Wildlife of Long Island, New York: Species Guide

Long Island's mix of coastal plains, pine barrens, deciduous forests, wetlands, and dense suburbia supports surprising biodiversity.

Mammals

• White-tailed Deer: Abundant; overbrowse forest understory.
• Raccoon: Ubiquitous suburban adapter.
• Virginia Opossum: North America's only marsupial.
• Gray Squirrel / Eastern Chipmunk: Common diurnal rodents.
• Long-tailed Weasel: Slender predator.
• Red Fox / Gray Fox: Increasing in suburbs.
• Eastern Cottontail Rabbit: Common.
• Bats: Little Brown, Big Brown (insect control).
• Occasional: Coyote (expanding east), River Otter (north shore), Bobcat (rare, Pine Barrens).

Birds (Notable Year-Round & Seasonal)

• Waterfowl: Canada Goose, Mallard, Mute Swan, Brant (winter).
• Raptors: Red-tailed Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Osprey (coastal), Bald Eagle (increasing), Great Horned Owl.
• Songbirds: Northern Cardinal, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Tufted Titmouse, Catbird, Mockingbird.
• Shorebirds: Piping Plover (threatened, beaches), Oystercatcher, Sanderling.
• Migration: Major Atlantic Flyway stopover. Warblers, thrushes, shorebirds in spring/fall.

Reptiles & Amphibians

• Turtles: Snapping, Painted, Eastern Box Turtle (terrestrial, declining), Diamondback Terrapin (brackish marshes).
• Snakes: Eastern Garter (common), Northern Water Snake, Dekay's Brownsnake, Milk Snake, Eastern Hognose (harmless bluster). No venomous snakes native (Timber Rattlesnake extirpated).
• Frogs/Toads: Bullfrog, Green Frog, Spring Peeper, Wood Frog, American Toad, Gray Treefrog.
• Salamanders: Red-backed, Spotted (vernal pools).

Marine Life (Inshore)

Striped Bass, Bluefish, Fluke (Summer Flounder), Blackfish (Tautog), Blue Claw Crab, Horseshoe Crab (spawning beaches).