PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
 or 302/529-1876; Fax: 302/529-1085

 

California Birds 
during Focus On Nature
West Coast USA Tours 
  

in central California

 1991 thru 2009

(during the month of September)


A central California bird list compiled by Armas Hill 
with photos
 

PHOTO AT RIGHT: The YELLOW-BILLED MAGPIE is a bird endemic to California.

 

263 species of birds have cumulatively been seen  
during 12 FONT West Coast birding & nature tours in California.
 
 Pelagic species during sea-trips from Monterey, California
are indicated with an (mp).   

Codes:

(USe):     endemic to the United States
(USqe):   quasi (or nearly) endemic to the USA
(USneb): near-endemic breeder in the USA
(NAi):      species introduced into North America
(CAe):     endemic to California
(CAqe):   quasi (or nearly) endemic to California 

(NAr):    rare in North America
(wNAr): rare in western North America
 
(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
      (t1): critical     (t2): endangered     (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally

Bird whose names are capitalized in the list are uncommon or rare in California.  

 

Links:

Upcoming Birding & Nature Tours in North America, including California

A Complete List (with some photos) of North American Birds, north of Mexico, in 3 parts:
List #1: Grouse to Shorebirds
List #2: Jaegers to Flycatchers 
List #3: Shrikes to Buntings

Mammals & some Other Wildlife during FONT tours in California 

Directory of Photos in this Website, in this list & others


Bird-List:
  1. Mountain Quail ______ 
    Oreotyx p. pictus      (the single member of its genus)

  2. California Quail ______ 
    Callipepla californica brunnescens
  3. Common (or "Ring-necked") Pheasant (i) ______ 
    Phasianus colchicus
  4. Wild Turkey ______ 
    Meleagris gallopavo
  5. Brant ______ 
    Branta bernicla nigricans
  6. Canada Goose ______ 
    Branta canadensis
  7. Greater White-fronted Goose ______ 
    Anser albifrons elgasi
  8. Mallard ______ 
    Anas p. platyrhynchos
  9. Northern Pintail ______ 
    Anas acuta      (monotypic)

  10. Blue-winged Teal ______ 
    Anas discors      (monotypic)

  11. Cinnamon Teal ______ 
    Anas cyanoptera septentrionalium
  12. Green-winged Teal ______ (was conspecific with the Eurasian Teal, Anas crecca)
    Anas carolinensis
  13. Northern Shoveler ______ 
    Anas clypeata      (monotypic)
  14. Gadwall ______ 
    Anas s. strepera
  15. American Wigeon ______ 
    Anas americana      (monotypic)
  16. Redhead ______   
    Aythya americana      (monotypic)
  17. Lesser Scaup ______ 
    Aythya affinis  (monotypic)

  18. Harlequin Duck ______ 
    Histrionicus histrionicus      (now said to be conspecific) (the single member of its genus)
  19. Surf Scoter ______ 
    Melanitta perspicillata      (monotypic)
  20. Bufflehead ______ 
    Bucephala albeola      (monotypic)
  21. Common Merganser ______ 
    Mergus merganser americanus
  22. Red-breasted Merganser ______ 
    Mergus serrator      (monotypic)
  23. Ruddy Duck ______ 
    Oxyura j. rubida
  24. Red-throated Loon ______  
    Gavia stellata      (monotypic)

  25. Pacific Loon ______ 
    Gavia pacifica            




    Pacific Loon
  26. Great Northern Loon ______ (has been called Common Loon)
    Gavia immer      (monotypic)

  27. Black-footed Albatross  (t3)  ______ (mp) 
    Phoebastria nigripes      (monotypic)

  28. Northern Fulmar ______ (mp)
    Fulmarus glacialis rodgersii





    Northern Fulmar
         (photos by Alan Brady)
  29. HAWAIIAN PETREL  (t3) (NAr) ______ (mp) (during FONT tour in 2005) (formerly conspecific with what's now the Galapagos Petrel; was called Dark-rumped Petrel) 
    Pterodroma sandwichensis      (monotypic)

  30. Sooty Shearwater ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus griseus      (monotypic)




    A Sooty Shearwater photographed during a FONT tour.
  31. Short-tailed Shearwater ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus tenuirostris      (monotypic)




    A Short-tailed Shearwater photographed during a FONT tour.

