Examples of animals that live in trees include birds, bees, squirrels, snakes, and lizards.
Trees are an important part of Earth’s ecosystem.
They provide shade, fruit, and shelter for many animals.
Animals that live in trees are called arboreal animals.
This is a list of the most common types of tree-dwelling creatures:
Examples of Animals that live in Trees
Examples of Animals that live in Trees
Scientific NameTurdus migratoriusType of AnimalBirdRangeCanadaDietOmnivore
The American Robin is a small bird that lives in North America.
It likes to eat fruits and berries from trees.
They also eat insects.
The American Robin sleeps in trees during the day and they fly out at night to find food.
Related Article: What is the Color of American Robin Egg?
Scientific NameAnthophilaType of AnimalInsectRangeWorldwideDietOmnivore
Bees live in colonies and make their homes in trees.
Scientific NameTrichosurus vulpeculaType of AnimalMammalRangeAustraliaDietHerbivore
The brushtail possum is a common tree-dwelling marsupial.
It is native to Australia and Tasmania but can be found in New Zealand as an invasive species because people brought them there for the fur trade.
Brushtails are omnivores that eat leaves, fruits, flowers, sap from trees, and even insects.
Scientific NameChamaeleonidaeType of AnimalReptileRangeWorldwideDietOmnivore
Chameleons are a type of lizard that can change color to blend in with their surroundings.
They live in trees and bushes in Africa, Asia, and Europe.
The long-tailed chameleon is one of the largest types.
This type of lizard has three sets of eyes: two large ones on either side and another much smaller pair below them.
Chameleons are carnivores that eat insects like beetles, spiders, flies, and crickets.
Although they spend most of their time in trees, chameleons can also live on the ground sometimes.
Related Article: Are Chameleons Stealthy?
Scientific NameParidaeType of AnimalBirdRangeAlaska and CanadaDietOmnivore
Chickadees are small songbirds that live in trees.
They are found in North America and Europe.
Chickadees eat seeds, insects, and fruit.
Scientific NameJunco hyemalisType of AnimalBirdRangeCanadaDietOmnivore
This small gray bird is found in North America and parts of Europe.
They live in coniferous forests and eat insects, seeds, and fruit.
Scientific NameSciurus carolinensisType of AnimalMammalRangeCanadaDietOmnivore
The Eastern Gray Squirrel loves the snow, so it only lives near mountains where there are plenty of coniferous forests with spruce, pine, and fir trees.
They build nests out of leaves and twigs high up in the trees.
8. Flying Lemur
8. Flying Lemur
Scientific NameDermopteraType of AnimalMammalRangeSoutheast AsiaDietHerbivore
The colugo is a small, lemur-like mammal that sleeps in trees at night and hunts for insects during the day.
They are also known as “flying lemurs” because they can glide from tree to tree using the large membranes of skin between their limbs.
Scientific NamePteropodidaeType of AnimalMammalRangeAfrica, Asia, Europe, and AustraliaDietHerbivore
This bat lives in trees and eats fruit.
Fruit bats eat a lot of fruit so they are particularly important to rainforest ecology by spreading their food around.
Scientific NameGekkonidaeType of AnimalReptileRangeWorldwideDietCarnivore
Geckos are small lizards that live in warm climates.
They have sticky toes that allow them to climb up trees and walls.
These animals are able to cling onto different surfaces because of the unique shape and structure of their feet.
Geckos have thousands of tiny hairs on each toe that help them stick to almost any surface.
Their toes also contain mucus-filled microscopic grooves that create a strong bond with whatever they want to climb up or down from.
Scientific NameGenettaType of AnimalMammalRangeAfricaDietOmnivore
These small, spotted animals are native to Africa.
They live in trees and bushes and eat insects, rodents, and other small animals.
Scientific NameAiluropoda melanoleucaType of AnimalMammalRangeChinaDietHerbivore
The Giant Panda is one of the most popular animals in the world, but it’s also very rare.
The panda lives in forested mountains where they eat bamboo all day long.
Giant Pandas are a type of bear and they’re actually really good climbers.
