Grand Canyon National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🦅 California Condors Over the Canyon
🌍 #229 Global · 3.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #41 in North America #17 in Desert & Scrub
Colorado Plateau, United States 699 spp. recorded

Grand Canyon National Park is a protected desert and dry scrub landscape set across the high Colorado Plateau in the United States. Visitors walk along arid rim trails flanked by scattered pinyon pine, juniper, and sparse shrubs that cling to dramatic rock walls. The park is famous for its immense, steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River.

36.182° N   112.161° 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

California Condor ★
CR

California Condor

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnogyps californianus

20–30% · Possible
Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

80–90% · Very likely
Bighorn Sheep ★
LC Endemic

Bighorn Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis canadensis

60–70% · Likely
Mule Deer ★
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

90–100% · Very likely
Rock Squirrel
LC

Rock Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Otospermophilus variegatus

80–90% · Very likely
Plateau Fence Lizard
Endemic

Plateau Fence Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus tristichus

60–70% · Likely
Mountain Chickadee
LC

Mountain Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile gambeli

50–60% · Likely
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

50–60% · Likely
Desert Spiny Lizard
LC

Desert Spiny Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus magister

50–60% · Likely
Western Bluebird
LC

Western Bluebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sialia mexicana

50–60% · Likely
Common Side-blotched Lizard
LC

Common Side-blotched Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Uta stansburiana

50–60% · Likely
Turkey Vulture
LC

Turkey Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely
Cliff Chipmunk

Cliff Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias dorsalis

50–60% · Likely
White-breasted Nuthatch
LC Endemic

White-breasted Nuthatch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sitta carolinensis

40–50% · Likely
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aphelocoma woodhouseii

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

Elk ★
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

80–90% · Very likely
Bighorn Sheep ★
LC Endemic

Bighorn Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis canadensis

60–70% · Likely
Mule Deer ★
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

60–70% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Rock Squirrel
LC

Rock Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Otospermophilus variegatus

80–90% · Very likely
Cliff Chipmunk

Cliff Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias dorsalis

50–60% · Likely
Abert's Squirrel
LC

Abert's Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Sciurus aberti

30–40% · Possible
American Bison
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

20–30% · Possible
Uinta Chipmunk

Uinta Chipmunk

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamias umbrinus

20–30% · Possible
Coyote
LC Endemic

Coyote

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis latrans

20–30% · With luck
White-tailed Antelope Squirrel
LC

White-tailed Antelope Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ammospermophilus leucurus

10–20% · With luck
Black-tailed Jackrabbit
LC Endemic

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus californicus

10–20% · With luck
Desert Cottontail
LC

Desert Cottontail

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Sylvilagus audubonii

10–20% · With luck
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

10–20% · With luck
Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel
LC

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Callospermophilus lateralis

10–20% · With luck
Collared Peccary
Endemic

Collared Peccary

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Pecari tajacu

10–20% · With luck

⭐ Iconic Species

California Condor ★
CR

California Condor

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnogyps californianus

20–30% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Common Raven
LC

Common Raven

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus corax

90–100% · Very likely
Mountain Chickadee
LC

Mountain Chickadee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Poecile gambeli

50–60% · Likely
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

50–60% · Likely
Western Bluebird
LC

Western Bluebird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sialia mexicana

50–60% · Likely
Turkey Vulture
LC

Turkey Vulture

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cathartes aura

50–60% · Likely
White-breasted Nuthatch
LC Endemic

White-breasted Nuthatch

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sitta carolinensis

40–50% · Likely
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aphelocoma woodhouseii

40–50% · Likely
Violet-green Swallow
LC

Violet-green Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tachycineta thalassina

40–50% · Likely
Northern Flicker
LC Endemic

Northern Flicker

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Colaptes auratus

30–40% · Possible
White-throated Swift
LC

White-throated Swift

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Aeronautes saxatalis

30–40% · Possible
Spotted Towhee
LC Endemic

Spotted Towhee

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pipilo maculatus

30–40% · Possible
Juniper Titmouse
LC

Juniper Titmouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Baeolophus ridgwayi

30–40% · Possible

📊 Most Spotted

Plateau Fence Lizard
Endemic

Plateau Fence Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus tristichus

60–70% · Likely
Desert Spiny Lizard
LC

Desert Spiny Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus magister

50–60% · Likely
Common Side-blotched Lizard
LC

Common Side-blotched Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Uta stansburiana

50–60% · Likely
Ornate Tree Lizard
LC

Ornate Tree Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Urosaurus ornatus

40–50% · Likely
Greater Short-horned Lizard
LC

Greater Short-horned Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Phrynosoma hernandesi

40–50% · Possible
Western Whiptail
LC Endemic

Western Whiptail

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Aspidoscelis tigris

30–40% · Possible
Western Rattlesnake
LC

Western Rattlesnake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Crotalus oreganus

20–30% · Possible
Gopher Snake
LC Endemic

Gopher Snake

☀️🌙 Day & Night Reptile

Pituophis catenifer

20–30% · Possible
Desert Collared Lizard
LC

Desert Collared Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crotaphytus bicinctores

