Skip to navigation, or go to main content.

WINGS Birding Tours – Bird List

California: The South

The Southern Coast, Santa Cruz Island, the Salton Sea, and the Mohave Desert

Tour Links

Cumulative Checklist

With Jon Dunn as leader

  • Column A: Number of tours out of six on which this species has been recorded
  • Column B: Number of days this species was seen on the 2009 tour
  • Column C: Maximum daily count for this species on the 2009 tour
  • Column D: H=heard only; N=nesting or dependent young observed
A B C D
3 Greater White-fronted Goose 1 1 Anser albifrons
1 Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
2 Ross's Goose 2 2 Chen rossii
1 Cackling Goose 1 1 Branta hutchinsii leucopareia
3 Canada Goose 2 50 Branta canadensis
2 "Black Brant" 1 1 Branta bernicla nigricans
3 Tundra Swan 2 1 Cygnus columbianus
2 Wood Duck Aix sponsa
5 Gadwall 1 15 Anas strepera
5 American Wigeon Anas americana
6 Mallard 7 20 Anas platyrhynchos
6 Blue-winged Teal 4 3 Anas discors
6 Cinnamon Teal 6 20 Anas cyanoptera
6 Northern Shoveler 6 600 Anas clypeata
6 Northern Pintail 3 40 Anas acuta
6 "American" Green-winged Teal 3 50 Anas crecca carolinensis
1 Canvasback Aythya valisineria
6 Redhead 1 6 Aythya americana
1 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
1 Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
1 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
6 Ruddy Duck 2 30 Oxyura jamaicensis
3 Chukar 1 2 H Alectoris chukar
3 Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
2 Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo silvestris
6 California Quail 1 51 Callipepla californica
6 Gambel's Quail 3 25 Callipepla gambelii
6 Pied-billed Grebe 3 6 Podilymbus podiceps
6 Eared Grebe 2 7 Podiceps nigricollis
6 Western Grebe 3 30 Aechmophorus occidentalis
6 Clark's Grebe 2 10 Aechmophorus clarkii
6 Pink-footed Shearwater 1 100 Puffinus creatopus
2 Sooty Shearwater 1 7500 Puffinus griseus
5 Black-vented Shearwater 1 6 Puffinus opisthomelas
1 Black Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma melania
2 Blue-footed Booby 1 1 Sula neuboxii
6 American White Pelican 5 1000 Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
6 Brown Pelican 7 600 Pelecanus occidentalis
6 Brandt's Cormorant 3 150 Phalacrocorax penicillatus
6 Double-crested Cormorant 9 1500 Phalacrocorax auritus
6 Pelagic Cormorant 1 10 Phalacrocorax pelagicus
6 Least Bittern 1 8 Ixobrychus exilis
6 Great Blue Heron 9 50 Ardea herodias
6 Great Egret 7 200 Ardea alba
6 Snowy Egret 6 300 Egretta thula
6 Little Blue Heron 1 3 Egretta caerulea
1 Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
4 Reddish Egret 1 1 Egretta rufescens
6 Cattle Egret 4 5000 Bubulcus ibis
6 Green Heron 4 2 Butorides virescens
6 Black-crowned Night-Heron 6 100 Nycticorax nycticorax
1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax violacea
6 White-faced Ibis 4 1000 Plegadis chihi
1 Black Vulture 1 1 Coragyps atratus
6 Turkey Vulture 8 60 Cathartes aura
6 Osprey 4 3 Pandion haliaetus
5 White-tailed Kite 1 1 Elanus leucurus
2 Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
6 Northern Harrier 3 2 Circus cyaneus
4 Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
6 Cooper's Hawk 6 2 Accipiter cooperii
6 Red-shouldered Hawk 5 2 Buteo lineatus elegans
2 Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsonii
1 Zone-tailed Hawk Buteo albonotatus
6 Red-tailed Hawk 6 2 Buteo jamaicensis calurus
2 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
6 American Kestrel 8 12 Falco sparverius
4 Merlin 1 1 Falco columbarius columbarius
6 Peregrine Falcon 3 2 Falco peregrinus anatum
3 Prairie Falcon 3 1 Falco mexicanus
3 Clapper Rail 1 3 H Rallus longirostris yumaensis
5 Virginia Rail 1 3 H Rallus limicola
5 Sora 3 5 H Porzana carolina
6 Common Moorhen 1 6 Gallinula chloropus
6 American Coot 6 30 Fulica americana
1 Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
6 Black-bellied Plover 5 300 Pluvialis squatarola
2 Pacific Golden-Plover 1 2 Pluvialis fulva
6 Snowy Plover 2 10 Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus
6 Semipalmated Plover 6 10 Charadrius semipalmatus
