Skyrim:Passive Creatures

Skyrim contains many passive creatures, i.e., animals that are completely unable to attack or harm you. Technically, these are not even true creatures, but are more similiar to scenery: animated effects that can be activated (typically yielding an ingredient or food), but have no other activities.

Aquatic Creatures

Fish may be found in abundance in most sizeable water ways. Look for insects above the surface to find fish beneath it. The following fish yield items of the same name unless otherwise noted.

Salmon

A leaping Salmon

Salmon are found swimming in the rivers and seas of Skyrim and are often seen jumping out of water to ascend waterfalls/rapids. Catching salmon yields salmon meat which is food, not an alchemical ingredient, as all other species of fish are. While the other species of fish tend to swim near the surface of bodies of water, salmon may be seen either near the surface or in the depths. Salmon may be shot with an arrow (or killed with various shouts) to make them easier to catch, then collected by using the action key. However, the prompt to do so may not come up. With the Hearthfire plug-in installed, Salmon Roe may be harvested from leaping salmon found in streams (but not from dead salmon or salmon found swimming in lakes).

Abacean Longfin

An Abacean Longfin

Abacean Longfins [sic] yield Abecean Longfins, an alchemy ingredient.

Cyrodilic Spadetail

A Cyrodilic Spadetail

Cyrodilic Spadetails yield Cyrodilic Spadetails, an alchemy ingredient.

Histcarp

A Histcarp

Histcarp yield Histcarp, an alchemy ingredient.

River Betty

A River Betty

River Betties yield River Betties, an alchemy ingredient.

Silverside Perch

A Silverside Perch

Silverside Perch yield Silverside Perch, an alchemy ingredient.

Nordic Barnacle Cluster

A Nordic Barnacle Cluster

Nordic Barnacle Cluster (harvested)

Nordic Barnacle Clusters yield Nordic Barnacles. You can find them everywhere in Skyrim but especially in the waters just outside Riften (around the wooden poles underwater).

Clam

A Clam

Clam (harvested)

Clams yield clam meat, which is food, not an ingredient. In the base game, it can only be eaten raw, unlike other raw food in Skyrim which can be cooked. However, with the Hearthfire plug-in, clam meat is one of four items needed to cook clam chowder.

Pearl Oyster^DB

A Pearl Oyster

Pearl Oyster (harvested)

Pearl oysters yield Pearls and Small Pearls which are ingredients. Pearl oysters only appear on the island of Solstheim and can be found along most of its shoreline. Pearl Oysters are visually different from Clams in that they are more gray-colored, while clams are more brown.

Slaughterfish Egg Nest

A Slaughterfish Egg Nest

Slaughterfish Egg Nest (harvested)

Slaughterfish Egg Nests yield Slaughterfish Eggs. Note that Slaughterfish themselves are hostile creatures, and are documented elsewhere.

Food

These animals are found dead, usually hanging upside down near a fire or in the wilderness.

Charred Skeever

Charred Skeever

Charred Skeevers are found in bonfires, typically Bandit Camps or Giant Camps. They yield Charred Skeever Hide when activated.

Horker (dead)^DB

Horker (dead)

A hanging Horker can be found in Skaal Village. It yields three samples of Horker Meat.

Pheasant

Pheasants

Hanging Pheasants yield Pheasant Breasts.

Rabbit (dead)

Rabbits (dead)

Hanging Rabbits yield Raw Rabbit Legs. Live rabbits are non-hostile creatures, and are documented elsewhere.

Salmon (dead)

Salmon (dead)

Hanging Salmon, just like live Salmon, yields salmon meat.

Insects

Despite their small size, insects are capable of pushing around the player and other NPCs. Harvesting is also possible by using melee attacks, ranged attacks, or Unrelenting Force on the target insect. Ingredients must then be collected from the ground.

Ancestor Moth^DG

An Ancestor Moth

Ancestor Moths surrounding the player

Ancestor Moths are added by the Dawnguard plug-in, and can be harvested to yield Ancestor Moth Wings. Several swarms can be found in Ancestor Glade, however they are not lootable; you must find the moths that land on the flora instead.

Ants

Ants on a tree stump

Ants can be found crossing tree stumps (such as one at Half-Moon Mill, next to the grindstone) in large numbers. They cannot be interacted with in any way, and are purely aesthetic.

Bee

A Bee

Bees are found in and around their beehives, usually hanging in trees. Beehives can be harvested to yield Bees, Beehive Husks, and Honeycombs. Vacant Beehives will only yield Bees and Beehive Husks.

