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List of birds of California

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The California Quail is the official state bird of California.

This list of California birds is a comprehensive listing of all the bird species seen naturally in the state of California as determined by the California Birds Records Committee (CBRC).

There are, as of 2006, 632 species on this list. Ten of these species are introduced (I) — species that are non-native to California but now have established populations. Two of these species are expatriated (E) — species that are native to California but no longer have established populations there (they still do in other places). Birds marked with an asterisk (*) are currently under review by the CBRC. The CBRC states the following about birds under review:

The California Bird Records Committee solicits information on all occurrences in California of the 180 species on this Review List, as well as species unrecorded in California. In general, review species average four or fewer occurrences per year in California, and have been recorded fewer than 100 times.

This list is presented in taxonomic order and follows The Check-list of North American Birds (7th ed., 1998), published by the American Ornithologists' Union. The table of contents is grouped into passerines (the largest order of birds) and non-passerines. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts found in each family accounts.


Table of contents

Non-passerines: Ducks, Geese, and Swans • Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail • New World Quail • Loons • Grebes • Albatrosses • Shearwaters and Petrels • Storm-Petrels • Tropicbirds • Boobies and Gannets • Pelicans • Cormorants • Darters • Frigatebirds • Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets • Ibises and Spoonbills • Storks • New World Vultures • Hawks, Kites, and Eagles • Caracaras and Falcons • Rails, Gallinules, and Coots • Cranes • Lapwings and Plovers • Oystercatchers • Stilts and Avocets • Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes • Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers • Auks, Murres, and Puffins • Pigeons and Doves • Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots • Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis • Barn owls • Typical owls • Nightjars • Swifts • Hummingbirds • Kingfishers • Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers

Passerines: Tyrant flycatchers • Shrikes • Vireos • Jays, Crows, Magpies, and Ravens • Larks • Swallows and Martins • Chickadees and Titmice • Verdin • Bushtits • Nuthatches • Treecreepers • Wrens • Dippers • Kinglets • Old World warblers and Gnatcatchers • Thrushes • Babblers • Mockingbirds and Thrashers • Starlings • Wagtails and Pipits • Waxwings • Silky-flycatchers • Wood-warblers • Tanagers • American sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Longspurs • Cardinals, Saltators, and Grosbeaks • Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles • Finches • Old World sparrows

See also        References

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swan. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. There are 131 species world wide, 61 North American species, and 49 California species.

Canada Goose
American Wigeon

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

File:Sagegrouse21.jpg
Greater Sage-Grouse

The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds, or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. There are 180 species world wide, 16 North American species, and 8 Californian species.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. There are 32 species, world-wide, all found only in the Americas, 6 North American species, and 3 Californian species.

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Pacific Loon

Loons are aquatic birds size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely grey or black, they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well, and fly adequately, but, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are almost hopeless on land. There are 5 species world-wide, 5 North American species, and 5 Californian species.

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Red-necked Grebe

Grebes are small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. There are 20 species world-wide, 7 North American species, and 7 Californian species.

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are amongst the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. There are 21 species world wide, 7 North American species, and 6 Californian species. Note that the Light-mantled Albatross does not appear on the North American list.

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species world wide, 24 North American species, and 21 Californian species. Note that Parkinson's Petrel does not occur on the North American list, but it does on the Californian list.

Northern Fulmar

Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

The storm-petrels are the smallest of seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. There are 21 species world wide, 12 North American species, and 8 Californian species.

Tropicbirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. There are 3 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 3 Californian species.

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. There are 8 species world wide, 5 North American species, and 4 Californian species.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. There are 8 species world wide, 2 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorant

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed, a distinguishing feature among the Pelecaniformes order. There are 36 species world wide, 6 North American species, and 4 Californian species.

Darters

Darters are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long, straight beaks. They often swim with only the neck above water, and are fish-eaters. There are 4 species world wide, 1 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Anhingidae

Frigatebirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black or black and white, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are 5 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae

Great Egret

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and Egrets are medium to large sized wadng birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secrative. Unlike other long necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species world wide, 17 North American species, and 12 Californian species.

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Threskiornithidae

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. Storks lack a pharynx and are mute. There are 19 species world wide, 2 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

New World Vultures

The California Condor is one of the world's most endangered birds and is in the process of being reintroduced into California.

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Cathartidae

The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. There are 7 species world wide, all found only in the Americas, 3 North American species, and 3 Californian species.

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae

The family Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species world wide, 28 North American species, and 18 Californian species.

Bald Eagle

Caracaras and Falcons

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

File:Prairie falcon in hand.JPG
Prairie Falcon

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species world wide, 11 North American species, and 6 Californian species.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species world wide, 13 North American species, and 8 Californian species.

American Coot

Cranes

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". There are 15 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Lapwings and Plovers

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species world wide, 17 North American species, and 12 Californian species.