6 Killdeer 8 75 Charadrius vociferus
6 Black Oystercatcher 2 3 Haematopus bachmani
6 Black-necked Stilt 6 600 Himantopus mexicanus
6 American Avocet 6 500 Recurvirostra americana
6 Spotted Sandpiper 6 2 Actitis macularius
5 Wandering Tattler 1 1 Tringa incanus
6 Greater Yellowlegs 6 25 Tringa melanoleuca
6 Willet 6 40 Tringa semipalmatus inornatus
6 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 25 Tringa flavipes
1 Upand Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
6 Whimbrel 2 3 Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
6 Long-billed Curlew 5 50 Numenius americanus
6 Marbled Godwit 4 150 Limosa fedoa
6 Ruddy Turnstone 4 8 Arenaria interpres
6 Black Turnstone 3 6 Arenaria melanocephala
5 Surfbird 2 8 Aphriza virgata
5 Red Knot 1 1 Calidris canutus
6 Sanderling 2 25 Calidris alba
6 Western Sandpiper 6 1000 Calidris mauri
6 Least Sandpiper 7 500 Calidris minutilla
4 Baird's Sandpiper 1 6 Calidris bairdii
3 Pectoral Sandpiper 1 6 Calidris melanotos
4 Dunlin Calidris alpina pacifica
5 Stilt Sandpiper 2 4 Calidris himantopus
3 Ruff 1 1 Philomachus pugnax
1 Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
6 Short-billed Dowitcher 3 10 Limnodromus griseus caurinus
6 Long-billed Dowitcher 5 1100 Limnodromus scolopaceus
3 Wilson's Snipe 2 2 Gallinago delicata
6 Wilson's Phalarope 5 21 Phalaropus tricolor
6 Red-necked Phalarope 5 31 Phalaropus lobatus
6 Laughing Gull 3 650 Larus atricilla
6 Franklin's Gull 1 1 Larus pipixcan
1 Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia
6 Heermann's Gull 4 100 Larus heermanni
6 Ring-billed Gull 7 150 Larus delawarensis
6 California Gull 7 700 Larus californicus
6 Herring Gull 2 5 Larus argentatus smithsonianus
6 Yellow-footed Gull 4 25 Larus livens
6 Western Gull 8 210 Larus occidentalis wymani
1 Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens
2 Western Gull X Glaucous-winged Gull 1 1 Larus occidentalis x glaucescens
3 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
1 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
6 Caspian Tern 5 1000 Hydroprogne caspia
6 Black Tern 4 200 Chlidonias niger
6 Common Tern 1 1 Sterna hirundo
6 Forster's Tern 6 100 Sterna forsteri
6 Royal Tern 3 4 Thalasseus maxima
6 Elegant Tern 3 40 Thalasseus elegans
6 Black Skimmer 4 40 Rynchops niger
1 South Polar Skua Stercorarius maccormicki
5 Pomarine Jaeger 1 2 Stercorarius pomarinus
4 Parasitic Jaeger 1 2 Stercorarius parasiticus
1 Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus
2 Common Murre Uria aalge
6 Rock Pigeon 8 300 Columba livia
4 Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
6 Eurasian Collared-Dove 8 400 Streptopelia decaocto
6 Spotted Dove 1 10 Streptopelia chinensis chinensis
6 White-winged Dove 3 2 Zenaida asiatica
6 Mourning Dove 9 40 Zenaida macroura
6 Inca Dove 3 20 Columbina inca
6 Common Ground-Dove 4 10 Columbina passerina pallescens
3 Ruddy Ground-Dove Columbina talpacoti eluta
4 Red-crowned Parrot Amazona viridigenalis
6 Greater Roadrunner 4 3 Geococcyx californianus
4 Barn Owl 5 1 Tyto alba
4 Great Horned Owl 2 2 Bubo virginianus
6 Burrowing Owl 3 3 Athene cunicularia hypugaea
4 Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis
6 Vaux's Swift 2 3 Chaetura vauxi
1 White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis
6 Black-chinned Hummingbird 2 8 Archilochus alexandri
6 Anna's Hummingbird 6 10 Calypte anna
6 Costa's Hummingbird 2 6 Calypte costae
6 Allen's Hummingbird 1 3 Selasphorus sasin sedentarius
6 Rufous or Allen's Hummingbird 4 15 Selasphorus rufus or S. sasin
6 Belted Kingfisher 6 2 Ceryle alcyon
2 Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis
6 Acorn Woodpecker 4 10 Melanerpes formicivorus
6 Gila Woodpecker 2 2 Melanerpes uropygialis
1 Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus
1 Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
1 Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber
6 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 4 2 Picoides scalaris
6 Nuttall's Woodpecker 2 4 Picoides nuttallii
6 Downy Woodpecker 1 2 Picoides pubescens leucurus
3 Hairy Woodpecker 1 1 Picoides villosus
3 White-headed Woodpecker 1 1 Picoides albolarvatus
