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Only two species of amphibians have been positively identified in the southern Snake Range and adjacent portions of Snake and Spring valleys--the spadefoot toad (Scaphiopus hammondi) and the leopard frog (Rana pipiens). The current status of these species in this area is unknown. The following list includes these species as well as species that potentially could occur in this area, based on their wider distribution and habitat requirements.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Tiger Salamander | Ambystoma tigrinum nebulosum Holowell | Expected to occur in or near the park |
| Great Basin Spadefoot Toad | Scaphiopus hammondi intermontanus Cope | Expected to occur in or near the park |
| Western Toad | Bufo boreas boreas Baird and Girard | Occurs throughout most of Nevada, except Amargosa and Colorado River Basins, Reportedly collected in White Pine Co. but not near the park |
| Woodhouse Toad | Bufo woodhousei woodhousei Girard | Expected to occur in or near the park |
| Pacific Treefrog | Hyla regilla Baird and Girard | Occurs in most counties in Nevada |
| Western Leopard Frog | Rana pipiens brachycephala Cope | Expected to occur in or near the park |
| Spotted Frog | Rana pretiosa | Possibly occurs in or near the park |
| Bullfrog | Rana catesbeiana Shaw | Non-native but introduced in many parts of Nevada, Not reported in or near the Snake Range |
Explanatory Notes:
Local amphibian populations have received almost no scientific study. They have not been inventoried, are not being monitored, and are rarely reported. Please report any sitings to the Resource Management Branch of the park.
The left tibio-fibula of a "small toad" was identified in the vertebrate fauna (Recent) from the Lehman Caves Entrance archeological site (Zeigler 1964). The species was not determined.
REFERENCES
Baggs, J.E. 1993. Annotated bibliography of biological collections from Great Basin National Park. Volume II: Fauna. Cooperative Park Studies Unit, University of Nevada; Las Vegas.
Banta, B.H. 1965a. A distributional checklist of the Recent amphibians inhabiting the state of Nevada. Biological Society of Nevada Occasional Papers No. 7. 4 pp.
Banta, B.H. 1965b. An annotated chronological bibliography of the herpetology of the state of Nevada. The Wasmann Journal of Biology 23(1-2):1-224.
BLM. 1971. Annotated list of the amphibians and reptiles of the Ely BLM District. Bureau of Land Management; Ely, NV.
BLM. 1980. Nongame species literature search in support of wildlife inventories in the Elko, Ely, and Battle Mountain BLM Districts of Nevada. Bureau of Land Management; Reno, NV.
Gomez, D. 1994. Conservation assessment for the spotted frog (Rana pretiosa) in the Intermountain Region, USFS. U.S. Forest Service; Ogden, UT.
Linsdale, J.M. 1940. Amphibians and reptiles in Nevada. Proceedings of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences 73(8):197-257.
Stebbins, R.C. 1985. A field guide to Western reptiles and amphibians. Houghton Mifflin; Boston.
Stebbins, R.C. 1954. Amphibians and reptiles of western North America. McGraw-Hill; New York.
Tanner, W.W. 1978. Zoogeography of reptiles and amphibians in the Intermountain Region. Great Basin Naturalist Memoirs No. 2:43-53.
Tanner, W.W. 1989. Draft list of amphibians and reptiles expected to occur in Great Basin National Park. Personal correspondence on file in GRBA office.
USFWS. 1996. Proposed and Candidate animal and plant species. Federal Register; February 28, 1996.
Ziegler, A. 1964. Animal bones from Lehman Caves National Monument. pp. 42-66 in Rozaire, C. 1964. The archeology at Lehman Caves National Monument. Nevada State Museum; Carson City.
Bats fill a variety of roles in natural ecosystems. Yet despite their uses, they are often poorly understood by humans.
What are bats? Bats are mammals. Bats have fur, give live birth, and feed milk to their young. They are, however, the only mammals capable of true flight. Although the German word for bat, "fledermaus," translates to "flying mouse," bats are not rodents. They are more closely related to primates than they are to mice. Biologists place bats in their own order, Chiroptera, which means "hand-wing" because their wings are supported by the bones in their hands.
