Wildlife
What lives in Indiana Dunes
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Indiana Dunes: 42 mammals, 301 birds, 23 reptiles, 17 amphibians and 71 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Coyote
Canis latrans
Rattlesnakes
Sistrurus catenatus catenatus · Occasional · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Rare
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Rare
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Black bear
Ursus americanus · Historical
Gray wolf
Canis lupus · Historical
Mountain lion
Puma concolor · Historical
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis · Historical
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Historical
Bison
Bison bison · 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
- 46
- 60 listed · 4 non-native
- Birds
- 301
- 353 listed · 7 non-native
- Reptiles
- 23
- 30 listed
- Amphibians
- 18
- 24 listed
- Fish
- 71
- 76 listed · 14 non-native
Endangered Species Act
3 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Cluster Bat | Myotis sodalis | Endangered | ||
| Piping Plover | Charadrius melodus | Occasional | Endangered |
Mammals
All 46 mammals recorded in Indiana Dunes
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meadow Vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Abundant | ||
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Abundant | ||
| White-footed mouse | Peromyscus leucopus | Abundant | ||
| White-tailed deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Abundant | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Common | ||
| Black Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Common | ||
| Eastern chipmunk | Tamias striatus | Common | ||
| Eastern cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus | Common | ||
| Eastern fox squirrel | Sciurus niger | Common | ||
| Eastern mole | Scalopus aquaticus | Common | ||
| Eastern Red Bat | Lasiurus borealis | Common | ||
| Groundhog | Marmota monax | Common |
Show the other 34 mammals ↓The other 34
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| House Mouse | Mus musculus | Common | Non-native | |
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Common | ||
| Masked shrew | Sorex cinereus | Common | ||
| Mole shrew | Blarina brevicauda | Common | ||
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Common | ||
| Pine Vole | Microtus pinetorum | Common | ||
| Prairie deer mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus bairdii | Common | ||
| Prairie Vole | Microtus ochrogaster | Common | ||
| Red squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Common | ||
| Virginia Opossum | Didelphis virginiana | Common | ||
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| American Mink | Mustela vison | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern gray squirrel | Sciurus carolinensis | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Pipistrelle | Pipistrellus subflavus | Uncommon | ||
| Evening Bat | Nycticeius humeralis | Uncommon | ||
| Meadow jumping mouse | Zapus hudsonius | Uncommon | ||
| Northern Bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Uncommon | ||
| Thirteen-lined ground squirrel | Spermophilus tridecemlineatus | Uncommon | ||
| Caucasian wildcat | Felis silvestris | Rare | Non-native | |
| Domestic dog | Canis familiaris | Rare | Non-native | |
| Gray fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Rare | ||
| Least Weasel | Mustela nivalis | Rare | ||
| American badger | Taxidea taxus | Probably Present | ||
| Bee shrew | Cryptotis parva | Probably Present | ||
| Cluster Bat | Myotis sodalis | Endangered | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | |||
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Probably Present | ||
| Little Brown Bat | Myotis lucifugus | |||
| Norway rat | Rattus norvegicus | Non-native | ||
| Red fox | Vulpes vulpes | |||
| Southern bog lemming | Synaptomys cooperi | Probably Present | ||
| Southern Flying Squirrel | Glaucomys volans | |||
| Star-nosed Mole | Condylura cristata |
Birds
301 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
301 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 macularia | ||
| Western grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | ||
| Northern saw-whet owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | ||
| Henslow's Sparrow | Ammodramus henslowii | ||
| Bruant de LeConte | Ammodramus leconteii | ||
| Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow | Ammodramus nelsoni | ||
| Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | ||
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | ||
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Common Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American Black Duck | Anas rubripes | ||
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | ||
| American pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | ||
| Great egret | Ardea alba | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | ||
| Short-eared owl | Asio flammeus | ||
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Redhead | Aythya americana | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | ||
| Greater Scaup | Aythya marila | ||
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | ||
| Tufted titmouse | Baeolophus bicolor | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | ||
| Marbled Murrelet | Brachyramphus marmoratus | ||
| Brant | Branta bernicla | ||
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Snowy owl | Bubo scandiacus | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bubulcus ibis | Bubulcus ibis | Non-native | |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Roughleg | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | ||
| Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | ||
| Green heron | Butorides virescens | ||
| Lapland Longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | ||
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | ||
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | ||
| Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | ||
| Red Knot | Calidris canutus | ||
| White-rumped Sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis | ||
| Stilt Sandpiper | Calidris himantopus | ||
| Purple Sandpiper | Calidris maritima | ||
| Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | ||
| Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | ||
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | ||
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | ||
| Chuck-will's-widow | Caprimulgus carolinensis | ||
| Whip-poor-will | Caprimulgus vociferus | ||
| Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | ||
| Common Redpoll | Carduelis flammea | ||
| Arctic Redpoll | Carduelis hornemanni | ||
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | ||
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | Non-native | |
| Purple Finch | Carpodacus purpureus | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Gray-cheeked Thrush | Catharus minimus | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | ||
| Brown creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Chimney Swift | Chaetura pelagica | ||
| Piping Plover | Charadrius melodus | Endangered | |
| Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Blue Goose | Chen caerulescens | ||
| Black tern | Chlidonias niger | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | ||
| Sedge Wren | Cistothorus platensis | ||
| Long-tailed duck | Clangula hyemalis | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | ||
| Black-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | ||
| Rock pigeon | Columba livia | Non-native | |
| Olive-sided flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Eastern Wood Pewee | Contopus virens | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Yellow Rail | Coturnicops noveboracensis | ||
| Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | ||
| Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | ||
| Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | Non-native | |
| Dendroica caerulescens | Dendroica caerulescens | ||
| Dendroica castanea | Dendroica castanea | ||
| Dendroica cerulea | Dendroica cerulea | ||
| Dendroica coronata | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Dendroica discolor | Dendroica discolor | ||
| Dendroica dominica | Dendroica dominica | ||
| Dendroica fusca | Dendroica fusca | ||
| Dendroica kirtlandii | Dendroica kirtlandii | ||
| Dendroica magnolia | Dendroica magnolia | ||
| Dendroica palmarum | Dendroica palmarum | ||
| Dendroica pensylvanica | Dendroica pensylvanica | ||
| Dendroica petechia | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Dendroica pinus | Dendroica pinus | ||
| Dendroica striata | Dendroica striata | ||
| Dendroica tigrina | Dendroica tigrina | ||
| Dendroica virens | Dendroica virens | ||
| Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | ||
| Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | ||
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Little blue heron | Egretta caerulea | ||
| Alder Flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum | ||
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | Empidonax flaviventris | ||
| Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | ||
| Acadian Flycatcher | Empidonax virescens | ||
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Rusty Blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | ||
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| American Coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | ||
| Common Moorhen | Gallinula chloropus | ||
| Common Loon | Gavia immer | ||
| Pacific Diver | Gavia pacifica | ||
| Red-throated Diver | Gavia stellata | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Guiraca caerulea | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Helmitheros vermivorus | Helmitheros vermivorus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Harlequin Duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | ||
| Wood Thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | ||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | ||
| Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | ||
| Ixobrychus exilis | Ixobrychus exilis | ||
| Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Great Grey Shrike | Lanius excubitor | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| European Herring Gull | Larus argentatus | ||
| Laughing Gull | Larus atricilla | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus | ||
| Iceland Gull | Larus glaucoides | ||
| Glaucous Gull | Larus hyperboreus | ||
| Great Black-backed Gull | Larus marinus | ||
| Little Gull | Larus minutus | ||
| Bonaparte's Gull | Larus philadelphia | ||
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | ||
| Black-headed Gull | Larus ridibundus | ||
| Thayer's Gull | Larus thayeri | ||
| Short-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus | ||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | ||
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | ||
| Hudsonian Godwit | Limosa haemastica | ||
| Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Two-barred Crossbill | Loxia leucoptera | ||
| Eastern screech-owl | Megascops asio | ||
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus | ||
| Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | ||
| Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca | ||
| Black Scoter | Melanitta nigra | ||
| Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | ||
| Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | ||
| Swamp Sparrow | Melospiza georgiana | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | ||
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | ||
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | ||
| Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | ||
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | ||
| Northern gannet | Morus bassanus | ||
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | ||
