Wildlife
What lives in Arches
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Arches: 44 mammals, 182 birds, 14 reptiles, 5 amphibians and 10 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Black bear
Ursus americanus · Rare
Coyote
Canis latrans · Uncommon
Mountain lion
Puma concolor · Rare
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · Uncommon
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana · Uncommon
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus oreganus concolor · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
California condor
Gymnogyps californianus · Occasional
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon
By group
Species counts
Present or probably present per the NPS list. “Listed” includes species the NPS has evaluated but marks unconfirmed or not in park.
- Mammals
- 56
- 59 listed
- Birds
- 188
- 209 listed · 5 non-native
- Reptiles
- 15
- 20 listed
- Amphibians
- 7
- 8 listed · 1 non-native
- Fish
- 10
- 11 listed · 7 non-native
Endangered Species Act
1 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | Occasional | Threatened |
Mammals
All 56 mammals recorded in Arches
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Myotis | Myotis californicus | Common | ||
| Canyon Bat | Parastrellus hesperus | Common | ||
| Canyon Mouse | Peromyscus crinitus | Common | ||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Common | ||
| Desert Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | Common | ||
| Hopi Chipmunk | Neotamias rufus | Common | ||
| Rock squirrel | Otospermophilus variegatus | Common | ||
| White-tailed Antelope Squirrel | Ammospermophilus leucurus | Common | ||
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| Big Free-tailed Bat | Nyctinomops macrotis | Uncommon | ||
| Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| Black-tailed Jackrabbit | Lepus californicus | Uncommon |
Show the other 44 mammals ↓The other 44
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Botta's Pocket Gopher | Thomomys bottae | Uncommon | ||
| Brazilian Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Uncommon | ||
| Brush Mouse | Peromyscus boylii | Uncommon | ||
| Bushy-tailed Woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Uncommon | ||
| Common Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Uncommon | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Uncommon | ||
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Uncommon | ||
| North American Hoary Bat | Aeorestes cinereus | Uncommon | ||
| North American Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Uncommon | ||
| Northern Grasshopper Mouse | Onychomys leucogaster | Uncommon | ||
| Northern Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Uncommon | ||
| Ord's Kangaroo Rat | Dipodomys ordii | Uncommon | ||
| Pinon Mouse | Peromyscus truei | Uncommon | ||
| Plains Pocket Mouse | Perognathus flavescens | Uncommon | ||
| Pronghorn | Antilocapra americana | Uncommon | ||
| Ringtail | Bassariscus astutus | Uncommon | ||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Uncommon | ||
| Western Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | Uncommon | ||
| White-tailed Prairie Dog | Cynomys leucurus | Uncommon | ||
| Yuma Myotis | Myotis yumanensis | Uncommon | ||
| American Badger | Taxidea taxus | Rare | ||
| American Black Bear | Ursus americanus | Rare | ||
| Common Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Rare | ||
| Mountain Lion | Puma concolor | Rare | ||
| Red Fox | Vulpes vulpes | Rare | ||
| Allen's Big-eared Bat | Idionycteris phyllotis | Probably Present | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Probably Present | ||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | |||
| Crawford's Desert Shrew | Notiosorex crawfordi | Probably Present | ||
| Desert Woodrat | Neotoma lepida | |||
| Elk | Cervus canadensis | |||
| Fringed Myotis | Myotis thysanodes | Probably Present | ||
| Kit Fox | Vulpes macrotis | |||
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | Probably Present | ||
| Long-legged Myotis | Myotis volans | Probably Present | ||
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Probably Present | ||
| Merriam's Shrew | Sorex merriami | Probably Present | ||
| Northern River Otter | Lontra canadensis | |||
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus | |||
| Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Probably Present | ||
| Spotted Bat | Euderma maculatum | Probably Present | ||
| Townsend's Big-eared Bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Probably Present | ||
| Western Small-footed Myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Probably Present | ||
| Western Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis |
Birds
188 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
188 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common redpoll | Acanthis flammea | ||
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | ||
| Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | ||
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Chukar | Alectoris chukar | Non-native | |
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | ||
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Probably Present | |
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | ||
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis | ||
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | ||
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | ||
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | Probably Present | |
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | ||
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | ||
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | Probably Present | |
| Northern harrier | Circus hudsonius | ||
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | Threatened | |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Non-native | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Corthylio calendula | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| Downy woodpecker | Dryobates pubescens | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Dryobates villosus | ||
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | ||
| Cordilleran flycatcher | Empidonax difficilis occidentalis | ||
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | ||
| Gray Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | ||
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | ||
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | ||
| MacGillivray's warbler | Geothlypis tolmiei | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| California Condor | Gymnogyps californianus | ||
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Cassin's finch | Haemorhous cassinii | ||
| House finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | ||
| Purple finch | Haemorhous purpureus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | ||
| Scott's Oriole | Icterus parisorum | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) | Junco hyemalis caniceps | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) | Junco hyemalis hyemalis | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) | Junco hyemalis mearnsi | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Junco hyemalis oreganus | ||
