Wildlife
What lives in Great Sand Dunes
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Great Sand Dunes: 48 mammals, 197 birds, 5 reptiles, 6 amphibians and 4 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 · Rare
Mountain lion
Felis concolor · Rare
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Rare
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · Rare
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana · Rare
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus viridis · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
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
- 59
- 68 listed
- Birds
- 235
- 240 listed · 2 non-native
- Reptiles
- 7
- 8 listed
- Amphibians
- 6
- 6 listed
- Fish
- 4
- 6 listed · 2 non-native
Mammals
All 59 mammals recorded in Great Sand Dunes
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Least chipmunk | Tamias minimus | Uncommon | ||
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | Uncommon | ||
| Townsend's big-eared bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Uncommon | ||
| Yellow-bellied Marmot | Marmota flaviventris | Uncommon | ||
| American Elk; Wapiti | Cervus elaphus | Rare | ||
| Beaver | Castor canadensis | Rare | ||
| Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis | Rare | ||
| Black Bear | Ursus americanus | Rare | ||
| Bushy-tailed Woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Rare | ||
| Chickaree | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Rare | ||
| Colorado Chipmunk | Tamias quadrivittatus | Rare | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Rare |
Show the other 47 mammals ↓The other 47
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer Mouse; White-footed Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Rare | ||
| Desert Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | Rare | ||
| Ermine; Short-tailed Weasel | Mustela erminea | Rare | ||
| Gapper's Red-backed Vole | Clethrionomys gapperi | Rare | ||
| Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel | Spermophilus lateralis | Rare | ||
| Gunnison's Prairie Dog | Cynomys gunnisoni | Rare | ||
| Long-legged Myotis | Myotis volans | Rare | ||
| Long-tailed Vole | Microtus longicaudus | Rare | ||
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Rare | ||
| Meadow Vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Rare | ||
| Mountain Lion | Felis concolor | Rare | ||
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Rare | ||
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Rare | ||
| Northern Rock Mouse | Peromyscus nasutus | Rare | ||
| Nothern Grasshopper Mouse | Onychomys leucogaster | Rare | ||
| Nothern Pocket Gopher | Thomomys talpoides | Rare | ||
| Nuttall's Cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttallii | Rare | ||
| Ord's Kangaroo Rat | Dipodomys ordii | Rare | ||
| Pika | Ochotona princeps | Rare | ||
| Plains pocket mouse | Perognathus flavescens | Rare | ||
| Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Rare | ||
| Pronghorn | Antilocapra americana | Rare | ||
| Rock Ground Squirrel | Spermophilus variegatus | Rare | ||
| Silky Pocket Mouse | Perognathus flavus | Rare | ||
| Snowshoe Hare | Lepus americanus | Rare | ||
| Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel | Spermophilus tridecemlineatus | Rare | ||
| Water Shrew | Sorex palustris | Rare | ||
| Western Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | Rare | ||
| Western Jumping Mouse | Zapus princeps | Rare | ||
| Western small-footed bat | Myotis ciliolabrum | Rare | ||
| White-tailed Jack Rabbit | Lepus townsendii | Rare | ||
| Abert's squirrel | Sciurus aberti | |||
| Badger | Taxidea taxus | Probably Present | ||
| Big brown bat | Eptesicus fuscus | |||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Probably Present | ||
| Brazilian free-tailed bat | Tadarida brasiliensis | Probably Present | ||
| Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Probably Present | ||
| Hoary bat | Lasiurus cinereus | |||
| Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | Probably Present | ||
| Masked Shrew | Sorex cinereus | Probably Present | ||
| Montane Shrew | Sorex monticolus | |||
| Occult Myotis | Myotis occultus | |||
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Probably Present | ||
| Red Fox | Vulpes vulpes | Probably Present | ||
| Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Probably Present | ||
| Spotted Skunk | Spilogale putorius | Probably Present | ||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Probably Present |
Birds
235 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
235 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | ||
| Goshawk; Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularia | ||
| Clark's Grebe | Aechmophorus clarkii | Probably Present | |
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | Probably Present | |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Sage Sparrow | Amphispiza belli | ||
| Pintail; Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | Probably Present | |
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | Probably Present | |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Western Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma californica | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | ||
| Great Egret | Ardea alba | Probably Present | |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | ||
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | ||
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Redhead | Aythya americana | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | Probably Present | |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | ||
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus | ||
| American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bubulcus ibis | Bubulcus ibis | Probably Present | |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | ||
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | ||
| Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | Probably Present | |
| Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | Probably Present | |
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Probably Present | |
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | ||
| Common Redpoll | Carduelis flammea | ||
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria | ||
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | ||
| Cassin's Finch | Carpodacus cassinii | ||
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | ||
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | Probably Present | |
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Kentish Plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | Probably Present | |
| Mountain Plover | Charadrius montanus | Probably Present | |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Blue Goose | Chen caerulescens | Probably Present | |
| Ross' Goose | Chen rossii | Probably Present | |
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | Probably Present | |
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | Probably Present | |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | ||
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Common Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Band-tailed Pigeon | Columba fasciata | ||
| Rock Pigeon | Columba livia | Probably Present | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| Common Crow; American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| American Black Swift | Cypseloides niger | ||
| Dusky Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's Subspecies) | Dendroica coronata auduboni | ||
| Dendroica coronata coronata | Dendroica coronata coronata | Probably Present | |
