|
Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is home to hundreds of species of animals. The park’s fields, forests, waterways and trails offer excellent opportunities to observe animals in their natural habitat. While visiting the park, expect to see an abundance of white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, and squirrels. Nocturnal animals like armadillos, foxes, and coyotes are rare but exciting to see. We encourage visitors to observe wildlife with respect. These animals play a vital role in the park’s environment, and places like Horseshoe Bend National Military Park help them continue to thrive. To learn more about animals in the park, explore our species database. 
NPS Photo Pileated WoodpeckerThe pileated woodpecker (scientific name: Dryocopus pileatus) can be found year-round across much of southern Canada and the eastern United States, as well as parts of the Pacific Northwest. It is one of the largest forest birds on the continent, almost as large as an American crow. It is black with a bold white stripe down the neck. Males have a bright red crest and a red stripe on the cheek. Females have the red crest only. Pileated woodpeckers occur at all heights in the forest but are often seen foraging on logs and near the bases of trees. This bird makes deep, loud drumming and shrill, whinnying calls. These large woodpeckers make characteristically rectangular holes in trees to look for insects. Other woodpeckers, as well as house wrens, also come and feed there. As cavity nesters, pileated woodpeckers prefer to nest in large trees. Their nests provide habitat for animals like swifts, owls, ducks, bats, and pine martens. Pileated woodpecker excavations are sometimes so broad and deep they cause small trees to break in half. 
NPS Photo/Karley Nugent White-Tailed DeerThe range of the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) covers southern Canada through the United States, all the way down to Bolivia. This familiar animal is tan or brown in the summer and grayish brown in the winter. It has white hair on the throat, around the eyes and nose, and on the underside of the tail and rump. Males are larger than females, weighing 200 to 300 pounds. Females weigh 90 to 200 pounds. White-tailed deer are “crepuscular,” meaning they feed in early morning and late afternoon. They have a diet of leaves, twigs, fruits, and nuts, as well as lichens and fungi. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith American CrowThe American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) is a common sight over much of the continent. These birds are often found in fields, open woodlands, and forests. They are large, intelligent, all-black birds with hoarse, cawing voices. They are good learners and problem-solvers. Crows have long legs, a thick neck, and a heavy, straight bill. The short tail is rounded or squared off at the end. In flight, the wings are fairly broad and rounded with the wingtip feathers spread. Their flight style is unique, a patient, methodical flapping that is rarely broken up by glides. American crows are very social, sometimes forming flocks in the thousands. They congregate in large numbers in winter to sleep in communal roosts. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Eastern PhoebeThe eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) is a songbird of medium length. It is brownish gray above and off-white below, with a dusky wash to the sides of its chest. The head is typically the darkest part of its body. Hardy birds, eastern phoebes winter farther north than most other flycatchers and are one of the earliest returning migrants in spring. They typically place their mud-and-grass nests in protected nooks on bridges, barns, and houses, which accounts for their familiarity to humans. As flycatchers, eastern phoebes have short, thin bills for catching insects. They have a raspy "phoebe" call. They are active birds, making short flights to capture insects and very often returning to the same perch. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Eastern Gray SquirrelThe eastern gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is native to eastern North America and parts of southern Canada. It was introduced in the western states and areas of Canada where it did not previously occur, as well as in Europe. This animal is a gray-colored, medium-sized tree squirrel with a long, bushy tail, reddish face, and lighter underbelly. It is typically 8 to 11 inches long, with a 7 to 9 inch tail, and weighs up to 1 to 1.3 pounds. Squirrels eat acorns and nuts, but also seeds, fruits, fungi, buds, and flowers. They prefer mature continuous woodlands with varied understory vegetation. Population densities are highest in forests with trees that produce foods that last through winter storage, like oak trees and walnut trees. