Wildlife
What lives in Isle Royale
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Isle Royale: 18 mammals, 243 birds, 3 reptiles, 8 amphibians and 53 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Gray wolf
Canis lupus · Uncommon
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis
Moose
Alces alces · Common
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Uncommon
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Occasional
Coyote
Canis latrans · Historical
Caribou
Rangifer tarandus · 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
- 20
- 26 listed
- Birds
- 247
- 261 listed · 4 non-native
- Reptiles
- 3
- 5 listed
- Amphibians
- 8
- 13 listed
- Fish
- 60
- 63 listed · 9 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gray wolf | Canis lupus | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Canada lynx | Lynx canadensis | Probably Present | Threatened | |
| Northern long-eared bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Endangered |
Mammals
All 20 mammals recorded in Isle Royale
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beaver | Castor canadensis | Common | ||
| Deer mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Common | ||
| Isle Royale red squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus regalis | Common | ||
| Moose | Alces alces | Common | ||
| Red fox | Vulpes vulpes | Common | ||
| Snowshoe hare | Lepus americanus | Common | ||
| Ermine | Mustela erminea | Uncommon | ||
| Gray wolf | Canis lupus | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Uncommon | ||
| Mink | Mustela vison | Occasional | ||
| Big brown bat | Eptesicus fuscus | |||
| Canada lynx | Lynx canadensis | Probably Present | Threatened |
Show the other 8 mammals ↓The other 8
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Otter | Lontra canadensis | |||
| Eastern chipmunk | Tamias striatus | Probably Present | ||
| Eastern red bat | Lasiurus borealis | |||
| Hoary bat | Lasiurus cinereus | |||
| Little brown bat | Myotis lucifugus | |||
| Marten | Martes americana | |||
| Northern long-eared bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Endangered | ||
| Silver-haired bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans |
Birds
247 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
247 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 | ||
| Northern saw-whet owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| Boreal owl | Aegolius funereus | ||
| Red-winged blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Wood duck | Aix sponsa | ||
| Le Conte's sparrow | Ammodramus leconteii | ||
| Common pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American wigeon | Anas americana | ||
| Northern shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Green-winged teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Blue-winged teal | Anas discors | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American black duck | Anas rubripes | ||
| American black mallard | Anas rubripes X platyrhynchos | ||
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | ||
| Greater white-fronted goose | Anser albifrons | ||
| American pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Golden eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Ruby-throated hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | ||
| 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 | ||
| Cedar waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| American bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | ||
| Canada goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great horned owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Common goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Red-tailed hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Rough-legged hawk | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Red-shouldered hawk | Buteo lineatus | ||
| Broad-winged hawk | Buteo platypterus | ||
| Lapland longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | ||
| Smith's longspur | Calcarius pictus | ||
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | ||
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | ||
| Baird's sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | ||
| White-rumped sandpiper | Calidris fuscicollis | ||
| Pectoral sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | ||
| Least sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | ||
| Semipalmated sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | ||
| Whip-poor-will | Caprimulgus vociferus | ||
| Northern cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | ||
| Common redpoll | Carduelis flammea | ||
| Hoary redpoll | Carduelis hornemanni | Probably Present | |
| Pine siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| American goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | ||
| 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 | ||
| Brown creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Chimney swift | Chaetura pelagica | ||
| Semipalmated plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Snow goose | Chen caerulescens | ||
| Black tern | Chlidonias niger | ||
| Common nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Marsh hawk | 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 | ||
| Common flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Feral pigeon | Columba livia | Non-native | |
| Olive-sided flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood-pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| Eastern Wood-pewee | Contopus virens | ||
| American crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Common raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Blue jay | Cyanocitta cristata | ||
| Tundra swan | Cygnus columbianus | ||
| Mute swan | Cygnus olor | Non-native | |
| Black-throated blue warbler | Dendroica caerulescens | ||
| Bay-breasted warbler | Dendroica castanea | ||
