Western Yellow Tanager
This small bird is native to all over the west, especially in mountainous areas. We found ours in the San Bernardino National Forest at about 6,900'. They seem to be curious animals, because he stared at our car for about 20 seconds before taking to the sky.
Diet: Mainly seeds and berries.
Habitat: They prefer open coniferous forests and woodlands.
Identification: A small pretty yellow tanager with a yellow body and a red head, with black wings.
When you can find them here: Summer
American Crow  | ||
Photo by Dori in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (public domain). The American Crow is a large black bird found in most of North America. The Crow is actually very smart like a parrot, one can even train it to speak words. Diet: The American Crow is omnivorous and will therefore eat seeds, invertebrates, eggs and hatchlings, frogs, mice, fish and trash. Habitat: Anywhere from open country to cities. Identification: A large black bird that can reach up to one and a half feet long, with a powerul bill, short tail, and broad wings. When you can find them here: All year round House finch
House Finches are members of the finch family, all of which are found in North America. Their range has increased in the past 50 years, and they are now fairly common through out most of the US. |
Diet: They feed on grains, seeds and berries.
Habitat: Urban and suburban areas or semi-open areas.
Identification: They grow up to 5 inches tall and weigh only 0.6 to 1 ounce because of
their hollow bones. Their feathers are a mix of gray brown and black but males have a red head.
When you can find them here: Late fall and winter.
Stellars Jay
The Stellars Jay is the Blue Jay of the west. They are also related closely to crows, magpies, jackdaws, rooks, and jays. This small jay ranges west of the Rockies all along the west coast.
Diet: Omnivorous, they feed mainly on acorns, seeds, nuts, berries, and other fruits. But they will eat every thing from snakes to eggs to picnic leavings.
Habitat: Open woodland/mixed conifer forest or scrubland.
Identification: A rather large blue jay with a dark beak and a dark blue crest. Stellars Jays usually nest in pine trees, but have been known to live in hollow trees.
When you can find them here: Mainly all year round
Rock Dove/Pigeon
Rock Doves, or pigeons, as they are best known, are small introduced birds, originally from the Mediterranean area of Europe, but they are now common through all of America. They love to congregate around Costco and Sam's for the free hot dogs....:)
Diet: Seeds, grain, fruit, bread, anything you will feed it
Habitat: Urban areas, rocky habitats
Identification: 1 ft long, small round head, short bill, usually gray with purple and green
When you can find them here: All year round
American Kestrel
American Kestrels are the most common and the smallest falcon in North America. Also known as the Sparrow Hawk, they will often use telophone poles or trees as a lookout and that is where you can often find them.
Diet: Mice, rats, birds, even insects.
Habitat: Both cities and open country, including deserts.
Identification: A small hawk with a long tail and hooked bill. Plumage varys from a russet back, neck and tail, white face with black stripes, orangish breast with black dots. 10 inches long, wingspan 2 feet.
When you can find them here: All year round
Red-Tailed Hawk
The red-tailed hawk is a common raptor throughout Southern California, and in fact throughout all of North America.
Diet: carniverous, preying mainly on rodents, which make up to 85% of their diet, but they will also occasionally eat reptiles and birds
Habitat: A wide range of habitats and altitudes, including desert, grasslands, woodlands, and forests. This bird of prey is a very oppurtunistic bird.
Identification: A large raptor, 2 feet long with a winspan of 4 ft. The colors and patterns can vary, but the underbelly is always significantly lighter then the back and all types and subspecies have the prevalent red-tail. The beak is raptor-like, short and hooked.
When you can find them here: All year round
California Condor
California Condors are iconic raptors of California. They once soared over much of the west from Canada to Mexico, but now are primarily found in California, Mexico and Arizona. A critically endangered species, there are an estimated 280 california condors in the world now, 130 are free in California.
Habitat: Rocky canyons and crags, where they build their nest. They can soar 15,000' high.
Great Egret
Habitat: Wetlands, marshes, and lakesides, both in wild and urban areas
Identification: Large, long neck, pure white all over, long sharp yellow bill, long black legs. The length can be up to 3 feet, with a wingspan of 4 feet
When you can find them here: All year round
Diet: Condors' favorite food is carrion, dead animlas, and mostly eat large dead animals, like deer and cattle, but sometimes will eat smaller carrion, such as rodents or rabbits.
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| Present range of California Condors |
Identification: The largest terrestrial bird in North America, the condor has an enormous wingspan of ~9 ft. The length is 3-4 ft, the height is 50 in, weight 17-25 lb, all black with a purplish or red bald head.
When you can find them here: All year round
Golden Eagle
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| pic from here |
Golden Eagles are large solitary birds of prey. They build their eyrie, a nest made of sticks, on a cliff, or high in a tree.
Diet: Primarily small mammals, birds, snakes, and dead animals, though it can kill a larger mammal if it wants to. There are rummors that golden eagles capture and steal livestock, particularly lanbs, but it rarely does.
Habitat: Mountains, plains, open country, basically anywhere with little human influence.
Identification: Golden Eagles can grow up to 3 ft long with a wingspan of 6 or more ft. The color is dark brown on the body and a golden neck.
When you can find the here: All year round
Great Egret
Great Egrets are possibly the most widespread egrets in the continent of North America. They are beautiful birds and give birth to 3-5 chicks in a clutch. When the chick hatch, they are a greyish-white.
Diet: Fish, frogs, water snakes, (i.e. garter snakes), and even insects
Habitat: Wetlands, marshes, and lakesides, both in wild and urban areas
Identification: Large, long neck, pure white all over, long sharp yellow bill, long black legs. The length can be up to 3 feet, with a wingspan of 4 feet
When you can find them here: Primarily in summer and early fall
Mallard Duck
Diet: Aquatic plants, insects, snails, human food, and small fish
Habitat: Fresh water shallows, tidal marshes, urban areas near water
Identification: A small duck 2 feet long, male has green head, white collar and gray body, yellow bill, female sandy brown with darker brown bill
When you can find them here: All year round
Canada Goose
Canada Geese migrate across all of North America in varying times, flying in a V-formation. Populations are increasing and more and more Canada geese are foind in city parks. The nest is made in a hollow and is lined with its down and plants. There are 2-12 eggs in a clutch.
Diet: Aquatic vegetation, grain, crackers, grass, small aquatic animals
Habitat: Ponds, marshes, grassland, open farmlands, parks and golf courses
Identification: 2-3 feet long, wingspan approx. 4-6 feet. Black head and neck, white ''chin'' and front, brownish back, white tail
When you can find them here: Fall-winter
American Coot
American Coots are social birds; they can be found in groups that can reach hundreds. In urban areas, they have become very tame and common. There are 8-25 eggs in a clutch.
Diet: Fish, mollusks, insects, and pondweed
Habitat: Both freshwater and saltwater marshes, wetlands
Identification: An medium-sized aquatic coot, up to 15 in long. They have a dark gray body and a black head and neck, with big feet that assist them in swimming. The bill is whitish with a red stripe. Their eyes are red and black.
When you can find them here: All year round
