A moose is one of the common animals of the Rockies.
The common Rocky Mountain animals include bugs, mammals, birds, and more. Here are the common animals you are likely to see in the Rockies.
I’ve spent a lot of time exploring the Rocky Mountains, both before kids and after kids. During those hikes, camping trips, and days fishing I’ve seen lots of animals. I’ve been spooked by big beavers, moose, and bears. But, I’ve also had the luck to see a mink, marmots, salamanders, and an osprey. Those encounters with wild animals always leave a lasting impression on me because they’re so special. Here are some common Rocky Mountain animals you will probably see in your explorations.
Common Rocky Mountain Animals
I want to list off all the different types of animals you may see here, not just the charismatic mammals. Animals include mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and fish. Here are some of the common ones you may encounter with a link to a previous post that gives more details.
A majestic grizzly bear is a common Rocky Mountain animal.
Common Mammals of the Rocky Mountains
The mammals are one of the animals that stand out in my mind when I think of animals. Some of the common mammals include black and grizzly bears, moose, deer, elk, beavers, marmots, otters, squirrels, mountain lions, and wolves.
The Mourning Cloak is a common butterfly of the Rocky Mountains.
Common Insects of the Rocky Mountains
These animals are the teeny, tiny ones that can be found everywhere. In fact, they are one of the most abundant and common animals anywhere in the world.
In the Rockies you may see any of the common butterflies, such as a Painted Lady or Cabbage White. You may also see a ladybug, cicada, dragonfly, or a mosquito.
Here are some of the common aquatic insects of the Rocky Mountains. These are all of those insects that live part of their life in or under water. These include caddisflies, mayflies, and stoneflies.
A Clark’s Nutcracker is a common bird of the Rockies.
Common Birds Of The Rocky Mountains
Birds are probably the type of animal that you are most likely to see because they are everywhere. Birds live in the forest, plains, lakes, and meadows. Some of the common birds of the Rockies include black capped chickadee, crow, blue jay, clark’s nutcracker, a vulture, and a hummingbird.
A brown trout is a common fish of the Rockies.
Common Fish Of the Rocky Mountains
There are quite a few fish that live in the streams and lakes of the Rocky Mountains. These include rainbow trout, brown trout, and whitefish.
You can see which trout are native to the Rockies here or why were trout introduced to the Rockies here.
A rattlesnake is a common animal of the Rockies.
Common Reptiles Of the Rocky Mountains
Some of the common reptiles of the Rocky Mountains include garter snake, western rattlesnake, painted turtle, and a sagebrush lizard.
This tiger salamander is a common amphibian of the Rockies.
Common Amphibians Of The Rocky Mountains
Amphibians are super cool animals. Some of the common ones in the Rocky Mountains include the leopard frog, long toed salamander, and the tiger salamander.