Merced County

Ecosystem Overview

The Merced County ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 85 taxonomic genera. Located in Merced 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. Compared to nearby Merced, Merced County hosts 14% more species diversity. This location ranks #1 for species diversity among 9 Merced County County natural areas, placing it in the 89th 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 9 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 9 locations

89th percentile for diversity

vs. Merced

+14% 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.

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk

Very Common38 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Very Common32 obs.

Himantopus mexicanus

Black-necked Stilt

Very Common27 obs.

Spatula clypeata

Northern Shoveler

Very Common27 obs.

Charadrius vociferus

Killdeer

Very Common25 obs.

Otospermophilus beecheyi

California ground squirrel

Common25 obs.

Plegadis chihi

White-faced Ibis

Common24 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Common23 obs.

Spatula cyanoptera

Cinnamon Teal

Common22 obs.

Sylvilagus audubonii

Desert Cottontail

Common21 obs.

Silybum marianum

Gundagai Thistle

Common21 obs.

Mareca strepera

Gadwall

Occasional20 obs.

Anas acuta

pintail, northern pintail

Occasional20 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Occasional20 obs.

Agelaius tricolor

Tricolored blackbird

Occasional20 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Occasional20 obs.

Fulica americana

American Coot

Occasional18 obs.

Zonotrichia leucophrys

white-crowned sparrow

Rare17 obs.

Bromus diandrus

Ripgut brome

Rare17 obs.

Sayornis nigricans

black phoebe

Rare16 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 Merced County. Perfect for outdoor adventures, education, and nature exploration.

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Regional Comparison

Regional Ranking

100

Species Count

+614%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Merced County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

Merced

Importance: 0.46

88 species

+14% vs. current

Los Banos

Importance: 0.36

8 species

+1150% vs. current

San Luis Reservoir

Importance: 0.35

12 species

+733% vs. current

Atwater

Importance: 0.35

2 species

+4900% vs. current

Diamond Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pig Pond

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Upper Ruth Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Gustine

Importance: 0.33

1 species

+9900% 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 Merced 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

+614%

vs. Regional Average

Compared to 8 nearby locations in Merced County County, California

Nearby Natural Areas

Merced

Importance: 0.46

88 species

+14% vs. current

Los Banos

Importance: 0.36

8 species

+1150% vs. current

San Luis Reservoir

Importance: 0.35

12 species

+733% vs. current

Atwater

Importance: 0.35

2 species

+4900% vs. current

Diamond Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Pig Pond

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Upper Ruth Lake

Importance: 0.35

1 species

+9900% vs. current

Gustine

Importance: 0.33

1 species

+9900% 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 9 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species

Common30 species

Occasional30 species

Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking

#1 of 9 locations

89th percentile for diversity

vs. Merced

+14% species diversity

Most Common Species

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

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed Hawk

Very Common38 obs.

Agelaius phoeniceus

Red-Winged Blackbird (Red-Winged)

Very Common32 obs.

Himantopus mexicanus

Black-necked Stilt

Very Common27 obs.

Spatula clypeata

Northern Shoveler

Very Common27 obs.

Charadrius vociferus

Killdeer

Very Common25 obs.

Otospermophilus beecheyi

California ground squirrel

Common25 obs.

Plegadis chihi

White-faced Ibis

Common24 obs.

Ardea alba

Great Egret

Common23 obs.

Spatula cyanoptera

Cinnamon Teal

Common22 obs.

Sylvilagus audubonii

Desert Cottontail

Common21 obs.

Silybum marianum

Gundagai Thistle

Common21 obs.

Mareca strepera

Gadwall

Occasional20 obs.

Anas acuta

pintail, northern pintail

Occasional20 obs.

Sturnella neglecta

Western Meadowlark

Occasional20 obs.

Agelaius tricolor

Tricolored blackbird

Occasional20 obs.

Ardea herodias

Great Blue Heron

Occasional20 obs.

Fulica americana

American Coot

Occasional18 obs.

Zonotrichia leucophrys

white-crowned sparrow

Rare17 obs.

Bromus diandrus

Ripgut brome

Rare17 obs.

Sayornis nigricans

black phoebe

Rare16 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.