| SPECIES | SEASONAL STATUS | HABITAT | |||
| Summer | Fall | Winter | Spring | ||
| LOONS | |||||
| Red-throated Loon | – | U | FC | FC | O, L |
| Pacific Loon | – | FC | FC | C | O,L |
| Common Loon | – | R | U | U | O,L |
| GREBES | |||||
| Pied-billed Grebe | R | U | FC | FC | L |
| Horned Grebe | – | U | U | U | L, O |
| Red-necked Grebe | – | – | Cs | – | O |
| Eared Grebe | – | U | FC | FC | L, O |
| Western Grebe | R | FC | FC | FC | O, L |
| Clark’s Grebe | – | U | R | U | O |
| FULMARS and SHEARWATERS | |||||
| Northern Fulmar | – | R | R | R | O |
| Pink-footed Shearwater | R | R | – | – | O |
| Buller’s Shearwater | Cs | R | – | – | O |
| Sooty Shearwater | U | R | – | R | O |
| Black-vented Shearwater | Cs | Cs | – | O | |
| PELICANS and CORMORANTS | |||||
| Brown Pelican | FC | C | R | U | O, C |
| Double-crested Cormorant | U | FC | FC | U | O, L, C |
| Brandt’s Cormorant | FC | FC | FC | U | O, C |
| Pelagic Cormorant | FC | FC | FC | FC | O, C |
| FRIGATEBIRDS | |||||
| Magnificent Frigatebird | – | X | – | – | O |
| HERONS and EGRETS | |||||
| American Bittern | Cs | – | – | Cs | L, M |
| Great Blue Heron | U | U | U | U | L |
| Great Egret | U | U | U | U | L, F |
| Snowy Egret | FC | FC | FC | FC | L, F |
| Cattle Egret | X | R | R | – | F, L |
| Green Heron (Green-becked Heron) | Cs | Cs | – | – | L |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | R | R | – | R | L |
| WATERFOWL | |||||
| Tundra Swan | – | – | X | – | L |
| Mute Swan | – | – | – | X | L |
| Snow Goose | – | – | X | – | O |
| Brant | – | U | – | U | O |
| Canada Goose | – | – | – | X | L |
| Green-winged Teal | Cs | U | R | – | L, F |
| Mallard* | FC | C | C | C | L, F |
| Northern Pintail | Cs | FC | FC | R | L |
| Cinnamon Teal | – | U | FC | FC | L, F |
| Northern Shoveler | – | U | U | – | L |
| Gadwall | – | – | Cs | – | L |
| Eurasian Wigeon | – | Cs | – | – | L |
| American Wigeon | – | U | FC | U | L |
| Ring-necked Duck | – | Cs | – | L | |
| Greater Scaup | – | U | U | U | L |
| Lesser Scaup | – | U | U | U | L |
| Harlequin Duck | – | – | R | – | O |
| Black Scoter | – | – | R | – | O |
| Surf Scoter | R | FC | FC | C | O, L |
| White-winged Scoter | – | U | U | U | O, L |
| Common Goldeneye | – | – | U | – | L |
| Bufflehead | – | U | FC | U | L |
| Hooded Merganser | – | Cs | – | CS | L |
| Red-breasted Merganser | – | R | U | R | L, O |
| Ruddy Duck | – | R | R | Cs | L |
| VULTURES, HAWKS, and EAGLES | |||||
| Turkey Vulture | – | – | Cs | R | F |
| Osprey | Cs | Cs | Cs | – | C, L |
| White-tailed Hawk (Black-shouldered Kite) | U | FC | U | U | F, W |
| Northern Harrier | U | FC | FC | FC | F, B, L |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | – | U | U | U | B, W |
| Cooper’s Hawk | Cs | U | U | U | B, W |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | – | Cs | R | – | F, W |
| Red-tailed Hawk | U | FC | FC | FC | F |
| Ferruginous Hawk | – | Cs | – | – | F |
| Rough-legged Hawk | – | – | R | – | F |
| Golden Eagle | – | – | – | Cs | F |
| American Kestrel | R | FC | FC | FC | F, B |
| Merlin | – | R | U | Cs | F |
