Backyard birds of... Sacramento, California

Golden-crowned Sparrow, Jackson Bottom, Hillsboro, Oregon on 8 December 2007 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in Sacramento, California and the nearby Cosumnes River Preserve, about 22 miles south of Sacramento.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

California Quail, year-round
Rock Pigeon, year-round
Mourning Dove, year-round
Nuttall's Woodpecker, year-round
Downy Woodpecker, year-round
Northern Flicker, year-round
Black Phoebe, year-round
Ash-throated Flycatcher, spring, summer
Western Kingbird, spring, summer
Tree Swallow, spring, summer
Cliff Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Barn Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Western Scrub-Jay, year-round
Yellow-billed Magpie, year-round
American Crow, year-round
Plain Titmouse, year-round
Bushtit, year-round
White-breasted Nuthatch, year-round
Bewick's Wren, year-round
House Wren, spring, summer, fall
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, winter, spring
Western Bluebird, year-round
Hermit Thrush, winter, spring
American Robin, fall, winter, spring
Wrentit, year-round
Cedar Waxwing, fall, winter, spring
European Starling, year-round
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, fall
Yellow-rumped Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Common Yellowthroat, spring, summer, fall
Wilson's Warbler, spring, fall
Western Tanager, spring, fall
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, summer
Blue Grosbeak, summer
Lazuli Bunting, summer
Spotted Towhee, year-round
Savannah Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Song Sparrow, year-round
Lincoln's Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Golden-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
White-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Dark-eyed Junco, fall, winter, spring
Red-winged Blackbird, year-round
Western Meadowlark, fall, winter, spring
Brewer's Blackbird, year-round
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring, summer, fall
Bullock's Oriole, spring, summer
House Finch, year-round
American Goldfinch, year-round
House Sparrow, year-round

This checklist is based on information provided in the
Cosumnes River Preserve bird checklist; Cosumnes River Preserve Site Guide; and Sacramento Audubon Society.

Backyard birds of... Fresno, California

Northern Mockingbirds are common backyard birds of the Fresno area, though this one was photographed in San Diego, California on 7 March 2008 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in Fresno, California.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

Rock Pigeon, year round
Mourning Dove, year round
Rufous Hummingbird, summer, fall
Black-chinned Hummingbird, summer, fall
Anna's Hummingbird, year round
Acorn Woodpecker, year round
Red-breasted Sapsucker, winter
Hairy Woodpecker, winter
Downy Woodpecker, winter
Nuttall's Woodpecker, winter
Northern Flicker, year round
American Crow, year round
Western Scrub-Jay, year round
Bushtit, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, winter
American Robin, year round
Northern Mockingbird, year round
Cedar Waxwing, winter
Western Tanager, spring, fall
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, fall
Spotted Towhee, spring, fall
White-crowned Sparrow, winter
Golden-crowned Sparrow, winter
Dark-eyed Junco, winter
Lincoln's Sparrow, spring, fall
Song Sparrow, winter
Bullock's Oriole, summer
Hooded Oriole, summer
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring
American Goldfinch, fall, winter, spring
Lesser Goldfinch, winter
Pine Siskin, winter
House Finch, year round
House Sparrow, year round

This checklist is based on information provided in the
Bird feeding guide for the city of Fresno as provided by the Fresno Audubon Society.

Backyard birds of... Campbell River, British Columbia

A muddy Sooty Fox Sparrow, Forest Grove, Oregon on 8 December 2007 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in Campbell River, British Columbia.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

