Portal:Birds

• Guano

Endemic birds, animals and plants are those which have evolved into a distinct form which is restricted in its distribution to a particular locality. Genetic isolation, such as that found on islands, is often a factor which contributes to a high degree of endemism.

Eleven of the 60 species of land birds that have nested on the park islands are represented by endemic species or subspecies – forms that are found on the islands and nowhere else. A few of these endemics are found on only one of the Park islands:

• Island Scrub-Jay
• San Clemente House Finch

Others are found on two or more of the islands: non-migratory

• Allen’s Hummingbird
• Channel Island Flycatcher
• Island Loggerhead Shrike
• Island Horned Lark
• Santa Cruz Island Bewick’s Wren
• Dusky Orange-crowned Warbler
• San Clemente Spotted Towhee
• Santa Cruz Island Rufous-crowned Sparrow
• Channel Island Song Sparrow

The Island Scrub-Jay, which is confined today to Santa Cruz Island, is the most distinct and only endemic species of bird found on the Channel Islands. Of the island endemics found on the park islands, two populations on Santa Barbara Island (San Clemente House Finch and Santa Barbara Island Song Sparrow) have been extirpated during the past century. [Channel Islands Bird Checklist by Paul W. Collins, Nov. 4, 2011]

On Santa Catalina Island Catalina the California quail and Bewick's wren are endemic.

BIRD-REALTED TOPICS

• BREEDING BIRDS OF SANTA CRUZ ISLAND

• GUANO
• GULL EGGS

HISTORIC COLLECTION RECORDS FROM 1950 AND EARLIER:

• Note: If a species is listed, it is known from one or more California Channel Islands.

• add Lazuli Bunting ~ Passerina amoena

GEESE (generic) (pic)

• BRANDT GOOSE (Branta bernicla) (pic)
• CANADA GOOSE (Branta canadensis) (pic)
• SNOW GOOSE (Chen caerulescens) (pic)

DUCKS (generic and domestic)

• GADWALL (Anas strepera) (pic)
• AMERICAN WIGEON (Anas americana) (pic)
• MALLARD (Anas platyrhynchos) (pic)
• BLUE-WINGED TEAL (Anas discors) (pic)
• CINNAMON TEAL (Anas cyanoptera) (pic)
• NORTHERN PINTAIL (Anas acuta) (pic)
• GREEN-WINGED TEAL (Anas carolinensis) (pic)
• SURF SCOTER (Melanitta perspicillata) (pic)
• WHITE-WINGED SCOTER (Melanitta fusca) (pic)
• RED-BREASTED MERGANSER (Mergus serrator) (pic)
• RUDDY DUCK (Oxyura jamaicensis) (pic)

QUAIL

• QUAIL (Callipepla californica catalinensis) (pic)

PARTRIDGES and TURKEYS

• CHUKAR ( Alectoris chukar) [Introduced] (pic)
• GROUSE [Introduced]
• PHEASANTS [Introduced] (pic)
• PEACOCKS (Pavo cristatus) [Introduced]
• TURKEYS [Introduced]

LOONS

• COMMON LOON (Gavia immer) (pic)
• PACIFIC LOON (Gavia pacifica) (pic)
• RED-THROATED LOON (Gavia stellata) (pic)

GREBES

• EARED GREEBE (Podiceps nigricollis ) (pic)
• HORNED GREBE (Podiceps auritus) (pic)
• PIED-BILLED GREBE (Podilymbus podiceps) (pic)
• WESTERN GREEBE (Aechmophorus occidentalis) (pic)

ALBATROSSES

• LAYSAN ALBATROSS (Diomedea immutabilis) (pic)
• SHORT-TAILED ALBATROSS (Phoebastria albatrus) (pic)

FULMARS AND SHEARWATERS

• NORTHERN FULMAR (Fulmarus glacialis) (pic)
• PINK-FOOTED SHEARWATER (Puffinus creatopus) (pic)
• BULLER'S SHEARWATER (Puffinus bulleri) (pic)
• SOOTY SHEARWATER (Puffinus griseus) (pic)
• SHORT-TAILED SHEARWATER (Puffinus tenuirostris) (pic)
• BLACK-VENTED SHEARWATER (Puffinus opisthomelas) (pic)

