City
Los Angeles
🇺🇸 United States
North America, United States 582 spp. recorded
Los Angeles is the most populous city in the U.S. State of California, and the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Southern California. The city has an ethnically and culturally diverse population. Wikipedia
33.954° N 117.890° W
🦜 Nature
582 Species sighted
3,209,786 Verified sightings From 2019 to 2026
Apr Best month
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
📊 Most Spotted
LC
Cuban Treefrog
Osteopilus septentrionalis
LC Endemic
Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii
LC
Arboreal Salamander
Aneides lugubris
LC
Common Coqui
Eleutherodactylus coqui
📊 Most Spotted
🌙 Most active after dark
Recent sightings in Los Angeles
LIVEiNaturalistWhere to look
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
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IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine
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Huntington Central Park · East
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Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
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Frank G. Bonelli RP/Puddingstone Reservoir and vicinity
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Bolsa Chica · walkbridge/inner bay
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Sepulveda Basin · East of Woodley Ave
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Hahamongna Watershed Park (formerly Oak Grove Park)
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Huntington Botanical Gardens
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Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden
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Mile Square Regional Park, Fountain Valley
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Los Angeles River · Willow St
Sighting Calendar
How many species you'd see in a day
50Jan
49Feb
53Mar
60Apr
57May
57Jun
57Jul
58Aug
58Sep
57Oct
53Nov
50Dec
🏙️ City
Essentials
Green cover
Low
Protected land
0.6%
Protected sea
0.0%
Protected areas
72
areasWildlife spots
12
spotsZoos & centres
11
placesClimate
Mediterranean
Climate
Temp °C Rain mm
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Zoos & rescue centres
0.0 Excellent
Wallace's Line Score
How good is this city for seeing wildlife? 🦜
Biodiversity
ExcellentHow rich is the wildlife?
5.0
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds 811
🐒 Mammals 177
🦎 Reptiles 131
🐸 Amphibians 30
1149 Total Species
679 Global average across 380 cities
78 Threatened 39 Endemic
🔭
Sighting
GoodHow likely to see animals?
3.9
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% 📊
Coverage (158 species at ≥5% of 1149 in the inventory)
14% 🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (11 bird, 1 reptile)
20% 🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
1 ⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
18 🏕️
Experience
Very goodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
3.5
Climate Mixed Medium
Green cover Low Low
Protected land & sea 0.6% land Low
Protected areas 72 High
Wildlife spots 12 High
Zoos & centres 11 High
What visitors say
Before you go
What animals can you see in Los Angeles?
582 species
Los Angeles's urban area has 582 recorded vertebrate species. The ones wildlife watchers report most often on a given day are House Finch (about 80%), Black Phoebe (about 80%), American Crow (about 70%), Mourning Dove (about 70%) and Allen's Hummingbird (about 60%). Among mammals, the most-seen is Fox Squirrel (about 50%); among reptiles, Western Fence Lizard (about 50%); among amphibians, Western Toad (about 10%).
When is the best time to see wildlife in Los Angeles?
April and May
In those months the city's 12 most-seen species average about 70% on a given day, against about 60% in June to March. Those are among Los Angeles's driest months, with about 15 mm of rain a month against 75 mm in February.
Can you see an Allen's Hummingbird in Los Angeles?
Yes
About 60% of wildlife watchers report an Allen's Hummingbird sighting in Los Angeles on a given day, based on 77,258 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is February to June (about 70%).
Can you see a California Towhee in Los Angeles?
Yes
About 50% of wildlife watchers report a California Towhee sighting in Los Angeles on a given day, based on 59,862 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is April–June and September (about 60%).
Can you see a Black Phoebe in Los Angeles?
Yes
About 80% of wildlife watchers report a Black Phoebe sighting in Los Angeles on a given day, based on 93,079 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. The best time is September and October (about 90%).
Where in Los Angeles is wildlife easiest to see?
IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine
The spot where most wildlife watchers record their sightings is IRWD San Joaquin Marsh & Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine (227 bird species recorded), followed by Huntington Central Park · East and Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve. See them on the map.
Is Los Angeles good for wildlife watching?
4.2 out of 5
On the Wallace's Line Score, which rates each city against other cities, Los Angeles gets 4.2/5: 178th of 380 cities worldwide and 25th in North America. 25 of its species are reported by about 40% or more of wildlife watchers on a given day.
Nearest Cities
Nearest Parks
Nearest Zoos & Centres
Sources: urban area GHSL Urban Centre Database R2024A, European Commission JRC (CC BY 4.0) · protected land WDPA, UNEP-WCMC & IUCN (via GHSL) · climate NASA POWER · wildlife GBIF.org citizen-science data