10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2013

All photos by Keiller Kyle, courtesy of Audubon California. After all, there are only a few hundred thousand left of these birds to gaze at, in a range that’s based mainly in California. federal level, and a Species of Special Concern in California. (For

Blackbirds 188

Blackbirds California Cattle Farming 188

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 25, 2013

First, you get to tour one of their California centers , you get a special opportunity to see a Pelican getting its final medical exam and numbered leg band, plus you get the honor of releasing one, or in my case, two of their rehabilitated pelicans! There are advantages to being a “Pelican Partner” for International Bird Rescue

Bird Rescue 200

Bird Rescue Pelicans Rescue Birds 200

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2017

One of the best things about our annual Lassen Park campout is that we get to see several species of birds that are rarely, if ever, seen in the Sacramento Valley. Many of those species also nest in the park. One of my favorite species is the Water Ouzel , more commonly known now as the American Dipper ( Cinclus mexicanus ).

Woodpeckers 102

Woodpeckers Sacramento Raised Squirrels 102

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2016

I live at 1600 foot (488 meter) elevation in Oak Savannah/ Gray Pine habitat in Northern California. According to the range maps this bird is a breeding resident of the West in montane conifer or mixed-species forest dominated by pines and oaks at 1,600–2,700 meter elevation 1. Click on photos for full sized images.

California 100

California North America America Breeding 100

10,000 Birds

MAY 23, 2012

The Plain Titmouse ( Parus inornatus ) was split and reclassified in 1997 as sibling species, the Oak Titmouse ( Baeolophus inornatus ) and the Juniper Titmouse ( Baeolophus ridgwayi ). I have three bluebird trails that I monitor every year and the Oak Titmouse is always the first species taking up residence on two of those trails.

California 185

California Oregon Species Birds 185

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 1, 2015

More species of jays can be found here than in any other country on earth. Sixteen resident species to be exact. This species is also called Dickey’s Jay in reference to Donald Dickey who had a life-long fascination with the birds of north-west Mexico. Mexico is the best country in the world for jays.

Mexico 162

Mexico Ecuador Peru Science 162

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 22, 2014

This past weekend I took a trip to the small town of Portola in Plumas county for a Northern California Audubon Council meeting hosted by Plumas Audubon Society. They are listed as a Species of Special Concern in Utah, Nevada, Oregon, and Washington, and as Threatened in California. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7tVjohOIdI.

Nevada 160

Nevada North America Utah Oregon 160

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 4, 2015

California is blessed with 51 NWRs and Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), second only to North Dakota with 77. One species I can always count on at Colusa NWR is the Black-crowned Night-Heron ( Nycticorax nycticorax ), which boasts a large resident population. The video will be posted as soon as it is uploaded to YouTube.

Wildlife 159

Wildlife San Francisco Sacramento North Dakota 159

10,000 Birds

MARCH 25, 2015

The Blue-winged Teal ( Anas discors ) is not that common in California except along the coast, so I was pretty excited to discover several pair and a few non-paired individuals of the species at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge on the day I had reserved photo blind #2. Click on photos for full sized images. www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxTQfMazAD4.

Sacramento 151

Sacramento Wildlife North America Ducks 151

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2016

That original installation (pictured above) was part of a series of 40 artificial burrows created at three separate locations, all made possible by a grant from Audubon California. This property is located in northern Butte County which is nearing the (dwindling) northern most historic range for this species in California.

Owls 101

Owls California 2010 Colorado 101

10,000 Birds

JUNE 20, 2012

The term “take” is defined as killing a listed species but also includes “harm,” which is defined in regulation as including “significant habitat modification or degradation where it actually kills or injures wildlife by significantly impairing essential behavioral patterns, including breeding, feeding, or sheltering 2.

San Diego 165

San Diego illegal California South America 165

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2021

There was a time when I thought each bird species had its own individual song. Then I found out that there was this vocalization called a ‘call,’ so I thought each bird species had its own individual song (but just the males) and individual call. There’s more than one song per warbler? How do they know?

