Wildlife
What lives in Petrified Forest
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Petrified Forest: 32 mammals, 226 birds, 16 reptiles, 7 amphibians and 0 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 · Occasional
Coyote
Canis latrans
Mountain lion
Puma concolor
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Occasional
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus viridis · Common · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Occasional
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon
Grizzly / brown bear
Ursus arctos · Historical
Gray wolf
Canis lupus · 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
- 44
- 62 listed
- Birds
- 226
- 244 listed · 2 non-native
- Reptiles
- 17
- 21 listed
- Amphibians
- 7
- 8 listed
- Fish
- 0
- 0 listed
Mammals
All 44 mammals recorded in Petrified Forest
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Black Bear | Ursus americanus | Occasional | ||
| Elk | Cervus elaphus | Occasional | ||
| American Badger | Taxidea taxus | Probably Present | ||
| Audubon's Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | |||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Probably Present | ||
| Black Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | |||
| Black-tailed Jack Rabbit | Lepus californicus | |||
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | |||
| Botta's Pocket Gopher | Thomomys bottae | |||
| Brush Deermouse | Peromyscus boylii | Probably Present | ||
| Bushy-tailed Woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | |||
| California Myotis | Myotis californicus |
Show the other 32 mammals ↓The other 32
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon Deermouse | Peromyscus crinitus | |||
| Catamount | Puma concolor | Probably Present | ||
| Common Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus | Probably Present | ||
| Common porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | |||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | |||
| Crawford's Gray Shrew | Notiosorex crawfordi | |||
| Cross Fox | Vulpes vulpes | Probably Present | ||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | |||
| Desert Fox | Vulpes macrotis | |||
| Fringed Myotis | Myotis thysanodes | |||
| Gunnison's Prairie Dog | Cynomys gunnisoni | |||
| Long-legged Myotis | Myotis volans | Probably Present | ||
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata | Probably Present | ||
| Mule Deer | Odocoileus hemionus | |||
| Mule-eared bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | |||
| Northern Grasshopper Mouse | Onychomys leucogaster | |||
| Ord's Kangaroo Rat | Dipodomys ordii | |||
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus | |||
| Piñon Deermouse | Peromyscus truei | |||
| Plains Pocket Mouse | Perognathus flavescens | |||
| Pronghorn | Antilocapra americana | |||
| Silky Pocket Mouse | Perognathus flavus | |||
| Small-footed Myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Probably Present | ||
| Spotted Ground Squirrel | Spermophilus spilosoma | Probably Present | ||
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Probably Present | ||
| Western Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | |||
| Western Pipistrelle | Pipistrellus hesperus | |||
| Western Spotted Skunk | Spilogale gracilis | Probably Present | ||
| White-footed Deermouse | Peromyscus leucopus | |||
| White-tailed Antelope Squirrel | Ammospermophilus leucurus | |||
| White-throated Woodrat | Neotoma albigula | |||
| Yuma Myotis | Myotis yumanensis |
Birds
226 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
226 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | ||
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Cassin's Sparrow | Aimophila cassinii | ||
| Rufous-crowned Sparrow | Aimophila ruficeps | ||
| Baird's Sparrow | Ammodramus bairdii | ||
| Sage Sparrow | Amphispiza belli | ||
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | ||
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | ||
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Common Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Western scrub-jay | Aphelocoma californica | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Great egret | Ardea alba | ||
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | ||
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | ||
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | ||
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | ||
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | ||
| Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | ||
| Upland Sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda | ||
| 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 | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Roughleg | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | ||
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| Green Heron | Butorides virescens | ||
| Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | ||
| Chestnut-collared Longspur | Calcarius ornatus | ||
| Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | ||
| Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | ||
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | ||
| Scaled Quail | Callipepla squamata | ||
| Anna's Hummingbird | Calypte anna | ||
| Northern Beardless Tyrannulet | Camptostoma imberbe | ||
| Red-faced Warbler | Cardellina rubrifrons | ||
| Pyrrhuloxia | Cardinalis sinuatus | ||
| 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 | ||
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | ||
| Brown creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Vaux's Swift | Chaetura vauxi | ||
| Mountain Plover | Charadrius montanus | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Columba fasciata | Columba fasciata | ||
| Inca Dove | Columbina inca | ||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Northern Raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| Dendroica coronata | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Dendroica graciae | Dendroica graciae | ||
| Dendroica nigrescens | Dendroica nigrescens | ||
| Dendroica occidentalis | Dendroica occidentalis | ||
| Dendroica palmarum | Dendroica palmarum | ||
| Dendroica pensylvanica | Dendroica pensylvanica | ||
| Dendroica petechia | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Dendroica townsendi | Dendroica townsendi | ||
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | ||
| Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | ||
| American Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | ||
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | ||
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| American Coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | ||
| Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | ||
