Wildlife Thesaurus: Top 10 Native Animals with Nicknames

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There are many different names you could use to refer to the animal species that live in Santa Clara Valley's open spaces! You can refer to them by their scientific names or their common names, but common names can get confusing when species have many that are used interchangeably.

Keep reading to learn some of the most common and interesting names for native Santa Clara Valley wildlife!  

large brown mountain lion walking along a path next to a hill with leaves and shrubbery

1. Mountain lion (Puma Concolor)

Full body photo of a large brown mountain lion walking around at night

Other common names: Puma, cougar, panther, painter, ghost cat, catamount, mountain screamer. 

Fun Fact: Mountain lions have more common names than any other animal in the world! They have at least 40 names, but we only shared a few for brevity’s sake!

2. Bobcat (Lynx rufus)

a close shot of a bobcat leaping in a green field

Other common names: Red lynx, wildcat, bay lynx 

Fun fact: Because of their spotted coats and size, bobcats are often mistaken for mountain lion pups!  

3. Coyote (Canis latrans)

Wide image of a coyote with its mouth open, standing in a dry yellow grass field
Photo: Beth Hamel

Other common names: Prairie wolf, brush wolf, American jackal 

Fun fact: Coyotes can run at speeds of over 40 miles per hour when escaping threats or chasing down prey! 

4. Barn owl (Tyto alba)

Close up a barn owl's face, the background is out of focus
Photo: Dave Tharp

Other common names: Monkey-faced owl, ghost owl, church owl, death owl, hobgoblin owl 

Fun fact: Barn owls don’t hoot – they screech! 

5. Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia)

Small own sitting in the dirt, looking forward
Photo: H. Mansur

Other common names: Billy owl, ground owl, long-legged owl, prairie owl, prairie-dog owl 

Fun fact: Contrary to their name, burrowing owls don’t dig their own burrows; they live in abandoned burrows made by other burrowing species, like ground squirrels!

6. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Large turkey vulture flying in a clear blue sky
Photo: David Mauk

Other common names: Buzzard, John Crow, carrion crow 

Fun fact: Turkey vultures use their keen sense of smell to find carrion (the decaying flesh of deceased animals)!

7. Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

A Western fence lizard sits on a rock in the sunshine
Photo: David Mauk

Other common names: Bluebelly, fence lizard, swift, fence swift 

Fun fact: Western fence lizards have a third eye on the top of their heads!  

8. Grey Fox (Procyon cinereoargenteus)

A gray fox runs across a dry grassland
Photo: Beth Hamel

Other common names: Tree fox 

Fun fact: Grey foxes are one of only two species in the Canidae (dog) family that are able to climb trees! 

9. Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

close up of an orange and black spotted monarch butterfly on a dry brown plant
Photo: David Mauk

Other common names: Milkweed butterfly, black veined brown butterfly, wanderer butterfly 

Fun fact: Monarchs can fly over 3,000 miles a year for their migration!

10. California Newt (Taricha torosa)

A California newt walks along the ground
Photo: Cait Hutnik

Other common names: Orange-bellied newt 

Fun fact: California newts secrete the neurotoxin tetrodotoxin! 

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