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Facts on the bird species most commonly observed at the Preserve:
Sources: The Sibley Guide to Birds of Norther America (2000), Atlas of Breeding Birds of
Monterey County (1993) and The Cornell Lab of Ornithology website (Accessed 2011)
1. Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
This is a common permanent-resident seen and heard in
all the habitat types on the preserve except the deep
redwood canyon, however it is most abundantly in
chaparral. It forages for food in the dense brush by
scratching at the leaf litter with its powerful legs. In one
scientific study, a male of this species was recorded
singing continuously for 45 minutes! The males’ loud
singing declines as the summer progresses and they
become busy feeding the young, until the singing ends in
early August. The song is described as having “0-8
identical introductory notes followed by a buzzy rapid
trill.”
2. California Quail (Callipepla californica)
“Chi-ca-go! Chi-ca-go!” is ironically the call of the state bird
of California that you may hear while walking in the
grassland/chaparral ecotone or oak woodland habitat. Quail
are classified in the same family as chickens and pheasants.
Quail populations are known to be highly variable depending
on if it is a wet or dry year – in wet years, pairs will attempt
to raise two sets of young sequencially. A group of quail is
called a covey (“cuh-vee”) and ranges from about 10-30
individuals where multiple pairs of parents take care of the
young collectively. At the preserve, you will most often see
quail in parking lot area.
3. Wilson’s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)
This species spends the winter in Mexico and arrives at
the Byrne forest in late spring where it often forages in
mixed-species flocks in oak woodlands. It is more often
heard than seen; listen for a rapid series of 10-15
whistled notes. It’s yellow body with black-topped head
is what to look for – for identification, remember,
President Wilson wore a black top hat!
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4. Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
This beautiful bird has a large black head-crest, blue body, and in
the Pacific population look for its blue eyebrows! It fills the
coniferous forest with distinctively loud, hoarse calls. Multiple
individuals are sometimes observed mobbing small birds, squirrels,
or large hawks to steal their food. Another behavior seen at the
preserve is that they crack tan oak acorns (which they might have
raided from woodpecker granaries) on their favorite redwood
stumps. Jays are in the same family as crows and ravens, all of
whom have been found to have especially high levels of intelligence.
5. Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)
A strange name for the fellow, yes, but this well-camouflaged bird is
recognized by the way it clings to tree trunks and creeps its way
upwards searching the cracks for insects (in contrast, nuthatches
creep downwards on a tree trunk). Then the Brown Creeper swoops
down to the base of another large tree and repeats its feeding
technique. In flight it has a a wide horizontal stripe on its wings you
can see from both above and below.
6. Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)
This species of sparrow is one of the most widespread birds on the
continent. You will see it foraging on the ground in pairs, often
along the edge of the roads in the Byrne Forest. Its nests are made
on the ground hidden by the undergrowth. It has a wide variety of
songs and calls which can be difficult to use as identification. Look
for the two bold vertical white stripes on the edges of the tail when it
flies.
7. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
You normally see the underside of this bird as it soars above you
(look for the dark shoulder patches), but sometimes at A.J.’s point
(elev. 1300 ft) you get to look down on the top side of a soaring redtail. Only the adults, not the juveniles, have a red tail. This species
perches in redwoods and eucalyptus on the property, eats squirrels,
rabbits, and snakes, and is considered the most common hawk in
North America. Pairs stay together and often inhabit the same
territory year after year.
Don’t be confused - whenever you hear any hawk or eagle calling in
a movie, it is usually a soundtrack from this species!
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8. Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
This “clown faced” oak woodland species has one of the
most complex bird social structures known anywhere.
Groups of about a half dozen adults swap mates, raise
young communally, and share a “granary tree” which they
use to store acorns and will defend against intruders.
There are at least two places to view granary trees along
the Byrne Trail. When this species flies, you will notice its
“rowing” jay-like wingbeats.
9. Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens)
The most common and widespread bird at the Byrne, it
can be seen in every habitat. It forages for insects by
lifting up moss and lichen on tree branches and also uses
this material to build its nests along with animal hair!
Another cool thing is that this bird is one of the few that
can hang upside-down on branches! Listen for:
“Chickadee, chicka-chicka-dee-dee,” its common call.
10. Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata)
A secretive bird of the chaparral, it is plain brownish in
color, with a large head, stout bill, and a long tail that’s
often raised. It is named for having features of two other
kinds of birds – wrens and titmice. Its “bouncy-ball” song
is unmistakable as it accelerates in frequency kind of like
a ball bouncing lower and lower off the ground each time
until it comes to rest.
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Tips on Tricky Identification:
1. Hermit vs. Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus guttatus vs. C. ustulatus)
Appearance:
Although they are completely different birds with regards to life history, the visual difference
between the two is very subtle. The Hermit Thrush has a whiter eye ring, redder tail, and a
stockier body.
