Larger mammals
The white-tailed deer is the most plentiful of the large mammals living in the Catskill Mountains. It is not the only member of the deer family found in this region however, since an occasional moose sighting is made. The black bear is also native to the Catskill ecosystem as are other predators such as the bobcat, the coyote, the red fox and the gray fox. The rivers, ponds and streams of the Catskill Mountains are home to beaver, the largest rodent found in the United States.
Smaller mammals
Smaller mammals living in the Catskill territory include the long-tailed weasel, the mink, the woodchuck, the muskrat and the opossum. Various types of moles like the eastern mole and the star-nosed species inhabit this section of New York as do voles like the meadow vole and the woodland vole. Red and gray squirrels are commonly seen and there are no less than four species of tiny shrews found in the Catskills. Types of mice like the white-footed mouse and the field mouse enjoy large populations in this combination of forests, hills, fields and mountains. Other smaller mammals found in the Catskills are the cottontail rabbit and a few classes of bats. The porcupine is also an inhabitant of this place.
Reptiles and amphibians
There are numerous kinds of snakes found throughout the Catskills, with the timber rattler, copperhead and eastern massasuaga being the only venomous species. Milk snakes, ring neck snakes, garter snakes, ribbon snakes, hog-nosed snakes, northern racers and water snakes are also common snakes of this vicinity. Turtles like the snapping turtle, bog turtle, painted turtle and the box turtle are also here. Bullfrogs, tree frogs, green frogs, newts and salamanders live in the Catskills too.
Birds
Many birds of prey call the Catskill Mountains home, in addition to a multitude of common bird species such as cardinals, chickadees, warblers, sparrows, woodpeckers, swallows and thrushes. The golden eagle and the bald eagle are found in the Catskills along with the northern goshawk, the Cooper's hawk, the red-tailed hawk, the red-shouldered hawk and the sharp-shinned hawk. Also present are such raptors as the osprey, the barn owl, the great horned owl and the eastern screech owl. Game birds such as ducks, geese, wild turkeys, grouse and bobwhite also populate the Catskills.
