KnowKi

Learn the wildlife of the U.S. national parks

Learn the wildlife of Channel Islands National Park

CA

2,547 species have research-grade observations inside Channel Islands National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

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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. Island Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma insularis1,520
  2. Common Raven Corvus corax631
  3. Western Gull Larus occidentalis567
  4. Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis495
  5. Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus288
  6. Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus265
  7. Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia257
  8. Brandt's Cormorant Urile penicillatus216
  9. House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus192
  10. Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani144

Plants

  1. Giant coreopsis Leptosyne gigantea1,454
  2. Santa Cruz Island wild buckwheat Eriogonum arborescens947
  3. Lemonade berry Rhus integrifolia809
  4. Island bush monkeyflower Diplacus parviflorus783
  5. Greene's dudleya Dudleya greenei692
  6. Blue dicks Dipterostemon capitatus606
  7. Island hazardia Hazardia detonsa533
  8. Redflower Buckwheat Eriogonum grande509
  9. Island paintbrush Castilleja hololeuca501
  10. Coast morning glory Calystegia macrostegia486

Mammals

  1. Island Fox Urocyon littoralis2,676
  2. California Sea Lion Zalophus californianus362
  3. Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga angustirostris137
  4. Harbor Seal Phoca vitulina130
  5. Common Dolphin Delphinus delphis77
  6. Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae38
  7. Risso's Dolphin Grampus griseus35
  8. Western Spotted Skunk Spilogale gracilis33
  9. Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus32
  10. Grey Whale Eschrichtius robustus31

Insects

  1. Lophocampa indistincta161
  2. Fine striped sweat bee Agapostemon subtilior155
  3. Mediterranean red bug Scantius aegyptius153
  4. Yellow-faced Bumble Bee Bombus vosnesenskii152
  5. Channel Island Jerusalem Cricket Ammopelmatus islander148
  6. California Gall Wasp Andricus quercuscalifornicus124
  7. Peridot Sweat Bee Augochlorella pomoniella124
  8. Gray Hairstreak Strymon melinus121
  9. American Five-spotted Lady Beetle Hippodamia quinquesignata121
  10. Gabb's Checkerspot Chlosyne gabbii105

Spiders and kin

  1. Catalinia thompsoni227
  2. Johnson's Jumping Spider Phidippus johnsoni69
  3. Noble False Widow Steatoda nobilis46
  4. Koch's Wolf Spider Alopecosa kochi37
  5. Phidippus adumbratus23
  6. Silver Garden Orbweaver Argiope argentata20

Reptiles

  1. Common Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana1,175
  2. Island Fence Lizard Sceloporus becki410
  3. Southern Alligator Lizard Elgaria multicarinata199
  4. Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer114
  5. North American Racer Coluber constrictor22
  6. Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis22

Amphibians

  1. Pacific chorus frog Pseudacris regilla225
  2. Channel Islands Slender Salamander Batrachoseps pacificus116
  3. Black-bellied Slender Salamander Batrachoseps nigriventris94

Fish

  1. Garibaldi Hypsypops rubicundus177
  2. Kelp Bass Paralabrax clathratus167
  3. California Sheephead Bodianus pulcher158
  4. Island Kelpfish Alloclinus holderi102
  5. Opaleye Girella nigricans97
  6. Blacksmith Chromis Chromis punctipinnis85
  7. Painted Greenling Oxylebius pictus76
  8. Woolly Sculpin Clinocottus analis71
  9. Blackeye Goby Rhinogobiops nicholsii62
  10. Señorita Wrasse Halichoeres californicus62

Mollusks

  1. Wavy Turban Megastraea undosa361
  2. Spanish Shawl Flabellinopsis iodinea245
  3. Black Abalone Haliotis cracherodii180
  4. Southern Pacific Banana Slug Ariolimax stramineus171
  5. California Mussel Mytilus californianus148
  6. Giant Rock Scallop Crassadoma gigantea130
  7. Santa Cruz Island Shoulderband Snail Helminthoglypta sanctaecrucis123
  8. California Seahare Aplysia californica122
  9. Norris's Topsnail Norrisia norrisii122
  10. Black Tegula Tegula funebralis87

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. KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.