1. Arizona gecko
   Southern iguana
2. Gila monster
   Blue-tongue skink

The Gila monster has a horrible reputation in local folklore. These bright-colored lizards have a very strong bite, and while their venom is poisonous, it rarely causes death in humans.

1. Gray wolf
   Coyote
2. Dingo
   Culpeo

Gray wolves used to be common across all of North America, but by the mid-'30s they were exterminated in most areas of the United States. Now you can find them in Alaska, Canada, northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest and the Great Lakes.

1. Copperhead
   South American rattlesnake
2. Rhinoceros viper
   South American bushmaster

The South American rattlesnake is one of the most dangerous species of its kind. Their venom attacks more strongly and profoundly than that of other rattlesnakes. It is the only rattlesnake found in Central and South America.

1. Striped skunk
   Spotty raccoon
2. Black fox
   Hog-nosed skunk

The striped skunk is only found in North America and nowhere else in the world. One of the most notable characteristics of skunks is their defense mechanism that includes spraying the attacker with a smelly fluid. If sprayed in the eyes directly, it may cause pain and temporary blindness.

1. Lynx
   Leopard
2. Ocelot
   Ringtail cat

The ocelot’s unique spotted coat is perfect for stalking through the grass of Mexican forests. Countless hunters have been targeting them because of their beautiful fur, which is why ocelots are very rare in some areas.

1. Black wolf
   Coyote
2. Wild pound
   Short-eared dog

Larger than most dogs but smaller than wolves, coyotes are ruthless opportunists with a dangerous streak. They can eat pretty much anything, including bones and rotten meat.

1. Brown weasel
   Northern beaver
2. Brown fox
   Wolverine

Wolverines are polygamous, and males usually form long relationships with a couple of females. They are famous for their fearlessness and tales of their ferocity are legendary.

1. Moose
   Elk
2. Bison
   Reindeer

The largest elk population in the world lives in Colorado. They are very social animals who live in same-sex herds that consist of 10 to 20 elk.

1. Mule deer
   Chital
2. Merida brocket
   Moose

Moose are the largest members of their deer family. The most impressive moose specimens can be found in Alaska and Siberia: bulls over there weigh 1,300 pounds and stand 7 feet tall.

1. American Bison
   Elk
2. Caribou
   Black muntjac

American Bison is the official name for this mammal, and while it is the correct term for this species, they are often called buffalo. Technically, a buffalo is a different animal, native to Africa and Asia only.

1. Cheetah
   Mountain Lion
2. Lynx
   Bobcat

The Canada lynx is one of the four members of the lynx family. They are skilled hunters with amazing hearing and sharp eyesight.

1. Grizzly bear
   Asiatic black bear
2. Andean bear
   Brown mountain bear

Grizzly bears are very powerful predators, they are right at the top of the food chain, and yet their favorite food consists of berries, root, fruit and roots. However, they also eat other animals, from mice to moose.

1. American alligator
   Florida crocodile
2. Banded Gila monster
   Spectacled caiman

Scientists say the American alligator is more than 150 million years old. This animal managed to escape extinction 65 million years ago when the dinosaurs died off.

1. Bobcat
   Mountain cat
2. Cougar
   Clouded leopard

A cougar cannot roar as other big cats do, but it can purr just like a house cat. They also have similar bodies to house cats, only on a much larger scale.

1. Northern licker
   Gilded flicker
2. Campo flicker
   Green-barred woodpecker

Northern flickers don’t act like your everyday bird. They spend most of the time on the ground even though they can fly perfectly fine just as most birds do.

1. Desert mouse
   Ringtail cat
2. Southern raccoon
   Mexican raccoon

Ringtail cats are not related to cats. They are a part of the raccoon family. The name “Ringtail” comes from the ring markings on the animal’s tail.

1. Swift
   Northern mockingbird
2. Hummingbird
   Swallow

The northern mockingbird is very territorial, despite its size. It attacks intruders that dare to come close to its territory. Sometimes it may even attack its own reflection!

1. Gopher
   Beaver
2. Capybara
   Chinchilla

Beavers are famous for their danger signal. When scared, the beaver will dive while slapping the water with his large tail, creating a loud noise.

1. Stone sheep
   Rocky goat
2. Bighorn sheep
   Dall sheep

Bighorn sheep are very muscular and can weigh from 100 to 320 pounds. During the summer, these amazing creatures can be found in the high portions of the Rocky Mountains.

