Barrow's Goldeneye male
Bucephala islandica. Regular at Bahia in Novato, occasional locally. These diving birds forage underwater eating aquatic insects, crustaceans and pond vegetation.
Swamp Sparrow
Melospiza georgiana. An eastern species wintering in small numbers in NorCal coastal marshes. Sightings have been around Ellis Creek, Pond B, but not every winter.
Bonaparte's Gull, non-breeding
Chroiocephalus philadelphia. Small gull, lovely and tern like. Its short, thin bill is black, and its legs are orangish-red. Usually some in winter in the oxidation ponds next to Ellis Creek facility.
American Robin
Turdus migratorius. Red to orange breast. One of the most common land songbirds in backyards. Ours mostly depart in spring. Its diet consists of invertebrates (such as beetle grubs, earthworms, and caterpillars), fruits, and berries.
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus. Less common than Long-billed Dowitcher, more spotting on breast.
Hooded Merganser, male
Lophodytes cucullatus. Truly beautiful male duck. Short range migrant. A diving predator that largely hunts by sight while under water. Population declines in the past have been linked with large scale deforestation. Because these waterfowl are cavity nesters, they require mature trees in which suitable nesting sites are likely to be found. Feeding behavior makes them prone to pollution toxicity.
California Quail
Callipepla californica. State bird of California.. Listen for its call: "Chi-ca-go!". These do best with an abundance of cover and shortage of cats.
Clay colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida. Vagrant along the south dike September, 2011. A prairie state breeder.
Mew Gull
Larus canus. Dainty wintering gulls. Usually some in the shallow vernal pond between the sewer plant and Lakeville Highway.
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans. Territorial and solitary nesters that often remain year round. Prefer shady areas near water.
Snow Goose
Chen caerulescens. Infrequent winter visitor, usually no more than a pair. Has black "grin patch". May travel with migratory Canada Geese flock - watch!
Lesser Scaup, male
Aythya affinis. A small diving duck very similar to Greater Scaup. Fewer of these than Greater Scaup, usually in Oxidation Ponds in winter.
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana. Cavity nester outcompeted by Tree Swallow. Has nested in box near road to Ellis Creek headquarters.
Gadwall pair, male above
Anas strepera. A dabbpling duck. Gadwalls are one of the most hunted duck species (3rd to the mallard and green-winged teal), with 1.7 million shot each year. Because of the efforts of Ducks Unlimited and other private conservation groups, the species continues to be sustainably hunted.
Long-billed Curlew, behind
Numenius americanus. Largest American shorebird with long sickle shaped bill. Sociable birds found in groups when feeding, roosting, and migrating. A species of concern since it was hunted as a delicacy, but is now protected.
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis. Mostly a wintering species, one race breeds at pickleweed/uplands interface. Typically sparrow-like dark-streaked brown back, and whitish underparts.
Red Phalarope
Phalaropus fulicarius. Occasional winter "shipwrecks" occur and Reds will be found at many inland locations. They're otherwise quite pelagic (occur over open water).
Pacific Golden Plover
Pluvialis fulva. "Occasionally regular" on Gray's Marsh at the pickleweed-mud interface. Lately wintering near Reclamation Road.
Sora
Porzana carolina. Seldom flies, retreats to safety of reeds, has call like horse's whinny. Secretive and stealthy. Winter only, lots in Ellis Creek finishing ponds.
Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii. A midcontinental migrant occurring in late summer. Occurs on both coasts. Suspected they cover over 4,000 miles nonstop in migration.
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria. The nonbreeding male has black back that turns greenish during breeding season. Adults feed on dandelions and feed young softened seed. Favorite of caged bird pet owners.
Blue-winged Teal pair
Anas discors. Long distance migrants. Seem to have changed range and are no longer reliable wintering birds here. Both sexes have sky-blue wing coverts (feathers over feathers to help flight), a green speculum (patch nears posterior of wing), and yellow legs. A dabbling duck.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula. Usually solitary, small insectivore. Red crown often not raised.
Glaucous-winged Gull, winter plumage
Larus hyperboreus. Rather variable in size. Usually in Canada, quite rare in our area, . No black in wing tips. Scavenger and predatory.
Black Swan, exotic, non-native
Cygnus atratus. One off escapee some years back wintered in the wetlands. A native of Australasia.