1 "Yellow-shafted" Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus borealis
6 "Red-shafted" Northern Flicker 4 2 Colaptes auratus collaris
3 Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
6 Western Wood-Pewee 6 10 Contopus sordidulus
6 Willow Flycatcher 6 9 Empidonax traillii brewsteri
1 Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
4 Hammond's Flycatcher 1 1 Empidonax hammondii
6 Gray Flycatcher 2 1 Empidonax wrightii
3 Dusky Flycatcher 2 1 Empidonax oberholseri
5 Pacific-slope Flycatcher 1 1 Empidonax difficilis difficilis
2 Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis insulicola
6 Black Phoebe 9 12 Sayornis nigricans
6 Say's Phoebe 8 8 Sayornis saya
5 Vermilion Flycatcher 1 1 Pyrocephalus rubinus
2 Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
2 Tropical Kingbird 1 1 Tyrannus melancholicus
4 Cassin's Kingbird 1 2 Tyrannus vociferans
6 Western Kingbird 4 6 Tyrannus verticalis
6 Loggerhead Shrike 5 6 Lanius ludovicianus
2 Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus
3 Cassin's Vireo 2 2 Vireo cassinii
6 Hutton's Vireo 1 1 Vireo huttoni huttoni
6 Warbling Vireo 7 5 Vireo gilvus swainsoni
1 Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
5 Steller's Jay 2 6 Cyanocitta stelleri frontalis
5 Island Scrub-Jay 1 2 Aphelocoma insularis
5 Western Scrub-Jay 3 6 Aphelocoma californica californica
2 Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
2 Clark's Nutcracker 1 2 Nucifraga columbiana
5 American Crow 4 30 Corvus brachyrhynchos
5 Common Raven 8 14 Corvus corax
6 Horned Lark 6 1100 Eremophila alpestris
6 Tree Swallow 4 31 Tachycineta bicolor
2 Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
6 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 1 1 Stelgidopteryx serripennis
5 Bank Swallow 1 1 Riparia riparia
4 Cliff Swallow 2 2 Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
6 Barn Swallow 8 50 Hirundo rustica
6 Mountain Chickadee 1 6 Poecile gambeli baileyae
6 Oak Titmouse 3 4 Baeolophus inornatus transpositus
6 Verdin 4 9 Auriparus flaviceps
6 "Coastal" Bushtit 3 25 Psaltriparus minimus minimus
3 Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
6 "Coastal" White-breasted Nuthatch 2 3 Sitta carolinensis aculeata
5 Pygmy Nuthatch 1 5 Sitta pygmaea
6 Cactus Wren 1 1 Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
5 Rock Wren 1 3 Salpinctes obsoletus
1 Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus
6 Bewick's Wren 4 4 Thryomanes bewickii correctus
6 House Wren 4 4 Troglodytes aedon parkmanii
6 Marsh Wren 2 6 Cistothorus palustris
5 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1 1 Regulus calendula
6 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4 2 Polioptila caerulea amoenissima
6 California Gnatcatcher 1 2 Polioptila californica californica
6 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher 1 2 Polioptila melanura lucida
6 Western Bluebird 1 3 Sialia mexicana
2 Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
2 Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus ustulatus
2 Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus guttatus
2 Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus sequoiensis
3 American Robin Turdus migratorius propinquus
5 Wrentit 1 20 Chamaea fasciata
6 Northern Mockingbird 7 15 Mimus polyglottos
6 California Thrasher 1 4 Toxostoma redivivum
3 Crissal Thrasher 1 1 H Toxostoma crissale
4 LeConte's Thrasher 1 2 Toxostoma lecontei
5 European Starling 8 50 Sturnus vulgaris
1 Eastern Yellow Wagtail Motacilla tschutschensis tschutschensis
2 American Pipit Anthus rubescens
3 Cedar Waxwing 2 12 Bombycilla cedorum
6 Phainopepla 1 1 Phainopepla nitens
6 Orange-crowned Warbler 7 12 Vermivora celata lutescens
6 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 4 Vermivora celata sordida
2 Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata orestra
4 Nashville Warbler 1 1 Vermivora ruficapilla ridgwayi
1 Northern Parula Parula americana
6 Yellow Warbler 7 20 Dendroica petechia
2 Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
1 Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
