Celebrate American icons with free Bison coloring pages for kids. These 30 detailed black and white illustrations allow you to color and learn about these magnificent beasts.
Buffalo used to roam many areas of the United States up until the late 1800s.
Unfortunately, they became popular among settlers who valued their meat, pelts, and horns, and they were hunted to near extinction.
Luckily, there have been efforts to save this species, and these efforts are paying off! Now, these animals are the national mammal of the United States, and we can admire their beauty to this day.
These pages feature bison in different environments and situations, and you will also find them portrayed in different styles to suit every taste.
You’ll also discover a few fun facts about bison as you go!
30 Free Bison Coloring Pages To Print And Color
1. Bison Calf With Adult Bison Coloring PDF
Here’s a sweet scene to get things started! You may be tempted to color these two bison the same color, but baby bison have a reddish coat, whereas adult bison have a dark brown color. This color has earned bison calves the nickname ‘red dogs.’ After a few months, their fur will start to become brown.
2. Detailed Bison In The Plains
Bison are majestic creatures, and this detailed depiction of one of them really shows off its magnificent stature. You’ll also notice that they have a lot of fur, meaning they can survive in colder places like Alaska. This would also be to their detriment, as their hides became popular for making Winter coats, leading to them being hunted even more.
3. Bison Crossing A Dirt Path
Bison were found across North America during their heyday, and that means that they were found in all kinds of environments, from grassy plains to arid desert environments.
4. Bison Drinking Water From A River
Much like all large mammals, bison need to drink a lot of water every day in order to stay healthy. Some larger bison can drink as much as 30 gallons in a day.
5. Bison Facing Forward
You get to have a very detailed look at an impressive bison specimen in this design. The scientific name for a bison is bison bison bison, signifying the genus, species, and subspecies. Saying all three is a bit redundant, though, so you should just stick to calling it a bison.
6. Bison Herd Grazing In Open Plains
A bison herd was a magnificent thing to see, and before they were mass-hunted, their herds could have thousands of bison in them. Many Western stories are focused on bison hunting. One of the most famous is the 1960 novel Butcher’s Crossing by John Williams.
7. Bison In The Distance With Mountains
There are some beautiful mountains in the background of this scene, which would probably indicate that they are the Rocky Mountains, as there are many bison living in that area.
8. Bison Looking Over A Canyon
There’s something so majestic about seeing a massive bison looking down into a canyon! This scene likely takes place in a more arid location, so you’d probably want to use some light red colors for the rocky canyon.
9. Bison Near A Campsite
Seeing a bison while out camping would certainly be an experience, but it would also be potentially quite dangerous. Bison are incredibly strong and have been known to attack humans. Hunting bison was an arduous task until stronger guns and weaponry were developed to take them down. Even then, they wouldn’t go down without a fight!
10. Bison Near A Waterfall
Here’s a tranquil scene for you to color as this bison spends some time near a waterfall. If I were coloring this page, I would use some colors that make me feel calm and happy.
11. Bison On A Rocky Hillside
This bison seems to be in a happy mood. You can tell how a bison is feeling by its tail. When its tail is down and relaxed, it’s usually feeling docile, whereas it will lift its tail when it’s agitated. Don’t swear by it if you see a bison for real, though, as they can lose their temper quickly!
12. Bison Resting Under A Tree
It’s time to get in a zen mood with this calm scene of a bison taking a nice nap under a tree. Perhaps you could draw some details, like some butterflies, to make it even more tranquil.
13. Bison Rolling In The Dirt
If you’re watching bison, you may notice that they occasionally roll in the dirt. They do this for a few reasons, including to help shed excess Winter fur.
14. Bison Charging
Trust me, you don’t want to be in the way when a bison charges! Not only are they very, very strong, but they can also run really fast. Some can run at speeds of up to 35mph.
15. Bison Skull Western Scene Coloring Sheet
This scene could very easily be from a classic Western film, and you could draw a character to suggest this. I would draw my favorite Western character, Clint Eastwood’s Man with No Name, in the background. With his signature poncho, of course.
16. Bison Huffing
There are some ways to tell if a bison is ticked off, and seeing it exhale from its nostrils like this one is doing would be one way to know you should get out of the area!
17. Bison Standing In A Grassy Field
The grassy field that this bison is in is perfect for it to find some dinner. Bison eat a lot every day, and they will spend as much as 11 hours a day looking for grass and other plants to eat.
18. Bison Standing In Tall Grass
Even when the grass is tall, it’s hard for a bison to blend in, as they’re so big! In fact, they are the largest mammals in the United States.
19. Bison Looking Over A Herd
This bison is watching over the herd, making sure that all is well. Bison herds would often have an alpha male who would lead the herd, and it would typically be the oldest bison in the herd.
20. Bison Under A Cloudy Sky
There are some pretty clouds in the sky in this scene, but this bison is still looking rather grumpy!
21. Bison Walking Through Dry Grassland
Things are looking pretty desolate in this scene, as the grass is all dry. But bison aren’t picky and will happily eat dry grass.
22. CartoonBison Walking Near A Lake
Bison need to be on the hunt for food and water all the time, and so it’s easy to see why this bison looks so happy, as he’s found a river to drink from.
23. Bison Walking Through A Valley
This beautiful valley is made even more stunning thanks to this bison, and it will look even more incredible with your color choices.
24. Bison Walking Through Muddy Terrain
Things are looking pretty muddy in this scene, but the bison doesn’t mind getting a bit down and dirty. Interestingly, Teddy Roosevelt, the 26th president of the United States, was once a bison hunter. However, he was so shocked by the decline of the buffalo that he decided to change course and try to save the species.
25. Bison Near A Pine Tree
I love pine trees, so seeing a bison next to one is perfect, if you ask me.
26. Bison In Winter Weather
Many places in the USA can get very, very cold. Luckily, bison are well adapted to survive in these harsh conditions.
27. Bison With Detailed Mountain Background
Is there anything more beautiful than seeing mountains? Yes, seeing a bison in front of some mountains!
28. Cartoon Bison Walking Through The Prairie
This bison is drawn in a cartoony style, but there are still plenty of details for you to color. You could even draw some more details if you want!
29. Detailed Bison Close-Up
You can get up close and personal with a bison with none of the danger as you color this bison face!
30. Wild Bison Herd Coloring Page
Let’s observe a beautiful bison herd for this final scene. Bison are sometimes referred to as buffalo in the USA, but did you know they’re only very distantly related to buffalo?After You Color Your Bison Pages
- Draw some other large mammals you could find in America, such as bears or deer, with the bison.
- Buy some fake fur from a craft store and cut it out to stick over the hair on the bison.
- Draw some cartoon human characters admiring or photographing the bison.