Lake Merritt

Ecosystem Overview

The Lake Merritt ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 83 taxonomic genera. Located in Alameda 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 #1 for species diversity among 33 Alameda County County natural areas, placing it in the 97th 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 33 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 33 locations

97th percentile for diversity

vs. Oakland

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.

Podiceps nigricollis

black-necked grebe

Very Common30 obs.

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

American White Pelican

Very Common27 obs.

Bucephala clangula

common goldeneye

Very Common27 obs.

Aythya valisineria

Canvasback

Very Common26 obs.

Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck

Very Common24 obs.

Egretta thula

Snowy Egret

Common24 obs.

Fulica americana

American Coot

Common23 obs.

Aythya affinis

Lesser Scaup

Common17 obs.

Aythya marila

greater scaup

Common17 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common16 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Common15 obs.

Larus occidentalis

Western Gull

Occasional15 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Occasional14 obs.

Nycticorax nycticorax

night heron, black-crowned night heron

Occasional13 obs.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Occasional11 obs.

Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed grebe

Occasional10 obs.

Haloa japonica

Occasional9 obs.

Larus glaucescens

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rare8 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Rare7 obs.

Aythya fuligula

tufted duck

Rare6 obs.

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Most Common Species

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Want the Complete Field Guide?

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Get Your Personalized Field Guide

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

$6.99

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Alameda County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

Oakland

Importance: 0.61

100 species

0% vs. current

Berkeley

Importance: 0.59

100 species

0% vs. current

Alameda County

Importance: 0.51

100 species

0% vs. current

Fremont

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% vs. current

Hayward

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

Alameda

Importance: 0.48

100 species

0% vs. current

Emeryville

Importance: 0.45

100 species

0% vs. current

Pleasanton

Importance: 0.45

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 Alameda 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 Alameda County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

Oakland

Importance: 0.61

100 species

0% vs. current

Berkeley

Importance: 0.59

100 species

0% vs. current

Alameda County

Importance: 0.51

100 species

0% vs. current

Fremont

Importance: 0.50

100 species

0% vs. current

Hayward

Importance: 0.49

100 species

0% vs. current

Alameda

Importance: 0.48

100 species

0% vs. current

Emeryville

Importance: 0.45

100 species

0% vs. current

Pleasanton

Importance: 0.45

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

Regional Rank

Out of 33 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 33 locations

97th percentile for diversity

vs. Oakland

0% species diversity

Most Common Species

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

Podiceps nigricollis

black-necked grebe

Very Common30 obs.

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

American White Pelican

Very Common27 obs.

Bucephala clangula

common goldeneye

Very Common27 obs.

Aythya valisineria

Canvasback

Very Common26 obs.

Oxyura jamaicensis

Ruddy Duck

Very Common24 obs.

Egretta thula

Snowy Egret

Common24 obs.

Fulica americana

American Coot

Common23 obs.

Aythya affinis

Lesser Scaup

Common17 obs.

Aythya marila

greater scaup

Common17 obs.

Anas platyrhynchos

mallard

Common16 obs.

Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead

Common15 obs.

Larus occidentalis

Western Gull

Occasional15 obs.

Larus delawarensis

Ring-billed Gull

Occasional14 obs.

Nycticorax nycticorax

night heron, black-crowned night heron

Occasional13 obs.

Branta canadensis

Canada goose

Occasional11 obs.

Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed grebe

Occasional10 obs.

Haloa japonica

Occasional9 obs.

Larus glaucescens

Glaucous-winged Gull

Rare8 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Rare7 obs.

Aythya fuligula

tufted duck

Rare6 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.