1. Jaguar
   Leopard
2. Mexican lion
   Puma

Jaguars are the third largest cats in the world and the largest cat that lives in South America. Their black spots are called “rosettes” because they look like roses.

1. Florida panther
   Florida jaguar
2. Florida puma
   Florida mountain lion

Florida panther cubs have blue eyes and a spotted coat. It helps them camouflage from potential predators. They lose their spots as they grow older.

1. Hawaiian monk seal
   Hawaiian harp seal
2. Southern gray seal
   Southern elephant seal

While most seals prefer to live in colder areas, the Hawaiian monk seals love the warm, sandy beaches of the Hawaiian Islands. They are a rare tropical exception in the seal family.

1. Appaloosa horse
   Arabian horse
2. Thoroughbred
   Morgan

The gorgeous Appaloosa was almost extinct once upon a time. Now they belong to one of the most numerous horse breeds in the country.

1. Cardinal
   Bee- eater
2. Swallow
   Cuckoo

Male cardinals like to take care of their partners. When a female cardinal sings from its nest, it’s usually a sign to the male that she needs food.

1. Casque-headed lizard
   Spotted gecko
2. American lizard
   Tiger salamander

Adult tiger salamanders spend most of their time underground. However, they live in burrows created by other animals because they aren’t good at burrowing.

1. Eastern goldfinch
   Northern cardinal
2. Yellow oriole
   American robin

The Eastern goldfinch sheds all of its feathers twice a year. It is the only member of the finch family that does this.

1. Giant squirrel
   Gray squirrel
2. Fox squirrel
   Ground squirrel

Gray squirrels are very sneaky when they’re hiding their nuts. Sometimes they even pretend to hide them if they think someone is watching.

1. Western dark pelican
   Eastern brown pelican
2. Southern gray pelican
   Great white pelican

The eastern brown pelican is the only pelican in the world that’s not white. It weighs only four pounds but has a four-foot-long body.

1. Ragdoll cat
   Maine coon
2. Persian cat
   Maine Siamese

Maine coons are one of the biggest cats in the world. They aren’t considered fully grown until they are five years old.

1. American robin
   Hummingbird
2. Cedar waxwing
   Common redpoll

Robins have a very versatile diet. They eat different kinds of food depending on the time of the day: earthworms for breakfast and fruit for lunch and dinner.

1. Sika deer
   Roe deer
2. White-tailed deer
   Fallow deer

White-tailed deer change the color of their fur during the year, depending on the season and their location. Usually, they have reddish-brown fur in summer and grayish fur in winter.

1. Purple finch
   Red robin
2. Pink swift
   Lady bird

Only the male purple finches have the beautiful reddish-purple color. During their first year, males look more like females. They don’t get their pretty colors until they are all grown.

1. Roadrunner
   Brush cuckoo
2. Gray finch
   Chickadee

Roadrunners don’t fly because they can’t be in the air for very long. They only fly when they have to escape predators, and they can stay in the air for only several seconds at a time.

1. Lynx
   Bobcat
2. Jaguar
   Ocelot

There are 12 subspecies of the bobcat. At one moment their territory was spread all over the United States, but their numbers have decreased over the years.

1. Groundhog
   Beaver
2. Gopher
   Nutria

Groundhogs belong to the squirrel family. They are the largest ones in the family, and they live only in woodland areas of the United States and Canada.

1. Musk ox
   Moose
2. Fallow deer
   Bison

The musk ox is a prehistoric animal that has survived the Pleistocene extinction. They are very rare, and they live in remote parts of Alaska rarely visited by humans.

1. Kodiak bear
   Black bear
2. Mountain bear
   American grizzly

Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the whole world. A grown male can weigh up to 1,500 pounds and stand over 10 feet tall when standing on his back legs.

1. Copperhead
   Rattlesnake
2. Temple pit viper
   Coral snake

When you provoke a coral snake, it will make a popping sound by expelling air from its urinary opening. These so-called “microfarts” only happen when the animal feels endangered.

1. Least weasel
   White fox
2. Otter
   White ferret

The least weasel is a tiny, mouse-sized animal with a long, slender body. However, it is a fierce predator regardless of its size.

1. Bald eagle
   White-headed eagle
2. Crowned eagle
   Snake eagle

The bald eagle is the national bird of the United States. It’s the only type of eagle solely native to North America.