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Learn the wildlife of the U.S. national parks

Learn the wildlife of Carlsbad Caverns National Park

NM

1,132 species have research-grade observations inside Carlsbad Caverns National Park on iNaturalist. KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos, so you know what you're looking at before you go.

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Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus127
  2. Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva93
  3. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo92
  4. Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata53
  5. White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys46
  6. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura43
  7. Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus42
  8. Summer Tanager Piranga rubra41
  9. Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina29
  10. Ladder-backed Woodpecker Dryobates scalaris29

Plants

  1. Ocotillo Fouquieria splendens268
  2. Texas mountain laurel Dermatophyllum secundiflorum264
  3. Agarita Berberis trifoliolata148
  4. Strawberry hedgehog cactus Echinocereus stramineus139
  5. Smooth Sotol Dasylirion leiophyllum119
  6. Lechuguilla Agave lechuguilla113
  7. Tree cholla Cylindropuntia imbricata108
  8. Scarlet hedgehog cactus Echinocereus coccineus97
  9. Mexican buckeye Ungnadia speciosa86
  10. Texas rainbow cactus Echinocereus dasyacanthus75

Mammals

  1. Aoudad Ammotragus lervia140
  2. Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus34
  3. Rock Squirrel Otospermophilus variegatus33
  4. Collared Peccary Pecari tajacu23
  5. Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger13
  6. Mexican Free-tailed Bat Tadarida brasiliensis11
  7. Texas Antelope Squirrel Ammospermophilus interpres6
  8. Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii5
  9. Wapiti Cervus canadensis5
  10. Pallid Bat Antrozous pallidus4

Insects

  1. American Rubyspot Hetaerina americana62
  2. Queen Danaus gilippus57
  3. Kiowa Dancer Argia immunda55
  4. Variable Dancer Argia fumipennis50
  5. Flame Skimmer Libellula saturata49
  6. Aztec Dancer Argia nahuana49
  7. Yellow-legged Ringtail Erpetogomphus crotalinus47
  8. Arroyo Bluet Enallagma praevarum46
  9. Eastern Ringtail Erpetogomphus designatus46
  10. Sleepy Orange Eurema nicippe41

Spiders and kin

  1. Texas Brown Tarantula Aphonopelma hentzi33
  2. Western Spotted Orbweaver Neoscona oaxacensis12
  3. Western Black Widow Latrodectus hesperus8
  4. Spotted Orbweaver Neoscona crucifera5
  5. Phidippus octopunctatus4
  6. Yellow Garden Spider Argiope aurantia4
  7. Phidippus carneus4
  8. Banded Garden Spider Argiope trifasciata3

Reptiles

  1. Southwestern Fence Lizard Sceloporus cowlesi67
  2. Common Checkered Whiptail Aspidoscelis tesselatus63
  3. Eastern Collared Lizard Crotaphytus collaris52
  4. Chihuahuan Spotted Whiptail Aspidoscelis exsanguis48
  5. Crevice Spiny Lizard Sceloporus poinsettii32
  6. Greater Earless Lizard Cophosaurus texanus18
  7. Ornate Tree Lizard Urosaurus ornatus16
  8. Checkered Garter Snake Thamnophis marcianus12
  9. Western Diamond-backed Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox12
  10. Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer10

Fish

  1. Largemouth Bass Micropterus nigricans50
  2. Green Sunfish Lepomis cyanellus21
  3. Roundnose Minnow Dionda episcopa3

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the National Park Service. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.