Orleans

Ecosystem Overview

The Orleans ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 97 taxonomic genera. Located in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 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 #14 for species diversity among 75 Barnstable County County natural areas, placing it in the 81th 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

#14

Regional Rank

Out of 75 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#14 of 75 locations

81th percentile for diversity

vs. Barnstable 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.

Pinus rigida

pitch pine

Very Common9 obs.

Carcinus maenas

European green crab

Very Common8 obs.

Euspira heros

common northern moonsnail

Very Common5 obs.

Littorina littorea

Common periwinkle

Very Common5 obs.

Limulus polyphemus

horseshoe crab

Very Common5 obs.

Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Japanese shore crab

Common4 obs.

Codium fragile

Dead Man'S Fingers

Common4 obs.

Argopecten irradians

Bay Scallop

Common4 obs.

Honckenya peploides

Sea Sandwort

Common4 obs.

Limonium carolinianum

Carolina sea-lavender

Common4 obs.

Rosa rugosa

japanese rose

Common4 obs.

Melanitta deglandi

White-winged Scoter

Occasional4 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Occasional3 obs.

Busycon carica

Knobbed Whelk

Occasional3 obs.

Lathyrus japonicus

sea pea

Occasional3 obs.

Crepidula fornicata

Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Occasional3 obs.

Anadara transversa

transverse ark

Occasional3 obs.

Artemisia stelleriana

Oldwoman

Rare3 obs.

Euphorbia polygonifolia

Seaside Spurge

Rare3 obs.

Pagurus longicarpus

Long-Clawed Hermit Crab

Rare3 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 Orleans. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Barnstable County County, Massachusetts

Nearby Natural Areas

Barnstable County

Importance: 0.43

100 species

0% vs. current

Bourne

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Dennis

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Barnstable

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Chatham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Brewster

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Eastham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Falmouth

Importance: 0.35

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 Barnstable 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

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Barnstable County County, Massachusetts

Nearby Natural Areas

Barnstable County

Importance: 0.43

100 species

0% vs. current

Bourne

Importance: 0.36

100 species

0% vs. current

Dennis

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Barnstable

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Chatham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Brewster

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Eastham

Importance: 0.35

100 species

0% vs. current

Falmouth

Importance: 0.35

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

#14

Regional Rank

Out of 75 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#14 of 75 locations

81th percentile for diversity

vs. Barnstable County

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

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

Pinus rigida

pitch pine

Very Common9 obs.

Carcinus maenas

European green crab

Very Common8 obs.

Euspira heros

common northern moonsnail

Very Common5 obs.

Littorina littorea

Common periwinkle

Very Common5 obs.

Limulus polyphemus

horseshoe crab

Very Common5 obs.

Hemigrapsus sanguineus

Japanese shore crab

Common4 obs.

Codium fragile

Dead Man'S Fingers

Common4 obs.

Argopecten irradians

Bay Scallop

Common4 obs.

Honckenya peploides

Sea Sandwort

Common4 obs.

Limonium carolinianum

Carolina sea-lavender

Common4 obs.

Rosa rugosa

japanese rose

Common4 obs.

Melanitta deglandi

White-winged Scoter

Occasional4 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Occasional3 obs.

Busycon carica

Knobbed Whelk

Occasional3 obs.

Lathyrus japonicus

sea pea

Occasional3 obs.

Crepidula fornicata

Common Atlantic Slippersnail

Occasional3 obs.

Anadara transversa

transverse ark

Occasional3 obs.

Artemisia stelleriana

Oldwoman

Rare3 obs.

Euphorbia polygonifolia

Seaside Spurge

Rare3 obs.

Pagurus longicarpus

Long-Clawed Hermit Crab

Rare3 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.