Davis has many wonderful mature trees, densely vegetated greenbelts and natural open space areas. These areas are attractive to a wide variety of wildlife including common, rare and protected species. Learn more about local wildlife.

Canada Goose

Great-Horned Owl

Desert Cottontail

Western Fence Lizard

Living with Wildlife

Having wildlife live so close to home provides a great opportunity to watch and enjoy them. However, urban wildlife can also create problems when they eat our fruits and vegetables or damage our homes or landscaping. Humans have the responsibility to be good stewards of the Earth, including working to coexist with wildlife. Click on the links below for tips on how to live with specific wildlife species.

Wild Turkeys	Ground Squirrels	Swallows	Raccoons
Coyotes	Bats	Crows	Skunks

For an overview of the City's Urban Wildlife Program, please see the Urban Wildlife 101 PDF.

Here are some general preventive measures to help reduce conflict with wildlife.

• Do not feed wildlife. Feeding wildlife may not seem like a big deal, but it is the primary cause for conflict.  Supplemental feeding encourages them to stay closer to your home, causes them to become less fearful of humans, and may reduce their health.  Wild animals are capable of finding their own food.
• Do not feed pets outside. If you must, be sure to immediately remove any uneaten portion.
• Keep small pets indoors at night. Large predators such as coyotes and great-horned owls view small pets as potential food.
• Secure pet doors during late evening and night hours. Nocturnal species such as raccoons will readily enter cat doors in search of food.
• Protect backyard chickens by using a predator proof coop.
• Search for, repair or otherwise seal any holes, loose boards or gaps around the perimeter of your house so that wildlife cannot enter. Mice can squeeze through a hole or gap that's 1/4 inch or larger.
• Use wire mesh to cover chimney or vents.
• Cover fruit trees with netting and fence off your garden to help keep hungry wildlife away. Motion activated sprinklers and other deterrents are also helpful in the garden.
• Deter squirrels and rats from accessing fruit trees or your roof by cutting near-by vegetation back 8-10 feet.
• Use a pole or high pressure hose to knock down swallow nests as they are being built. Monitor daily until the swallows move elsewhere. It's illegal to knock down a completed nest that has eggs or young birds.

Got a specific wildlife concern? Tips for Living with Wildlife.

Protecting Wildlife

The trees, greenbelts and open spaces of Davis support several locally rare and/ or protected wildlife species. We all play a role in protecting wildlife. Learn more.