  32. Pink-footed Shearwater  (t3) ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus creatopus          (monotypic)




    A Pink-footed Shearwater photographed during a FONT tour.

  33. Flesh-footed Shearwater ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus carneipes      (monotypic)

  34. Buller's (or New Zealand) Shearwater  (t3) ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus bulleri      (monotypic)

  35. Black-vented Shearwater  (t3) ______ (mp) 
    Puffinus opisthomelas      (monotypic)

  36. Least Storm Petrel ______ (mp) 
    Oceanodroma     (formerly Halocyptena) microsoma  (monotypic)

  37. Ashy Storm Petrel  (nt) (CA:qe) ______ (mp)
    Oceanodroma homochroa      (monotypic)

  38. Black Storm Petrel ______ (mp)
    Oceanodroma melania      (monotypic)

  39. Wilson's Storm Petrel  (wNAr) ______ (mp) 
    Oceanites o. oceanicus
  40. Pied-billed Grebe ______ 
    Podilymbus p. podiceps
  41. Horned Grebe ______  
    Podiceps auritus cornutus
  42. Red-necked Grebe ______ 
    Podiceps grisegena holboellii
  43. Black-necked Grebe ______  (has been called Eared Grebe)  
    Podiceps nigricollis californicus
  44. Western Grebe ______ (was considered conspecific with Clark's Grebe)
    Aechmophorus occidentalis
  45. Clark's Grebe ______  (was considered conspecific with Western Grebe)
    Aechmophorus clarkii
  46. White-faced Ibis ______   
    Plegadis chichi      (monotypic)

  47. American Bittern ______  (during FONT California tours twice, in 1991 & 2005)
    Botaurus lentiginosus



    American Bittern
         (photo by Howard Eskin)

  48. Great Blue Heron ______ 
    Ardea herodias fannini
  49. Great Egret ______ 
    Casmerodius     (has been Ardea) alba egretta
  50. Snowy Egret ______ 
    Egretta thula brewsteri
  51. Green Heron ______ 
    Butorides virescens anthonyi
  52. Black-crowned Night-Heron ______ 
    Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli
  53. RED-TAILED TROPICBIRD  (NAp) ______ (mp)  (once, during tour in 1995)
    Phaethon rubricauda melanorhynchos
  54. American White Pelican ______  
    Pelecanus erythrorhynchos      (monotypic)

  55. Brown Pelican ______ 
    Pelecanus occidentalis californicus




         Brown Pelican
    (photo by Abram Fleishman)
  56. Double-crested Cormorant ______ 
    Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus
  57. Brandt's Cormorant ______ 
    Phalacrocorax penicillatus      (monotypic)

  58. Pelagic Cormorant ______ 
    Phalacrocorax pelagicus resplendens

  59. Turkey Vulture ______ 
    Cathartes a. aura
  60. Osprey ______ 
    Pandion haliaetus carolinensis      (the single member of its genus)
  61. White-tailed Kite ______ 
    Elanus leucurus majusculus
  62. Bald Eagle ______  
    Haliaeetus leucocephalus
  63. Northern Harrier ______ (conspcific with the Hen Harrier of Eurasia)
    Circus     cyaneus hudsonius
  64. Sharp-shinned Hawk ______ 
    Accipiter striatus velox
  65. Cooper's Hawk ______ 
    Accipiter cooperi          (monotypic)
  66. Red-shouldered Hawk ______ 
    Buteo lineatus elegans



    A juvenile Red-shouldered Hawk
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
      
  67. Red-tailed Hawk ______ 
    Buteo jamaicensis calurus          (This subspecies of the western US has pale, rufous, and dark morphs.)
  68. Swainson's Hawk ______ (occurs in 2 morphs: light & dark)
    Buteo swainsoni      (monotypic)
  69. Golden Eagle ______ 
    Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
  70. American Kestrel ______ 
    Falco s. sparverius
  71. Merlin ______ 
    Falco c. columbarius
  72. Peregrine Falcon ______ 
    Falco peregrinus
  73. Prairie Falcon ______ 
    Falco mexicanus

  74. Clapper Rail ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 1994)
    Rallus longirostris obsoletus
  75. Virginia Rail ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Rallus l. limicola




