Can You Identify These Common Trail Animals?

By: Elizabeth Lavis
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
Can You Identify These Common Trail Animals?
Image: Cody Pope via WikiCommons

About This Quiz

When it's time to hit the road and get out on the trail, you're sure to encounter more than just foliage and fresh air. Leaving the city means reconnecting with the amazing animal kingdom.

From adorable tiny chipmunks to powerful and elusive mountain lions, you'll find animals of all shapes and sizes when you hit your favorite trail. Some, like the grizzly bear, are apex predators and should be avoided at all costs. Others, such as river otters, are playful and sweet and might even put on a show for the humans passing through.

This quiz highlights the most common trail animals, from mammals to brightly-colored birds, like blue jays and robins. Some of them, like the gray fox, only come out at night and are especially shy around people. Others, such as the coyote, travel in packs and can be dangerous if provoked. 

The woods and trail are teeming with animals great and small, deadly and docile. If you are a true pioneer at heart, it's time to prove your stuff on this quiz that will ask you to name each common trail animal by looking at the picture. We guarantee that it is absolutely not as easy as it sounds!

Bullfrogs
Fice via WikiCommons
What are these giant amphibians that make a huge racket?
Green tree frogs
Bullfrogs
Salamanders
Poison dart frogs
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Bullfrogs are massive amphibians that eat just about everything; even other bullfrogs. They can make a huge racket on the trail but are not dangerous to humans or companion animals.

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Raccooon
Darkone via WikiCommons
Which masked bandit can be found both on the trail and in cities?
Opposum
Shunk
Squirrel
Raccoon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Raccoons may look cute and cuddly, but make no mistake — these masked bandits can be dangerous to humans. They generally only come out at night, and are notorious pillagers of trash.

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Hummingbirds
Charles J Sharp via WikiCommons
Spotting one of these ruby beauties is tough to do. What are these tiny birds?
Hummingbirds
Sparrows
Egrets
Doves
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Tiny hummingbirds might just be the most adorable animals out there, but they are notoriously tricky to spot out in the wild. If you come across one of these beauties, consider yourself lucky!

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Black Bear
smartneddy via WikiCommons
What creature, pictured here, should you avoid if you see on the trail?
Grizzly bear
Polar bear
Black bear
Panda bear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Black bears are common animals in the wild, and they do pose a large danger to humans who surprise them in their natural habitat. Black bears can be food-aggressive and territorial.

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Canadian Geese
Chris Light via WikiCommons
What big birds can be a bit persnickety and territorial?
Egrets
Canada geese
Hawks
Bald eagles
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Although their name specifies that they are from Canada, these geese can be found all over North America. They are large birds that tend to move in big flocks and can be a bit cranky.

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Brown bats
Hollingsworth John and Karen via WikiCommons
What nocturnal flyers operate by echolocation?
Vampire bats
Turkey vultures
Owls
Brown bats
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Common brown bats might look a little bit scary, but humans have virtually nothing to fear from them. They are quite useful creatures who hunt at night and use echolocation to navigate.

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Wood Duck
Rhododendrites via WikiCommons
It's a water wanderer that is a common sight on the trail. What animal is it?
Wood duck
Swan
Turkey vulture
Egret
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wood ducks are generally very beautiful animals that are notable for their vivid green and brown coloring. These docile creatures spend their days paddling around ponds out in the wild.

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Opposum
Liam Wolff via WikiCommons
What helpful marsupial eats harmful ticks and bugs?
Skunk
Squirrel
Opossum
Wood rat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This large marsupial might look a little frightening, but it's actually a very helpful animal that consumes insects that might otherwise harm people. If you see one on the trail, leave it be.

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Turkey Vulture
VJAnderson via WikiCommons
Which airborne expert scavenger dominates the trail?
Turkey vulture
Bald eagle
Hawk
Heron
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Turkey vultures are expert scavengers that prefer freshly deceased carrion or human garbage. They will occasionally kill their prey, but they prefer not to do the dirty work.

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Cottontail Rabbits
Acroterion via WikiCommons
You'll encounter plenty of these animals, but sadly none of them are likely to have candy. What are they?
Pygmy shrews
Moles
Cottontail rabbits
Woodchucks
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You will find several of these fluffy creatures hopping down the bunny trail. Cottontail rabbits are quick, shy creatures that generally flee from humans that tread into their territory.

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Bald Eagle
Lewis Hulbert via WikiCommons
Which patriotic bird is a treat to see on the trail?
Bald eagle
Red-tailed hawk
Blue jay
Egret
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The bald eagle is easily most recognizable as the national animal emblem of the United States, and you can find it all over the continental United States, Alaska and most of Canada.