| Peregrine Falcon | – | R | Cs | R | F |
| QUAILS and PHEASANTS | |||||
| Ring-necked Pheasant | Cs | – | Cs | CS | B |
| California Quail | (U) | – | (U) | (U) | B, W |
| RAILS and COOTS | |||||
| Virginia Rail | – | R | R | R | M, L |
| Sora | – | R | R | R | M, L |
| Common Moorhen | – | – | – | Cs | L, M |
| American Coot | U | FC | FC | FC | L |
| SHOREBIRDS | |||||
| Black-bellied Plover | – | U | FC | FC | C, L, F |
| Snowy Plover | – | – | – | R | C |
| Semipalmated Plover | Cs | R | – | R | L, C |
| Killdeer | U | FC | FC | FC | L, F,C |
| American Oystercatcher (American Black Oystercatcher) | R | U | U | U | C |
| Black-necked Stilt | Cs | – | Cs | Cs | L |
| American Avocet | – | Cs | – | Cs | L |
| Greater Yellowlegs | Cs | U | R | U | L, F |
| Lesser Yellowlegs | – | R | Cs | – | L |
| Willet | R | FC | FC | FC | C, L, F |
| Wandering Tattler | Cs | R | R | R | C |
| Spotted Sandpiper | R | U | U | U | L, C |
| Whimbrel | R | U | U | U | C, F |
| Long-billed Curlew | – | – | – | Cs | F |
| Marbled Godwit | R | FC | FC | FC | C, L |
| Ruddy Turnstone | R | U | U | U | C |
| Black Turnstone | R | FC | FC | FC | C |
| Surfbird | – | R | U | R | C |
| Sanderling | R | FC | C | FC | C, L |
| Western Sandpiper | R | U | R | R | L, F, C |
| Least Sandpiper | R | U | U | U | L, C, F |
| Baird’s Sandpiper | – | Cs | – | – | L |
| Pectoral Sandpiper | – | R | Cs | – | L |
| Dunlin | – | U | R | R | L |
| Short-billed Dowitcher | – | FC | U | FC | L, F |
| Long-billed Dowitcher | Cs | U | U | U | L, F |
| Wilson’s Snipe | – | R | Cs | R | L, F |
| PHARLARONES | |||||
| Red-necked Phalarope | – | U | – | U | L, O, F |
| Red Phalarope | – | U | R | – | L, O, F |
| JAEGERS | |||||
| Pomarine Jaeger | Cs | U | Cs | R | O |
| Parasitic Jaeger | R | U | Cs | – | O |
| GULLS | |||||
| Bonaparte’s Gull | – | FC | R | FC | O, F, L |
| Heermann’s Gull | FC | FC | U | R | O, C, L |
| Mew Gull | – | R | U | R | O, C, L |
| Ring-billed Gull | – | R | R | U | F, C |
| California Gull | R | FC | U | FC | O, C, F, L |
| Herring Gull | – | U | U | U | O, C |
| Thayer’s Gull | – | R | R | R | O, C |
| Western Gull | C | C | C | C | O, C |
| Glaucous-winged Gull | – | U | FC | U | O, C |
| Black-legged Kittiwake | – | – | U | R | O |
| Sabine’s Gull | – | – | – | Cs | O |
| TERNS | |||||
| Caspian Tern | U | – | – | U | O, L |
| Elegant Tern | U | R | – | Cs | O, L |
| Common Tern | – | – | – | Cs | O, L |
| Arctic Tern | – | – | – | Cs | O |
| Forster’s Tern | U | U | – | U | L, O |
| ALCIDS | |||||
| Common Murre | FC | U | U | U | O |
| Pigeon Guillemot | FC | – | – | FC | O, C |
| Marbled Murrelet | U | U | R | U | O |
| Ancient Murrelet | – | – | R | – | O |
| Rhinoceros Auklet | – | – | R | R | O |
| DOVES and PIGEONS | |||||
| Rock Pigeon | FC | FC | FC | FC | F |
| Band-tailed Pigeon | U | U | U | FC | F, W |
| Mourning Dove* | C | C | C | C | F, B, W |
| OWLS | |||||
| Barn Owl (Common Barn Owl) | R | R | U | R | F, W |
| Great Horned Owl | – | – | U | – | F, W |
| Burrowing Owl | – | – | X | – | F |
| Short-eared Owl | – | R | R | – | W, F |
