Birds

Common birds of Southern California

Scrub Jay-(Aphelocoma coerulescens) Most people refer to this bird as a Blue Jay, but those live on the East Coast. The Scrub Jay is our resident jay here in Southern California. They are larger than your average bird, 11 inches, and can be quite annoying. They pick on smaller birds and even an occasional snake. They can be found in brushy areas, as well as, our own backyards.

California Quail-(Callipepla californica) This beautifully colored bird is the official state bird of California. If you do any hiking in and around Southern California you're likely to see several of these birds along the trail. Quails are seedeaters and travel together in large groups called coveys. They grow to a height of 10 inches and prefer to spend their days walking, rather than flying, in search of food. Their call is unmistakable, and often sounds like the bird is honking or uttering the word "chicago".

Black Pheobe-(Sayornis nigricans) You've probably seen this bird, but never really knew what it was. Usually found alone, perched on fence posts or on signs, this bird lives near water in rural, woodland, and suburban areas. You can often find the Black Phoebe during the afternoon in search of flying insects for food. It has an almost playful appearance as it perches on a post, bobbing its tail, then swooping through the air only to land on another post a few yards away. Distinctly black with a white underside, it is relatively small, about 4 to 6 inches, in size.

Red-shouldered Hawk-This large bird is a common site in Southern California. It is similar in appearance, but small than the Red-tailed Hawk and minus the obvious red tail. Youíll often find this bird amongst the Sycamore trees during the day calling out to other family members. Like most hawks they too hunt for small rodents, such as, mice, gophers and squirrels.

Barn Owl-(Tyto alba) This is definitely one of the most unique looking birds in the area. Its eyes are relatively small and its face is all white. It's a large bird, up to 16 inches tall, and is rarely seen in daylight. Like the Great horned Owl it is an excellent hunter. Unfortunately, unlike the Great horned Owl, the Barn Owl population has declined as Southern Californiaís suburbs continue to grow.

Great horned Owl-(Bubo virginianus) This is the owl with the distinctive hoots, and is the largest owl in North America. Named for their ears, that look more like horns, this bird is almost 2 feet in height. They live amongst us here in Southern California, from woodlands to suburban areas. Their excellent night vision and stealth-like flight makes them ideal hunters. They spend their evenings hunting small mammals, such as rabbits or mice.

Acorn Woodpecker-(Melanerpes formicivorus) A native of Southern California, this woodpecker spends most of its day banging its head against a tree. This is both work and a way of defending its territory. The Acorn Woodpecker is aptly named, it gathers acorns with a passion, and stuffs these acorns into just about any hole it can make or find. If you have Acorn Woodpeckers in your area you know they are loud, social creatures. These thickheaded critters have chisel-like bills, ideal for drilling into the bark of trees. You usually won't find these birds at the feeder, they like insects and the acorn for which they're named.

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	Scrub Jay-(Aphelocoma coerulescens) Most people refer to this bird as a Blue Jay, but those live on the East Coast. The Scrub Jay is our resident jay here in Southern California. They are larger than your average bird, 11 inches, and can be quite annoying. They pick on smaller birds and even an occasional snake. They can be found in brushy areas, as well as, our own backyards.
	California Quail-(Callipepla californica) This beautifully colored bird is the official state bird of California. If you do any hiking in and around Southern California you're likely to see several of these birds along the trail. Quails are seedeaters and travel together in large groups called coveys. They grow to a height of 10 inches and prefer to spend their days walking, rather than flying, in search of food. Their call is unmistakable, and often sounds like the bird is honking or uttering the word "chicago".
	Black Pheobe-(Sayornis nigricans) You've probably seen this bird, but never really knew what it was. Usually found alone, perched on fence posts or on signs, this bird lives near water in rural, woodland, and suburban areas. You can often find the Black Phoebe during the afternoon in search of flying insects for food. It has an almost playful appearance as it perches on a post, bobbing its tail, then swooping through the air only to land on another post a few yards away. Distinctly black with a white underside, it is relatively small, about 4 to 6 inches, in size.
	Red-shouldered Hawk-This large bird is a common site in Southern California. It is similar in appearance, but small than the Red-tailed Hawk and minus the obvious red tail. Youíll often find this bird amongst the Sycamore trees during the day calling out to other family members. Like most hawks they too hunt for small rodents, such as, mice, gophers and squirrels.
	Barn Owl-(Tyto alba) This is definitely one of the most unique looking birds in the area. Its eyes are relatively small and its face is all white. It's a large bird, up to 16 inches tall, and is rarely seen in daylight. Like the Great horned Owl it is an excellent hunter. Unfortunately, unlike the Great horned Owl, the Barn Owl population has declined as Southern Californiaís suburbs continue to grow.
	Great horned Owl-(Bubo virginianus) This is the owl with the distinctive hoots, and is the largest owl in North America. Named for their ears, that look more like horns, this bird is almost 2 feet in height. They live amongst us here in Southern California, from woodlands to suburban areas. Their excellent night vision and stealth-like flight makes them ideal hunters. They spend their evenings hunting small mammals, such as rabbits or mice.
	Acorn Woodpecker-(Melanerpes formicivorus) A native of Southern California, this woodpecker spends most of its day banging its head against a tree. This is both work and a way of defending its territory. The Acorn Woodpecker is aptly named, it gathers acorns with a passion, and stuffs these acorns into just about any hole it can make or find. If you have Acorn Woodpeckers in your area you know they are loud, social creatures. These thickheaded critters have chisel-like bills, ideal for drilling into the bark of trees. You usually won't find these birds at the feeder, they like insects and the acorn for which they're named.