COMMON NAME (S): Bison (Buffalo)

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Bison bison

CLASSIFICATION: Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: Bovidae

DESCRIPTION: Length: 10-12.5 feet (3-3.8 meters)
Height at the shoulder: 5-6 feet (1.5-1.8 meters)
Weight: Cow: 800-1000 pounds (360-465 kg.)
            Bull 1800-3000 pounds (820-1,360 kg.)
General: Bison are the largest land mammals in North America. Both sexes grow a heavy winter coat of long brown hair and possess a tufted, cow-like tail. The bull is easily distinguished from the cow by a broader head, large muscular shoulder hump and very prominent cape that extends down the front legs.

RANGE: Parks, refuges and private herds in North America.

HABITAT: Plains and open grasslands.

STATUS: General: Secure, no longer considered wildlife species, domesticated classification.
WA State: Secure.

DIET: Consists primarily of grasses.

REPRODUCTION: Breeding season extends from mid-July through the end of August. The gestation period is about 9 months. Generally, the female gives birth to a single reddish-brown calf. At birth the calf normally weighs 40-50 pounds.

LIFE SPAN: About 40 years.

BEHAVIOR: Bison are diurnal ruminants that live in large herds. Cows and bulls both utilize dust and mud wallows for parasite control. During the rut, bulls cover themselves with mud from these dust wallows. Bison communicate with deep-throated grunts. Rutting bulls produce a loud roar to challenge other males or to warn off would-be challengers. Visual clues are transmitted by the tail (e.g., as when held aloft in a "question mark" to signal threat.)

NAMES: adult male - bull; adult female - cow; baby - calf; group - herd

SOURCES: World of the Bison, J. Van Wormer
Sportsman's Guide to Game Animals, Leonard Lee Rue
Lives of Game Animals, Seton
Buffalo Book, David Dary