A practical guide to bird watching in Sonoma County, California
(Unless otherwise indicated, all phone numbers are in the 707 area code)
Sonoma County: Less-common species
Species generally present in the county in appropriate habitat mostly during migration and birds for which a comparatively small number of county records exist. The Sonoma County species count (one accepted sighting or more) currently stands at about 438. The county's most active birders typically see about 250 species in the county each year.
Ducks, Geese, Swans: Greater White-fronted Goose, Emperor Goose, Snow Goose, Ross's Goose, Tundra Swan, Redhead, Harlequin Duck, Barrow's Goldeneye, Blue-winged Teal, Tufted Duck, Black Scoter, Steller's Eider, Long-tailed Duck
Shorebirds, Wading Birds: American Bittern, Black Rail, Clapper Rail, Sandhill Crane, American Golden Plover, Pacific Golden Plover, Solitary Sandpiper, Wandering Tatler, Red Knot, Semi-palmated Sandpiper, Rock Sandpiper, Ruff, Red-necked Phalarope, Red Phalarope
Hawks and Eagles: Bald Eagle, Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Prairie Falcon
Gulls, Terns, Kittiwakes, and Skimmers: Franklin's Gull, Glaucous Gull, Sabine's Gull, Black-legged Kittiwake, Least Tern, Black Tern, Black Skimmer
Owls: Burrowing Owl, Long-eared Owl
Goatsuckers: Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk
Swifts: Black Swift
Hummingbirds: Costa's Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird
Woodpeckers: Lewis's Woodpecker
Flycatchers: Willow Flycatcher, Eastern Phoebe
Nuthatches: Pygmy Nuthatch
Shrikes: Northern Shrike
Jays: Gray Jay, Clark's Nutcracker
Swallows, Martins: Purple Martin
Wrens, dippers: Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, American Dipper
Thrashers: Brown Thrasher
Silky Flycatchers: Phainopepla
Warblers: Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Northern Parula, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Black-and-white Warbler, American Redstart, Northern Waterthrush, MacGillivray's Warbler
Sparrows: Rufous-crowned Sparrow, Lark sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Grasshopper Sparrow, Vesper Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow
Grosbeaks: Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Evening Grosbeak
Blackbirds: Tricolored Blackbird, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Great-tailed Grackle
Finches: Red Crossbill, Lawrence's Goldfinch
The bird in the photo: Tundra swan, Ellis Creek water treatment ponds, Petaluma, January 2010
© Colin Talcroft, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Unless noted, all photos by the author. If you would like to use one of my images, please ask for permission for non-commercial use with proper credit or commercial use with proper compensation.