Zuma Canyon

      Zuma Canyon is located in Los Angeles County, California, about 12 km west of Malibu along Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway, or PCH to locals).  The lat./long. is 34d02m N. lat., 118d49m W. long.  The banding station is located about two km north of the Pacific Ocean in the parking lot leading into the canyon.

   Most of the Santa Monica Mountains is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (NRA).  Zuma Canyon is the largest contiguous portion of the NRA, as the entire drainage belongs to the National Park Service.

   The 13 net lanes are scattered in a variety of vegetation types at an elevation of 30-60 m (100-200 ft ) with dominant vegetation being soft chaparral or Coastal Sage Scrub (Coastal Sagebrush, Artemesia californica; Black Sage, Salvia mellifera).  There are also components of hard chaparral (Laurel Sumac,   ) as well as some California Walnut, Juglans californica; Western Sycamore, Platanus racemosa; and Coast Live Oak, Quercus agrifolia.  Riparian vegetation line Zuma Creek, which is dry most of the year, and an old field is found nearby.  Click here to see a photo of the canyon looking north from the parking lot which serves as our banding station.

Directions:  From Los Angeles, head north (actually west) on Highway (Pacific Coast Highway) past Malibu.  Just after Pt. Dume, take a right (north) at the light onto Busch Drive.  Take the first right onto Rainsford Rd, over an "Arizona Crossing" through Zuma Creek.  At the "T" take a left (north) onto Bonsall Drive.  Drive to the end of the pavement and into the dirt parking lot.  Warning:  Be acutely aware of speeding on Highway 1.  Most of us who have been banding at Zuma have had the pleasure of a ticket from the CHP's who patrol this stretch.

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