Voice:
The Hermit Thrush song has one introductory note and then flutters like a clear flute, but
without an upward spiral in pitch. It is one of the most beautiful songs in the forest. As the
famous zoologist Joseph Grinnell put it in 1902 “We were content with listening to its song
which now and then swelled into a full melodious strain only to die away. Such a song has
to be felt to be appreciated, for it seems to exert a hypnotic influence, inducing in one a
sort of melancholy reverie.”
The Swainson’s Thrush song rapidly spirals upwards and reaches a higher pitch. I use the
memory trick: “Swainson’s = Swirls”
Habitat:
The Hermit Thrush inhabits coniferous forests (redwood and Douglas fir), and as an
interesting note, it is found more commonly in the Santa Cruz mountains than in Monterey
County to the south. Its Western populations nest in trees.
The Swainson’s Thrush inhabits coniferous forest and is also common in river-side
woodlands (the Byrne Forest is within 1,000 feet of Brown’s Creek a little over a mile from
Corralitos Creek). It nests in shrubs in the forest understory.
Season:
The Hermit Thrush is the only member of its genus to spend the winter in N. America. On
the coast of California, this species is a year-round resident (“Hermits” don’t like to travel!)
although elsewhere in the country it is migratory.
The Swainson’s Thrush is only with us for a short time in the summer breeding season,
reportedly arriving in May and departing by mid-August. During the rest of the year it
resides in the forests of Central and South America that are being slashed and burned at an
alarming rate, which is leading to its population decline.
2. Anna’s vs. Allen’s vs. Rufous Hummingbird (Calypte anna vs. Selasphorus sasin vs.
S. rufus) found in scrub and chaparral at the Byrne:
The Anna’s Hummingbird (year-round resident) you have probably seen in your garden.
The adult female has a small red throat patch and the adult male has a red crown and
throat. He tries to impress the female with a characteristic dive display that ends with an
explosive squeak (which he makes with his tail, not his mouth!) and it sounds similar to a
Ground Squirrel alarm call.
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Advanced Stuff: The Allen’s (resident approx. Jan - June) and Rufous Hummingbird
(passing migrant en route farther north) have green backs, with orange on the tail, belly
and face. These two species are hardly distinguishable from each other, and even scientific
experts looking at stationary dead specimens have a hard time. Both winter in Mexico.
Both give similar calls and wings that make a high buzzy trill in flight. The only difference is
in the male dive display, for which the Rufous is more buzzy.
3. Sharp-shinned vs. Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter striatus vs. A. cooperii)
Appearance:
These two species are agile birds that maneuver through the forest and hunt other birds.
They are famously hard to distinguish from one another. Although the Cooper’s is larger,
this may not be helpful when they’re not side-by-side for comparison, and in addition a
Sharp-shinned female can be a similar size to a Cooper’s male. The Sharp-shinned has a
proportionally smaller head, streaking on the belly that is denser and extends further down,
a narrower white tail-tip, and a shorter more blunt tail.
(For the tails – “Sharp-shinned = Sharply cut off” and “Cooper’s = C shaped”).
Flight: The Sharp-shinned has wingbeats that are quick and flicking, the Cooper’s are stiff
and choppy.
Voice: Sharp-shinned gives short, sharp high-pitched notes kiw kiw kiw…
Cooper’s gives lower, nasal barking notes kek kek kek…
Habitat: Both nest in forests.
Season: In our area, Cooper’s are common year-round residents.
Sharp-shinned have been described as common winter residents and “rare and
unpredictable” summer residents…and their local breeding status and distribution
remains somewhat of a mystery. The Sharp-shinned has been listed as a species
of special concern by the CA Department of Fish and Game because of a statewide
decline in its breeding population.
4. Raven vs. Crow (Covus corvax vs. C. brachyrhynchos)
Both birds can be found in nearly
every habitat type. The Crow has
a blunt tail and thinner beak. The
Raven had a wedge-shaped tail, a
thick head and beak, and a lower
croaking call.
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5. Band-tailed Pigeon vs. Rock Pigeon vs. Mourning Dove (Columba fasciata vs. C.
livia vs. Zenaida macroura)
The Band-tailed Pigeon is a year-round native resident that inhabits coniferous forests. It
has a dark rump, light tail band, yellow feet and bill, and a white collar on its neck.
The Rock Pigeon is seen in cities around the world. It was domesticated in Mesopotamia
and introduced to N. America in the 1600’s. It has a white rump, dark tail band, red legs,
and dark bill.
The Mourning dove is a year-round native resident that inhabits open fields. It is tan with
black spots and a pointed black and white tail in flight. It is common across the continent
and is the most popularly hunted bird species.
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