Mammals of Iowa

52 established wild species in Iowa. Plus 14 range-listed species with few or no digitized records.

All species A-Z →

AmericanBadger

American Badger

Taxidea taxus

Occasional in Iowa 35 sightings
Size 63.9 cm2.1 ft Weight 4–12 kg8.8–26.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Beaver swimming low in murky green pond water with only its wet head and back above the surface

American Beaver

Castor canadensis

Common in Iowa 344 sightings
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 11–32 kg24.3–70.5 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Image-American bison rests at hot spring in yellowstone national park 1

American Bison

Bison bison

Common in Iowa 76 sightings
Size 1.9–2 m6.1–6.6 ft Weight 360–1000 kg793.7–2204.6 lb active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Oso negro (Ursus americanus), Parque natural provincial Tatshenshini-Alsek, Yukón, Canadá, 2017-08-25, DD 85

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Marginal occurrence · 5 records
Size 1.2–2 m3.9–6.6 ft Weight 40–250 kg88.2–551.2 lb active by night conifer forest

Sightings by month

Mustela Erminea head

American Ermine

Mustela erminea

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 17–33 cm6.7–13 in Weight 70–260 g2.5–9.2 oz active by night coniferous forest
Norka amerykańska (neovison vison)

American Mink

Neogale vison

Common in Iowa 131 sightings
Size 33–45.7 cm13–18 in Weight 0.5–1.4 kg1–3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

American pygmy shrew crossing an asphalt path

American pygmy shrew

Sorex hoyi

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 5–7 cm2–2.8 in Weight 2–5 g0.1–0.2 oz active day & night deciduous forest
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus James Gardens

American Red Squirrel

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Occasional in Iowa 34 sightings
Size 17–23 cm6.7–9.1 in Weight 140–310 g4.9–10.9 oz active by day wetland

Sightings by month

Big Brown Bats (Eptesicus fuscus)

Big Brown Bat

Eptesicus fuscus

Common in Iowa 81 sightings
Size 7.5 cm3 in Weight 17 g0.6 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

Common in Iowa 56 sightings
Size 30–60 cm11.8–23.6 in Weight 4–18 kg8.8–39.7 lb active by night forest edge

Sightings by month

Common Raccoon in Hugh Taylor Birch State Park

Common Raccoon

Procyon lotor

Common in Iowa 777 sightings
Size 40–70 cm1.3–2.3 ft Weight 3.5–9 kg7.7–19.8 lb active by night mixed forest

Sightings by month

Mother Coyote Sitting, Watching Over Den, Photo 1 of 2 (47924154788)

Coyote

Canis latrans

Common in Iowa 155 sightings
Size 0.8–1 m2.5–3.3 ft Weight 7–21 kg15.4–46.3 lb active day & night urban

Sightings by month

Eastern Chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

Eastern Chipmunk

Tamias striatus

Common in Iowa 740 sightings
Size 16.6 cm6.5 in Weight 93 g3.3 oz active by day urban

Sightings by month

Blacklick Woods - Eastern cottontail feeding 1

Eastern Cottontail

Sylvilagus floridanus

Common in Iowa 1,223 sightings
Size 36–43 cm14.2–16.9 in Weight 0.8–1.5 kg1.8–3.3 lb active day & night lake

Sightings by month

Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) 01

Eastern Gray Squirrel

Sciurus carolinensis

Common in Iowa 711 sightings
Size 23–30 cm9.1–11.8 in Weight 400–710 g0.9–1.6 lb active by day wetland

Sightings by month

Eastern Mole (Scalopus aquaticus)

Eastern Mole

Scalopus aquaticus

Common in Iowa 71 sightings
Size 14.8 cm5.8 in Weight 75 g2.6 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

Eastern red bat roosting among green leaves, disguised as a dead leaf

Eastern Red Bat

Lasiurus borealis

Occasional in Iowa 15 sightings
Size 9.3–11.7 cm3.7–4.6 in Weight 7–13 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night desert

