Birds in California
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in California on the USGS Breeding Bird Survey, ordered by how consistently they appear on survey routes. Monthly presence describes typical seasonal timing modeled from regional patterns, not month-by-month survey counts. The chart below shows when each is present through the year.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
- House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
- California Quail Callipepla californica
- Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
- Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer
- California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
- Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
- Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria
- Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
- Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
- Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis oreganus
- Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
- Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common Raven Corvus corax | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| American Robin Turdus migratorius | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| California Quail Callipepla californica | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| California Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Steller's Jay Cyanocitta stelleri | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) Junco hyemalis oreganus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
The California birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in California.
The complete Birds of California
The state's most-recorded birds, ranked from survey data, with when each is present through the year and a life list to keep.
Want it on paper? See the printable Birds of California.