Wildlife Bingo: 96 Animals and 24 Signs, Sorted by Habitat
Ninety-six animals, 24 signs and a note on where to look.
Wildlife Bingo: 96 Animals and 24 Signs, Sorted by Habitat: how it works
Wildlife bingo is only fair when the animals live where you are. These 120 North American squares come in four habitat sets of 24 animals and one set of tracks, calls and signs, each with where and when to look.
Match the card to your habitat
The starting list mixes all five sets. For an outing, open Word list, one per line and delete all but one block of 24: lines 1 to 24 are woodland (White-tailed deer to Eastern newt), 25 to 48 wetland (American beaver to Spring peeper), 49 to 72 the West (Elk to Horned lizard), 73 to 96 backyards and after dark (Raccoon to Green treefrog). The last 24 are signs.
Play it as a called wildlife bingo game
Indoors, press Call the game and the page draws each square once. The list under the cards prints a clue beside every animal, so the caller can read the clue and let players name it. First full row, column or diagonal wins, and the free center counts.
Tips
Dawn and dusk fill a card fastest: deer, foxes, cottontails, woodcock and bats are all twilight animals.
With no printer, Share these cards copies one link: each hiker opens the same set, takes a different card and taps squares on a phone.
Set Cards per printed page to 1 for a walk: a full-page card survives a clipboard and a pencil.
Questions and answers
Can a track or a call count as a sighting?
Yes, and the last 24 squares exist for that: tracks, owl pellets, a beaver dam, coyotes howling. About half the mammals on the card are out at dusk or at night, so signs are often all a daytime walk gives you.
How close can we get to mark a square?
Not close. Many national parks require 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 from bears and wolves, and the Park Service adds that if an animal reacts to you, you are too close. Binoculars count; feeding never does.
Do these animals live near me?
Some will. The woodland and backyard sets lean toward the eastern states, the third set is western, and wetland animals such as the great blue heron and the mallard live across most of the continent. Delete the strangers and type in your own.
Can I get a blank or numbered card?
Numbered, yes: the bingo card generator deals numbers 1 to 75, placed anywhere on the card and not in B to O columns. It has no blank card. For your own animals, press Empty the list here and type one per line.
All 120 squares
Woodland and forest edge 24
Barred owl Lives in mature forest. Its eight hoots sound like: who cooks for you, who cooks for you all. Black bear Forest country, mostly around dawn and dusk. Many parks ask for 100 yards between you and a bear. Bobcat On the move from about three hours before sunset until midnight, and again before dawn. Common garter snake Out by day. In summer, look in the morning and the late afternoon. Eastern box turtle A land turtle of the eastern states. Look on the forest floor, not in the pond. Eastern fence lizard Basks on stumps, logs and fence posts in the early morning sun. Eastern newt (red eft) The red eft is the bright orange young newt that lives on land. Look after warm rain. Eastern rat snake Once called the black rat snake. Not venomous, a strong climber, often seen near buildings hunting rodents. Five-lined skink Basks in the sun in moist hardwood woods. Young ones have a bright blue tail. Gray fox Out mostly at night or at twilight. It dens in hollow trees. Gray treefrog A small tree-climbing frog that shifts from gray to green or brown to match where it sits. Long-tailed weasel Hunts along fencerows and patches of woods. At night its eyes shine green in a light. Moose The tallest deer in the world. It lives in northern forests and wades in to eat water plants. Porcupine Out at night. North America's second largest rodent, after the beaver. Red fox Foxes that live near towns are most active at dusk and dawn. Red squirrel Out by day in conifer woods, feeding on the seeds in cones. Red-shouldered hawk Hunts from a treetop perch or soars over the woods. Red-tailed hawk Check the utility poles along a highway, where it perches to hunt. Ruffed grouse The male drums his wings from a log, slow at first and then faster. You often hear him first. Snowshoe hare Brown in summer, white in winter. Active at twilight and through the night. Spotted salamander Lives underground in mature forest and rarely comes up, except after rain. Turkey vulture Soars with its wings in a shallow V, tipping from side to side. White-tailed deer Most active at dawn and dusk. Watch where woods meet a field. Wood frog Mostly out by day. It breeds in vernal pools, the woodland ponds that dry up in summer.