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Beaver
Makedocreative via WikiCommons
What industrious animal is known for building dams?
Mole
Pygmy shrew
Beaver
Muskrat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Beavers are known for their powerful teeth and broad flat tails. They scamper all over the wilderness, cutting down trees with their razor-sharp teeth, and building dams in the rivers.

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Blue Jay
Manjith Kainickara via WikiCommons
Not the baseball team out of Toronto, but the bright bird you'll see on the trail. What is this beauty?
Blue jay
Robin
Dove
Lark
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Considered large songbirds, blue jays are the bright azure birds that will make your day out in the wilderness all that more colorful. They are most common in the northern U.S. and southern Canada.

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Woodrat
Peterson B Moose via WikiCommons
No need to be afraid of these large rodents. What are they?
Skink
Pygmy shrew
Dormouse
Woodrat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Woodrats are also known as packrats, and they are prevalent on the trail. These rodents might look a little bit scary, but they really don't pose any serious threat to people who are hiking.

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Egrets
Basile Morin via WikiCommons
What birds are actually a large variety of heron?
Egrets
Woodpeckers
Albino flamingos
Emus
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Graceful egrets are actually a type of heron that is most commonly found in the wetlands. They tend to stay to themselves and do not usually confront humans. Their wingspan is massive!

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Squirrels
Charles J Sharp via WikiCommons
Which common tree-dwellers can be seen all over the trail?
Pygmy shrews
Chipmunks
Moles
Squirrels
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Squirrels are bushy-tailed beauties that are actually a large type of rodent. They are highly social animals that scamper around in trees and spend much of their time foraging for food.

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Red-tailed hawk
Rhododendrites via WikiCommons
Which deadly bird of prey will you find deep in the wilderness?
Great horned owl
Condor
Red-tailed hawk
Falcon
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Red-tailed hawks are very common birds of prey that you can find all over North America and even down as far south as Panama. They are deadly adept hunters with very evolved eyesight.

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Woodchuck
Greg Schechter via WikiCommons
He may or may not see its shadow. What animal is pictured?
Woodchuck
Pygmy shrew
Muskrat
Capybara
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Woodchucks are also known as groundhogs and are very common animals in the woods. The most famous woodchuck is Punxsutawney Phil, who predicts whether or not spring will come early.

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Great Horned Owl
Jessie Eastland via WikiCommons
What winged creature graces the trail with its wise presence?
Finch
Great horned owl
Falcon
Emu
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Great horned owls are also known as hoot owls or tiger owls. They are common birds that have astounding strength in their talons. Great horned owls also debut in J.K. Rowling's universe, as Harry Potter's pet was one.

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Chipmunk
Frank Schulenburg via WikiCommons
Which tiny rodent is lightning quick?
Mole
Chipmunk
Muskrat
Flying squirrel
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Chipmunks are probably the cutest rodents in the entire world. They are minuscule, striped, and extremely fast. Still, don't try to corner one. Like most rodents, chipmunks have a nasty bite.

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Red Salamander
The Vault Dweller via WikiCommons
What bright lizard pictured here is a common sight on the trail?
Red salamander
Newt
Gecko
Monitor lizard
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You can find the red salamander in bodies of standing water all over the United States. These bright creatures are red with small black dots. Their coloring actually deters predators.

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Corn Snake
Tjp2000 via WikiCommons
This snake is common but not so dangerous. What is it?
Garden snake
Viper
Rattlesnake
Corn snake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Corn snakes are fairly docile animals that will not usually attempt to harm or to bite people. Their skins are bright yellow and orange, and they can grow as large as 6 feet long.

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Woodpecker
Charles J Sharp via WikiCommons
What animal can be seen tapping on trees all over the trail?
Songbird
Swallow
Woodpecker
Tern
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

As their name suggests, woodpeckers are known for tapping away at trees in search of insects to eat. Many of them subsist solely on insects, but some woodpeckers like berries as well.

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Mole
MatthiasKabel via WikiCommons
Which burrowing mammal is very common out in the country?
Mole
Pygmy shrew
Skunk
Sloth
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

What you might not notice while you're making your way down the trail, is that there are dozens of tunnels buried right beneath your feet. You can thank moles, which are small, burrowing mammals.

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White-tailed Deer
Katja Schulz via WikiCommons
These shy animals sometimes dart out in front of traffic. What are they?
Bison
Elk
White-tailed deer
Moose
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

White-tailed deer are common animals that dot the trail. They don't pose a threat to humans unless they wander into populated areas and dart out in front of traffic at dusk or dawn.

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Pygmy Shrew
Salix via WikiCommons
Which trail animal is often found in the northern United States and Alaska?
Pygmy shrew
Ungulate
Wombat
Anteater
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pygmy shrews have super metabolisms and need to eat every two hours or else they will not survive. These tiny creatures are found all over the northern United States and parts of Alaska.

