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Learn the wildlife of the U.S. national parks

Learn the wildlife of Pinnacles National Park

CA

1,911 species have research-grade observations inside Pinnacles 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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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

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. Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus821
  2. Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura650
  3. California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica613
  4. California Quail Callipepla californica524
  5. Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri422
  6. Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo372
  7. Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus302
  8. Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus261
  9. California Towhee Melozone crissalis245
  10. Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis221

Plants

  1. Gray pine Pinus sabiniana902
  2. Big Berry Manzanita Arctostaphylos glauca793
  3. California Buckwheat Eriogonum fasciculatum734
  4. Felt Paintbrush Castilleja foliolosa698
  5. Cobwebby Thistle Cirsium occidentale694
  6. Bush Poppy Dendromecon rigida678
  7. Warrior's Plume Pedicularis densiflora663
  8. Elegant Clarkia Clarkia unguiculata640
  9. Butterfly Mariposa Lily Calochortus venustus622
  10. Orange bush monkeyflower Diplacus aurantiacus595

Mammals

  1. California Ground Squirrel Otospermophilus beecheyi847
  2. Mule Deer Odocoileus hemionus549
  3. Merriam's Chipmunk Neotamias merriami313
  4. Desert Cottontail Sylvilagus audubonii229
  5. Black-tailed Jackrabbit Lepus californicus91
  6. Common Raccoon Procyon lotor77
  7. Bobcat Lynx rufus65
  8. Coyote Canis latrans65
  9. Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger55
  10. Townsend's Big-eared Bat Corynorhinus townsendii55

Insects

  1. Variable Checkerspot Euphydryas chalcedona389
  2. Hedgerow Hairstreak Satyrium saepium260
  3. Great Copper Tharsalea xanthoides215
  4. Common Ringlet Coenonympha california214
  5. Acmon Blue Icaricia acmon198
  6. California Sister Adelpha californica182
  7. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera175
  8. Gray Buckeye Junonia grisea174
  9. Convergent Lady Beetle Hippodamia convergens167
  10. Bernardino Blue Euphilotes bernardino153

Spiders and kin

  1. Desert Tarantula Aphonopelma iodius124
  2. Pacific Coast Tick Dermacentor occidentalis60
  3. Koch's Wolf Spider Alopecosa kochi43
  4. Western Black Widow Latrodectus hesperus29
  5. Paruroctonus variabilis21
  6. Sawfinger Scorpion Serradigitus gertschi18

Reptiles

  1. Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis1,264
  2. Western Whiptail Aspidoscelis tigris590
  3. Common Side-blotched Lizard Uta stansburiana434
  4. Common Garter Snake Thamnophis sirtalis247
  5. Western Rattlesnake Crotalus oreganus220
  6. Gopher Snake Pituophis catenifer216
  7. Striped Racer Masticophis lateralis126
  8. California King Snake Lampropeltis californiae51
  9. Southern Alligator Lizard Elgaria multicarinata45
  10. Ring-necked Snake Diadophis punctatus29

Amphibians

  1. Pacific chorus frog Pseudacris regilla203
  2. Gabilan Mountains Slender Salamander Batrachoseps gavilanensis138
  3. Western Toad Anaxyrus boreas136
  4. Arboreal Salamander Aneides lugubris59
  5. Ensatina Ensatina eschscholtzii18

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.