Show all 120 squares (96 more)
Woodland and forest edge
Ponds, marshes and rivers
Mountains, plains and desert
Backyards, fields and after dark
Tracks, sounds and other signs
Ponds, marshes and rivers 24
American alligator Freshwater marshes and cypress swamps from Texas to North Carolina. Watch from well back. American beaver Active mainly at night. Find the dam and the lodge first, then wait. American bullfrog Named for the male's deep bellow. It lives at permanent ponds, swamps and lakes. American mink Semiaquatic: it swims well and also climbs trees. Bald eagle Look near large open water with old trees to nest in. Belted kingfisher Perches on a branch or a post by the water, then dives in headfirst. Listen for its rattle. Canada goose On or near fresh water, and at home in parks and other places people have shaped. Common loon Summers on northern lakes and winters along both coasts. Double-crested cormorant Its feathers are not fully waterproof, so after a dive it stands with wings outstretched to dry. Great blue heron At home in almost any wetland: marshes, flooded meadows, lake edges and shorelines. Great egret All white, with a yellow bill and black legs. It flies slowly with its neck pulled in. Mallard On fresh or salt water almost anywhere, park ponds included. Muskrat Most active at night and near dawn and dusk. Much smaller than a beaver, often in the same marsh. Northern leopard frog Ponds, marshes and slow streams with plenty of water plants. The male's call is a short snore. Northern water snake Not venomous. Most often seen basking on rocks, stumps or brush, and it dives when disturbed. Osprey It eats almost nothing but fish, so it nests near water, often on a pole or a platform. Painted turtle Active only by day, when it basks for hours on logs and rocks. River otter Mostly nocturnal. It lives along streams, rivers and lakes, and its den opens under water. Sandhill crane Its loud, rolling trumpet call carries a long way. It feeds in shallow wetlands and open fields. Snapping turtle Lives in shallow ponds and streams, and travels over land to lay its eggs. Spiny softshell turtle Lives in rivers, lakes and ponds, mostly in water less than three feet deep. Spring peeper Its chirping chorus marks the start of spring. Seldom seen outside the chorus, so hearing it counts. Trumpeter swan The heaviest bird native to North America. It keeps to quiet, shallow wetlands. Wood duck One of the few ducks that perch and nest in trees. Look in wooded swamps and creeks.
Mountains, plains and desert 24
American badger Open grassland. A white stripe runs back from its nose. Mostly out at night. American bison North America's largest land animal by weight. Prairies, plains and river valleys. Keep 25 yards or more away. American pika Lives in rock piles at or above the tree line. Out by day, gathering plants into haypiles. Bighorn sheep Grassy mountain slopes near rocky cliffs. Rams carry the big curved horns; ewes have short ones. Black-tailed jackrabbit A hare with long ears. It shelters under shrubs by day and feeds in the open at night. Black-tailed prairie dog Out by day on the shortgrass prairie of the Great Plains. Burrowing owl An owl that is often out by day. It nests in old prairie dog burrows. Coyote Its howl changes quickly in tone and pitch. Its Latin name means barking dog. Desert tortoise Mojave and Sonoran deserts. It spends at least 95% of its life in burrows and is most active after rain. Elk Open forest and forest edges. In the rut, from August, bulls bugle: a loud, high whistle. Golden eagle Soars with wings and tail held flat, and nests on cliffs. Gray wolf Listen for howling, from one wolf or a pack. Many parks ask for 100 yards. Greater roadrunner A long-legged cuckoo of the Southwest. The male coos from a fence post or a cactus early in the morning. Greater sage-grouse It lives only in sagebrush country. Each spring the males gather to strut on display grounds called leks. Grizzly bear The muscular shoulder hump tells it from a black bear. Many parks ask for 100 yards. Horned lizard A flat, round body with horns on the head. Some kinds squirt blood from the corners of their eyes. Javelina The collared peccary of the Southwest, which travels in herds. In central Arizona it is often more active at night. Kangaroo rat A mostly nocturnal rodent of dry, sandy country that hops on its big hind legs. Mountain goat A sure-footed climber seen on sheer rock faces, from the Cascades and northern Rockies to Alaska. Mountain lion It prefers dense brush and rocky ground for stalking, but lives in open country too. Mule deer The deer of the West, named for its large, mule-like ears. Peregrine falcon Nests on cliff edges and, in cities, on tall buildings. Pronghorn The fastest land mammal in the Americas, up to 55 mph. Look for the white rump. Yellow-bellied marmot Also called the rock chuck. Out by day in western mountains, and it hibernates about eight months.
