Ever gone out to in search of a hard-to-find animal like a short-tailed weasel, and come back with a stunning photo of a grey squirrel? Whether it be a seldom seen bird or a reclusive mammal species like a mink or a fisher, all of us nature lovers are driven by the possibility of seeing the rare and exotic. The reality is that much of what we see on our explorations isn’t usually too out of the ordinary. I’m here to tell you that this isn’t a bad thing, but actually an excellent opportunity to appreciate the true beauty of some of our more common wildlife.
Common species also give budding wildlife photographers more chances to hone their skills. Any experienced shooter will tell you that the hardest part about learning the craft is actually locating and getting close to wild animals. Commoners at least partially eliminate this step, and allow new wildlife photographers to focus on composition, exposures and mastering their equipment.
I’d now like to highlight some of my favorite common wildlife species in the hopes that you’ll see them in a new light and appreciate their true beauty, regardless of their abundance. Don’t worry, there will be no European starlings here, I have more class than that.
Song Sparrow
A song sparrow displays where the name comes from at Finley Wildlife Refuge. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
According to Partners in Flight, song sparrows (Melospiza melodia) have a worldwide breeding population of 130 million, with as many as 88% of them spending some part of their year in the United States. By all definitions, this bird is common.
In my opinion, the first thing to appreciate about this LBB (Little Brown Bird) is their voice. The song of this common bird echoes through forests, marshes and every habitat in between, and it’s one of the most crisp and satisfying bird songs I know. This bird truly lives up to the name. In my first days of birding, the song sparrow’s abundance provided an easy way for me to learn to properly use binoculars and focus on a subject. Later on when I first dove into wildlife photography, they were always around during those challenging hours of learning to capture sharp images of tiny songbirds.
Nikon D7000, Nikon 300mm f/4D
Nikon D7000, Nikon 300mm f/4D
Squirrels and Chipmunks
Always avoiding being eaten and searching for something to eat, Townsend’s chipmunks never pause for more than a split second. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
Aside from the countless squirrel pancakes we’ve all seen on the streets in our neighborhoods, any and all members of the squirrel family are fascinating to watch if you take the time. Just don’t be fooled by their cuteness, as some of them can be pretty aggressive. I’ve personally had a Douglas squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) drop several sticks and fir cones on my head, clamber down the tree to eye level and belt out its loud trill in my face.
Golden-mantled ground squirrel doing some morning stretches. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
If you watch long enough, you can witness some pretty fun behaviors from squirrels and their allies. That said, I can’t guarantee you’ll ever get as lucky as I did when I witnessed a golden-mantled ground (Callospermophilus lateralis) squirrel stretching out a sore back (above). As a scientist I can’t say with certainty that the squirrel is doing yoga, but I’d like to hear a better explanation. These cute little dudes are widespread across much of the West, and can be found in campsites all over. They’re right at home everywhere from forests to fields above the timberline. While some may mistake them for chipmunks, they are easily distinguishable by the lack of stripes on their faces.
Golden-mantled ground squirrel. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
Another one of my favorites is the California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi), which is a notch or two bigger than the former ground squirrel. Wikipedia’s first sentence about this species more than justifies its place in this article. It reads “The California ground squirrel (Otospermophilus beecheyi), is a common and easily observed ground squirrel of the western United States”. As with all of the species I’m covering here, their conservation status is listed as ‘Least Concern’ on the IUCN Red List, the most comprehensive database of the conservation status of biological species on Earth.
A fun fact about these squirrels is that they excavate their own burrow systems which will often house multiple generations, and each individual has their own entrance that they use. I would say that squirrels are more complex and intelligent than many would give them credit for!
California ground squirrel. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
California ground squirrel. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
To all of you currently learning wildlife photography, I’m here to say that it would behoove you to bring your gear to your local park and practice your technique on some squirrels. I’m telling you, this is an easy way to find an approachable subject to hone your skills on so that you can be prepared to capture incredible images when you finally encounter a more rare or elusive species. You’ll get hundreds of chances with the squirrel at the park, and maybe only one chance with the mink or fisher deep within the forest. Just make sure you wear a helmet!
Black-capped Chickadee
Black-capped Chickadee. Nikon D7000, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
Similarly to deciduous trees, each Fall, black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus) allow old neurons in their brains to die, replacing them with new ones so that they can more easily adapt to changes in their flock and their surrounding environments. Humans don’t have this same ability to just build new neurons, but it’s fair to say that many of us could benefit from some brain regeneration. On top of this amazing characteristic, they also will store food to be eaten later, and an individual can remember thousands of cache sites.
Named for their distinctive chickadee-dee-dee call, these birds have an estimated global breeding population of 41 million. With 54% of them living in Canada, and 46% in the U.S, you have a pretty high chance of encountering one of these cute little birds if you find yourself on the North American continent.
Black-capped chickadees move significantly quicker than our first bird species, the song sparrow. They present more of a photographic challenge because of this, so you have to be prepared to act fast. They usually only remain at or around bird feeders for a few seconds before darting to a new location to eat, or store the food for later.
Nikon D7000, Nikon 300mm f/4D
Wild Turkey
Male Wild Turkey. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
No, I’m not talking about your dad’s favorite brand of bourbon, I’m talking about our would-be national bird. These guys have a global breeding population of around 7.8 million, with 89% living across the U.S. Wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) can be found in all of the lower 48 states, and Hawaii. While they’re non-native to Oregon, they were introduced to the state in 1961 and now have numbers of over 10,000.
Wild turkeys can often be seen roaming around neighborhoods in packs, which can sometimes be a nuisance to motorists.
Photographers looking for easy opportunities can benefit from their presence. Their large size makes it easy to get frame-filling shots, and the males display magnificent colors during the breeding season. Some hilarious and fascinating breeding behaviors can also be seen, which always makes for more interesting photography.
Nikon D7000, Nikon 300mm f/4D
Male Wild Turkey. Nikon D750, Nikon 300mm f/4D + TC-14E II @ 420mm
We all want to see the rare warbler but get a song sparrow instead. We all want to see a short-tailed weasel but instead see a Douglas squirrel. I write this article as a reminder that these experiences don’t have to be disappointing, as even the most common of creatures are often beautiful, unique and fascinating if you take a more inquisitive look. Common wildlife species also provide easier opportunities to create works of art for new and experienced photographers alike. I hope this article has inspired you to get out there to view and photograph wild animals, even the common ones. Below are a few more shots I’ve taken of some common species not mentioned above. Thanks for reading!