         Virginia Rail
    (photo by Howard Eskin)
  76. Sora ______  (sometimes called Sora Rail, but actually in a genus of crakes)
    Porzana carolina      (monotypic)
  77. Common Moorhen (or Gallinule) ______ 
    Gallinula chloropus cachinnans
  78. American Coot ______ 
    Fulica a. americana
  79. Sandhill Crane ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 2005)
    Grus canadensis tabida
  80. Black-bellied Plover ______ 
    Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae
  81. Snowy Plover ______ (was conspecific with the Kentish Plover of the Old World)
    Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus
  82. Semipalmated Plover ______ 
    Charadrius semipalmatus      (monotypic)
  83. LESSER SAND PLOVER  (NAr) ______ (during FONT California tours once, 1992)  (has been called Mongolian Plover)
    Charadrius mongolus stegmanni



    A photograph of the Lesser Sand Plover seen during 
    the FONT tour in California in 1992.      
     
  84. Killdeer ______ 
    Charadrius v. vociferus
  85. Black Oystercatcher ______ 
    Haematopus bachmani



    A Black Oystercatcher photographed during a FONT West Coast Tour
     (photo by Marie Gardner)
     
  86. Black-necked Stilt ______ 
    Himantopus  mexicanus      (has been considered by some conspecific with the Black-winged Stilt of the Old World) 
  87. American Avocet ______ 
    Recurvirostra americana      (monotypic)
  88. Greater Yellowlegs ______ 
    Tringa melanoleuca      (monotypic)
  89. Lesser Yellowlegs ______ 
    Tringa flavipes      (monotypic)
  90. "Western" Willet ______ 
    Tringa (formerly Catoptrophorus) semipalmata inornata
  91. Wandering Tattler ______ 
    Heteroscelus incanus      (monotypic)
  92. Spotted Sandpiper ______ 
    Actitis macularius      (monotypic)
  93. "American" Whimbrel ______ 
    Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
  94. LITTLE CURLEW  (NAr) ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 1994)
    Numenius minutus
  95. Long-billed Curlew  (nt) ______ 
    Numenius americanus parvus
  96. Marbled Godwit ______ 
    Limosa fedoa




         The Marbled Godwit is a common bird 
    along the California coast in September 
    (photo by Abram Fleishman)
  97. BAR-TAILED GODWIT ______ 
    Limosa lapponica baueri
  98. Ruddy Turnstone ______ 
    Arenaria interpres morinella
  99. Black Turnstone ______ 
    Arenaria melanocephala
  100. Surfbird ______ 
     Aphriza virgata          (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  101. Red Knot ______ 
    Calidris canutus rufa
  102. Sanderling ______ 
    Calidris alba rubida
  103. Pectoral Sandpiper ______ 
    Calidris melanotos      (monotypic)
  104. Baird's Sandpiper ______ 
    Calidris bairdii      (monotypic)
  105. Western Sandpiper ______ 
    Calidris mauri
  106. Semipalmated Sandpiper  (wNAr) ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 1993)
    Calidris pusilla
  107. Least Sandpiper ______ 
    Calidris minutilla
  108. LONG-TOED STINT  (NAr) ______ (once FONT California tours once, in 1992)
    Calidris subminuta
  109. Dunlin ______ 
    Calidris alpina
  110. Short-billed Dowitcher ______ 
    Limnodromus griseus
  111. Long-billed Dowitcher ______ 
    Limnodromus scolopaceus 
  112. Wilson's Phalarope ______   
    Phalaropus tricolor
  113. Red Phalarope ______ (mp) 
    Phalaropus fulicaria



    Red Phalarope

  114. Red-necked Phalarope ______ (mp) 
    Phalaropus lobatus



    A Red-necked Phalarope photographed during a FONT tour in California
  115. Pomarine Skua ______ (mp)  (has been called Pomarine Jaeger) 
    Stercorarius pomarinus      (monotypic)



    A Pomarine Skua, or Jaeger
     (photo by Alan Brady)

  116. Parasitic Jaeger ______ (mp)  (has also been called Arctic Skua - in Eurasia)
    Stercorarius parasiticus      (monotypic)
  117. Long-tailed Jaeger ______ (mp)  (has also been called Long-tailed Skua - in Eurasia)
    Stercorarius longicaudus



    An immature Long-tailed Jaeger
         (photo by Alan Brady)

  118. South Polar Skua ______ (mp) 
    Catharacta (or Stercorarius) maccormicki



    South Polar Skua
         (photo by Alan Brady)

