42 Green Animals Found in Nature

When we imagine nature, many of us picture the color green. Green is everywhere in the natural world, from the color of new leaves to the grass covering rolling hills. But many green animals share this distinctive color with the scenery around them!

Here are some of nature’s most beautiful animals with green coloration:

1. Green Keel-Bellied Lizard

Head shot of a green keel-bellied lizard.
  • Latin name: Gastropholis prasina
  • Habitat: Small areas along the coastal plains of Kenya and Tanzania
  • Size: Up to about 16″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects
  • Colorful feature: Many reptiles are green, but few are as vivid as the green keel-bellied lizard! This creature’s color varies somewhat. Some individuals are bright yellow-green and others are green with a hint of blue.

This lizard might sound very large, but about 70% of its body length comes from its tail! The green keel-bellied lizard also has a prehensile tail, meaning it can move the tail to grasp branches as needed. That’s a useful skill to have; this species spends most of its time in trees!

2. Green-Headed Tanager

Green-headed Tanager perched on branch.
  • Latin name: Tangara seledon
  • Habitat: Can be found in much of the Atlantic forest in Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina
  • Size: About 5.3″ long
  • Diet: Primarily insects and fruit
  • Colorful feature: This little bird’s name is a bit confusing, as its head often looks more blue than green. But as you can see in the photo, much of its body is bright medium green.

At first glance, the green-headed tanager might seem like one of the most conspicuously-colored tanagers. However, its patchwork-like coloring helps it camouflage in the forest canopy. The green matches the leaves and other foliage, the blue is close to the color of the sky, and the black markings mimic the shadows.

3. Red-Eyed Tree Frog

Close-up of Red Eye Tree Frog.
  • Latin name: Agalychnis callidryas
  • Habitat: Rainforests in Mexico and Central America (as far as Colombia)
  • Size: Males up to about 2″ long; females up to about 3″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects, though they will sometimes eat smaller amphibians, too
  • Colorful feature: This strikingly beautiful frog has a bright, almost neon-green body. Its sides include patches of sunny yellow and bright blue. Its toes are tangerine orange and its eyes are a vivid shade of red.

Though the red-eyed tree frog is quite bright, it can effectively camouflage when it wants to sleep. It covers its bright sides with the hind legs, hides its fingers and toes beneath the belly, and covers its eyes with a membrane that lets it sense light if a predator approaches.

4. Golden-Tailed Sapphire

Golden-Tailed Sapphire perched on a twig.
  • Latin name: Chrysuronia oenone
  • Habitat: Found in semi-open areas in parts of northwestern South America
  • Size: About 3.7″ to 3.9″ long
  • Diet: Mostly nectar and some arthropods
  • Colorful feature: Males of this species are especially colorful; from the rump to the head, you can see a color gradient of almost every color in the rainbow! The center of the body is mostly rich, iridescent green.

Many species of hummingbirds are colorful, but this one is especially so. While males have more colors than females, both sexes are covered with incredibly bright, iridescent feathers.

5. Green Sunfish

Green sunfish in fisher's hand.
  • Latin name: Lepomis cyanellus
  • Habitat: Can be found in rivers and lakes across much of North America
  • Size: Up to about 12″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects and aquatic invertebrates, though they also will eat plant matter
  • Colorful feature: The exact coloring of green sunfish varies between individuals. However, their bodies are typically deep olive green, and they are marked with horizontal stripes of even darker green.

The pretty green sunfish is quite a versatile species. It’s known as a “panfish,” or edible game fish that won’t outgrow the size of a frying pan. It’s also sometimes kept as an aquarium fish.

6. Dido Longwing Butterfly

Dido Longwing Butterfly on rope.
  • Latin name: Philaethria dido
  • Habitat: Can be found in rainforests across much of Central America and in tropical regions of South America
  • Size: Wingspan up to about 4.3″
  • Diet: Primarily nectar
  • Colorful feature: This striking butterfly’s long wings are primarily bright green. Both the upper wings and the undersides of the wings have black, symmetrical markings.

