San Luis Obispo

Ecosystem Overview

The San Luis Obispo ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 93 taxonomic genera. Located in San Luis Obispo County, California, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 21 frequently observed species and 19 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. This location ranks #2 for species diversity among 22 San Luis Obispo County County natural areas, placing it in the 91th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 22 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 22 locations

91th percentile for diversity

vs. San Luis Obispo County

0% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

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Biodiversity Highlights

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Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

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Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Very Common60 obs.

Junonia grisea

Very Common53 obs.

Passerculus sandwichensis

Savannah Sparrow

Very Common37 obs.

Setophaga coronata

Myrtle Warbler

Very Common35 obs.

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon

Very Common29 obs.

Psaltriparus minimus

American Bushtit

Common28 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Common26 obs.

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk

Common25 obs.

Sceloporus occidentalis

Pacific blue-bellied lizard

Common25 obs.

Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed grebe

Common25 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Common22 obs.

Setophaga townsendi

Townsend's Warbler

Occasional21 obs.

Salpinctes obsoletus

Rock Wren

Occasional21 obs.

Larus occidentalis

Western Gull

Occasional21 obs.

Hydroprogne caspia

Caspian tern

Occasional21 obs.

Paeonia californica

Occasional20 obs.

Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture

Occasional19 obs.

Hylephila phyleus

Fiery Skipper

Rare19 obs.

Falco sparverius

American Kestrel

Rare18 obs.

Buteo lineatus

Red-Shouldered/Broad-Winged Hawk

Rare18 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

Download a professional PDF field guide featuring all the species found in San Luis Obispo. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+122%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in San Luis Obispo County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

San Luis Obispo County

Importance: 0.46

100 species

0% vs. current

Atascadero

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Laguna Lake

Importance: 0.35

74 species

+35% vs. current

Oso Flaco Lake

Importance: 0.35

44 species

+127% vs. current

Santa Margarita Lake

Importance: 0.35

18 species

+456% vs. current

Atascadero Lake

Importance: 0.35

17 species

+488% vs. current

Soda Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Lopez Lake

Importance: 0.35

2 species

+4900% vs. current

About This Comparison

These comparisons are based on documented wildlife observations from citizen science data. Locations with higher species counts may have more observation activity, different habitat types, or larger coverage areas. Regional rankings help identify biodiversity hotspots and unique natural areas within San Luis Obispo County County.

Regional Comparison

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Regional Ranking

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Species Count

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vs. Regional Average

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Nearby Natural Areas

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About This Comparison

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+122%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in San Luis Obispo County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

San Luis Obispo County

Importance: 0.46

100 species

0% vs. current

Atascadero

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Laguna Lake

Importance: 0.35

74 species

+35% vs. current

Oso Flaco Lake

Importance: 0.35

44 species

+127% vs. current

Santa Margarita Lake

Importance: 0.35

18 species

+456% vs. current

Atascadero Lake

Importance: 0.35

17 species

+488% vs. current

Soda Lake

Importance: 0.35

5 species

+1900% vs. current

Lopez Lake

Importance: 0.35

2 species

+4900% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

100

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 22 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 22 locations

91th percentile for diversity

vs. San Luis Obispo County

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 100 total documented species.

Danaus plexippus

monarch

Very Common60 obs.

Junonia grisea

Very Common53 obs.

Passerculus sandwichensis

Savannah Sparrow

Very Common37 obs.

Setophaga coronata

Myrtle Warbler

Very Common35 obs.

Heteromeles arbutifolia

Toyon

Very Common29 obs.

Psaltriparus minimus

American Bushtit

Common28 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Common26 obs.

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk

Common25 obs.

Sceloporus occidentalis

Pacific blue-bellied lizard

Common25 obs.

Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed grebe

Common25 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Common22 obs.

Setophaga townsendi

Townsend's Warbler

Occasional21 obs.

Salpinctes obsoletus

Rock Wren

Occasional21 obs.

Larus occidentalis

Western Gull

Occasional21 obs.

Hydroprogne caspia

Caspian tern

Occasional21 obs.

Paeonia californica

Occasional20 obs.

Cathartes aura

Turkey Vulture

Occasional19 obs.

Hylephila phyleus

Fiery Skipper

Rare19 obs.

Falco sparverius

American Kestrel

Rare18 obs.

Buteo lineatus

Red-Shouldered/Broad-Winged Hawk

Rare18 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 100 species with 3-4 high-quality images each, detailed descriptions, and a downloadable PDF for offline use.

Premium field guide includes identification tips, seasonal patterns, and professional layout optimized for field use.