Wildlife
What lives in Crater Lake
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Crater Lake: 68 mammals, 150 birds, 3 reptiles, 8 amphibians and 6 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 · Common
Gray wolf
Canis lupus
Coyote
Canis latrans · Common
Mountain lion
Puma concolor · Uncommon
Bobcat
Lynx rufus · Uncommon
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Abundant
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Rare
Grizzly / brown bear
Ursus arctos horribilis · Historical
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis · Historical
Wolverine
Gulo gulo · Historical
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · False Report
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
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
- 71
- 83 listed · 1 non-native
- Birds
- 210
- 253 listed
- Reptiles
- 8
- 20 listed
- Amphibians
- 9
- 18 listed
- Fish
- 6
- 11 listed · 4 non-native
Endangered Species Act
2 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray Wolf | Canis lupus | Endangered | ||
| Northern Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis caurina | Common | Threatened |
Mammals
All 71 mammals recorded in Crater Lake
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickaree | Tamiasciurus douglasii | Abundant | ||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Abundant | ||
| Elk | Cervus elaphus | Abundant | ||
| Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel | Callospermophilus lateralis | Abundant | ||
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Abundant | ||
| Pacific Jumping Mouse | Zapus trinotatus | Abundant | ||
| Yellow Pine Chipmunk | Tamias amoenus | Abundant | ||
| American Marten | Martes americana | Common | ||
| American Pika | Ochotona princeps | Common | ||
| Black Bear | Ursus americanus | Common | ||
| Bushy-tailed Woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Common | ||
| California Red-backed Mouse | Myodes californicus | Common |
Show the other 59 mammals ↓The other 59
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Common | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Common | ||
| Hairy-winged Bat | Myotis volans | Common | ||
| House Mouse | Mus musculus | Common | Non-native | |
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | Common | ||
| Northern Flying Squirrel | Glaucomys sabrinus | Common | ||
| Pacific Shrew | Sorex pacificus | Common | ||
| Shrew | Sorex trowbridgii | Common | ||
| Shrew | Sorex vagrans | Common | ||
| Shrew-mole | Neurotrichus gibbsii | Common | ||
| Sierra Nevada red fox | Vulpes vulpes | Common | ||
| Silver-haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Common | ||
| Siskiyou Chipmunk | Tamias siskiyou | Common | ||
| Snowshoe Hare | Lepus americanus | Common | ||
| Western Pocket Gopher | Thomomys mazama | Common | ||
| Yellow-bellied Marmot | Marmota flaviventris | Common | ||
| Allen's Chipmunk | Tamias senex | Uncommon | ||
| American Badger | Taxidea taxus | Uncommon | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Uncommon | ||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Uncommon | ||
| Broad-footed Mole | Scapanus latimanus | Uncommon | ||
| California Myotis | Myotis californicus | Uncommon | ||
| Catamount | Puma concolor | Uncommon | ||
| Chipmunk | Tamias townsendii | Uncommon | ||
| Common Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Uncommon | ||
| Ermine | Mustela erminea | Uncommon | ||
| Fog Shrew | Sorex sonomae | Uncommon | ||
| Heather Vole | Phenacomys intermedius | Uncommon | ||
| Least Chipmunk | Tamias minimus | Uncommon | ||
| Little Brown Myotis | Myotis lucifugus | Uncommon | ||
| Mountain Beaver | Aplodontia rufa | Uncommon | ||
| Western Jumping Mouse | Zapus princeps | Uncommon | ||
| Yuma Myotis | Myotis yumanensis | Uncommon | ||
| Vole | Microtus townsendii | Occasional | ||
| White-tailed Deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Occasional | ||
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | Rare | ||
| Brazilian Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Rare | ||
| Common Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Rare | ||
| Dusky-footed Woodrat | Neotoma fuscipes | Rare | ||
| Fisher | Martes pennanti | Rare | ||
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Rare | ||
| Water Shrew | Sorex palustris | Rare | ||
| Western Gray Squirrel | Sciurus griseus | Rare | ||
| Creeping Vole | Microtus oregoni | |||
| Fringed Myotis | Myotis thysanodes | |||
| Gray Wolf | Canis lupus | Endangered | ||
| Great Basin Pocket Mouse | Perognathus parvus | Probably Present | ||
| Long Tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | |||
| Long-tailed Vole | Microtus longicaudus | |||
| Mink | Neovison vison | |||
| Montane Vole | Microtus montanus | |||
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | |||
| Pacific Marsh Shrew | Sorex bendirii | Probably Present | ||
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus | |||
| Richardson's Vole | Microtus richardsoni | |||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | |||
| Townsendii Big-Eared Bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Probably Present | ||
| Western Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis | |||
| White Tailed Jackrabbit | Lepus townsendii |
Birds
210 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
210 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 | ||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | Probably Present | |
| Agelaius phoeniceus caurinus | Agelaius phoeniceus caurinus | Probably Present | |
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | Probably Present | |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Probably Present | |
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | Probably Present | |
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | Probably Present | |
| Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | Probably Present | |
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | Probably Present | |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | Probably Present | |
| Greater white-fronted goose | Anser albifrons | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | Probably Present | |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | ||