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew in side profile on leaf litter soil. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Elliot's Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina hylophaga

Common in Iowa 166 sightings
Size 9–12 cm3.5–4.7 in Weight 15 g0.5 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

European rabbit feeding in dry vegetation

European Rabbit

Oryctolagus cuniculus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 34–50 cm13.4–19.7 in Weight 1–2.5 kg2.2–5.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Evening bat resting, brown fur and dark ears and wings visible, not restrained

Evening Bat

Nycticeius humeralis

Common in Iowa 57 sightings
Size 5 cm2 in Weight 7–15 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Sciurus niger

Fox Squirrel

Sciurus niger

Common in Iowa 1,309 sightings
Size 25.4–38.1 cm10–15 in Weight 804 g1.8 lb active by day river

Sightings by month

Franklin's Ground Squirrel in Nebraska

Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Poliocitellus franklinii

Occasional in Iowa 41 sightings
Size 36–41 cm14.2–16.1 in Weight 370 g13.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Gray fox standing in dappled woodland

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Occasional in Iowa 12 sightings
Size 0.8–1.1 m2.5–3.7 ft Weight 3–9 kg6.6–19.8 lb active day & night brushy woodland

Sightings by month

Silver-gray wolf walking along a gravel bank in Alaska

Gray Wolf

Canis lupus

Occasional in Iowa 17 sightings
Size 1.1–1.6 m3.4–5.2 ft Weight 23–80 kg50.7–176.4 lb active day & night cave

Sightings by month

Groundhog (Marmota monax)

Groundhog

Marmota monax

Common in Iowa 437 sightings
Size 50.6 cm19.9 in Weight 3.4 kg7.5 lb active by day woodland

Sightings by month

Hispid cotton rat moving through short green grass

Hispid cotton rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Marginal occurrence · 1 record
Size 18.5 cm7.3 in Weight 160 g5.6 oz active day & night river
House mouse in dry plant litter

House Mouse

Mus musculus

Occasional in Iowa 28 sightings
Size 5–10 cm2–3.9 in Weight 12–30 g0.4–1.1 oz active by night agricultural

Sightings by month

Indiana bats roosting in a dense cluster on a cave ceiling with several individuals in flight below

Indiana bat

Myotis sodalis

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 5.5 cm2.2 in Weight 5–10 g0.2–0.4 oz active by night agricultural
Least Weasel (Mustela nivalis)

Least Weasel

Mustela nivalis

Occasional in Iowa 8 sightings
Size 26 cm10.2 in Weight 50 g1.8 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Long-tailed weasel standing alert in grass with its black-tipped tail curled behind it, Sonoma County, California

Long-tailed Weasel

Neogale frenata

Marginal occurrence · 4 records
Size 24.8 cm9.8 in Weight 170 g6 oz active day & night wetland
Sorex cinereus, Harwich, Chatham, Ontario, Canada 1

Masked Shrew

Sorex cinereus

Occasional in Iowa 25 sightings
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 5 g0.2 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Muskrats resting on a floating log in open water

Muskrat

Ondatra zibethicus

Common in Iowa 246 sightings
Size 25–36 cm9.8–14.2 in Weight 0.6–2 kg1.3–4.4 lb active day & night wetland

Sightings by month

Nine-banded Armadillo

Nine-banded Armadillo

Dasypus mexicanus

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 60–90 cm2–3 ft Weight 3–8 kg6.6–17.6 lb active by night forest
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) (9310532204)

North American Deermouse

Peromyscus maniculatus

Occasional in Iowa 34 sightings
Size 8–10 cm3.1–3.9 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

North American least shrew moving through short grass

North American Least Shrew

Cryptotis parvus

Occasional in Iowa 15 sightings
Size 5–8 cm2–3.1 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

River Otter (Lontra canadensis)

