Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life

A community-powered catalog of the island's biodiversity.

Explore Species Lists

Catalogs of Martha's Vineyard species in selected taxonomic groups.

Explore Observations

The Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life Project in iNaturalist compiles observations from across the Island and surrounding waters, contributed by people like you.

Recent Observations

Vineyard birds enjoyed a blast of wintertime excitement with the discovery, in Correllus State Forest on February 21, 2023, of the island’s third-ever Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi). The bird was found and identified by “Sea” Williams and Bridget Dunnigan.

“The Swiss Army Knife of Mushrooms”

Rarely reported on Martha’s Vineyard, the birch polypore fungus is a powerhouse of useful traits and chemical components.

When Life Gives You Mussels, Take Photos

iNaturalist helps two alert observers identify a freshwater mussel from a West Tisbury pond. Almost nothing seems to be known about these shellfish on the Vineyard.

See more discoveries »

News

MVAL in iNaturalist: 2022 Year in Review

2022 was a great year for the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life! A big part of our success has been the growing use of iNaturalist by naturalists on the Vineyard. Here’s a summary of our 2022 iNat activity.

Vulnerable Season for Sea Turtles

In late autumn, plunging water temperatures pose a risk to sea turtles in our region. Learn how you can help these endangered reptiles face this seasonal risk.

Monarch Butterflies – How Endangered Are They?

This iconic orange-and-black butterfly is widely assumed to be at risk of extinction. But Monarch biology is complex, with different populations exhibiting different ecology, and some research suggests that the situation is less dire than widely believe.

All News »

Focus on Butterflies

One of the easiest and most popular groups of wildlife to explore, butterflies are also ecologically important. Many kinds of butterflies have very specific ecological requirements, making them good indicator species. And all butterflies play important biological roles, whether as prey for other insects and birds or as pollinators of wildflowers and fruit-bearing shrubs. Here are some resources to help you learn about the 82 species of butterflies that have been recorded on Martha’s Vineyard.

Keep Reading

Share Your Observations: Links to Community Science Platforms

iNaturalist

Searchable database of photographs and sound recordings, with more than 100 million observations contributed by more than 5 million users worldwide. Observations from Martha’s Vineyard automatically add to the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life project.

Visit iNaturalist

eBird

Keep your bird lists and make your sightings available to researchers with this platform developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. eBird compiles more than 100 million bird sightings annually.

Visit eBird

eButterfly

Help advance butterfly science and conservation by contributing your sightings to this international project. Keep your personal records and explore sightings from other observers.

Visit eButterfly

Co-founded by BiodiversityWorks and the Betsy and Jesse Fink Family Foundation, the Martha's Vineyard Atlas of Life seeks to create a living catalog of biodiversity on Martha's Vineyard and an active community working to conserve it.