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith River CooterThe river cooter (Pseudemys concinna) is a freshwater turtle, recognized by its large carapace (upper shell), which may be olive, dark brown, or black in color. Its head, neck, limbs, and tail have yellow or cream stripes. River cooters can be found primarily in the eastern and central United States, with isolated populations elsewhere. These turtles are mainly plant eaters, spending most of their time in the water. They rarely leave the water except when basking or nesting. They are cautious and will flee into the water if disturbed. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Northern FlickerThe northern flicker (Colaptes auratus) is a fairly large woodpecker with a slim, rounded head, slightly downcurved bill, and long flared tail that tapers to a point. Flickers appear brownish overall with a white rump patch that's conspicuous in flight and often visible when perched. The undersides of the wing and tail feathers are generally bright yellow, for eastern birds, or red, for western birds, though hybrids occur. The brown plumage is richly patterned with black spots, bars, and crescents. Northern flickers spend lots of time on the ground. When in trees, they're often perched upright on horizontal branches instead of leaning against their tails on a trunk. They fly in an up-and-down path using heavy flaps interspersed with glides, like many woodpeckers. Look for flickers in open habitats near trees, including woodlands, edges, yards, and parks. In the West, you can find them in mountain forests all the way up to the tree line. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Yellow-Bellied SapsuckerThe yellow-bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) is a fairly small woodpecker with a stout, straight bill. It is about the size of a robin. At rest, its long wings extend about halfway to the tip of the stiff, pointed tail. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers are mostly black and white. Bold black-and-white stripes curve from the face toward a black chest shield. They have white and yellowish underparts. Both sexes have red foreheads, but males also have red throats. Look for a long white stripe along the folded wing. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers perch upright in trees, leaning on their tails like other woodpeckers. They lap up the sugary tree sap along with any insects that may get caught there. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers can be found in both hardwood and conifer forests up to high elevations. They often nest in groves of small trees like aspens, spending winters in open woodlands. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Big Brown BatThe big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) is a relatively large bat, 4-5 inches long. Its tail makes up a large part of its total body length. It weighs about 23 grams (about 3/4 ounce). Females grow slightly larger than males. The big brown bat’s wingspan measures up to 13 inches. Its fur color varies, with a light tan to dark brown back and a light tan to olive underbelly. Its face, ears and wing membranes, which are hairless, are black. Big brown bats can be found over an extensive range from northern Canada through the United States to northern South America and the West Indies. Their habitats include timberland meadows, lowland deserts, deciduous forest areas, and suburban areas with mixed agricultural practices. Some big brown bats migrate between seasonal roosts, though many move short distances. 
NPS Photo BobcatThe bobcat (Lynx rufus) is a medium-sized feline measuring up to 24 inches tall at the shoulder, with some males weighing 40 pounds or more. Males are larger than females. Bobcats are grayish to reddish brown with black spots on their legs and lower sides. Their tails are short or "bobbed," which is where the name comes from. Their legs are longer than those of domestic cats. Bobcats can be found throughout North America, from southern Canada to southern Mexico. They are crepuscular, hunting during dawn or dusk. Habitats with well-distributed forests and clear cuts are ideal for stable populations. Bobcats are carnivores, eating mainly rabbits, hares, and birds, but they also hunt larger prey such as deer fawns and sometimes reptiles and fish. 
NPS Photo Wild TurkeyThe wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) is a large bird, up to 3 feet 9 inches long. It has a wingspan of up to 4 feet 8 inches, and weighs up to 23 pounds. Males are larger than females. Turkeys have unfeathered red, white, and blue heads and long tails. Their feathers appear white, brown, black, and green. They can be found across much of the United States and into parts of Canada and Mexico. Turkeys can be found in several different types of habitats, including woods, mountain forests, and wooded swamps. These include oak-hickory forests, pine-oak forests, cypress swamps, arid mesquite grasslands, pinyon-juniper woodlands, and chaparral. Their preferred habitat is a mixture of woodland and open clearings. Turkeys forage by walking on the ground, often scratching the leaf litter to expose food. They like to eat acorns. They may also climb trees or shrubs to eat berries. They mainly forage during early morning and evening. 