STORM-PETRELS

• ASHY STORM PETREL (Oceanodroma homochroa) (pic)
• BLACK STORM PETREL (Oceanodroma melania) (pic)
• LEACH'S STORM PETREL (Oceanodroma leucorhoa) (pic)
• LEAST STORM PETREL (Oceanodroma microsoma) (pic)

TROPICBIRDS

• RED-BILLED TROPICBIRD (Phaethon aethereus) (pic)

BOOBIES

• BLUE-FOOTED BOOBY (Sula nebouxii) (pic)
• BROWN BOOBY (Sula leucogaster) (pic)

CORMORANTS (pic)

• BRANDT'S CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) (pic)
• DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax auritus) (pic)
• PELAGIC CORMORANT (Phalacrocorax pelagicus) (pic)

PELICANS

• CALIFORNIA BROWN PELICAN (Pelecanus californicus) (pic)

BITTERNS, HERONS AND ALLIES

• GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) (pic)
• GREAT EGRET (Ardea alba) (pic)
• SNOWY EGRET (Egretta thula) (pic)
• CATTLE EGRET (Bubulcus ibis) (pic)
• GREEN HERON (Butorides virescens) (pic)

OSPREYS

• OSPREY (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) (pic)

HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES and ALLIES

• BALD EAGLES (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) (pic)
• GOLDEN EAGLES (Aquila chrysaetos ) (pic)
• NORTHERN HARRIER (Circus cyaneus) (pic)
• COOPER'S HAWK (Accipiter cooperii) (pic)
• RED-TAILED HAWK (Buteo jamaicensis) (pic)
• SHARP-SHINNED HAWK (Accipiter striatus) (pic)
• WHITE-TAILED KITE (Elanus leucurus) (pic)

FALCONS

• AMERICAN KESTREL (Falco sparverius) (pic)
• MERLIN (Falco columbarius) (pic)
• PEREGRINE FALCON (Falco peregrinus) (pic)

RAILS and COOTS

• VIRGINIAN RAIL (Rallus limicola) (pic)
• SORA (Porzana carolina) (pic)
• AMERICAN COOT (Fulica americana) (pic)

PLOVERS

• BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER (Pluvialis squatarola) (pic)
• KILLDEER (Charadrius vociferus) (pic)
• MOUNTAIN PLOVER (Charadrius montanus) (pic)
• PACIFIC GOLDEN PLOVER (Pluvialis fulva) (pic)
• SEMIPALMATED PLOVER (Charadrius semipalmatus) (pic)
• SNOWY PLOVER (Charadrius nivosus) (pic)

OYSTERCATCHERS

• AMERICAN OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus palliatus) (pic)
• BLACK OYSTERCATCHER (Haematopus bachmani) (pic)

SANDPIPERS, TERNS and SKIMMERS

• SPOTTED SANDPIPER (Actitis macularius) (pic)
• WANDERING TATTLER (Heteractitis incanus) [Heteroscelus incanus] [Tringa incanus] (pic)
• GREATER YELLOWLEGS (Tringa melanoleuca) (pic)
• WILLETT (Tringa semipalmata) (pic)
• WHIMBREL (Numenius phaeopus) (pic)
• LONG-BILLED CURLEW (Numenius americanus) (pic)
• MARBLED GODWIT (Limosa fedoa) (pic)
• RUDDY TURNSTONE (Arenaria interpres) (pic)
• BLACK TURNSTONE (Arenaria melanocephala) (pic)
• SURFBIRD (Aphriza virgata) (pic)
• SANDERLING (Calidris alba) [Crocethia alba] (pic)
• WESTERN SANDPIPER (Calidris mauri) (pic)
• LEAST SANDPIPER (Calidris minutilla) [Erolia minutilla] (pic)
• BAIRD'S SANDPIPER (Calidris bairdii) (pic)
• PECTORAL SANDPIPER (Calidris melanotos) (pic)
• DUNLIN (Calidris alpina) (pic)
• LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER (Limnodromus scolopaceus) (pic)
• WILSON'S SNIPE (Gallinago gallinago) (pic)
• RED-NECKED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus lobatus) (pic)
• RED PHALAROPE (Phalaropus fulicarius)