This beautiful butterfly has a relatively large range, and it’s a common sight in tropical rainforests. However, it avoids deciduous forests. If you’re walking through a rainforest, the dido longwing might be a challenge to spot, as it prefers to stay in the canopy region of the forest.

7. Golden-Fronted Leafbird

Golden-fronted Leafbird perching on bunch of bananas.
  • Latin name: Chloropsis aurifrons
  • Habitat: Can be found in forests and scrublands in Southeast Asia, southwestern China, and the Indian subcontinent
  • Size: About 7.5″ long
  • Diet: Primarily insects and berries
  • Colorful feature: As you might guess from the name, this bird’s body is primarily leafy green. It has a mask-like marking across its face and upper chest and a bright blue patch on the chin. The black marking is ringed in a halo of faint gold, and it has a small crown of bright yellow.

Like many bird species with large ranges, this one can be divided into a few different races. Though the different races look fairly similar, there is some variation when it comes to their markings and sizes.

Color personality quiz animation

8. Buffalo Treehopper

Buffalo treehopper on a plant.
  • Latin name: Stictocephala bisonia
  • Habitat: Originally native to much of North America, though it has since been introduced to southern Europe, the Near East, and even parts of northern Africa
  • Size: About 0.24″ to 0.31″ long
  • Diet: Sap from various species of trees
  • Colorful feature: This odd insect is a bright, textured green that lets it blend in with various types of foliage. It also has a few yellow lines that mimic the veins on leaves.

When you look at this insect from the side, it’s easy to see where the name comes from: its back has a hump that looks very similar to that of a bison. From above, it looks quite angular, possibly to mimic thorns.

9. Emerald Tree Monitor

Emerald Tree Monitor on log.
  • Latin name: Varanus prasinus
  • Habitat: Forests, swamps, and plantations on Papua New Guinea and nearby islands
  • Size: About 30″ to 39″ long
  • Diet: Mostly tree-dwelling insects, though they will sometimes eat smaller vertebrates
  • Colorful feature: Most monitor lizards aren’t quite as colorful as this one! Many emerald tree monitors are a bright leafy green, though they sometimes are closer to being turquoise. Their backs have distinctive dorsal bands that give them a unique and textured look.

Many species of lizards (and especially monitor lizards) are solitary. The emerald tree monitor is unique in that it prefers to live in small groups. These groups are typically made up of a dominant male, a few females, and a few other males and juvenile lizards.

10. Green Anaconda

Green anaconda on ground.
  • Latin name: Eunectes murinus
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of northern South America east of the Andes
  • Size: Up to about 17′ long
  • Diet: Almost any animal they can eat, including fish, reptiles, and small mammals; very large individuals can eat deer and other large animals
  • Colorful feature: The green anaconda is a deep shade of army green, and it’s marked with several irregular black spots. Some of these are solid black and others look like eyespots with yellow centers.

This often-large snake is a skilled hunter, and it has a few adaptations that make catching prey easier. Both its eyes and its nasal openings sit on top of its head; that allows it to almost completely submerge itself in water and wait for potential prey to pass by.

11. Glorious Scarab

A group of metallic glorious scarab beetles on a lush yellow flower.
  • Latin name: Chrysina gloriosa
  • Habitat: Can be found in much of the southwestern United States and northern Mexico
  • Size: About 0.98″ to 1.1″ long
  • Diet: Primarily juniper plants
  • Colorful feature: It might seem strange to call a beetle “glorious,” but this one’s beautiful coloration justifies the name! Almost its entire body is covered in glossy, enamel-like green. It’s also marked with vertical stripes that are usually black or tan.

Like many other green animals on the list, the glorious scarab evolved its coloring to camouflage itself. It’s often incorrectly stated to be an endangered species, but the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) does not consider it to be threatened in any way.

12. Emerald Tree Skink

Emerald Tree Skink on plant.
  • Latin name: Lamprolepis smaragdina
  • Habitat: Can be found in some forested areas of Southeast Asia, neighboring archipelagos, and the Santa Cruz and Solomon Islands
  • Size: About 8.5″ to 10″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects and other small animals, though it will sometimes eat various types of plant matter
  • Colorful feature: This interestingly-colored skink’s body is usually bright, verdant green. Its eyes are rimmed in bright yellow. In some individuals, the lower part of the body is brown with white speckling.