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

Killdeer

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are 11 species world-wide, 2 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and the stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are 9 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the Sandpipers, Curlews, Godwits, Shanks, Tattlers, Woodcocks, Snipes, Dowitchers and Phalaropes. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 86 species world wide, 65 North American species, and 47 Californian species.

Semipalmated Sandpiper
Willet

Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large birds seabirds and includes jaegers, skuas, gulls, terns, kittiwakes and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 108 species world wide, 54 North American species, and 43 Californian species. Note that the Swallow-tailed Gull is not included in the North American list.

Western Gull

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae

Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits, however they are not related to the penguins at all, being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest. There are 24 species world wide, 22 North American species, and 16 Californian species.

Tufted Puffin

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Morning Dove

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are 308 species world wide, 18 North American species, and 10 Californian species.

Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak shape. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and the have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two back. There are 335 species world wide, 8 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

Greater Roadrunner

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites. There are 138 species world wide, 8 North American species, and 4 Californian species.

Barn owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are 16 species world wide, 1 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Typical owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 195 species world wide, 21 North American species, and 13 Californian species.

Barred Owl

Nightjars

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Common Nighthawk, drawn in 1859

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is crypically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. There are 86 species world wide, 9 North American species, and 6 Californian species.

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

The swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are 98 species world wide, 9 North American species, and 5 Californian species.

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. There are 337 species world wide, 23 North American species, and 14 Californian species.

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Cerylidae

Kingfishers are medium sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. There are 94 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 218 species world wide, 26 North American species, and 17 Californian species.

Northern Flicker

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust with stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. There are 429 species world wide (all in America), 45 North American species, and 31 Californian species.

File:Jpt Phoebe 1344.jpg
Black Phoebe

Shrikes

Northern Shrike

Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. There are 31 species world wide, 3 North American species, and 3 Californian species.

Vireos

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae

The vireos are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically greenish in colour and resemble wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. There are 52 species world wide, 16 North American species, and 12 Californian species.

Jays, Crows, Magpies, and Ravens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

Western Scrub Jay

The Corvidae family includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes. Some of the larger species show levels of learned behavior of a high degree. There are 120 species world wide, 21 North American species, and 11 Californian species.

Larks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. There are 91 species world wide, 2 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Swallows and Martins

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

Tree Swallow

The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are 75 species world wide, 14 North American species, and 8 Californian species.

Chickadees and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

Black-capped Chickadee

The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. There are species 59 world wide, 12 North American species, and 5 Californian species.

Verdin

Order: Passeriformes Family: Remizidae

Bushtits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae

Nuthatches

White-breasted Nuthatch

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet. There are 24 species world wide, 4 North American species, and 3 Californian species.

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees. There are 6 species world wide, 1 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae

Rock Wren

Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and a thin down-turned bill. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. There are 79 species world wide and 9 North American species, and 8 Californian species.

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae

The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds in the genus Regulus. The adults have coloured crowns, giving rise to their name. There are 5 species world wide, 2 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Old World warblers and Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sylviidae

The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. The Sylviidae mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs. There are about 300 species world wide, 12 North American Species, and 6 Californian species.

Thrushes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

The Thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are 335 species world wide, 28 North American species, and 15 Californian species.

Western Bluebird

Babblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Timaliidae

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

The Mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. The species tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance. There are 35 species world wide, 13 North American species, and 9 Californian species.

Northern Mockingbird

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized Old World passerine birds with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and most are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. The plumage of several species is dark with a metallic sheen. There are 125 species, of which one has been introduced to North America and California.

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae

American Pipit

The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are 54 species world wide, 11 North American species, and 7 Californian species.

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of passerine birds characterised by soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax, and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. There are three species world wide, 2 North American species, and 2 Californian species.

Silky-flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptilogonatidae

Wood-warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

The Wood Warblers are a group of small often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some like are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. There are 119 species world wide, 57 North American species, and 46 Californian species.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Tanagers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae

The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly coloured. They are seedeaters, but their preference tends towards fruit and nectar. Most have short, rounded wings. There are 256 species world wide, 6 North American species, and 4 Californian species.

American sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Longspurs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae

The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill. In Europe, most species are named as buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as Sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. There are species 275 world wide, 60 North American species, and 38 Californian species.

Fox Sparrow

Cardinals, Saltators, and Grosbeaks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

The Cardinals are a family of passerine birds that are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. There are 43 species world wide, 13 North American species, and 10 Californian species.

Lazuli Bunting

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

The Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. There are 98 species world wide, 25 North American Species, and 17 Californian species.

Western Meadowlark

Finches

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 137 species world wide, 23 North American species, and 15 Californian species.

Cassin's Finch

Old World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or greyish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters, and they also consume small insects. There are 35 species world wide, 2 North American species, and 1 Californian species.

See also

References


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