This burrowing rodent, weighing around 2 ounces, is actually a keystone prey for the cismontane ecosystem. Its predators range from hawks to foxes, and because of the vole’s rapid reproduction rate, is a key link in the food web. To avoid predators, it spends much of its time in tunnels, only appearing to forage small seeds, which it also helps to disperse.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

This avian woodsman makes good use of the surrounding trees to store its bounty of acorns. The woodpecker will meticulously carve out holes perfectly for each acorn they collect. This unique behavior surprisingly does not harm the trees they whittle at, as only the external bark is affected. Listen for their distinct yacking bird call and the soothing tapping as the woodpeckers carve holes for their granary. Generations upon generations of kin will use the same tree, so the more holes the granary has, the richer the family history.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Our subspecies of interest, the californicus is found in the Santa Monica Mountains. They live in a wide range of habitats, are an important predator in the cismontane ecosystem, and are best known for their intricate hind patterns. Larger than the average house cat, their presence has often felt like a threat to residences of the greater Los Angeles and Ventura county area. Ample research is being done on the effects of urbanization on bobcat populations in these regions.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Scurrying amongst the shrub is the desert cottontail, the bunny best known for its tail shaped and colored like a cotton ball. Running at speeds up to 20 miles an hour, this prey needs to escape the likes of snakes, hawks, owls, foxes, and bobcats. Although they may be fast, their lifespan is still only around two years, meaning to sustain their population, they need to multiply rapidly.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

With their long beaks, the White-faced Ibis probes the water and dirt for small crustaceans and insects. Adorn with beautiful feathers, they are best known for their distinct white face with a red patch right down the middle. The chaparral environment provides plentiful nesting areas, as the shrubs act as low cover for their eggs, and the warm sand a safe incubator.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

This thrasher is the only species of Toxostoma found in the limited California range. They are often found eating small invertebrates. Their peculiar mating ritual is a sight to behold, as a male and female will interlock beaks mid flight and seemingly dance together.

IUCN Status: Least Concern

Despite its sweet sounding name, this shrub is tough and fast-growing. As a plant in the dry Californian landscape, the Sugarbush has thick and waxy leaves, making it more drought tolerant. Furthermore, it is capable of regrowing from unburnt roots after fires. You can find it blooming in the April and May months.

With sharp tips at the ends of their leaves and a thick wax coating, the scrub oak dominates the Chaparral environment. Braving the often dry California climate, this oak has adapted leaf and bark texture specifically to thrive in water and nutrient poor soils. During acorn season, this scrub is an abundant source of food for squirrels and birds, who also help disperse their seeds.

ISUN Status: Least Concern

Adapted to the frequent fires of California, the laurel sumac adapted by developing large underground burls. Once the top plant is burned away, the burl begins to sprout once again, replacing the old plant with new shoots. This fragrant plant also contains a lot of aromatic compounds, giving it a distinct bitter and fruity scent. It is also affectionately known by its “taco” shaped leaves.