Birding in Los Angeles Region

A selection of top birding locations in the Los Angeles Region is listed below. For maps and directions to these and other fine regional birding sites, consult the bird finding guides and other resources listed on pages 25-27.

Ventura County coast harbors, beaches and estuaries Oxnard (Channel Islands) and Ventura Harbors; Santa Clara River Estuary/McGrath State Beach; Ormond Beach; Mugu Lagoon (public viewing from Pacific Coast Hwy).

Los Angeles County coast beaches, estuaries, harbors Leo Carrillo State Beach; Pt. Dume/Zuma Creek Mouth; Malibu Lagoon; Ballona Wetlands/Playa del Rey; Pt.Vicente; Los Angeles/Long Beach Harbor.

Orange County coast estuaries, harbors, beaches Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge; Santa Ana River mouth/Talbert Marsh; Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve; Upper Newport Bay; Newport Pier; Crystal Cove State Beach; San Juan Creek mouth/Doheny Beach.

Los Angeles Basin parks and open spaceGriffith Park; Debs Regional Park; Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area; Los Angeles River near Griffith/Elysian parks; Madrona Marsh (Torrance); Harbor Regional Park (Harbor City); Banning Park (Wilmington); DeForest Park (Long Beach); Lower Los Angeles River from Rosecrans Ave. south to Willow Street (shorebirds especially July to September).

Interior Valleys of Los Angeles County Sepulveda Basin (Sepulveda Wildlife Area and Lake Balboa); Hansen Dam Recreation Area and Big Tujunga Wash; Descanso Gardens; Hahamongna Watershed Park/Arroyo Seco; Eaton Canyon Nature Center; Santa Fe Dam; Whittier Narrows Nature Center/Legg Lake; Castaic Lagoon; Santa Clara River/Soledad Canyon; Davis Park/Towsley Canyon; Bonelli Regional Park.

Southeastern Ventura County parks and open space Oxnard Plain; Santa Clara River; Pt. Mugu State Park/Big Sycamore Canyon; Rancho Sierra Vista.

Orange County parks and open space Huntington Central Park/Shipley Nature Center; Mason Regional Park; San Joaquin Marsh; Santa Ana Mountains (Trabuco and Silverado canyons, Blue Jay Campground); Mile Square Park; Santiago Oaks County Park; Irvine Regional Park; Casper’s Wilderness Park.

San Gabriel Mountains Angeles Crest Highway (Charlton Flat/Chilao, Buckhorn Campground, Dawson Saddle, Vincent Gap, Grassy Hollow, Blue Ridge); Table Mountain/Big Pines/Wrightwood; Big Santa Anita Canyon; Big Rock Creek/Valyermo

Antelope Valley Quail Lake; Lancaster Road and Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve; Saddleback Butte State Park; Piute Ponds/Lancaster Sewage Ponds (permission needed); Apollo County Park; agricultural areas (north of Hwy 138 from 60th St. West to 190th St. West, and various areas east of Lancaster from Ave. F south to Ave N).

“Inland Empire” open space Prado Regional Park and Prado Flood Control Basin; Fairmont Park in Riverside; San Jacinto Valley, Santa Rosa Plateau.

To find out more about the better places to find birds, order the book, Birds of Los Angeles Region