GULLS, TERNS and SKIMMERS

• GULL EGGS
• BLACK-LEGGED KITTIWAKE (Rissa tridactyla) (pic)
• BONAPART'S GULL (Chroicocephalus philadelphia) (pic)
• CALIFORNIA GULL (Larus californicus) (pic)
• GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL (Larus glaucescens) (pic)
• HEERMANN'S GULL (Larus heermanni) (pic)
• HERRING GULL (Larus argentatus) (pic)
• MEW GULL (Larus canus) (pic)
• WESTERN GULL (Larus occidentalis) (pic)
• ELEGANT TERN
• FORSTER'S TERN
• ROYAL TERN (Sterna maxima) [Thalasseus maximus] (pic)

SKUAS and JAEGGERS

• POMARINE JAEGER
• PARASITIC JAEGER

AUKS, MURRES and PUFFINS

• CASSIN'S AUKLET (Ptychoramphus aleuticus) (pic)
• RHINOCEROUS AUKLET (Cerorhinca monocerata) (pic)
• PIGEON GUILLEMOT (Cepphus columba) (pic)
• COMMON MURRE (Uria aalge) (pic)
• ANCIENT MURRELET (Synthliboramphus antiquus) (pic)
• MARBLED MURRELET (Brachyramphus marmoratus) (pic)
• XANTUS' MURRELET (Synthliboramphus hypoleucus) (pic)
• TUFTED PUFFIN (Fratercula cirrhata) (pic)

PIGEONS and DOVES

• PIGEONS (generic)
• BAND-TAILED PIGEON (Patagioenas fasciata)
• EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE
• MOURNING DOVE
• ROCK PIGEON
• WHITE-WINGED DOVE

OWLS (pic)

• BARN OWL (Tyto alba) (pic)
• BURROWING OWL (Athene cunicularia) [Speotyto cunicularia hypugaea] (pic)
• GREAT HORNED OWL (Bubo virginianus) (pic)
• LONG-EARED OWL (Asio otus) [Strix otus] (pic)
• SHORT-EARED OWL (Asio flammeus) (pic)
• NORTHERN SAW-WHET OWL (Aegolius acadicus) (pic)

GOATSUCKERS

• LESSER NIGHTHAWK
• COMMON POORWILL

SWIFTS

• VAUX'S SWIFT
• WHITE-THROATED SWIFT

HUMMINGBIRDS

• ALLEN'S HUMMINGBIRD (Selasphorus sasin sedentarius) [Mainland and Endemic] (pic)
• ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD (Calypte anna)
• BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
• COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD
• RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD (Trochilus rufus) (pic)

KINGFISHERS

• BELTED KINGFISHER (Ceryle alcyon) (pic)

WOODPECKERS

• ACORN WOODPECKER
• LEWIS'S WOODPECKER
• NORTHERN FLICKER
• RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

• ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
• DUSKY FLYCATCHER
• GRAY FLYCATCHER
• HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
• OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
• PACIFIC SLOPE FLYCATCHER [Mainland and Endemic]
• WILLOW FLYCATCHER (Empidonax traillii brewsteri)
• CASSIN'S KINGBIRD
• WESTERN KINGBIRD (Tyrannus verticalis) (pic)
• BLACK PHOEBE (Sayornis nigricans semiatra) (pic)
• SAY'S PHOEBE
• WESTERN WOOD PEWEE (Contopus sordidulus)

SHRIKES

• LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus anthonyi) [Mainland and Endemic] (pic)

VIREOS

• CASSIN'S VIREO
• HUTTON'S VIREO
• WARBLING VIREO

JAYS and CROWS

• SANTA CRUZ ISLAND JAY (Aphelocoma coerulescens) (pic)
• RAVENS (Corvus corax) (pic)

LARKS

• HORNED LARK (Otocoris alpestris) [Eremophila] (pic)

SWALLOWS

• PURPLE MARTIN
• BANK SWALLOW
• BARN SWALLOW
• CLIFF SWALLOW
• NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
• TREE SWALLOW
• VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW

