California Birding Sites

It's fair to say the National Audubon Society gives a hoot about California Birding. California is a must-visit destination for anyone who wants to experience the full range of North American birding.

• More bird species have been recorded in California (660 plus) than in any other state.
•  California's size and its range of habitats include 840-mile coastline with some of the country's best pelagic birding
• A very large and active contingent of birders constantly on alert for the latest rarity.
• California has two bird species found only in the state-Yellow-billed Magpie and Island Scrub-Jay.
• Bearing the state's name are California Quail, California Condor, California Gnatcatcher, California Thrasher, and California Towhee.

The only problem is deciding where to begin: the beaches and deserts of the south, the mountains of the east, central valley

• Anacapa Island National Marine Sanctuary
  Largest breeding colony of the endangered California brown pelican, 90% of Southern California seagulls hatched on Anacapa
• Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary
  300 species, 42 species of shorebirds, 27 species of ducks, trail system, interpretive center. Location: Arcata, CA
• Audubon Canyon Ranch
  Bouverie Preserve | Martin Griffin Preserve | Cypress Grove Preserve & Research Center | Modini Mayacamas Preserves.  Location: Stinson Beach & Bolinas
• Big Morongo Canyon Preserve
  31,000-acre, 8 miles of trails,  220 species of birds 
• Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve
  One of the largest species lists of any California birding site is next to Pacific Coast Highway and the Pacific Ocean. In an urban setting visitors can take guided tours on weekends, or walk the loop trail during daylight hours.
• Cabrillo National Monument
  Point Loma's incredible vistas afford views of some 220 species.
• California Redwoods Birding Trail
  43 destinations in Del Norte County range from coastal vistas to old-growth forests at higher elevations.
• Central Coast Birding Trail
  83 top sites, 8 Globally Important Bird Areas in 4 coastal counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura.
• Central Valley
  Sandhill Crane tours Oct.-Feb. | Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area in Pacific Flyway 1600 acres
• Devereux Slough
  Audubon Important Bird Area for breeding and migrant birds. West of the University of California Santa Barbara campus, Devereux Slough is a tidal estuary where Snowy Plovers nest on the nearby beach. Walk at Coal Oil Point to see cormorants, Black Turnstone and Surfbird when the tide exposes rocks.
• Eastern Sierra Birding Trail
  50,000 California gulls nest on its islands, outnumbered by close to 1 million eared grebes and Wilson's and red-necked phalaropes (tens of thousands) that stop over during their annual migrations.  
• Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve
  One of the premier coastal birding locations with protected Snowy Plovers, 5 miles of reserve trails. Location: near Moss Landing between Santa Cruz and Monterey
• Golden Gate National Recreation Area / Marin Headlands
  Many trails and lookout points, Rodeo Lagoon, 270+ species, Hawk Hill
• Imperial Wildlife Area & Wister Unit
  400 species, 6000 acres, 27 miles of canals (Wister)
• Klamath Basin National Wildlife Refuges Complex There are 2 of 6 units in California (Lower Klamath and Tule Lake,) the other 4 in Oregon. Look for migrating waterfowl, Bald Eagles and other raptors. A visitor center on Hill Road west of the town of Tulelake serves all the refuge units.
• Mono Lake
  This Great Basin of eastern California is a critical stopover for migrant birds. More than 230 species and tens of thousands of California Gulls nest at Mono Lake.
• Morro Bay
  From November through mid-April, the small goose called Brant make Morro Bay one of their most important wintering grounds on the Pacific Coast. Peregrine Falcons nest on the 576-foot dome-shaped Morro Rock, a volcanic feature at the north end of the bay.
• Point Reyes National Seashore
  400+ species, roads and trails throughout 111 square miles of park filled with shorebirds.
• Salton Sea
  200 feet below sea level, best place in U.S. to see Yellow-footed Gull, a summer visitor.   38 species of shorebirds and 20 species of jaegers and gulls
• San Diego County
  Nearly 400 species in coastal locations Buena Vista Lagoon | Whelan Lake | San Elijo Lagoon | Agua Hedionda Lagoon | Batiquitos Lagoon | Guajome County Park
• San Gabriel Mountains
  Birdlife changes with elevations from 2,000 feet to more than 7,000 feet. Try Switzer picnic area, Charlton Flats picnic area and Chilao visitor center.
• San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary
  Impoundments and natural wetlands, Irvine water-treatment facility ponds, and 300 species of birds all in one unassuming place!
• Tehama Wildlife Area
  44,500 acres,  bald and golden eagles, prairie and peregrine falcons, and other birds of prey. wildlife.ca.gov
• Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge
  Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Wetlands Convention,  where Tijuana River meets the sea, 2800 acre Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve (TRNERR). fws.gov
• Yosemite National Park
  To see the widest array of birds, it's best to visit from late spring (particularly in low elevation habitats) through summer. In Yosemite Valley look for  Acorn Woodpecker, Red-breasted Sapsucker, White-headed Woodpecker, Western Wood-Pewee and the elusive Black Swift.