SCENIC · PARKS TRACKER
99 species · Build your North American life list
Bison bison
The largest land animal in North America once numbered 60 million; nearly extinct by 1900, bison have recovered to around 500,000, with wild herds in Yellowstone and other preserves.
Ursus arctos horribilis
Identified by a massive shoulder hump and dished face, the grizzly is a symbol of wild America. Yellowstone and Glacier offer the best Lower 48 viewing opportunities.
Ursus americanus
The most common bear in North America, found coast to coast in forested areas. Great Smoky Mountains has one of the densest populations — roughly 1,500 bears in the park.
Ursus maritimus
The world's largest land carnivore is strictly an Arctic species, hunting ringed seals on sea ice. Classified as vulnerable; Churchill, Manitoba is the premier land-based viewing location.
Puma concolor
Also called cougar or puma, this solitary big cat has the largest range of any wild land animal in the Western Hemisphere. Sightings are rare — they see you long before you see them.
Canis lupus
Reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995, wolves have transformed the ecosystem through a "trophic cascade." The Lamar Valley is the world's best place to watch wild wolves hunt in packs.
Alces alces
The tallest North American land animal, bulls can stand 7 feet at the shoulder. Moose are solitary and often spotted wading in lakes and ponds, eating aquatic vegetation.
Cervus canadensis
One of the largest deer species, elk are famous for their bugles during fall rut. Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, and Great Smoky Mountains all offer excellent elk viewing.
Rangifer tarandus
The only deer species where both sexes grow antlers, caribou undertake epic migrations across the Arctic tundra. The Porcupine herd crosses between Alaska and Canada annually.
Antilocapra americana
The fastest land animal in North America (up to 60 mph) and the only surviving member of its ancient family. Their speed evolved alongside now-extinct American cheetahs.
Ovis canadensis
Named for their massive curved horns, rams clash skull-to-skull at 40 mph during rut. Rocky Mountain National Park and Badlands offer reliable viewing on rocky ridgelines.
Oreamnos americanus
Sure-footed climbers that inhabit steep cliffs and rocky alpine terrain above the treeline. Glacier National Park's Logan Pass is a reliable mountain goat hotspot.
Ovibos moschatus
Survivors from the last Ice Age, musk oxen have barely changed in 10,000 years. Their dense qiviut undercoat is eight times warmer than sheep wool; herds form a defensive circle when threatened.
Panthera onca
The largest cat in the Western Hemisphere occasionally crosses from Mexico into southern Arizona and New Mexico. A handful of individual males have been photographed by camera traps in the sky islands.
Gulo gulo
Pound for pound the most ferocious animal in North America, wolverines cover enormous territories through deep snow. They are rarely seen; a wolverine sighting is considered a lifetime wildlife achievement.
Odocoileus virginianus
The most abundant large wild mammal in the US, found from the Everglades to the boreal forest. The white underside of the tail, flashed when alarmed, gives the species its name.
Odocoileus hemionus
Named for their large mule-like ears, mule deer are a familiar sight throughout the western parks. Unlike white-tails, they bound with a stiff-legged gait called "stotting" when alarmed.
Canis latrans
The most adaptable canid in North America has expanded its range dramatically as wolves were extirpated. Their haunting yipping chorus is a signature sound of the American night.
Vulpes vulpes
The most widespread wild carnivore in the world, the red fox is recognizable by its rusty coat and bushy white-tipped tail. They are remarkably intelligent and adaptable.
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
The only canid that routinely climbs trees — curved claws allow them to scale trunks. Their salt-and-pepper coat and black-tipped tail distinguish them from red foxes.
Vulpes lagopus
One of the most cold-tolerant mammals on Earth, arctic foxes can survive temperatures of -58°F. Their coat shifts from brown in summer to pure white in winter for camouflage in the snow.
Lynx rufus
The most common wild cat in North America, twice the size of a house cat with a distinctive bobbed tail. Mostly crepuscular and secretive; the Everglades and Big Bend offer rare daytime sightings.
Lynx canadensis
The lynx's oversized paws act as natural snowshoes, and its population cycles tightly with snowshoe hare abundance. Listed as threatened in the lower 48 states.
Lontra canadensis
Playful and charismatic, river otters have made a strong comeback after historic trapping declines. Yellowstone's Lamar River and Olympic's Hoh River are reliable spots.
Castor canadensis
North America's largest rodent and a keystone ecosystem engineer, beaver dams create wetland habitat that benefits hundreds of species. Their lodges are visible in many park ponds.
Taxidea taxus
Ferocious diggers with powerful forelimbs, badgers excavate prey from burrows at remarkable speed. Their bold black-and-white face stripes are a warning to potential predators.