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
Calidris acuminata. Old World sister species to Pectoral Sandpiper. Fall vagrants occur, mostly first year birds. Breeds eastern Siberia.
Ferruginous Hawk
Buteo regalis. Our largest buteo (hawk), to be looked for in open areas in winter.
Green-winged Teal male
Anas crecca. Tiny and ornate. Smallest and most common teal in the wetlands. Waterfowlers praise their flavor.
Eurasian Collared Dove
Streptopelia decaocto. Our latest alien invaders. It has a black half-collar edged with white on its nape from which it gets its name. Mournful cries.
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum. With a good look, a humbling beauty. Those red appendages of Cedar Waxwings increase in number and size as a bird ages: 0-5 waxy tips are presumable immature birds,, 9+ waxy tips are thought to be older. Wandering frugivores (fruit eater). Often with robins in winter.
Red-shouldered Hawk adult
Buteo lineatus. Watch for banded tail. Smaller than Red-tailed Hawk. Hear a loud scream? Look overhead or in the high branches of a eucalyptus. Often nests April-June in eucalyptus tree at Ellis Creek
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus. Large predator with wide wing span. The osprey dives, feet-first, to catch a fish, then adjusts the fish head first. Populations increasing, similar to the eagles. Decline in 1960's was due to early pesticides that are now banned.
Swainson’s Thrush
Catharus ustulatus. To be listened for in riparian corridors in summer.
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus. A very welcome recent return to our area. Populations are increasing nation wide. All rise when the eagle flies. Primarily a fish eater, will also eat carrion and injured waterfowl.
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya. Coastal only in winter, moves inland to breed. Prefers insects for food like all flycatchers, but can also eat berries, esp. during cold winters.
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis. Watch for it hop-scratching in the underbrush, kicking up leaves, as it looks for tasty millipedes. Listen for a sharp "Chip" sound. Formerly called Brown Towhee. Often found in pairs.
Brant
Branta bernicla. Really a darkish coastal goose here only by accident. A pair with somewhat worn plumage occuring in June, 2008. Grazer of Eel grass, Zosstera.
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis. Feeds by diving. Post-breeding summer sojourner locally from Sea of Cortez breeding site.
Ruddy Duck, male above
Oxyura jamaicensis. In winter the male's plumage is drab, but in spring, his breeding plumage is a rich copper color, and he sports a blue bill. This diving duck often holds its tail upright ending in a sharp point. Male slaps his bill forcefully on water surface to attract female.
Cackling Goose, front with Canada Goose behind
Branta hutchinsii. Similar looking to Canada goose, but much smaller, with 4 small races defined. Large flocks pass over wetlands fall and late winter. Herbaceous.
Mallard Duck, male in front
Anas platyrhynchos. Wild and domestic Mallards both occur in the wetlands. The residents start nesting in February. The male birds (drakes) have a glossy green head and are grey on wings and belly, while the females (hens or ducks) have mainly brown-speckled plumage. The mallard is omnivorous and very flexible in its foods choice. Feeds by dabbling for plant food or grazing.
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus. Dives for fish, so must have deep water, nests by Lakeville Holding Ponds. Nests in oxidation pond eucalyptus.
Tundra Swan, juvenile
Cygnus columbianus. Native swans and actic breeder has a black bill and curved neck compared to and can be confused with the nonnative Mute Swan, which has pink to orange bill with yellow dash before the eye and straight neck. Tundra swans have black bill. Occasional solo birds visit in winter, usually bullied away by Mutes. A first year bird wintered in Ellis Creek '09-10.
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri. Small shorebird that feeds in deeper water than Least Sandpipers.
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias. Largest of the wading birds, more gray than "blue".
Killdeer with freshly-hatched chick
Charadrius vociferus. Likes to nest in shallow depression sometimes on trail -be careful!
Peregrine Falcon, Tundra, juvenile, with dowitcher
Falco peregrinus. Billed as the world's fastest animal. Found everywhere on our planet except the polar regions, the peregrine has a distinctive black hood or "helmet". On the verge of extinction 40 years ago, the peregrine has made a remarkable comeback thanks to government ban of DDT.
Marsh wren
Cistothorus palustris. Male builds multiple nests in cattails, to give female choice. Each male has slightly different song.
Eared grebe, winter plumage
Podiceps nigricollis. Our smallest grebe, has a penchant for brackish water.