3 "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata hooveri
5 "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler 3 7 Dendroica coronata auduboni
6 Black-throated Gray Warbler 1 1 Dendroica nigrescens
5 Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi
5 Hermit Warbler 1 1 Dendroica occidentalis
1 Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
2 Grace's Warbler Dendroica graciae
2 Prairie Warbler 1 1 Dendroica discolor discolor
1 Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum palmarum
3 Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
2 Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
5 American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
1 Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
1 Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
4 Northern Waterthrush 2 1 Seiurus noveboracensis
6 MacGillivray's Warbler 4 5 Oporornis tolmiei
6 Common Yellowthroat 6 8 Geothlypis trichas
1 Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
4 Wilson's Warbler 7 4 Wilsonia pusilla chryseola
5 Wilson's Warbler 3 2 Wilsonia pusilla pileolata
2 Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
4 Green-tailed Towhee 2 2 Pipilo chlorurus
6 Spotted Towhee 4 4 Pipilo maculatus megalonyx
6 California Towhee 2 15 Pipilo crissalis
6 Abert's Towhee 3 10 Pipilo aberti
3 Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps obscura
6 Chipping Sparrow 3 10 Spizella passerina
2 Clay-colored Sparrow 1 1 Spizella pallida
6 Brewer's Sparrow 2 6 Spizella breweri
5 Vesper Sparrow 2 1 Pooecetes gramineus confinus
5 Lark Sparrow 2 3 Chondestes grammacus
3 Black-throated Sparrow 2 8 Amphispiza bilineata
4 Sage Sparrow 2 40 Amphispiza belli canescens
1 Sage Sparrow Amphispiza belli nevadensis
4 Savannah Sparrow 6 15 Passerculus sandwichensis
5 "Belding's" Savannah Sparrow 1 8 Passerculus sandwichensis nevadensis
3 "Large-billed" Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis rostratus
1 Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum perpallidus
1 Fox Sparrow ("Thick-billed") Passerella iliaca stephensi
1 Fox (Thick-billed) Sparrow Passerella iliaca megarhyncha
1 Fox Sparrow ("Slate-colored") Passerella iliaca schistacea
1 Fox Sparrow ("Slate-colored") Passerella iliaca altivagans
6 Song Sparrow 3 15 Melospiza melodia cooperi
6 Song Sparrow 1 1 Melospiza melodia fallax
1 Song Sparrow Melospiza meloda montana
6 Lincoln's Sparrow 3 6 Melospiza lincolnii
6 White-crowned Sparrow 1 1 Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii
2 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis
3 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha
3 Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla
5 "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco 2 2 Junco hyemalis thurberi
1 "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis montana
1 "Slate-colored" Junco Junco hyemalis hyemalis
1 Intergrade Junco Junco h. caniceps x J. h. mearnsi
2 Summer Tanager 1 1 Piranga ruber cooperi
4 Western Tanager 7 18 Piranga ludoviciana
2 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
6 Black-headed Grosbeak 7 3 Pheucticus melanocephalus
4 Blue Grosbeak 2 1 Passerina caerulea
5 Lazuli Bunting 2 1 Passerina amoena
1 Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
6 Red-winged Blackbird 5 200 Agelaius phoeniceus
5 Tricolored Blackbird Agelaius tricolor
6 Western Meadowlark 4 3 Sturnella neglecta
6 Yellow-headed Blackbird 2 3 Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
6 Brewer's Blackbird 8 30 Euphagus cyanocephalus
6 Great-tailed Grackle 7 300 Quiscalus mexicanus
6 Brown-headed Cowbird 3 10 Molothrus ater
1 Orchard Oriole 1 1 Icterus spurius
3 Hooded Oriole 1 3 Icterus cucullatus nelsoni
3 Bullock's Oriole 1 2 Icterus bullockii
1 Cassin's Finch Carpodacus cassinii
6 House Finch 9 70 Carpodacus mexicanus
1 Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
6 Lesser Goldfinch 7 10 Carduelis psaltria
4 Lawrence's Goldfinch 3 6 Carduelis lawrencei
6 American Goldfinch 1 3 Carduelis tristis
6 House Sparrow 8 100 Passer domesticus
2 Lilac-crowned Parrot Amazona finschi
1 Red-lored Parrot Amazona autumnalis

