Wildlife of the Reserve
Interested in Wildlife?
Because the elevation, vegetation and terrain within Washington County is so diverse the Reserve is home to an unusual mix of wildlife, which are by no means limited to the list below. Click on a species’ name below for a picture.
Common Species Checklists
Mammals
- Antelope Ground Squirrel (Ammospermophilus leucurus)
- Black-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus californicus)
- Bobcat (Felis rufus)
- Coyote (Canis latrans)
- Desert Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis nelsoni)
- Desert Cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii)
- Desert Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys ordii)
- Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)
- Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus)
- Kit Fox (Vulpes macrotis)
- Mountain Lion / Cougar (Felis concolor)
- Mule Deer (Odocoileus hemionus)
- Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus)
- North American Beaver (Castor canadensis)
- Raccoon (Procyon lotor)
- Ringtail Cat (Bassariscus astutus)
- Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis)
- Western Gray Squirrel (Sciurus griseus)
Lizards
- Banded Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum cinctum)
- Chuckwalla (Sauromalus obesus)
- Desert Collared Lizard (Crotaphytus bicinctores)
- Desert Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma platyrhinos)
- Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister)
- Eastern Fence Lizard (Sceloporus undulatus)
- Long-nosed Leopard Lizard (Gambelia wislizenii)
- Side-blotched Lizard (Uta stansburiana)
- Western Banded Gecko (Coleonyx variegatus)
- Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)
- Western Skink (Eumeces skiltonianus)
- Western Whiptail (Aspidoscelis tigris)
- Zebra-tailed Lizard (Callisaurus draconoides)
Snakes
- California Kingsnake (Lampropeltis getula californiae)
- Coachwhip (Masticophis flagellum)
- Glossy Snake (Arizona elegans)
- Gopher Snake (Pituophis melanoleucus)
- Great Basin Rattlesnake (Crotalus viridis lutosus)
- Ground Snake (Sonora semiannulata)
- Long-nosed Snake (Rhinocheilus lecontei)
- Mojave Desert Sidewinder (Crotalus cerastes)
- Night Snake (Hypsiglena torquata)
- Patch-nosed Snake (Salvadora hexalepis)
- Ring-neck Snake (Diadophis punctatus)
- Western Blind Snake (Leptotyphlops humilis)
Turtles and Tortoises
Frogs and Toads
- American Bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana)
- Canyon Tree Frog (Hyla arenicolor)
- Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontana)
- Pacific Chorus Frog (Pseudacris regilla)
- Red Spotted Toad (Bufo punctatus)
- Southwestern Toad (Bufo mexicanus)
- Woodhouse’s Toad (Bufo woodhousei)
Raptors (Birds of Prey)
- American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
- Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Barn Owl (Tyto alba)
- Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
- Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
- Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
- Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
- Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
- Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
- Merlin (Falco columbarius)
- Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
- Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)
- Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)
- Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
- Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
- Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
- Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
- Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
- Western Screech-Owl (Otus kennicottii)
Other Birds
- Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)
- Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
- Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus)
- Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
- Cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
- Common Raven (Corvus corax)
- Costa’s Hummingbird (Calypte costae)
- Gambel’s Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
- Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
- Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
- Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
- House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
- House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
- Juniper Titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi)
- Lesser Nighthawk (Chordeiles acutipennis)
- Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
- Loggerhead Shrike (Lanis ludovicianus)
- Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
- Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
- Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
- Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
- Sage Sparrow (Amphispiza belli)
- Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)
- Western Meadowlark (Sternella neglecta)
- White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
- White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)
- Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
- Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)