KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of any country

Learn the wildlife of Ecuador

South America

23,836 species have research-grade observations in Ecuador on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you can learn a country's wildlife from home.

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Eared Dove Zenaida auriculata7,050
  2. Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii6,232
  3. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis5,144
  4. Rufous-collared Sparrow Zonotrichia capensis4,800
  5. Great Thrush Turdus fuscater4,268
  6. Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens4,124
  7. Saffron Finch Sicalis flaveola3,784
  8. Sparkling Violetear Colibri coruscans3,383
  9. Black Vulture Coragyps atratus3,355
  10. Mangrove Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia3,256

Plants

  1. Galápagos Pricklypear Opuntia galapageia4,969
  2. Black-eyed Susan vine Thunbergia alata4,166
  3. Common dandelion Taraxacum officinale3,463
  4. Candelabra cactus Jasminocereus thouarsii2,745
  5. White clover Trifolium repens2,564
  6. Lion's ear Leonotis nepetifolia2,406
  7. Chuquiragua Chuquiraga jussieui2,391
  8. Andean Blue Clover Dalea coerulea2,342
  9. Castor bean Ricinus communis2,250
  10. Agave cordillerensis2,237

Mammals

  1. Galápagos Sea Lion Zalophus wollebaeki8,879
  2. Central American Agouti Dasyprocta punctata1,583
  3. Ecuadorian Squirrel Monkey Saimiri macrodon1,397
  4. White-tailed Deer Odocoileus virginianus1,350
  5. Red-tailed Squirrel Sciurus granatensis1,138
  6. Andean Tapeti Sylvilagus andinus905
  7. Galápagos Fur Seal Arctocephalus galapagoensis757
  8. South American Tapir Tapirus terrestris754
  9. Common Woolly Monkey Lagothrix lagothricha749
  10. Culpeo Lycalopex culpaeus746

Insects

  1. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera6,718
  2. Red Peacock Anartia amathea3,439
  3. Six-spotted Zigzag Ladybird Cheilomenes sexmaculata1,847
  4. Bullet Ant Paraponera clavata1,477
  5. Convergent Lady Beetle Hippodamia convergens1,370
  6. Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis1,358
  7. Abracris flavolineata1,308
  8. Large Painted Locust Schistocerca melanocera1,138
  9. Subtropical Lady Vanessa carye1,023
  10. Black Witch Ascalapha odorata976

Spiders and kin

  1. Silver Garden Orbweaver Argiope argentata4,016
  2. Spinybacked Orbweaver Gasteracantha cancriformis1,586
  3. Golden Silk Spider Trichonephila clavipes1,536
  4. Frigga crocuta855
  5. Banded Garden Spider Argiope trifasciata687
  6. Yellow-banded Pinktoe Tarantula Avicularia juruensis616
  7. Noble False Widow Steatoda nobilis529
  8. Western Spotted Orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis481
  9. Gray Wall Jumping Spider Menemerus bivittatus444
  10. Tropical Orb Weaver Eriophora fuliginea444

Reptiles

  1. Marine Iguana Amblyrhynchus cristatus10,662
  2. Galápagos Giant Tortoise Chelonoidis niger4,351
  3. Santa Cruz Lava Lizard Microlophus indefatigabilis3,398
  4. Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas3,366
  5. Galápagos Land Iguana Conolophus subcristatus3,171
  6. Green Iguana Iguana iguana2,567
  7. San Cristobal Lava Lizard Microlophus bivittatus1,997
  8. Isabela Lava Lizard Microlophus albemarlensis1,809
  9. Brown-eared Anole Anolis fuscoauratus1,012
  10. Española Lava Lizard Microlophus delanonis962

Amphibians

  1. Cachabi Robber Frog Pristimantis achatinus1,250
  2. Beautiful Cane Toad Rhinella bella1,064
  3. South American Common Toad Rhinella margaritifera1,061
  4. Painted Forest Toadlet Engystomops petersi887
  5. Striped Robber Frog Pristimantis unistrigatus879
  6. Ecuador Poison Frog Ameerega bilinguis818
  7. Palmar Tree Frog Boana pellucens631
  8. Rough-eyelid Rainfrog Pristimantis trachyblepharis623
  9. Cane Toad Rhinella marina603
  10. Emerald Glass Frog Espadarana prosoblepon561

Fish

  1. Mexican Hogfish Bodianus diplotaenia1,487
  2. Blue-barred Parrotfish Scarus ghobban1,382
  3. Razor Surgeonfish Prionurus laticlavius1,254
  4. King Angelfish Holacanthus passer1,194
  5. Galápagos Gregory Stegastes arcifrons909
  6. Bullseye Puffer Sphoeroides annulatus888
  7. Cortez Rainbow Wrasse Thalassoma lucasanum849
  8. Panamic Sergeant Major Abudefduf troschelii749
  9. Galápagos Ringtail Damselfish Stegastes beebei725
  10. Panamic Fanged Blenny Ophioblennius steindachneri653

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.