| Cerulean warbler | Dendroica cerulea | ||
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Blackburnian warbler | Dendroica fusca | ||
| Kirtland's warbler | Dendroica kirtlandii | ||
| Magnolia warbler | Dendroica magnolia | ||
| Palm warbler | Dendroica palmarum | ||
| Chestnut-sided warbler | Dendroica pensylvanica | ||
| Yellow warbler | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Pine warbler | Dendroica pinus | ||
| Blackpoll warbler | Dendroica striata | ||
| Cape May warbler | Dendroica tigrina | ||
| Black-throated green warbler | Dendroica virens | ||
| Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | ||
| Pileated woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | ||
| Gray catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Alder flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum | ||
| Yellow-bellied flycatcher | Empidonax flaviventris | ||
| Least flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | ||
| Willow flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | ||
| Horned lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Rusty blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | ||
| Brewer's blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| Gyrfalcon | Falco rusticolus | ||
| American kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| American coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Common snipe | Gallinago gallinago | ||
| Yellow-billed loon | Gavia adamsii | Probably Present | |
| Common loon | Gavia immer | ||
| Red-throated loon | Gavia stellata | ||
| Common yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Sandhill crane | Grus canadensis | ||
| Bald eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Barn swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Harlequin duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | ||
| Wood thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | ||
| Baltimore oriole | Icterus galbula | ||
| Mississippi kite | Ictinia mississippiensis | ||
| Dark-eyed junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Northern shrike | Lanius excubitor | ||
| Loggerhead shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| Herring gull | Larus argentatus | ||
| Ring-billed gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Iceland gull | Larus glaucoides | ||
| Glaucous gull | Larus hyperboreus | ||
| Bonaparte's gull | Larus philadelphia | ||
| 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 | ||
| White-winged crossbill | Loxia leucoptera | ||
| Red-headed woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | ||
| White-winged scoter | Melanitta fusca | ||
| Black scoter | Melanitta nigra | ||
| Surf scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | ||
| 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 | ||
| Great crested flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | ||
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | ||
| Snowy owl | Nyctea scandiaca | ||
| Black-crowned night heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| Connecticut warbler | Oporornis agilis | ||
| Mourning warbler | Oporornis philadelphia | ||
| Ruddy duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| Northern parula | 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 | ||
| Canada jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | ||
| Red-necked phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | ||
| Rose-breasted grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-billed magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| Black-backed woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | ||
| Downy woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Three-toed woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus | ||
| Hairy woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Pine grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | ||
| Eastern towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus | ||
| Scarlet tanager | Piranga olivacea | ||
| Snow bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | ||
| American golden plover | Pluvialis dominica | ||
| Black-bellied plover | Pluvialis squatarola | ||
| Horned grebe | Podiceps auritus | ||
| Red-necked grebe | Podiceps grisegena | ||
| Pied-billed grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | ||
| Black-capped chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Boreal Chickadee | Poecile hudsonica | ||
| Vesper sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | ||
| Purple martin | Progne subis | Probably Present | |
| Common grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | ||
| Virginia rail | Rallus limicola | ||
| Ruby-crowned kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Bank swallow | Riparia riparia | ||
| Eastern phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | ||
| American woodcock | Scolopax minor | ||
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapillus | ||
| Northern waterthrush | Seiurus noveboracensis | ||
| American redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | ||
| Eastern bluebird | Sialia sialis | ||
| Red-breasted nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Yellow-bellied sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | ||
| 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 | ||
| Caspian tern | Sterna caspia | ||
| Common tern | Sterna hirundo | ||
| Great gray owl | Strix nebulosa | Probably Present | |
| Barred owl | Strix varia | ||
| Eastern meadowlark | Sturnella magna | ||
| European starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Hawk owl | Surnia ulula | ||
| Tree swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Brown thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Lesser yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | ||
| Greater yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | ||
