Congaree National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🐊 American Alligator Shadows Congaree Floodplain

🌍 #152 Global · 3.8 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #15 in North America #45 in Savanna & Grassland

United States, United States 504 spp. recorded

Congaree National Park is a protected wetland in central South Carolina, featuring a landscape of towering bottomland hardwood trees and winding creeks. Visitors walk through lush floodplain forests along elevated boardwalks and dirt trails that weave past ancient cypress and tupelo trees.

33.794° N 80.789° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

40–50% · Likely

Southern Toad

Anaxyrus terrestris

40–50% · Likely

Marbled Salamander

Ambystoma opacum

30–40% · Possible

Three-lined Salamander

Eurycea guttolineata

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

90–100% · Very likely

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

80–90% · Very likely

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

80–90% · Very likely

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

80–90% · Very likely

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

80–90% · Very likely

Carolina Chickadee

Poecile carolinensis

70–80% · Very likely

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

60–70% · Likely

Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis

60–70% · Likely

Northern Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

60–70% · Likely

Plain-bellied Water Snake

Nerodia erythrogaster

60–70% · Likely

Pine Warbler

Setophaga pinus

60–70% · Likely

Brown Watersnake

Nerodia taxispilota

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

50–60% · Likely

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

30–40% · Possible

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

30–40% · Possible

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

30–40% · Possible

Northern River Otter

Lontra canadensis

20–30% · Possible

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

20–30% · Possible

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

10–20% · Possible

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Insufficient data

Coyote

Canis latrans

Insufficient data

Southern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina carolinensis

Insufficient data

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

Insufficient data

Hispid Cotton Rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

90–100% · Very likely

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

80–90% · Very likely

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

80–90% · Very likely

Tufted Titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

80–90% · Very likely

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

80–90% · Very likely

Carolina Chickadee

Poecile carolinensis

70–80% · Very likely

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

60–70% · Likely

Pine Warbler

Setophaga pinus

60–70% · Likely

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

50–60% · Likely

White-eyed Vireo

Vireo griseus

50–60% · Likely

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Regulus calendula

50–60% · Likely

Barred Owl

Strix varia

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

American Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Green Anole

Anolis carolinensis

60–70% · Likely

Northern Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

60–70% · Likely

Plain-bellied Water Snake

Nerodia erythrogaster

60–70% · Likely

Brown Watersnake

Nerodia taxispilota

50–60% · Likely

Common Five-lined Skink

Plestiodon fasciatus

50–60% · Likely

Banded Water Snake

Nerodia fasciata

50–60% · Likely

Pond Slider

Trachemys scripta

40–50% · Likely

Broadhead Skink

Plestiodon laticeps

40–50% · Likely

Snapping Turtle

Chelydra serpentina

40–50% · Likely

North American Racer

Coluber constrictor

30–40% · Possible

Common Box Turtle

Terrapene carolina

30–40% · Possible

Eastern Copperhead

Agkistrodon contortrix

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Southern Toad

Anaxyrus terrestris

40–50% · Likely

Marbled Salamander

Ambystoma opacum

30–40% · Possible

Three-lined Salamander

Eurycea guttolineata

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Green Treefrog

Dryophytes cinereus

30–40% · Possible

Southern Leopard Frog

Lithobates sphenocephalus

30–40% · Possible

Cope's Gray Tree Frog

Dryophytes chrysoscelis

20–30% · Possible

Squirrel Treefrog

Dryophytes squirellus

20–30% · Possible

Green Frog

Lithobates clamitans

20–30% · Possible

Pine Wood Treefrog

Dryophytes femoralis

10–20% · With luck

Spring Peeper

Pseudacris crucifer

10–20% · With luck

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Insufficient data

Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad

Gastrophryne carolinensis

10–20% · With luck

Barking Treefrog

Dryophytes gratiosus

Insufficient data

Atlantic Coast Slimy Salamander

Plethodon chlorobryonis

10–20% · With luck

Southern Two-lined Salamander

Eurycea cirrigera

0–10% · With luck

Animal Events

🐸

Chorus of Southern Toads

AprMayJunAugSepOct

Male Southern Toads gather in floodplain wetlands at dusk, creating a loud, trilling chorus that echoes through the forest after heavy rains.

Southern Toad

Anaxyrus terrestris

40–50% · Likely

🐸

Marbled Salamander Migrations

FebOct

Marbled Salamanders migrate to floodplain breeding pools on rainy nights in late fall and early spring, often crossing park trails.

Marbled Salamander

Ambystoma opacum

30–40% · Possible

🐸

Floodplain Bullfrog & Snake Activity

MayJunJulAug

American Bullfrogs and Northern Cottonmouths congregate along the Congaree River’s floodplain, where bullfrogs chorus at night and cottonmouths hunt along muddy banks.

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

Insufficient data

Northern Cottonmouth

Agkistrodon piscivorus

60–70% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

American Alligator

20–30

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

40–50

20–30

20–30

0–10

20–30

20–30

40–50

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

70–80

30–40

0–10

Marbled Salamander

20–30

50–60

30–40

30–40

20–30

20–30

20–30

30–40

20–30

40–50

20–30

20–30

Three-lined Salamander

20–30

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

10–20

20–30

20–30

0–10

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

Northern Cardinal

80–90

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

Red-bellied Woodpecker

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

90–100

80–90

90–100

Tufted Titmouse

80–90

80–90

90–100

90–100

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

80–90

90–100

80–90

80–90

Pileated Woodpecker

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

Carolina Chickadee

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

Downy Woodpecker

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

50–60

70–80

70–80

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

Northern Cottonmouth

10–20

20–30

50–60

70–80

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

60–70

60–70

20–30

20–30

Plain-bellied Water Snake

20–30

40–50

60–70

70–80

70–80

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

30–40

30–40

20–30

70–80

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

20–30

40–50

50–60

40–50

20–30

50–60

Brown Watersnake

10–20

40–50

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

Animal Events

🐸 Chorus of Southern Toads

🐸 Marbled Salamander Migrations

🐸 Floodplain Bullfrog & Snake Activity

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 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Excellent

🐊 American Alligator Shadows Congaree Floodplain

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

316

🐒 Mammals

59

🦎 Reptiles

70

🐸 Amphibians

59

504 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

15 Threatened 127 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

74%

📊

Coverage (137 species at ≥5% of 504 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

27%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 4 reptile)

47% Global avg

59%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

88

🌟

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

3

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

30

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