Chiroptera is a large order with over 900 species. Bats account for 20% of the world's mammals! They are marvels of evolution and adaptation.
Bats are not blind, despite popular belief. They can see, but also use a "high-tech" system of high frequency sound to "see" with their ears. This natural form of sonar is called echolocation and it is also used by whales, dolphins, and shrews.
Bats are found on every continent except Antartica and fill a wide variety of niches in the ecosystem. They range in size from the world's smallest mammal, a bat the size of a bumblebee, to bats with six foot wing spans, known as flying foxes.
The majority of bats eat insects and are the only major predator of night flying insects such as moths, mosquitos, and beetles. There is nothing else that fills this niche in the ecosystem. Due to their high metabolism they have huge appetites and can consume up to one half their body weight in insects every night. A colony of 10,000 bats, a modest number as bat colonies go, can consume over 300 pounds of insects in one evening. Even one Little Brown Bat can catch 600 or more mosquitos in one hour! Most insectivorous bats catch their food in flight, often using their wings like a catcher's mit to capture their prey.
Not all bats eat insects. Fruit bats, found in tropical and subtropical regions, often roost in trees and can be seen during the day. They are the most important seed dispersing animals in the tropics. Few fruit bats use echolocation. They rely on their sense of smell and eyesight.
Also in the tropics and subtropics, countless species of trees and shrubs are pollinated by nectar and pollen eating bats. Three species in the southwestern United States are responsible for pollinating such plants as the Organ Pipe Cactus and Saguaro cacti. Plants pollinated by bats give us such products as avocados, bananas, cashews, dates, figs, peaches, and tequilla.
Other bat species have different dietary needs. There are bats that eat rodents, birds, lizards, frogs, and other bats. There are fishing bats that use their sonar to detect ripples on the surface of a pond caused by fish. And, of course, vampire bats, the only mammals that live entirely on blood. There are three species and they are found only in Latin America. The amount of blood these bats consume can be measured in tablespoons rather than in pints. They do not suck blood, but lap it up after inflicting a small wound. Small mammals and birds are their natural prey, but with the introduction of ranching in Latin America, cattle have become an easy and plentiful source of food. This has increased the vampire bat population to artificially high levels.
Another common myth is that bats are carriers of rabies; that they transmit the disease while being immune to it. In truth, bats are very clean animals. Like any mammal, they can contract rabies. However, less than one half of one percent actually do. Like other mammals, when they contract rabies they die quickly. But unlike other animals, bats rarely become aggressive.
Although by nature very gentle creatures, it is important to remember that bats are wild animals. They will bite out of self defense. Any animal that can be caught is more likely than others to be sick. Use leather work gloves or a towel to remove a grounded bat to an area away from contact with people and pets.
Bats are in trouble everywhere. Within the last 40 years, bat populations have declined dramatically. Many bat colonies have been devastated due to interference by man. Insecticides and other poisons have been introduced into the bats' food chain. There has been severe loss of habitat for bats. The rain forests, home to many species of bats, are shrinking daily. Ironically, the loss of bats, in turn, contributes to the loss of rain forests due to the role of bats in propagating hundreds of plant species. Close to home, in the U.S. and Mexico, commercialization, outright destruction, vandalism, and human disturbances in caves used by bats for roosting is devastating their numbers. It is too late for some species, but not for others. There are actions we can take to protect bats, to save and restore habitat.
Two-thirds of bat species found in the United States, including some of the most endangered and threatened species, now use abandoned mine shafts as roosting sites. Some of these bats have been disturbed from their natural roosts by human activities such as recreational caving and cave commercialization. Like caves, mines offer a stable microclimate. Bats use mines as maternity roosts, hibernacula (winter roosts), and day and night roosts. For some species, mines are a permanent, year-round home.