Band-tailed Pigeon, spring, summer, fall
Rufous Hummingbird, spring, summer
Red-breasted Sapsucker, year round
Downy Woodpecker, year round
Hairy Woodpecker, year round
Pileated Woodpecker, year round
Northern Flicker, year round
Olive-sided Flycatcher, spring, summer
Steller's Jay, year round
Northwestern Crow, year round
Common Raven, year round
Barn Swallow, spring, summer
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, year round
Bushtit, year round
Red-breasted Nuthatch, year round
Brown Creeper, year round
Winter Wren, year round
Golden-crowned Kinglet, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, fall, winter, spring
Swainson's Thrush, spring, summer
American Robin, year round
Varied Thrush, year round
Cedar Waxwing, spring, summer
European Starling, year round
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, summer
Wilson's Warbler, spring, summer
Common Yellowthroat, spring, summer
Western Tanager, spring, summer
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, summer, fall
Spotted Towhee, year round
Chipping Sparrow, spring, summer
Savannah Sparrow, spring, summer, fall
Dark-eyed Junco, year round
White-crowned Sparrow, year round
Golden-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Fox Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Lincoln Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Song Sparrow, year round
Red-winged Blackbird, year round
Brewer's Blackbird, year round
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring, summer, fall
Bullock's Oriole, spring, summer
House Finch, year round
Purple Finch, year round
Red Crossbill, fall, winter, spring
American Goldfinch, spring, summer, fall
Pine Siskin, year round
Evening Grosbeak, fall, winter, spring

This checklist is based on information provided in the
Checklist of Campbell River area birds by Narrow Escape Vacation Rental.

Backyard birds of... Midway, Utah

Black-chinned Hummingbird, Malheur NWR, Oregon on 27 May 2007 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in Midway, Utah.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

Mourning Dove, year round
Common Nighthawk, summer
Broad-tailed Hummingbird, spring, summer
Rufous Hummingbird, summer, fall
Black-chinned Hummingbird, summer
Downy Woodpecker, year round
Northern Flicker, year round
Olive-sided Flycatcher, spring, summer
Western Wood-Pewee, spring, summer
Willow Flycatcher, spring, summer
Black-billed Magpie, year round
Common Raven, year round
Tree Swallow, spring, summer
Cliff Swallow, spring, summer
Northern Rough-winged Swallow, spring, summer
Barn Swallow, spring, summer
Black-capped Chickadee, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, year round
American Robin, year round
Gray Catbird, spring, summer
European Starling, year round
Yellow Warbler, spring, summer
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, summer
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, year round
Western Tanager, spring, summer
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, summer
Lazuli Bunting, spring, summer
Spotted Towhee, year round
Dark-eyed (Gray-headed) Junco, spring, summer
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco, fall, winter, spring
White-crowned Sparrow, year round
Western Meadowlark, spring, summer, fall
Yellow-headed Blackbird, spring, summer
Red-winged Blackbird, spring, summer, fall
Brewer's Blackbird, spring, summer
Bullock's Oriole, spring, summer
House Finch, year round
Lesser Goldfinch, year round
Pine Siskin, year round
House Sparrow, year round

This list was compiled based on information from Johnson Mill Bed & Breakfast, Midway, Utah. See a larger list of birds of Johnson Mill.

Backyard birds of... Seattle, Washington

Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Newport, Oregon on 15 September 2008 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in Seattle, Washington.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

Rock Pigeon, year round
Band-tailed Pigeon, spring, summer, fall
Mourning Dove, year round
Anna's Hummingbird, year round
Rufous Hummingbird, spring, summer
Downy Woodpecker, year round
Northern Flicker, year round
Western Wood-Pewee, summer
Warbling Vireo, spring, summer
Steller's Jay, year round
American Crow, year round
Violet-green Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Barn Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Black-capped Chickadee, year round
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, year round
Bushtit, year round
Red-breasted Nuthatch, year round
Bewick's Wren, year round
Winter Wren, year round
Golden-crowned Kinglet, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, fall, winter, spring
Swainson's Thrush, summer, fall
American Robin, year round
Varied Thrush, year round
European Starling, year round
Cedar Waxwing, spring, summer, fall
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, summer
Yellow-rumped Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Black-throated Gray Warbler, spring, summer
Townsend's Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Wilson's Warbler, spring, summer
Western Tanager, spring, summer
Spotted Towhee, year round
Fox Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Song Sparrow, year round
White-crowned Sparrow, year round
Golden-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Dark-eyed Junco, year round
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, summer
Red-winged Blackbird, year round
Brewer's Blackbird, year round
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring, summer, fall
Purple Finch, year round
House Finch, year round
Red Crossbill, year round
Pine Siskin, winter, spring
American Goldfinch, spring, summer, fall
Evening Grosbeak, winter, spring
House Sparrow, year round

This list was compiled based on information on the Seattle Audubon's BirdWeb site, as well as Seattle Audubon's Backyard Bird Feeding web site, and Seattle-area Backyard Birds by Christine Vadai.

