Flora, Fauna & Birds
The Fiscalini Ranch Preserve is home to an incredible variety of plants and animals. From colorful wildflowers in the spring to soaring birds of prey, the Ranch is a showcase of nature’s beauty. The landscape includes riparian habitats, tidal zones, coastal prairies, seasonal marshes, and wetlands filled with birdlife.
The rugged coastline rises to a 200-foot ridge, offering stunning views of migrating whales, playful sea otters, and the Santa Lucia Mountains. The land then slopes southward to Santa Rosa Creek, where willows line the banks. This diverse environment supports many rare and endangered species, such as red-legged frogs, tidewater gobies, western pond turtles, steelhead trout, and monarch butterflies. Bird lovers may spot great blue herons, burrowing owls, and Cooper’s hawks, while coyotes, black-tailed deer, and the occasional bobcat roam the Preserve in search of food and water.
Fiscalini Ranch Preserve Plant Guide
For those interested in the plants of the Ranch, The Dr. David Chipping's Fiscalini Plant Guide provides descriptions and photographs of the native species found here. Published by the Native Plant Society-San Luis Obispo, this guide is available as a free download on their website.
