Virginia Beach

Ecosystem Overview

The Virginia Beach ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 91 taxonomic genera. Located in Virginia, this area provides critical habitat for regional wildlife. 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 #78 for species diversity among 363 Virginia natural areas, placing it in the 79th 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

#78

Regional Rank

Out of 363 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#78 of 363 locations

79th percentile for diversity

vs. Virginia

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.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Very Common39 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Very Common33 obs.

Pandion haliaetus

osprey

Very Common29 obs.

Larus marinus

great black-backed gull

Very Common27 obs.

Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal

Very Common26 obs.

Pelecanus occidentalis

Brown Pelican (Southern)

Common25 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Common24 obs.

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Carolina Wren

Common24 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Common24 obs.

Larus fuscus

lesser black-backed gull

Common23 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common23 obs.

Melospiza melodia

Song Sparrow

Occasional23 obs.

Setophaga coronata

Myrtle Warbler

Occasional22 obs.

Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher

Occasional22 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Occasional21 obs.

Melanerpes carolinus

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Occasional21 obs.

Calidris alba

sanderling

Occasional21 obs.

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Cottonmouth

Rare19 obs.

Mimus polyglottos

Northern Mockingbird

Rare19 obs.

Ocypode quadrata

Atlantic ghost crab

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 Virginia Beach. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+1%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Virginia

Nearby Natural Areas

Virginia

Importance: 0.75

100 species

0% vs. current

Richmond City

Importance: 0.60

100 species

0% vs. current

Norfolk

Importance: 0.58

100 species

0% vs. current

Charlottesville

Importance: 0.55

100 species

0% vs. current

Alexandria

Importance: 0.52

100 species

0% vs. current

Newport News City

Importance: 0.51

88 species

+14% vs. current

Roanoke

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% vs. current

Williamsburg

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% 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 Virginia.

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

+1%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Virginia

Nearby Natural Areas

Virginia

Importance: 0.75

100 species

0% vs. current

Richmond City

Importance: 0.60

100 species

0% vs. current

Norfolk

Importance: 0.58

100 species

0% vs. current

Charlottesville

Importance: 0.55

100 species

0% vs. current

Alexandria

Importance: 0.52

100 species

0% vs. current

Newport News City

Importance: 0.51

88 species

+14% vs. current

Roanoke

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% vs. current

Williamsburg

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% 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

#78

Regional Rank

Out of 363 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#78 of 363 locations

79th percentile for diversity

vs. Virginia

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

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

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Very Common39 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Very Common33 obs.

Pandion haliaetus

osprey

Very Common29 obs.

Larus marinus

great black-backed gull

Very Common27 obs.

Cardinalis cardinalis

Northern Cardinal

Very Common26 obs.

Pelecanus occidentalis

Brown Pelican (Southern)

Common25 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Common24 obs.

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Carolina Wren

Common24 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Common24 obs.

Larus fuscus

lesser black-backed gull

Common23 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common23 obs.

Melospiza melodia

Song Sparrow

Occasional23 obs.

Setophaga coronata

Myrtle Warbler

Occasional22 obs.

Pachydiplax longipennis

Blue Dasher

Occasional22 obs.

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Bald Eagle

Occasional21 obs.

Melanerpes carolinus

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Occasional21 obs.

Calidris alba

sanderling

Occasional21 obs.

Agkistrodon piscivorus

Cottonmouth

Rare19 obs.

Mimus polyglottos

Northern Mockingbird

Rare19 obs.

Ocypode quadrata

Atlantic ghost crab

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.