This list includes 27 Small animals that start with W that start with W, from “Water vole” to “Wood mouse”. Many are rodents, small birds, or invertebrates you may encounter as pets, classroom examples, or in the wild.

Small animals that start with W are small vertebrates and invertebrates whose common names begin with the letter W. The water vole, for example, inspired the “Ratty” character in The Wind in the Willows, showing how these species appear in culture.

Below you’ll find the table with Common name, Scientific name, Habitat, and Lifespan.

Common name: The everyday name you’ll recognize, useful when searching, asking vets, or identifying animals in field guides.

Scientific name: The binomial gives precise species identity so you avoid confusion between similar common names.

Habitat: A concise phrase about where each species lives, helping you know where to observe or keep them.

Lifespan: Typical adult age range, useful for care planning, classroom projects, or comparing species longevity.

Small animals that start with W

NameScientific nameTypical adult sizeHabitat
Wood mouseApodemus sylvaticus25 gtemperate woodlands, fields, hedgerows
White-footed mousePeromyscus leucopus20 gforests, fields, suburban areas
Water voleArvicola amphibius200 griversides, wetlands, reedbeds
Whiskered batMyotis mystacinus6 gwoodlands, buildings, caves
White-throated woodratNeotoma albigula300 gdesert scrub and rocky areas
Winter wrenTroglodytes hiemalis11 cmdense undergrowth in forests
Willow warblerPhylloscopus trochilus11 cmopen woodlands and scrub
Wilson’s warblerCardellina pusilla11 cmshrubs and riparian thickets
White-throated sparrowZonotrichia albicollis17 cmmixed woodlands and gardens
White wagtailMotacilla alba16 cmopen habitats near water
Western scrub-jayAphelocoma californica28 cmoak woodlands and scrub
White-headed woodpeckerLeuconotopicus albolarvatus22 cmpine forests and woodlands
Wood duckAix sponsa48 cmwooded wetlands, ponds, marshes
White-breasted nuthatchSitta carolinensis12 cmmature woodlands, parks
Wood frogLithobates sylvaticus6 cmwoodland ponds and wetlands
White’s tree frogLitoria caerulea10 cmtropical forests and human habitations
White-lipped tree frogLitoria infrafrenata12 cmrainforest trees and gardens
Western hognose snakeHeterodon nasicus45 cmgrasslands, sandy soils, prairies
Western fence lizardSceloporus occidentalis20 cmdry, rocky habitats and woodland edges
Western whiptailAspidoscelis tigris28 cmdeserts, scrub, grasslands
White cloud mountain minnowTanichthys albonubes4 cmslow streams and aquaria
Western honey beeApis mellifera0.1 gmeadows, farmland, managed hives
Whip-poor-willAntrostomus vociferus24 cmwoodlands and forest edges
Willow ptarmiganLagopus lagopus37 cmtundra, willow thickets
White-winged doveZenaida asiatica28 cmdeserts, scrub, urban areas
Western toadAnaxyrus boreas10 cmmontane meadows, woodlands, ponds
Wilson’s storm-petrelOceanites oceanicus16 cmopen ocean, pelagic waters

Descriptions

Wood mouse
Small nocturnal rodent that eats seeds and insects; Lifespan: 1–2 years, often encountered by gardeners and studied in ecology.
White-footed mouse
Common North American rodent that feeds on seeds and insects; Lifespan: 1–3 years, important in disease ecology and sometimes kept briefly for classroom study.
Water vole
Semi-aquatic rodent that grazes on grasses and reeds; Lifespan: 1–2 years, vulnerable in parts of Europe and notable for burrowing banks.
Whiskered bat
Small insectivorous bat active at dusk and night; Lifespan: 3–10 years, roosts in tree crevices and buildings and helps control insects.
White-throated woodrat
Nocturnal packrat that collects vegetation and debris; Lifespan: 2–4 years, builds middens and is a common small mammal of the American Southwest.
Winter wren
Tiny, loud-voiced insectivorous bird of understory thickets; Lifespan: 2–3 years, noted for its complex song and skulking behavior.
Willow warbler
Delicate migratory insect-eating songbird that travels long distances; Lifespan: 2–5 years, breeds across Europe and winters in Africa.
Wilson’s warbler
Small yellow warbler that feeds on insects in brushy habitats; Lifespan: 2–3 years, a common spring migrant in North America.
White-throated sparrow
Seed- and insect-eating songbird with a distinctive song; Lifespan: 3–9 years, familiar at feeders across eastern North America.
White wagtail
Slender insectivorous bird that wags its tail while feeding; Lifespan: 2–4 years, widespread across Eurasia and often tolerant of human presence.
Western scrub-jay
Bold omnivorous corvid that caches acorns and insects; Lifespan: 9–12 years, common in western North American suburbs and wildlands.
White-headed woodpecker
Specialist woodpecker that feeds on seeds and insects in conifers; Lifespan: 3–8 years, confined to western North American pine habitats.
Wood duck
Colorful dabbling duck that nests in tree cavities and eats seeds and aquatic plants; Lifespan: 3–10 years, popular with birdwatchers and hunters.
White-breasted nuthatch
Small bark-clinging bird that wedges seeds in bark and hammers them open; Lifespan: 2–6 years, commonly visits feeders in North America.
Wood frog
Small frog that breeds in vernal pools and tolerates freezing; Lifespan: 2–3 years, an important early-season amphibian in northern forests.
White’s tree frog
Large-bodied tree frog popular in the pet trade that eats insects; Lifespan: 10–20 years, native to Australia and New Guinea.
White-lipped tree frog
Nocturnal arboreal frog that preys on insects; Lifespan: 5–15 years, common in northern Australia and kept by hobbyists.
Western hognose snake
Small, stout snake that eats amphibians and small mammals and bluff-defends by playing dead; Lifespan: 10–15 years, popular in the pet trade.
Western fence lizard
Diurnal lizard that basks on rocks and eats insects; Lifespan: 5–7 years, common in western North America and reduces tick populations.
Western whiptail
Fast, ground-dwelling lizard that feeds on insects and spiders; Lifespan: 3–6 years, widespread in arid parts of North America.
White cloud mountain minnow
Small, hardy schooling freshwater fish popular in aquariums; Lifespan: 3–5 years, originally from China and easy for beginners.
Western honey bee
Social pollinating insect kept worldwide for honey and crop pollination; Lifespan: 0.12–3 years (workers short-lived, queens longer), crucial for agriculture.
Whip-poor-will
Nocturnal insectivorous nightjar with a distinctive call; Lifespan: 2–5 years, migrates in North America and feeds on night-flying insects.
Willow ptarmigan
Ground-dwelling gamebird that feeds on buds and vegetation; Lifespan: 2–5 years, changes plumage seasonally and breeds in Arctic regions.
White-winged dove
Medium-sized dove that eats seeds and fruits and visits feeders; Lifespan: 3–8 years, expanding its range in North America.
Western toad
Medium to large toad of western North America that eats invertebrates; Lifespan: 3–15 years, often seen near breeding ponds.
Wilson’s storm-petrel
Tiny seabird that feeds on surface plankton and small fish; Lifespan: 5–10 years, spends most of its life at sea and is highly pelagic.
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