Mephitis mephitis
Instantly recognized by its white-striped black coat, the skunk's sulfuric spray can reach 10 feet and cause temporary blindness. Mostly nocturnal and surprisingly docile unless threatened.
Ochotona princeps
A tiny relative of rabbits that lives in cool alpine boulder fields, pikas are a sensitive indicator of climate change — they cannot survive temperatures above 78°F and are retreating upslope.
Marmota flaviventris
A large ground squirrel that hibernates up to 8 months of the year; their sharp alarm whistles echo across rocky meadows. Often seen sunning on boulders at high-elevation trailheads.
Erethizon dorsatum
Armed with 30,000 barbed quills, porcupines are slow-moving herbivores that often gnaw on salt-lick items like wooden tool handles and hiking boots. Most active at night.
Dicotyles tajacu
Often mistaken for wild pigs, javelinas are actually a distinct New World species. Their sharp musk glands and pig-like appearance make them unforgettable desert park encounters.
Dasypus novemcinctus
The only armadillo species found in the US, with a unique bony shell of overlapping plates. They always give birth to identical quadruplets and can walk underwater along river bottoms.
Procyon lotor
Highly intelligent and dexterous, raccoons are recognized by their black face mask and ringed tail. Their front paws are sensitive enough to feel food texture underwater — a behavior often mistaken for washing.
Eschrichtius robustus
Gray whales make one of the longest migrations of any mammal — up to 12,000 miles from Arctic feeding grounds to Baja lagoons to calve. Point Reyes and Olympic Coast offer prime viewing.
Megaptera novaeangliae
Famous for complex songs and dramatic breaching behavior, humpbacks were hunted nearly to extinction. Their recovery is a conservation success story; Glacier Bay and Acadia offer close encounters.
Orcinus orca
The apex predators of the ocean, orcas live in family pods with complex cultures and dialects. San Juan Islands' southern resident pods are among the most studied marine mammals in the world.
Balaenoptera musculus
The largest animal ever to have lived on Earth, blue whales can reach 100 feet and 200 tons. Channel Islands National Park is one of the best places in the world to see them.
Tursiops truncatus
The most recognized dolphin species, bottlenoses are highly intelligent and social. Cape Hatteras, Gulf Islands, and Point Reyes regularly see them riding bow waves alongside whale-watching boats.
Eumetopias jubatus
The largest eared seal, males can weigh 2,400 pounds. Olympic Coast and Channel Islands are key haulout sites; their deep roar carries across the water.
Zalophus californianus
Highly social and vocal, California sea lions are skilled acrobats frequently seen surfing waves and hauling out on rocky shores. Channel Islands supports the largest US breeding colony.
Phoca vitulina
The most common seal in North America, harbor seals haul out on rocks and sandbars at low tide. They are curious but shy — often just a head bobbing offshore at many coastal parks.
Mirounga angustirostris
Named for the male's massive inflatable proboscis, elephant seals were hunted nearly to extinction by 1900. Point Reyes and Año Nuevo host spectacular winter breeding colonies.
Trichechus manatus
Gentle aquatic herbivores that seek warm springs in winter, manatees are a beloved Florida icon. Blue Spring State Park and Crystal River are premier winter viewing sites.
Enhydra lutris
Sea otters float on their backs using their chests as tables to crack open shellfish with rocks — one of the few mammal tool users. They have the densest fur of any animal: one million hairs per square inch.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
The national bird was nearly wiped out by DDT and hunting by the 1960s; its recovery under the Endangered Species Act is a landmark conservation success. Now seen at most parks near water.
Aquila chrysaetos
One of the most powerful birds of prey, golden eagles hunt jackrabbits and prairie dogs in open terrain. Unlike bald eagles, they prefer wild backcountry far from human development.
Pandion haliaetus
Specialized fish-hunters that dive feet-first into water, osprey have reversible outer toes and barbed pads to grip slippery fish. Almost any park with a lake or river will have nesting pairs.
Buteo jamaicensis
The most common and widespread hawk in North America; its piercing scream is used in virtually every movie and TV show featuring any raptor — including bald eagles.
Falco peregrinus
The fastest animal on Earth, peregrine falcons dive at over 240 mph to strike prey in mid-air. Nearly extinct by 1970 from DDT, they now nest on skyscrapers and cliff faces across the continent.
Bubo virginianus
The quintessential owl of North America, with striking "horns" that are actually feather tufts. Powerful enough to take skunks and other owls, they begin nesting in January during the coldest nights.
Bubo scandiacus
One of the heaviest owls in North America, the snowy owl hunts lemmings by day on the Arctic tundra. In irruption years, they appear dramatically in open fields and airports far south of their normal range.
Strix varia
The distinctive "who cooks for you, who cooks for you-all" call is one of the most evocative sounds in eastern forests. Now spreading rapidly into the Pacific Northwest, where it threatens spotted owls.
