Elk Island National Park

🇨🇦 Canada

🦬 Plains Bison Herds at Elk Island
🌍 #170 Global · 3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #17 in North America #54 in Savanna & Grassland
Prairies, Canada 400 spp. recorded

Elk Island National Park is a fenced temperate grassland and aspen woodland preserve located in central Alberta, Canada. Its terrain consists of flat prairie meadows and shallow wetlands connected by dirt walking trails.

53.669° N   112.830° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

American Bison ★
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

90–100% · Very likely
Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

60–70% · Likely
Elk ★
LC

Elk

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces alces

30–40% · Possible
American Beaver ★
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

70–80% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

80–90% · Very likely
Red-necked Grebe
LC

Red-necked Grebe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Podiceps grisegena

70–80% · Very likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

70–80% · Likely
Canada Goose
LC

Canada Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta canadensis

60–70% · Likely
Wood Frog
LC

Wood Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus

60–70% · Likely
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

60–70% · Likely
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

60–70% · Likely
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

60–70% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

60–70% · Likely
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

60–70% · Likely
Black-capped Chickadee
LC

Black-capped Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile atricapillus

50–60% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

American Bison ★
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

90–100% · Very likely
Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

60–70% · Likely
Elk ★
LC

Elk

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces alces

30–40% · Possible
American Beaver ★
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

70–80% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

60–70% · Likely
Muskrat
LC

Muskrat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ondatra zibethicus

50–60% · Likely
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

50–60% · Likely
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

30–40% · Possible
Mule Deer
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

30–40% · Possible
White-tailed Deer
LC Endemic

White-tailed Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus virginianus

20–30% · Possible
Snowshoe Hare
LC

Snowshoe Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus americanus

20–30% · Possible
Quiller

Quiller

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Erethizon dorsatus

20–30% · Possible
Moose

Moose

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces americanus

10–20% · With luck
Fisher

Fisher

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Pekania pennanti

Insufficient data
🐒 No photo available
LC

Striped Skunk

🌙 Nocturnal Mammal

Mephitis mephitis

5–10% · With luck
Gapperrotelmaus

Gapperrotelmaus

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Myodes gapperi

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Mallard
LC

Mallard

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Anas platyrhynchos

80–90% · Very likely
Red-necked Grebe
LC

Red-necked Grebe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Podiceps grisegena

70–80% · Very likely
American Robin
LC Endemic

American Robin

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Turdus migratorius

70–80% · Likely
Canada Goose
LC

Canada Goose

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Branta canadensis

60–70% · Likely
Song Sparrow
LC Endemic

Song Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza melodia

60–70% · Likely
Red-winged Blackbird
LC

Red-winged Blackbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Agelaius phoeniceus

60–70% · Likely
American Crow
LC

American Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus brachyrhynchos

60–70% · Likely
Blue-winged Teal
LC

Blue-winged Teal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Spatula discors

60–70% · Likely
Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

60–70% · Likely
Black-capped Chickadee
LC

Black-capped Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile atricapillus

50–60% · Likely
Lesser Scaup
LC

Lesser Scaup

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aythya affinis

50–60% · Likely
White-throated Sparrow
LC

White-throated Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia albicollis

50–60% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Plains Garter Snake
LC

Plains Garter Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Thamnophis radix

40–50% · Possible
Common Garter Snake
LC Endemic

Common Garter Snake

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Thamnophis sirtalis

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Wood Frog
LC

Wood Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus

60–70% · Likely
Boreal Chorus Frog
LC

Boreal Chorus Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Pseudacris maculata

40–50% · Likely
Western Toad
LC

Western Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Anaxyrus boreas

40–50% · Possible
Western Tiger Salamander
LC

Western Tiger Salamander

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ambystoma mavortium

20–30% · Possible

Animal Events

🦬

Bison Rut

JulAugSep

Plains and Wood bison mating season — bulls bellow, wallow and spar across the meadows, peaking in

American Bison
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

90–100% · Very likely
🦌

Elk Herds

DecJanFebMar

Elk gather in large herds in the open aspen parkland in winter — the season when sightings of the park's namesake peak

Elk
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

60–70% · Likely
🐦

Astotin Lake Waterbird Nesting

MayJunJulAug

Breeding congregation on Astotin Lake — red-necked grebes nest in numbers (80+ counted) and American white pelicans breed on the lake's islands

American White Pelican
LC

American White Pelican

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

30–40% · Possible
Red-necked Grebe
LC

Red-necked Grebe

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Podiceps grisegena

70–80% · Very likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
50–60
American Bison
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
Elk
90–100
90–100
80–90
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
70–80
60–70
40–50
70–80
Elk
30–40
50–60
70–80
50–60
30–40
20–30
10–20
10–20
40–50
60–70
30–40
30–40
American Beaver
30–40
70–80
40–50
60–70
70–80
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
70–80
70–80
50–60
Mallard
60–70
80–90
70–80
90–100
90–100
70–80
70–80
90–100
80–90
90–100
80–90
40–50
Red-necked Grebe
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
60–70
40–50
30–40
40–50
American Robin
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
80–90
80–90
60–70
40–50
60–70
40–50
30–40
40–50
Canada Goose
50–60
60–70
70–80
80–90
90–100
60–70
30–40
60–70
80–90
80–90
70–80
40–50
Wood Frog
10–20
20–30
20–30
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
50–60
20–30
20–30
20–30
Song Sparrow
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
70–80
70–80
80–90
50–60
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
Red-winged Blackbird
50–60
60–70
50–60
40–50
80–90
90–100
70–80
30–40
10–20
10–20
20–30
30–40
American Crow
50–60
60–70
50–60
70–80
60–70
60–70
50–60
70–80
50–60
30–40
50–60
40–50
Blue-winged Teal
50–60
60–70
50–60
30–40
70–80
70–80
40–50
50–60
50–60
50–60
20–30
30–40
Common Raven
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
40–50
60–70
40–50
80–90
70–80
70–80
American Red Squirrel
70–80
70–80
70–80
40–50
20–30
50–60
60–70
60–70
70–80
60–70
60–70
70–80
Black-capped Chickadee
60–70
50–60
60–70
40–50
40–50
40–50
60–70
70–80
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
Animal Events
🦬 Bison Rut
🦌 Elk Herds
🐦 Astotin Lake Waterbird Nesting

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
🦬 Plains Bison Herds at Elk Island

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
319
🐒 Mammals
70
🦎 Reptiles
2
🐸 Amphibians
9
400 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
15 Threatened 48 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Very good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
3.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
70%
📊
Coverage (146 species at ≥5% of 400 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
37%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 3 mammal, 1 amphibian)
46% Global avg
65%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
105
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
9
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
31

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Elk Island National Park?

The most likely sightings are American Bison (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Mallard (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Red-necked Grebe (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), American Beaver (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), American Robin (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 400 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Elk Island National Park for wildlife?

May 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 American Bison in Elk Island National Park?

Yes — about 93% of wildlife watchers report a American Bison sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 510 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Elk in Elk Island National Park?

Yes — about 66% of wildlife watchers report a Elk sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 140 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Elk in Elk Island National Park?

Yes — about 36% of wildlife watchers report a Elk sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 39 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see American Beaver in Elk Island National Park?

Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a American Beaver sighting in Elk Island National Park, based on 160 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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