Cordulia shurtleffii
In 3 days ~40% in a week ~60%
The American emerald (Cordulia shurtleffii) is a species of dragonfly found in North America. It is colored mostly black with a yellow ring between segments 2 and 3.. The distribution range of this dragonfly includes the northern United States and Canada, with a typical body length ranging from 1.7 to 2.0 inches. Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Elk Island National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Isle Royale National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Gros Morne National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 5 | Yosemite National Park | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 6 | Great Bear Rainforest | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 7 | Rocky Mountain National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an American Emerald sighting in Elk Island National Park on a given day, based on 13 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 54th most-seen of the 112 insects we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 40%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
June
In that month about 30% of wildlife watchers report an American Emerald in Elk Island National Park on a given day, against under 5% in August to April, the lowest months. That is one of Elk Island National Park's wettest months, with about 110 mm of rain against 20 mm in December.
Between 11 am and 2 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Emerald sightings with a recorded time, and nearly all of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
2nd of 7
Of the 7 parks where we can rate American Emerald sightings, Elk Island National Park ranks 2nd at about 10%. The best odds are in Riding Mountain National Park (Canada, about 20%).
Same order: Odonata
The closest relatives of the American Emerald that you can see in Elk Island National Park (order Odonata, Dragonflies and Damselflies) are Four-Spotted Skimmer (about 20%), Black Meadowhawk (about 20%) and Boreal Whiteface (about 20%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the American Emerald is recorded against all the insects logged in Elk Island National Park (13 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