This region of Utah and Nevada is rich in mining history, but that history has left a legacy of potentially dangerous abandoned mines. Possible hazards include cave-ins, deep water at the bottom of shafts, poisonous gases, and discarded explosives. Often these dangerous entrances are backfilled or blasted closed. However, this can be very damaging to populations of bats using those mines.
There are alternatives. It is not necessary to sacrifice human safety for bat protection. Another method of reclaiming mines is to gate them, using a gate with openings (a grate) just big enough to allow bats to pass through. But because gating requires more time and expense than other methods of mine closure, it is not likely to be used unless the public demands it. If you know of a mine that is scheduled for closure, find out if a biological survey has been conducted. In many cases, officials are unaware of the importance of mines to bats and the crucial role bats play in the ecosystem. A source of information on this subject is:
Bat Conservation International, Inc.
PO BOX 162603
Austin, TX 78716
Great Basin National Park is currently working on several projects to make abandoned minelands in the park safer and to mitigate environmental effects. Technicians perform bat outflight surveys at the entrances of dangerous shafts and adits. If bats are present that affects the method of closure used. In some cases, bat- friendly gates will be installed. This compromises protects both human safety and bat habitat.
There are only insectivorous bats in the Great Basin. At least 10 species of bats have been found in the vicinity of Great Basin National Park, including the Townsend's Big-eared Bat. Subspecies of this bat have been listed as threatened, endangered or species of special concern by the federal government and several state governments. There is a maternity colony of several thousand Big Free-tailed Bats in Rose Guano Cave (visible from US 6&50 in the northwest part of the South Snake Range).
Many types of birds can be found in Great Basin National Park and the surrounding area. A large variety of birds can be seen in the many different habitats encountered between the town of Baker (5,280 feet elevation) and the end of the Scenic Drive (10,000 feet elevation). Many birds such as the Common Raven, Northern Flicker and the American Robin, can be found in more than one type of habitat. Ask for a working checklist of all the birds found in Great Basin National Park. The Park encourages reporting of sightings of birds listed as uncommon or not found on the current checklist. The following is a listing of a few of the birds and some of the areas with easy access where specific birds may be found.
On your drive up from Baker, in the sagebrush grasslands, birds one might see include: Killdeer, Long-billed Curlew, Golden Eagle, Northern Harrier, Common Raven, American Kestrel, Red-tailed Hawk, California Quail, the Eurasian Chukar, Sage Grouse, Mourning Dove, Horned Lark, Scrub Jay, Black-billed Magpie, Western Kingbird, Barn Swallow, Loggerhead Shrike, Song Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Cassin's Finch, European Starling, Red-winged Blackbird, and Western Meadowlark.
If you are lucky you could also see birds such as ducks and other waterbirds flying overhead, moving from one pond to another. Some of these include; Great Blue Heron, Canada Geese, Sandhill Crane, Mallard, Green-winged Teal, Northern Pintail, Northern Shoveler, Cinnamon Teal. During the winter a lucky sighting could include a Bald Eagle on a telephone pole.
At dusk or dawn during the summer, stop and listen for the whinnying of Common Snipe, for the call of a Common Poor-will, Great Horned Owl or the "bull-bat" roar of a Common Nighthawk. Watch out for the "copper penney colored" eye of the Poor-will reflecting in your headlights. They often view the roadway as the perfect clearing for their habit of "flycatching" from the ground.
As you enter the Pinyon-juniper woods, and stop at the Lehman Caves Visitor Center, some of the same birds may be seen, but you may also start seeing, Mountain Chickadee, Broad-tailed, Black-chinned and Rufous Hummingbirds, Pinyon Jay, Mountain Bluebird, Solitary Vireo, Say's Phoebe, and White-crowned Sparrow.
At Baker Creek Campground, the mixture of sagebrush, pinyon-juniper and stream side plants brings in the American Dipper, as well as Mountain Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cassin's Finch, Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Mountain Bluebird, Western Tanager and Black-headed Grosbeak.
