Wildlife

Take the time to explore the wild side of the park and you may discover a jackrabbit bounding away in front of you or great egrets stalking prey. Winter months are the best time to watch for birds. Hundreds of waterfowl and shorebirds can be observed using the seasonal wetlands as a resting and feeding area.

In the spring, as many ducks leave, black-necked stilts wade in the water, meadowlarks and blackbirds sing their songs, and raptors soar overhead. During the summer, swallows from South America use the wetlands to find mud for their nests and insects for their young. Fall migration signals the return of shorebirds and waterfowl for the winter. The wildlife you see here will change depending on the season, the weather, and even the time of day.

Birds

Over 60 different species of birds are found throughout the year at Sunnyvale Baylands Park and are listed on the Bird List. Find out more about burrowing owls, a Species of Special Concern.

Mammals

Most of the mammals found here are wary of people. Look for droppings of jackrabbits on the path. Signs of gophers and ground squirrels are seen near their many burrows. In the seasonal wetlands, salt marsh harvest mice, an endangered species, may be hiding from hawks overhead.

Take a look at our Wildlife Coloring Page!