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | ||
| Eurasian Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | ||
| Yellow-crowned night-heron | Nyctanassa violacea | ||
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| Connecticut Warbler | Oporornis agilis | ||
| Oporornis formosus | Oporornis formosus | ||
| Oporornis philadelphia | Oporornis philadelphia | ||
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| Parula americana | Parula americana | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Non-native | |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Cliff swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | ||
| Red Phalarope | Phalaropus fulicaria | ||
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | ||
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | ||
| Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Non-native | |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | ||
| Eastern Towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| Scarlet Tanager | Piranga olivacea | ||
| Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra | ||
| Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | ||
| American golden-plover | Pluvialis dominica | ||
| Black-bellied Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | ||
| Horned Grebe | Podiceps auritus | ||
| Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | ||
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Pied-billed grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | ||
| Black-capped chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | ||
| Purple Martin | Progne subis | ||
| Prothonotary Warbler | Protonotaria citrea | ||
| Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | ||
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | ||
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | ||
| Black-legged kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | ||
| Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | ||
| American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | ||
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | ||
| Seiurus motacilla | Seiurus motacilla | ||
| Seiurus noveboracensis | Seiurus noveboracensis | ||
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | ||
| Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | ||
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | ||
| Dickcissel | Spiza americana | ||
| American Tree Sparrow | Spizella arborea | ||
| Clay-colored Sparrow | Spizella pallida | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Field Sparrow | Spizella pusilla | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Long-tailed Jaeger | Stercorarius longicaudus | ||
| Arctic Skua | Stercorarius parasiticus | ||
| Pomarine Jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus | ||
| Caspian Tern | Sterna caspia | ||
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | ||
| Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | ||
| Gull-billed Tern | Sterna nilotica | ||
| Barred Owl | Strix varia | ||
| Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | ||
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Carolina Wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | ||
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | ||
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| Winter Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | ||
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | Tryngites subruficollis | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | ||
| Vermivora celata | Vermivora celata | ||
| Golden-winged Warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | ||
| Vermivora peregrina | Vermivora peregrina | ||
| Vermivora pinus | Vermivora pinus | ||
| Vermivora ruficapilla | Vermivora ruficapilla | ||
| Bell's Vireo | Vireo bellii | ||
| Yellow-throated Vireo | Vireo flavifrons | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| White-eyed Vireo | Vireo griseus | ||
| Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus | ||
| Philadelphia Vireo | Vireo philadelphicus | ||
| Blue-headed vireo | Vireo solitarius | ||
| Wilsonia canadensis | Wilsonia canadensis | ||
| Wilsonia citrina | Wilsonia citrina | ||
| Wilsonia pusilla | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | ||
| Sabine's gull | Xema sabini | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | ||
| Harris' Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
Reptiles
23 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
23 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Spiny Softshell | Apalone spinifera spinifera | |||
| Eastern snapping turtle | Chelydra serpentina serpentina | Common | ||
| Midland Painted Turtle | Chrysemys picta marginata | Abundant | ||
| Spotted Turtle | Clemmys guttata | Uncommon | ||
| Prairie Racerunner | Cnemidophorus sexlineatus viridis | Abundant | ||
| Eastern blue racer | Coluber constrictor foxi | Common | ||
| Northern ring-necked snake | Diadophis punctatus edwardsii | Occasional | ||
| Western foxsnake | Elaphe vulpina | Occasional | ||
| Blanding's Turtle | Emydoidea blandingii | Uncommon | ||
| Common Map Turtle | Graptemys geographica | |||
| Eastern Hognose Snake | Heterodon platirhinos | Common | ||
| Eastern milksnake | Lampropeltis triangulum triangulum | Rare | ||
| Northern Water Snake | Nerodia sipedon sipedon | Uncommon | ||
| Western Slender Glass Lizard | Ophisaurus attenuatus attenuatus | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Massasauga | Sistrurus catenatus catenatus | Occasional | ||
| Common Musk Turtle | Sternotherus odoratus | Rare | ||
| Midland brownsnake | Storeria dekayi wrightorum | Common | ||
| Northern red-bellied snake | Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina carolina | Uncommon | ||
| Western ribbonsnake | Thamnophis proximus proximus | Uncommon | ||
| Plains gartersnake | Thamnophis radix | Occasional | ||