A walk through the Ponderosa pines along Lehman Creek, in Upper Lehman Creek Campground may reveal Violet-green Swallow, Red-naped Sapsucker, Downy and Hairy Woodpecker, Mountain Chickadee, Bushtit, White-breasted Nuthatch, House Wren, Warbling Vireo, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Black-headed Grosbeak, Chipping Sparrow as well as Green-tailed Towhee, Rufous-sided Towhee, Dark-eyed Junco, and Brown-headed Cowbird.
At Wheeler Peak Campground, and along the Alpine Lake Loop, aspens, and limber pines attract a variety of birds including; Clark's Nutcrackers, Stellar's Jays, Townsend's Solitaire, Mountain Chickadee, Bushtit, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Pine Siskin, Brown Creeper, Pygmy Nuthatch, and Cooper's Hawk. On occasion, one may find Red Crossbills if you are lucky.
A hike to the small glacier takes one through the ancient bristlecone pine forest to an area where very little vegetation exists. In the vicinity of the glacier and the rock glacier below, one can usually find the "Black" form of the Rosy Finch, as well as Rock Wren, and the ubiquitous Raven
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Common Loon | Gavia immer | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Clark’s Grebe | Aechmophorus clarkii | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Eared Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | Rare, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | Common, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | Accidental, Winter Resident |
| Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | Accidental |
| Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | Rare, Migrant |
| Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Great Egret | Casmerodius albus | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | Rare, Winter Resident, Migrant |
| Snow Goose | Chen caerulescens | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | Uncommon, Winter Resident |
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Common, Resident |
| Gadwall | Anas strepera | Common, Migrant |
| American Wigeon | Anas americana | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | Common, Summer Resident |
| Northern Shoveler | Anas clypeata | Common Migrant |
| Blue-winged Teal | Anas discors | Common, Summer Resident |
| Green-winged Teal | Anas crecca | Uncommon, Summer Resident; Common, Winter Resident |
| Cinnamon Teal | Anas cyanoptera | Common, Resident |
| Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | Common, Resident |
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | Uncommon, Resident, Migrant |
| Redhead | Aythya americana | Uncommon, Resident, Migrant |
| Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | Rare, Migrant |
| Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | Common, Migrant |
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | Winter Resident, Uncommon, Migrant |
| Common Merganser | Mergus merganser | Common, Migrant |
| Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | Common, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting | Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting | Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | Uncommon, Resident |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | Common, Resident |
| Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | Common, Resident |
| Black-shouldered Kite | Elanus caeruleus | Accident |
| Northern Harrier | Circus cyaneu | Common, Resident |
| Rough-legged Hawk | Buteo lagopus | Common, Winter Resident |
| Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | Common, Winter Resident; Uncommon, Resident |
| Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Common, Resident |
| Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | Common, Resident |
| Bald Eagle | Haliaetus leucocephalus | Common, Winter Resident |
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | Common, Summer Resident; Rare, Winter Resident |
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | Rare, Winter Resident |
| Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | Uncommon, Resident |
| Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | Rare, Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Ruffed Grouse | Bonasa umbellus | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Blue Grouse | Dendragapus obscurus | Common, Resident |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse | Tympanuchus phasianellus | Uncommon, Resident |
| Sage Grouse | Centrocercus urophasianus | Uncommon, Resident |
| Chukar | Alectoris chukar | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| California Quail | Callipepla californica | Uncommon, Resident |
| Gambel’s Quail | Callipepla gambelii | Uncommon, Resident? |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Sandhill Crane | Grus canadensis | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | Rare, Resident |
| Sora | Porzana carolina | Rare, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| American Coot | Fulica americana | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Black-necked Stilt | Himantopus mexicanus | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Uncommon, Winter Resident; Common Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fidoa | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Rare, Migrant |
| Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularia | Common, Summer Resident |
| Wilson's Phalarope | Phalaropus tricolor | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Snipe | Gallinago gallinago | Common, Resident |
| Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | Common, Migrant |
| Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Rare, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Bonaparte's Gull | Larus philadelphia | Migrant |
| Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| California Gull | Larus californicus | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | Hypothectial, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | Rare, Migrant |
