Pennsylvania’s cities and suburbs aren’t just home to humans – they’re teeming with wild animals that have adapted to urban living. From parks to backyards, these creatures have found ways to survive and even thrive alongside us.
Next time you’re outside, keep your eyes peeled for these remarkable wild neighbors sharing our Pennsylvania communities.
1. Red Fox
Those flashes of rusty-orange fur darting through neighborhoods at dusk aren’t stray dogs – they’re red foxes making themselves at home in Pennsylvania’s urban areas! These clever canines have adapted brilliantly to city life, denning under sheds or in overgrown corners of parks.
Red foxes primarily hunt mice and voles, actually helping control rodent populations around homes. They’re typically shy around humans but increasingly comfortable living near us, making late evening or early morning your best chance for spotting one.
2. White-Tailed Deer
Majestic and surprisingly adaptable, white-tailed deer have become regular residents in Pennsylvania’s suburban landscapes. These graceful mammals browse on garden plants, ornamental shrubs, and whatever greenery they can find in parks and wooded lots.
Dawn and dusk offer prime viewing opportunities when deer move between feeding areas. Many Pennsylvania neighborhoods now host multiple generations of deer families that have never known true wilderness, completely comfortable navigating streets and yards like they’re natural deer habitat.
3. Peregrine Falcon
Once nearly extinct, these magnificent birds of prey now make their homes on skyscrapers and bridges throughout Pennsylvania cities. Reaching diving speeds over 200 mph, peregrines have found urban environments perfect substitutes for their natural cliff habitats.
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia host several nesting pairs, where tall buildings mimic cliff faces and abundant pigeons provide steady meals. Many nesting sites have webcams installed, allowing bird enthusiasts to watch these incredible hunters raise their young without disturbing them.
4. Eastern Coyote
Mysterious and misunderstood, eastern coyotes have silently expanded into Pennsylvania’s urban areas. Larger than western coyotes due to wolf DNA, these adaptable predators primarily hunt small mammals but will eat almost anything – from berries to pet food left outdoors.
Extremely wary of humans, urban coyotes are masters of staying hidden despite living surprisingly close to busy areas. Listen for their distinctive howls and yips at night, especially in neighborhoods bordering parks, golf courses, or cemeteries where they can find both food and shelter.
5. Great Horned Owl
Those haunting hoots echoing through Pennsylvania neighborhoods belong to our largest common owl species. Great horned owls have claimed territories in city parks, cemeteries, and wooded suburbs, where tall trees provide perfect nesting sites.
Powerful hunters with distinctive ear tufts (not actually horns), these nocturnal birds prey on everything from mice to skunks and even other owls. February is prime time for spotting them as they begin nesting earlier than most birds, with their distinctive “who-who-who” calls filling winter nights.
6. Raccoon
Few animals have mastered urban living quite like raccoons. These masked bandits with their remarkably dexterous paws can open garbage cans, unlatch gates, and solve complex puzzles to access food sources throughout Pennsylvania communities.
Naturally nocturnal, raccoons have adapted to human schedules, often appearing at dusk to begin their nightly rounds. Their intelligence makes them fascinating to observe but problematic when they decide your attic would make a perfect nursery for their kits each spring.
7. Red-Tailed Hawk
Soaring majestically above Pennsylvania’s urban landscapes, red-tailed hawks have discovered that cities offer excellent hunting opportunities. Their distinctive screech (often used as the generic “eagle sound” in movies) can be heard as they circle overhead searching for prey.
These impressive birds build large stick nests in tall trees or on building ledges throughout Pennsylvania cities. Highly adaptable, they hunt squirrels, rabbits, and rodents that thrive in urban environments, making them valuable natural pest controllers in our communities.
8. Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Those little brown bunnies munching on your lawn aren’t escaped pets – they’re wild eastern cottontails that have found suburban Pennsylvania to be paradise! With predators kept at bay and abundant food sources, these rabbits thrive in neighborhoods, parks, and garden edges.
Most active at dawn and dusk, cottontails create shallow depressions called “forms” under bushes or in tall grass for resting. Their population booms in spring when females can produce several litters, turning many Pennsylvania yards into unofficial rabbit nurseries.
9. Groundhog (Woodchuck)
Famous for their weather predictions, groundhogs have become year-round residents in Pennsylvania’s urban areas. These rotund rodents excavate extensive burrow systems in parks, along fences, and even under sheds or decks in residential neighborhoods.
Primarily vegetarians, groundhogs feast on garden plants and grasses, often becoming unwelcome guests for gardeners. Unlike their more secretive wild cousins, urban groundhogs grow surprisingly bold, sometimes allowing close observation as they sun themselves near their burrow entrances on warm afternoons.
10. Opossum
North America’s only marsupial has found comfortable homes in Pennsylvania’s urban environments. Often misunderstood, opossums are actually beneficial neighbors that consume ticks, small rodents, overripe fruit, and other items many consider pests or waste.
These nocturnal creatures with prehensile tails and distinctive white faces are naturally slow-moving and non-aggressive. When threatened, they famously “play dead” – an involuntary response rather than a clever trick. Having opossums visit your yard regularly means fewer ticks and less risk of Lyme disease!
11. Cooper’s Hawk
Bird feeder enthusiasts across Pennsylvania often spot these medium-sized hawks patrolling backyard feeding stations. Cooper’s hawks specialize in hunting other birds, making busy feeders prime hunting territory for these agile predators with their distinctive long tails and rounded wings.
Once rare in urban areas, these woodland hawks have adapted remarkably well to city living. They build well-concealed nests in tall trees throughout Pennsylvania neighborhoods and have learned to navigate between buildings and through parks with impressive speed and precision.