Big Spring State Park

Ecosystem Overview

The Big Spring State Park ecosystem supports 76 documented wildlife species across 70 taxonomic genera. Located in Howard County, Texas, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 16 frequently observed species and 15 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. While Howard County nearby has 3% more documented species, Big Spring State Park offers unique wildlife observation opportunities. This location ranks #96 for species diversity among 100 Howard County County natural areas, placing it in the 4th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

#96

Regional Rank

Out of 100 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common16 species

Common23 species

Occasional22 species

Rare15 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#96 of 100 locations

4th percentile for diversity

vs. Howard County

-3% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 76 total documented species.

Coryphantha echinus

Very Common18 obs.

Juniperus pinchotii

Pinchot Juniper

Very Common12 obs.

Condalia ericoides

Very Common8.17 obs.

Opuntia engelmannii

Cactus-Apple

Very Common7.4 obs.

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Tesajo Cactus

Very Common7.36 obs.

Senegalia roemeriana

Roemer'S Acacia

Common6 obs.

Quercus havardii

Havard Oak

Common6 obs.

Sidneya tenuifolia

Common6 obs.

Yucca campestris

Plains Yucca

Common5.56 obs.

Quercus mohriana

Mohr Oak

Common5 obs.

Pontia protodice

Checkered White

Common5 obs.

Eriogonum nealleyi

Occasional5 obs.

Senna roemeriana

Occasional4 obs.

Dalea formosa

Feather-Plume Dalea

Occasional4 obs.

Aspidoscelis gularis

Texas Spotted Whiptail

Occasional4 obs.

Pellaea atropurpurea

Hairy Cliffbrake

Occasional4 obs.

Psora crenata

Occasional4 obs.

Euphorbia fendleri

Fendler'S Euphorbia

Rare4 obs.

Ungnadia speciosa

Texas-Buckeye

Rare3 obs.

Paronychia jamesii

Rare3 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

+19%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Howard County County, Texas

Nearby Natural Areas

Howard County

Importance: 0.80

78 species

-3% vs. current

Big Spring

Importance: 0.70

80 species

-5% vs. current

Big Spring

Importance: 0.70

76 species

0% vs. current

Coahoma

Importance: 0.70

33 species

+130% vs. current

Big Spring McMahon-wrinkle Airport

Importance: 0.60

79 species

-4% vs. current

Howard County Municipal Airport (abandoned)

Importance: 0.60

5 species

+1420% vs. current

Mount Olive Cemetery

Importance: 0.50

80 species

-5% vs. current

Roy Anderson Sports Complex

in Big Spring

Importance: 0.50

80 species

-5% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within Howard County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 76 total documented species.

Coryphantha echinus

Very Common18 obs.

Juniperus pinchotii

Pinchot Juniper

Very Common12 obs.

Condalia ericoides

Very Common8.17 obs.

Opuntia engelmannii

Cactus-Apple

Very Common7.4 obs.

Cylindropuntia leptocaulis

Tesajo Cactus

Very Common7.36 obs.

Senegalia roemeriana

Roemer'S Acacia

Common6 obs.

Quercus havardii

Havard Oak

Common6 obs.

Sidneya tenuifolia

Common6 obs.

Yucca campestris

Plains Yucca

Common5.56 obs.

Quercus mohriana

Mohr Oak

Common5 obs.

Pontia protodice

Checkered White

Common5 obs.

Eriogonum nealleyi

Occasional5 obs.

Senna roemeriana

Occasional4 obs.

Dalea formosa

Feather-Plume Dalea

Occasional4 obs.

Aspidoscelis gularis

Texas Spotted Whiptail

Occasional4 obs.

Pellaea atropurpurea

Hairy Cliffbrake

Occasional4 obs.

Psora crenata

Occasional4 obs.

Euphorbia fendleri

Fendler'S Euphorbia

Rare4 obs.

Ungnadia speciosa

Texas-Buckeye

Rare3 obs.

Paronychia jamesii

Rare3 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 76 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.

Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

+19%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Howard County County, Texas

Nearby Natural Areas

Howard County

Importance: 0.80

78 species

-3% vs. current

Big Spring

Importance: 0.70

80 species

-5% vs. current

Big Spring

Importance: 0.70

76 species

0% vs. current

Coahoma

Importance: 0.70

33 species

+130% vs. current

Big Spring McMahon-wrinkle Airport

Importance: 0.60

79 species

-4% vs. current

Howard County Municipal Airport (abandoned)

Importance: 0.60

5 species

+1420% vs. current

Mount Olive Cemetery

Importance: 0.50

80 species

-5% vs. current

Roy Anderson Sports Complex

in Big Spring

Importance: 0.50

80 species

-5% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

#96

Regional Rank

Out of 100 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common16 species

Common23 species

Occasional22 species

Rare15 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#96 of 100 locations

4th percentile for diversity

vs. Howard County

-3% species diversity