From left to right: Kangaroo rat, Mountain Bluebird, & Peregrine Falcon. Kangaroo rat photo credit: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/learn/nature/mammals.htm Mountain bluebird and Peregrine Falcon photo Credit: https://www.nps.gov/grsa/learn/nature/birds.htm

Sand Dunes National Park is located in southern Colorado and is home to many different animal species. I visited around April and was able to see a kangaroo rat, mountain bluebirds, and a peregrine falcon. All of these animals were seen during the day (in the early afternoon), not during sunrise or sunset.

There’s a wide range of animals you may be able to see including, but not limited to: Tiger Salamanders, Chorus Frogs, Northern Leopard Frogs, Spadefoot Toads, Great Plains Toad, Hummingbirds, Western Tanager, Peregrine Falcons, Mountain Bluebirds, Bald Eagles, Burrowing Owls, Kangaroo rat, Mule Deer, Elk, Black Bears, Pronghorn, Mountain Lions, American Pikas, Yellow-bellied Marmots, Bighorn Sheep, Beavers, Badgers, Short-Horned Lizard, & Garter Snakes.

Kangaroo rat: I was very surprised to see the kangaroo rat during the day as these guys usually spend their days in their burrow. They are not known for being very active during the day, but they are active at night. Seeing a kangaroo rat was very cool for me! Something unique about these guys is that they have very long tails, which helps them quickly move through brush. You may also notice their unique back legs. Their legs allow them to jump up to 9 feet in one leap!

Mountain Bluebirds: This was a cool bird to see! I had to use my bird identification book to confirm my suspicion of a mountain bluebird. Living in Denver, I hadn’t seen a mountain bluebird around my yard, like some of the other bird species that frequent my yard. These birds are gorgeous! They have very pretty blue plumage (feathers). I’m always excited to see new wildlife that I don’t see regularly, so this one was cool and very pretty!

Peregrine Falcon: I have seen this species many times before, so I knew what it was when I saw it. It was still cool to see in the wild, even though I’ve seen them so many times in the wild. These guys are a very common bird around the world & found on all continents, but are not found in Antartica & oceanic islands.

A great resource when visiting National Parks or just spending time in nature are identification books. These come in handy when you see a new animal and aren’t sure what it is. Most of these identification books provide really good background information as well, such as tracks, mating/reproduction information, habitat, diet, fun facts, etc as well as how to identify the species. You can find all sorts of identification books on Amazon. Make sure you get one that is relevant to where you live or where you will be traveling to. I’ve linked my favorite guide book resources below.

Below are amazon affiliate links and as an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Bird Guide Books:

Colorado Birds Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3ZpnjIK

Colorado Birds Pamphlet: https://amzn.to/3TqjiQO

Western Region Bird Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3TLe8iz

Eastern Region Bird Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3TmJCeA

Birds of North America Guide Book: https://amzn.to/4d1hd4P

Mammal Guide Books:

Mammals of Colorado Guide Book (2007 edition): https://amzn.to/3XFBpVu

Mammals of Colorado Guide Book (Pre-order, to be released 6/3/2025): https://amzn.to/4dUytJX

Mammals of North America Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3MB92RX

Animal Scat/Tracks of North America Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3XAiSty

Reptile/Amphibian:

Western Region Reptile & Amphibian Guide Book: https://amzn.to/4g9EOCW

Eastern & Central Reptile & Amphibian Guide Book: https://amzn.to/4e6pTYu

Fish:

Fish of North America (Freshwater & Saltwater) Guide Book: https://amzn.to/4ecgChu

Tree/Plant Guide Books:

Trees of North America Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3ZcnqHN

Wildflowers of North America Guide Book: https://amzn.to/3ZgqQJC

Let me know in the comments, have you been to Sand Dunes National Park? If not, what wildlife would you want to see? If you have visited, what wildlife did you see?