The Birds and Mammals Department is involved in many projects on the study of Birds and Mammals in the southern California region.
The San Diego County Bird Atlas is one of the most ambitious research projects the San Diego Natural History Museum has ever undertaken. It establishes a new benchmark for knowledge of birds in the region of the United States with more species than any other: 492 natives, migrants, and well-established exotics. Learn more.
Mammals are an integral part of the rich ecology in San Diego County—a recognized biodiversity hotspot. Despite the critical role mammals play in our environment, there has been no synthesis of their identification, distribution, natural history, or the conservation challenges they face—until now. Learn more.
In 2002 and 2003, over 1500 square miles of southern California burned in firestorms unequaled for over a century, the largest fires since accurate records have been kept. Because of the fires’ unprecedented size, their effects on the ecosystem were unknown and unpredictable. Learn more.
In 2002 and 2003, over 1500 square miles of southern California burned in firestorms unequaled for over a century, the largest fires since accurate records have been kept. Because of the fires’ unprecedented size, their effects on the ecosystem were unknown and unpredictable. Learn more.
In 1908 the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology at Berkeley mounted an expedition to the San Jacinto Mountain region, pioneering the exploration of southern California’s biology. On the 100th anniversary of this expedition, from 2008 to 2010, the San Diego Natural History Museum is retracing its path to see how the area’s wildlife has changed over the last century. Learn more.
The San Diego Natural History Museum is launching a new study in collaboration with citizen scientists, the U.S. Forest Service, Big Bear Zoo, and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to determine the distribution and habitat use of the San Bernardino Flying Squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus californicus), specifically along the urban edge where residential properties meet the natural environment. Learn more.
In 1908, pioneer ecologist Joseph Grinnell inaugurated the Museum of Vertebrate Zoology (MVZ) at the University of California, Berkeley, with an expedition to the San Jacinto Mountains. Until his death in 1939, he continued his mission to document the fauna of western North America before it was forever transformed by human population growth and land-use changes. Learn more.
Hundreds of years ago, Southern California was teeming with coastal lagoons—estuaries protected from the sea in salty, lake-like formations. These lagoons create unique ecosystems where a massive array of wildlife can flourish, including "umbrella species" like the Ridgway's Rail. Learn more.
Who else but The Nat would jump at the chance to ensure kangaroo rats were safe from construction holes? When old power poles needed replacing in Warner Valley, the construction put the federally threatened Stephens’ kangaroo rat at risk. Our team stepped in to ensure the rats were minimally impacted. Read more.
Wildlife conservation work is often portrayed as scientists in tactical vests trekking into the wilderness in search of species to protect. Some conservation works that way, but many wildlife wins are borne from something much more ordinary: Biological consulting. Read more.
"Coastal resiliency" has become a global priority for government agencies and conservation groups alike. But what is coastal resiliency, and why is it important in our corner of the world? Read more.
The grey vireo has declined steeply in southern California for 75 years, but new research indicates the vireos persist in high numbers just south of the border. Our twenty-year journey to conserve this overlooked songbird just got a lot more interesting. Read more.
Birding in San Diego is like a party that lasts all year. But winter is when San Diegans celebrate our feathered friends with festivals, holidays, and opportunities to contribute to bird-centric science. Here are four ways to love and learn more about our region’s beautiful birds. (No birding experience necessary!) Read more.