| SWIFTS | |||||
| Black Swift | Cs | – | – | R | L, F |
| Vaux’s Swift | – | Cs | – | – | F, L |
| White-throated Swift | – | R | – | – | L, F |
| HUMMINGBIRDS | |||||
| Anna’s Hummingbird* | FC | FC | FC | FC | B, W |
| Rufous Hummingbird | – | – | Cs | R | B, W |
| Allen’s Hummingbird* | U | – | U | FC | B, W |
| KINGFISHERS | |||||
| Belted Kingfisher | U | U | U | U | L |
| WOODPECKERS | |||||
| Downy Woodpecker | Cs | Cs | Cs | – | W, B |
| Northern Flicker | – | U | U | U | B |
| FLYCATCHERS and KINGBIRDS | |||||
| Western Wood-pewee | – | – | – | R | W, B |
| Willow Flycatcher | – | – | – | Cs | W |
| Pacific-Slope Flycatcher (Western Flycatcher) | R | – | – | R | W |
| Black Phoebe* | U | FC | FC | FC | B, L, F |
| Say’s Phoebe | – | FC | FC | U | F, B |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | Cs | – | – | Cs | W, B |
| Tropical Kingbird | – | Cs | – | – | B, F |
| Western Kingbird | – | – | – | R | B, F |
| LARKS | |||||
| Horned Lark | R | U | R | U | F |
| SWALLOWS | |||||
| Tree Swallow | R | – | R | FC | L, F |
| Violet-green Swallow | U | – | – | U | F, L |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | R | – | – | R | F, L |
| Cliff Swallow* | FC | R | – | FC | F, L |
| Barn Swallow* | FC | R | – | FC | F, L |
| JAYS and CROWS | |||||
| Western Scrub-Jay | – | ( R ) | ( R ) | ( R ) | B, W |
| American Crow | – | – | R | R | F |
| Common Raven | – | – | – | R | F |
| CHICKADEES and BUSHTITS | |||||
| Chestnut-backed Chickadee | – | R | U | R | W, B |
| Bushtit | U | U | U | U | B, W |
| WRENS | |||||
| Bewick’s Wren* | U | U | U | U | B |
| House Wren | – | Cs | Cs | – | B, W |
| Marsh Wren | – | (U) | (U) | (U) | M, L, B |
| KINGLETS | |||||
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | – | – | Cs | – | W |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | – | U | U | R | W, B |
| THRUSHES | |||||
| Swainson’s Thrush* | U | – | – | FC | W |
| Hermit Thrush | – | U | U | U | W, B, F |
| American Robin* | U | U | FC | FC | F, W, B |
| WRENTITS | |||||
| Wrentit* | U | U | U | U | B, W |
| MOCKINGBIRDS and THRASHERS | |||||
| Northern Mockingbird | R | – | R | R | F, B |
| Sage Thrasher | – | X | – | – | B, W |
| WAGTAILS and PIPETS | |||||
| Yellow Wagtail | – | X | – | – | B, L |
| American Pipet (Water Pipet) | – | FC | I | R | F, L |
| WAXWINGS and SHRIKES | |||||
| Cedar Waxwing | – | R | R | – | F, B |
| Loggerhead Shrike | Cs | R | R | – | F, B |
| STARLINGS | |||||
| European Starling | FC | FC | FC | FC | F, B |
| VIREOS | |||||
| Warbling Vireo | – | – | – | U | W, B |
| WARBLERS | |||||
| Orange-crowned Warbler** | U | U | R | U | W, B |
| Yellow Warbler | – | R | – | U | W, B |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | – | FC | FC | U | B, F, W |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | – | – | – | U | W |
| Townsend’s Warbler | – | Cs | – | – | B, W |
| Palm Warbler | – | R | Cs | – | B, W |
| Northern Waterthrush | – | – | – | Cs | W |
| MacGillivray’s Warbler | – | – | – | Cs | W |
| Common Yellowthroat* | U | U | U | FC | M, B, L, W |
