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!

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!