Wildlife
What lives in Great Basin
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Great Basin: 55 mammals, 206 birds, 13 reptiles, 1 amphibians and 5 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Coyote
Canis latrans · Common
Mountain lion
Puma concolor · Common
Bobcat
Lynx rufus · Uncommon
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Uncommon
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · Rare
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus lutosus · Common · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Common
Gray wolf
Canis lupus · Historical
Wolverine
Gulo gulo · Historical
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana · Historical
California condor
Gymnogyps californianus · Historical
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
- 103 listed · 2 non-native
- Birds
- 221
- 343 listed · 5 non-native
- Reptiles
- 15
- 58 listed
- Amphibians
- 1
- 22 listed
- Fish
- 5
- 21 listed · 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi | Rare | Threatened · Non-native |
Mammals
All 56 mammals recorded in Great Basin
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Abundant | ||
| Badger | Taxidea taxus | Common | ||
| Big brown bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Common | ||
| Black-tailed deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Common | ||
| Black-tailed jackrabbit | Lepus californicus | Common | ||
| Botta Pocket Gopher | Thomomys bottae | Common | ||
| Cliff Chipmunk | Tamias dorsalis | Common | ||
| Cougar | Puma concolor | Common | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Common | ||
| Desert wood rat | Neotoma lepida | Common | ||
| Golden-mantled ground squirrel | Callospermophilus lateralis | Common | ||
| Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Common |
Show the other 44 mammals ↓The other 44
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Basin pocket mouse | Perognathus parvus | Common | ||
| Hairy-winged myotis | Myotis volans | Common | ||
| Least chipmunk | Tamias minimus | Common | ||
| Long-eared myotis | Myotis evotis | Common | ||
| Long-tailed vole | Microtus longicaudus | Common | ||
| Nuttall's cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttallii | Common | ||
| Pinyon mouse | Peromyscus truei | Common | ||
| Rock squirrel | Otospermophilus variegatus | Common | ||
| Short-tailed weasel | Mustela erminea | Common | ||
| Small-footed myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Common | ||
| Striped skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Common | ||
| Unita chipmunk | Tamias umbrinus | Common | ||
| Vagrant shrew | Sorex vagrans | Common | ||
| Western harvest mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | Common | ||
| Yellow-bellied Marmot | Marmota flaviventris | Common | ||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Uncommon | ||
| Bushy-tailed woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Uncommon | ||
| Canyon mouse | Peromyscus crinitus | Uncommon | ||
| Chisel-toothed kangaroo rat | Dipodomys microps | Uncommon | ||
| Elk | Cervus elaphus | Uncommon | ||
| Long-tailed weasal | Mustela frenata | Uncommon | ||
| Mexican free-tailed bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Uncommon | ||
| Montane vole | Microtus montanus | Uncommon | ||
| Northern grasshopper mouse | Onychomys leucogaster | Uncommon | ||
| Pallid bat | Antrozous pallidus | Uncommon | ||
| Ringtail | Bassariscus astutus | Uncommon | ||
| Sagebrush vole | Lemmiscus curtatus | Uncommon | ||
| Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis | Uncommon | ||
| Townsend's big-eared bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Uncommon | ||
| White-tailed Antelope Squirrel | Ammospermophilus leucurus | Uncommon | ||
| Californis myotis | Myotis californicus | Occasional | ||
| House mouse | Mus musculus | Occasional | Non-native | |
| Inyo dwarf shrew | Sorex tenellus | Occasional | ||
| Merriam's shrew | Sorex merriami | Occasional | ||
| Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Occasional | ||
| Water shrew | Sorex palustris | Occasional | ||
| Bighorn sheep | Ovis canadensis | Rare | ||
| Hoary bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Rare | ||
| Ord kangaroo rat | Dipodomys ordii | Rare | ||
| Piute ground squirrel | Urocitellus mollis | Rare | ||
| Piute Ground Squirrel | Spermophilus mollis | Rare | ||
| Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Rare | ||
| Beaver | Castor canadensis | Non-native | ||
| Pygmy rabbit | Brachylagus idahoensis | Probably Present |
Birds
221 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
221 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 | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus velox | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularia | ||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus nevadensis | ||
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | ||
| Chukar | Alectoris chukar | Non-native | |
| Sage Sparrow | Amphispiza belli | ||
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | ||
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | Probably Present | |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Western Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma californica | ||
| Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma woodhousei | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis | ||
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | Probably Present | |
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | Probably Present | |
| Burrowing owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Redhead | Aythya americana | ||
| Ring-necked duck | Aythya collaris | ||
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | Non-native | |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Zone-tailed Hawk | Buteo albonotatus | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Harlan's Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis calurus | ||
| Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | Probably Present | |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | Probably Present | |
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| California Quail | Callipepla californica | Probably Present | |
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus pinus | ||
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria | ||
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | ||
| Cassin's Finch | Carpodacus cassinii | ||
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus auduboni | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus guttatus | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus polionutus | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | Probably Present | |
| Canyon wren | Catherpes mexicanus | ||
| Greater Sage-grouse | Centrocercus urophasianus | ||
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor hesperis | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus unicolor | ||
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Red-shafted Flicker | Colaptes auratus collaris | ||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax sinuatus | ||
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha | ||
| Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus | ||
| Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus oreinus | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Dendroica coronata memorabilis | ||
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | Dendroica nigrescens | ||
| Dendroica pensylvanica | Dendroica pensylvanica | ||
| Yellow Warbler | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Townsend's Warbler | Dendroica townsendi | ||
| Hammond's flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | ||
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | ||