North America 279

North America Research Birds Groups 279

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

Take a look at these range maps for the two species. If you live north of the San Francisco Bay area in California like I do, or north of Delaware on the east coast, you would most likely be looking at a Greater Yellowlegs. ” Once you hear the calls of these two species, you will have no problem telling them apart.

San Francisco 165

San Francisco Delaware Jordan New York 165

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 29, 2014

The video above showing the pair bonding and precopulatory behavior of the Northern Shoveler ( Anas clypeata ) was shot from the photography bind at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge , one of the refuges of the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex in Northern California. state and territory, infusing nearly $1.74

Sacramento 170

Sacramento Defenders Of Wildlife Ducks Wildlife Rehabilitation 170

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2011

We are fortunate in Northern California to have four lakes that support 76% of the total number of nesting grebes in California 1. Eagle Lake, Lake Almanor and Clear Lake have all been identified as Audubon California Important Bird Areas (IBA), meaning that they provide essential habitat for breeding, wintering, and migrating birds.

California 225

California Eagles North America Breeding 225

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2013

When you think of southern California in June there are a variety of things that could come to mind. My arrival in southern California didn’t happen until 14 June but the bird had stuck around and was reported daily on the local birding listservs. Not bad for southern California in June!

Los Angeles 156

Los Angeles San Diego Alaska North America 156

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2011

The male of the species has the upper portion of the head, back of neck, back and wings all glossy black. The male is the only Black-necked Stilt in the second segment of this video, along with several Greater White-fronted Geese, and the third bird that comes into view in the final segment that is larger than the other two birds.

South Dakota 189

South Dakota Jordan Sacramento North America 189

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2012

Here in Northern California I am fortunate to have at least three of the western hummingbirds of North America visiting my yard. The least common species of hummingbird I see here is the Calliope Hummingbird ( Stellula calliope ). The male is the only North American hummer with both a rose red crown and gorget. www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhI1A-DXq9s

North America 215

North America Breeders America Breeding 215

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

• Explore These Related Posts Another California Bird? Pochards: Last Lifer of the Trip About the Author Larry Larry Jordan was introduced to birding after moving to northern California where he was overwhelmed by the local wildlife, forcing him to buy his first field guide just to be able to identify all the species visiting his yard.

Wildlife 155

Wildlife 2011 Sacramento Jordan 155

10,000 Birds

JANUARY 25, 2018

There are many raptors found at the refuges in the Sacramento Valley of California. This refuge offers such a wide variety of species, that I wrote a post awhile back showing several species of wading birds in the same location on the auto tour route. I will close with a video from Colusa National Wildlife Refuge.

Wildlife 101

Wildlife Sacramento Bald Eagle Falcons 101

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 17, 2011

So that you can get the feeling of having these birds swarm around you and hear their calls, I have included a video of this flock from the same location at Singer Creek in Chico, California. It’s an extraordinary behavior that is practiced by several species of birds. www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOZh_hZ_fCY

South America 175

South America North America California Turtles 175

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Its genus name refers to supposed similarities between it and the African mousebirds , and its species name refers to waxwings. Here’s the only known video footage of that species: Kauai Oo. This species’ brilliant yellow feathers were once incorporated into capes for Hawaiian kings. Spellman et al.

Saudi Arabia 220

Saudi Arabia 2008 Indonesia Groups 220

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2011

There are quite a few species of duck that nest in cavities. This is interesting behavior in a species whose pair bonds can last for years but these birds rejoin their mates in winter and renew their bonds. I found a video demonstrating this phenomenon. Are you getting the picture here?

Ducks 168

Ducks California North America Breeding 168

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

The male of the species will rattle off up to 200 songs, his repertoire size varying geographically, with the western males having considerably larger repertoires than eastern males 1. I shot this video of the male bringing in the nesting material and arranging it within the nest before flying back out to a branch to sing.

Sacramento 161

Sacramento North America Wildlife Defenders Of Wildlife 161

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2013

states and thirty-seven counties, and added a whopping ninety-two species to my life list. I didn’t travel much this year, with a June family trip to California and Nevada and a four-day trip in July to Trinidad and Tobago being my only opportunities to get birds not in the northeastern United States. a 17-Year Cicada.