  119. Bonaparte's Gull ______ 
    Larus philadelphia
  120. Heermann's Gull  (nt) ______  
    Larus heermanni



    Heermann's Gull
     (photo by Armas Hill)

  121. Ring-billed Gull ______ 
    Larus delawarensis
  122. California Gull ______ 
    Larus c. californicus



    California Gull
     (photo by Howard Eskin)

  123. "American" Herring Gull ______ 
    Larus argentatus smithsonianus

  124. Western Gull ______ 
    Larus o. occidentalis
  125. Glaucous-winged Gull ______ 
    Larus glaucescens
  126. Sabine's Gull ______  (mp)
    Xema sabini
  127. Caspian Tern ______ 
    Sterna c. caspia
  128. Arctic Tern ______ (mp) 
    Sterna paradisaea
  129. Forster's Tern ______ 
    Sterna forsteri
  130. Common Tern ______ 
    Sterna h. hirundo
  131. Royal Tern ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 1992)
    Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) m. maxima
  132. Elegant Tern  (nt)  ______ 
    Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) elegans
  133. Black Tern ______ 
    Chlidonias niger surinamensis
  134. WHITE-WINGED TERN  (NAr) ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1999)
    Chlidonias leucopterus





    The White-winged Tern is a Eurasian bird.
    These two photos of the species were taken in North America.
     (photos by Alan Brady)
     
  135. Common Murre ______ (mp) 
    Uria aalge californica



    Common Murre
     (photo by Kim Steininger)
  136. Pigeon Guillemot ______ (mp) 
    Cepphus c. columba
  137. Marbled Murrelet (nt) ______ (mp) 
    Brachyramphus marmoratus
  138. Xantu's Murrelet  (nt) ______ (mp) 
     Synthliboramphus hypoleucus scrippsi     (northern race: Washington & California)
    Synthliboramphus h. hypoleucus     (southern race: California)
  139. Craveri's Murrelet  (nt) ______ (mp) 
    Synthliboramphus craveri
  140. Cassin's Auklet ______ (mp) 
    Ptychoramphus aleuticus
  141. Rhinoceros Auklet ______ (mp) 
    Cerohinca monocerata
  142. Common (or Feral) Pigeon (NAi) ______ 
    Columba livia
  143. Band-tailed Pigeon _______ 
    Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) flavirostris
  144. White-winged Dove ______  (once, during tour in 1995)
    Zenaida asiatica
  145. Mourning Dove ______ 
    Zenaida macroura
  146. White-winged Parakeet  (NAi) ______ C 1  (during FONT California tours once, in 1993)  
    (was formerly called Canary-winged Parakeet ,native to South America)  
    Canary-winged Parakeet     has been "split" into Yellow-chevroned Parakeet, Brotogeris chiriri  
     and White-winged Parakeet.)
    Brotogeris versicolurus
     
  147. Red-masked Parakeet/Conure  (nt) (NAi) ______ C 1 (during FONT California tours once, in 2005) (The native range is in South America, mostly Ecuador, also Peru. Occurs in San Francisco, especially near Telegraph Hill.)
    Aratinga erythrogenys
  148. Greater Roadrunner ______ 
    Geococcyx californianus
  149. Barn Owl ______ 
    Tyto alba pratincola
  150. Western Screech-Owl ______ 
    Otus kennicottii
  151. Great Horned Owl ______ 
    Bubo virginianus saturatus
  152. Northern Pygmy-Owl ______ 
    Glaucidium c. californicum      (previously Glaucidium gnoma, which is now said to be Mountain Pygmy-Owl of Mexico & Central America, reaching north into southern Arizona & New Mexico) 
  153. Burrowing Owl ______ 
    Athene cunicularia hypugaea
  154. Common Nighthawk ______ 
    Chordeiles minor hesperis
  155. American Black Swift ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1997)
    Cypseloides niger borealis
  156. Vaux's Swift ______ 
    Chaetura v. vauxi
  157. White-throated Swift ______ 
    Aeronautes saxatalis
  158. Anna's Hummingbird ______ 
    Calypte anna



    Anna's Hummingbird
  159. Belted Kingfisher ______ 
         Megaceryle     (formerly Ceryle) alcyon
  160. Nuttall's Woodpecker ______ 
    Picoides nuttallii
  161. Acorn Woodpecker ______ 
    Melanerpes formicivorus



