Southern CA Wetlands and the Upper Newport Bay

The Southern California wetlands are composed of a huge expanse of wetlands found from Santa Barbara County in the north all the way to the Mexican border in the south. In particular, we will focus on the Upper Newport Bay coastal wetlands, considered an estuarine wetland thanks to the mix of salt water from the ocean and fresh, or rather not-so-fresh, water from San Diego Creek and Bonita Creek. The Upper Newport Bay wetlands cover 1,357 acres, the majority of which are owned by the city of Newport Beach and the state of California. The Upper Newport Bay wetlands are home to diverse wildlife, but remain an especially important habitat for birds. The Light-footed Clapper Rail is one such bird species found in Upper Newport Bay. This bird species is endangered and 70% of the remaining Light-footed Clapper Rails in the United States call Upper Newport Bay home.