Wildlife
What lives in Canyonlands
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Canyonlands: 49 mammals, 205 birds, 19 reptiles, 6 amphibians and 33 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 · Rare
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · Uncommon
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus oreganus concolor · Uncommon · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
California condor
Gymnogyps californianus
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
- 55
- 76 listed
- Birds
- 206
- 221 listed · 3 non-native
- Reptiles
- 20
- 22 listed
- Amphibians
- 6
- 7 listed · 1 non-native
- Fish
- 33
- 33 listed · 24 non-native
Endangered Species Act
5 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mexican Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis lucida | Uncommon | Threatened | |
| Humpback Chub | Gila cypha | Rare | Threatened | |
| Bonytail | Gila elegans | Rare | Endangered | |
| Colorado Pikeminnow | Ptychocheilus lucius | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Razorback Sucker | Xyrauchen texanus | Rare | Endangered |
Mammals
All 55 mammals recorded in Canyonlands
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| California Myotis | Myotis californicus | Abundant | ||
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus | Abundant | ||
| Western Pipistrelle | Parastrellus hesperus | Abundant | ||
| Allen's Big-eared Bat | Idionycteris phyllotis | Common | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Common | ||
| Black-tailed Jackrabbit | Lepus californicus | Common | ||
| Canyon Mouse | Peromyscus crinitus | Common | ||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Common | ||
| Desert Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | Common | ||
| Desert Woodrat | Neotoma lepida | Common | ||
| Fringed Myotis | Myotis thysanodes | Common | ||
| Hopi Chipmunk | Neotamias rufus | Common |
Show the other 43 mammals ↓The other 43
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinon Mouse | Peromyscus truei | Common | ||
| Rock Squirrel | Otospermophilus variegatus | Common | ||
| White-tailed Antelope Squirrel | Ammospermophilus leucurus | Common | ||
| American Badger | Taxidea taxus | Uncommon | ||
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| Big Free-tailed Bat | Nyctinomops macrotis | Uncommon | ||
| Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| Botta's Pocket Gopher | Thomomys bottae | Uncommon | ||
| Brush Mouse | Peromyscus boylii | Uncommon | ||
| Bushy-tailed Woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Uncommon | ||
| Common Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Uncommon | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Uncommon | ||
| Great Basin Pocket Mouse | Perognathus parvus | Uncommon | ||
| Hoary Bat | Aeorestes cinereus | Uncommon | ||
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | Uncommon | ||
| Long-legged Myotis | Myotis volans | Uncommon | ||
| Mexican Woodrat | Neotoma mexicana | Uncommon | ||
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Uncommon | ||
| Northern Grasshopper Mouse | Onychomys leucogaster | Uncommon | ||
| Ord's Kangaroo Rat | Dipodomys ordii | Uncommon | ||
| Plains Pocket Mouse | Perognathus flavescens | Uncommon | ||
| Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Uncommon | ||
| Spotted Bat | Euderma maculatum | Uncommon | ||
| Townsend's Big-eared Bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Uncommon | ||
| Western Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | Uncommon | ||
| Yuma Myotis | Myotis yumanensis | Uncommon | ||
| American Black Bear | Ursus americanus | Rare | ||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Rare | ||
| Brazilian free-tailed bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Rare | ||
| Mountain Lion | Puma concolor | Rare | ||
| Ringtail | Bassariscus astutus | Rare | ||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Rare | ||
| Western Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis | Rare | ||
| Western White-throated Woodrat | Neotoma albigula | Rare | ||
| Common Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | |||
| Crawford's Desert Shrew | Notiosorex crawfordi | Probably Present | ||
| Elk | Cervus canadensis | |||
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Probably Present | ||
| North American Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Probably Present | ||
| Northern Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Probably Present | ||
| Northern River Otter | Lontra canadensis | |||
| Red Fox | Vulpes vulpes | Probably Present | ||
| Western Small-footed Myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Probably Present |
Birds
206 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
206 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | ||
| Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | ||
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | ||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Rufous-crowned Sparrow | Aimophila ruficeps | ||
| Chukar | Alectoris chukar | Non-native | |
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | ||
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Sandhill Crane | Antigone canadensis | ||
| Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis | ||
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | ||
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | ||
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Barrow's Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | ||
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| Green Heron | Butorides virescens | ||
| Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | ||
| Gambel's Quail | Callipepla gambelii | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | ||
| Greater Sage- Grouse | Centrocercus urophasianus | ||
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | ||
| Lesser Nighthawk | Chordeiles acutipennis | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | ||
| Northern Harrier | Circus hudsonius | ||
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | ||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Corthylio calendula | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Chihuahuan Raven | Corvus cryptoleucus | ||
| 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 | ||
| Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | ||
| 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 | ||
| American Coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Common Loon | Gavia immer | ||
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Geothlypis tolmiei | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | ||
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Cassin's Finch | Haemorhous cassinii | ||
| House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | ||
| Purple Finch | Haemorhous purpureus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | ||
| 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 | Probably Present | |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) | Junco hyemalis mearnsi | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) | Junco hyemalis oreganus | ||
| Northern Shrike | Lanius borealis | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| California Gull | Larus californicus | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Leiothlypis celata | ||
| Lucy's Warbler | Leiothlypis luciae | ||
| Nashville Warbler | Leiothlypis ruficapilla | ||
| Virginia's Warbler | Leiothlypis virginiae | ||
| Franklin's Gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan | ||
