oases of nature A tour of plants and animals that thrive on UCLA's campus

UCLA is an urban ark of extraordinary and unexpected California wildlife, with hundreds of different birds, mammals and insects all around us. Enjoy this guided tour around our amazing ecosystem.

Mildred E. Mathias Botanical Garden

Visitors love the 7-acre sanctuary for its incredible diversity of plant life from around the globe and for the solace it provides. Meanwhile, scientists are developing new paths to conservation there.

Above: Walking bridge, yellow-rumped warbler (known to its admirers as ‘‘butter butt”), staghorn fern, red-whiskered bulbul, puya plant, Bewick’s wren and Allen’s hummingbird

Above: Western pond turtle with red-eared sliders in the background, California towhee, Chilopsis linearis — commonly known as desert willow — from Texas and a neon skimmer dragonfly

Above: A western tiger wallowtail butterfly, California poppies and yellow-chevroned parakeet, once native to tropical South America

Find your way to the garden

North and Central Campus

North Campus

North Campus areas include Stone Canyon Creek (above), the Anderson complex and Kaufman Hall. The species shown below are Nuttall’s woodpecker and cliff swallows nesting at Kaufman Hall.

Central Campus

The central campus areas — including Ackerman Union, the Court of Sciences, the Inverted Fountain, Knudsen Hall and Molecular Garden — are home to many colorful avian species.

Above: Cedar waxwing, red-tailed hawk and lesser goldfinch

Above: Dark-eyed junco, various cacti near the Court of Sciences Student Center, great horned owlets and mourning cloak butterfly

Sage Hill

These 3.5 acres of native California habitat are home to a wide diversity of flora and fauna. The outdoor learning space — not open to the public — hosts hands-on teaching and research opportunities.

Above: Environmental science student Izzy Hatcher with an Allen’s hummingbird, umber skipper and cabbage white butterfly

Above: Spotted towhee, western skink and northern flicker

Above: Orange-crowned warbler, painted lady butterfly and California scrub jay

Pages of the Past

Birds of the Campus, a 1947 guide edited by influential ornithologist Loye W. Miller, recorded more than 100 different species. These included many shorebirds drawn to a now-lost arroyo, or seasonal stream. The forthcoming UCLA landscape plan will restore lost native habitats.

Back to “Pockets of Paradise on Campus”

Appreciate

Credits:

Photos and videos provided by Peter Bohler and Nurit Katz. Photos by Peter Bohler: Walking path on hill; Botanical Garden: Walking bridge, yellow-rumped warbler, red-whiskered bulbul, Bewick’s wren, Allen’s hummingbird, California towhee; North Campus: Stone Canyon Creek; Central Campus: Lesser goldfinch, dark-eyed junco, cacti, mourning cloak butterfly; Sage Hill: Sage Hill entrance, student Izzy Hatcher, orange-crowned warbler. Photos by Nurit Katz: Botanical Garden: Staghorn fern, puya plant, western pond turtle with red-eared sliders, Chilopsis linearis (desert willow), neon skimmer dragonfly, western tiger swallowtail butterfly, California poppies, yellow-chevroned parakeet; North Campus: Nuttall’s woodpecker, cliff swallows; Central Campus: Cedar waxwing, red-tailed hawk, great horned owlets; Sage Hill: Allen’s hummingbird, umber skipper, cabbage white butterfly, spotted towhee, western skink, northern flicker, painted lady butterfly, California scrub jay. Videos: Lesser goldfinch by Peter Bohler; Allen's Hummingbird and cliff swallows by Nurit Katz. Map: Courtesy of Google Maps.