The quality of the information you find on the Web varies tremendously so it is always a good idea to check the information against another source. As with all information resources, whether in print or on the Internet, you evaluate its quality based on the following criteria:
That's just the basics. Learn more!
It's a Zoo Out There: Zoology Resources - An internet resource guide published by the Association of College and Research Libraries, April 2008. Lists recommended general and specific sites, taxonomic web sites, endangered species, literature databases, U.S. government sites, and societies and organizations.
Journal of Visualized Experiments (JoVE) - "...is a video journal for biological research."
MELVYL: The Catalog of the University of California Libraries - The Melvyl catalog contains records for materials (books, journals, movies, maps, music scores and recordings, computer files, dissertations, government documents, etc.) held by the libraries of the ten UC campuses, the California State Library, Hastings College of the Law, the California Academy of Sciences, the California Historical Society, the Center for Research Libraries, the Graduate Theological Union, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
PL0S: Public Library of Science Journals: Biology - Users are free to read, copy, distribute, and enjoy the first-rate content without limits and at no charge. Crediting the author and original source is all that is required in return.
SORA: Searchable Ornithological Research Archive - "an open access electronic journal archive and is the product of a collaboration between the American Ornithologists Union, the Cooper Ornithological Society, the Association of Field Ornithologists, the Wilson Ornithological Society and the University of New Mexico libraries."
"The content is available in searchable and browseable formats and documents can be downloaded as pdf or djvu files. Djvu files rely on an 'acrobat' type browser plug-in (www.lizardtech.com) for viewing and are approximately 1/4 the size of pdf files for faster downloads. Web browsers must have the ability to read java script (make sure it is turned on)."
HighWire Press - a division of the Stanford University Libraries that provides indexing and full-text access to scholarly journals.
The Journal of Experimental Biology - free full-text online journal in comparative animal physiology. It covers the form and function of living organisms at all levels of biological organisation, from the molecular and subcellular to the integrated whole animal. The authors include scientists who study molecular, cellular and organismal physiology in an evolutionarily and environmentally based context. Coverage dates from 1923 to present.
SparkNotes Animal Behavior Study Guides - includes sections such as Instinct; Learning; Signaling and Communication; Orientation and Navigation; and Behavioral Ecology. Also gives an overview and review with internal links for concepts and terms.
Try these sites for find places to observe mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, insects, and marine life.
Alameda Creek Alliance - Protecting and restoring the natural ecosystems of the Alameda Creek watershed
Bay Nature
California National Wildlife Refuges
CaliforniaBirding.com has been established to provide those interested in birding in California with information to assist them in making their birding time more fun and
East Bay Regional Parks - list of links to the East Bay Regional Parks
Joe Morlan's California Birding Pages
LARPD - Brushy Peak Regional Preserve, Garaventa Wetland Preserve, Sycamore Grove, Sycamore Grove/Veterans Park map*, Sycamore Grove/Veterans Park information, Veterans Park
Mount Diablo State Park and Vicinity (Wildlife of) - wildlife is abundant on Mt. Diablo: coastal black-tailed deer, raccoons, California ground squirrels, eastern fox squirrels, and gray foxes are often seen. skunks, bobcats, mountain lions, badgers, coyotes, rabbits, hares and many other animals call the mountain home as well. Mount Diablo is known to harbor red-legged frogs, tarantulas, and the rare Alameda whipsnake as well as its cousin, the northern rattlesnake.
San Francisco Bay Bird Observatory
California Watchable Wildlife
Amphibians and Reptiles of Northern California - from the US Fish and Wildlife Service
AmphibiaWeb - provides species descriptions, life history information, conservation status, photos, on amphibian biology and conservation
Bohart Museum of Entomology (UC Davis) - Click on the Navigation links on the left to find Insect Information Sheets, Insect Keys, Insect Photo Gallery
Borror Lab Home Page - “houses one of the largest collections of recorded animal sounds in the world.” Search by common or scientific name from the “approximately 28,000 recordings of over 1000 species of animals.”
Bug Bytes - a collection of more than forty insect sound files by species name or subject, including are various larvae and adult insect feedings; movements of soil invertebrates; insects in plants; wing vibrations, and more
Butterflies of California - Swallowtails (Family Papilionidae) Whites and Sulphurs (Family Pieridae), Gossamer-wing Butterflies (Family Lycaenidae), Metalmarks (Family Riodinidae), Brush-footed Butterflies (Family Nymphalidae), and Skippers (Family Hesperiidae)
California Academy of Sciences - Steinhart Aquarium, Natural History Museum, Morrison Planetarium: " ...devoted to the study, display and interpretation of scientific collections which inspire people of all ages to explore the rich variety of life on Earth"
California Dragonflies and Damselflies: AKA California Odonata - "information on and photographs of all the species of dragonflies and damselflies in California..."
California's Wildlife - information on the 600+ amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles found in California: including name, distribution, habitat requirements, life history, and bibliography (Zeiner, D.C., ed. California's Wildlife. 1988-1990.
CalPhotos: Animals - "...thousands of photographs of amphibians, birds, fish, insects, invertebrates, mammals, and reptiles." Searchable and browsable. UC, Berkeley.
Cephalopod Page - contains photographs and thoroughly researched information on many species of octopus, squid, cuttlefish, and other cephalopods.
Comparative Mammalian Brain Collections - "Photographs of brains of over 100 different species of mammals (including humans) representing 17 mammalian orders."