Currently, the emerald tree skink isn’t one of the most popular skinks in captivity, but its popularity as a pet is growing. However, it may be harder to tame than other skink species: it is extremely active and tends to squirm when handled! 

13. Green Lynx Spider

A green lynx spider on a big leaf.
  • Latin name: Peucetia viridans
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of the southern United States, Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies
  • Size: Females about 0.87″ long; males about 0.47″ long
  • Diet: Various types of insects
  • Colorful feature: The green lynx is one of the brightest spiders out there. Its body is neon green, and its legs are usually slightly less bright. If you look closely, the legs are translucent.

This spider species has proven especially useful to humans. Namely, it kills several agricultural pests. The green lynx won’t usually bite humans, but use caution if you see one; it is venomous! A green lynx bite isn’t fatal, but it can be extremely painful. The swelling around it can reach a diameter of 10″.

14. Leopard Anole

Close-up of Leopard Anole.
  • Latin name: Anolis marmoratus
  • Habitat: Can be found across the Guadeloupe islands in the Caribbean
  • Size: About 6″ long
  • Diet: Primarily insects
  • Colorful feature: The coloring of this bright anole varies depending on the subspecies. Many individuals have leopard-like spots. The subspecies in the picture, Anolis marmoratus speciosus, tends to have a body that is mostly bright green. Its head is blue, and it has a bright yellow dewlap!

The leopard anole is one of the brightest anole species out there. It isn’t quite as common in the pet industry as the green anole. However, like most other anole species, it does not seem to enjoy being handled.

15. American Green Tree Frog

Tree frog perched on a wooden stick on a log.
  • Latin name: Dryophytes cinereus
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of the American southeast (though they can be found as far north as Delaware), especially in areas close to the coast
  • Size: Up to about 2.4″ long
  • Diet: Mostly mosquitos, flies, and other insects
  • Colorful feature: The American green tree frog varies some in color; some individuals are more brown. The brightest ones are vivid leafy green.

This species is frequently found in backyards throughout its range. It tends to live near streams, ponds, marshes, and lakes, but it also enjoys swimming in swimming pools at night!

16. Green and Golden Bell Frog

Frog in grass camouflaged.
  • Latin name: Ranoidea aurea
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of eastern Australia
  • Size: Up to about 4.5″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects, but they may sometimes eat mice and other larger animals
  • Colorful feature: This frog species has beautiful patterning on its back; it’s marked with a swirling pattern of green and brown (or near-black). It has stripes of gold along the sides.

Although this pretty frog is classified as a tree frog, it spends almost all of its time on the ground. Unfortunately, the IUCN currently classifies it as a species that is vulnerable to extinction.

17. Hump-Nosed Lizard

Hump-Nosed Lizard on small tree.
  • Latin name: Lyriocephalus scutatus
  • Habitat: Can be found in damp forests in Sri Lanka
  • Size: About 10″ to 13″ long
  • Diet: Mostly worms, arthropods, shoots, and buds
  • Colorful feature: Some of these lizards are more colorful than others. As you can see in the photo, the brightest ones are such a brilliant shade of green that they almost don’t look real! They have sky-blue bellies and bright yellow dewlaps spotted with green.

This interesting lizard has a couple of ways it protects itself from predators. If it’s threatened, it may open its mouth to scare off predators. And if you happen to pick one up, it might play dead!

18. Green Pug Moth

Green Pug Moth on piece of wood.
  • Latin name: Pasiphila rectangulata
  • Habitat: Can be found in the Near East and across the Palearctic from Ireland to Japan, though it is sometimes spotted in North America as well
  • Size: Wingspan about 0.6″ to 0.8″
  • Diet: Caterpillars eat the flowers of apple, cherry, pear, and related plants
  • Colorful feature: You’ve seen green butterflies, but green moths are somewhat rare. The green pug moth is usually mossy green with intricate patterning. However, its color is variable, and some green pug moths are mostly brown with only a little bit of green.

