Ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is in the Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies family (Procyonidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,129 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in March.
Seasonal pattern in the national data: year-round resident. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.
When to photograph Ringtail: observations by month (U.S.)
About Ringtail
The ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is a mammal of the raccoon family, native to arid regions of North America. It is also known as the ringtail cat, ring-tailed cat, miner's cat or bassarisk, and is also sometimes called a "civet cat" (after similar, though only distantly related, cat-like carnivores of Asia and Africa). The ringtail is sometimes called a cacomistle, though this term seems to be more often used to refer to Bassariscus sumichrasti.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Ringtail by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 1,916 | March | Feb–Jan |
| California | 481 | March | Feb–Jan |
| Arizona | 454 | August | Jul–Jun |
| New Mexico | 82 | April | Mar–May |
| Nevada | 76 | January | Dec–Jan |
| Utah | 48 | August | Jul–Nov |
| Colorado | 45 | September | Sep–Dec |
| Oregon | 25 | February | Feb–Apr |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related mammals (Raccoons, Coatis, and Allies)
Photography tips
- Keep a legal and safe distance: 100 yards from bears and wolves and 25 yards from other large animals in national parks.
- Dawn and dusk are peak activity times for most mammals.
- Use your car as a blind on wildlife drives.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Ringtail?
Nationally, March has the most observations, with the main season from February to January.
Where is Ringtail most often seen?
The most observations come from Texas, California, Arizona.