| Scott's Oriole | Icterus parisorum | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| European Herring Gull | Larus argentatus | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Western screech-owl | Megascops kennicottii | ||
| Acorn Woodpecker | Melanerpes formicivorus | ||
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Northern 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 | ||
| Eurasian Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | ||
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | ||
| Oporornis formosus | Oporornis formosus | ||
| Oporornis tolmiei | Oporornis tolmiei | ||
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | ||
| 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 | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | ||
| Painted Bunting | Passerina ciris | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | ||
| American Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Phainopepla | Phainopepla nitens | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | ||
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Ladder-backed Woodpecker | Picoides scalaris | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | ||
| Canyon towhee | Pipilo fuscus | ||
| Spotted towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Hepatic Tanager | Piranga flava | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| Scarlet Tanager | Piranga olivacea | ||
| Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra | ||
| White-faced ibis | Plegadis chihi | ||
| Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | ||
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | ||
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | ||
| Black-tailed Gnatcatcher | Polioptila melanura | ||
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | ||
| Sora | Porzana carolina | ||
| Purple Martin | Progne subis | ||
| American Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | ||
| Scarlet Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | ||
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | ||
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | ||
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | ||
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | ||
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | ||
| Seiurus noveboracensis | Seiurus noveboracensis | ||
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Allen's Hummingbird | Selasphorus sasin | ||
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | ||
| 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 | ||
| American Tree Sparrow | Spizella arborea | ||
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | ||
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | ||
| Calliope Hummingbird | Stellula calliope | ||
| Gull-billed Tern | Sterna nilotica | ||
| Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | ||
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | ||
| Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Non-native | |
| Least grebe | Tachybaptus dominicus | ||
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | ||
| Bendire's Thrasher | Toxostoma bendirei | ||
| Curve-billed Thrasher | Toxostoma curvirostre | ||
| Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | ||
| Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | ||
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | ||
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | ||
| Vermivora celata | Vermivora celata | ||
| Vermivora luciae | Vermivora luciae | ||
| Vermivora ruficapilla | Vermivora ruficapilla | ||
| Vermivora virginiae | Vermivora virginiae | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Hutton's Vireo | Vireo huttoni | ||
| Plumbeus vireo | Vireo plumbeus | ||
| Wilsonia pusilla | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | ||
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | ||
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
Reptiles
17 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
17 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glossy Snake | Arizona elegans | Common | ||
| Little Striped Whiptail | Cnemidophorus inornatus | Rare | ||
| New Mexican Whiptail | Cnemidophorus neomexicanus | Rare | ||
| Plateau Striped Whiptail | Cnemidophorus velox | Abundant | ||
| Prairie Rattlesnake | Crotalus viridis | Common | ||
| Collared Lizard | Crotaphytus collaris | Common | ||
| Longnose Leopard Lizard | Gambelia wislizenii | Probably Present | ||
| Common Earless Lizard | Holbrookia maculata | Common | ||
| Night Snake | Hypsiglena torquata | Common | ||
| Common Kingsnake | Lampropeltis getula | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Milk Snake | Lampropeltis triangulum | Uncommon | ||
| Striped Whipsnake | Masticophis taeniatus | Common | ||
| Greater Short-horned Lizard | Phrynosoma hernandesi | Common | ||
| Bullsnake | Pituophis catenifer | Common | ||
| Sagebrush Lizard | Sceloporus graciosus | Abundant | ||
| Eastern Fence Lizard | Sceloporus undulatus | Abundant | ||
| Common Side-blotched Lizard | Uta stansburiana | Common |
Amphibians
7 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
7 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | Uncommon | ||
| Great Plains Toad | Bufo cognatus | Abundant | ||
| Red-spotted Toad | Bufo punctatus | Uncommon | ||
| Woodhouse's Toad | Bufo woodhousii | Uncommon | ||
| Couch's Spadefoot | Scaphiopus couchii | Uncommon | ||
| Plains Spadefoot | Spea bombifrons | Common | ||
| Mexican Spadefoot | Spea multiplicata | Abundant |
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 Petrified Forest.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Petrified Forest (PEFO) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Petrified Forest National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Petrified Forest wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Petrified Forest?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Petrified Forest records black bear as present, listed as occasional.
- Are there grizzly bears in Petrified Forest?
- No. The NPS species list marks grizzly / brown bear as "not in park" for Petrified Forest (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there wolves in Petrified Forest?
- No. The NPS species list marks gray wolf as "not in park" for Petrified Forest (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there mountain lions in Petrified Forest?
- Probably. The NPS lists mountain lion as "probably present" in Petrified Forest.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Petrified Forest?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Petrified Forest records rattlesnakes as present, listed as common.
- How many animal species live in Petrified Forest?
- The NPS species database lists 32 mammal, 226 bird, 16 reptile, 7 amphibian and 0 fish species as present or probably present in Petrified Forest. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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