Bushtit
Psaltriparus minimus. Follow-the-leader flocks of over a dozen marauding for aphids through the winter. In spring pairs weave giant pendulous hanging nests.
California Scrub Jay
Aphelocoma californica. Mixed virtues: eats nestlings and tomato hornworms. Recent split from Western Scrub-Jay, the other is Woodhouse SJ, east of the Sierra Nevada.
Great horned Owl
Bubo virginianus. Common and dominant nocturnal predator. An apex predator. Nobody preys on it!
Lesser Yellowlegs, two on left
Tringa flavipes. About half the mass and daintier than Greaters. Unlike the Greater Yellowlegs, its bill is shorter and straighter. Watch for them in late summer.
American Avocet and chick
Recurvirostra americana. This wading bird can be seen in shallow water or on tidal mud; however unlike other long-legged wading birds, the avocet also swims, dabbling for food beneath the water. Feeds with lateral skimming of mud. Sexually dimorphic, the female's bill is curvier than the male's.
Kumlien's Gull
Larus glaucoides kumlieni. Omnivore. A large gull that breeds in arctic Canada. considered a subspecies of Iceland gull by the American Ornithologists' Union
White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos. Feeds by dipping from the surface.
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis. Has broad black ring on bill - a medium-sized gull. Silver gray back and greenish yellow feet. Winter visitor.
Barn Owl
Tyto alba. It's been known to use the large nesting boxes at both Shollenberger and Ellis Creek to raise a family. Can hunt by sound in complete darkness. Alba means "white" in latin. Alaternate common name is monkey-faced owl.
Common Merganser pair, male to the right
Mergus merganser. "River Merg", likeliest in oxidation ponds in winter. Diving duck that eats fish and nests in holes in trees. Bills have serrated edges to help them grip their prey, so they are often known as "sawbills.
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri. Feeds by plunge-diving for fish. Unlikely to be confused with the common tern in winter because of the black eye mask. It nests in a ground scrape and lays two or more eggs. Like all white terns, it is fiercely defensive of its nest and young.
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos. Likes to visit Ellis Creek ponds in September when they are drained. Among the hardiest of shore birds, thousands spend the winter on sand bars as far north as Southeast Alaska where they feed on mollusks, crustaceans, and marine worms.
Tree Swallows
Tachycineta bicolor. Iridescent deep blue-green with white throat and breast. Big population built up thanks to Andy Lacasse and Len Nelson's nest box program.
Cinnamon Teal male
Anas cyanoptera. A dabbling duck. The adult male has a rich cinnamon or copper-colored head, side and breast.
Western Meadowlark
Sturnella neglecta. Brightly colored, fearless behavior, with loud cheerful song. Will often post lookout.
Greater Scaup, male and four female
Aythya marila. Large numbers winter in the Bay Area, diminshing to the south. Often found on the water in large flocks, called "rafts", which can include hundreds of birds. It can dive up to 20 feet in depth, stay submerged for a minute, allowing it to reach food sources such as mollusks, unreachable by other diving ducks!
Canvasback, male
Aythya valisineria. Handsome "horse-headed" pochard. The species name valisineria alludes to the wild celery they eat on their breeding grounds, North America prairie potholes. The canvasback has a distinctive wedge-shaped head and long graceful neck.
Pied-billed grebe
Podilymbus podiceps. "Pied" for two-colored bill during breeding season. "Pied" for two-colored bill during breeding season.
Common Goldeneye, male
Bucephala clangula. Male has white circles on cheeks. Has bulbous head like Bufflehead duck. Species is named for its golden-yellow eye. Their breeding habitat is the taiga.
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax. Black crown and back. They roost in the trees near the Shollenberger entrance, and can be found in the treatment ponds at Ellis Creek. Stand quietly waiting for frogs, fish, or voles to pass by. Eat chicks of terns and gulls.
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia. Year-round sparrow, with three-part song, thrive in human habitat. The songs are very crisp, clear, and precise, making them easily distinguishable by human ears. We have a particularly dark race endemic to San Pablo Bay pickleweed marshes. Adult song sparrows have brown upperparts with dark streaks on the back and are white underneath with dark streaking and a dark brown spot in the middle of the breast.
Common Raven
Corvus corax. Cautious and playful. Sounds like a crow with a throat problem. Occurs in mated pairs, and as roving bands of adolescent terrorists; fun to watch.
