The taiga biome is home to a large variety of mammals both large and small, including the American black bear, grizzly bear, gray wolf, woodland caribou and rodents. These animals feed on everything from seeds and berries to animal flesh.
Many birds migrate north to taiga areas to mate and rear young. The white-throated Sparrow, Siberian thrush, bean goose and black-throated green warbler are among those who spend the summer in the taiga.
Many birds stay in the taiga all year-round. Carnivorous birds like the bald eagle, golden eagle, long-eared owl and rough-legged buzzard hunt or scavenge for mammalian flesh. Other birds such as the black grouse and red crossbill feed on berries and seeds for survival.
In recent years, possibly due to warming conditions, hordes of insects have been able to gather and flourish in the taiga, causing large amounts of damage to the native taiga forests and vegetation. These plagues of pests include the spruce-bark beetle, the spruce budworm, and the larch sawfly.
Large portions of the taiga have been deforested, and little of the remaining areas is protected. This large-scale destruction causes a loss of habitat and food resources for the native and migratory animals. Many taiga animals like Siberian tiger, whooping crane and wood bison are endangered.