BUSHTITS

• BUSHTIT (Psaltriparius minimus) (pic)

NUTHATCHES

• RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
• WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH

CREEPERS

• BROWN CREEPER

WRENS

• BEWICK'S WREN (Thryomanes bewickii leucophrys) [Mainland and Endemic]
• CANYON WREN
• HOUSE WREN
• MARCH WREN
• PACIFIC WREN
• ROCK WREN (Salpinctes obsoletus) (pic)

GNATCATCHERS

• BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER

KINGLETS

• GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET
• RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula cineraceus)

THRUSHES

• MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD (Sialia currucoides)
• AMERICAN ROBIN
• HERMIT THRUSH (Catharus guttatus)
• SWAINSON'S THRUSH
• VARIED THRUSH

MOCKINGBIRDS and THRASHERS

• NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD (Mimus polyglottos leucopterus) (pic)
• SAGE THRASHER

STARLINGS

• EUROPEAN STARLING (Sturnus vulgaris) (pic)

PIPITS

• AMERICAN PIPIT

WAXWINGS

• CEDAR WAXWING (Bombycilla cedrorum)

SILKY-FLYCATCHERS

• PHAINOPEPLA (Phainopepla nitens) (pic)

WOOD-WARBLERS

• AMERICAN REDSTART
• COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
• BLACKPOLL WARBLER
• BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
• HERMIT WARBLER
• MACGILLIVARY'S WARBLER
• NASHVILLE WARBLER
• ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER (Vermivora celata) [Mainland and Endemic]
• PALM WARBLER
• TENNESSEE WARBLER
• TOWNSEND'S WARBLER (Dendroica townsendi)
• YELLOW WARBLER
• YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER (Dendroica coronata auduboni)
• WILSON'S WARBLER

TANAGERS

• SCARLET TANAGER (Piranga olivacea) (pic)
• WESTERN TANAGER (Piranga ludoviciana) (pic)

NEW WORLD SPARROWS

• GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
• SPOTTED TOWHEE (Pipilo maculatus) [Mainland and Endemic]
• BLACK-THROATED SPARROW
• BREWER'S SPARROW
• CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella passerina)
• CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
• FOX SPARROW (Zonotrichia iliaca)
• GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
• GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
• LARK SPARROW
• LINCOLN'S SPARROW
• RUFOUS-CROWNED SPARROW
• SAGE SPARROW (Amphispiza belli clementeae)
• SAVANNAH SPARROW (Passerculus sandwichensis) [Ammodramus sandwichensis] (pic)
• SONG SPARROW (Melospiza melodia) [Zonotrichia melodia] [Mainland and Endemic]
• VESPER SPARROW
• WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW
• DARK-EYED JUNCO

CARDINALS and ALLIES

• BLUE GROSBEAK (Passerina caerulea) (pic)
• BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK (Pheuticus melanocephalus maculatus) (pic)
• ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (Pheucticus ludovicianus) (pic)

BLACKBIRDS AND ORIOLES

• BOBOLINK (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) (pic)
• RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius phoeniceus) (pic)
• TRI-COLORED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius tricolor) (pic)
• WESTERN MEADOWLARK (Sturnella neglecta) (pic)
• YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) (pic)
• BREWER'S BLACKBIRD (Euphagus cyanocephalus) (pic)
• RUSTY BLACKBIRD (Euphagus carolinus) (pic)
• BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD (Molothrus ater) (pic)
• HOODED ORIOLE (Icterus cucullatus) (pic)
• BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Icterus galbula parvus) (pic)
• BULLOCK'S ORIOLE (Icterus bullockii ) (pic)

FINCHES and ALLIES

• HOUSE FINCH (Carpodacus mexicanus clementis) [Mainland and Endemic] (pic)
• CASSIN'S FINCH (Carpodacus cassinii) (pic)
• PURPLE FINCH
• RED CROSSBILL
• PINE SISKIN
• AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
• LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH
• LESSER GOLDFINCH

OLD WORLD SPARROWS

• HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) (pic)