Animal Species at Risk — Full List

Abbreviations/Symbols used in this list:

The purpose of this list, the criteria used for inclusion, and the methodology used to create it are provided here.

FPS  Fully Protected Species designated under the California Fish and Game Code

SE  or  ST  State Endangered  or  State Threatened

FE  or  FT  Federal Endangered  or  Federal Threatened

CSC  California Species of Special Concern

Mammals

Descriptions of each species and its status can be found here. This list does not address the status of marine mammals such as the Northern Elephant Seal (Mirounga angustirostris), Steller’s Sea Lion (Eumetopias jubatus), and Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina) that breed in the Bioregion.

Salt marsh wandering shrew Sorex vagrans halicoetes (CSC, rare and declining. Tidal marshes along southern SF Bay only. Additional threat from sea level rise.)

Monterey vagrant shrew Sorex vagrans paludivagus (coastal marshes from San Gregorio Creek south; status poorly known)

Pallid bat Antrozous pallidus (CSC)

Townsend's western big-eared bat Corynorhinus townsendii (CSC)

Western red bat Lasiurus blossevillii (CSC)

Fringed myotis Myotis thysanodes

Long-legged myotis Myotis volans

Ringtail Bassariscus astutus (FPS, not likely rare, but status poorly known)

Santa Cruz kangaroo rat Dipodomys venustus venustus

Beaver Castor canadensis

San Francisco dusky-footed woodrat Neotoma fuscipes annectens (CSC, not rare, but see description here)

Salt-marsh harvest mouse Reithrodontomys raviventris (SE, FE, FPS, at high risk. Facing additional threat of sea level rise.)

American badger Taxidea taxus (CSC, potentially rare due to having large home range and inherently low population densities. Also at risk from habitat fragmentation and road mortality, however known to be persisting in several historic locations.)

Mountain lion Puma concolor (CSC, not “rare”, but like all large predators, the density is low. Threatened by the effects of breeding among closely related individuals and by habitat fragmentation.)

Reptiles

Descriptions of each species and its status can be found here.

** Indicates that the species is relatively common in adjacent bioregions

Western pond turtle Emys(=Clemmys) marmorata (CSC)

** Common side-blotched lizard Uta stansburiana

Coast horned lizard Phrynosoma coronatum (CSC)

California whiptail lizard Cnemidophorus tigris mundus

Black legless lizard Aniella pulchra nigra (CSC)

** San Joaquin coachwhip snake Masticophis flagellum ruddocki (CSC)

** California whipsnake (Chaparral whipsnake) Masticophis lateralis lateralis

San Francisco garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis tetretaenia (SE, FE)

California black-headed snake Tantilla planiceps

** Night snake Hypsiglena torquata

Amphibians

Descriptions of each species and its status can be found here.

California tiger salamander Ambystoma californiense (CSC, FT)

California giant salamander Dicamptodon ensatus (CSC)

Santa Cruz long-toed salamander Ambystoma macrodactylum croceum (SE, FE)

Santa Cruz black salamander Aneides flavipunctatus niger (CSC)

Red-bellied newt Taricha rivularis (CSC)

California red-legged frog Rana draytonii (FT, CSC)

Foothill yellow-legged frog Rana boylii (CE, fed. candidate)

Fishes  

Descriptions of each species and its status can be found here.

** Indicates a species that is relatively common in adjoining bioregions

Pacific lamprey Entosphenus tridentatus (FSC)

Coho salmon Central Calif. Coast ESU Oncorhynchus kisutch (SE, FE)

** Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha (CSC)

Steelhead Central Calif. Coast DPS Oncorhynchus mykiss (FT)

Speckled dace Rhinichthys osculus

Sacramento perch Archoplites interruptus (CSC, possibly extirpated)

** Tule perch Hysterocarpus traski

Tidewater goby Eucyclogobius newberryi (FE)

Birds

Note: This list only includes birds that breed in the Bioregion and does not include migrants or winter residents. Birds with few nesting records and whose breeding range barely extends into the Bioregion are not included here. This list was updated in June 2020.

* Indicates a species that nests in colonies that are sensitive to disturbance. **Indicates a species that is relatively common in adjoining bioregions.

American bittern Botaurus lentiginosus

* Great egret Ardea alba

* Snowy egret Egretta thula

* Black-crowned night heron Nycticorax nycticorax

Osprey Pandion haliaetus (Rare breeder, very local)

Northern harrier Circus hudsonius (CSC)

Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos (FPS, needs relatively large prey such as jack rabbits and ground squirrels)

Bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus (SE, rare breeder, very local)

Mountain quail Oreortyx pictus (Rare breeder, few records, status poorly known; restricted to high elevation chaparral or open woods)

California Ridgeway's rail Rallus obsoletus obsoletus (SE, FE, at high risk. Very rare, local, and further threatened by sea level rise.)

