Field Guide

Mammals

Showing 31 - 36 of 36 results
Silver-haired bat in flight.
Bats
About 14 species in Missouri
Bats are the only mammals capable of sustained flight. At least 14 species of bats occur in Missouri; they are all relatively small, and they eat insects. Many of them are declining.
Image of an armadillo
Nine-Banded Armadillo
Dasypus novemcinctus
There’s no other animal in Missouri that can be mistaken for an armadillo! In the 1950s, they were not considered residents, but now they are regularly found in the southern half of the state.
Photo of a deer mouse in its nest made of dry grasses
Deer Mouse
Peromyscus maniculatus
The deer mouse is found statewide, usually in open habitats like fields and grasslands. It and our other three species of Peromyscus mice look a lot alike.
Franklin's ground squirrel viewed from side in a grassland
Franklin's Ground Squirrel
Poliocitellus franklinii (formerly Spermophilus franklinii)
Franklin’s ground squirrel is brownish gray speckled with black, looking a little like an eastern gray squirrel but with a less bushy tail and smaller ears. It occurs in and near grasslands in the northern quarter of Missouri.
Photo of a bull elk lifting its head and bugling
Elk
Cervus canadensis
Very large members of the deer family, elk are brown or tan above with darker underparts, with a thick neck and yellowish-brown rump patch and tail. Elk have been restored to portions of Carter, Reynolds, and Shannon counties.
coyote walking through grassland
Coyote
Canis latrans
The coyote is a much-maligned member of the dog family. It does a great service to the ecosystem by helping to hold populations of rabbits and mice in check. In addition, their yips and barks add to nature's music to rural nights.
See Also

About Mammals in Missouri

More than 70 species of wild mammals live in Missouri: opossums; shrews and moles; bats; rabbits; woodchuck, squirrels, beaver, mice, voles, and other rodents; coyote, foxes, bear, raccoon, weasels, otter, mink, skunks, bobcat, and other carnivores; deer and elk; and more. Most of us recognize mammals easily — they have fur, are warm-blooded, nurse their young, and breathe air.