Peregrine Falcon – Downtown
Los Angeles, a sprawling county of 10 million people and more than 500 miles of freeways, my not come to people’s minds as a birding destination. But the fact is Los Angeles is a wonderland of biodiversity that offers almost endless bird watching opportunities.
Bird habitats range from ocean waters, coastal estuaries, chaparral, open grasslands, oak woodland forests and desert scrub. Even urban plantings, urban parks, agricultural areas and reservoirs add habitat to the mix. These varied landscapes create vast opportunities for bird species diversity. It’s no wonder why Los Angeles is arguably the birdiest county in the U.S.
Some major geography highlights found within in the over 4,000 square miles of Los Angeles County:
Two primary mountain ranges: Santa Monica Mountains and the San Gabriel Mountains whose elevation climbs to 10,068 feet at Mount San Antonio.
Four rivers flow through the county: Los Angeles River, Rio Hondo, San Gabriel River and the Santa Clara River.
Lakes and Reservoirs: Castaic Lake, Pyramid Lake, Lake Palmdale, Cogswell Reservoir, Puddingstone Lake, Hollywood Reservoir and Hansen Flood Control Basin.
Coastline: Los Angeles County borders 70 miles of the Pacific Ocean.
Two islands off the Pacific Coast: San Clemente Island and Santa Catalina Island.
High Desert: the westerly portion of the Mojave Desert.
Hooded Oriole – North Hills