20–30% · Possible
Sagebrush Lizard
LC

Sagebrush Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Sceloporus graciosus

20–30% · Possible
Long-nosed Leopard Lizard
LC

Long-nosed Leopard Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Gambelia wislizenii

10–20% · With luck
Eastern Collared Lizard
LC

Eastern Collared Lizard

☀️ Diurnal Reptile

Crotaphytus collaris

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Canyon Tree Frog
LC

Canyon Tree Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Dryophytes arenicolor

30–40% · Possible
Red-spotted Toad
LC

Red-spotted Toad

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Anaxyrus punctatus

20–30% · Possible
Woodhouse's Toad
LC

Woodhouse's Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Anaxyrus woodhousii

10–20% · With luck
Western Tiger Salamander
LC

Western Tiger Salamander

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Ambystoma mavortium

10–20% · With luck
Great Basin Spadefoot
LC

Great Basin Spadefoot

🌙 Nocturnal Amphibian

Spea intermontana

5–10% · With luck
Relict Leopard Frog
EN Endemic

Relict Leopard Frog

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Lithobates onca

Insufficient data
Northern Leopard Frog
LC

Northern Leopard Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates pipiens

Insufficient data
Pacific chorus frog
LC

Pacific chorus frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Pseudacris regilla

Insufficient data
Arizona Toad
LC Endemic

Arizona Toad

☀️🌙 Day & Night Amphibian

Anaxyrus microscaphus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦅

California Condor Soaring Season

MarAprMayJunJul

they roost on outcrops below Grand Canyon Village and soar along both rims by day.

California Condor
CR

California Condor

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Gymnogyps californianus

20–30% · Possible
🦌

Elk Rut

SepOct

Bull elk bugle and compete for harems around the South Rim and Grand Canyon Village each autumn — the rut peaks in .

Elk
LC Endemic

Elk

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Cervus elaphus

80–90% · Very likely
🦌

Bighorn and Mule Deer Rut

NovDec

Desert bighorn rams head-butt for dominance during the fall rut on canyon slopes, while mule deer bucks spar in the rim forests — both species' documented peak visibility months.

Mule Deer
LC Endemic

Mule Deer

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Odocoileus hemionus

60–70% · Likely
Bighorn Sheep
LC Endemic

Bighorn Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis canadensis

60–70% · 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
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
50–60
50–60
50–60
California Condor
40–50
20–30
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
10–20
10–20
10–20
Elk
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
Bighorn Sheep
60–70
60–70
60–70
50–60
40–50
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
80–90
60–70
Mule Deer
80–90
70–80
70–80
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
80–90
80–90
Common Raven
80–90
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
80–90
80–90
80–90
90–100
90–100
90–100
90–100
Rock Squirrel
60–70
70–80
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
80–90
70–80
50–60
Plateau Fence Lizard
5–10
5–10
30–40
50–60
70–80
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
40–50
10–20
5–10
Mountain Chickadee
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
40–50
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
80–90
60–70
Dark-eyed Junco
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
40–50
70–80
90–100
90–100
Desert Spiny Lizard
5–10
5–10
40–50
60–70
70–80
60–70
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
10–20
5–10
Western Bluebird
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
30–40
50–60
50–60
60–70
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
Common Side-blotched Lizard
30–40
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
40–50
30–40
40–50
50–60
50–60
30–40
5–10
Turkey Vulture
10–20
10–20
30–40
60–70
50–60
60–70
60–70
60–70
60–70
20–30
5–10
5–10
Cliff Chipmunk
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
40–50
50–60
40–50
50–60
50–60
40–50
30–40
White-breasted Nuthatch
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
40–50
60–70
60–70
Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay
40–50
50–60
60–70
40–50
30–40
20–30
40–50
40–50
50–60
60–70
70–80
70–80
Animal Events
🦅 California Condor Soaring Season
🦌 Elk Rut
🦌 Bighorn and Mule Deer Rut

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
🦅 California Condors Over the Canyon

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
4.2 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
466
🐒 Mammals
135
🦎 Reptiles
72
🐸 Amphibians
26
699 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
23 Threatened 110 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
65%
📊
Coverage (125 species at ≥5% of 699 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
18%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (5 bird, 4 mammal, 3 reptile)
46% Global avg
87%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
79
🌟
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
5
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
17

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Grand Canyon National Park?

The most likely sightings are Common Raven (seen by 90–100% of wildlife watchers), Elk (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Rock Squirrel (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Plateau Fence Lizard (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Mule Deer (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers) — among 699 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Grand Canyon National Park for wildlife?

September 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 California Condor in Grand Canyon National Park?

Yes — about 24% of wildlife watchers report a California Condor sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 559 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Elk in Grand Canyon National Park?

Yes — about 88% of wildlife watchers report a Elk sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 1,385 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Bighorn Sheep in Grand Canyon National Park?

Yes — about 62% of wildlife watchers report a Bighorn Sheep sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 449 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Mule Deer in Grand Canyon National Park?

Yes — about 65% of wildlife watchers report a Mule Deer sighting in Grand Canyon National Park, based on 492 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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