American black bear

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More names for this animal

Anishinaabemowin: Makwa

Dakota: Maṭo (bear), Waḣaŋksiça (bear)

The Dakota and Anishinaabe were among the earliest people to name Minnesota’s plants and animals, as well as to understand them in relation to Minnesota’s climate and seasons. Those original names are still in use, and several are included on the Season Watch website.

Latin (or scientific name): Ursus americanus

The scientific community has a convention of assigning agreed-upon Latin names to every kind of organism. Using scientific names helps people communicate confidently about the same organism and organize lifeforms based on how closely related they are.

More common names: Black bear

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About the American black bear

Visual guide to phenology

More resources

A black bear crosses a gravel road. The scene is a forested environment with a strip of open area created by the road. A car and road signs are in the distance.
An American black bear crosses the road in a forested area.
July 1, 2022, St. Louis County, Minnesota
Photo © scott_stafford, some rights reserved (CC-BY-NC)
iNaturalist observation

About the American black bear

  • The black bear is a medium sized bear that weighs 200 to 500 pounds and has a lifespan of about twenty years.
  • The most well-known part of black bear phenology is their winter hibernation, which can last up to six months.
  • Bears mate in early summer, and their cubs are born in January to February. 
  • New cubs leave the den around April and will return to that den the following winter, to hibernate with their mother.
  • Black bears are mostly found in the northern half of Minnesota and they eat leaves, fruits, and insects.

Visual guide to phenology

Watch for black bears' presence (or absence), abundance, and behaviors at different times of year. Also, pay attention to when young-of-year appear and develop.

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Note to observers

This page explains general clues to watch and listen for when observing American black bear phenology. However, this page does not explain how to identify this animal or collect data in a standardized way.

The bear den in this snowy, forested scene is a large, rounded opening with a dark interior.
A small black bear cub is emerging from a sheltered area. There is still snow and the grassy ground is not yet green.
Two small black bear cubs are crossing the road, followed close behind by an adult. The environment appears to be a coniferous forest.
This photo shows bear scat. It is dark in color and full of seeds from fruits eaten by the bear.
A large black bear is foraging on the side of the road. Its fur is slightly glossy in the sunlight. The bear appears to be eating red clover flowers.
This photo shows a large bear track in shallow, white snow.

More resources

Listen to KAXE/KBXE broadcasts tagged "bears"

American black bear (Ursus americanus) in the Minnesota Biodiversity Atlas

American black bear (Ursus americanus) profile by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

 

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Keep exploring Season Watch

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Times of year

Co-author: Lynsey Nass, Minnesota Master Naturalist