We share our community with hundreds of species of birds, mammals, amphibians, fish and reptiles. Some are very obvious and may be seen regularly in and around town. Others are more shy or secretive and may be difficult to find. Below is a list of some of the animals that may be seen around Davis and at the Davis Wetlands.

Common Wildlife and Plants Found at the Davis Wetlands (PDF)

Mammals  

Besides humans, Davis is home to many mammals. Here are a few you may see around town:

• Raccoon • Coyote • Striped skunk  • American beaver • Deer mouse  • Western harvest mouse  • California vole

• California ground squirrel • Muskrat  • Raccoon • Black-tailed hare • Desert cottontail • Gray fox

• Sacramento Valley red fox  • Mule deer  • Mexican free-tailed bat • Pallid bat • Big brown bat • Northern river otter

 

More information about mammals in California.

Birds    

Birds are abundant in Davis. You’ll likely see many in every park and possibly even in your yard. Here are some of the birds you may see around Davis. Some birds are present year-round, some are present seasonally and some stop for a short time on their migration route. Learn more about the Pacific Flyway.

Water Birds

• Canada goose • Gadwall • American wigeon  • Mallard • Blue-winged teal • Cinnamon teal • Northern shoveler • Northern pintail  • Canvasback • Redhead • Ring-necked duck  • Lesser scaup

• Bufflehead  • Common goldeneye  • Hooded merganser • Ruddy duck  • Pied-billed grebe • Eared grebe • Western grebe • Double-crested cormorant • American white pelican • American bittern • Great blue heron • Great egret

• Snowy egret • Cattle egret • Black-crowned night-heron • White-faced ibis • Sora • Common gallinule  • American coot • Bonaparte's gull • Ring-billed gull • California gull • Caspian tern

Shorebirds

• Black-necked stilt • American avocet • Semipalmated plover • Killdeer • Greater yellowlegs

• Dunlin • Long-billed curlew • Long-billed dowitcher  • Marbled godwit

• Least sandpiper • Western sandpiper • Wilson's phalarope • Red-necked phalarope

Songbirds

• Ring-necked pheasant • Wild Turkey • Mourning dove • Rock pigeon • Anna's hummingbird • Belted kingfisher • Northern flicker • Olive-sided flycatcher • Black phoebe • Say’s phoebe • Western kingbird • Loggerhead shrike • American crow

• Common raven • Horned lark • Tree swallow • Cliff swallow • Barn swallow • Marsh wren • Northern Mockingbird • American pipit  • Common yellowthroat • Yellow warbler • Yellow-rumped warbler • Wilson's warbler  • Savannah sparrow

• White-crowned sparrow • Song sparrow • Fox sparrow • Red-winged blackbird • Yellow-headed blackbird • Western meadowlark • Brewer's blackbird • Brown-headed cowbird • Great-tailed grackle • Purple finch • House finch • Dark-eyed junco • Lesser goldfinch

Birds-of-Prey

• American kestrel • Peregrine falcon • Merlin • Great-horned owl

• Turkey vulture • White-tailed kite • Northern harrier •  Barn owl

• Sharp-shinned hawk • Cooper's hawk • Red-tailed hawk  • Swainson's hawk

 

Learn more about bird species.

Fish

The local ponds, wetlands and waterways in and around Davis contain various fish species. Below are a few species that may be found here. Fishing is not allowed within the City limits or at the City Wetlands.

• Largemouth bass • Bluegill

• Common Carp • Channel Catfish

• Mosquito fish

Learn more about fish species in Yolo County watersheds. 

Reptiles

There are a few reptiles that live in Davis:

• California alligator lizard • Pacific gopher snake • Western yellow-bellied racer

• Common garter snake • Giant garter snake • California kingsnake

• Red-eared slider • Northwestern fence lizard

Learn more about reptiles in California. 

Amphibians

Davis does not have many amphibians, but there are a few. Here are a few species that you may find near wetlands, ponds or even in your yard:

• American bullfrog • California toad

• Sierran tree frog

• California slender salamander

Learn more about amphibians in California.