Wildlife
What lives in Wind Cave
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Wind Cave: 55 mammals, 222 birds, 11 reptiles, 6 amphibians and 8 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 · Rare
Bobcat
Lynx rufus · Uncommon
Elk
Cervus elaphus · Abundant
Bighorn sheep
Ovis canadensis · Occasional
Pronghorn
Antilocapra americana · Uncommon
Rattlesnakes
Crotalus viridis · Abundant · any rattlesnake species
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Common
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon
Grizzly / brown bear
Ursus arctos · Historical
Black bear
Ursus americanus · 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
- 56
- 88 listed · 1 non-native
- Birds
- 222
- 236 listed · 7 non-native
- Reptiles
- 11
- 12 listed
- Amphibians
- 6
- 7 listed
- Fish
- 8
- 9 listed · 3 non-native
Endangered Species Act
2 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black-footed Ferret | Mustela nigripes | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Northern long-eared bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Rare | Endangered |
Mammals
All 56 mammals recorded in Wind Cave
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacktail Prairie Dog | Cynomys ludovicianus | Abundant | ||
| Deer Mouse | Peromyscus maniculatus | Abundant | ||
| Elk | Cervus elaphus | Abundant | ||
| White-footed Mouse | Peromyscus leucopus | Abundant | ||
| 13 lined ground squirrel | Spermophilus tridecemlineatus | Common | ||
| American Bison | Bos bison | Common | ||
| Audubon's Cottontail | Sylvilagus audubonii | Common | ||
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Common | ||
| Bushy woodrat | Neotoma cinerea | Common | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Common | ||
| Eastern Cottontail | Sylvilagus floridanus | Common | ||
| Hayden's shrew | Sorex haydeni | Common |
Show the other 44 mammals ↓The other 44
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Least Chipmunk | Tamias minimus | Common | ||
| Little Brown Myotis | Myotis lucifugus | Common | ||
| Meadow Vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | Common | ||
| Mule deer | Odocoileus hemionus | Common | ||
| Northern Pocket Gopher | Thomomys talpoides | Common | ||
| Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | Common | ||
| Prairie Vole | Microtus ochrogaster | Common | ||
| Red Squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Common | ||
| Southern Red-backed Vole | Clethrionomys gapperi | Common | ||
| White-tailed deer | Odocoileus virginianus | Common | ||
| American Beaver | Castor canadensis | Uncommon | ||
| Antelope | Antilocapra americana | Uncommon | ||
| Black Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Uncommon | ||
| Black-footed Ferret | Mustela nigripes | Uncommon | Endangered | |
| Bobcat | Lynx rufus | Uncommon | ||
| Flying squirrel | Glaucomys sabrinus | Uncommon | ||
| Fringed Myotis | Myotis thysanodes | Uncommon | ||
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Uncommon | ||
| Long-legged Myotis | Myotis volans | Uncommon | ||
| Meadow Jumping Mouse | Zapus hudsonius | Uncommon | ||
| Mule-eared bat | Corynorhinus townsendii | Uncommon | ||
| Western Harvest Mouse | Reithrodontomys megalotis | Uncommon | ||
| Badger | Taxidea taxus | Occasional | ||
| Bighorn Sheep | Ovis canadensis | Occasional | ||
| Cross Fox | Vulpes vulpes | Occasional | ||
| Eastern Fox Squirrel | Sciurus niger | Occasional | ||
| Ermine | Mustela erminea | Occasional | ||
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Occasional | ||
| Raccoon | Procyon lotor | Occasional | ||
| Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Occasional | ||
| Whitetail Jackrabbit | Lepus townsendii | Occasional | ||
| Yellow-bellied Marmot | Marmota flaviventris | Occasional | ||
| Bee shrew | Cryptotis parva | Rare | ||
| Catamount | Puma concolor | Rare | ||
| Eastern Red Bat | Lasiurus borealis | Rare | ||
| Hispid Pocket Mouse | Chaetodipus hispidus | Rare | ||
| Northern long-eared bat | Myotis septentrionalis | Rare | Endangered | |
| Olive-backed Pocket Mouse | Perognathus fasciatus | Rare | ||
| Small-footed Myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Rare | ||
| Weasels | Mustela frenata | Rare | ||
| American Mink | Mustela vison | |||
| House Mouse | Mus musculus | Non-native | ||
| Long-eared Myotis | Myotis evotis | Probably Present | ||
| Mountain Cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttallii |
Birds
222 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
222 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | ||
| Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | ||
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted sandpiper | Actitis macularius | ||
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | ||
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | ||
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | ||
| Baird's Sparrow | Ammodramus bairdii | ||
| Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | ||
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | ||
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Green-Winged Teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Cinnamon teal | Anas cyanoptera | ||
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | ||
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | ||
| 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 | ||
| Upland Sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | ||
| Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus | ||
| American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | ||
| Canada geese | Branta canadensis | ||
| Snowy Owl | Bubo scandiacus | ||
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bubulcus ibis | Bubulcus ibis | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | ||
| Roughleg | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | ||
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | ||
| Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | ||
| Lapland Longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | ||
| Mccown's Longspur | Calcarius mccownii | ||
| Chestnut-collared Longspur | Calcarius ornatus | ||
| Common Redpoll | Carduelis flammea | ||
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | ||
| Cassin's Finch | Carpodacus cassinii | ||
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | ||
| Purple Finch | Carpodacus purpureus | ||
| Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | ||
| Veery | Catharus fuscescens | ||
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | ||
| Willet | Catoptrophorus semipalmatus | ||
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | ||
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | ||
| Snow Goose | Chen caerulescens | ||
| Ross' Goose | Chen rossii | ||
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | ||
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | ||
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | ||
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | ||
| Black-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus | ||
| Common Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | ||
| Rock Pigeon (feral pigeon) Rock Dove | Columba livia | Non-native | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Western Wood Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | ||
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | ||
| Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | ||
| Trumpeter Swan | Cygnus buccinator | ||
| Dendroica caerulescens | Dendroica caerulescens | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Dendroica discolor | Dendroica discolor | ||
| Palm Warbler | Dendroica palmarum | ||
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Dendroica pensylvanica | ||
| Yellow Warbler | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Blackpoll Warbler | Dendroica striata | ||
| Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | ||
| Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | ||
| Alder flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum | ||
| Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | ||
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | ||
| Cordilleran Flycatcher (American Ornithologists' Union | Empidonax occidentalis | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | ||
| 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 | ||
| Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | ||
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | ||
| Sandhill crane | Grus canadensis | ||
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | ||
| Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | ||
| Yellow-breased chat | Icteria virens | ||
| Bullock's Oriole (American Ornithologists' Union | Icterus bullockii | ||
| Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | ||
| Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Northen Shrike | Lanius excubitor | ||
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | ||
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | ||
| Bonaparte's Gull | Larus philadelphia | ||
| Franklin's Gull | Larus pipixcan | ||
| Gray-crowned Rosy Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Long-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | ||
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | ||
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | ||
| Eastern Screech-Owl | Megascops asio | ||
| Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | ||
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | ||
| Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Non-native | |
| Lincoln 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 | ||
| Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | ||
| Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | ||
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | ||
| Macgillivray's Warbler | Oporornis tolmiei | ||
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| Black-Capped Chickadee | Parus atricapillus | ||
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Non-native | |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | ||
| Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | ||
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | ||
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | ||
| Gray partridge | Perdix perdix | Non-native | |
| Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | ||
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | ||
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | ||
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | ||
| Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Non-native | |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | ||
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Spotted towhee | Pipilo maculatus | ||
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | ||
| Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | ||
| Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | ||
| Eared 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 | ||
| Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | ||
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | ||
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | ||
| Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | ||
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | ||
| Northern waterthrush | Seiurus noveboracensis | ||
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Northern Parula | Setophaga americana | ||
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | ||
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | ||
| Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | ||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | ||
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | ||
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | ||
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | ||
| 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 | ||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Non-native | |
| Eastern meadowlark | Sturnella magna | ||
| 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 | ||
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | ||
| Winter Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | ||
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Tympanuchus phasianellus | ||
| Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | ||
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | ||
| Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | ||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata | ||
| Tennessee Warbler | Vermivora peregrina | ||
| Bell's Vireo | Vireo bellii | ||
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | ||
| Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus | ||
| Plumbeous Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | ||
| Solitary Vireo | Vireo solitarius | ||
| 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' Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula |
Reptiles
11 reptiles — show the list ↓
Reptiles
11 reptiles — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common snapping turtle | Chelydra serpentina | Rare | ||
| Painted turtle | Chrysemys picta | Occasional | ||
| Eastern Racer | Coluber constrictor | Common | ||
| Prairie Rattlesnake | Crotalus viridis | Abundant | ||
| Plains Hognose Snake | Heterodon nasicus | |||
| Eastern Milk Snake | Lampropeltis triangulum | Occasional | ||
| Smooth green snake | Liochlorophis vernalis | Uncommon | ||
| Bull Snake | Pituophis catenifer | Common | ||
| Wandering Garter snake | Thamnophis elegans | Rare | ||
| Western plains garter snake | Thamnophis radix | Rare | ||
| Common Garter Snake | Thamnophis sirtalis | Common |
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
6 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blotched tiger salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum | Abundant | ||
| Great Plains toad | Bufo cognatus | Rare | ||
| Woodhouse toad | Bufo woodhousii | Abundant | ||
| Boreal Chorus Frog | Pseudacris maculata | Abundant | ||
| Northern leopard frog | Rana pipiens | Uncommon | ||
| Plains spadefoot | Spea bombifrons | Occasional |
Fish
8 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
8 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BLACK BULLHEAD | Ameiurus melas | Uncommon | Non-native | |
| White Sucker | Catostomus commersonii | Common | ||
| MOUNTAIN SUCKER | Catostomus platyrhynchus | Common | ||
| Brook Stickleback | Culaea inconstans | Non-native | ||
| FATHEAD MINNOW | Pimephales promelas | Common | ||
| LONG NOSE DACE | Rhinichthys cataractae | Common | ||
| BROOK TROUT | Salvelinus fontinalis | Common | Non-native | |
| CREEK CHUB | Semotilus atromaculatus | Common |
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 Wind Cave.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Wind Cave (WICA) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Wind Cave National Park — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Wind Cave wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Wind Cave?
- No. The NPS species list marks black bear as "not in park" for Wind Cave (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there grizzly bears in Wind Cave?
- No. The NPS species list marks grizzly / brown bear as "not in park" for Wind Cave (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there wolves in Wind Cave?
- No. The NPS species list marks gray wolf as "not in park" for Wind Cave (NPS tag: Historical).
- Are there mountain lions in Wind Cave?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Wind Cave records mountain lion as present, listed as rare.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Wind Cave?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Wind Cave records rattlesnakes as present, listed as abundant.
- How many animal species live in Wind Cave?
- The NPS species database lists 55 mammal, 222 bird, 11 reptile, 6 amphibian and 8 fish species as present or probably present in Wind Cave, including 2 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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