Missouri, a state in the Midwestern United States, boasts diverse geography featuring rolling plains, fertile farmland, dense forests, and meandering rivers. The state is bisected by the Missouri River and bordered by the Mississippi River. The state offers varied habitats, including hills, prairies, and waterways, that make it home to hundreds of wildlife species.
The Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge and the Mark Twain National Forest are great places for wildlife watching, especially birds, deer, and smaller predators. Katy Trail State Park and Mingo National Wildlife Refuge are excellent to look for aquatic mammals, as well as terrestrial mammals and birds.
Despite hundreds of fascinating wildlife species, Missouri’s State Animal is a domesticated horse – the Missouri Mule.
List of Different Types of Animals Found in Missouri
All the animals listed below are native to the state, while some may even be endemic.
Mammals
White-tailed Deer
American Black Bear
Bobcat
Red Fox
Gray Fox
Raccoon
Eastern Cottontail
Eastern Chipmunk
Virginia Opossum
Nine-banded Armadillo
Coyote
Striped Skunk
Eastern Mole
Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel,
Southern Flying Squirrel
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Eastern Spotted Skunk
Eastern Woodrat
North American Beaver
Southern Short-tailed Shrew
Meadow Vole
Southern Bog Lemming
Eastern Harvest Mouse
Woodland Jumping Mouse
Swamp Rabbit
Least Weasel
Long-tailed Weasel
White-footed Mouse
Muskrat
Eastern Red Bat
Eastern Pipistrelle Bat
Big Brown Bat
Little Brown Bat
Birds
American Goldfinch
Blue Jay
Eastern Bluebird
Common Redpoll
Downy Woodpecker
Red-headed Woodpecker
Dark-eyed Junco
Evening Grosbeak
Red-tailed Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Great Blue Heron
American Bittern
Great Egret
Reptiles
Common Snapping Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Painted Turtle
Three-toed Box Turtle
Collared Lizard
Eastern Fence Lizard
Broadhead Skink
Five-lined Skink
Six-lined Racerunner
Cottonmouth
Copperhead
Timber Rattlesnake
Massasauga
Western Pygmy Rattlesnake
Western Worm Snake
Black Racer
Ringneck Snake
Mud Snake
Corn Snake
Rat Snake
Milk Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Common Kingsnake
Coachwhip
Smooth Green Snake
Northern Water Snake
Common Garter Snake
Amphibians
American Toad
Fowler’s Toad
Eastern Spadefoot
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
American Bullfrog
Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog
Spring Peeper
Gray Treefrog
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
American Green Treefrog
Central Newt
Mole Salamander
Tiger Salamander
Common Mudpuppy
Hellbender
Marbled Salamander
Fishes
Striped Bass
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
White Bass
Fathead Minnow
Lamprey
Mooneye
American Eel
Channel Catfish
Flathead Catfish
Bluegill
Walleye
Paddlefish
Longnose Gar
Bowfin
Herring
Northern Pike
Rainbow Trout
Trout-perch
Yellow Perch
White Crappie
Black Crappie
Redear Sunfish
Pumpkinseed
Sauger
Saugeye
Northern Pike
Muskellunge
Insects and Invertebrates
Monarch Butterfly
Black Swallowtail
Guinea Paper Wasp
Honeybee
Boxelder Bug
Clover Mite
Camel Cricket
Common Black Ground Beetle
Field Cricket
Harvestmen
Grand Daddy Long-leg Spiders
Ladybugs
Centipede
Millipede
Stick Insects
Stink Bug
Ticks
Common House Spider
Yellow Garden Spiders
Northern Black Widow
Brown Recluse
Mollusks and Crustaceans
Stagnant Pond Snail
Common Tadpole Snail
Three-whorled Ram’s Horn
Pearl Mussel
Asiatic Clam
Filter Mussel
Striped Forest Snail
White-lipped Forest Snail
Crustaceans
Big Creek Crayfish
Shrimp Crayfish
St. Francis River Crayfish
State Animals of Missouri
State Animal
Missouri Mule
State Aquatic Animal
Paddlefish
State Bird
Eastern Bluebird
State Game Bird
Bobwhite Quail
State Endangered Species
Hellbender Salamander
State Reptile
Three-toed Box Turtle
State Amphibian
American Bullfrog
State Fish
Channel Catfish
State Insect
Honeybee
State Invertebrate
Crayfish
State Horse
Missouri Fox Trotter
FAQ
What are the most dangerous animals in Missouri?
Michigan has several deadly and venomous snakes and spiders like the copperhead, cottonmouth, timber rattlesnake, black widow, and brown recluse. Large predators like black bears and coyotes can also become quite threatening.
Ticks are also another cause of concern as they may carry Lyme Disease.
What are the rarest animals in Missouri?
The hellbender, Townsend’s big-eared bat, alligator snapping turtle, least tern bird, and red-headed woodpecker are some of the rarest animals because their population is threatened by habitat loss and human activities.
What are some common nocturnal animals in Missouri?
Bats, flying squirrels, owls, raccoons, skunks, opossums, coyotes, and beavers are a few of the animals in Missouri you will likely encounter at night.
What are some common invasive species in Missouri?
Typical invasive animals in the state include common carp, emerald ash borer, and zebra mussels. Mammals like wild hogs and nutrias were also introduced in the state.
