Native Plants & Wildlife

It wasn't very long ago that Mansfield was a tiny stop sign in the wild, wild west. Even with all the growth, a trip to your nearest park will prove it's still got a little bit of that wild left!

Please do not attempt to touch, pet, feed or catch any wildlife you see. You are a visitor in their home and they should be left alone! If you are concerned about a possible dangerous animal, please contact Animal Care & Control at (817) 276-4799.

Where to Look

Your best chance of seeing wildlife is along the Walnut Creek Linear Trail or in the larger parks with more undeveloped space, like Elmer W. Oliver Nature Park, Katherine Rose Memorial Park and Town Park. If you spot a little creature on your next visit, please take a photo and share it with us on social media (@MansfieldTxParks on Facebook or Instagram) so we can all enjoy your discovery!

ONP lizard

Plants & Animals in Mansfield Parks

The species listed below have been identified and verified by a member of our staff but are by no means an absolute list. Some appear native to the area and some have been added, either by parks staff or by previous land owners. We are constantly discovering new creatures and sprouts in our park and always welcome your submissions. 

For more detailed questions on any of these, please contact Oliver Nature Park's Nature Education staff.

Birds

  • Red Shouldered Hawk
  • Barred Owl
  • Mississippi Kite
  • Cardinal
  • Blue Jay
  • Wren
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Red Belly Woodpecker
  • Chickades
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Little Green Heron
  • Mallard Ducks (spring and winter)

Forest Animals

  • Bobcats (most often seen at Town Park and Oliver Nature Park)
  • Coyotes (seen at all parks; often along the WCLT and in Oliver Nature Park)
  • Red Fox
  • Texas Rat Snake
  • Green Anole
  • Texas Spiny Lizard
  • Armadillos
  • Rough Green Snakes
  • Raccoons
  • Squirrels
  • Rabbits

Pond Life

  • Red Eared Slider Turtle
  • Snapping Turtle (Rose Park and Pond Branch Trail)
  • Beavers
  • Nutria
  • Bullfrogs
  • Toads
  • Leopard Frogs

Flowers and Plants

  • Aster
  • Bluebonnets
  • Black-eyed Susan
  • Bull Nettle
  • Daisies
  • Dogwood
  • Indian Blanket
  • Mexican Plum
  • Texas Paintbrush
  • Ragweed
  • Wild Garlic
  • Yarrow
  • Yucca

Trees

  • Ash (Green and Texas)
  • Black Walnut
  • Bald Cypress
  • Boxelder
  • Bumelia
  • Cedar (Eastern Red and Mountain)
  • Chinaberry
  • Cottonwood
  • Dogwood (Roughleaf)
  • Elm (Cedar and American)
  • Hackberry
  • Holly (Yaupon & Possumhaw)
  • Honey Locust
  • Magnolia
  • Mesquite
  • Mexican Plum
  • Oak (Post, Burr, Blackjack, Red and Live)
  • Osage Orange (Bois Darc)
  • Pecan
  • Willow

INaturalist

Many of our park visitors have become active on INaturalist, a website and app that allows citizen scientists all over the world to document sightings of plants and wildlife with photos and location information. These images are shared, collected and discussed by other members who use the information for scientific research, to help identify unique species, and just for the love of nature! Check out the most recent discoveries from Oliver Nature Park below, and click through for even more details and to sign up for a free account to join the hunt!