Grizzly Bear vs Black Bear: How to Tell Them Apart

Key differences at a glance

Grizzlies are inland North American brown bears, Ursus arctos. American black bears, Ursus americanus, are a separate species and not especially close relatives: the two lineages split millions of years ago, and black bears are closer kin to the Asian black bear.

Wildlife agencies teach people to look at several features together, because any single clue can mislead, especially at a distance or in poor light:

1. Hump: grizzlies have one; black bears do not.
2. Face: grizzlies look dish-faced; black bears have a straight line from forehead to nose.
3. Ears: grizzly ears look small and round; black bear ears look large and pointed.
4. Claws and tracks: grizzly claws are long and leave marks well ahead of the toes.
5. Body line: a grizzly’s rump is usually lower than its shoulders; a black bear’s rump is level with or higher than its shoulders.

Shoulder hump and body shape

The grizzly’s hump is a mass of muscle over the shoulder blades that powers digging for roots and ground squirrels. Seen from the side, it makes the shoulders the highest point of the back. Black bears have no such muscle, so their back looks fairly level or slopes slightly up toward the rump.

Be careful with posture. A black bear with its head down can seem to have a hump, and a grizzly in thick winter fur can look round all over. Look at the bear standing still from the side if you can.

Face and ears

A grizzly’s face has a dip, or “dish”, between the eyes and the end of the nose, and its broad head makes the short, rounded ears look small. A black bear’s face is straighter and more pointed, often with a tan muzzle, and its ears look tall and prominent compared with its head. Many biologists say the ears are the most useful feature in quick sightings.

Claws and tracks

Grizzly front claws are long, about 5–10 cm (2–4 in), only gently curved and often pale, built for digging. Black bear claws are about 2.5–5 cm (1–2 in), dark and sharply curved, ideal for climbing trees.

In tracks, grizzly claw marks usually show well in front of the toe prints, and the toes sit close together in a fairly straight row. Black bear toes are more widely spread in a curved arc, and claw marks, if visible at all, are close to the toes.

Color is not a reliable clue

Despite their name, black bears come in many colors. In the eastern United States and Canada most are black, but in the western mountains brown, cinnamon and blond black bears are common, as in the photo above. Very rare white “Kermode” or spirit bears live on islands off British Columbia, and bluish-gray “glacier bears” occur in parts of southeastern Alaska.

Grizzlies range from pale blond to dark brown and almost black, often with silver-tipped guard hairs on the back. A brown bear in the woods could be either species, so always check the shape.

Which is bigger?

Grizzlies are bigger on average. Inland grizzly males usually weigh about 140–270 kg (300–600 lb), while adult male black bears often weigh 60–250 kg (130–550 lb) and females 40–150 kg (90–330 lb). Size still overlaps: a large black bear in autumn can outweigh a small grizzly in spring, so size alone cannot settle the question. Coastal brown bears and Kodiak bears are far larger than any black bear; see how big do grizzly bears get?

Both species can run at similar speeds over short distances, and both are omnivores that eat mostly plants, insects and some meat.

Where they live and where they overlap

Black bears are far more widespread. They live across much of Canada, in roughly 40 US states, and in northern Mexico, with a total population often estimated at about 750,000–950,000. They prefer forests and thick cover.

Grizzlies in the contiguous United States number only about 2,000, mostly in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho, with a few in Washington. They are much more common in Alaska and western Canada. Both species share these areas, but grizzlies tend to use more open country such as alpine meadows, tundra and river valleys, while black bears stay closer to trees. Black bears also usually avoid grizzlies, which can kill them. For a state-by-state overview, see bears in the US.

Behavior and safety

Both species normally avoid people. Because grizzlies are bigger and adults cannot easily escape up trees, they are more likely to defend themselves or their cubs by standing their ground, and their attacks more often cause serious injury. Black bears usually retreat or send their cubs up a tree, but a few fatal attacks by black bears have been predatory. Correctly identifying the species matters because official advice for close encounters differs between them, so learn the guidance of the park you visit. More in are bears dangerous?

Can grizzlies and black bears interbreed?

There is no confirmed case of a wild grizzly–black bear hybrid. A very large bear shot in Michigan in 1986 was suspected to be one, but DNA tests could not confirm it. The two species differ in breeding biology and habitat, and the grizzly’s closest relative is actually the polar bear, with which it does produce hybrids.