| Northern shrike | Lanius borealis | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Leiothlypis celata | ||
| Lucy's Warbler | Leiothlypis luciae | ||
| Nashville Warbler | Leiothlypis ruficapilla | ||
| Virginia's Warbler | Leiothlypis virginiae | ||
| Black Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte atrata | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Probably Present | |
| American wigeon | Mareca americana | ||
| Gadwall | Mareca strepera | Probably Present | |
| Belted kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | ||
| Western Screech-Owl | Megascops kennicottii | ||
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | ||
| Swamp Sparrow | Melospiza georgiana | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | ||
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | ||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | ||
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | ||
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Myiarchus cinerascens | ||
| Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | ||
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | ||
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| Northern Waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Non-native | |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Lazuli x Indigo Bunting hybrid | Passerina amoena X cyanea | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | ||
| Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | Probably Present | |
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | ||
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | ||
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | ||
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Setophaga coronata | ||
| Black-throated gray warbler | Setophaga nigrescens | ||
| Yellow warbler | Setophaga petechia | ||
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | ||
| Townsend's warbler | Setophaga townsendi | ||
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | ||
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Cinnamon teal | Spatula cyanoptera | ||
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | ||
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | ||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | ||
| Pine siskin | Spinus pinus | ||
| Lesser goldfinch | Spinus psaltria | ||
| American goldfinch | Spinus tristis | ||
| Black-chinned Sparrow | Spizella atrogularis | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| American Tree Sparrow | Spizelloides arborea | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Non-native | |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | ||
| Bendire's Thrasher | Toxostoma bendirei | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Plumbeous Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | ||
| Gray Vireo | Vireo vicinior | ||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | ||
| White-winged Dove | Zenaida asiatica | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | ||
| Harris' Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
Reptiles
15 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
15 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger whiptail | Aspidoscelis tigris | Common | ||
| Midget faded rattlesnake | Crotalus oreganus concolor | |||
| Eastern collared lizard | Crotaphytus collaris | |||
| Long-nosed leopard lizard | Gambelia wislizenii | Uncommon | ||
| Nightsnake | Hypsiglena torquata | |||
| Striped whipsnake | Masticophis taeniatus | Common | ||
| Great Plains Rat Snake | Pantherophis emoryi | Probably Present | ||
| Greater short-horned lizard | Phrynosoma hernandesi | Uncommon | ||
| Gophersnake | Pituophis catenifer | Common | ||
| Common sagebrush lizard | Sceloporus graciosus | Common | ||
| Plateau lizard | Sceloporus tristichus | Common | ||
| Black-necked gartersnake | Thamnophis cyrtopsis | Uncommon | ||
| Terrestrial gartersnake | Thamnophis elegans | Uncommon | ||
| Tree lizard | Urosaurus ornatus | Common | ||
| Side-blotched lizard | Uta stansburiana | Common |
Amphibians
7 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
7 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | Probably Present | ||
| Red-spotted Toad | Anaxyrus punctatus | Common | ||
| Woodhouse's Toad | Anaxyrus woodhousii | Common | ||
| Canyon Treefrog | Dryophytes arenicolor | Probably Present | ||
| American Bullfrog | Lithobates catesbeianus | Common | Non-native | |
| Northern Leopard Frog | Lithobates pipiens | |||
| Great Basin spadefoot | Spea intermontana |
Fish
10 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
10 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Bullhead | Ameiurus natalis | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Flannelmouth Sucker | Catostomus latipinnis | Uncommon | ||
| Red Shiner | Cyprinella lutrensis | Common | Non-native | |
| Common Carp | Cyprinus carpio | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Northern Plains Killifish | Fundulus kansae | Common | Non-native | |
| Green Sunfish | Lepomis cyanellus | Non-native | ||
| Largemouth Bass | Micropterus salmoides | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Bluehead sucker | Pantosteus discobolus | Uncommon | ||
| Fathead Minnow | Pimephales promelas | Common | Non-native | |
| Speckled Dace | Rhinichthys osculus | Common |
Where this comes from
NPSpecies is the National Park Service’s database of the species documented in each park. We show its vertebrate lists as published: a species is “present” when the park has confirmed it, “unconfirmed” when reports exist without verification, and “not in park” when the NPS has ruled it out (often tagged “historical” for animals that once lived there). Lists lag reality by months or years and seeing an animal is never guaranteed. Plants, insects and other invertebrates are not included here. Browse the full NPSpecies list for Arches.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Arches (ARCH) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Arches National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Arches wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Arches?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Arches records black bear as present, listed as rare.
- Are there wolves in Arches?
- The NPS species list for Arches does not include gray wolf, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there mountain lions in Arches?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Arches records mountain lion as present, listed as rare.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Arches?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Arches records rattlesnakes as present.
- How many animal species live in Arches?
- The NPS species database lists 44 mammal, 182 bird, 14 reptile, 5 amphibian and 10 fish species as present or probably present in Arches, including 1 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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