Big Bend National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🐻 Roadrunners in the Chihuahuan Desert

🌍 #155 Global · 3.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #16 in North America #9 in Desert & Scrub

Chihuahuan Desert, United States 784 spp. recorded

Big Bend National Park sits in the Chihuahuan Desert of western Texas, United States. The landscape is a mix of rugged canyons, river‑cut valleys and stretches of dry scrub dotted with mesquite and cactus. Its isolation and stark relief set it apart from more vegetated parks.

29.226° N 103.234° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

Dicotyles tajacu

Pecari tajacu

40–50% · Likely

Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

50–60% · Likely

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

70–80% · Very likely

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

60–70% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Common Raven

Corvus corax

60–70% · Likely

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Dryobates scalaris

60–70% · Likely

House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

60–70% · Likely

Cactus Wren

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

60–70% · Likely

Pyrrhuloxia

Cardinalis sinuatus

50–60% · Likely

Greater Earless Lizard

Cophosaurus texanus

50–60% · Likely

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Setophaga coronata

50–60% · Likely

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

50–60% · Likely

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

Dicotyles tajacu

Pecari tajacu

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

50–60% · Likely

Coyote

Canis latrans

30–40% · Possible

Rock Squirrel

Otospermophilus variegatus

30–40% · Possible

Aoudad

Ammotragus lervia

20–30% · Possible

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

20–30% · Possible

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

20–30% · Possible

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

10–20% · Possible

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

10–20% · Possible

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

10–20% · With luck

Texas Antelope Squirrel

Ammospermophilus interpres

10–20% · With luck

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

10–20% · With luck

Pallid Bat

Antrozous pallidus

0–10% · With luck

⭐ Iconic Species

Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

70–80% · Very likely

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

60–70% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

60–70% · Likely

Common Raven

Corvus corax

60–70% · Likely

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Dryobates scalaris

60–70% · Likely

House Finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

60–70% · Likely

Cactus Wren

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

60–70% · Likely

Pyrrhuloxia

Cardinalis sinuatus

50–60% · Likely

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Setophaga coronata

50–60% · Likely

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

50–60% · Likely

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

40–50% · Likely

Canyon Towhee

Melozone fusca

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Crotalus atrox

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Greater Earless Lizard

Cophosaurus texanus

50–60% · Likely

Canyon Lizard

Sceloporus merriami

30–40% · Possible

Plateau Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis scalaris

30–40% · Possible

Marbled Whiptail

Aspidoscelis marmoratus

30–40% · Possible

Eastern Black-tailed Rattlesnake

Crotalus ornatus

30–40% · Possible

Common Side-blotched Lizard

Uta stansburiana

30–40% · Possible

Trans-pecos Ratsnake

Bogertophis subocularis

30–40% · Possible

Crevice Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus poinsettii

30–40% · Possible

Big Bend Slider

Trachemys gaigeae

30–40% · Possible

Texas Banded Gecko

Coleonyx brevis

20–30% · Possible

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Apalone spinifera

20–30% · Possible

Chihuahuan Nightsnake

Hypsiglena jani

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Red-spotted Toad

Anaxyrus punctatus

30–40% · Possible

Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Lithobates berlandieri

20–30% · Possible

Texas Toad

Anaxyrus speciosus

10–20% · Possible

Couch's Spadefoot

Scaphiopus couchii

10–20% · Possible

Canyon Tree Frog

Dryophytes arenicolor

10–20% · With luck

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

10–20% · With luck

Green Treefrog

Dryophytes cinereus

0–10% · With luck

Green Toad

Anaxyrus debilis

0–10% · With luck

Western Narrow-mouthed Toad

Gastrophryne olivacea

0–10% · With luck

Cliff Chirping Frog

Eleutherodactylus marnockii

0–10% · With luck

Mexican Spadefoot

Spea multiplicata

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐦

Colima Warbler Breeding Season

AprMayJunJul

Colima Warblers migrate from Mexico each spring to breed in the high Chisos Mountains — the only regular US breeding site — arriving and departing by

Colima Warbler

Leiothlypis crissalis

10–20% · With luck

🐦

Spring Bird Migration

AprMay

Peak spring migration through the Rio Grande corridor and Chisos in the last two weeks of and first week of , when Big Bend records its greatest diversity of migrant songbirds.

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

30–40% · Possible

Western Tanager

Piranga ludoviciana

10–20% · Possible

Townsend's Warbler

Setophaga townsendi

10–20% · With luck

🐦

Hummingbird Season at Mountain Sage Bloom

JulAugSep

In late summer the Chisos mountain sage blooms and concentrates hummingbirds — including the US-specialty Lucifer Hummingbird — feeding on the red blossoms

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Archilochus alexandri

20–30% · Possible

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

10–20% · With luck

Lucifer Hummingbird

Calothorax lucifer

10–20% · With luck

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

American Black Bear

20–30

20–30

10–20

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

20–30

Dicotyles tajacu

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

Greater Roadrunner

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

10–20

0–10

30–40

40–50

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

80–90

50–60

30–40

10–20

White-winged Dove

60–70

60–70

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

Northern Mockingbird

60–70

50–60

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

50–60

50–60

<5

0–10

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

40–50

0–10

<5

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

50–60

70–80

60–70

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

50–60

Greater Earless Lizard

20–30

30–40

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

40–50

10–20

Yellow-rumped Warbler

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

<5

0–10

10–20

30–40

60–70

50–60

50–60

White-tailed Deer

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

60–70

Ash-throated Flycatcher

0–10

<5

20–30

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

20–30

20–30

0–10

10–20

20–30

Animal Events

🐦 Colima Warbler Breeding Season

🐦 Spring Bird Migration

🐦 Hummingbird Season at Mountain Sage Bloom

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🐻 Roadrunners in the Chihuahuan Desert

🦜

Biodiversity

Excellent

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

5.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

508

🐒 Mammals

126

🦎 Reptiles

115

🐸 Amphibians

35

784 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

21 Threatened 116 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

60%

📊

Coverage (214 species at ≥5% of 784 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

27%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (10 bird, 1 reptile, 1 mammal)

47% Global avg

39%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

132 Global avg

118

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

14 Global avg

7

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

26

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