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | Probably Present | |
| Redhead | Aythya americana | Probably Present | |
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | Probably Present | |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | Probably Present | |
| Ruffed Grouse | Bonasa umbellus | ||
| Canada goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | Probably Present | |
| Common goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | Probably Present | |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| California Quail | Callipepla californica | Probably Present | |
| Anna's hummingbird | Calypte anna | Probably Present | |
| Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla chryseola | Probably Present | |
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Vaux's Swift | Chaetura vauxi | Probably Present | |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Probably Present | |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Pacific Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor hesperis | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | ||
| Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus unicolor | ||
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | Probably Present | |
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | Probably Present | |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Colaptes auratus collaris | Colaptes auratus collaris | ||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax sinuatus | Probably Present | |
| Stellar's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| Stellar's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis | Probably Present | |
| Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus | ||
| Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus fuliginosus | Probably Present | |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | ||
| Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Empidonax difficilis | ||
| Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | ||
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | Probably Present | |
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | ||
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris merrilli | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | ||
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| American Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus anatum | ||
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius sparverius | ||
| American Coot | Fulica americana | Probably Present | |
| American Coot | Fulica americana americana | Probably Present | |
| Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | ||
| Common loon | Gavia immer | ||
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Geothlypis tolmiei | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | Probably Present | |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | ||
| Sandhill crane | Grus canadensis | Probably Present | |
| Cassin's Finch | Haemorhous cassinii | ||
| Purple Finch | Haemorhous purpureus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Hesperiphona vespertina | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Junco hyemalis oreganus | Junco hyemalis oreganus | ||
| Oregon Junco | Junco hyemalis thurberi | ||
| California Gull | Larus californicus | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Leiothlypis celata lutescens | ||
| Nashville Warbler | Leiothlypis ruficapilla ridgwayi | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | Probably Present | |
| Gray-crowned Rosy Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis littoralis | Probably Present | |
| Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra bendirei | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra minor | Probably Present | |
| White-winged Crossbill | Loxia leucoptera | Probably Present | |
| Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | ||
| Tecolote occidental | Megascops kennicottii | ||
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | Probably Present | |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii alticola | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia morphna | ||
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | ||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | ||
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | ||
| Myadestes townsendi townsendi | Myadestes townsendi townsendi | ||
| Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | ||
| Long-billed curlew | Numenius americanus | Probably Present | |
| Black-crowned night-heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| Oreothlypis celata | Oreothlypis celata | ||
| Nashville Warbler | Oreothlypis ruficapilla | ||
| Flammulated Owl | Otus flammeolus | Probably Present | |
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Sooty fox sparow | Passerella unalaschcensis sinuosa | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Band-tailed Pigeon | Patagioenas fasciata | Probably Present | |
| American white pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | ||
| Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Wilson's phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | Probably Present | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Probably Present | |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed magpie | Pica pica | ||
| White-headed Woodpecker | Picoides albolarvatus | ||
| Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | ||
| Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides dorsalis | ||
| Northern Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides dorsalis fasciatus | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | ||
| Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| Eared grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | Probably Present | |
| Black-capped chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Chestnut-backed Chickadee | Poecile rufescens | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | Probably Present | |
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | Probably Present | |