Backyard birds of... San Francisco, California

California Towhee, San Elijos Lagoon, San Diego Co., California on 31 October 2008 by Greg Gillson.

 

The following common yardbirds are found in San Francisco, California.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

Rock Pigeon, year round
Band-tailed Pigeon, year round
Mourning Dove, year round
Anna's Hummingbird, year round
Allen's Hummingbird, spring, summer
Downy Woodpecker, year round
Northern Flicker, year round
Black Phoebe, year round
Warbling Vireo, spring, summer, fall
Western Scrub-Jay, year round
American Crow, year round
Violet-green Swallow, spring, summer
Barn Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Cliff Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, year round
Bushtit, year round
Pygmy Nuthatch, year round
Winter Wren, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, fall, winter, spring
Swainson's Thrush, spring, summer, fall
Hermit Thrush, winter
American Robin, year round
Northern Mockingbird, year round
European Starling, year round
Cedar Waxwing, fall, winter, spring
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, fall
Yellow-rumped Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Townsend's Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Wilson's Warbler, spring, fall
Western Tanager, spring, fall
California Towhee, year round
Fox Sparrow, winter
Song Sparrow, year round
White-crowned Sparrow, year round
Golden-crowned Sparrow, winter, spring
Dark-eyed Junco, year round
Red-winged Blackbird, year round
Brewer's Blackbird, year round
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring, summer, fall
House Finch, year round
American Goldfinch, year round
House Sparrow, year round

This list was compiled based on information on the San Francisco Field Ornithologist's site as well as the San Francisco Bay Wildlife web site.

Backyard birds of... Burns, Oregon

Red-winged Blackbird and Yellow-headed Blackbird, Hines, Oregon on 10 May 2008 by Larry Hammond.


 
The following common yardbirds are found in Burns and Hines, Oregon. To a large degree this list applies to many towns in the Great Basin eco-region.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons.

California Quail, year round
Red-tailed Hawk, year round
Rufous Hummingbird, spring, summer
Black-chinned Hummingbird, spring, summer
Eurasian Collard-Dove, year round
Rock Pigeon, year round
Mourning Dove, summer
Say's Phoebe, spring, summer, fall
Steller's Jay, winter
American Crow, spring, summer, fall
Townsend's Solitaire, winter
American Robin, year round
Varied Thrush, winter
Cedar Waxwing, fall, winter, spring
European Starling, year round
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring, fall
Yellow-rumped (Audubon's) Warbler, spring, fall
Spotted Towhee, spring, fall
Lark Sparrow, spring
Lincoln's Sparrow, spring, fall
Song Sparrow, spring, fall
White-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco, winter
Bullock's Oriole, summer
Yellow-headed Blackbird, spring
Red-winged Blackbird, spring, summer, fall
Brewer's Blackbird, spring
House Finch, year round
Cassin's Finch, spring, summer, fall
Lesser Goldfinch, year round
American Goldfinch, year round
House Sparrow, year round

Less common birds:
Cooper's Hawk, fall, winter
Sharp-shinned Hawk, fall, winter
Great Horned Owl, year round
Western Kingbird, summer
Western Scrub-Jay, year round
Black-capped Chickadee, winter
Mountain Chickadee, winter
Bohemian Waxwing, winter
Nashville Warbler, spring
Golden-crowned Sparrow, spring, fall
Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco, winter
Pine Siskin, winter (irruptive, not common every year)

