Wildlife of Acadia National Park
Acadia sits on a raptor migration flyway and hosts nesting peregrine falcons on the granite cliffs. Harbour seals haul out on offshore ledges, harbour porpoises feed close to shore, and the boreal-transition forest holds moose, black bear and returning fisher populations.
Best timeLate August – October for hawk migration and colour.
- 1Acadia has one of the densest populations of harbour seals on the US East Coast.
- 2Peregrine falcons nest on Cadillac Mountain cliffs each summer.
- 3The park logs 300+ bird species — including boreal specialities.
Signature species
Curated for Acadia National Park, each tagged with its IUCN Red List status.
- LC
Peregrine falcon
Falco peregrinus
- VU
Atlantic puffin
Fratercula arctica
Nearby islands host colonies.
- CR
North Atlantic right whale
Eubalaena glacialis
- VU
Bicknell's thrush
Catharus bicknelli
- LC
Harbour seal
Phoca vitulina
IUCN codes — EX extinct · EW extinct in wild · CR critically endangered · EN endangered · VU vulnerable · NT near threatened · LC least concern · DD data deficient
Dos & don'ts
Local etiquette that keeps wildlife wild.
Do
- Sunrise on Cadillac in July for peregrine feeding flights.
- Book a puffin tour from Bar Harbor.
- Keep distance — use zoom or binoculars, never bait animals closer.
- Stay on marked trails to avoid trampling nests, burrows and plants.
Don't
- Don't approach seal haul-outs by kayak.
- Don't leave food scraps — gulls harass hikers on trails.
- Never feed wildlife — human food changes behaviour and shortens lives.
- Don't share exact locations of nests, dens or rare species online.
Spotted here lately
Live from iNaturalist — research-grade observations within 40km, last 30 days.
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