| Caspian Tern | Sterna caspia | Acidental, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | Common, Summer Resident |
| White-winged Dove | Zenaida asiatica | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Rock Dove | Columba livia | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | Rare, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Common Barn-Owl | Tyto alba | Rare, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Flammulated Owl | Otus flammeolus | Rare, Resident |
| Western Screech-Owl | Otus kennicottii | Rare, Resident |
| Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | Common, Resident |
| Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | Accidental |
| Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | Common, Summer Resident |
| Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | Common, Summer Resident |
| Lesser Nighthawk | Chordeiles acutipennis | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | Common, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Rufous Hummingbird | Common, Summer Resident | |
| Calliope Hummingbird | Stellula calliope | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | Common, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Belted Kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | Common, Resident |
| Lewis' Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | Uncommon, Migrant |
| Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | Common, Summer Resident |
| Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | Common, Resident |
| Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | Uncommon, Resident |
| Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus | Rare, Resident |
| Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | Common, Summer Resident |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Myiarchus cinerascens | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | Common, Summer Resident |
| Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | Common, Simmer Resident, Migrant |
| Gray Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | Uncommon, Resident |
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | Uncommon, Simmer Resident, Migrant |
| Western Wood-Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting | |
| Northern Shrike | Lanius excubitor | Uncommon, Winter Resident | |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting | |
| Plumbeous Vireo (Solitary) | Vireo plumbeous | Common, Summer Resident | |
| Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | Common, Summer Resident | |
| Gray Vireo | Vireo vicinior | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting | |
| Western Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma californica | Common, Resident | |
| Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | Common, Resident | |
| Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | Common, Resident | |
| Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | Common, Resident | |
| Black-billed Magpie | Pica pica | Common, Resident | |
| American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | Uncommon, Resident | |
| Common Raven | Corvus corax | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | Common, Summer Resident |
| Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | Common, Summer Resident |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Bank Swallow | Riparia riparia | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Juniper Titmouse (Plain) | Baeolophus ridgwayi | Common, Resident |
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | Rare, Resident |
| Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | Common, Resident |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | Common, Resident |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | Uncommon, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Brown Creeper | Certhia americana | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | Common, Summer Resident |
| Winter Wren | Troglodytes troglodytes | Common, Winter Resident, Resident? |
| Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | Common, Resident |
| Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | Uncommon, Resident |
| Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | Uncommon, Resident |
| Rock Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | Common, Winter Resident, Resident |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | Common, Summer Resident |
| Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | Common, Resident |
| Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius | Accidental, Winter Resident |
| American Robin | Turdus migratorius | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | Accidental |
| Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | Rare, Summer |
| Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| European Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus | Uncommon, Winter Resident, Migrant |
| Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | Common, Winter Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Blue-winged Warbler | Vermivora pinus | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Golden-winged Warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | Vermivora celata | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Nashville Warbler | Vermivora ruficapilla | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Virginia's Warbler | Vermivora virginiae | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Yellow Warbler | Dendroica petechia | Common, Summer Resident |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | Dendroica pensylvanica | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Audubon's Warbler | Dendroica coronata | Common, Summer Resident |
| Townsend's Warbler | Dendroica townsendi | Rare, Migrant |