They use their long claws to grip the trees as they climb around, going from tree to tree all day long.
Scientific NameHylobatidaeType of AnimalMammalRangeSoutheast AsiaDietOmnivore
Gibbons are the only type of ape that lives in trees.
They live in southeast Asia and have long arms with strong hands that they use to swing from branch to branch.
Scientific NamePetauroides volansType of AnimalMammalRangethe eastern coast of the AustralianDietHerbivore
The Greater Glider is a mammal that lives in Australia.
This creature can glide from tree to tree using skin flaps between its arms.
Scientific NameDendroaspis angusticepsType of AnimalReptileRangeWest AfricaDietCarnivore
The green mamba is a venomous snake that lives in trees and shrubs.
It prefers to live on the edge of forests, where it spends its time high up in a tree or bush looking for prey like birds or rodents.
Read Also: 25 Animals that are Green
Scientific NameMorelia viridisType of AnimalReptileRangeAustralia, New Guinea, and eastern IndonesiaDietCarnivore
The green tree python is a non-venomous snake found in New Guinea and Australia.
They live almost their entire life high up in trees, especially rainforest canopies.
Grey-Headed Flying-Fox
Grey-Headed Flying-Fox
Scientific NamePteropus poliocephalusType of AnimalMammalRangeAustraliaDietHerbivore
The grey-headed flying fox is the largest bat in Australia.
It lives in forests and rural areas, where it roosts (sleeps) in trees during the day.
At night, they fly out to eat fruit from flowering trees.
Scientific NameOphisthocomus hoazinType of AnimalBirdRangeAmazon and Orinoco river basinsDietHerbivore
The hoatzin is a species of bird that lives in the Amazon rainforest.
They are known for their large, colorful crest (a type of decoration on top of the head), and their ability to eat some very toxic plants with no ill effects.
Scientific NameHaemorhous mexicanusType of AnimalBirdRangewestern North AmericaDietHerbivore
The house finch is a small songbird that lives in North America.
They are known for their bright red coloring, which helps them stand out against the green leaves of trees.
House finches typically build their nests in hanging plants or tree cavities.
Scientific NameAlouattaType of AnimalMammalRangesouthern Brazil, Paraguay, eastern Bolivia, and northern ArgentinaDietOmnivore
Howler monkeys are one of the more common species of New World monkeys.
They live in Central and South America in a variety of different habitats, including rainforest, savannah, and montane forest.
Howler monkeys are known for their loud, whooping calls that can be heard up to three miles away.
They typically live in groups of around 15-20 animals, but some groups may have as many as 100 members.
Howler monkeys spend the majority of their lives in trees, using their long tails for balance while they swing through the branches.
Italian Tree Frog
Italian Tree Frog
Scientific NameHyla intermediaType of AnimalReptileRangeItaly, Slovenia, Switzerland, and possibly San MarinoDietCarnivore
The Italian tree frog is a species of frog that lives in trees near water.
They are green or brown and have a webbing between their toes that helps them climb slippery surfaces.
Scientific NamePotos flavusType of AnimalMammalRangeCentral and South AmericaDietOmnivore
The kinkajou is a mammal from Central and South America that lives in the trees.
They are the only members of the raccoon family that live in trees.
Scientific NamePhascolarctos cinereusType of AnimalMammalRangeAustraliaDietHerbivore
The Koala lives in Australia and eats mostly eucalyptus leaves.
They sleep most of the day and hang out in trees.
Scientific NameMicrochiropteraType of AnimalMammalRangeworldwide except in the Arctic and AntarcticDietHerbivores, Carnivores, Frugivores
Microbats are the smallest bats in the world.
Microbats live mainly in trees, where they use their specially adapted claws to cling to the bark.
Scientific NameNeovison visonType of AnimalMammalRangeNorth AmericaDietCarnivore
The mink is a small, semi-aquatic mammal that lives in the wetlands of North America.
They are excellent swimmers and climbers and spend most of their time in trees.
Scientific NameSittaType of AnimalBirdRangeNorthern HemisphereDietHerbivore
Nuthatches are small birds that live in both North America and Europe.
