Irvine keeps an unusual amount of open space for a planned city, ringed by preserves in the coastal foothills. The Great Park wetlands and San Joaquin marsh draw herons, egrets, and wintering ducks, the surrounding hills hold coyotes, bobcats, roadrunners, and California gnatcatchers in the sage scrub, and the neighborhoods run to Anna’s hummingbirds, scrub-jays, and fence lizards.
Everything below is pulled live from recent research-grade observations near Irvine. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.
177,695
recent observations
30
species listed
19
birds
3
insects & arthropods
1
reptiles & amphibians
Naturalists have logged 177,695 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species near Irvine. The most frequently seen is the Western Fence Lizard, with 16,647 recorded sightings.
Birds account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (19 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (3).