Because Burns and Hines are on the edge of huge wetlands, there are many birds often seen flying over local backyards:
Canada Goose, year round
Ross's Goose, spring
Snow Goose, spring
Turkey Vulture, spring, summer, fall
Northern Harrier, summer
Bald Eagle, winter
Golden Eagle, year round
Swainson's Hawk, spring, summer, fall
Prairie Falcon, year round
American Kestrel, year round
Greater and Lesser Sandhill Crane, spring
Ring-billed Gull, spring, summer, fall
Franklin's Gull, spring, summer, fall
Northern Raven, year round


This list was provided by Steve Dowlan who lives in Hines, Oregon. Be sure to visit Steve's photo site at Dowlan's Photography Log.

Thanks, also, to Larry Hammond for his great photo of the blackbirds from his backyard in Hines, Oregon.

Backyard birds of... Portland, Oregon

Song Sparrow, Fernhill Wetlands, Forest Grove, Oregon on 7 March 2009 by Greg Gillson.

 

[Updated: 7 July 2011: For over 2 years this 4th post to this blog has been by far the most popular. Since it was written I have posted photos and life history information on each bird listed. Thus, it only makes sense to update this post. Now you can click on each bird name listed to read these more in-depth articles. I hope this update will make this post even more useful. Enjoy! - Greg]

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This article begins what I hope will be a regular feature. My intent is to list the most common backyard birds of towns throughout the Pacific Northwest.

The following common yardbirds are found in Portland, Oregon. To a large degree this list applies to all towns in the Willamette Valley eco-region. However, this list is specifically for towns from Portland in the north to Wilsonville in the south, and from Forest Grove in the west to Gresham in the east.

The seasons listed are those when most common, though some individuals may occur at other seasons. Special habitats are listed for those species that might not be found in every yard. In general, flyover birds including waterfowl and raptors are not included.


California Quail, year round, local in brushy country settings
Mourning Dove, year round
Rock Pigeon, year round
Eurasian Collared-Dove, year round, local in rural and residential areas
Band-tailed Pigeon, spring, summer, fall, woodlands
Rufous Hummingbird, spring, summer
Anna's Hummingbird, year round
Vaux's Swift, spring, summer, fall, chimneys and open sky
Downy Woodpecker, year round
Northern Flicker, year round
Western Wood Pewee, summer, fall
Cliff Swallow, spring, summer, large barns and concrete overpasses
Violet-green Swallow, spring, summer, fall
Barn Swallow, spring, summer, fall
American Crow, year round
Western Scrub-Jay, year round
Steller's Jay, year round, conifers
Black-capped Chickadee, year round
Chestnut-backed Chickadee, year round, conifers
Bushtit, year round
White-breasted Nuthatch, year round, oaks
Red-breasted Nuthatch, year round, conifers
Bewick's Wren, year round
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, fall, winter, spring
American Robin, year round
Varied Thrush, winter, especially during snow storms
Cedar Waxwing, spring, summer, fall
European Starling, year round
Orange-crowned Warbler, spring
Yellow-rumped Warbler, fall, winter, spring
Townsend's Warbler, winter, spring, conifers
Wilson's Warbler, spring
Western Tanager, spring, summer
Black-headed Grosbeak, spring, summer
Spotted Towhee, year round
Song Sparrow, year round
Fox Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
Golden-crowned Sparrow, fall, winter, spring
White-crowned Sparrow, spring, summer, fall, winter (rare)
Dark-eyed Junco, fall, winter, spring, summer (rare)
Red-winged Blackbird, year round
Brewer's Blackbird, year round
Brown-headed Cowbird, spring, summer, fall
House Finch, year round
Purple Finch, year round, forested areas
American Goldfinch, spring, summer, fall, winter (rare)
Lesser Goldfinch, year round
Pine Siskin, winter, spring, irregular from year to year, conifers
Evening Grosbeak, spring, irregular from year to year, maples
House Sparrow, year round