Flora and Fauna
Profiles of plants and animals on the river.
Birds
Learn about some of the many birds that live around the river.
American Eagle
The American eagle’s wingspan can be 1.8 to 2.3 m
Least Bittern
The Least Bittern is a rare bird and tiny bird that are very hard to spot. If you find one take a picture. We would love to see it!
Osprey
Except for Antarctica, this hunting bird lives all over the globe.Great Blue Heron
This giant blue bird can be seen all over the Ottawa River.Reptiles
There are many species of snakes and turtles in the Ottawa River.
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Watch this amazing snake scurry from the ground to across the surface of the water!Milk Snake
Meet the milk snake! This snake can easily be mistaken for the venomous coral snake.Blanding’s Turtle
These beautiful turtles walk long distances. If you ever see one on the road or path please make sure to gently move them to the grass.
Spiny Softshell Turtle
This soft shell turtle hardly ever leaves the water and loves to bury itself in the mud.Northern Water Snake
This endangered species of snake loves to swim and bask in the sun!Amphibians
Frogs and salamanders live around the river.
American Bullfrog
This frog is the largest of all the North American frogs.Leopard Frog
The only kind of leopard frog in Canada!
Mudpuppy
Mudpuppies are Canada’s largest salamander.Insects
Discover a few of the insects that live around the river.
Mayfly
This is the Mayfly! It spends most of it’s life living in our river. This particular mayfly (in the photo) is the yellow mayfly.Dragonflies
This is the amazing flying Dragonfly! In this photo is the Yellow-winged darter.Fish
A huge variety of fish live in the river.
Muskellunge
Meet the muskellunge, affectionately known as the muskie or the fish of 10,000 casts. This giant predator can be found in many regions of the Ottawa River — if you know where to look.Sturgeon
Lake sturgeon have been important to humans in Ontario for thousands of years. Learn more!American eel
This amazing species of eel travels long distances from our freshwater rivers to the salty waters of the ocean where it spawns.Northern Pike
The Northern Pike. This fish can be found in a river near you if you know where to look!Longnose Gar
This ancient fish lived during the time of the dinosaurs and they are living in the middle of our city!Mollusks
A wide variety of mollusks live in the river.
Hickorynut
Meet one of the many native mussels living in our river!Native Freshwater Mussels
You’ve probably seen them before, but did you know Canada has one of the richest and most diverse freshwater mussel fauna in the world?Mammals
Many mammals spend their lives near the water.
River Otter
These mammals spend most of their lives in the river.Beaver
These energetic rodents are all over the Ottawa river watershed.
Muskrat
Sometimes mistaken for beavers these rodents are a lot smaller and have a ‘rat-like’ tail.Moose
Moose are the largest member of the deer family.Human
These fun-loving bipeds enjoy the river year round.
Aquatic Plants
Lots of species of aquatic plants call our river home.
Little Floating Heart
Little Floating Heart got its name from its heart shaped leaves.
Duckweeds
They are sometimes called water lentils or water lenses due to their rounded shape and small size.
American White Waterlily
Not only do these plants look nice, but their stems also provide an important food source for animals such as Muskrats.
Riparian Plants
Plants form an essential part of riparian zones along the river.
Large-Fruited Bur-reed
This super cool plant can be found in the shallow waters of the Ottawa River.Bebb’s Sedge
The Bebb’s Sedge is one of many kinds of sedges in the Ottawa River.
Virginia Creeper
Virginia Creeper likes growing along shorelines which makes it an excellent plant to use when re-naturalizing shoreline.
American Ginseng
This perennial plant has 5 leaflets at the end of each stem. Bright red berries also grow out of the centre of the plant.
Butternut
Butternut is native to eastern Canada but has been listed as an endangered species due to a fungal disease, called Butternut Canker, that kills these trees.
Buttonbush
You may see this shrub in the seasonally flooded, protected bays and sloughs along the Ottawa River. It also requires good water quality, so if populations start declining, it can be an indication of declining water quality.