These unusual-looking moths tend to camouflage very well. They can be hard to spot, as the adults only come out at night during the months of June and July. However, they are very attracted to light!

19. Common Dolphinfish

Common Dolphinfish on fishing line.
  • Latin name: Coryphaena hippurus
  • Habitat: Can be found in the Indian Ocean as well as the Gulf of Mexico, Hawaii, and Costa Rica
  • Size: About 3″ long
  • Diet: Crabs, mackerel, flying fish, other fish species, and zooplankton
  • Colorful feature: These striking fish have vivid green backs and golden-yellow flanks. Many often have hints of blue.

You may have heard this fish called the mahi-mahi. It’s a popular food fish, and its large size and impressive colors also make it popular among sport fishers. Once it’s out of the water, its color tends to fade through a few different shades until it finally becomes gray.

20. Green-and-Gold Tanager

Green-and-Gold Tanager in small tree.
  • Latin name: Tangara schrankii
  • Habitat: Can be found in forests and swamps of the western Amazon Basin to the eastern foothills of the Andes
  • Size: About 4.7″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects, though they also will eat seeds and other plant matter
  • Colorful feature: Most of this colorful little bird’s body is bright green. Its head is golden yellow, and its wings are mottled with yellow and black. The flight feathers are usually blue-green.

The green-and-gold tanager is one of many tanager species that can be found in the rainforest. It can be distinguished from many other species by its black “mask” covering both eyes.

21. Green Stink Bug

Close-up of Green Stink Bug.
  • Latin name: Chinavia hilaris
  • Habitat: Can be found across North America, usually in gardens, woodlands, and fields of crops
  • Size: About 0.7″ long
  • Diet: Various types of plants, including those grown in agriculture
  • Colorful feature: Most common stink bugs are dull gray-brown, but this one is bright, leafy green! Its edges add a burst of color, as they are usually yellow, orange, or even reddish.

This unusually bright stink bug causes damage to a wide variety of crops. The adults tend to cause more damage than larvae or nymphs, and they can damage cotton, peaches, tomatoes, grapes, soybeans, and more. However, it communicates via a certain pheromone, so that pheromone is sometimes used to call it away from agricultural fields.

22. Greater Green Snake

Greater Green Snake against black background.
  • Latin name: Cyclophiops major
  • Habitat: Can be found in forests and farmlands in parts of China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Laos
  • Size: About 2.5′ to 3′ long
  • Diet: Various invertebrates including larvae and earthworms
  • Colorful feature: This snake is aptly named; its entire body is vivid green with hints of yellow. Some individuals have a few black spots.

Though this snake is fairly large, it’s somewhat unusual in that it does not eat vertebrate animals. It also doesn’t pose a danger to humans, as it will very rarely bite. You may also hear it referred to as the Chinese green snake.

23. Green Terror Cichlid

Green Terror Cichlid swimming in front of rocks.
  • Latin name: Andinoacara rivulatus
  • Habitat: Can be found in rivers along the Pacific side of South America
  • Size: Up to about 12″ long
  • Diet: Mostly crustaceans, worms, and other aquatic animals, though they also will eat some plant matter
  • Colorful feature: The green terror is quite a colorful fish! Its body is usually a combination of green and white. Some individuals appear to be edged in orange or gold, while others are edged in white.

As the name suggests, green terror cichlids can be quite aggressive. They seem to be able to coexist in tanks with larger cichlids. However, they often will eat any fish that are small enough to fit in their mouths!

24. Blue-Naped Chlorophonia

Blue-Naped Chlorophonia perched on tree.
  • Latin name: Chlorophonia cyanea
  • Habitat: Can be found in humid forests in a few isolated areas of South America
  • Size: About 4.3″ long
  • Diet: Largely insects and fruit
  • Colorful feature: Like many tropical birds, this one is quite colorful. Much of its body is medium green, and its head is very bright green. The eyes are ringed in turquoise, the back is bright blue, and the belly is yellow.

Both males and females of this species are quite bright. However, females tend to be a bit duller than males; their patterns are the same, but the colors themselves are more subdued.

