Birds - Tijuana Estuary : TRNERR

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Tijuana Slough
National Wildlife
Refuge
Tijuana River National Estuarine Research Reserve
Birdlist
“The coming and going
of the birds is more or less
a mystery and a surprise.
We go out in the morning,
and no thrush or vireo is
to be heard; we go out again,
and every tree and grove is
musical; yet again, and all is
silent. Who saw them come?
Who saw them depart?”
- John Burroughs,
“Wake Robbin”
Introduction
Tijuana Slough
NWR
Tijuana River
NERR
For nearly 40 years, the Tijuana
estuary and river valley have been a
magnet for birds and bird watchers.
Today, the area continues to delight
birders, wildlife photographers and
nature lovers from around the world.
This bird list covers the estuary, river
valley and the adjacent communities
of Imperial Beach and Nestor to the
north, Spooner’s Mesa to the south,
and the ocean visible from shore to
the west.
Bird List Key
Key to
Habitats
The Tijuana River valley has
experienced enormous changes in its
habitats over the decades. Many
species of birds have appeared and
disappeared with these changes.
Much of the data on birds in the
Tijuana River valley reflects past
conditions — more extensive
agriculture, different crops, fewer
trees, flooded swamps…
Current conditions (1997) are so new
that the status of many species is
unclear. Some species that once
occurred frequently are now rare or
absent. Although this list encompasses
all species ever recorded here, their
status by season is an estimate based
on their response to current
conditions.
c
- Common – species seen on
nearly every visit at the proper
season, usually in good numbers
(>10 per day)
u - Uncommon – species seen on
most visits at the proper
season, usually in small
numbers (<10 per day).
o - Occasional – species not seen on
most visits, even at the proper
season, but small numbers can
be expected nearly every year
with repeated searching.
r - Rare – species seen only
sporadically, not annually; as
few as one record.
* - Species breeds or probably
breeds regularly.
(*) - Species breeds sporadically or
bred formerly.
The current breeding status of many
species is uncertain, requiring
ongoing surveys.
Seasons
Sp - Spring, March through May
S - Summer, June through August
F - Fall, September through
October
W - Winter, November through
February
– Philip Unitt, Department of Birds and
Mammals, San Diego Natural History
Museum
Tijuana River National Estuarine
Research Reserve, of which Tijuana
Slough National Wildlife Refuge is a
part, lies along the Pacific Flyway
and is designated as a “Globally
Important Bird Area” by the
American Bird Conservancy. The
Audubon Society’s 1997 Christmas
bird count documented over 370
species of birds in the estuary and
river valley.
California least terns
Ken Morris/USFWS
Birds of Tijuana River NERR
Common Name
Grebes
Pied-billed Grebe*
Horned Grebe
Eared Grebe
Western Grebe
Clark’s Grebe
Loons
Red-throated Loon*
Pacific Loon
Common Loon
Fulmars, and Shearwaters
Northern Fulmar
Sooty Shearwater
Short-tailed Shearwater
Black-vented Shearwater
Sp S
F
W
u
u
u
r
u
c
u
u
o
u
c
u
u
u
r
r
o
u
r
r
r
u
r
Pelicans and Cormorants
Brandt’s Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant
American White Pelican
California Brown Pelican
u
o
u
r
r
r
o
r
r
r
u
c
r
c
Frigatebirds
Magnificent Frigatebird
Bitterns, Herons and Egrets
American Bittern (*)