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Muskrat
Rob Swystun via WikiCommons
This semi-aquatic rodent is found in wetlands all over the country. What is it?
River otter
Lynx
Skunk
Muskrat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Muskrats can be fairly aggressive and have been known to attack humans, especially small children. They are semi-aquatic and can be quite territorial. They cause shore erosion with their burrowing.

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Coyote
Macmanes via WikiCommons
What howling pack animals are common sights on the trail?
Coyotes
Bobcats
Wild dogs
Lynxes
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Coyotes are a type of wild wolf that tends to roam around on the trail. They are pack animals and expert scavengers and can be dangerous to humans or companion animals if confronted.

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Lynx
David Castor via WikiCommons
Which beautiful feline is quite elusive, but still can be found on the trail?
Cougar
Leopard
Lynx
Puma
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Lynxes are beautiful animals whose soft, furry coat has been coveted by humans for centuries. As a result, these creatures are not dangerous to people, but people can be very dangerous for them.

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robin
Charles J Sharp via WikiCommons
What red-breasted songbird is a frequent sight on the trail?
Thrush
Robin
Warbler
Parrot
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Robins are common songbirds that can be spotted all over the trail. They are notable for their red chests, and their appearance in your lawn is indicative of the end of winter and beginning of spring.

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Grizzly bear
John Good via WikiCommons
It's an apex predator that poses a great threat to humans. What is it?
Polar bear
Speckled bear
Grizzly bear
Brown bear
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grizzly bears are prevalent in the northern part of the United States, Canada and Alaska, and are considered to be exceptionally dangerous to humans. They are gigantic apex predators.

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River Otter
Neal Herbert via WikiCommons
Which friendly aquatic animal will you be happy to see on the trail?
Manatee
River dolphin
Seal
River otter
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

River otters are famous for being playful animals that are highly sociable and intelligent. They are semi-aquatic, meaning that they can live both in and out of rivers as they choose.

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Copperhead Snake
Andy Reago & Chrissy McClarren via WikiCommons
What type of trail pit viper is very venomous?
Copperhead snake
Cobra
Mamba
Rattlesnake
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Copperhead snakes are poisonous pit vipers that are venomous and can be aggressive. Although their bites are not generally fatal, it is best to avoid them if you see them on the trail.

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Gray Fox
VJAnderson via WikiCommons
Which elusive nocturnal creature might you spot on the trail?
Wolf
Gray fox
Dingo
Wombat
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Grey foxes are nocturnal creatures that are most common between dusk and dawn. These quick creatures are very tough to spot, but you might get lucky and see one or two on the trail.

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Snapping Turtle
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region via WikiCommons
Don't get between this animal and its food! Those jaws are powerful. What is it?
Snapping turtle
Tortoise
Sea turtle
Box turtle
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Snapping turtles have exceptionally powerful jaws and often will bite clean through their prey. Their jaws are often locking, and they will not easily let go of their intended target.

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Bobcat
Janarie Kay Ramelli via WikiCommons
What medium-sized cat stalks the trail?
Puma
Bobcat
Panther
Ocelot
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

While not common sights on the trail, it is possible to run across a bobcat if you are deep in the woods. Bobcats are medium-sized cats, but don't let that fool you! They can be fierce.

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Skunk
Magnus Manske via WikiCommons
What "fragrant" animal is seen by unlucky trail trekkers?
Skunk
Skink
Prairie dog
Dingo
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Skunks are well known for their best defense mechanism; their ability to douse their enemies with a spray of foul stench. Run afoul of a skunk, and you could find yourself a target.

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Mountain Lion
Tony Hisgett via WikiCommons
Which aloof and powerful creature usually roams the trail by itself?
Ocelot
Leopard
Mountain lion
Cheetah
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Also known as cougars, mountain lions prefer to avoid the company of humans. Encounters are exceptionally rare, but when they happen, they usually don't end well for the person in question.

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Rattlesnake
Victorrocha via WikiCommons
What snake gives you a loud warning to stay away from it?
Asp
Rattlesnake
Mamba
Cobra
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Rattlesnakes are a type of pit viper that uses its castanet-like tail to warn predators that it is underfoot. You would be wise to listen to the warning, as rattlesnakes are exceptionally dangerous.

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Wild Turkey
Frank Schulenburg via WikiCommons
Which trail animal sometimes graces a Thanksgiving table?
Ostrich
Emu
Condor
Wild turkey
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Wild turkeys are a lot like their domesticated cousins, but they tend to be slimmer. If nobody grabs them for Thanksgiving dinner, these animals can live up to five years in the wild.

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You Got:
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Cody Pope via WikiCommons