| Northern ribbonsnake | Thamnophis sauritus septentrionalis | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern gartersnake | Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | Common |
Amphibians
18 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
18 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Salamander | Ambystoma jeffersonianum | |||
| Blue-spotted Salamander | Ambystoma laterale | Common | ||
| Eastern Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum | Common | ||
| Tremblay's Salamander | Ambystoma tremblayi | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern American Toad | Bufo americanus americanus | Abundant | ||
| Fowler's Toad | Bufo fowleri | Common | ||
| Four-toed Salamander | Hemidactylium scutatum | Uncommon | ||
| Cope's gray treefrog | Hyla chrysoscelis | Common | ||
| Gray Treefrog | Hyla versicolor | Common | ||
| Common mudpuppy | Necturus maculosus maculosus | Probably Present | ||
| Central Newt | Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis | Common | ||
| Eastern red-backed salamander | Plethodon cinereus | Common | ||
| Northern Spring Peeper | Pseudacris crucifer crucifer | Abundant | ||
| Western chorus frog | Pseudacris triseriata | Abundant | ||
| American bullfrog | Rana catesbeiana | Common | ||
| Northern green frog | Rana clamitans melanota | Abundant | ||
| Northern Leopard Frog | Rana pipiens | Uncommon | ||
| Wood Frog | Rana sylvatica | Common |
Fish
71 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
71 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake sturgeon | Acipenser fulvescens | |||
| Alewife | Alosa pseudoharengus | Non-native | ||
| Rock Bass | Ambloplites rupestris | |||
| Black Bullhead | Ameiurus melas | |||
| Yellow Bullhead | Ameiurus natalis | |||
| Brown Bullhead | Ameiurus nebulosus | |||
| Bowfin | Amia calva | |||
| Pirate perch | Aphredoderus sayanus | |||
| Goldfish | Carassius auratus | Non-native | ||
| Longnose Sucker | Catostomus catostomus | |||
| White sucker | Catostomus commersoni | |||
| Mottled sculpin | Cottus bairdii | |||
| Slimy sculpin | Cottus cognatus | |||
| Grass carp | Ctenopharyngodon idella | Non-native | ||
| Brook stickleback | Culaea inconstans | |||
| Spotfin Shiner | Cyprinella spiloptera | |||
| Common carp | Cyprinus carpio | Non-native | ||
| Gizzard shad | Dorosoma cepedianum | |||
| Lake Chubsucker | Erimyzon sucetta | |||
| Grass pickerel | Esox americanus | |||
| Iowa Darter | Etheostoma exile | |||
| Johnny Darter | Etheostoma nigrum | |||
| Blackstripe topminnow | Fundulus notatus | |||
| Alaskan stickleback | Gasterosteus aculeatus | Non-native | ||
| Channel Catfish | Ictalurus punctatus | |||
| Bigmouth Buffalo | Ictiobus cyprinellus | |||
| Brook silverside | Labidesthes sicculus | |||
| Least brook lamprey | Lampetra aepyptera | |||
| American brook lamprey | Lampetra appendix | |||
| Longnose gar | Lepisosteus osseus | |||
| Green Sunfish | Lepomis cyanellus | |||
| Kiver | Lepomis gibbosus | |||
| Warmouth | Lepomis gulosus | |||
| Orangespotted Sunfish | Lepomis humilis | |||
| Bluegill | Lepomis macrochirus | |||
| Longear Sunfish | Lepomis megalotis | |||
| Common Shiner | Luxilus cornutus | |||
| Smallmouth Bass | Micropterus dolomieu | |||
| Largemouth Bass | Micropterus salmoides | |||
| Spotted Sucker | Minytrema melanops | |||
| Deepwater sculpin | Myoxocephalus thompsonii | |||
| Round goby | Neogobius melanostomus | Non-native | ||
| Hornyhead Chub | Nocomis biguttatus | |||
| Golden Shiner | Notemigonus crysoleucas | |||
| Emerald Shiner | Notropis atherinoides | |||
| Spottail Shiner | Notropis hudsonius | |||
| Sand Shiner | Notropis stramineus | |||
| Mimic Shiner | Notropis volucellus | |||
| Tadpole Madtom | Noturus gyrinus | |||
| Coho salmon | Oncorhynchus kisutch | Non-native | ||
| Rainbow trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Non-native | ||
| Chinook salmon | Oncorhynchus tshawytscha | Non-native | ||
| Rainbow Smelt | Osmerus mordax | Non-native | ||
| Yellow perch | Perca flavescens | |||
| Logperch | Percina caprodes | |||
| Blackside darter | Percina maculata | |||
| Trout-perch | Percopsis omiscomaycus | |||
| Lake lamprey | Petromyzon marinus | Non-native | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | Pimephales notatus | |||
| Fathead Minnow | Pimephales promelas | |||
| White Crappie | Pomoxis annularis | |||
| Black Crappie | Pomoxis nigromaculatus | |||
| Ninespine stickleback | Pungitius pungitius | Non-native | ||
| Blacknose Dace | Rhinichthys atratulus | |||
| Longnose Dace | Rhinichthys cataractae | |||
| Brown trout | Salmo trutta | Non-native | ||
| Lake trout | Salvelinus namaycush | |||
| Rudd | Scardinius erythrophthalmus | Non-native | ||
| Creek Chub | Semotilus atromaculatus | |||
| Walleye | Stizostedion vitreum | |||
| Central mudminnow | Umbra limi |
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 Indiana Dunes.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Indiana Dunes (INDU) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Indiana Dunes National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Indiana Dunes wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Indiana Dunes?
- No. The NPS species list marks black bear as "not in park" for Indiana Dunes (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there wolves in Indiana Dunes?
- No. The NPS species list marks gray wolf as "not in park" for Indiana Dunes (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there mountain lions in Indiana Dunes?
- No. The NPS species list marks mountain lion as "not in park" for Indiana Dunes (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there rattlesnakes in Indiana Dunes?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Indiana Dunes records rattlesnakes as present, listed as occasional.
- How many animal species live in Indiana Dunes?
- The NPS species database lists 42 mammal, 301 bird, 23 reptile, 17 amphibian and 71 fish species as present or probably present in Indiana Dunes, including 3 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.
