Buena Vista

Ecosystem Overview

The Buena Vista ecosystem supports 24 documented wildlife species across 23 taxonomic genera. Located in Chaffee County, Colorado, this area provides critical habitat with diverse natural communities. The location hosts 5 frequently observed species and 4 occasionally documented species, creating a balanced ecosystem with both resident and visiting wildlife. Compared to nearby Salida, Buena Vista hosts 300% more species diversity. This location ranks #2 for species diversity among 4 Chaffee County County natural areas, placing it in the 50th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 4 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common5 species

Common8 species

Occasional7 species

Rare4 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 4 locations

50th percentile for diversity

vs. Salida

+300% species diversity

Ecosystem Overview

‌
‌
‌
‌

Biodiversity Highlights

‌

Species Distribution

Very Common‌

Common‌

Occasional‌

Rare‌

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

‌

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 24 total documented species.

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Brewer's blackbird

Very Common3 obs.

Oenothera coronopifolia

Very Common2 obs.

Opuntia polyacantha

Plains Pricklypear

Very Common2 obs.

Bombus huntii

Hunt bumble bee

Very Common1 obs.

Bombus fervidus

Yellow Bumble Bee

Very Common1 obs.

Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral

Common1 obs.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Common1 obs.

Melanerpes lewis

Lewis's Woodpecker

Common1 obs.

Nucifraga columbiana

Clark's Nutcracker

Common1 obs.

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Hairy Nightshade

Common1 obs.

Cercocarpus montanus

mountain-mahogany

Common1 obs.

Berteroa incana

hoary alison

Occasional1 obs.

Lactuca serriola

Prickly Lettuce

Occasional1 obs.

Grindelia squarrosa

Grindelia

Occasional1 obs.

Hymenoxys richardsonii

Richardson's bitterweed

Occasional1 obs.

Asclepias hallii

Hall's milkweed

Occasional1 obs.

Penstemon barbatus

Occasional1 obs.

Acer glabrum

Rocky Mountain maple

Rare1 obs.

Sciurus niger

Cat Squirrel

Rare1 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Rare1 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 24 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.

Most Common Species

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

Want the Complete Field Guide?

‌
‌

‌

Get Your Personalized Field Guide

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

$6.99

Get Your Personalized Field Guide

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

Email Address (for delivery)

Your field guide will be delivered to this email address. Please double-check for accuracy.

$6.99

Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

-33%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 3 nearby locations in Chaffee County County, Colorado

Nearby Natural Areas

Salida

Importance: 0.45

6 species

+300% vs. current

Chaffee County

Importance: 0.45

100 species

-76% vs. current

Poncha Springs

Importance: 0.24

2 species

+1100% 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 Chaffee County County.

Regional Comparison

‌

Regional Ranking

‌

Species Count

‌

vs. Regional Average

‌

Nearby Natural Areas

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

‌
‌

‌

About This Comparison

‌
‌
‌

Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

Species Count

-33%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 3 nearby locations in Chaffee County County, Colorado

Nearby Natural Areas

Salida

Importance: 0.45

6 species

+300% vs. current

Chaffee County

Importance: 0.45

100 species

-76% vs. current

Poncha Springs

Importance: 0.24

2 species

+1100% vs. current

About This Comparison

Ecosystem Overview

Biodiversity Highlights

Total Species

Documented wildlife species

Genus Diversity

Taxonomic genera represented

Common Species

Frequently observed species

Rare Species

Occasionally documented species

Regional Rank

Out of 4 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common5 species

Common8 species

Occasional7 species

Rare4 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#2 of 4 locations

50th percentile for diversity

vs. Salida

+300% species diversity

Most Common Species

Showing 20 most frequently observed species out of 24 total documented species.

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Brewer's blackbird

Very Common3 obs.

Oenothera coronopifolia

Very Common2 obs.

Opuntia polyacantha

Plains Pricklypear

Very Common2 obs.

Bombus huntii

Hunt bumble bee

Very Common1 obs.

Bombus fervidus

Yellow Bumble Bee

Very Common1 obs.

Vanessa atalanta

Red Admiral

Common1 obs.

Odocoileus hemionus

mule deer

Common1 obs.

Melanerpes lewis

Lewis's Woodpecker

Common1 obs.

Nucifraga columbiana

Clark's Nutcracker

Common1 obs.

Solanum nitidibaccatum

Hairy Nightshade

Common1 obs.

Cercocarpus montanus

mountain-mahogany

Common1 obs.

Berteroa incana

hoary alison

Occasional1 obs.

Lactuca serriola

Prickly Lettuce

Occasional1 obs.

Grindelia squarrosa

Grindelia

Occasional1 obs.

Hymenoxys richardsonii

Richardson's bitterweed

Occasional1 obs.

Asclepias hallii

Hall's milkweed

Occasional1 obs.

Penstemon barbatus

Occasional1 obs.

Acer glabrum

Rocky Mountain maple

Rare1 obs.

Sciurus niger

Cat Squirrel

Rare1 obs.

Passer domesticus

House Sparrow

Rare1 obs.

Want the Complete Field Guide?

Get all 24 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.