Picture of a prairie chicken, showing up close the bird's bright orange markings and patterned feathers

Celebrate America with photos of our unique species

From the iconic bison to inch-long fairy shrimp, the U.S. is home to more than 32,000 animal species.

The male greater prairie chicken performs his “booming” display with a group of other hopeful suitors, called a lek. Females gather to judge some eight to 20 males (pictured, an animal at Caldwell Zoo in Texas) at a time as they strut their stuff, usually on a low hill.

This Fourth of July, we’re honoring the creatures that make the United States rich—in biodiversity, that is.

To date, scientists have identified more than 32,000 distinct animal species living in the country, from thousands of species of beetles to just one marsupial (it’s the Virginia opossum).

According to NatureServe, an organization that keeps tabs on North American flora and fauna, more than 7,000 of those species are endemic, meaning they’re native to the U.S. and nowhere else—and researchers are certain that’s an underestimate. (Learn more about July 4th and its history.)

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