Mammology
Herpetology
Ornithology
Entomology
Ichthyology
100
This keystone species, known for engineering wetland ecosystems, has orange teeth due to iron deposits that strengthen its enamel.
What is a beaver?
100
This venomous snake is the only rattlesnake species found in Colorado and is known for its warning rattle.
What is the prairie rattlesnake?
100
Unlike most birds, this species can hover in place, fly backward, and even upside-down, making it one of the most agile fliers in the world.
What is a hummingbird?
100
This insect, known for its bright orange and black wings, migrates thousands of miles from Canada and the U.S. to Mexico each year.
What is the monarch butterfly?
100
This native Colorado fish, one of the rarest in the state, has been the focus of major conservation efforts due to habitat loss, competition from non-native species, and hybridization threats.
What is the greenback cutthroat trout?
200
Found in Colorado's alpine tundra, this lagomorph does not hibernate and instead collects and stores vegetation in "haypiles" to survive the winter.
What is an American pika?
200
This amphibian was once very common in Colorado but has declined due to disease and habitat loss. It is now a focus of conservation efforts.
What is the boreal toad?
200
This large bird of prey, often seen soaring over Colorado, is known for its impressive wingspan and golden-brown plumage.
What is the golden eagle?
200
This largest group of insects, making up nearly 40% of all known insect species, includes weevils, ladybugs, and fireflies.
What are beetles (Coleoptera)?
200
This group of fish, which includes salmon and trout, is known for its anadromous life cycle, meaning it hatches in freshwater, migrates to the ocean, and returns to freshwater to spawn.
What are salmonids?
300
This large Colorado mammal experiences seasonal sexual segregation, with males and females forming separate herds for most of the year except during the rut. Males engage in intense head-butting contests that can generate forces over 800 times the force of gravity.
What is the bighorn sheep?
300
This only venomous lizard species in the United States is not found in Colorado but lives in the desert Southwest and is known for its slow movement and bright orange and black coloring.
What is the Gila monster?
300
This largest North American land bird, once nearly extinct, has been successfully reintroduced to parts of the western U.S.
What is the California condor?
300
Some species of this insect, commonly found in homes, can survive for weeks without their heads due to their decentralized nervous system.
What is a cockroach?
300
Unlike most fish, this species, found in Colorado rivers, can breathe air and survive in low-oxygen environments by gulping at the surface.
What is the common carp?
400
This Colorado predator, once thought to be extinct in the wild, was rediscovered in Wyoming in 1981 and later reintroduced to several locations, including Colorado.
What is the black-footed ferret?
400
This turtle species, found in parts of Colorado, spends much of its life buried in the mud and can survive months without breathing.
What is the common snapping turtle?
400
Unlike most birds, which have three toes pointing forward and one backward, this group of birds has two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward, helping them grip tree bark.
What are woodpeckers?
400
This striped insect is often mistaken for a bee but is actually a type of fly and cannot sting.
What is a hoverfly?
400
This is the largest freshwater fish species found in Colorado, known for its long snout and cartilaginous skeleton.
What is the shovelnose sturgeon?
500
This rare, highly elusive North American mammal was once widespread but now has only a few confirmed populations in the lower 48 states. In 2009, a lone individual traveled over 500 miles from Wyoming to Colorado, marking the first confirmed sighting in the state in nearly a century.
What is the wolverine?
500
This Colorado amphibian is one of the few in North America that gives birth to live young instead of laying eggs in water.
What is the tiger salamander?
500
This fastest bird in the world, which can be found in Colorado, reaches speeds of over 240 mph during a dive.
What is the peregrine falcon?
500
This type of wasp lays its eggs inside or on another insect, and when the larvae hatch, they feed on the host, eventually killing it. These wasps are often used in agriculture as natural pest control.
What is a parasitoid wasp?
500
This native Colorado fish, named for its distinctive body shape, has been heavily impacted by dams and habitat loss but remains a key conservation focus in the Colorado River system.
What is the humpback chub?