Audubon Society

Starr Ranch Sanctuary is a nearly 4,000-acre nature preserve in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in southeastern Orange County, California. Owned and operated by the National Audubon Society, it protects some of Southern California’s remaining coastal wildlands and provides important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Its landscape includes coastal sage scrub, native needlegrass grassland, oak and riparian woodlands, and chaparral. These habitats offer nesting and foraging grounds for birds of conservation concern, including the federally threatened Coastal California Gnatcatcher, the Coastal Cactus Wren, and the Grasshopper Sparrow.

Starr Ranch advances its conservation mission through research, habitat restoration, and education programs available by reservation. Visitors can learn about the sanctuary, explore its natural environment, and view wildlife through Starr Ranch web cameras. Located near Cleveland National Forest and Caspers Regional Park, the sanctuary contributes to the protection of an important bird area in Southern Orange County. Its work supports the long-term health of local landscapes and the wildlife and communities that depend on them.