Least Bittern*
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret (*)
Snowy Egret (*)
Little Blue Heron (*)
Tricolored Heron
Reddish Egret
Cattle Egret (*)
r
r
o
Tropicbirds
Red-billed Tropicbird
Boobies and Gannets
Blue-footed Booby
Brown Booby
u
r
o
u
u
u
o
r
r
r
u
u
c
u
c
r
c
r
r
r
o
u
u
u
o
r
r
r
r
o
u
u
c
o
o
o
r
u
c
r
c
o
r
u
u
u
o
o
o
r
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
Green Heron*
Black-crowned Night-Heron (*)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
u
u
r
u
u
r
u
u
r
u
u
r
Ibis
White-faced Ibis
o
r
o
o
Stork
Wood Stork
r
r
r
r
r
o
r
r
u
c
c
r
c
c
u
o
c
r
r
Waterfowl
Greater White-fronted Goose
Snow Goose
Ross’ Goose
Brant
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Green-winged Teal
Mallard*
Northern Pintail
Blue-winged Teal
Cinnamon Teal (*)
Northern Shoveler
Gadwall (*)
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Canvasback
Redhead
o
u
u
c
o
c
c
u
c
u
o
o
o
r
u
c
c
o
c
c
u
o
c
r
o
Waterfowl, continued next page
Green heron
© Phillip Roullard
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
Waterfowl, continued
Ring-necked Duck
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup
Oldsquaw
Black Scoter
Surf Scoter
White-winged Scoter
Common Goldeneye
Bufflehead
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck (*)
Vultures
Turkey Vulture
California Condor - extirpated
Osprey, Kites, Eagles and Hawks
Osprey
White-tailed Kite*
Mississippi Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier*
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk*
Red-shouldered Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Zone-tailed Hawk
r
r
c
r
u
r
c
r
u
u
c
u
o
u
r
u
u
c
u
o
u
o
u
r
u
u
u
o
u
o
r
c
o
r
c
r
r
c
r
r
c
u
c
o
u
r
u
u
u
u
r
r
r
o
u
u
u
u
u
r
Light-footed
clapper rail
© Shari Erickson
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
Red-tailed Hawk*
Ferruginous Hawk
Rough-legged Hawk
Golden Eagle
u
u
u
o
r
o
u
r
r
o
u
u
o
o
u
o
o
o
u
o
o
o
Gallinaceous Birds
California Quail*
u
u
u
u
Rails
Black Rail - extirpated
Clapper Rail*
Virginia Rail
Sora
Common Gallinule*
American Coot*
u
u
u
u
c
u
u
u
u
u
c
u
u
u
u
c
c
u
c
r
r
c
c
r
r
c
c
c
o
u
c
o
Falcons
American Kestrel*
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Prairie Falcon
Plovers
Black-bellied Plover
Pacific Golden-Plover
American Golden Plover
Snowy Plover*
Wilson’s Plover
Semipalmated Plover
Killdeer*
Mountain Plover
r
u
r
c
c
u
u
u
c
Oystercatchers
Black Oystercatcher
r
r
r
Stilts and Avocets
Black-necked Stilt*
American Avocet*
c
c
c
u
c
c
c
c
Shorebirds
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet
u
o
r
c
u
o
c
c
u
o
c
Shorebirds, continued next page
c
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
u
u
u
c
u
o
o
u
c
u
c
c
c
u
o
r
c
c
r
c
c
o
o
r
c
r
r
r
c
c
u
u
u
c
u
o
Shorebirds, continued
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Ruddy Turnstone
Black Turnstone
Surfbird
Red Knot
Sanderling
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Baird’s Sandpiper
Pectoral Sandpiper
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Dunlin
Stilt Sandpiper
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Ruff
Short-billed Dowitcher
Long-billed Dowitcher
Snipe
Common Snipe
c
c
r
r
o
o
c
r
u
o
r
u
c
c
u
o
u
u
c
c
c
c
r
c
c
u
Phalaropes
Wilson’s Phalarope
Northern Phalarope
Red Phalarope
u
c
o
c
c
o
o
Jaegers
Pomarine Jaeger
Parasitic Jaeger
r
r
r
r
Gulls and Terns
Laughing Gull