    Acorn Woodpecker
    (photo by Armas Hill)
  162. White-headed Woodpecker ______  (during FONT California tours twice, in 1997 & 2004)
    Picoides a. albolarvatus
  163. Downy Woodpecker ______ 
    Picoides pubescens turati 

  164. Hairy Woodpecker ______ 
     Picoides villosus hyloscopus     (western California)
    Picoides villosus orius     (in mountains of Washington & California)
  165. "Red-shafted" Northern Flicker ______ 
    Colaptes auratus
  166. Pileated Woodpecker ______ 
    Dryocopus pileatus
  167. Olive-sided Flycatcher ______ (an alternate name could be "Boreal Pewee")
     Contopus cooperi      (was for a while Contopus borealis)
  168. Western Wood-Pewee ______ 
    Contopus sordidulus
  169. Pacific-slope Flycatcher ______ 
    Empidonax difficilis 
  170. Willow Flycatcher ______ 
    Empidonax trailii
  171. LEAST FLYCATCHER  (wNAr) ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Empidonax minimus
  172. Black Phoebe ______ 
    Sayornis nigricans
  173. Say's Phoebe ______ 
    Sayornis saya
  174. Ash-throated Flycatcher ______   
    Myiarchus cinerascens
  175. Western Kingbird ______ 
    Tyrannus verticalis
  176. EASTERN KINGBIRD  (wNAr) ______ C 2  (during FONT California tours twice, in 1991 & 2005)
    Tyrannus tyrannus
  177. Loggerhead Shrike ______ 
    Lanius ludovicianus
  178. Cassin's Vireo ______ (formerly called Solitary Vireo when conspecific with what's now Plumbeous and Blue-headed Vireos)
    Vireo cassinii
  179. Hutton's Vireo ______ 
    Vireo huttoni
  180. Warbling Vireo ______ 
    Vireo gilvus
  181. Steller's Jay ______ 
    Cyanocitta stelleri carbonacea 
  182. Western Scrub Jay ______ 
    Aphelocoma c. californica
  183. Pinyon Jay ______ (during FONT California tours once, in 2004)
    Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
  184. Clark's Nutcracker ______ 
    Nucifraga columbiana
  185. Black-billed Magpie ______  (was conspecific with the Eurasian Magpie, Pica pica) 
    Pica hudsonia     
  186. Yellow-billed Magpie  (CAe) (USe) ______ 
    Pica nuttalli



    Yellow-billed Magpie
  187. American Crow ______ 
    Corvus brachyrhnchos hesperis
  188. Northern Raven ______ 
    Corvus corax principalis
  189. Horned Lark ______  
    Eremophila alpestris
  190. Tree Swallow ______ 
    Tachycineta bicolor
  191. Violet-green Swallow ______ 
    Tachycineta t. thalassina
  192. Barn Swallow ______ 
    Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
  193. Northern Rough-winged Swallow ______ 
    Stelgidopteryx s. serripennis
  194. Wrentit ______ 
    Charmaea fasciata
  195. Chestnut-backed Chickadee ______ 
     Poecile r. rufescens      (two other subspecies along California coast: P.r. neglectus & P.r. barlowi) 
  196. Mountain Chickadee ______ 
    Poecile gambeli baileyae
  197. Oak Titmouse ______ (was at one time part of Plain Titmouse when it was conspecific with what's now the Juniper Titmouse) 
    Baeolophus i. inornatus
  198. American Bushtit ______ 
    Psaltriparus minimus     (a complex species with 11 subspecies in 3 "groups")
    In California, these 2 subspecies, in the "Minimus Group", the     "Plain Bushtit":
    P. m. minimus      (along coastal California)
    P. m. californicus     (in California east of the Coastal Range)
    Birds in the "Plumbeous Group", the     "Lead-colored Bushtit", P. m. plumbeous, also occur in California east of the Sierra Nevada. 
  199. Red-breasted Nuthatch ______ 
    Sitta canadensis

  200. White-breasted Nuthatch ______ 
    Sitta carolinensis aculeata 
  201. Pygmy Nuthatch ______ 
     Sitta pygmaea melanotus     (in California)
    Sitta p    . pygmaea      (in California)
  202. Brown Creeper ______ (an alternate name could be "American Treecreeper")
    Certhia americana occidentalis
  203. Rock Wren ______ 
    Salpinctes o. obsoletus
  204. Bewick's Wren ______ 
     Thryomanes bewickii spilurus      (in central California)
  205. House Wren ______ 
    Troglodytes aedon
  206. Winter Wren ______  (an alternate name could be "Northern Wren")
    Troglodytes troglodytes obscurior 