NPS Photo RaccoonThe raccoon (Procyon lotor) is the most widespread member of the Procyonidae family found in the United States. It inhabits most of the country. Raccoons can also be found in southern Canada and from Mexico to northern South America. The raccoon is a gray to brown animal, usually weighing up to about 20 pounds and measuring up to 39 inches long including its tail. It has a distinctive black mask around its eyes with white fur around the mask. It also has a black stripe from its nose to its forehead and white fur around its nose. It has a bushy, ringed tail and black paws with five toes. Raccoon paws are very dexterous, making them ideal for grabbing and holding things, pulling things apart, and climbing face first or backwards in trees. 
NPS Photo Eastern CottontailThe eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) can be found throughout most of the eastern United States, extending to the Great Plains and parts of Central and South America. It is a small, lightly colored rabbit, typically 16.5 inches long and weighing 3 pounds. It is reddish brown on its upper body, with a mainly white underside and sometimes a white spot on its forehead. It gets its name from its small, fluffy white tail. Cottontails are similar in appearance to rodents (scientific order Rodentia), but are actually lagomorphs (scientific order Lagomorpha). Unlike rodents, they have two sets of upper incisors and eat mostly plants. Cottontails consume a large variety of plant material. During the summer, they eat clover, grasses, and low-lying broad-leafed weeds. During the winter, they may switch their diet to buds, twigs, and bark. 
NPS Photo CoyoteThe coyote (Canis latrans) is a medium sized canid, up to 26 inches tall at shoulder height and weighing 20 to 50 pounds depending on location. Coyotes are white, black, grey, or tan in color. They can be found from Costa Rica to Alaska and coast to coast in the United States and Canada. The eastern coyote, a larger form of the species, is found mainly in the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada. Coyotes are omnivores, eating mostly small mammals like rabbits, mice, and voles. But they also eat fruits, insects, carrion, and even deer, especially fawns or weakened animals. Their varied diet allows them to live in different habitats, from wilderness areas to cities. 
NPS Photo Nine-Banded ArmadilloThe nine-banded armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) is distantly related to anteaters and sloths. This mammal has a body covered with hardened plates called osteoderms. There are two large plates with a series of smaller, movable "girdles" or "bands" around the midsection. The head, short legs, and tail are also covered with plates. The toes have well-developed claws ideal for digging. The armadillo’s overall color is a mottled dark brown to yellowish white. Its overall length can be up to 31 inches, and it can weigh up to 14 pounds. Nine-banded armadillos eat ants, termites, beetles, cockroaches, spiders, scorpions, and other invertebrates, as well as small reptiles, amphibians, and eggs. These animals live in a variety of terrestrial habitats. Because they dig burrows in the ground, they like wooded bottomlands, brushy areas, and fields with ground cover and loose soil. Originally native to South America, nine-banded armadillos have expanded into the southern United States. Their expansion is thought to be limited by extreme cold. Armadillos do not hibernate. 
NPS Photo/Barclay Smith Yellow Garden SpiderThe yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) is also known as "the writing spider." It has an intricate zig-zag pattern in the middle of its web. The extra weave is called a stabilimentum. The exact purpose of this structure is unknown, but it does allow us to see the web and avoid walking through it, and it may be used to attract smaller prey. The yellow garden spider can be found across most of the contiguous United States and southern Canada down to Costa Rica. Female yellow garden spiders are much larger than males. Typically, the females are up to 1 inch long and the males up to 0.75 inch long. The cephalothorax or “head” of females is tipped with silvery hairs. The abdomen is yellow with a black stripe down the middle. The legs are black with orange bands. Yellow garden spiders often make their webs near houses and in open places, such as gardens and grasslands. They are part of the orb weaver family and as such, design intricate webs of concentric rings woven together. Individuals residing in an area will usually stay there all season. These spiders rely on vibrations in the web to notice prey. Webs of this species can be up to two feet in diameter and are built only by the females. They can be found resting, head-down, at the hub. At night, the spider may consume its web, including any material like plant pollen found on it. Yellow garden spiders are often active during the day. If any prey gets too close to the web, the female will often bounce up and down to make the web vibrate. |
 |
|
Last updated: November 9, 2026