Franklin’s Gull
Bonaparte’s Gull
Heermann’s Gull
Belcher’s Gull
Mew Gull
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
r
r
c
u
r
o
c
r
c
c
u
o
r
r
r
c
r
c
c
Common Name
Herring Gull
Thayer’s Gull
Yellow-footed Gull
Western Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Glaucous Gull
Black-legged Kittiwake
Sabine’s Gull
Gull-billed Tern
Caspian Tern
Royal Tern
Elegant Tern
Common Tern
Forster’s Tern
California Least Tern*
Black Tern
Skimmers
Black Skimmer
Seabirds
Common Murre
Marbled Murrelet
Xantus’ Murrelet
Craveri’s Murrelet
Ancient Murrelet
Cassin’s Auklet
Rhinoceros Auklet
Sp S
o
r
c
r
c
o
c
u
c
u
c
u
r
o
c
u
c
r
c
u
u
u
F
W
o
r
r
c
u
o
r
c
o
r
r
r
r
c
u
c
c
c
u
o
u
u
u
u
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
r
c
c
u
c
c
r
c
Northern phalarope
© Shari Erickson
r
Common Name
Doves
Band-tailed Pigeon
Domestic Pigeon*
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove*
Common Ground-Dove (*)
Ruddy Ground Dove
Sp S
F
r
c
r
c
o
c
o
r
c
r
c
Cuckoos
Yellow-billed Cuckoo (*)
Greater Roadrunner*
o
Owls
Barn Owl
Great Horned Owl
Burrowing Owl*
Long-eared Owl (*)
Short-eared Owl
Goatsuckers
Lesser Nighthawk (*)
Common Nighthawk
Poorwill
Swifts
Black Swift
Vaux’s Swift
White-throated Swift
Hummingbirds
Broad-billed Hummingbird
Black-chinned Hummingbird*
Anna’s Hummingbird*
c
W
c
r
c
r
o
r
o
o
u
u
u
r
r
u
u
u
r
u
u
u
r
r
u
u
u
r
o
r
r
o
r
r
r
r
u
o
r
c
c
u
o
c
c
r
c
c
r
r
o
c
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
Costa’s Hummingbird*
Calliope Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Allen’s Hummingbird
u
r
c
u
c
r
c
u
u
Kingfishers
Belted Kingfisher
u
u
u
Woodpeckers
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Acorn Woodpecker
Red-naped Sapsucker
Red-breasted Sapsucker
Ladder-backed Woodpecker
Nuttall’s Woodpecker*
Downy Woodpecker*
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Flycatchers
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Greater Pewee
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher (*)
Least Flycatcher
Hammond’s Flycatcher
Dusky Flycatcher
Gray Flycatcher
Western Flycatcher
Black Phoebe*
Eastern Phoebe
Say’s Phoebe
u
u
r
r
o
o
r
u
u
r
u
o
o
u
u
u
u
r
u
r
o
c
c
r
c
u
u
u
u
r
o
o
u
u
u
r
r
u
c
c
c
u
r
r
r
c
r
c
Flycatchers, continued next page
© Shari Erickson
Common Name
Sp S
F
W
r
u
o
u
o
c
r
c
r
r
r
r
r
r
u
u
Flycatchers, continued
Vermilion Flycatcher
Ash-throated Flycatcher
Tropical Kingbird
Cassin’s Kingbird*
Thick-billed Kingbird
Western Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Larks
Horned Lark*
u
u
c
u
u
u
Swallows
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Violet-green Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow*
Barn Swallow
r
c
c
c
r
c
c
u
c
o
r
c
o
c
o
u
c
Jays, Magpies and Crows
Scrub-Jay*
American Crow*
Common Raven
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
u
Verdin
Verdin
Bushtits
Bushtit*
c
c
Nuthatches
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
u
r
r
u
u
u
r
r
c
c
Kinglets, Bluebirds and Thrushes
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher
California Gnatcatcher*
Western Bluebird
Mountain Bluebird
Townsend’s Solitaire
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Varied Thrush
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird*
Sage Thrasher
Bendire’s Thrasher
California Thrasher*
Le Conte’s Thrasher
Wagtails and Pipits
Red-throated Pipit
Sprague’s Pipit