25. Green Toad

Green toad in a swamp.
  • Latin name: Anaxyrus debilis
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of the southwestern United States and parts of northern Mexico
  • Size: Males up to about 1.8″ long; females up to about 2.1″ long
  • Diet: Mostly various types of insects
  • Colorful feature: Most people imagine frogs as green and toads as brown. But the green toad is predominately green with a bit of black mottling. As you can see in the photo, this coloration helps it blend in with swampy surroundings.

Like many frog species, the green toad forms choruses during the breeding season. To attract mates, males will gather around wet areas from March to August. Their chorus-like calls get the attention of female toads.

26. Plumed Basilisk

Male plumed basilisk sitting on a stump.
  • Latin name: Basiliscus plumifrons
  • Habitat: Rainforests near bodies of water in southern Mexico and northern Colombia
  • Size: Up to about 3′ long
  • Diet: Mostly worms, insects, and various types of vegetation
  • Colorful feature: Male plumed basilisks tend to be much more colorful than females. They are very bright green with tall, dinosaur-like crests along the body.

The plumed basilisk is sometimes called the “Jesus Christ lizard.” That’s because it can run along the surface of the water for short distances. And unlike most other lizard species, it is a very good swimmer. It can remain underwater for up to an hour.

27. Orange-Lined Triggerfish

A picture of an orangestriped triggerfish in the coral reef.
  • Latin name: Balistapus undulatus
  • Habitat: Can be found in and around coral reefs in the Indo-western Pacific region as well as in the Red Sea and off the coast of Japan and East Africa
  • Size: Up to about 12″ long
  • Diet: Various small aquatic animals as well as algae
  • Colorful feature: Though its coloration does vary somewhat, the orange-lined triggerfish usually has a green to blue-green base color. The thin, bright lines of orange form an eye-catching contrast, and the tail is often the same bright orange.

This large and colorful fish will sometimes become aggressive with other species. It has a prominent dorsal spine that it will often raise up when confronted by either a rival fish or a predator.

28. Wellington Green Gecko

The Wellington green gecko.
  • Latin name: Naultinus punctatus
  • Habitat: Can be found on the southern half of New Zealand’s North Island
  • Size: Up to about 8″ long
  • Diet: Mostly flies and moths
  • Colorful feature: This pretty green gecko is often marked by a few pale whitish-yellow spots along the back. If you see one open its mouth, you may be surprised to see that the inside of its mouth is blue!

This interesting lizard can be found both at night and during the day. At night, it tends to hunt for both flies and moths. However, during the day, it can sometimes be spotted basking in the sunlight.

29. Fiery Searcher Caterpillar Hunter

Fiery Searcher Caterpillar Hunter on rock.
  • Latin name: Calosoma scrutator
  • Habitat: Can be found in fields and gardens across much of eastern North America and as far south as Venezuela
  • Size: Up to about 1.4″ long
  • Diet: Mostly caterpillars
  • Colorful feature: This beetle is primarily a deep, jewel-like green. The body under the wings is bright reddish-orange, and the head and thorax often have a bluish hue.

This beautiful beetle is quite an asset to farmers and gardeners, as it voraciously eats caterpillars that are garden pests. And even though it’s beautiful, this beetle shouldn’t be handled. It releases a terrible-smelling oil that many people describe as smelling like either spoiled milk or rancid olive oil!

30. Sand Lizard

Sand lizard on rock.
  • Latin name: Lacerta agilis
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of Europe from France to parts of Russia
  • Size: Females up to about 7.3″ long; males up to about 7.6″ long
  • Diet: Various types of insects and spiders
  • Colorful feature: Male sand lizards become especially bright during breeding season. They turn rich green and are often flecked with black. Females have brown patterning along with yellow, eyespot-like markings.

You might imagine that a lizard with this name would be sand-colored, but males tend to be very bright during breeding season. Some even stay green year-round. They don’t always inhabit sandy areas, either: they seem to prefer dry habitats of almost any type.