  207. Marsh Wren ______ 
     Cistothorus palustris aestuarinus     (in coastal & central California) 
  208. Ruby-crowned Kinglet ______ 
    Regulus calendula
  209. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ______ 
    Polioptila caerulea
  210. Western Bluebird ______ 
    Sialia mexicana
  211. Mountain Bluebird ______ 
    Sialia currucoides
  212. Swainson's Thrush ______ 
    Catharus ustulatus
  213. American Robin ______ 
    Turdus migratorius 
  214. California Thrasher (CAqe) ______ 
    Toxostoma redivivum
  215. Northern Mockingbird ______ 
    Mimus polyglottos
  216. Common Starling (NAi) ______ 
    Sturnus vulgaris
  217. Phainopepla ______ 
    Phainopepla nitens
  218. BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER  (wNAr) ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1998)
    Mniotilta varia      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  219. Orange-crowned Warbler ______ 
    Vermivora celata
  220. American Yellow Warbler ______ 
    Dendroica     petechia 
  221. "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ 
    Dendroica coronata auduboni
  222. NORTHERN PARULA  (wNAr) ______ 
    Parula americana
  223. Black-throated Gray Warbler ______ 
    Dendroica nigrescens
  224. BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER  (wNAr) ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Dendroica caerulescens
  225. Townsend's Warbler ______ 
    Dendroica townsendi
  226. Hermit Warbler ______ 
    Dendroica occidentalis
  227. BLACKPOLL WARBLER  ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Dendroica striata
  228. MacGillivray's Warbler ______ 
    Oporornis tolmiei
  229. Common Yellowthroat ______ 
    Geothlypis trichas
  230. Wilson's Warbler ______ 
    Wilsonia pusilla
  231. AMERICAN REDSTART  (wNAr) ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Setophaga ruticilla
  232. Western Tanager ______ 
    Piranga ludoviciana
  233. Black-headed Grosbeak ______ 
    Pheucticus melanocephalus
  234. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK  (wNAr)  ______  (during FONT California tours twice, in 1998 & 2005)
    Pheucticus ludovicianus
  235. Spotted Towhee ______  (formerly called Rufous-sided Towhee when previously conspecific with the now Eastern Towhee of North America and the Olive-sided and Socorro Towhees of Mexico) (now said be some to be conspecific with Collared Towhee of Mexico)
    Pipilo maculatus
  236. California Towhee ______  (formerly called Brown Towhee when previously conspecific with the now Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus)
    Pipilo crissalis
  237. Rufous-crowned Sparrow ______ 
    Aimophila r. ruficeps
  238. Chipping Sparrow ______ 
    Spizella passerina boreophila
  239. Brewer's Sparrow ______ 
    Spizella b. breweri      (this subspecies valid as long as "Timberline Sparrow" of Canada is considered conspecific)
  240. Vesper Sparrow ______ (an uncommon migrant in CA)
    Pooecetes gramineus affinis
  241. Lark Sparrow ______ 
    Chondestes grammacus
  242. Sage Sparrow ______ 
    Amphispiza n. nevadensis          (if considered distinct from "Bell's Sparrow" of coastal California, Amphispiza belli - the two have traditionally been merged as the Sage Sparrow, Amphispiza belli)
  243. Savannah Sparrow ______ 
    Passerculus sandwichensis      (the single member of its genus)
  244. Song Sparrow ______ 
     Melospiza melodia       (there are 11 subspecies in California)
  245. White-crowned Sparrow ______ 
    Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli      



    White-crowned Sparrow
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
  246. "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco ______ 
     Junco hyemalis shufeldti          (coastal California)
    Junco hyemalis pinosus     (in hills in cent California) 
  247. Red-winged Blackbird ______ 
    Agelaius phoeniceus
  248. Tricolored Blackbird ______ 
    Agelaius tricolor
  249. Yellow-headed Blackbird ______ (once, during tour in 1998)
    Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus      (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
  250. Western Meadowlark ______ 
    Sturnella neglecta
  251. Brewer's Blackbird ______ 
    Euphagus cyanocephalus
  252. Brown-headed Cowbird ______ 
    Molothrus ater
  253. Hooded Oriole ______  (during FONT California tours once, in 1991)
    Icterus cucullatus
  254. Bullock's Oriole ______ (for a while was merged with Baltimore Oriole, and called Northern Oriole)
    Icterus bullockii
  255. Purple Finch ______ 
    Carpodacus purpureus



