Black Bear: Physical Characteristics 

Pictures of Black Bears 

Click any thumbnail to see a full-sized photo.

Videos of Black Bears 

Black Bear Videos

Shows black bears in confrontation with cougars and with wolves. Also videos of black bear cubs, black bears fishing, and black bears just having fun.

Black Bear Habitat 

Black Bear Cubs 

Black Bear Reproduction

The female black bear breeds every other year. She gives birth to 1-5 cubs during January or February. The typical litter is 2 or 3 cubs. Black bear cubs are blind at birth and only weigh from 7-14 ounces.

The young stay with their mother during the first summer and den with her the next winter. During the second summer, the mother drives them off to find their own territory, leaving her available to breed again.

Pictures of Black Bear Cubs 

Click any thumbnail to see a full-sized photo. The last photo on the right shows a black bear cub in a tree eating pinenuts. Worth clicking to see the enlarged version.

Black Bear Behavior 

Black bears are solitary, other than during the breeding season or when females are with their young cubs.

The black bear has an extremely keen sense of smell and hearing. Their sight is only adequate.

They will readily climb a tree and are good swimmers. They can move at a rapid pace - up to 30 mph - and tend to cover a lot of territory in a 24-hour period.

Black bears have extraordinary navigational abilities. They have been known to find their way back to their home range after being transported as far as 168 away.

This ability to find places previously visited helps them return to food sources and waterholes that may be available only on a seasonal basis.

Fortunately, black bears are not as aggressive as grizzly bears. However, black bear attacks are not unheard of. In most of these instances, the bear involved has become accustomed to being around people and therefore has lost its fear of humans.

Black Bear Diet 

American black bears are omnivorous, which means their diet consists of both plants and animals, though they show a preference for plant matter.

In the spring, they eat more grassy materials. In the summer and fall they tend to feed more on fruits and mast (acorns, beechnuts, etc).

The black bear in this photo is about to eat some berries near the stream. Yum.

The diet of the black bear includes: berries of all kinds, grapes and other fruit, grasses, forbs, honey, insects and their larvae, small mammals such as rodents, fish, carrion, and mast (acorns, beechnuts, hickory, etc.).

Only a small portion the black bear's diet is animal matter. The exception would be black bears that live near rivers where they can catch salmon and other fish.

Species Accounts for the Black Bear 

Follow these links for more information about the American Black Bear

American Black Bear (Ursus americanus)

Information on range, habitat, physical appearance, diet, reproduction, social behavior, subspecies, taxonomy, and physical attributes. Includes a photo of a black bear.

American Black Bear

Includes facts on the range, physical traits, reproduction, communication, and diet of this mammal. From the Animal Diversity Web.

American Black Bear

Describes the physical characteristics, habitat, behavior, diet, taxonomy, subspecies ranges, history, and legal status of the black bear. Includes many photos. From Wikipedia.

How Black Bears Communicate 

Sounds and Behavior

Black bears do not vocalize very much.

When frightened, they may make huffing sounds or clank their teeth. In some situations, black bears make a moaning sound when they are afraid.

Female black bears will communicate with their cubs with grunts and the cubs will bawl loudly when in distress. Cubs make what is described as a purring type of sound while they are nursing.

The black bear also communicates using body signals. When a bear feels threatened, it will flatten its ears and sometimes lower its head. If you see this behavior, it's a sign for you to back off.

If the threat does not go away, the black bear will often "bluff charge," which means it runs or lunges toward the threat, but stops short of attacking. The lunge can be accompanied by a slap on the ground.

People often think that a black bear standing upright is in a threatening posture. But, most of the time, the bear is just trying to get a better look around.

Black Bear Communication - Sounds and Behavior 

Language and Sounds of Black Bears

Sound files include cub distress call, bear family conversing, nursing cubs, moan, sounds of cub and mother, blowing and chomping, and a bear threatening another bear.

Bear Communication

Describes the different ways that bears communicate, including body posture, bluff charging, and vocalization. Includes some information on the grizzly bear (brown bear) as well as the black bear.

Bear Behaviour & Communication

Provides information about vocalizations, body language, eye contact, ear position, scent marking, tree marking, and tracks.

Black Bear Tracks 

American black bears have five toes on each foot, with the biggest toe being on the outside (in contract to the location of a human's big toe).

The position of the big toe is what gives the black bear its shuffling gait, with the tracks turning slightly inward.

The track of the front foot of an adult black bear is about 3.25 - 5.5 inches in width and 5 - 6.5 inches in length. If the heel of the front foot registers in the soil, then this can add 3 - 4 inches to the length.

The hind track is the same width as the front track, but the length is approximately 6 - 7.75 inches.

* Reference: Tracking and the Art of Seeing: How to Read Animal Tracks and Sign by Paul Rezendes

Pictures of Black Bear Tracks 

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Pictures of Black Bear Signs - Tree Markings 

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More Info on Black Bear Tracks & Signs 

Bear Signs

Information about where to find bear signs and what black bear tracks and scat look like, including illustrations. Also describes the black bear skull, feeding signs, bear trees, and other black bear sign.

Black Bear Signs and Tracks

Describes the difference between a black bear track and grizzly bear track. Also provides information about scat, grizzly diggings, territory marking, and bear trails.

More Photos of American Black Bear 

Click any thumbnail to see a full-sized photo.

How to Tell the Difference Between American Black Bear and Grizzly Bear 

Compare the Black Bear and The Grizzly

Simple, clear explanation of the difference between these two species of bears. Look at the illustrations and read the info, then take the "Bear ID" test!

How Do You Distinguish a Black Bear from a Grizzly Bear

Explains how to tell the difference between these two species using color, size, height, body shape, face, claws, and tracks. Excellent resource.

The Differences Between Grizzly And Black Bears

Describes the three telltale characteristics used to distinguish a black bear from a grizzly bear.

Have you ever seen a black bear in the wild? 

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Interesting Nature Websites 

National Geographic: Animals

Great resource for information about animals! Includes fact sheets, photos, videos, and articles.

Animal Diversity Web

Provides species accounts, photos, and sound files for a vast number of species.

Nature of New England

Photos and facts about New England wildlife, including birds, mammals, and butterflies. Includes nature journal archives.

Animal News from Discovery Channel 

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Mamma Black Bear and Three Cubs 

Photo Copyright Info 

Black Bear Guestbook 

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