Gymnogyps californianus
With a 9.5-foot wingspan, the California condor is North America's largest flying bird. Down to just 27 individuals in 1987, intensive captive breeding has returned them to the wild; Grand Canyon is the best viewing spot.
Cathartes aura
Nature's cleanup crew, turkey vultures soar on thermals with wings held in a V-shape, using an extraordinary sense of smell to locate carcasses. Their bald red head prevents bacterial buildup while feeding.
Falco sparverius
North America's smallest and most colorful falcon, the kestrel hovers over open fields hunting insects and mice. Males sport a striking blue-gray wing and rusty back; populations have declined 50% since 1970.
Ardea herodias
The tallest North American heron stands nearly 5 feet; it hunts by standing motionless then striking with lightning speed. One of the most universally recognized waterbirds at any park with water.
Antigone canadensis
One of the oldest living bird species — fossils date back 2.5 million years. The spring migration through Nebraska's Platte River Valley, where 500,000 cranes stage simultaneously, is one of the great wildlife spectacles.
Grus americana
North America's tallest bird nearly vanished in the 20th century — down to 21 individuals in 1941. Intensive recovery efforts have brought the wild population to over 500; still critically endangered.
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
One of the largest birds in North America with a 9-foot wingspan, white pelicans fish cooperatively — forming lines to herd fish into shallows, unlike their diving brown cousins.
Pelecanus occidentalis
Nearly extinct from DDT in the 1970s, the brown pelican made a full recovery and was delisted in 2009. They dive from heights of 60 feet to scoop fish, the only pelican that plunges head-first.
Cygnus buccinator
The largest waterfowl species in the world was hunted to near-extinction; by 1935 only 69 remained. Yellowstone's Madison River and the Pacific Northwest now host thriving flocks.
Gavia immer
The haunting wail of the common loon is the quintessential sound of northern wilderness. Their striking black-and-white breeding plumage and red eyes make them one of the most beautiful birds in North America.
Fratercula arctica
The colorful "clown of the sea" nests in burrows on Maine's offshore islands — Seal Island and Matinicus Rock are the prime US locations. Project Puffin restored colonies that had been extinct since the 1800s.
Platalea ajaja
One of the most spectacular wading birds in North America, with brilliant pink plumage and a unique spatula-shaped bill swept side-to-side through shallow water. Everglades and Ding Darling offer reliable sightings.
Ardea alba
The symbol of the National Audubon Society — hunting egrets for their breeding plumes nearly drove them extinct in the 1880s, spurring the early conservation movement that led to the NPS.
Geococcyx californianus
A terrestrial cuckoo that can reach 20 mph on foot, the roadrunner kills and eats rattlesnakes. Its distinctive silhouette — long tail held low, crest raised — makes it instantly recognizable in the Sonoran Desert.
Meleagris gallopavo
Benjamin Franklin famously favored the turkey over the bald eagle as the national bird, calling it a "respectable bird." Wild turkeys nearly disappeared but have been successfully restored across their range.
Nucifraga columbiana
This gray and black mountain bird caches up to 98,000 whitebark pine seeds per season and remembers the location of thousands of them months later — a feat of spatial memory that has fascinated scientists.
Cinclus mexicanus
North America's only aquatic songbird walks underwater along stream bottoms hunting insect larvae; it can also swim and dive. Named for its constant up-and-down bobbing motion while perched on stream rocks.
Cyanocitta stelleri
The only crested jay west of the Rockies, with a bold black head and deep blue body. A brazen camp robber that has learned to mimic the calls of red-tailed hawks to frighten other birds from food.
Sturnella neglecta
The state bird of six states, the western meadowlark's rich, flute-like song is the defining sound of open prairie. Its bright yellow breast with a black V-collar is unmistakable perched on a fence post.
Passerina ciris
Often called the most beautiful bird in North America, the male painted bunting is a living jewel — blue head, red underparts, and green back. Females are a brilliant green, unusual among songbirds.
Archilochus colubris
The only breeding hummingbird in the eastern US, weighing less than a penny. Males flash an iridescent ruby gorget that appears black in low light; they migrate nonstop across the Gulf of Mexico twice a year.
Calypte anna
The most common hummingbird along the Pacific Coast, the male has an iridescent rose-red head and throat. Unlike most hummingbirds, Anna's overwinters in the US and begins breeding in December.
Bonasa umbellus
Males attract mates by drumming their wings to create a resonant "whump-whump-whump" that carries through the forest. A master of camouflage, they virtually disappear against the leaf litter.
Bombycilla cedrorum
Sleek and elegant with a distinctive crest, yellow tail-band, and red waxy wingtips. Cedar waxwings travel in nomadic flocks, descending on berry-laden trees and stripping them bare before moving on.