| Empidonax occidentalis hellmayri | Empidonax occidentalis hellmayri | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | Probably Present | |
| 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 snipe | Gallinago gallinago delicata | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Northern Pygmy-owl | Glaucidium gnoma | ||
| Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | Probably Present | |
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Hirundo pyrrhonota | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica erythrogaster | ||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) | Junco hyemalis caniceps | ||
| Oregon Junco | Junco hyemalis oreganus | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| Black Rosy Finch | Leucosticte atrata | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra stricklandi | ||
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia fallax | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia montana | ||
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | ||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | ||
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | ||
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi townsendi | ||
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Myiarchus cinerascens | ||
| Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | ||
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | ||
| Black-crowned Night-heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Oporornis tolmiei | ||
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Oporornis tolmiei monticola | ||
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | ||
| Flammulated Owl | Otus flammeolus | Probably Present | |
| Western Screech-owl | Otus kennicottii | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Non-native | |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca schistacea | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | Probably Present | |
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Gray Partridge | Perdix perdix | Probably Present | Non-native |
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii nuttallii | ||
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | ||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | Probably Present | |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica pica | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| American Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus | ||
| Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus dorsalis | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus leucothorectis | ||
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | ||
| Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Pipilo maculatus montanus | Pipilo maculatus montanus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | Probably Present | |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Poecile gambeli gambeli | Poecile gambeli gambeli | ||
| Poecile gambeli inyoensis | Poecile gambeli inyoensis | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus confinis | ||
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus plumbeus | ||
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula cineraceus | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa olivaceus | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | ||
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | ||
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis nelsoni | ||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | ||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea melanotis | ||
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | ||
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri breweri | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina arizonae | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Calliope Hummingbird | Stellula calliope | ||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Non-native | |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | Probably Present | |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Tringa macularia | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon parkmanii | ||
| Pacific Wren | Troglodytes pacificus | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius propinquus | ||
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata orestera | ||
| Golden-winged Warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | ||
| Virginia's Warbler | Vermivora virginiae | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus leucopolius | ||
| Plumbeus Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | ||
| Gray Vireo | Vireo vicinior | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Wilsonia pusilla pileolata | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii |
Reptiles
15 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
15 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Whiptail | Aspidoscelis tigris | Common | ||
| Great Basin rattlesnake | Crotalus lutosus | Common | ||
| Great Basin Collared Lizard | Crotaphytus bicinctores | |||
| Long-nosed leopard lizard | Gambelia wislizenii | Probably Present | ||
| Desert Night Snake | Hypsiglena chlorophaea | Rare | ||
| Utah Mountain Kingsnake | Lampropeltis pyromelana infralabialis | Occasional | ||
| Desert Striped Whipsnake | Masticophis taeniatus taeniatus | Common | ||
| Desert Horned Lizard | Phrynosoma platyrhinos | Common | ||
| Great Basin Gopher Snake | Pituophis catenifer deserticola | Common | ||
| Plestidon skiltonianus | Plestidon skiltonianus | Common | ||
| Long-nosed snake | Rhinocheilus lecontei | Probably Present | ||
| Northern Sagebush Lizard | Sceloporus graciosus graciosus | Abundant | ||
| Western Fence Lizard | Sceloporus occidentalis | Abundant | ||
| Wandering Garter Snake | Thamnophis elegans vagrans | Common | ||
| Northern Side-blotched Lizard | Uta stansburiana stansburiana | Common |
Amphibians
1 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
1 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Basin spadefoot | Spea intermontana | Uncommon |
Fish
5 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
5 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lahontan Cutthroat Trout | Oncorhynchus clarkii henshawi | Rare | Threatened · Non-native | |
| Bonneville cutthroat trout | Oncorhynchus clarkii utah | Common | ||
| Rainbow trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Abundant | Non-native | |
| Brown trout | Salmo trutta | Common | Non-native | |
| Brook trout | Salvelinus fontinalis | Uncommon | 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 Great Basin.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Great Basin (GRBA) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Great Basin National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Great Basin wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Great Basin?
- The NPS species list for Great Basin does not include black bear, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there wolves in Great Basin?
- No. The NPS species list marks gray wolf as "not in park" for Great Basin (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there mountain lions in Great Basin?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Great Basin records mountain lion as present, listed as common.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Great Basin?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Great Basin records rattlesnakes as present, listed as common.
- How many animal species live in Great Basin?
- The NPS species database lists 55 mammal, 206 bird, 13 reptile, 1 amphibian and 5 fish species as present or probably present in Great Basin, including 1 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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