoise with a short snout and small triangular dorsal fin swimming in greenish water

Harbour porpoisePhocoena phocoena

Hawfinch with a massive bill, orange-brown head and black throat patch

HawfinchCoccothraustes coccothraustes

hawk

HawkAccipitridae; includes Accipiter and Astur

Magnified head louse among hairs, showing six legs with gripping claws

Head lousePediculus humanus capitis

hedgehog

HedgehogErinaceinae

hoopoe

HoopoeUpupa epops

Tabanus bromius horse fly with large iridescent eyes and transparent wings, viewed from the side

Horse flyTabanidae

Pale Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus dust mites seen through a microscope on dark fibres

House dust mitesDermatophagoides spp.

House martin with a glossy blue-black back and white underparts beside a mud nest

House martinDelichon urbicum

German cockroach (Blattella germanica) viewed from above

Household cockroachesBlattodea (specii sinantrope)

Male marmalade hoverfly, Episyrphus balteatus, photographed by Sandy Rae

HoverfliesSyrphidae

AI illustration of a hummingbird hawk-moth with grey forewings and orange hindwings

Hummingbird hawk-mothMacroglossum stellatarum

J

jackal

JackalCanis and Lupulella

K

Green Tettigonia viridissima katydid with long wings and slender legs on vegetation

KatydidTettigoniidae

L

lark

LarkAlauda arvensis

Black and yellow-brown Norway lemming crouching on a lichen-covered rock

White little egret with a black bill and yellow toes perched on a trunk

Little egretEgretta garzetta

Small brown little owl with white spots and yellow eyes perched on a rock

Little owlAthene noctua

lizard

LizardSquamata (lizards)

llama

LlamaLama glama

Long-eared owl with orange eyes and streaked plumage among branches and leaves

Long-eared owlAsio otus

lynx

M

marmot

MarmotMarmota spp.

marten

MartenMartes spp.

Silvery horse mackerel with large eyes and a lateral line of bony scutes on ice among other fish

Mediterranean horse mackerelTrachurus mediterraneus

Dark-shelled Mediterranean mussels clustered on an underwater rock

Mediterranean musselMytilus galloprovincialis

Long, segmented black millipede with many pairs of legs on dry leaves

MillipedeDiplopoda

mink

MinkMustela lutreola (European mink); Neogale vison (American mink)

mole

molluscs

MolluscsMollusca

mongoose

MongooseHerpestidae

monkey

Monkeys and apesSimiiformes (monkeys and apes)

moose

MooseAlces alces

mosquito

MosquitoCulicidae

moth

MothLepidoptera (moths from several families)

mouflon

MouflonOvis gmelinii complex; European mouflon naming varies between taxonomic treatments

mouse

MouseMus spp.; Mus musculus is the house mouse

Male muskox with long shaggy hair and heavy horns in Dovrefjell, Norway

MuskoxOvibos moschatus

N

narwhal

NarwhalMonodon monoceros

nightingale

NightingaleLuscinia megarhynchos

Northern lapwing with a long crest, white belly and green-purple wing reflections

Northern lapwingVanellus vanellus

Northern pike (Esox lucius), showing its elongated snout and pale body markings.

Northern pikeEsox lucius

Brown nose-horned viper with a dark dorsal zigzag resting on rock

Nose-horned viperVipera ammodytes

O

otter

OtterLutrinae; Lutra lutra is the Eurasian otter, Lontra canadensis the North American river otter

owl

OwlStrigiformes

P

parrot

ParrotPsittaciformes

peacock

PeacockPavo spp.; Afropavo congensis is the Congo peafowl

pelican

PelicanPelecanus spp.

pheasant

PheasantPhasianus colchicus

polar bear

Polar bearUrsus maritimus

polecat

PolecatMustela (polecats and related ferrets)

Old illustration of a Pontic shad, an elongated fish with large scales and a forked tail

Pontic shadAlosa immaculata

Prussian carp seen from the side underwater

Prussian carpCarassius gibelio

R

rabbit

RabbitOryctolagus cuniculus

raccoon

RaccoonProcyon lotor

Raccoon dog with dense grey-brown fur and dark facial markings around the eyes

Raccoon dogNyctereutes procyonoides

A brown rat, Rattus norvegicus, with whiskers and a scaly tail curved on the ground

raven

RavenCorvus corax

red fox

Red foxVulpes vulpes

Pinkish-silver red mullet with red blotches and two chin barbels on a sandy seabed

Red mulletMullus barbatus

reindeer

ReindeerRangifer tarandus

roe deer

Roe deerCapreolus capreolus; Capreolus pygargus

S

salamander

SalamanderCaudata (also called Urodela)

Scolopendra cingulata with a yellow-brown segmented body, yellow legs and reddish antennae

Scolopendra centipedeScolopendra

scorpion

ScorpionScorpiones

seal

White, soft, ringed silkworms on green mulberry leaves

SilkwormBombyx mori

Glossy copper-brown legless slow worm coiled on a rock

Slow wormAnguis fragilis

Spotted Limax maximus with extended tentacles on moss

SlugGastropoda — terrestrial slugs

Smooth newt (Lissotriton vulgaris) on damp ground

Smooth newtLissotriton vulgaris

Grey-brown smooth snake coiled on dry leaves and pine needles

Smooth snakeCoronella austriaca

snail

SnailGastropoda

snake

White snowy owl with black flecks and yellow eyes perched on a branch

Snowy owlBubo scandiacus

sparrow

SparrowPasser domesticus (house sparrow); other sparrow species are also discussed

European garden spider, Araneus diadematus, viewed from above on its web, showing white abdominal spots and eight walking legs

squirrel

SquirrelSciuridae (squirrels)

Long, thin brown stick insect with twig-like legs among fern leaves

Stick insectPhasmatodea

Stoat (Mustela erminea) with a black tail tip among vegetation

StoatMustela erminea

Sterlet (Acipenser ruthenus), a sturgeon with a pointed snout and bony scutes

SturgeonAcipenseridae

swan

SwanCygnus spp.

T

tarantula

TarantulaTheraphosidae

Tawny owl with streaked grey-brown plumage, a round head and dark eyes

Tawny owlStrix aluco

Olive-green tench with a reddish eye swimming underwater

TenchTinca tinca

termite

TermiteIsoptera (Blattodea)

true bug

True bugHeteroptera (within Hemiptera); includes Cimex and stink bugs

turtle

TurtleTestudines

V

A pale-necked brown vulture perched on a rock

VulturesSeveral species: Accipitridae and Cathartidae

W

Yellow-and-black wasp on a twig

WaspHymenoptera: several wasp families, including Vespidae

water shrew

Water shrewNeomys fodiens

weasel

WeaselMustela nivalis

Wels catfish (Silurus glanis) swimming underwater

Wels catfishSilurus glanis

Black male capercaillie with a fanned tail and red eyebrow during display

Western capercaillieTetrao urogallus

white stork

White storkCiconia ciconia

White wagtail with a white face, black bib and grey back perched on a branch

White wagtailMotacilla alba

wild boar

Wild boarSus scrofa

wildcat

WildcatFelis silvestris (European wildcat)

wolf

WolfCanis lupus

Brown wolverine sitting in grass, showing rounded ears and a bushy tail

WolverineGulo gulo

woodpecker

WoodpeckerPicidae

Life-size model of a woolly mammoth with long brown fur and large curved tusks

Woolly mammothMammuthus

Z

Zander (Sander lucioperca) with its elongated body and large eyes

ZanderSander lucioperca