Banff National Park
🇨🇦 Canada
🫎 Bighorn Sheep and Elk RockiesBanff puts its wildlife beside the road. Bighorn sheep stand on the rock cuts above the highway on nearly eight visits in ten, and elk graze the flats around the townsite on six.
51.427° N 115.804° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ 
Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
★ 
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
📊 Most Spotted
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Callospermophilus lateralis
Columbian Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus columbianus
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Pine Siskin
Spinus pinus
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Bighorn Sheep
Ovis canadensis
★ Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
★ Brown Bear
Ursus arctos
★ Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
📊 Most Spotted
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
Callospermophilus lateralis
Columbian Ground Squirrel
Urocitellus columbianus
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
Hoary Marmot
Marmota caligata
American Pika
Ochotona princeps
Mountain Goat
Oreamnos americanus
White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
Coyote
Canis latrans
Least Chipmunk
Tamias minimus
Snowshoe Hare
Lepus americanus
Moose
Alces americanus
📊 Most Spotted
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
Mountain Chickadee
Poecile gambeli
Pine Siskin
Spinus pinus
Black-billed Magpie
Pica hudsonia
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
Recent sightings in Banff National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Bighorn Sheep and Elk in Spring
Bighorn sheep come down to the roadside slopes for the new grass and elk gather on the valley flats.
2Ground Squirrels and Toads in Summer
Columbian and golden-mantled ground squirrels are active on every trail and western toads breed in the shallows.
3Deer and Garter Snakes in Late
Mule deer feed close to the townsite and wandering garter snakes emerge on the first warm rock.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Bighorn Sheep and Elk in Spring
- 2Ground Squirrels and Toads in Summer
- 3Deer and Garter Snakes in Late
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
While we didn’t see a black wolf, common in Canada, we did learn about the symbiotic relationship between the raven and wolf from Ollie.
The Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) I had spotted the previous day was still present.
We even saw a black bear (too quick on the bus that didn’t stop to take pics)!!!!
We were deep in the forest and were carrying bear spray but we saw very little wildlife and no large animals.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Banff National Park?
The most likely sightings are American Robin (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Bighorn Sheep (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Columbian Ground Squirrel (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Common Raven (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers) — among 492 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Banff National Park for wildlife?
July has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Bighorn Sheep in Banff National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Bighorn Sheep sighting in Banff National Park, based on 1,307 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Elk (wapiti) in Banff National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Elk (wapiti) sighting in Banff National Park, based on 1,007 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Brown Bear in Banff National Park?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Banff National Park, based on 196 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Mule Deer in Banff National Park?
Yes — about 50% of wildlife watchers report a Mule Deer sighting in Banff National Park, based on 537 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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