| Grace's Warbler | Dendroica graciae | ||
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | Dendroica nigrescens | ||
| Yellow Warbler | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Townsend's Warbler | Dendroica townsendi | ||
| Gray Catbird; Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | ||
| Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | ||
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | Probably Present | |
| Gray Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | ||
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | ||
| Merlin; Pigeon Hawk | Falco columbarius | ||
| Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | ||
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| American Coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Northern Pygmy Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | ||
| Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | Probably Present | |
| Blue Grosbeak | Guiraca caerulea | ||
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Junco hyemalis aikeni | Junco hyemalis aikeni | ||
| Junco hyemalis hyemalis | Junco hyemalis hyemalis | ||
| Junco hyemalis mearnsi | Junco hyemalis mearnsi | ||
| Junco hyemalis oreganus | Junco hyemalis oreganus | ||
| White-tailed Ptarmigan | Lagopus leucurus | ||
| Northern Shrike | Lanius excubitor | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| California gull | Larus californicus | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | Probably Present | |
| Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte atrata | ||
| Brown-capped Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte australis | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Probably Present | |
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | Probably Present | |
| Hooded merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | Probably Present | |
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Lewis’s Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | ||
| Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | ||
| Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | ||
| 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 | ||
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Oporornis tolmiei | ||
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | ||
| Flammulated Owl | Otus flammeolus | ||
| Western Screech-Owl | Otus kennicottii | ||
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Non-native | |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | Probably Present | |
| Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | Probably Present | |
| Poor-will; Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | Probably Present | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | ||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica pica | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Eurasian Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | ||
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | ||
| Brown Towhee | Pipilo fuscus | ||
| Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | ||
| Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | Probably Present | |
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Pied-Billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | ||
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | Probably Present | |
| Purple Martin | Progne subis | Probably Present | |
| Common Bushtit; Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Common grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | ||
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | Probably Present | |
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | ||
| Ruby-Crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | ||
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapillus | Probably Present | |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | ||
| Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | ||
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | ||
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | ||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | ||
| Dickcissel | Spiza americana | Probably Present | |
| American Tree Sparrow | Spizella arborea | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Calliope Hummingbird | Stellula calliope | Probably Present | |
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | Probably Present | |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | ||
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Probably Present | |
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | Probably Present | |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| American Robin; Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata | ||
| Virginia's Warbler | Vermivora virginiae | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Plumbeous Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | ||
| Hooded Warbler | Wilsonia citrina | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii | Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow (Mountain Subspecies) | Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha | ||
| Harris’s Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
Reptiles
7 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
7 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Prairie Rattlesnake | Crotalus viridis | Probably Present | ||
| Variable skink | Eumeces multivirgatus epipleurotus | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Milk Snake | Lampropeltis triangulum | Probably Present | ||
| Greater short-horned lizards | Phrynosoma hernandesi | Common | ||
| Bull snake | Pituophis catenifer | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern fence lizard | Sceloporus undulatus | Common | ||
| Western Terrestrial Garter Snake | Thamnophis elegans | Rare |
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | Common | ||
| Great Plains Toad | Bufo cognatus | Rare | ||
| Woodhouse's toad | Bufo woodhousii | Common | ||
| Striped Chorus Frog | Pseudacris triseriata | Common | ||
| Northern leopard frog | Rana pipiens | Rare | ||
| Plains Spadefoot toads | Spea bombifrons | Common |
Fish
4 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
4 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rio Grande Sucker | Catostomus plebeius | Rare | ||
| Rio grande cutthroat trout | Oncorhynchus clarkii | Common | Non-native | |
| Rio Grande cutthroat trout | Oncorhynchus clarkii virginalis | Abundant | ||
| Brook Trout; Speckled 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 Great Sand Dunes.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Great Sand Dunes (GRSA) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Great Sand Dunes wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Great Sand Dunes?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Great Sand Dunes records black bear as present, listed as rare.
- Are there wolves in Great Sand Dunes?
- The NPS species list for Great Sand Dunes does not include gray wolf, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there mountain lions in Great Sand Dunes?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Great Sand Dunes records mountain lion as present, listed as rare.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Great Sand Dunes?
- Probably. The NPS lists rattlesnakes as "probably present" in Great Sand Dunes.
- How many animal species live in Great Sand Dunes?
- The NPS species database lists 48 mammal, 197 bird, 5 reptile, 6 amphibian and 4 fish species as present or probably present in Great Sand Dunes. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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