A possum ascends the stairs to a 2nd-floor apartment in Solano Park.

The longer one lives in Davis, the longer one becomes accustomed to the local wildlife. Some are year round residents, others only can be seen at certain times of the year. Local wildlife often inhabits the town flora. Want to know the correct taxonomic classification for one of Davis' biota? Check out Wikispecies.

Domesticated animals also make up a good number of the animals in town, some of which have their own personal pages or check out Cute Animals.

Wild Campus is a UC Davis student group that promotes the conservation of Davis' native wildlife through community outreach and events, providing opportunities for student research, and habitat restoration projects.

Mammals

A gopher, caught in the act.

Birds

QUACK! Davis ducks are relatively fearless. These two wait near the Tercero DC for snacks.

Others:

Common Name
Taxonomic Classification
Habitats
American Coots
(Fulica americana)
 
Barn Swallows
(Hirundo rustica)
 
California Quails
(Callipepla californica)
Putah Creek Picnic Area
Double-Crested Cormorants
(Phalacrocorax auritus)
Putah Creek
Emus
(Dromaius novaehollandiae)
 
European Starlings
(Dromaius novaehollandiae)
 
Helmeted Guineafowls
(Numida meleagris)
 
House Finches
(Carpodacus mexicanus)
 
Anna's Hummingbirds
(Calypte anna)
 
Killdeers
(Charadrius vociferus)
 
Indian Blue Peacocks
(Pavo cristatus)
Arboretum
Pied-Billed Grebes
(Podilymbus podiceps)
Arboretum
Wild Turkeys
(Meleagris gallopavo)
 
Turkey Vultures
(Cathartes aura)
Near Putah Creek
White-Tailed Kites
(Elanus leucurus)
farmlands beyond city limits

See Birds Entry for more information.

Reptiles and Amphibians

Brrrrp! This Pacific Tree Frog tries unsuccessfully to hide.

Fish

One of the many summer basslings you can find on Putah Creek.

Common Name
Taxonomic classification
Habitats
Fathead Minnow
(Pimephales promelas)
Arboretum Waterway
Sacramento Blackfish
(Pimephales promelas)
Arboretum Waterway
Western Mosquitofish
(Gambusia affinis)
Arboretum Waterway, Cache Creek, Ponds, Putah Creek, Sacramento River
Bluegill Sunfish
(Lepomis macrochirus)
Cache Creek, Ponds, Putah Creek, Sacramento River
Common Carp
(Cyprinus carpio)
Arboretum Waterway, Putah Creek,
Sacramento Pikeminnow
(Ptychocheilus grandis)
Cache Creek, Putah Creek, Sacramento River
Largemouth Bass
(Micropterus salmoides)
Cache Creek, Putah Creek, Sacramento River
Green Sunfish
(Lepomis cyanellus)
Arboretum Waterway, Cache Creek, Ponds, Putah Creek, Sacramento River
Bigscale Logperch
(Percina macrolepida)
Putah Creek, Sacramento River

See Fish Entry for more information.

Arthropods

Also see Insects. bzzzzzzzz... a spider taking advantage of other wildlife in the arboretum If you have a problem with any of the below, you may need to call one of the Davis-area exterminators.

Gastropods

Comments:

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sitting on my porch (University Ave, between A & B) a couple of days ago i saw a falcon attack and eat a pigeon. most exciting thing i've seen in davis in quite some time. EllenWoodall

2007-07-18 22:57:35   There's some duplication here with the Town Fauna page. —CovertProfessor

2007-10-28 21:11:22   Whatever difference there was, once, between Town Fauna and this page has gone, as CovertProfessor points out. I think it was once that Fauna included domestic animals and 'wildlife' here didn't, but that is long since gone. Anyone want to merge them, as well as adding a comment box on Fauna? There could be a * along side, or a section for domestics, if one is concerned about it. Else, one cannot find half the information that is really hidden on the other page. — NotTires —NotTires

2008-04-24 10:27:26   I will give merging a shot. I'll bring the flora info over here. Then should we delete the info there and make it a redirect to here, or vice versa? —EmilyH

2008-04-24 10:30:02   Nevermind. Looks like I'm not allowed to edit this page. —EmilyH

2009-09-21 21:54:25   Isn't that gopher in the pic above? —CarlosOverstreet

  • Definitely. No moles in sight. —jmofro

2011-05-13 03:18:23   Are moles much of a problem in Davis? —CarlosOverstreet

  • Don Shor would know. I know gophers are a serious problem for some folks in the outskirts. -jw
  • I have never seen moles here. Pocket gophers are a problem, and some years we get reports of damage from high populations of voles. —DonShor
    • Adding to the small mammal tally, I've spotted some kind of shrew in the grassy fields between Olive Drive and the train tracks. I'm comfortable identifying rodents, but moles and shrews are outside my zone of experience. -jw

2011-05-14 00:12:36   So no moles in Davis that we can confirm? —CarlosOverstreet

2013-02-21 15:34:18   Anyone know what (if any) lizards are indigenous to Davis? I wouldn't mind having some in our yard for a) looking at and b) insect control. —ScottSchiller

  • Western fence lizards are the most common lizard around town. Alligator lizards are around here too (I've had a few sneak into my house). There are probably skinks too (Gilberts or Skiltons, not sure which, the populations in this area overlap and look similar). Check out the website californiaherps.com for really good info on California reptiles. -DG

2013-05-08 14:38:47   Anyone seen Central Valley Red Foxes by Davis? —CarlosOverstreet

  • Yes. As of 3/18/2020 I have seen two (I have been living in Davis since 2018). One was on the UC Davis Campus near the arboretum late at night. The other was around twilight in the greenbelt of the Willowcreek neighborhood. I suppose - strictly speaking - you can't tell if they're the native red fox population or the non-native population without genetic testing, but previous studies have found the native individuals in these areas, and there are signs posted to alert residents of their presence in Willowcreek. So they are out there, but they're hard to spot. -DG

 

 

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