Martes americana
Silhouette: Margot Michaud · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~30% in a week ~60%
The American marten (Martes americana), also known as the American pine marten, is a species of North American mammal, a member of the family Mustelidae. The species is sometimes referred to as simply the pine marten. The name "pine marten" is derived from the common name of the related but distinct Eurasian species, Martes martes. Martes americana is found throughout Canada and parts of the northern United States including Alaska. It is a long, slender-bodied marten, with fur ranging from yellowish to brown to near black. It may be confused with the fisher (Pekania pennanti), but the marten is lighter in color and smaller. Identification of the marten is further eased by a characteristic bib that is a distinctly different color from the body. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, with males being much larger.
These martens are omnivorous and their diet varies by season, but they rely chiefly on small mammals, such as voles. They are solitary except during the midsummer breeding season. Embryonic implantation is delayed until late winter, however, with a litter of one to five kits born the following spring. Young stay with the mother in a constructed den until the fall, and they reach sexual maturity by one year old.
Their sable-like fur made them a thoroughly trapped species during the height of the North American fur trade. Trapping peaked in 1820, and populations were depleted until after the turn of the century. Populations have rebounded since, with them being considered a species of least concern by the IUCN, but they remain extirpated from some areas of the Northeast, and of the seven subspecies, one is threatened. Wikipedia →
Recording0:26
Canada · 2021
© Cerys_just_Cerys · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
Recording0:32
Canada · 2024
© Tracy · iNaturalist · CC BY-NC 4.0
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Banff National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Jasper National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 3 | Riding Mountain National Park | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 4 | Glacier National Park | 🇺🇸 United States |
| # | Zoo / Centre | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ecomuseum Zoo | 🇨🇦 Canada | |
| 2 | Minnesota Zoo | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 3 | Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center | 🇺🇸 United States | |
| 4 | Bear Country USA | 🇺🇸 United States |
With luck
About 10% of wildlife watchers report an American Marten sighting in Riding Mountain National Park on a given day, based on 11 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 15th most-seen of the 24 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 30%, and over a week to about 60%, if each day is a fresh chance.
December
In that month about 40% of wildlife watchers report an American Marten in Riding Mountain National Park on a given day, against under 5% in January–March and September–November, the lowest months. That is one of Riding Mountain National Park's driest months, with about 25 mm of rain against 100 mm in June.
Between 9 am and noon
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most American Marten sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.
3rd of 4
Of the 4 parks where we can rate American Marten sightings, Riding Mountain National Park ranks 3rd at about 10%. The best odds are in Banff National Park (Canada, about 20%) and Jasper National Park (Canada, about 20%).
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the American Marten is recorded against all the mammals logged in Riding Mountain National Park (11 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
