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Wildlife of the San Francisco Bay Area
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Related Links
 |--Burrowing Owl
 |--Yellow-billed Magpie

Common Birds of San Franscisco Bay Area

These are some of the birds that you are most likely to encounter in the San Francisco Bay Area. Different species may be common in different regions and habitats.

Canada Goose
Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
Mallard
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
California Quail
California Quail - Callipeple californica
Wild Turkey
Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
Pied-billed Grebe
Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
Double-crested Cormorant
Double-cresetd Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus
Brown Pelican
Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis
Snowy Egret
Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias
Turkey Vulture
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
Red-tailed Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
by Ken Schneider / Flickr / Creative Commons
American Kestrel
American Kestrel - Falco sparverius
by Ken Schneider / Flickr / Creative Commons
American Coot
American Coot - Fulica americana
Killdeer
Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
Black
Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus
Ring-billed Gull
Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis
Mourning Dove
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
Belted Kingfisher
Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
by Kevin Cole
Acorn Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus
Black Phoebe
Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans
Steller's Jay
Steller's Jay - Cyanocitta stelleri
California Scrub-Jay
California Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma californica
by Jessica Merz / Flickr / Creative Commons
American Crow
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
Bushtit
Bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus
American Robin
American Robin - Turdus migratorius
Northern Mockingbird
Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos
by Paul Sullivan / Flickr / Creative Commons
Cedar Waxwing
Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
by Mathesont / Flickr / Creative Commons
California Towhee
California Towhee - Melozone crissalis
White-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco
Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis
Redwinged Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
Brewer's Blackbird
Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus
House Finch
House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
Lesser Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch - Carduelis psaltria
  1. Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
  2. Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
  3. California Quail - Callipeple californica
  4. Wild Turkey - Meleagris gallopavo
  5. Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
  6. Double-cresetd Cormorant - Phalacrocorax auritus
  7. Brown Pelican - Pelecanus occidentalis
  8. Great Egret - Ardea alba
  9. Snowy Egret - Egretta thula
  10. Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias
  11. Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
  12. Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis
  13. Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus
  14. American Kestrel - Falco sparverius
  15. American Coot - Fulica americana
  16. Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
  17. Black-necked Stilt - Himantopus mexicanus
  18. Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis
  19. Rock Pigeon - Columba livia
  20. Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
  21. White-throated Swift - Aeronautes saxatalis
  22. Anna's Hummingbird - Calypte anna
  23. Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
  24. Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivorus
  25. Black Phoebe - Sayornis nigricans
  26. California Scrub-Jay - Aphelocoma californica
  27. Steller's Jay - Cyanocitta stelleri
  28. American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
  29. Cliff Swallow - Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
  30. Barn Swallow - Hirundo rustica
  31. Chestnut-backed Chickadee - Poecile rufescens
  32. Oak Titmouse - Baeolophus inornatus
  33. Bushtit - Psaltriparus minimus
  34. American Robin - Turdus migratorius
  35. Northern Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos
  36. European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
  37. Cedar Waxwing - Bombycilla cedrorum
  38. Yellow-rumped Warbler - Dendroica coronata
  39. California Towhee - Melozone crissalis
  40. Song Sparrow - Melospiza melodia
  41. White-crowned Sparrow - Zonotrichia leucophrys
  42. Dark-eyed Junco - Junco hyemalis
  43. Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
  44. Western Meadowlark - Sturnella neglecta
  45. Brewer's Blackbird - Euphagus cyanocephalus
  46. House Finch - Haemorhous mexicanus
  47. American Goldfinch - Spinus tristis
  48. Lesser Goldfinch - Spinus psaltria

Resources for Beginners

  • Browse photographs and details of all the common birds mentioned above.  ...link 
  • Top 30 backyard birds for Northern California by Wild Birds Unlimited.  ...link 
  • Pocket Guides to Local Birds by Point. These are printable pdf files.  ...link 
  • Check out eBird - a great online resource to record and share sightings.  ...link 
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