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Costa Mesa

Ecosystem Overview

The Costa Mesa ecosystem supports 100 documented wildlife species across 90 taxonomic genera. Located in orange 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 #12 for species diversity among 73 orange county County natural areas, placing it in the 84th percentile for biodiversity.

Biodiversity Highlights

100
Total Species
Documented wildlife species
90
Genus Diversity
Taxonomic genera represented
51
Common Species
Frequently observed species
49
Rare Species
Occasionally documented species
#12
Regional Rank
Out of 73 locations

Species Distribution

Very Common21 species
Common30 species
Occasional30 species
Rare19 species

Regional Context

Regional Ranking
#12 of 73 locations
84th percentile for diversity
vs. Anaheim
0% species diversity

Most Common Species

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

Cornu aspersum

Cornu aspersum

Brown garden snail

Very Common15 obs.
Passerculus sandwichensis

Passerculus sandwichensis

Savannah Sparrow

Very Common6 obs.
Rumex spinosus

Rumex spinosus

Very Common6 obs.
Heliotropium curassavicum

Heliotropium curassavicum

Seaside Lavender

Very Common5 obs.
Zonotrichia leucophrys

Zonotrichia leucophrys

white-crowned sparrow

Very Common5 obs.
Amsinckia menziesii

Amsinckia menziesii

Menzies' fiddleneck

Common5 obs.
Deinandra fasciculata

Deinandra fasciculata

clustered tarweed

Common5 obs.
Ricinus communis

Ricinus communis

Castorbean

Common5 obs.
Artemisia douglasiana

Artemisia douglasiana

Douglas' wormwood

Common4 obs.
Isocoma menziesii

Isocoma menziesii

Common4 obs.
Phacelia ramosissima

Phacelia ramosissima

branched phacelia

Common4 obs.
Setophaga coronata

Setophaga coronata

Myrtle Warbler

Occasional4 obs.
Frankenia salina

Frankenia salina

Alkali seaheath

Occasional4 obs.
Baccharis pilularis

Baccharis pilularis

coyotebrush

Occasional4 obs.
Sterna forsteri

Sterna forsteri

forster’s tern

Occasional4 obs.
Myoporum laetum

Myoporum laetum

Ngaio tree

Occasional4 obs.
Baccharis salicifolia

Baccharis salicifolia

sticky baccharis

Occasional4 obs.
Heterotheca grandiflora

Heterotheca grandiflora

Telegraphweed

Rare4 obs.
Sayornis saya

Sayornis saya

Say's phoebe

Rare4 obs.
Murgantia histrionica

Murgantia histrionica

Rare4 obs.

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No comparable locations found in this region.

Nearby Wildlife Areas in Orange County

Discover 8 other wildlife-rich locations near Costa Mesa. Each offers unique biodiversity and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Regional Wildlife Network

These nearby locations complement Costa Mesawithin Orange County's wildlife network. Species counts reflect documented observations and help identify the most biodiverse areas for your nature explorations.

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