31. Leaf Slug

Close-up of Leaf Slug.
  • Latin name: Costasiella kuroshimae
  • Habitat: Can be found in ocean waters close to the Philippines, Indonesia, and Japan
  • Size: About 0.2″ to 0.39″ long
  • Diet: Mostly algae
  • Colorful feature: This unique sea slug is primarily leaf-green, though each “leaf” on its body is typically tipped in pink.

This small sea slug is capable of doing something not many sea slugs can do: producing some of its own food. It can absorb plant cells from the algae it eats. Those plant cells then produce food via photosynthesis. This remarkable process is known as kleptoplasty.

32. Luna Moth

Luna Moth on wood.
  • Latin name: Actias luna
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of the eastern portion of North America
  • Size: Wingspan is usually up to about 4.5″; occasionally up to about 7″
  • Diet: Adult moths do not eat; they rely on energy stored as caterpillars
  • Colorful feature: The adult luna moth is almost entirely a striking shade of mint green. It has a yellow and purplish eyespot on each forewing and hindwing. Though the sexes look similar, males tend to be a bit brighter in color.

Chances are good that you recognize this noble green moth. The luna moth is not rare, but it is rarely seen. This is largely because adult luna moths will only live about 7-10 days, and they typically only come out at night.

33. European Green Toad

European green toad camouflaged.
  • Latin name: Bufotes viridis
  • Habitat: Various habitat types throughout mainland Europe
  • Size: Up to about 3.9″ long
  • Diet: Various types of insects and invertebrates
  • Colorful feature: This unique toad has a somewhat pale base color. It is marked with several irregular green blotches, though sometimes they are closer to being dark brown.

Not to be confused with the green toad mentioned earlier, the European green toad is found across most of Europe. It’s also unusual in that it can change its color in response to changes in heat and light. And even though it usually eats insects, the European green toad can be a bold hunter; it has allegedly attacked a bat!

34. Dogbane Beetle

Dogbane beetle on leaf.
  • Latin name: Chrysochus auratus
  • Habitat: Can be found across much of eastern North America
  • Size: About 0.3″ to 0.4″ long
  • Diet: Mostly the dogbane plant, though it will sometimes eat milkweed as well
  • Colorful feature: The dogbane beetle is one of the world’s many metallic beetles. Its base color is glossy green, but as you can see in the photo, it often reflects red, orange, or yellow.

You might wonder why the dogbane beetle is so bright; after all, metallic green doesn’t camouflage very well! But this species has conspicuous coloration to warn potential predators that it is not palatable. The beetle can store toxins found in dogbane plants and release them if attacked.

35. Inca Jay

Inca jay perched on branch.
  • Latin name: Cyanocorax yncas
  • Habitat: Can be found across the Andes in South America
  • Size: About 11.6″ to 12″ long
  • Diet: Mostly arthropods, smaller vertebrates, fruit, and seeds
  • Colorful feature: The brilliantly colored Inca jay looks a lot different from most birds. Its body is mostly green, but its neck and breast are a soft yellow. It has a black patch across the face and upper breast and a blue crest right above the beak.

Compared to most other bird species, the Inca jay is quite family-oriented. Both parents help to raise chicks. And in some instances, juvenile birds stay with their parents long enough to help the parents raise even more chicks.

36. Katydid

Katydid on white flower.
  • Latin name: Tettigonia viridissima
  • Habitat: Can be found across most of the eastern Palearctic realm and in most of Europe, the Near East, and North Africa
  • Size: Males up to about 1.4″ long; females up to about 1.7″ long
  • Diet: Mostly flies, larvae, and caterpillars
  • Colorful feature: This somewhat large and striking insect is bright green. The color allows it to easily blend in with the foliage where it hunts for smaller insect prey.

This green insect is sometimes called the great green bush-cricket. It’s a versatile creature that seems to move around easily; it can walk, jump, or fly. And while it isn’t harmful to humans, it has the potential to deliver a painful bite!

37. Green Crested Lizard

Side profile of green crested lizzard.
  • Latin name: Bronchocela cristatella
  • Habitat: Can be found in forests, rural areas, and parks in Southeast Asia
  • Size: Up to about 22″ long
  • Diet: Mostly insects, though it may sometimes eat smaller reptiles
  • Colorful feature: This cute lizard usually ranges from very bright green to cool blue-green, though when threatened, it will often turn brown. Each eye has a distinctive black ring around it.