| Black-Rosy Finch | Leucosticte atrata | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | ||
| American Wigeon | Mareca americana | ||
| Gadwall | Mareca strepera | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | ||
| Western Screech-Owl | Megascops kennicottii | ||
| Lewis's Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| 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 | ||
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Phainopepla | Phainopepla nitens | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Non-native | |
| 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 | ||
| Horned Grebe | Podiceps auritus | ||
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | ||
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Black-tailed Gnatcatcher | Polioptila melanura | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | ||
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Flammulated Owl | Psiloscops flammeolus | ||
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | ||
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | ||
| 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 | ||
| Grace's Warbler | Setophaga graciae | ||
| 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 | ||
| Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | ||
| Cinnamon Teal | Spatula cyanoptera | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Spatula discors | ||
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | ||
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | ||
| 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 | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | ||
| Mexican Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis lucida | Threatened | |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | ||
| Willet | Tringa semipalmata | ||
| 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 | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
Reptiles
20 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
20 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plateau Spotted Whiptail | Aspidoscelis tigris | Rare | ||
| Western whiptail | Cnemidophorus tigris | Common | ||
| Eastern racer | Coluber constrictor | Uncommon | ||
| Midget faded rattlesnake | Crotalus oreganus concolor | Uncommon | ||
| Great Basin collared lizard | Crotaphytus bicinctores | Rare | ||
| Eastern collared lizard | Crotaphytus collaris | Uncommon | ||
| Long-nosed leopard lizard | Gambelia wislizenii | Uncommon | ||
| Nightsnake | Hypsiglena torquata | |||
| Striped whipsnake | Masticophis taeniatus | Common | ||
| Great Plains Ratsnake | Pantherophis emoryi | Probably Present | ||
| Greater short-horned lizard | Phrynosoma hernandesi | Rare | ||
| Gophersnake | Pituophis catenifer | Common | ||
| Common sagebrush lizard | Sceloporus graciosus | Common | ||
| Desert spiny lizard | Sceloporus magister | Rare | ||
| Plateau lizard | Sceloporus tristichus | Common | ||
| Smith's black-headed snake | Tantilla hobartsmithi | Rare | ||
| Black-necked gartersnake | Thamnophis cyrtopsis | Uncommon | ||
| Terrestrial gartersnake | Thamnophis elegans | Common | ||
| Tree lizard | Urosaurus ornatus | Common | ||
| Side-blotched lizard | Uta stansburiana | Common |
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | Uncommon | ||
| Red-spotted Toad | Anaxyrus punctatus | Common | ||
| Woodhouse's Toad | Anaxyrus woodhousii | Common | ||
| American Bullfrog | Lithobates catesbeianus | Common | Non-native | |
| Northern Leopard Frog | Lithobates pipiens | Uncommon | ||
| Great Basin spadefoot | Spea intermontana | Uncommon |
Fish
33 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
33 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | Ameiurus melas | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Yellow Bullhead | Ameiurus natalis | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| White Sucker | Catostomus commersonii | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Flannelmouth Sucker | Catostomus latipinnis | Common | ||
| Flannelmouth Sucker x Razorback Sucker hybrid | Catostomus latipinnis X Xyrauchen texanus | Rare | ||
| Red Shiner | Cyprinella lutrensis | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Common Carp | Cyprinus carpio | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Threadfin Shad | Dorosoma petenense | Rare | Non-native | |
| Northern Pike | Esox lucius | Rare | Non-native | |
| Northern Plains Killifish | Fundulus kansae | Common | Non-native | |
| Mosquitofish | Gambusia affinis | Common | Non-native | |
| Utah Chub | Gila atraria | Rare | Non-native | |
| Humpback Chub | Gila cypha | Rare | Threatened | |
| Bonytail | Gila elegans | Rare | Endangered | |
| Roundtail Chub | Gila robusta | Rare | ||
| Brassy Minnow | Hybognathus hankinsoni | Rare | Non-native | |
| Channel Catfish | Ictalurus punctatus | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Green Sunfish | Lepomis cyanellus | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Bluegill | Lepomis macrochirus | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Smallmouth Bass | Micropterus dolomieu | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Largemouth Bass | Micropterus salmoides | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Striped Bass | Morone saxatilis | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Sand Shiner | Notropis stramineus | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Rainbow Trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Rare | Non-native | |
| Kokanee Salmon | Oncorhynchus nerka | Rare | Non-native | |
| Bluehead Sucker | Pantosteus discobolus | Common | ||
| Fathead Minnow | Pimephales promelas | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Black Crappie | Pomoxis nigromaculatus | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Colorado Pikeminnow | Ptychocheilus lucius | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Speckled Dace | Rhinichthys osculus | Common | ||
| Brown Trout | Salmo trutta | Rare | Non-native | |
| Walleye | Sander vitreus | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Razorback Sucker | Xyrauchen texanus | Rare | Endangered |
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 Canyonlands.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Canyonlands (CANY) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Canyonlands National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Canyonlands wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Canyonlands?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Canyonlands records black bear as present, listed as rare.
- Are there wolves in Canyonlands?
- The NPS species list for Canyonlands does not include gray wolf, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there mountain lions in Canyonlands?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Canyonlands records mountain lion as present, listed as rare.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Canyonlands?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Canyonlands records rattlesnakes as present, listed as uncommon.
- How many animal species live in Canyonlands?
- The NPS species database lists 49 mammal, 205 bird, 19 reptile, 6 amphibian and 33 fish species as present or probably present in Canyonlands, including 5 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
Park'd · free on iPhone & Android
Keep a record of every park you visit.
Park'd stores your trips, photos and notes by park — the places you saw a bear, the trail you want to come back to.
