Birds in California

Explore 155 species found in this region.

Visiting in April? Look out for American Bittern and Lesser Yellowlegs arriving this month, and Burrowing Owl and Eurasian Wigeon depart for the season.

Pacific Wren
Pacific WrenSmallest · 8cm
to
Mute Swan
Mute SwanLargest · 160cm
Ranges from the Pacific Wren (8cm) to the Mute Swan (160cm)40 families represented

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Showing 1–23 of 155 species

ResidentLives here year-roundBreedingVisits to breed in warmer monthsNon-breedingVisits outside breeding seasonPassagePasses through during migrationCommonly spottedReported on most outingsUncommonly spottedPresent but not always seenRarely spottedFew sightings each year
Acorn Woodpecker

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorusLC

ResidentCommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Avocet

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americanaLC

ResidentUncommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Bittern

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosusLC

BreedingRarely spotted

Nov–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Crow

American Crow

Corvus brachyrhynchosLC

ResidentCommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Herring Gull

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianusLC

Non-breedingUncommonly spotted

Oct–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Redstart

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticillaLC

PassageRarely spotted

Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
American Robin

American Robin

Turdus migratoriusLC

ResidentCommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Arctic Jaeger

Arctic Jaeger

Stercorarius parasiticusLC

PassageRarely spotted

Sep–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D

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Baird's Sandpiper

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdiiLC

PassageRarely spotted

Aug–Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Bald Eagle

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalusLC

ResidentRarely spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Barn Swallow

Barn Swallow

Hirundo rusticaLC

ResidentUncommonly spotted

Dec–Oct

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black Tern

Black Tern

Chlidonias nigerLC

PassageRarely spotted

Aug

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-crowned Night-heron

Black-crowned Night-heron

Nycticorax nycticoraxLC

ResidentUncommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Black-necked Grebe

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollisLC

ResidentUncommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Blackpoll Warbler

Blackpoll Warbler

Setophaga striataNT

PassageRarely spotted

Sep

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Bonaparte's Gull

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphiaLC

ResidentRarely spotted

Oct–Jun

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Brent Goose

Brent Goose

Branta berniclaLC

ResidentRarely spotted

Nov–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Burrowing Owl

Burrowing Owl

Athene cuniculariaLC

Non-breedingRarely spotted

Oct–Mar

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Cackling Goose

Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsiiLC

Non-breedingRarely spotted

Oct–Apr

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
California Gnatcatcher

California Gnatcatcher

Polioptila californicaLC

ResidentRarely spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Canada Goose

Canada Goose

Branta canadensisLC

ResidentCommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Cattle Egret

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibisLC

ResidentRarely spotted

Jul–May

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing

Bombycilla cedrorumLC

ResidentUncommonly spotted

Year-round

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
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