2013 176

2013 New York City New York Trinidad 176

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Boobies ( Sula leucogaster ), Islas Coronado, Baja California © David J. Frigatebirds (Fregatidae) Five species of frigatebird ply the planet’s tropical skies and seas. A pair of Brown Boobies ( Sula leucogaster ) tends a chick on Middle Rock, Islas Coronado, Baja California © David J. Good day sir.

2011 154

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 154

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

The California Quail ( Callipepla californica ) is the California state bird, inhabiting scrub, broken chaparral and woodland edges primarily in California, Oregon, Washington and Baja California. All New World Quail are highly gregarious, typically found in coveys or flocks except during breeding season.

California 224

California Eggs Gophers Rattlesnake 224

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

If this was America, we might not be concerned because starlings are an invasive species, at least in North America. BBC has the story as a video. But in Iraq, and more exactly, Kurdistan and Iraqi Kurdistan, they are supposed to be there (and are regularly hunted and eaten) and the fighting is not supposed to be there.

Science 151

Science Iraq Research Birds 151

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Birders who have been to California might be familiar with the latter two, indeed we would be close to the Poor Knights Islands later in the day, the site of the only breeding colony of Buller’s Shearwaters in the whole world. The final large petrel species is another gadfly petrel, albeit a much larger one than the Cook’s Petrel.

New Zealand 175

New Zealand Albatross 2011 Cooking 175

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 31, 2014

You can see that the male of the species has a bright red mustache not present on the female. This is a video I shot last weekend during the Christmas Bird Count. But we are seeing them in California. Note the bright red crescent on this bird’s nape, the field mark of a yellow-shafted sub-species.

California 169

California North America Woodpeckers America 169

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

The Refuge is now home to nearly 200 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, and a wide variety of insects, fish and plants. The Service also proposes expanding hunting and sport fishing on the following refuges: California. www.youtube.com/watch?v=sk_5pt9OTLA. v=sk_5pt9OTLA.

Fish 144

Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 144

10,000 Birds

MARCH 16, 2011

There are are presently thought to be five species of kiwi with a possible sixth extinct species, all of which have suffered varying degrees of range contraction since the arrival of humans. Both these tours are for the Little Spotted Kiwi , the smallest species and one now one mainly confined to offshore islands. Wicked, right?

New Zealand 147

New Zealand 2011 Deer New York 147

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 2, 2012

2001), before the videos and web sites, there was Hawks in Flight: the Flight Identification of North American Migrant Raptors by Pete Dunne, David Sibley and Clay Sutton. The new edition adds 11 species, birds such as Zone-tailed Hawk, Short-tailed Hawk, and California Condor that are only seen in specific areas of North America.

North America 228

North America Bald Eagle Birds Eagles 228

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

Kooyman (co-author with Jim Mastro) spent decades studying Emperor Penguins and can be considered the world’s foremost expert on the species. Empire Penguins (Aptenodytes forsteri) are the largest living penguin species, almost four feet tall (taller when they stretch), and the least likely to be seen on birding or nature trips.

Penguins 160

Penguins Seals Leopards Research 160

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 4, 2020

It is one of my most ‘liked’ videos on social media (though, sadly, not taken by me) because–a stick! Vidal’s drawings embrace a diversity of birds (east and west North American species) and of people, depicted children and parents of different backgrounds. Who has not delighted in a stick?

Los Angeles 264

Los Angeles 2019 Birds 2014 264

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Apparently during fall migration large flocks may form as the birds travel to their wintering grounds, arriving in Northern California in mid-September to mid-October 1. You can hear their call in the first few seconds of this video. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ojbQqLo5cA

Woodpeckers 207

Woodpeckers South Dakota Jordan United States 207

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2012

Living in California, I am of course speaking of the Western Bluebird ( Sialia mexicana ). The pair may have to compete for nesting cavities with several other species including native Tree Swallows and Violet-green Swallows, as well as non-native House Sparrows and European Starlings. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2blVsU0rdxY

Washington 185

Washington Eggs California 185