The Echinoids - information about sea urchins; how they live, feed, and reproduce; an alphabetic listing of their taxa; ; diagnostic features, distribution, which species are included; and the morphology or anatomy of sand dollars and heart-urchins as well as regular echonoids
eSkeletons Project - compare the bones of a human, a chimpanzee or baboon: "high-quality images of bones, labels of all muscles, articulations, and morphological features..."
Family Scarabaeidae - "The family Scarabaeidae is a remarkable group of beetles, many of which are the largest insect species on the planet. This site profiles the natural history of 25 of the most spectacular ones from around the world, with details on the life cycles of many"
Farallones Marine Sanctuary Association - provides educational fact sheets on the Gulf of the Farallones' inhabiting marine mammals and intertidal creatures
Fish FAQ (NEFSC) - provides fascinating facts and answers to questions about fish, shellfish, other creatures living in the sea, and the marine environment
Freshwater and Marine Image Bank -2600+ images dating from 1735 to 1924 "related to freshwater and marine topics, in all their diversity."
Friends of the Sea Otter - information on sea otters, including sea otter behavior, a California otter range map, California otter census figures since 1982, endangered status ...
FrogWeb: Amphibian Declines and Deformities - information about the decline in population and rise in deformities for United States and worldwide frogs, toads, and salamanders. (Links to Current Biological Issues of Biodiversity, Biology in the News, Bird Conservation, Coral Reefs, Invasive Species, Pollinator Declines, West Nile Virus, Wildlife Disease)
Hexacorallians of the World - Sea Anemones, Corals and Their Allies. Catalogue of species, [Actiniaria, Corallimorpharia, and Ptychodactiaria], bibliography of literature in which they were described, inventory of type specimens, distribution maps, and images
Infrared Zoo - features thermal infrared photographs of dozens of animals including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and insects and arachnids, including an illustrated essay on the differences between warm-blooded and cold-blooded animals
Insect Mouthparts - a guide to illustrate the functions of insect chewing, siphoning, piercing, sponging, and combinations
Insectclopedia - insect information, including a section where species are covered alphabetically, insect control, research, identification, and pests found in crops, forests, gardens, homes, and lawns
Mammal Species of the World -includes "the names of the 4,629 currently recognized species of mammals, in a taxonomic hierarchy that includes Order, Family, Subfamily, and Genus," based on . Search by common or scientific name, or query the database of scientific synonyms. This database from the (1993 data,American Society of Mammalogists,Smithsonian)
Marine Biology Web - educational resource for marine biology students
Marine Mammal Center - Northern California non-profit works with rescue, research, and education programs to "recognize human interdependence with marine mammals [and] foster their survival and the conservation of their habitat."
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary - official site for educational, research, recreational, and visitor information on the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Data Access - database of 600,000+ specimen records and some photographs of amphibians, birds, bird eggs, mammals, and reptiles
National Biological Information Infrastructure - Use the NBII to answer a wide range of questions related to the management, use, or conservation of this nation's biological resources.
National Marine Mammal Laboratory's Education Web Site - detailed information on all types of marine mammals, including whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Information on Marine Mammal Science and data about pursuing a career in marine mammal science is also covered
Nomina Insecta Nearctica - A Checklist of the Insects of North America
Opossum Society of the United States - dedicated to “North America's only marsupial,” including background information a FAQ, educational materials, photos, and other materials
Otter Project - "the Otter Project exists to promote the rapid recovery of the California sea otter, an indicator of near shore ocean health, by facilitating research and communicating research results to the general public and policy makers"
Pollination Home Page - general information on bees and pollination as well as links to practical resources for growers and beekeepers
Pronunciation of Biological Latin: Including Taxonomic Names of Plants and Animals - covers vowels, stress on syllables, commemorative names, and other matters
Quail, Valley: State Bird of California - features the valley quail, Lophortyx californica; its habits and habitats; and includes an image
Ravens - scientific information and folklore on the raven and related birds in the crow family
Social Insects World Wide Web - Ants, bees, termites, wasps... from the American Museum of Natural History
Spider Pavilion - features information about common spiders in Los Angeles, an image gallery, and a brief overview of spider biology
Spiders and Other Arachnids at UC Riverside - articles, distribution map, and identification information for brown recluse spiders; and facts and photographs of other types of spiders (including hobo spiders and daddy-longlegs)
Tarantulas - An introduction which provides general comments on each species temperament and general location with color photos of each tarantula discussed. General care instructions for keeping tarantulas as pets are also provided
Tarantula's Burrow - searchable databases about tarantulas and scorpions
Ticks Commonly Encountered in California - brief profiles and photographs of soft ticks (pajahuello, spinose ear, poultry) and hard ticks (winter, Pacific Coast, Rocky Mountain wood, American dog, and western black legged ticks), includes background information on tick biology
Tool Use in Corvids - discussion of tool use and tool making by crows is illustrated; investigates "the biology of decision-making with the tools of evolutionary biology and experimental psychology"
Vertebrate Flight Exhibit - includes information on types of aerial locomotion (parachuting, gliding, flight, soaring), physics (biomechanics), and evolutionary theory (ground up and trees down scenarios); profiles the origin and evolution of flight in pterosaurs, birds, and bats
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: National Image Library - images of "wildlife, plants, National Wildlife Refuges and other scenics, as well as wildlife management work"