Starr Ranch Sanctuary

Located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in southeastern Orange County, Starr Ranch Sanctuary is a nearly 4,000-acre preserve owned and operated by the National Audubon Society. About 60 miles southeast of Los Angeles, this mild, Mediterranean-climate landscape sits in unincorporated Orange County, bordered by the Cleveland National Forest to the north and east, Caspers Regional Park to the south, and the communities of Dove Canyon and Coto de Caza to the west. 

Southern Orange County is one of California’s Important Bird Areas, and Starr Ranch plays a critical role in protecting some of the region’s last remaining coastal wildlands. The sanctuary safeguards imperiled habitat mosaics, including coastal sage scrub and needlegrass grassland, alongside oak and riparian woodlands and chaparral, providing essential nesting and foraging grounds for birds of conservation concern. This includes the federally threatened Coastal California Gnatcatcher, the Coastal Cactus Wren (a California Species of Special Concern), and Grasshopper Sparrow in native grasslands. 

Through research, habitat restoration, and education programs offered by reservation, Starr Ranch helps ensure these rare Southern California landscapes continue to support wildlife and people for generations to come.