How wildlife coexists and thrives in Mission Bay Parks
The Mission Bay Parks System is home to an abundance of wildlife, particularly along the riparian zones of the Mission Creek shoreline. In this area, park visitors can spot a wealth of birds and other animals that thrive in the nutrient-rich mud and bay waters. Mission Creek is linked directly to San Francisco Bay. The tides flow twice a day. Many of the animals that live in the San Francisco Bay venture up Mission Creek to visit the calm, nutrient-rich waters.
One of the best locations for wildlife viewing in Mission Creek Park is just steps from Arterra at the 5th Street Overlook, which can be reached from Berry and 5th Streets. Park Management does not allow direct pedestrian or dog access on the shorelines to protect the wildlife in the Creek and ensure the safety of park visitors by keeping them off of the slippery rip rap. From the 5th Street Overlook, park visitors may notice ripples in the water. Just beneath the surface, there are often schools of fish swimming. There may even be a cormorant or sea lion in pursuit! A wide array of sea creatures can be spotted swimming in Mission Creek, including:
Wildlife on display
| California sea lions
| Bat rays
| Schools of Anchovies
| Herring
| Shiner Surfperch
| Dungeness Crab
Abundance for birders
Mission Creek is also home to a thriving community of birds and a favored urban location for local bird watchers. Bird watchers can look for great blue herons, western grebes, buffleheads, bushtits, hummingbirds, white-crowned sparrows, American robins, northern mockingbirds, snowy egrets, double-crested cormorants, and many more species. Incredibly, this bountiful community of birds can be found in the heart of a formerly industrial zone of San Francisco!
See what you’ve been missing
Come on out to Mission Bay Parks to share this hidden gem in San Francisco with all of the wildlife that thrives here every day. The parks are open from sunrise to 10 pm every day. And there’s no better place to see all that the SF Bay has to offer.