Cumbres de Monterrey National Park

🇲🇽 Mexico

🐻 Black Bear Sierra Madre

⏱ 2 days 🥾 Moderate trails

🌍 #251 Global · 3.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #49 in North America #111 in Tropical Forest

Nuevo León, Mexico 836 spp. recorded

Cumbres de Monterrey is pine and oak on the limestone ridges above the city, and it is one of the few places in Mexico where American black bears are met regularly — recorded on nearly half of all visits, with a November peak.

25.497° N 100.379° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

20–30% · Possible

Allen's Squirrel

Sciurus alleni

30–40% · Possible

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

30–40% · Possible

Mexican Jay

Aphelocoma wollweberi

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Green Jay

Cyanocorax yncas

50–60% · Likely

Black-crested Titmouse

Baeolophus atricristatus

50–60% · Likely

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

50–60% · Likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

50–60% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

40–50% · Likely

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes aurifrons

40–50% · Likely

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

40–50% · Possible

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

30–40% · Possible

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Regulus calendula

30–40% · Possible

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

30–40% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

20–30% · Possible

Allen's Squirrel

Sciurus alleni

30–40% · Possible

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Red-bellied Squirrel

Sciurus aureogaster

20–30% · Possible

Rock Squirrel

Otospermophilus variegatus

20–30% · Possible

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

10–20% · Possible

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

10–20% · Possible

Dicotyles tajacu

Pecari tajacu

10–20% · Possible

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

10–20% · With luck

Ringtail

Bassariscus astutus

10–20% · With luck

Coyote

Canis latrans

10–20% · With luck

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

10–20% · With luck

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

0–10% · With luck

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

0–10% · With luck

Mexiko-Prariehund

Cynomys mexicanus

0–10% · With luck

⭐ Iconic Species

Mexican Jay

Aphelocoma wollweberi

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Green Jay

Cyanocorax yncas

50–60% · Likely

Black-crested Titmouse

Baeolophus atricristatus

50–60% · Likely

Clay-colored Thrush

Turdus grayi

50–60% · Likely

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

50–60% · Likely

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

50–60% · Likely

Great Kiskadee

Pitangus sulphuratus

40–50% · Likely

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes aurifrons

40–50% · Likely

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

40–50% · Possible

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

30–40% · Possible

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Regulus calendula

30–40% · Possible

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

West Gulf Rough-scaled Lizard

Sceloporus cyanogenys

10–20% · Possible

Rose-bellied Lizard

Sceloporus variabilis

10–20% · Possible

Common Spotted Whiptail

Aspidoscelis gularis

10–20% · Possible

Mediterranean House Gecko

Hemidactylus turcicus

10–20% · Possible

Texas Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus olivaceus

10–20% · Possible

Texas Alligator Lizard

Gerrhonotus infernalis

10–20% · Possible

Northern Cat-eyed Snake

Leptodeira septentrionalis

10–20% · With luck

Texas Coralsnake

Micrurus tener

10–20% · With luck

Crevice Swift

Sceloporus torquatus

10–20% · With luck

Spiny Softshell Turtle

Apalone spinifera

10–20% · With luck

Graphic Spiny Lizard

Sceloporus grammicus

10–20% · With luck

Pond Slider

Trachemys scripta

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Gulf Coast Toad

Incilius nebulifer

20–30% · Possible

Small-eard Hyla

Rheohyla miotympanum

20–30% · Possible

Rio Grande Leopard Frog

Lithobates berlandieri

10–20% · With luck

Mexican Smilisca

Smilisca baudinii

10–20% · With luck

Giant Marine Toad

Rhinella horribilis

0–10% · With luck

Camp's Chirping Frog

Eleutherodactylus campi

0–10% · With luck

Red-spotted Toad

Anaxyrus punctatus

0–10% · With luck

Couch's Spadefoot

Scaphiopus couchii

Insufficient data

Long-Footed Frog

Eleutherodactylus longipes

Mexican Spadefoot

Spea multiplicata

Barking Frog

Craugastor augusti

Western Narrow-mouthed Toad

Gastrophryne olivacea

Animal Events

🐻

Black Bears before the Cold

OctNov

American black bears feed heavily through the canyons before winter, at their most recorded of the year.

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

20–30% · Possible

🐿️

Squirrels and Coatis in Spring

MarApr

Allen's squirrels and white-nosed coati bands are active across the oak woodland.

White-nosed Coati

Nasua narica

30–40% · Possible

Allen's Squirrel

Sciurus alleni

30–40% · Possible

🐦

Jays and Lizards in Autumn

SepOctNov

Mexican jays and acorn woodpeckers work the pines while blue spiny lizards bask on the rock.

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

30–40% · Possible

Mexican Jay

Aphelocoma wollweberi

30–40% · Possible

West Gulf Rough-scaled Lizard

Sceloporus cyanogenys

10–20% · Possible

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

American Black Bear

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

10–20

20–30

20–30

30–40

20–30

20–30

30–40

20–30

Allen's Squirrel

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

White-nosed Coati

20–30

20–30

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

30–40

30–40

40–50

10–20

10–20

20–30

10–20

30–40

20–30

40–50

50–60

30–40

30–40

30–40

20–30

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

60–70

Black-crested Titmouse

60–70

50–60

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

60–70

Clay-colored Thrush

50–60

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

60–70

Great-tailed Grackle

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

40–50

30–40

50–60

50–60

White-winged Dove

30–40

40–50

50–60

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

60–70

50–60

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

40–50

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

30–40

30–40

40–50

40–50

30–40

50–60

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

50–60

60–70

40–50

10–20

0–10

<5

0–10

20–30

50–60

70–80

60–70

60–70

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

60–70

60–70

60–70

30–40

0–10

<5

<5

<5

<5

40–50

60–70

80–90

Acorn Woodpecker

30–40

10–20

20–30

10–20

30–40

40–50

40–50

40–50

40–50

30–40

30–40

20–30

Animal Events

🐻 Black Bears before the Cold

🐿️ Squirrels and Coatis in Spring

🐦 Jays and Lizards in Autumn

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

🐻 Black Bear Sierra Madre

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.7 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

526

🐒 Mammals

147

🦎 Reptiles

129

🐸 Amphibians

34

836 Total Species

841 Global average across 280 parks

24 Threatened 166 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

2.4 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

47%

📊

Coverage (206 species at ≥5% of 836 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

25%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 mammal)

47% Global avg

20%

🔭

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

132 Global avg

129

🌟

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

6

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

26 Global avg

8

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