Virginia rail Rallus limicola (fairly common winter, rare summer)

Sora Porzana carolina (Common in winter, very rare in summer)

Western snowy plover Charadrius nivosus nivosus (Coastal pop. FT, at high risk)

Spotted sandpiper Actitis macularius (Suitable habitat is naturally limited)

* Common murre Uria aalge (Suitable habitat is naturally limited)

Marbled murrelet Brachyramphus marmoratus (SE, FT, at high risk)

* Cassin’s auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus (CSC, suitable habitat is naturally limited)

* Rhinoceros auklet Cerorhinca monocerata (Suitable habitat is naturally limited)

Burrowing owl Athene cunicularia (CSC, at high risk)

Black swift Cypseloides niger (CSC, possibly extirpated)

Vaux's swift Chaetura vauxi (CSC, rare breeder and likely declining)

Long-eared owl Asio otus (CSC, rare breeder, very few records, status unclear)

Peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus (FPS, recovered from Endangered Species list but still uncommon)

Red-breasted sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber (rare breeder, very local)

Varied thrush Ixoreus naevius (Very rare breeder, very local; less than 10 records in last ten years)

Loggerhead shrike Lanius ludovicianus (CSC, at high risk)

Horned lark Eremophila alpestris (Rare breeder, very local, at high risk)

Bank swallow Riparia riparia (ST, possibly extirpated as breeder)

Purple martin Progne subis (CSC, at high risk)

San Francisco common yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas sinuosa (CSC, this subspecies only, found in fresh and salt water wetlands, SF Bay, and coastally north of Año Nuevo Island; threats include sea level rise) A different subspecies is found in south half of Bioregion and is not at risk.

Yellow warbler Dendroica setophaga (CSC, rare breeder, very local)

Yellow-breasted chat Icteria virens (CSC, very rare, possibly extirpated in Bioregion)

** Lark sparrow Chondestes grammacus (Uncommon, grassy hills in southeast part of Bioregion)

Song sparrow Melospiza melodia pusillula (CSC, ‘Alameda’ bay salt marsh subspecies only; threats include sea level rise) Another subspecies is common throughout the Bioregion.

Tricolored blackbird Agelaius tricolor (ST, at high risk)


Insects and Other Invertebrates

Note: This list has only received minor updates since 2003. We hope to do a major update soon.

California floater mussel Anodonta californiensis

California brackishwater snail Tryonia imitator

Edgewood blind harvestman Calicina minor

Edgewood Park micro-blind harvestman Microcina edgewoodensis

Hom's micro-blind harvestman Microcina homi

Jung's micro-blind harvestman Microcina jungi

California linderiella shrimp Linderiella occidentalis

Tomales isopod Caecidotea tomalensis

Ground cricket Neonemobius eurynotus

Zayante banded wing grasshopper Trimerotropis infantilis (FE, very local; restricted to Ben Lomond Sandhills)

Ohlone tiger beetle Cicindela ohlone (FE, local; restricted to coastal native prairie)

Globose dune beetle Coelus globosus

Ricksecker's water scavenger beetle Hydrochara rickseckeri

Leech's skyline diving beetle Hydroporus leechi

Mt. Hermon June beetle Polyphylla barbata (FE, very local; restricted to Ben Lomond Sandhills)

San Francisco forktail damselfly Ischnura gemina

Opler's longhorn moth Adela oplerella

Monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus

Smith's blue butterfly Euphilotes enoptes smithii (FE)

Bay checkerspot butterfly Euphydryas editha bayensis (FT)

San Bruno elfin butterfly Incisalia mossii bayensis (FE)

Mission blue butterfly Plebejus icarioides missionensis (FE)

Unsilvered fritillary butterfly Speyeria adiaste adiaste

Callippe silverspot butterfly Speyeria callippe callippe (FE)

Antioch sphecid wasp Philanthus nasalis (Local: Ben Lomond Sandhills)

Crotch bumble bee Bombus crotchii (CE, first insect listed under Calif. Endangered Species Act)

Special Species Aggregations

Monarch butterfly over-wintering aggregations

Heronries (Great blue, Black-crowned night heron, Brandt's cormorant, other)

Seabird colonies (alcids)

Double-crested cormorant roosts

Bat roosts or maternity colonies

Local Taxonomic Experts Consulted in the Preparation of this List

The Bioregional Council would like to thank the following local experts who contributed information that allowed us to prepare the initial list:

Mammals: Mr. Mark Allaback, Mr. Paul Heady, Mr. Chris Lay, and Dr. William Liddicker.

Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish: Dr. Allan Launer, Mr. Rich Seymour, Dr. Jerry Smith, Dr. Robert Stebbins, and Mr. Mike Westphal. These taxa were reviewed and updated by Dr. Jerry Smith in August 2017 and again in June 2020.

Birds: Mr. Bill Bousman, Mr. Peter Metropulos, Mr. Randy Morgan, and Mr. David Suddjian.

Insects and Other Invertebrates: Dr. Richard Arnold, Dr. Allan Launer, and Mr. Randy Morgan.

 

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