This makes them look like they’re upside-down as they travel from branch to branch.
Scientific NamePongoType of AnimalMammalRangeBorneoDietOmnivore
The orangutan is a species of great ape that lives in the rainforests of Indonesia.
They are known for their long hair and orange-red fur, which help them camouflage with trees when they climb from branch to branch.
Scientific NameProcyon lotorType of AnimalMammalRangeNorth AmericaDietOmnivore
The raccoon is a medium-sized mammal that lives all over North America.
They have greyish fur, a long bushy tail with black markings on it, and hand-like paws which they use to open trash cans
Scientific NameColaptes auratusType of AnimalBirdRangenorthern British Columbia through most of the Canadian prairies and south into MexicoDietOmnivore
The red-shafted flicker is a type of woodpecker found in North America.
They live in forests and woodland areas and are known for their habit of nesting in trees.
Scientific NameSelasphorus rufusType of AnimalBirdRangeOregon, Washington, Idaho, western Canada, and southern AlaskaDietOmnivore
The rufous hummingbird, also known as “hummer” or the “mountain gem,” is a small bird that lives in western North America.
It nests high up in trees and feeds on nectar from flowers.
Scientific NameCyclopes didactylusType of AnimalMammalRangesouthern Mexico southward to Bolivia and BrazilDietOmnivore
The silky anteater is a small, tree-dwelling mammal found in Central and South America.
They are the only species of anteater that lives in trees.
Silky anteaters eat insects and spiders, which they catch by licking them up with their long tongues.
Related Article: 25 Animals that Look Like Anteaters
Scientific NameFolivoraType of AnimalMammalRangeCentral and South AmericaDietHerbivore
The sloth is an arboreal mammal found mostly in Central America, South America, and Mexico.
Sloths spend most of their time in trees, hanging from branches by their long claws.
Scientific NameAtelesType of AnimalMammalRangeSouth America in areas north of the Amazon RiverDietOmnivore
The spider monkey is a species of New World monkey that lives in the rainforest canopy (the top level of the forest).
They are known for their long limbs and tails, which they use to help them balance on tree branches.
Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal.
What do sloths, koalas, flying snakes, geckos, tarsiers, and opossums all have in common?
They form an interesting group of organisms that are adapted to tree-top living.
Arboreal animals spend most of their time eating, sleeping, playing and raising their young in the trees.
Tree-top living has many challenges, and these critters have some very specialized adaptations that allow them to be successful tree-huggers.
The adaptations highlighted here will give you a fascinating way to introduce the study of how animals use their body parts in different ways to survive in their habitat.
Studying tree-dwelling animals can also enhance your lessons on ecosystems, food webs, and biodiversity.
Forests are home to an amazing diversity of animals.
Tree-dwelling animals are found mostly in the tree canopy and the layer of treetops that peek above the forest into the clouds, called the emergent layer.
Geographically, arboreal animals are concentrated in tropical forests, but they are also found in all forest ecosystems throughout the world.
Many different types of animals can be found living in the trees, including insects, arachnids, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.
Life in the trees presents some interesting challenges for animals, such as moving among the trees, taking care of offspring, gathering and storing food, and taking shelter in extreme weather.
Many of these challenges are solved with physical adaptions that have resulted in very interesting and adorable critters.
The adaptations of tree-dwelling organisms are an excellent example of one of the core themes in biology: form fits function.
The adaptations listed below have solved many of the problems with tree-top living, and these features are fascinating to study.
Prehensile tails
We often envision monkeys hanging and swinging from trees by their tails.
These specially adapted tails can be used for a variety of tasks such as gathering food, climbing, and holding objects.
It’s like having an extra arm.
Animals such as opossums, harvest mice, spider monkeys, and tree pangolins have prehensile tails.
A slightly modified version of the prehensile tail, referred to as a partially prehensile tail, is only able to be used to anchor an animal’s body as it climbs trees.
Kinkajous: Living in the canopy of tropical forests of Central and South America, the kinkajou hangs from its prehensile tail, which also helps their balance and even acts as a blanket when sleeping.