The aptly-named green crested lizard has especially striking markings. It competes with another striking species, the changeable lizard, in Singapore. As a result, its range in Singapore has become gradually smaller.

38. Eclectus Parrot

Green Eclectus Parrot sitting on a branch.
  • Latin name: Eclectus roratus
  • Habitat: Rainforests across northeastern Australia, the Maluku Islands, New Guinea, Sumba, the Solomon Islands, and nearby islands
  • Size: About 14″ long
  • Diet: Mostly fruit, seeds, nuts, and buds
  • Colorful feature: The Eclectus parrot is unique in that males and females have completely different (but equally bright) coloration. Males are almost entirely vivid green with bold orange beaks.

Thanks to their bright colors and relatively calm natures, Eclectus parrots are considered to be desirable pets. However, hand-feeding them (so they will be more people-oriented as adults) often proves to be difficult. If you have one as a pet, be sure to give it plenty of stimulation, as it’s especially prone to feather-picking.

39. Common Green Birdwing Butterfly

Common green birdwing butterfly on large golden cymbidium orchid.
  • Latin name: Ornithoptera priamus
  • Habitat: Can be found in northeastern Australia, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, the Solomon Islands, and the Maluku Islands
  • Size: Wingspan up to about 5″
  • Diet: Nectar from various types of flowers
  • Colorful feature: This large and colorful butterfly is quite easy to recognize. Males are mostly bright green, and each forewing has a broad streak of black. The forewings are lined in black, and each hindwing has a few black spots.

Birdwing butterflies are among the world’s most impressive. This particular species is protected by legislation; only those with the necessary permit may export them from the wild.

40. Emerald Catfish

Emerald Catfish in aquarium.
  • Latin name: Corydoras splendens
  • Habitat: Can be found in slow-moving waters in the Amazon Basin
  • Size: Up to about 3″ long
  • Diet: Mostly small crustaceans, insect larvae, and worms
  • Colorful feature: Most catfish aren’t as bright as this one! Its exact coloration seems to depend on both the individual and the light, but it usually reflects metallic green, bluish green, or blue.

If you’re looking for an easygoing, low-maintenance aquarium fish, the emerald catfish is a great choice. It’s a peaceful species, but since it is unusually shy, it seems to do better in groups of at least three. It will eat just about any type of fish food, but it especially likes worms.

41. Green Parakeet

Close-up of Green Parakeet.
  • Latin name: Psittacara holochlorus
  • Habitat: Can be found in woodlands and palm groves from southern Texas to northern Nicaragua
  • Size: Up to about 12.6″ long
  • Diet: Mostly fruit, seeds, and corn
  • Colorful feature: Both males and females of this species are a rich, slightly muted green. Their bright yellow-orange beaks stand out against their solid coloration.

Since this bird looks like a tropical species, it may come as a surprise that it can be found in the United States. Some people have claimed that the green parakeets in the U.S. are a feral population, but research has indicated that this population seems to be native.

42. Eastern Green Mamba

Close-up of Eastern Green Mamba.
  • Latin name: Dendroaspis angusticeps
  • Habitat: Forests in the coastal part of East Africa
  • Size: Up to about 6’7″ long
  • Diet: Mostly birds, bats, eggs, and rodents
  • Colorful feature: This bright yellow-green snake is quite eye-catching! It can be hard to spot in the wild, as this color allows it to camouflage in its arboreal habitat.

The eastern green mamba may not be as well-known as its relative, the black mamba. And while it is the least venomous green mamba, its bite is still dangerous to humans. Luckily, it’s a shy snake that keeps to itself, and most wild individuals will avoid people. However, during the breeding season (from September to February) it may be more likely to bite.

Green Creatures From Around the World

Hopefully you’ve discovered some unique green animals you may not have seen before. And though you might have to look closely among the foliage to spot them, it’s well worth catching a glimpse!

Explore beautiful creatures of all colors and types in this list of colorful animals.