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | Probably Present | |
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus obsoletus | Probably Present | |
| Say's phoebe | Sayornis saya | Probably Present | |
| Calliope Hummingbird | Selasphorus calliope | ||
| Broad-tailed hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Allen's hummingbird | Selasphorus sasin | ||
| Audubon's warbler | Setophaga auduboni auduboni | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Setophaga coronata | ||
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | Setophaga nigrescens | ||
| Hermit Warbler | Setophaga occidentalis | ||
| Yellow Warbler | Setophaga petechia | Probably Present | |
| Townsend's Warbler | Setophaga townsendi | ||
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | ||
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Pigmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | ||
| Pigmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea melanotis | ||
| Red-breasted Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus ruber | ||
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | ||
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | Probably Present | |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius daggetti | Probably Present | |
| Pine Siskin | Spinus pinus | ||
| Lesser Goldfinch | Spinus psaltria | ||
| American Goldfinch | Spinus tristis | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | Probably Present | |
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | ||
| Great Gray Owl | Strix nebulosa | ||
| Great Gray Owl | Strix nebulosa nebulosa | ||
| Northern Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis | ||
| Northern Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis caurina | Threatened | |
| Barred Owl | Strix varia | ||
| Western meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | Probably Present | |
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | Probably Present | |
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | Probably Present | |
| Wandering tattler | Tringa incana | Probably Present | |
| Greater yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Probably Present | |
| Solitary sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| Tringa solitaria cinnamomea | Tringa solitaria cinnamomea | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| Troglodytes aedon parkmanii | Troglodytes aedon parkmanii | ||
| Pacific Wren | Troglodytes pacificus | ||
| Pacific wren | Troglodytes pacificus pacificus | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Cassin's Vireo | Vireo cassinii | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus swainsoni | ||
| Hutton's Vireo | Vireo huttoni | Probably Present | |
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| Golden-crowned sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii | ||
| Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha | Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha | Probably Present | |
| Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis | Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis |
Reptiles
8 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
8 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Skink | Eumeces skiltonianus | Probably Present | ||
| Short-horned Lizard | Phrynosoma douglasii | |||
| Sagebrush Lizard | Sceloporus graciosus | |||
| Western Fence Lizard | Sceloporus occidentalis | Probably Present | ||
| Garter Snake | Thamnophis | Uncommon | ||
| Western Terestrial Garter Snake | Thamnophis elegans | Probably Present | ||
| Northwestern Garter Snake | Thamnophis ordinoides | Probably Present | ||
| Common Garter Snake | Thamnophis sirtalis | Probably Present |
Amphibians
9 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
9 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Salamander | Ambystoma gracile | Probably Present | ||
| Long-toed Salamander | Ambystoma macrodactylum | Common | ||
| Western Toad | Anaxyrus boreas | Common | ||
| Tailed Frog | Ascaphus truei | |||
| Ensatina | Ensatina eschscholtzii | |||
| Pacific Treefrog(Chorus Frog) | Pseudacris regilla | |||
| Cascade Frog | Rana cascadae | |||
| Rough-skinned Newt | Taricha granulosa | |||
| Crater Lake Newt | Taricha granulosa mazamae |
Fish
6 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
6 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Common | ||
| Kokanee | Oncorhynchus nerka | Common | Non-native | |
| Brown Trout | Salmo trutta | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Bull Trout | Salvelinus confluentus | Common | ||
| Bull Trout X Brook Trout Hybrid | Salvelinus confluentus X Salvelinus fontinalis | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| Brook Trout | Salvelinus fontinalis | Common | Non-native |
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 Crater Lake.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Crater Lake (CRLA) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Crater Lake National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Crater Lake wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Crater Lake?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Crater Lake records black bear as present, listed as common.
- Are there grizzly bears in Crater Lake?
- No. The NPS species list marks grizzly / brown bear as "not in park" for Crater Lake (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there wolves in Crater Lake?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Crater Lake records gray wolf as present.
- Are there mountain lions in Crater Lake?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Crater Lake records mountain lion as present, listed as uncommon.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Crater Lake?
- The NPS species list for Crater Lake does not include rattlesnakes, so there is no record of them in the park.
- How many animal species live in Crater Lake?
- The NPS species database lists 68 mammal, 150 bird, 3 reptile, 8 amphibian and 6 fish species as present or probably present in Crater Lake, including 2 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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