| Wilson’s Warbler | R | – | – | FC | W, B |
| BUNTINGS and GROSBEAKS | |||||
| Indigo Bunting | – | – | X | – | B, F |
| Dickcissel | – | – | X | – | F |
| TOWHEES and SPARROWS | |||||
| Spotted Towhee (Rufous-sided Towhee) | – | U | U | U | B, F |
| Canyon Towhee (Brown Towhee)* | FC | FC | FC | FC | B, W |
| Chipping Sparrow | – | Cs | – | – | F, B |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | – | Cs | – | – | F, B |
| Vesper Sparrow | – | Cs | – | – | F, B |
| Lark Sparrow | – | – | – | Cs | F, B |
| Savannah Sparrow | R | FC | U | U | F, B |
| Fox Sparrow | – | FC | FC | U | B, W |
| Song Sparrow* | C | Cs | C | Cs | B, M, W, F |
| Lincoln’s Sparrow | – | FC | U | U | B, F, W |
| Swamp Sparrow | – | R | – | Cs | B, L, F |
| White-throated Sparrow | – | – | Cs | – | F, B |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | – | C | C | Cs | B, F |
| White-crowned Sparrow | FC | C | C | Cs | B, F |
| JUNCOS and LONGSPURS | |||||
| Dark-eyed Junco | – | R | R | R | B, W, F |
| Lapland Longspur | – | Cs | – | – | F |
| BLACKBIRDS, MEADOWLARKS, and ORIOLES | |||||
| Bobolink | X | Cs | – | – | F |
| Red-winged Blackbird | FC | U | FC | C | B, F, M |
| Tricolored Blackbird | – | R | Cs | Cs | M, B, F |
| Western Meadowlark | – | FC | FC | U | F |
| Rusty Blackbird | – | – | X | – | L, F |
| Brewer’s Blackbird** | FC | C | C | C | F |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | U | Cs | – | U | W, F, B |
| Hooded Oriole | Cs | – | – | – | W |
| Scott’s Oriole (Hooded Oriole) | ( R ) | – | – | R | W |
| FINCHES | |||||
| House Finch* | C | C | C | C | B, F, W |
| Pine Siskin | – | U | U | R | B, W, F |
| Lesser Goldfinch | – | U | U | R | B, W, F |
| Lawrence’s Goldfinch | – | – | – | Cs | B, F, W |
| American Goldfinch** | U | FC | FC | FC | B, W, F |
| WEAVER FINCHES | |||||
| House Sparrow | – | R | – | – | F |
| SHOREBIRDS | |||||
| Ruff | |||||
| Wilson’s Phalarope | |||||
F= Field; Includes agricultural lands and other open areas.
L= Lagoon; Includes the waters and immediate shorelines of Younger Lagoon.
M= Marsh; Includes cattail marshes of the upper lagoon.
O= Oceanic; Includes all adjacent marine waters within sight of land.
W= Willows; Includes all willow groves of the upper lagoon.
*Seasonal designations are somewhat arbitrary, as seasons may encompass different months for each species. The following are typical for most species:
Summer: June 15 – September 15, Fall: September 15 – November 30
Winter: December 1 – March 15, Spring: March 15 – June 15
Status classifications refer to the relative likelihood that a species will be sighted within its preferred habitat. In other words, classifications refer to frequency of sightings, which is sometimes, but not always, equivalent to numerical abundance.
*Habitats are listed in general order of preference for each species. Species may be seen in habitats other than those listed.
Nesting/Breeding
*= Nesting/Breeding confirmed for Younger Lagoon area.
** = Nesting/Breeding suspected but not confirmed for Younger Lagoon area.
a = Formerly nested at Younger Lagoon; current status unclear.