North American River Otter

Lontra canadensis

Common in Iowa 52 sightings
Size 0.7–1.1 m2.2–3.5 ft Weight 5–15 kg11–33.1 lb active day & night river

Sightings by month

Northern grasshopper mouse walking beside desert grass

Northern Grasshopper Mouse

Onychomys leucogaster

Occasional in Iowa 28 sightings
Size 12.7 cm5 in Weight 33 g1.2 oz active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Hoary bat in flight against blue sky, wings spread to show its yellow throat patch and heavily frosted fur

Northern Hoary Bat

Lasiurus cinereus

Occasional in Iowa 7 sightings
Size 13–15 cm5.1–5.9 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Northern myotis hanging head-down from a rock ceiling, long ears and tan fur visible

Northern Myotis

Myotis septentrionalis

Occasional in Iowa 33 sightings
Size 8.6 cm3.4 in Weight 6 g0.2 oz active by night coniferous forest

Sightings by month

Northern Short-tailed Shrew (Blarina brevicauda)

Northern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina brevicauda

Common in Iowa 106 sightings
Size 11.1 cm4.4 in Weight 21 g0.7 oz active day & night riparian

Sightings by month

Live Norway rat beside shallow water

Norway Rat

Rattus norvegicus

Marginal occurrence · 7 records
Size 15–28 cm5.9–11 in Weight 140–500 g0.3–1.1 lb active by night urban
Plains pocket gopher emerging from a burrow in reddish soil

Plains Pocket Gopher

Geomys bursarius

Occasional in Iowa 20 sightings
Size 25–35 cm9.8–13.8 in Weight 187 g6.6 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Apache pocket mouse, a subspecies of the plains pocket mouse, eating seeds on sandy ground

Plains pocket mouse

Perognathus flavescens

Marginal occurrence · 9 records
Size 6.9 cm2.7 in Weight 9 g0.3 oz active by night desert
Plains spotted skunk walking through rocky leaf litter in Texas

Plains Spotted Skunk

Spilogale interrupta

Occasional in Iowa 17 sightings
Size 35–55 cm13.8–21.7 in Weight 583 g1.3 lb active by night wetland

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Prairie Shrew foraging in shortgrass prairie ground litter. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy.

Prairie Shrew

Sorex haydeni

Occasional in Iowa 18 sightings
Size 7–10 cm2.8–3.9 in Weight 3–6 g0.1–0.2 oz active by night prairie

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Prairie Vole alert in a grassy meadow, stocky grizzled brown-gray body and short tail. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Prairie Vole

Microtus ochrogaster

Rarely seen in Iowa 5 sightings
Size 12.4 cm4.9 in Weight 47 g1.7 oz active day & night grassland

Sightings by month

Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes)

Red Fox

Vulpes vulpes

Common in Iowa 330 sightings
Size 43 cm16.9 in Weight 5–10 kg11–22 lb active day & night desert

Sightings by month

Urocitellus richardsonii GNP 03

Richardson's Ground Squirrel

Urocitellus richardsonii

Marginal occurrence · 3 records
Size 28–33 cm11–13 in Weight 250–610 g0.6–1.3 lb active by day prairie
Silver-haired bat tucked into loose bark

Silver-haired Bat

Lasionycteris noctivagans

Rarely seen in Iowa 3 sightings
Size 9.5–11.5 cm3.7–4.5 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night river

Sightings by month

AI-generated image: Southern bog lemming alert among wet sedges and sphagnum at a bog edge. No public-domain photograph of this species exists. This image was generated with AI from verified reference material and reviewed by our editorial team for accuracy

Southern Bog Lemming

Synaptomys cooperi

Occasional in Iowa 27 sightings
Size 11.8 cm4.6 in Weight 35 g1.2 oz active day & night mixed conifer

Sightings by month

Southern Flying Squirrel-27527-1

Southern Flying Squirrel

Glaucomys volans

Rarely seen in Iowa 4 sightings
Size 17.1 cm6.7 in Weight 65 g2.3 oz active by night deciduous forest