Blue Butterfly

Blue Butterflies

Blue Butterflies can be found during the day; each insect yields two Blue Butterfly Wings.

Dragonfly

Dragonfly (Blue Dartwing)

Dragonfly (Orange Dartwing)

Dragonflies yield Blue Dartwings or Orange Dartwings. They can be found during the day, often near water.

Luna Moth

A Luna Moth

Luna Moths can be found at night; each insect yields two Luna Moth Wings.

Monarch Butterfly

A Monarch Butterfly

Monarch Butterflies can be found during the day; each insect yields two Butterfly Wings.

Torchbug

A Torchbug

Torchbugs can be found at night; each insect yields a Torchbug Thorax.

Other Creatures

Bats

Bats

A Vampire Lord summoning bats

Bats are found flying in caves and dungeons, traveling in groups. They are a visual effect of no significance to gameplay other than adding ambiance. Vampire Lords^DG can tranform into a cloud of bats, or use bats to attack enemies in combat.

Birds

A flock of birds

Flocks of birds can sometimes be seen fleeing from treetops when disturbed. They are a visual effect of no significance to gameplay other than adding ambiance.

Egg Sac

Egg Sac (Spider)

Egg Sac (Chaurus)

Egg Sacs are found in dungeons and can be harvested to yield Spider Eggs or Chaurus Eggs, though both Frostbite Spiders and Chaurus themselves are hostile enemies.

Hawk

A Hawk

A Hawk in its nest

Hawks are birds that can be seen flying around Skyrim. They can be shot down, yielding Hawk Beaks and Hawk Feathers; those pages provide details on where Hawks can be found.

They can be killed with magic (including non-damaging spells like Courage), a few shouts (Animal Allegiance, Soul Tear, and Kyne's Peace), or shot with an arrow, although this may fling out of sight, as they are very light. If the body flies too far the arrow can detach from the body and instead fly up into the sky.

Hawks will have a nest nearby that they return to from time to time. A good strategy is to attack hawks when they are in their nests using a low power spell such as Flames, rather than Fireballs or arrows, to keep their bodies from being flung out of sight.

Hawks can be killed only once. Once they respawn, they become invincible.

Bone Hawk^DG

A Bone Hawk

Bone Hawks are variants of hawks that are added by the Dawnguard plug-in and are found flying around Castle Volkihar. Their body is similar to regular hawks, but their head is an exposed skull and their bodies are darker. When shot down, they yield one Bone Hawk Claw, two Bone Hawk Feathers and one Bone Hawk Skull.

Bone Hawks can be killed only once. Once they respawn, they become invincible.

Felsaad Tern^DB

A Felsaad Tern

Felsaad Terns are variants of hawks that are added by the Dragonborn expansion and are found flying around Solstheim. Their body is similar to regular hawks, but with white feathers. When shot down, they yield one to three Felsaad Tern Feathers.

Shellbug^DG

A Shellbug

A dead Shellbug (harvested)

Shellbugs are rare creatures that can't be killed with conventional methods, and the source of the rare Shellbug Chitin. To obtain the Chitin you need to mine it from the creature with a pickaxe; doing so will result in its death. They can be found in Forgotten Vale Cave and Sharpslope Cave.

Silt Strider^DB

A Silt Strider

Silt Striders are giant arthropods, and are often used by the Dunmer of Morrowind as transportation within their hollow shells. One, named Dusty, has been added by the Dragonborn expansion, and can be found on Solstheim in the outskirts of Tel Mithryn. The towering creature is found southwest of the Sun Stone. Dusty is owned by a merchant named Revus Sarvani. However, she is not in service for traveling currently. The Silt Strider cannot be harmed by any spells or weapons.

Whispering Spirit^DG

A Whispering Spirit

Whispering Spirits are invulnerable wisp-like creatures you can find within the Soul Cairn. They cannot be interacted with in any way. Some follow set routes, and some seem to just fly around randomly. You are unable to interact with them yourself in any way, as any attack has no effect on them. Despite this, Bonemen, Wrathmen, and Mistmen will all give chase to these creatures, either by running after and trying to attack them, or using ranged attacks. This can provide both a humorous sight, or a helpful distraction if you come across already present enemies. They have only been sighted chasing the Spirits before meeting the player, to which they will continue after the Spirit for a short time before turning their attention to the player.

Note that unlike other passive creatures listed here, Whispering Spirits are technically true creatures, as opposed to animated activators. They are similar to Wisps, hostile ethereal monsters which accompany Wispmothers. The name "Whispering Spirit" is taken from the game's data files; it is never encountered in game.