Fauna
The forests are home to more than 300 species of birds including Golden Eagle, Thick-billed Parrot (which is now endangered having been trapped for collections), Military Macaw and Tufted Jay, and were once home to the Imperial Woodpecker which is now thought to be extinct.
Mammals include the American Black Bear and jaguar. The rare Mexican Wolf was once common in the mountains but is now not found in the wild while Mexican grizzly bear is now thought to be extinct.
The many reptiles include the rock rattlesnake (Crotalus lepidus), twin-spotted rattlesnake (Crotalus pricei), ridgenose rattlesnake (Crotalus willardi) and some Spiny lizards (Sceloporus clarki, S. jarrovi, S. scalaris and S. virgatus).
Finally the mountains are important stage in the migration route of monarch butterflies.
Read more about this topic: Sierra Madre Occidental Pine-oak Forests
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