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Common Birds in the Reserve (year-round)
Western Gull
Probably the most common bird in the Reserve.
American Crow
Crows are every where in the Reserve, interestingly, the 1934-1935 survey spotted just three.
Western Scrub-Jay
Scrub-Jays are found throughout the Reserve. You will spot them around the parking lots and picnic areas.
Turkey Vulture
Look up to spot Turkey Vultures, they will be soaring over the Reserve. Occasionally you can spot them resting in trees, or on the ground, or feeding on a dead sea lion.
White-crowned Sparrow
Another common little bird who is a bit fearless. There sparrows will let you get quite close to them. The are common on the south shore.
Dark-eyed Junco
A common little bird in the Reserve, look for the white tail feathers in flight.
Black Oystercatcher
Black Phoebe
Song Sparrow
Mallard Duck
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Brandt's Cormorant
Pelagic Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
Brown Pelican
Snowy Egret
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Probably one of the most common birds in the Reserve, but small enough that they may be hard to spot. Listen for the distinctive "chickadee" call.
Peregrine Falcon
I think we have two resident Peregrines in the Reserve. This fall (2013) I have spotted or heard one on just about every walk. They are hanging out around Big Dome now, but you may see them around Bird Island, in dead pines near Piney Woods, or really anywhere along the coastal cliffs.
Canada Goose
Heard more than seen
Wrentit
The Wrentit has the bouncing ball call, "deed... deed..., deed, deed, deed..."
Pygmy Nuthatch
It is hard to walk through the pine forest and not hear the distinctive "de-deet, de-deet" of this bird. Getting a good look at it is another matter, they are often high up in the Pines.
Spotted Towhee
I usually refer to it as the "un-spotted towhee".
California Thrasher
The Thrasher has the most ornate song in the Reserve. You can hear them around the Info Station and look for them standing at the top of some scrub.
Hairy Woodpecker
These guys sound like what you would expect a chipmunk to sound like, a high single note call.
Northern Flicker
Mourning Dove
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
California Quail
Acorn Woodpecker
Photo not taken in the Reserve
You will commonly hear these guys while walking on the South Plateau trail.
Red-shouldered Hawk
These guys have a fairly distinct call, but be careful, the Stellar's Jay is a good mimic
Occasional Birds (they are around, but not easily or commonly spotted)
Anna's Hummingbird
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Bushtit
Bewick's Wren
Stellar's Jay
Black-crowned Night Heron
Belted Kingfisher
We have been seeing them fairly frequently this fall (2013) around Whalers Cove. You may also spot them along the cliffs on the North Shore. With its distinctive call, you may hear this one more than you see it.
Osprey
An occasional visitor to Whalers Cove. Look for it in the Pines near Kodani Village.
White-tailed Kite
American Kestrel
Red-tailed Hawk
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Brown Creeper
When you are a little brown bird, climbing up brown trees, you are difficult to spot. Tree bark with wings is a good description.
Pacific Wren
Downy Woodpecker
Nuttal's Woodpecker
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Western Meadowlark
Occasionally spotted in Hudson Meadow or Mound Meadow. When the Reserve opened, it was one of the most common and consistent birds observed.
Great Horned Owl
I spotted this one along the Whalers Knoll trail after it hooted midday. My guess is that if you spent nights in the Reserve, you would hear them regularly.
Seasonal Birds (birds that are around at certain times of the year)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (fall to winter)
Townsend's Warbler (fall to winter)
Heermann's Gull (fall to winter)
Heermann's Gulls arrive in the Reserve in mid September and will stay until mid January. You will find them congregated on the rocks at Whalers Cove, but they will also be present in the kelp beds and coves around the Reserve.
Golden-crowned Sparrow (fall to winter)
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
First spotted in the Reserve Fall 2013, October 17.
Say's Pheobe (fall to winter)
Black Turnstone (fall to winter)
Eared Grebe (fall to winter)
First sighting for Fall 2013, October 14.
Western Grebe (fall)
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Red-breasted Merganser (late fall to winter)
We usually see females, males are rare.
Red-breasted Nuthatch (winter)
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Violet-green Swallow (spring to summer)
White-throated Swift (spring to summer)
Spotted 12/6/13 above Mound Meadow
Spotted Sandpiper (fall to winter)
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Rare sightings
Wild Turkey
Spotted once from the Moss Cove trail a few years ago.
Wilson's Warbler
Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Northern Saw-whet Owl(et)
We had a pair nest in a dead pine a few years ago. It caused a stir in the birding world.
Lawrence's Goldfinch
A migrant through the Reserve, that actually stuck around for a few days. It was spotted at Granite Point.
Semipalmated Plover
A migrant through the Reserve, spotted at Weston Beach.
California Condor
I have yet to see a condor in the Reserve, but I have spotted one 5 miles south. Given their range, we ought to see them occasionally. I have heard that they have been spotted in the Reserve in the past. Photo not taken in the Reserve.
Caspian Tern
- A migrant through the Reserve. I notice them by the grating call, followed by a whistle.
Graduation Birds
Canada Goose
California Quail
Brown Pelican
Brandt's Cormorant (look for seasonal breeding colors)
Double-Crested Cormorant (generally limited to Whaler's Cove)
Pelagic Cormorant (look for seasonal breeding colors)
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Black-crowned Night Heron
Turkey Vulture
Black Oystercatcher
Heermann's Gull (seasonal, fall to early winter)
Heermann's Gull (seasonal, not present during training)
Heermann's Gulls arrive in the Reserve in mid September and will stay until mid January. You will find them congregated on the rocks at Whalers Cove, but they will also be present in the kelp beds and coves around the Reserve.
Western Gull
Acorn Woodpecker (east side of the Reserve)
Photo not taken in the Reserve
Northern Flicker
Western Scrub-Jay
American Crow
Song Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
About this checklist
This is version 5 of the checklist that I started to help Point Lobos Docents learn the birds in the Reserve. As birding checklist go, this is not at all exhaustive. The focus is on birds that you might regularly see or hear while you are at the Reserve. In general, I try to go from common to less common in each category. I am pretty sure that better birders than I would debate these listings.
This is the first version that is available to view and print online. As an online outline, you can collapse or expand the outline heads, and clicking on most of the bird names will provide a picture of the bird and occasionally, a few field notes.
All photos © Tom Clifton, 2013 unless otherwise noted.
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Last Updated Sat, 01 Feb 2014 14:28:33 GMT
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