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Among the more commonly seen reptiles are rattlesnakes, discussed later under “Special Hazards.”

The richness of birdlife in the Orange County area is impressive, not only because of the diversity of its habitats, but also because the county lies along the Pacific Flyway route of spring–fall bird migration and serves as a wintering area for waterfowl. Several species of rare or endangered birds nest or visit, including the southern bald eagle, peregrine falcon, lightfooted clapper rail, least tern, Belding’s savannah sparrow, and least Bell’s vireo.

Fire Ecology

Chaparral and sage scrub have evolved to burn periodically. Many species have highly flammable resinous leaves, and many have underground root burls that survive moderately intense fire and resprout shortly afterward. Some species depend on occasional fires to reproduce, and many “fire follower” wildflowers grow only after a wildfire. Before humans impacted the area, lightning-induced fires typically burned any given acre every 30–150 years.