| Solitary sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| House wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| Winter wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | ||
| American robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Eastern kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | ||
| Western kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Orange-crowned warbler | Vermivora celata | ||
| Golden-winged warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | ||
| Tennessee warbler | Vermivora peregrina | ||
| Nashville warbler | Vermivora ruficapilla | ||
| 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 | ||
| Canada warbler | Wilsonia canadensis | ||
| Wilson's warbler | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Yellow-headed blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | ||
| Mourning dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| White-crowned sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | ||
| Harris's sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
Reptiles
3 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
3 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western painted turtle | Chrysemys picta bellii | Common | ||
| Northern red-bellied snake | Storeria occipitomaculata occipitomaculata | Common | ||
| Eastern gartersnake | Thamnophis sirtalis sirtalis | Common |
Amphibians
8 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
8 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue-spotted salamander | Ambystoma laterale | Common | ||
| Eastern American toad | Bufo americanus americanus | Common | ||
| Central Newt | Notophthalmus viridescens louisianensis | Common | ||
| Northern spring peeper | Pseudacris crucifer crucifer | Common | ||
| Boreal chorus frog | Pseudacris maculata | |||
| Northern green frog | Rana clamitans melanota | |||
| Mink frog | Rana septentrionalis | Uncommon | ||
| Wood frog | Rana sylvatica | Uncommon |
Fish
60 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
60 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 | Probably Present | ||
| Longnose sucker | Catostomus catostomus | |||
| White sucker | Catostomus commersoni | Common | ||
| Cisco | Coregonus artedii | Uncommon | ||
| Siskiwit Lake cisco | Coregonus bartlettii | Rare | ||
| Lake whitefish | Coregonus clupeaformis | Common | ||
| Bloater | Coregonus hoyi | |||
| Big-eyed chub | Coregonus kiyi | |||
| Shortjaw cisco | Coregonus zenithicus | |||
| Mottled sculpin | Cottus bairdii | |||
| Slimy sculpin | Cottus cognatus | |||
| Spoonhead sculpin | Cottus ricei | Uncommon | ||
| Lake chub | Couesius plumbeus | Uncommon | ||
| Brook stickleback | Culaea inconstans | Uncommon | ||
| Northern pike | Esox lucius | Common | ||
| Muskellunge | Esox masquinongy | |||
| Iowa darter | Etheostoma exile | |||
| Johnny darter | Etheostoma nigrum | Probably Present | ||
| Brassy minnow | Hybognathus hankinsoni | Probably Present | ||
| Northern brook lamprey | Ichthyomyzon fossor | Probably Present | ||
| Silver lamprey | Ichthyomyzon unicuspis | Probably Present | ||
| Kiver | Lepomis gibbosus | Uncommon | ||
| Burbot | Lota lota | Uncommon | ||
| Harvey Lake pearl dace | Margariscus margarita | Uncommon | ||
| Shorthead redhorse | Moxostoma macrolepidotum | Probably Present | ||
| Deepwater sculpin | Myoxocephalus quadricornis | |||
| Golden shiner | Notemigonus crysoleucas | |||
| Emerald shiner | Notropis atherinoides | Uncommon | ||
| Blackchin shiner | Notropis heterodon | Uncommon | ||
| Blacknose shiner | Notropis heterolepis | Common | ||
| Spottail shiner | Notropis hudsonius | Uncommon | ||
| Northern mimic shiner | Notropis volucellus | Uncommon | ||
| Pink salmon | Oncorhynchus gorbuscha | Non-native | ||
| 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 | Common | ||
| Northern logperch | Percina caprodes | Uncommon | ||
| Trout-perch | Percopsis omiscomaycus | Uncommon | ||
| Sea lamprey | Petromyzon marinus | Non-native | ||
| Northern redbelly dace | Phoxinus eos | Uncommon | ||
| Finescale dace | Phoxinus neogaeus | Uncommon | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | Pimephales notatus | Uncommon | ||
| Fathead minnow | Pimephales promelas | Uncommon | ||
| Black crappie | Pomoxis nigromaculatus | |||
| Pygmy whitefish | Prosopium coulteri | |||
| Round whitefish | Prosopium cylindraceum | |||
| Ninespine stickleback | Pungitius pungitius | Uncommon | ||
| Longnose dace | Rhinichthys cataractae | |||
| Blacknose dace | Rhinichthys obtusus | |||
| Atlantic salmon | Salmo salar | Non-native | ||
| Brown trout | Salmo trutta | Non-native | ||
| Brook trout | Salvelinus fontinalis | |||
| Lake trout | Salvelinus namaycush | Uncommon | ||
| Sauger | Sander canadensis | Probably Present | ||
| Walleye | Sander vitreus | Uncommon | ||
| Creek chub | Semotilus atromaculatus | Uncommon |
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 Isle Royale.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Isle Royale (ISRO) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Isle Royale National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Isle Royale wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Isle Royale?
- The NPS species list for Isle Royale does not include black bear, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there wolves in Isle Royale?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Isle Royale records gray wolf as present, listed as uncommon.
- Are there mountain lions in Isle Royale?
- The NPS species list for Isle Royale does not include mountain lion, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Isle Royale?
- The NPS species list for Isle Royale does not include rattlesnakes, so there is no record of them in the park.
- How many animal species live in Isle Royale?
- The NPS species database lists 18 mammal, 243 bird, 3 reptile, 8 amphibian and 53 fish species as present or probably present in Isle Royale, 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.
