Meet the Species

FOCUS ON MINNESOTA SPECIES

Through Nature’s Notebook, you can record your observations on many plant and animal species. If you’d like to focus your data collection on species with the greatest economic, ecological or cultural significance for Minnesota, here are the seven superstars.

Click on each species below to learn more about these important species and how to observe them through Nature’s Notebook.

Red Maple (Acer rubrum) This is one of the species in our North American forests that provides brilliant autumn coloring. Read More	Monarch (Danaus plexippus) The monarch is an economically important butterfly. Read More	Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) These hummingbirds fly nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico during migration. Read More	Common Loon (Gavia immer) Common loons primarily eat fish, but they also eat other small animals Read More
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Males and females of nesting pairs of eastern bluebirds commonly engage in copulations with other eastern bluebirds. Read More	Common Lilac (Syringa vulgaris) The May blooming flowers are typically purple to lilac but cultivars also come in magenta, pink and white. Read More	Tamarack (Larix laricina) The tamarack is a conifer that is deciduous, turning golden-yellow then shedding all of its needles annually in the fall. Read More