Sightings by month

Southern red-backed vole feeding among sunflower seeds on snow

Southern Red-backed Vole

Clethrionomys gapperi

Common in Iowa 183 sightings
Size 12–16.5 cm4.7–6.5 in Weight 6–42 g0.2–1.5 oz active by night mixed forest

Sightings by month

Southern short-tailed shrew walking through moss and leaf litter beside green plant shoots

Southern Short-tailed Shrew

Blarina carolinensis

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 10.2 cm4 in Weight 20 g0.7 oz active day & night agricultural
Mephitis mephitis in Dierenpark Zie-ZOO

Striped Skunk

Mephitis mephitis

Common in Iowa 93 sightings
Size 46.5–81.5 cm1.5–2.7 ft Weight 0.6–6.3 kg1.3–13.9 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Swift fox at a burrow entrance on the shortgrass prairie

Swift Fox

Vulpes velox

Range-listed · no digitized records yet
Size 38–53 cm15–20.9 in Weight 1.6–3 kg3.5–6.6 lb active day & night grassland
Thirteen-lined ground squirrel crouched beside short grass

Thirteen-lined ground squirrel

Ictidomys tridecemlineatus

Common in Iowa 156 sightings
Size 17–30 cm6.7–11.8 in Weight 173 g6.1 oz active by day grassland

Sightings by month

Tricolored Bat hibernating on a limestone mine wall

Tricolored Bat

Perimyotis subflavus

Occasional in Iowa 10 sightings
Size 7.7–8.9 cm3–3.5 in Weight 5–8 g0.2–0.3 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Virginia Opossum clinging to a tree branch in a snowy winter woodland

Virginia Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

Common in Iowa 329 sightings
Size 40.8 cm16.1 in Weight 1.1–1.6 kg2.5–3.6 lb active by night river

Sightings by month

Western harvest mouse moving through dry stems and gravel

Western Harvest Mouse

Reithrodontomys megalotis

Rarely seen in Iowa 6 sightings
Size 11.8–17 cm4.6–6.7 in Weight 11 g0.4 oz active by night wetland

Sightings by month

Little brown myotis roosting alertly on a wooden beam

Western Little Brown Myotis

Myotis lucifugus

Occasional in Iowa 7 sightings
Size 8–9.5 cm3.1–3.7 in Weight 6–13 g0.2–0.5 oz active by night cave

Sightings by month

Western meadow vole Talkeetna alaska

Western Meadow Vole

Microtus drummondii

Occasional in Iowa 34 sightings
Size 13–20 cm5.1–7.9 in Weight 39 g1.4 oz active day & night river

Sightings by month

White-footed mouse on a fallen log in leaf litter

White-footed Mouse

Peromyscus leucopus

Occasional in Iowa 35 sightings
Size 10.1 cm4 in Weight 20–30 g0.7–1.1 oz active by night urban

Sightings by month

White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

White-tailed Deer

Odocoileus virginianus

Common in Iowa 2,621 sightings
Size 0.9–2.2 m3.1–7.2 ft Weight 68–136 kg149.9–299.8 lb active day & night mixed forest

Sightings by month

White-tailed Jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii)

White-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus townsendii

Rarely seen in Iowa 4 sightings
Size 45–65 cm1.5–2.1 ft Weight 2.6–4.3 kg5.7–9.5 lb active by night grassland

Sightings by month

Adult wild boar foraging in grass

Wild Boar

Sus scrofa

Marginal occurrence · 2 records
Size 85–90 cm2.8–3 ft Weight 40–50 kg88.2–110.2 lb active day & night lake
Microtus pinetorum - crlevy - 550023152

Woodland Vole

Microtus pinetorum

Occasional in Iowa 15 sightings
Size 10.3 cm4.1 in Weight 26 g0.9 oz active day & night woodland

Sightings by month