Alligator mississippiensis
A living fossil unchanged for 37 million years, alligators are a keystone species whose gator holes provide refuge for fish and wading birds during droughts. Everglades has an estimated 200,000.
Crocodylus acutus
Unlike the aggressive Nile crocodile, American crocodiles are notably shy. The only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles share habitat is the southern tip of Florida.
Heloderma suspectum
One of only two venomous lizards in the US, the Gila monster moves slowly and spends 98% of its life underground. Sluggish but dangerous when provoked; their venom is being studied for diabetes treatment.
Crotalus atrox
The largest rattlesnake in the western US and responsible for more snakebite fatalities than any other US species. Their rattle is a series of hollow keratin segments that vibrate up to 60 times per second.
Gopherus agassizii
Tortoises that can live over 80 years and survive without water for a year by storing it in their bladder. They spend 95% of their time in burrows to escape desert heat; listed as threatened.
Chelonia mydas
Named not for their shell color but for their greenish fat, green sea turtles return to the beach where they were born — sometimes crossing thousands of miles of ocean — to nest.
Phrynosoma spp.
Nicknamed "horny toads," these spiky lizards are masters of camouflage and have a bizarre defensive ability — squirting blood from their eyes up to 5 feet to deter canid predators.
Chelydra serpentina
Ancient and aggressive when out of water, snapping turtles have beak-like jaws capable of exerting 209 newtons of force. They spend most of their lives aquatic, lurking under mud in lake shallows.
Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
North America's largest salamander reaches 2.5 feet and lives up to 30 years in clear, cold streams. Also called "snot otter" and "devil dog," hellbenders breathe entirely through wrinkled folds of skin; critically declining.
Dicamptodon tenebrosus
The largest terrestrial salamander in North America can reach 13 inches and is capable of making a rattling bark or low growl — one of the few vocalizing salamanders. Found under logs in cool, wet old-growth forest.
Lithobates catesbeianus
The largest frog in North America, with a resonant "jug-o-rum" call that carries across ponds on summer nights. An invasive disaster in the West, where they eat native frogs and have contributed to amphibian declines.
Anaxyrus americanus
One of the most common amphibians in the East, toads emerge in spring to breed in ponds and puddles, filling the night with their long, musical trill. Their parotoid glands secrete a mild toxin that deters most predators.
Pseudacris regilla
Despite being only an inch long, this tiny frog produces the iconic "ribbit" sound associated with frogs everywhere — the only frog that makes that sound, and Hollywood's go-to audio for any frog scene.
Oncorhynchus clarkii
Named by Lewis and Clark, the cutthroat is identified by red-orange slashes under the jaw. Yellowstone Lake hosts the largest remaining population of Yellowstone cutthroat, threatened by illegally introduced lake trout.
Oncorhynchus nerka
Sockeye turn brilliant crimson with green heads during their spawning migration; they die after spawning, their carcasses feeding the entire forest ecosystem. Watching a sockeye run is one of the great wildlife spectacles.
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
The largest Pacific salmon, individual fish can exceed 100 pounds. The Chinook is a keystone species — its marine-derived nutrients fertilize entire river ecosystems, supporting bears, eagles, and old-growth trees.
Acipenser fulvescens
A living dinosaur that hasn't changed in 135 million years, lake sturgeon can live 150 years and grow to 7 feet. Overfished nearly to extinction, they are now recovering in protected Great Lakes tributaries.
Salvelinus fontinalis
Technically a char rather than a true trout, the brookie's vivid red spots with blue halos make it one of the most beautiful freshwater fish. A sensitive indicator of cold, clean water quality.
Danaus plexippus
The monarch's 3,000-mile multigenerational migration is one of the most remarkable animal journeys on Earth. Listed as endangered; Pacific Grove State Beach and Pismo Beach host winter roosts of thousands.
Photinus pyralis
Synchronous fireflies in Great Smoky Mountains National Park produce one of North America's most spectacular natural light shows each June — thousands of fireflies blinking in perfect unison in dark hollows.
Limulus polyphemus
A living fossil older than the dinosaurs, horseshoe crabs have been crawling out to spawn on full-moon high tides for 450 million years. Their blue blood is essential to vaccine testing; Delaware Bay hosts the largest spawning aggregation.
Aphonopelma chalcodes
Male tarantulas wander overland in late summer and fall seeking mates — a memorable sight on desert roads through Big Bend and Saguaro. Despite their fearsome appearance, they are docile and rarely bite.
Actias luna
One of the most beautiful moths in the world, with pale green wings and long elegant tails spanning 4.5 inches. Adults live only one week — long enough to mate — and have no mouth parts, surviving entirely on stored energy.