page_title: Tolay Lake
section_title: Flora and fauna
hierarchical_section_title: Tolay Lake / Flora and fauna
caption_attribution_description: English: photographer:self
context_page_description: Tolay Lake is a shallow freshwater lake in southern Sonoma County, California, United States. The lake, nestled within the southern vestiges of the Sonoma Mountains, is the site of significant Native American prehistoric seasonal settlement. In 2005, Sonoma County acquired the entirety of the lake and virtually its whole drainage basin from the Cardoza family for the sum of $18 million; the County's intention is to utilize the property as Tolay Lake Regional Park for ecological and archaeological preservation, as well as public use and enjoyment. Tolay Lake and its immediate drainage area is home to several nesting pairs of golden eagles, Aquila chrysaetos, and a number of rare, threatened or endangered species including the California red-legged frog, Rana draytonii; Western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata; and Western burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia.
context_section_description: Considerable biodiversity is found in Tolay Lake and the surrounding hills of the Sonoma Mountains; historical habitats include the lacustrine or marsh environment; grasslands and California oak woodland on higher elevations especially in the steep upland ravine areas.  The lake itself has a diverse flora and fauna, including several threatened and endangered species including the California red-legged frog, Rana draytonii and western pond turtle, Actinemys marmorata.
  Because of the numerous natural fresh water seeps, wildlife is abundant in the Tolay watershed, including the upland areas.  The valley harbors several significant species, including the burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia; golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos; white-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus; California horned lark, Eremophila alpestris; and the endangered tricolored blackbird, Agelaius tricolor.  Tolay Lake is also one of only two known locations in the Bay Area that produce a special "moist prairie grass".
caption: Northern ridge above Tolay Lake showing oak woodland pockets where golden eagles nest, with cows grazing in foreground.
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