Buck Knoll, CA, USA!

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Non-passerine

New World Vultures (Cathartidae)

Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura

Turkey_vulture
Turkey Vulture Ⓒ Henry Babits

Months Seen: December, February, April, May

Turkey Vultures eat carrion, which they find largely by their excellent sense of smell. The Turkey Vulture's distinctive slow, teetering flight style probably helps the bird soar at low altitudes, where it is best able to use its nose to find carrion. At other times they may soar high on thermals and form mixed flocks or kettles. Outside of the breeding season, Turkey Vultures form roosts of dozens to a hundred individuals. When Turkey Vultures court, pairs perform a "follow flight" display where one bird leads the other through twisting, turning, and flapping flights for a minute or so, repeated over periods as long as 3 hours. At carcasses, several Turkey Vultures may gather but typically only one feeds at a time, chasing the others off and making them wait their turn.

Kites, Hawks, & Eagles (Accipitridae)

Bald Eagle

Months Seen: February

Red-tailed Hawk

Months Seen: February

Grouse & Allies (Phasianidae)

Sooty Grouse

Quails (Odontophoridae)

Califronia Quail

Months Seen: November, April

Mountain Quail

Months Seen: April

Doves (Columbidae)

Band-tailed Pigeon

Months Seen: April

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

Anna's Hummingbird

Months Seen: April

Woodpeckers (Picidae)

Acorn Woodpecker

Months Seen: December, April

Nuttall's Woodpecker

Months Seen: April

Hairy Woodpecker

Months Seen: February

Northern Flicker

Months Seen: February

Passerine

Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

Olive-Sided Flycatcher

Months Seen: May

Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans

black phoebe image

Months Seen: December
"The Black Phoebe is a dapper flycatcher of the western U.S. with a sooty black body and crisp white belly. They sit in the open on low perches to scan for insects, often keeping up a running series of shrill chirps. Black Phoebes use mud to build cup-shaped nests against walls, overhangs, culverts, and bridges. Look for them near any water source from small streams, to suburbs, all the way to the salt-sprayed rocks and cliffs of the Pacific Ocean." (via All About Birds)

Vireos (Vireonidae)

Hutton's Vireo

Months Seen: November, April

Jay's & Crows (Corvidae)

Steller's Jay

Months Seen: November, December, February, April

California Scrub Jay

Months Seen: April, May

Common Raven

Months Seen: February, April, May

Chickadees & Titmice (Paridae)

Oak Titmouse

Months Seen: April, May

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Months Seen: May

Bushtits (Aegithalidae)

Bushtit

Months Seen: February, May

Nuthatches (Sittidae)

White-breasted Nuthatch

Months Seen: December

Wrens (Troglodytidae)

Bewick's Wren

Months Seen: February, April, May

Kinglets (Regulidae)

Ruby-Crowned Kinglet

Months Seen: November

Thrushes (Turdidae)

Hermit Thrush

Months Seen: November

American Robin

Months Seen: April

Babblers (Timaliidae)

Wrentit

Months Seen: February, April, May

New World Warblers (Parulidae)

Orange-crowned Warbler

Months Seen: April, May

Sparrows & Allies (Emberizidae)

Fox Sparrow

Months Seen: November

Califronia Towhee

Months Seen: November

Spotted Towhee

Months Seen: February, April, May

Dark-eyed Junco

Months Seen: December, April, May

Finches (Fringillidae))

Purple Finch

Months Seen: May

House Finch

Months Seen: May

Grosbeaks & Buntings (Cardinalidae)

Black-headed Grosbeak

black phoebe image

Months Seen: April, May