Non-Established Exotics

2 Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor
5 Black-hooded Parakeet 1 15 Nandayus nenday
2 Mitred Parakeet Aratinga mitrata
5 Nutmeg Mannikin 1 5 Lonchura punctulata

Mammals

6 Desert Cottontail 9 6 Sylvilagus auduboni
4 Brush Rabbit 1 1 Sylvilagus bachmani
4 Black-tailed Jackrabbit 1 1 Lepus californicus
3 White-tailed Antelope Squirrel 2 5 Ammospermophilus luecurus
6 California Ground Squirrel 5 10 Spermophilus beecheyi
5 Western Gray Squirrel 1 1 Sciurus griseus
3 Eastern Fox Squirrel 1 1 Sciurus niger
1 Merriam's Chipmunk Canis latrans
1 Lodgepole Chipmunk Tamias speciosus
1 Common Muskrat Ondatra zibetheca
1 Blue Whale Balaenooptera musculus
6 Long=beaked Common Dolphin 1 50 Delphinus capensis
2 Pacific Bottlenosed Dolphin Tursiops truncatus
4 Coyote 2 2 Tamias merriami
1 Island Gray Fox Urucyon littoralis
1 Western Spotted Skunk Spilogale gracilis amphiala
3 Striped Skunk 1 1 Mephitis mephitis
1 Northern Fur Seal Callorhinus ursinus
6 California Sea Lion 1 15 Zalophus californianus
5 Harbor Seal 2 30 Phoca vitulina
1 Feral Pig Sus scrofa
2 Mule (Black-tailed) Deer 1 1 Odocoileus hemionus

Amphibians and Reptiles

2 Pacific Treefrog Hyla regilla
2 Western Toad 1 2 Bufo boreas
1 Desert Iguana Dipsosaurus dorsalis
2 Western Fence Lizard Sceloporus occidentalis
2 Desert Spiny Lizard Sceloporus magister
5 Side-blotched Lizard 2 8 Uta stansburiana
1 Southern Alligator Lizard Gerrhonotus multicarinatus
5 Western Whiptail 1 2 Cnemidophorus tigris
1 Orange-throated Whiptail Cnemidophorus hyperythrus
1 "Santa Cruz Island Gopher Snake" Pituophis catenifer pumilus

Butterflies

4 Giant Swallowtail 2 1 Papilio cresphontes
6 Orange Sulphur 2 5 Colias eurytheme
2 Cloudless Sulphur 1 1 Phoebis sennae
5 Gulf Fritillary 1 15 Agraulis vanillae
3 Common Buckeye Junonia coenia
6 Monarch 3 1 Danaus plexippus
3 Queen 2 1 Danaus gilippus
3 Fiery Skipper 1 1 Hylephila phyleus
1 Umber Skipper Poanes melane

Butterflies and Skippers

1 Anise Swallowtail Papilio zelicaon
5 Western Tiger Swallowtail 1 6 Papilio rutulus
1 Western White Pontia occidentalis
4 Cabbage White Pieris rapae
4 Western Pygmy-Blue 1 10 Leptotes marina
3 Marine Blue 1 1 Brephidium exile
6 Mourning Cloak 1 1 Nymphalis antiopa
1 Red Admiral Vanessa cardui
1 Painted Lady Vanessa atalanta
3 West Coast Lady 1 1 Vanessa annabella
4 Lorquin's Admiral 1 8 Limenitis lorquini
6 California Sister 1 2 Adelpha bredowii
1 Saltbush Sootywing Hesperopsis alpheus
1 Woodland Skipper Ochlodes sylvanoides