Kinkajous also have clawed feet to help them stay anchored in the trees.
Photo credit: Ryanacandee
Many arboreal animals use gliding and parachuting to bridge the gap between trees.
Stretchy membranes between legs, like in the case of flying squirrels, help increase the surface area of some arboreal animals without adding weight, allowing them to glide from trees.
Flying geckos, flying frogs, flying lemurs, and flying mice also take advantage of gliding to descend from trees.
In some cases, such as the world’s smallest gliding mammal, the pigmy gliding possum (AKA “flying mouse”), extra membranes connect the animal’s elbows to its knees and its tail is used to steer as it glides from branch to branch.
Sunda Colugo (AKA Sunda flying lemur): This nocturnal critter is completely arboreal, sleeping high in dense foliage of treetops.
They are so well-equipped for flight that their membrane becomes a hindrance when climbing.
Photo credit: Jimmy Tan
Animals that live on the ground tend to have a center of mass that swings side to side while moving.
If arboreal animals used the same strategy, their center of mass may move beyond the edge of a branch, resulting in a fall.
Having a low center of mass is a useful adaptation for some arboreal animals, minimizing the chances of falling out the trees.
Some animals also use a diagonal sequence gait to stay balanced.
Tree Kangaroo: Unlike their ground-dwelling counterparts, tree kangaroos are stout with a low center of gravity.
They have strong claws to help them climb, and long tails for balance.
Unlike other kangaroos, tree kangaroos can move their back legs independently.
This gives them added stability while balancing on branches.
Photo credit: Richard Ashurst
Swinging from one tree to another using only their arms
Swinging from tree to tree is an extremely helpful adaptation if you are living in the forest canopy.
This ability, which scientists refer to as brachiation, is only found in some primates with arms long enough for them to cross the gaps between trees or reach resources such as fruit on another tree.
Primates with the ability to brachiate also have some other helpful features, such as shorter spines, short fingernails instead of claws, long curved fingers and smaller thumbs, long forelimbs, and wrists with the ability to freely rotate.
Gibbons have the unique ability to brachiate, allowing them to swing from tree to tree using only their arms.
Photo credit: Corrie Barklimore
Animals that live in trees must be able to hold on tightly.
Claws, adhesive pads, flexible ankle joints (such as a squirrel’s) that can turn forwards and backwards are all adaptions useful for staying in place.
Arboreal primates have hairless fingertips that allow the animal’s hand to squeeze the branch between the fingertips to generate friction.
Sloths have extremely long claws that allow them to grip onto branches and hang from below.
Photo credit: Christian Mehlführer
How do scientists study the canopy?
As you can imagine, exploring the treetop canopy is not easy for us terrestrial organisms.
There is much yet to be discovered in arboreal ecosystems.
Those brave enough to harness-up and climb to the top must be very careful not to disturb the plants and animals that make the treetops their home.
The most common methods for treetop exploration are similar to what you might find at a high-ropes course – consisting of ropes, hanging walkways and ladders.
Not only must scientists safely climb to the forest canopy, but they must carry along with them their tools and equipment to collect data and specimens.
Even more challenging is locating tree dwellers for observation and study.
This group of animals tend to be rather elusive and cryptic.
Ecologists would love to have the same adaptations as arboreal animals – prehensile tails and brachiating limbs would come in handy!
Now that you’re equipped with some fun and interesting information about tree-dwelling animals, how do you engage your students around these topics?
In this activity, students inventory the plants and animals that live in, on, and around trees and discover how plants and animals depend on trees in many ways.
Ask your students: What tree-dwellers are living in your backyard?
Challenge students to design the ultimate tree-dwelling organism.
Design a virtual scavenger hunt to investigate unique tree-dwellers around the world.
Students work in groups to create a game featuring critters that live in the trees.
Research a cute tree-dweller!
Here are some fun arboreal animals to check out:
Tree Kangaroo
Sunda Flying Lemur
Green Tree Python
Green Tree Python
Green Tree Python
Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat
Fruit Bat
Tree Porcupines