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Mammals of Iowa

The mammals most often spotted in Iowa, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

17,141
recent observations
50
species listed
50
mammals

Naturalists have logged 17,141 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species in Iowa. The most frequently seen is the White-tailed Deer, with 3,802 recorded sightings.

Rarer finds confirmed in Iowa include Bobcat - uncommon enough that a sighting is worth logging.

Bobcat

Most-observed mammals in Iowa

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
3,802 observations
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Sciurus niger
2,394 observations
Eastern Cottontail
Sylvilagus floridanus
2,105 observations
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
1,304 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
1,233 observations
Eastern Chipmunk
Tamias striatus
987 observations
Groundhog
Marmota monax
773 observations
Virginia Opossum
Didelphis virginiana
608 observations
Red Fox
Vulpes vulpes
498 observations
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
486 observations
Muskrat
Ondatra zibethicus
444 observations
Coyote
Canis latrans
346 observations
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel
Ictidomys tridecemlineatus
270 observations
American Mink
Neogale vison
204 observations
Franklin's Ground Squirrel
Poliocitellus franklinii
191 observations
Northern Short-tailed Shrew
Blarina brevicauda
183 observations
Domestic Cat
Felis catus
176 observations
Big Brown Bat
Eptesicus fuscus
172 observations
Striped Skunk
Mephitis mephitis
169 observations
Eastern Mole
Scalopus aquaticus
111 observations
Bobcat
Lynx rufus
90 observations
North American River Otter
Lontra canadensis
71 observations
Western Meadow Vole
Microtus drummondii
54 observations
American Badger
Taxidea taxus
51 observations
American Bison
Bos bison
50 observations · iNaturalist
Eastern Red Bat
Lasiurus borealis
42 observations
House Mouse
Mus musculus
39 observations
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
38 observations
Masked Shrew
Sorex cinereus
37 observations
White-footed Mouse
Peromyscus leucopus
26 observations
Plains Pocket Gopher
Geomys bursarius
23 observations
Tri-coloured Bat
Perimyotis subflavus
19 observations
Brown Rat
Rattus norvegicus
16 observations
Little Brown Bat
Myotis lucifugus
15 observations
Prairie Vole
Microtus ochrogaster
13 observations
Northern Hoary Bat
Lasiurus cinereus
10 observations
Western Harvest Mouse
Reithrodontomys megalotis
10 observations
Least Weasel
Mustela nivalis
10 observations
American Ermine
Mustela richardsonii
10 observations
Domestic Dog
Canis familiaris
9 observations
Western Deer Mouse
Peromyscus sonoriensis
8 observations
Evening Bat
Nycticeius humeralis
7 observations
Silver-haired Bat
Lasionycteris noctivagans
7 observations
Southern Flying Squirrel
Glaucomys volans
7 observations
White-tailed Jackrabbit
Lepus townsendii
5 observations
Gray Fox
Urocyon cinereoargenteus
4 observations
European Rabbit
Oryctolagus cuniculus
4 observations
Wapiti
Cervus canadensis
4 observations
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
3 observations
Northern Meadow Jumping Mouse
Zapus hudsonius
3 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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