| Hermit Warbler | Dendroica occidentalis | Rare, Migrant |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | Dendroica nigrescens | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| MacGillivray's Warbler | Oporornis tolmiei | Common, Summer Resident |
| Kentucky warbler | Oporornis formosus | Accidental, Migrant |
| Common Yellowthroat | Geothylpis trichas | Common, Summer Resident |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | Common, Summer Resident |
| Wilson's Warbler | Wilsonia pusilla | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Common, Migrate |
| American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | Accidental, Migrant |
| Red-faced Warbler | Cardellina rubrifrons | Accidental |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus | Pheucticus ludovicianus | Rare, Migrant |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Blue Grosbeak | Guiraca caerulea | Rare, Migrant |
| Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | Common, Summer Resident |
| Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | Accidental, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Spotted Towhee (Rufous-sided) | Pipilo maculatus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | Common, Summer Resident |
| Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | Common, Summer Resident |
| Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | Uncommon, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Sage Sparrow | Amphispiza belli | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | Common, Summer Resident |
| Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | Common, Summer Resident |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | Uncommon, Winter Resident, Migrant |
| Rufous-crown Sparrow | Aimophila ruficeps | Rare, Summer Resident |
| White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | Common, Summer Resident, Migrant |
| White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | Common, Resident |
| Harris's Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula | Accidental. Winter Resident |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | Accidental, Migrant |
| Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | Common, Resident |
| Oregon Junco | Common, Resident | |
| Gray-headed Junco | Common, Resident | |
| Slate-colored Junco | Common, Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | Common, Summer Resident |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | Common, Summer Resident |
| Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | Common, Summer Resident |
| Hooded Oriole | Icterus cucullatus | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullocki | Common, Summer Resident |
| Scott's Oriole | Icterus parisorum | Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Rosy Finch | Leucosticte arctoa | Common, Resident, Migrant |
| Black Rosy-Finch | Leucosticte atrata | Common, Resident |
| Cassin's Finch | Carpodacus cassinii | Common, Summer Resident |
| House Finch | Carpodacus mexicanus | Common, Resident |
| Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | Uncommon, Resident, Migrant |
| Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | Accidental, Winter Resident |
| Pine Siskin | Carduelis pinus | Common, Winter Resident; Uncommon, Summer Resident |
| Lesser Goldfinch | Carduelis psaltria | Uncommon, Resident |
| American Goldfinch | Carduelis tristis | Common, Migrant |
| Evening Grosbeak | Coccothraustes vespertinus | Rare, Summer Resident |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Common, Resident |
238 species have been reported in Great Basin National Park and the vicinity, which includes Snake Valley and north and south Snake Range. Other species may occur during migration. Please report any species not listed, or listed as Rare, Accidental or Hypothetical, on a Wildlife Observation Sheet - available at the Visitor Center.
REFERENCES
A large variety of habitats due to large elevational changes in the park supports an assortment of mammall life in Great Basin National Park.. The Visitor Center is located in an area dominated by plants such as sagebrush, pinyon pines, and junipers. As you ascend, running streams, mountain meadows, fir, aspen, spruce, and large pines become more common. Eventually, you reach treeline and can adventure into the alpine area of low, delicate plants and rocky outcroppings. An abundance of wildlife has taken advantage of these various habitat zones.
In the sagebrush desert, you will find certain animals which are specially adapted to the aridity of that area. Jackrabbits, pygmy rabbits, mountain cottontails, ground squirrels, chipmunks, and various mice live in this area. Pronghorn antelope may be seen on the open sagebrush and grassy plains near the park entrance. Coyotes, kit fox, and badgers will be seen less often, but are present.
The pygmy forest with its pinyon pine and juniper trees offers another haven for mammals. Some prefer the wooded areas, while others like the transition zone between the sagebrush desert and pygmy forest. Mule deer abound in this area. Other mammals most commonly seen in the pinyon-juniper forest are striped skunks, mice, and ground squirrels.
There are a number of springs and clear running streams in the park. The secretive spotted skunk, shrews, ringtail cat, and the least weasel or ermine are fond of wetter places to make their homes.
In the more rugged areas on the slopes of mountains and in the valley areas nearby, mountain lions, bobcats, marmots, rock squirrels, and mountain sheep can occasionally be seen. Many of the mammals in the area can be found in more than one habitat. Most have a preferred territory but seasonal changes, food supply, change in habitat quality, or overcrowding may force them to relocate. All mammals in the park are protected which means their numbers are controlled naturally by predators, disease, food supply, and the diversity of available habitat.
