Stan Tekiela - Birds of California Field Guide

Edited by Sandy Livoti and Dan Downing

Cover, book design and illustrations by Jonathan Norberg

Range maps produced by Anthony Hertzel

Proofreader: Emily Beaumont

Cover photo: Mountain Bluebird by Stan Tekiela

All photos by Stan Tekiela except (female) by Jim Zipp .

Images used under license from Shutterstock.com:

A. Viduetsky: (main).

To the best of the publishers knowledge, all photos were of live birds. Some were photographed in a controlled condition.

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Birds of California Field Guide

First Edition 2003

Second Edition 2022

Copyright 2003 and 2022 by Stan Tekiela

Published by Adventure Publications

An imprint of AdventureKEEN

310 Garfield Street South

Cambridge, Minnesota 55008

(800) 678-7006

www.adventurepublications.net

All rights reserved

Printed in China

ISBN 978-1-64755-198-8 (pbk.); ISBN 978-1-64755-199-5 (ebook)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

WHATS NEW?

It is hard to believe that its been more than 15 years since the debut of Birds of California Field Guide . This critically acclaimed field guide has helped countless people identify and enjoy the birds that we love. Now, in this expanded second edition, Birds of California Field Guide introduces many new and exciting changes and a fresh look, while retaining the same familiar, easy-to-use format.

To help you identify even more birds in California, I have added 7 new species and more than 150 new color photographs. All of the range maps have been meticulously reviewed, and many updates have been made to reflect the ever-changing movements of the birds.

Everyones favorite section, Stans Notes, has been expanded to include even more natural history information. Compare sections have been updated to help ensure that you correctly identify your bird, and additional feeder information has been added to help with bird feeding. I hope you will enjoy this great new edition as you continue to learn about and appreciate our California birds!

WHY WATCH BIRDS IN CALIFORNIA?

Millions of people have discovered bird feeding. Its a simple and enjoyable way to bring the beauty of birds closer to your home. Watching birds at your feeder often leads to a lifetime pursuit of bird identification. The Birds of California Field Guide is for those who want to identify the common birds of California.

There are over 1,100 bird species in North America. In California alone there have been over 510 different kinds of birds recorded throughout the years. These bird sightings have been documented by hundreds of bird watchers and have become a part of the official state record. From these valuable records, Ive chosen 177 of the most common birds of California to include in this field guide.

Bird watching, or birding, is one of the most popular activities in America. Its appeal in California is due, in part, to an unusually rich and abundant birdlife. Why are there so many birds? One reason is open space. California is the third largest state, with more than 163,000 square miles (422,168 sq. km) and about 39.5 million people. On average, that is only 242 people per square mile (93 per sq. km). Most are located in southern California.

Open space is not the only reason there is such an abundance of birds. Its also the diversity of habitat. California can be broken into four distinctive habitatsthe Pacific Border Province, Sierra-Cascade Province, Basin and Range Province and Lower California Provinceeach of which supports different groups of birds.

The Pacific Border Province, or Coastal Uplands, extends nearly the entire length of the coast along western California. Many of Californias residents live here. This mainly mountainous region has many ridges, large valleys and several ranges, with elevations reaching 9,000 feet (2,750 m). This is a good place to see birds such as the California Towhee.

The Sierra-Cascade Province is a vast region that extends from Oregon to southern California. Located east of the Pacific Border, it is a belt of rugged mountain ranges with high peaks and deep valleys. Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the U.S. outside of Alaska, is in this province. This region is heavily forested and is a good place to see Clarks Nutcrackers and Stellers Jays.

To the east of the Sierra-Cascade Province is the Basin and Range Province. Most of this region is flat, dry and sparsely vegetated, with low elevation deserts such as Death Valley and the Sonoran Desert. Usually receiving less than 2 inches (5 cm) of rainfall per year, this province is home to many wonderful birds such as Black-throated Sparrows and various hummingbird species.

The Lower California Province is the designation most of the southern part of the state. With its rolling mountains and valleys, its a good place to see the California Gnatcatcher, a species of special concern.

Water also plays a big part in Californias bird populations. There are 840 miles (1,352 km) of coastline, with a total of 3,427 miles (5,517 km) of coast, including all the inlets and islands. The coast is a great place to see many gull species such as California Gull or Heermanns Gull. California also has over 2,675 square miles (6,950 sq. km) of fresh water surface. The Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers are the largest, and several drain the entire state. There are also several thousand small lakes. Salton Sea and Lake Tahoe are the largest and are home to birds such as American Avocets and American White Pelicans. Its always worth the time to investigate bodies of water in California for the presence of birds.

Varying habitats in California also mean variations in weather. California has the highest and lowest elevations in the lower 48 states, rising from 282 feet (86 m) below sea level in Death Valley to 14,494 feet (4,419 m) at Mount Whitney. Northern parts of California are cooler and moister than southern California. The Mojave Desert is the hottest region in California and the U.S. in the summer, while winters in the mountains are cold and snowy with many snowcapped peaks year-round.

No matter if youre in the hot, arid deserts or in the cool, moist mountains of California, there are birds to watch in each season. Whether witnessing hawks migrating in autumn or welcoming back hummingbirds in spring, there is variety and excitement in birding in the Golden State.

OBSERVE WITH A STRATEGY: TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING BIRDS

Identifying birds isnt as difficult as you might think. By simply following a few basic strategies, you can increase your chances of successfully identifying most birds that you see. One of the first and easiest things to do when you see a new bird is to note its color. This field guide is organized by color, so simply turn to the right color section to find it.

Next, note the size of the bird. A strategy to quickly estimate size is to compare different birds. Pick a small, a medium and a large bird. Select an American Robin as the medium bird. Measured from bill tip to tail tip, a robin is 10 inches (25 cm). Now select two other birds, one smaller and one larger. Good choices are a House Sparrow, at about 6 inches (15 cm), and an American Crow, around 18 inches (45 cm). When you see a species you dont know, you can now quickly ask yourself, Is it larger than a sparrow but smaller than a robin? When you look in your field guide to identify your bird, check the species that are roughly 610 inches (1525 cm). This will help to narrow your choices.