    A male Purple Finch
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
     
  256. Cassin's Finch ______ 
    Carpodacus cassinii
  257. House Finch ______ 
    Carpodacus mexicanus




         House Finch
         (photo by Doris Potter)
  258. Red Crossbill ______ 
    Loxia curvirostra
  259. Pine Siskin ______ 
    Carduelis pinus
  260. Lesser Goldfinch ______ 
    Carduelis psaltria
  261. Lawrence's Goldfinch ______ (during FONT California tours twice)
    Carduelis lawrencei
  262. American Goldfinch ______ 
    Carduelis tristis
  263. House Sparrow (NAi) ______ 
    Passer domesticus



Mammals (land & marine) 
found during our West Coast USA Tours

in central California

1991 thru 2009

(during the month of September)


List compiled by Armas Hill 


Seen offshore during Monterey CA pelagic trips: (mp)

 

  1. Virginia Opossum ______
    Didelphis virginiana 
  2. California Myotis ______
    Myotis californicus
  3. Big Brown Bat ______
    Eptesicus fuscus
  4. Northern River Otter ______
    Lontra canadensis
  5. Sea Otter ______ (seen during all tours) (IN PHOTO AT TOP OF LIST)
    Enhydra lutris
  6. Coyote ______
    Canis latrans
  7. Gray Fox ______
    Urocyon cinereoargenteus
  8. Bobcat ______
    Lynx rufus
  9. California Sea Lion ______ (the Galapagos Sea Lion is a race of this species, there is another rare subspecies in Japan)
    Zalophus californiannus   
  10. Northern Fur Seal ______ (mp)
    Callorbinnus ursinus
  11. Harbor Seal ______
    Phoca vitulina
  12. Northern Elephant Seal ______
    Mirounga angustirostris
  13. California Ground Squirrel ______
    Spermophilus beecheyi
  14. Merriam's Chipmunk ______
    Tamias merriami
  15. Panamint Chipmunk ______
    Tamias panamintinus
  16. Western Gray Squirrel ______
    Sciurus griseus
  17. Desert Cottontail ______
    Sylvilagus audubonii
  18. Brush Rabbit ______
    Sylvilagus bachmani
  19. Black-tailed Jackrabbit ______
    Lepus californicus
  20. Tule Elk ______ 
    Cervus elaphus nannodes      (a subspecies of the Elk native to California)
  21. Mule Deer ______  
    Odocoileus hemionus
  22. (Common) Fallow Deer (i) ______  (feral population in California; native to the Mediterranean region of the Old World) 
    Dama dama
  23. (Short-beaked) Common Dolphin ______ (mp)
    Delphinus delphis
  24. Northern Right Whale Dolphin ______ (mp)
    Lissodelphis borealis
  25. Pacific White-sided Dolphin ______ (mp)
    Lagenorhynchus obliquidens
  26. Risso's Dolphin ______ (mp) (also called Gray Grampus) 
    Grampus griseus
  27. Orca ______ (mp) (also called Killer Whale)  
    Orcinus orca
  28. Short-finned Pilot Whale ______ (mp)
    Globicephala macrorhynchus
  29. Baird's Beaked Whale ______ (mp) (8 seen nicely during 2005 tour)
    Berardius bairdii
  30. Gray Whale ______ (mp)
    Eschrichtius robustus
  31. Humpback Whale ______ (mp)
    Megaptera novaeanliae
  32. Blue Whale ______ (mp)
    Balaenoptera musculus

Reference for this mammal list is the new book: "Mammals of North America" by Roland W. Kays & Don E. Wilson, published by Princeton Univ Press, 2002. 

 Other Wildlife:

Leatherback Sea Turtle ______ (mp)
Dermochelys coriacea
Blue Shark ______ (mp)
Prionace glauca
Thresher Shark ______ (mp)
Alopias vulpinus
Ocean Sunfish ______ (mp)
Mola mola

 

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