Backyards, fields and after dark 24
American woodcock At dawn and dusk in spring the male calls a buzzy peent, then spirals up on twittering wings. Big brown bat Roosts by day in tree cavities and buildings, and hunts insects at night. Black-crowned night heron Stands still at the water's edge to ambush prey at night, early in the morning or in the evening. Common nighthawk Flies at dusk and dawn over cities, prairies and forests. Its call usually gives it away. Cooper's hawk Often perches hidden in the canopy. Its call is a harsh keh-keh-keh. Eastern cottontail Most active at dawn and dusk in fields, meadows and brushy edges. Eastern screech-owl Strictly nocturnal, and it often nests in trees in neighborhoods and yards. Eastern whip-poor-will Named for its song. Heard far more often than seen, because of its camouflage. Flying squirrel Strictly nocturnal. It glides on a fold of skin stretched from wrist to ankle; it does not fly. Great horned owl Listen after dark for a low, loud ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo. Green anole A tree lizard of the Southeast, out by day all year. It shifts between green and brown. Green treefrog A nocturnal frog of the central and southeastern states, near permanent water. Little brown bat Leaves its roost at dusk and feeds for one and a half to three hours. Meadow vole Active all year, usually at night, in moist grassland. Mexican free-tailed bat Roosts in caves in huge numbers. The evening flight out begins around sunset. Nine-banded armadillo Mostly nocturnal. It comes out to forage around dusk. Pocket gopher A burrower named for its large cheek pouches. Each gopher keeps its own tunnel system. Raccoon Usually out at night. Its name comes from a Powhatan word for an animal that scratches with its hands. Ringtail A nocturnal animal of rocky desert canyons in the Southwest. Its call is a loud bark. Striped skunk Mostly out at night. Give it room: the spray carries several meters. Thirteen-lined ground squirrel Strictly a daytime animal, busiest on warm days. Virginia opossum About the size of a house cat, out at night, and often near trash cans and compost piles. Western fence lizard Common in the West, often seen in yards and, as the name says, on fences. Woodchuck Also called the groundhog. Out by day, most often early in the morning or late in the afternoon.
Tracks, sounds and other signs 24
Antler rub on a sapling From late summer a buck rubs the velvet off his antlers and shreds the bark. Bark stripped by a porcupine In winter a porcupine eats mainly conifer needles and tree bark. Beaver dam It holds back a pond that protects the beavers from predators and stores their winter food. Beaver lodge A dome of sticks, twigs and mud in the pond. The entrance is under water. Beaver-gnawed stump Beavers gnaw the bark for food and build with the sticks. Coyotes howling Hearing them counts. Deer tracks in mud Heart-shaped, pointed and split down the middle, 2½ to 4 inches long. Eyeshine in a flashlight beam A mirror-like layer behind the retina sends your light straight back. Frog chorus at dusk Hearing it counts. The singers are hard to see. Game trail through the brush A narrow path worn by animals taking the same route again and again. Muskrat house of cattails Called a push-up: a mound of plants and mud in a marsh, up to three feet high. Osprey nest on a platform A large heap of sticks on a pole, a platform or a treetop near water. Otter slide on a bank A smooth chute 8 or more inches wide, in mud or snow on a sloped bank. Owl hooting after dark Hearing it counts. Owl pellet The fur and bones a bird of prey could not digest, coughed up in a lump. Paw print showing claw marks Dog family. Coyote tracks are more oval and compact than a pet dog's. Paw print with no claw marks Cat family. Bobcat tracks show four toes and no claws, because the claws retract. Raccoon tracks, like hands Five long toes, like a small bare hand. Look in mud along streams and ponds. Scat on the trail The tracker's word for wild animal droppings. Look, do not touch. Shed antler Antlers drop and regrow every year. In Missouri most fall in February and March. Shed snake skin A snake sheds its whole outer layer in one piece, like a sock turned inside out. Squirrel leaf nest (drey) A ball of leaves and twigs in a high fork, easiest to see after the leaves fall. Tuft of fur on a fence Any fur or hair snagged on wire, bark or a thorn counts. Twigs nipped off by deer Deer nip the buds and branch tips off shrubs and young trees.
How this list was compiled: Own work by the editors: 96 North American animals in four habitat sets of 24, and 24 tracks, sounds and other signs, chosen and written for this page. Every habitat, range, call and time-of-day line was checked on 2026-09-19 against the animal's own English Wikipedia article (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-tailed_deer and the 95 others, each under the name on the square; Javelina under Collared peccary, Woodchuck under Groundhog, Mountain lion under Cougar, Northern water snake under Common watersnake, Green anole under Anolis carolinensis). Sign lines checked the same day against https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pellet_(ornithology ), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tapetum_lucidum , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drey , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deer_rub , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antler , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beaver_dam , https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desire_path , and the track and shedding sections of the Bobcat, Coyote, Muskrat, Osprey and Snake articles. National Wildlife Federation guide pages checked 2026-09-19: https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Reptiles/Black-Rat-Snake (now titled eastern rat snake) and https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/North-American-River-Otter . State agency pages checked 2026-09-19, Missouri Department of Conservation field guide: https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/north-american-river-otter (slides), https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/white-tailed-deer (tracks, rubs, antler drop in February and March) and https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/raccoon (tracks). Viewing distances from the National Park Service, https://www.nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/7ways.htm , checked 2026-09-19: many parks require 25 yards from most wildlife and 100 yards from bears and wolves, and feeding wildlife is illegal in parks. Venomous snakes were left off the card on purpose. Licence: own work