American Pipit
r
r
Creepers
Brown Creeper
Wrens
Bewick’s Wren*
House Wren*
Winter Wren
Marsh Wren*
Wrentit*
r
Common Name
c
u
c
u
c
c
u
c
r
r
c
c
r
c
c
c
c
r
c
c
California
gnatcatcher
Ken Morris/USFWS
Sp S
c
u
u
c
W
r
c
u
r
c
u
u
u
r
r
r
r
u
u
r
o
r
r
u
u
c
r
r
u
F
u
o
r
u
r
c
o
r
u
c
o
r
u
c
o
r
o
o
c
Common Name
Waxwings
Cedar Waxwing
Sp S
c
Phainopepla
Phainopepla
F
W
c
c
o
r
Shrikes
Loggerhead Shrike*
u
u
u
u
Starlings and Mynas
European Starling*
c
c
c
c
u
o
u
r
o
r
r
u
r
r
r
r
r
o
Vireos
Least Bell’s Vireo*
Cassin’s Vireo
Hutton’s Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadephia Vireo
Plumbeous Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Yellow-green Vireo
Warblers
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Virginia’s Warbler
u
r
o
r
r
r
c
u
o
c
u
o
c
r
Common Name
Lucy’s Warbler
Parula Warbler
Yellow Warbler*
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Grace’s Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Black-and-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Connecticut Warbler
Mourning Warbler
MacGillivray’s Warbler
Common Yellowthroat*
Hooded Warbler
Wilson’s Warbler
Canada Warbler
Painted Redstart
Yellow-breasted Chat*
Tanagers
Hepatic Tanager
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Western Tanager
Least Bell’s vireo
© Shari Erickson
Sp S
c
r
c
c
u
u
u
r
r
r
r
o
c
r
r
r
c
u
u
r
u
u
F
W
r
r
u
r
r
r
r
c
o
u
o
r
r
r
r
r
r
o
r
o
o
o
r
r
r
r
r
r
u
c
r
u
r
r
r
r
r
o
r
r
o
r
u
c
r
u
o
r
r
o
r
c
r
Common Name
Grosbeaks and Buntings
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Black-headed Grosbeak*
Blue Grosbeak*
Lazuli Bunting
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
Dickcissel
Lark Bunting
Towhees and Sparrows
Green-tailed Towhee
Spotted Towhee*
California Towhee*
Rufous-crowned Sparrow*
Chipping Sparrow
Clay-colored Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Black-chinned Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
Sage Sparrow - extirpated
Belding’s Savannah Sparrow*
Grasshopper Sparrow
Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow*
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Harris’ Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
McCown’s Longspur
Lapland Longspur
Chestnut-collared Longspur
Bobolink
House Sparrow*
Sp S
u
u
u
u
u
r
r
r
u
c
o
u
r
r
r
c
c
c
u
c
o
c
c
u
c
u
c
r
c
F
o
u
o
u
o
r
r
r
W
r
o
u
c
o
c
o
o
r
o
u
r
o
u
c
o
u
r
r
c
c
r
r
o
c
c
r
r
u
c
r
u
r
o
c
c
o
r
u
c
r
u
r
r
r
o
c
o
u
r
c
Common Name
Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles
Red-winged Blackbird*
Tricolored Blackbird (*)
Western Meadowlark*
Yellow-headed Blackbird
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird*
Great-tailed Grackle*
Brown-headed Cowbird*
Hooded Oriole*
Streak-backed Oriole
Bullock’s Oriole
Scott’s Oriole
Orchard Iriole
Finches
House Finch*
Lesser Goldfinch*
Lawrence’s Goldfinch (*)
American Goldfinch*
Evening Grosbeak
Pine Siskin
Belding’s
savannah
sparrow
© Shari Erickson
Sp S
c
c
c
r
c
r
c
u
c
c
c
u
c
c
r
c
c
o
c
r
c
c
r
c
F
W
c
o
c
o
r
c
u
c
o
r
r
r
r
c
o
c
r
r
c
u
c
c
c
o
c
r
o
c
c
o
c
r
r
o
Tijuana Slough National Wildlife Refuge
301 Caspian Way
Imperial Beach, CA 91932
Telephone: 619/575 2704
FAX: 619/575 6913
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
http://www.fws.gov
Refuge Information
1 800/344 WILD
Cover photo snowy egret
Inside cover photo brown pelicans
© Phillip Roullard
January 1999