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Composition of predator communities and abundance of individual species varied considerably among study areas, but varied little annually (Sargeant et al. 1993). Sargeant et al. (1993) found at least 5 species of predatory mammals and 6 species of predatory birds on every study area. The striped skunk and great horned owl were present on all study areas. Other predators were more specific to certain physiographic zones. Franklin's ground squirrel and red-tailed hawk were more common on study areas in parkland; badger, Swainson's hawk, and ferruginous hawk were more common on study areas in prairie.

Coyotes, red foxes, or both, were present on many study areas, but the 2 species were seldom present on the same parts of individual study areas (Sargeant et al. 1993). Coyotes often were associated with more remote parts of study areas away from human habitation, such as large pastures; red foxes were found mostly in cultivated land.