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Agrant Shrew | Sorex vagrans vagrans (= S. v. amoenus) | Typically occurs in mountain and foothill habitats with dense ground cover |
| Water Shrew | Sorex palustris navigator | Mainly restricted to montane riparian habitats |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Pallid Bat | Antrozous pallidus pallidus | Uncommon. Roosts in small groups in crevices, rockshelters, and buildings. Forages on the ground |
| Long-Eared Myotis | Myotis evotis evotis | Roosts in caves, mines, buildings, and trees. NPS Sensitive species |
| Long-Legged Myotis (Hairy-winged Myotis) | Myotis volans interior | Common. Roosts in caves, mines, buildings, and trees. NPS Sensitive species |
| Western Snall-footed Myotis | Myotis ciliolabrum | Common. Roosts in caves, mines, buildings, and trees |
| California Myotis | Myotis californicus | Typically roosts singly or in small groups and forages at lower elevations |
| Western Pipistrelle | Pipistrellus hesperus | Typically roosts singly or in small groups and forages at lower elevations |
| Silver-Haired Bat | Lasionycteris noctivagans | Typically roosts singly in trees |
| Hoary Bat | Lasiurus cinereus | Typically roosts in trees, singly and in small groups |
| Big Brown Bat | Eptesicus fuscus | Colonial and solitary. Roosts most often in caves and mines |
| Western (Townsend's) Big-eared Bat | Plecotus townsendii pallescens | Most local specimens have not been identified to subspecies. P. t. townsendii, which is more common in northern and western Nevada, might also occur here. Both are NPS Sensitive taxa |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Mexican (Brazillizn) Free-tailed Bat | Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana | A large colony roosts in Rose Guano Cave on the west side of the Snake Range |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Long-tailed Weasel | Mustela frenata nevadensis | Typically occurs in montane and woodland habitats, also in irrigated fields |
| Short-tailed Weasel (Ermine) | Mustela erminea muricus | Typically occurs in montane and woodland habitats |
| Spotted Skunk | Spilogale putorius | Widespread in montane and woodland habitats |
| Striped Skunk | Mephitis mephitis | Widespread in montane and woodland habitats, also in basins in irrigated fields and riparian habitats |
| Badger | Taxidea taxus taxus | Typically found in basin and bajada shrub habitats favored by ground squirrels |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Ringtail Cat | Bassariscus astutus | Seldom seen. Most often observed in woodland habitats |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Gray Fox | Urocyon cinereoargenteus scottii | Common in woodland and montane habitats |
| Kit Fox | Vulpes macrotis nevadensis | Occurs in basin and bajada shrub habitats |
| Coyote | Canis latrans lestes | Common in woodland, bajada, and basin habitats; less frequent in montane habitats |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Mountain Lion | Felis concolor kaibabensis | Common in montane and woodland habitats; less frequent at lower elevations |
| Bobcat | Felis (= Lynx) rufus pallescens | Common but seldom seen. Occurs throughout |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Black-tailed Jack Rabbit | Lepus californicus deserticola | Abundant in woodland, bajada, and basin habitats. Also found at higher elevations |
| Desert Cottontail (Audobon Cottontail) | Sylvilagus audobonii arizonae | Occurs in basin and bajada shrub habitat. Reaches the northern limit of its range locally |
| Nuttall Cottontail | Sylvilagus nuttalli grangeri | Common to abundant in montane and woodland habitats with suitable cover |
| Pygmy Cottontail | Brachylagus (= Sylvilagus) idahoensis | Uncommon to rare. Typically limited to big sagebrush habitat. Mandible and innominate from (Recent?) Lehman Caves Entrance fauna attributed to this species. NPS Sensitive taxon |
| Common Name | Scientific Name | Sighting |
| Yellow-Bellied Marmot (Rockchuck) | Marmota flaviventris avara | Common near Baker Creek Trailhead and several other locations in the park, in rocky habitats near grass meadows. Bones of this species common in Lehman Caves Entrance fauna. Estivates/hibernates late summer to late winter |
| White-tailed Antelope Ground Squirrel |