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis. Common, smaller than sparrow. Most moisture loving of 3 California goldfinches. Migrate in compact flocks.
Red-tailed Hawk, light juvenile
Buteo jamaicensis. Adults have distinctive red tails. Our most common buteo (hawk/buzzard).
Ridgway's Rail, juvenile
Rallus obsoletus. A recent split from Clapper Rail, which name is still used for east coast birds. At low tide sometimes seen in drainage channel at Sheraton trail entrance. A breeding pair was seen on the trail between Point Blue and the river in 2016. Prefers monocot vegetation in salt marsh.
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus. Male is solid black with irridecent purpleish-blue head. Look for the male's bright yellow eye. A social species and mixes with other black birds.
Bufflehead male, female, juvenile
Bucephala albeola. A diving duck--now you see it now you don't. Our smallest waterfowl. A 10 on the cuteness scale.
Redhead male
Aythya americana. These seem to have shifted wintering range and are now very scarce on the coast; easier to find east of us. Male has copper colored head and bright blue bill during the breeding season.
Great Blue Heron with young
Ardea herodias. Largest of the wading birds, more gray than "blue".
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria. Another eastern sandpiper occasional in migration.
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons. Species name albifrons comes from the Latin albus "white" and frons" forehead " do to its white feathers at the base of its bill. Large, grayish goose with orange legs, seen sometimes in winter at Ellis Creek. Migrate and breed in Alaska and North West Territories.
Northern Harrier, juvenile
Circus cyaneus. Formerly called Marsh Hawk. The genus name Circus is derived from Ancient Greek kirkos, meaning 'circle', referring to a bird of prey named for its circling flight. The specific cyaneus is Latin, meaning "dark-blue". These, are the one of the few raptorial birds known to practice polygyny – one male mates with several females. Up to 95% of the diet comprises small mammals.
Tropical Kingbird
Tyrannus melancholicus. Lives most of the time in Mexico and does reverse migration north in late fall.
Ring-neck Duck pairs, males lower left
Aythya collaris. Perhaps more aptly called "Ring-billed. A small to medium-sized duck in fresh water. Omnivores - feed mainly by diving or dabbling at the surface.
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus. Always present, rarely seen because of its camouflage. Boldest in early spring. Listen for "dry pumping" of male in spring. King Henry VIII loved to eat them.
Red-necked Phalarope
Phalaropus lobatus. A smaller wader with lobed toes. Our likeliest phalarope, arriving in late summer. Females are larger and more brightly colored than males, who perform all incubation and chick-rearing activities.
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla. Our most abundant shorebird. The world's smallest sandpiper.
Cooper's Hawk juvenile
Accipiter cooperii. The Cooper's Hawk is sometimes described as a forest hawk because it can easily maneuver in and out and between trees. It's smaller than some other common hawks of our wetlands such as the redtail, and its flight is more flapping, less soaring. In the wetlands, look for it perched in a tree. It's about the same size as a crow.
Pied-billed grebe, juvenile
Podilymbus podiceps. "Pied" for two-colored bill during breeding season. "Pied" for two-colored bill during breeding season.
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris. Great tornado like flocks dubbed "murmurations" occur over vineyards in fall. Our most invasive alien species. Damages vegetable and tree crops. Smaller than a robin. Long pointed bill, yellow in summer.
Rock Dove (Pigeon)
Columba livia. Your hang-around town pigeon. Native to Old World (Europe).
Surf scoter
Melanitta perspicillata. Prefers coastal bays - here only by accident or bad storm.
Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola. "Thin as a rail" based upon this bird which has a laterally-compressed bone structure. Year round resident. LIke a smaller Ridgeway's Rail.
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus. Males black with yellow eyes and very long tail and iridescent purple on back and breast. Omnivorous and opportunistic feeder. Cosmopolitan neotropical icterids expanding into much of California. Most obvious in spring, for now.
Western grebe
Aechmophorus occidentalis. Look for it swimming and diving on the Petaluma River. Its bill is olive-colored and its eye is in the black area of its face.
Northern Shoveler pair, male below
Anas clypeata. Sifting food from water like baleen whales with rakers lining their bills, often feeding in circling teams in the central pond, each taking what the one in front kicks up.
Cliff Swallows gathering nest material
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota. Sparrow sized, square tailed, with buff rump. Feed on small swarming insects, hence, their aerial acrobatics. Colonial nester wintering in Argentina.
White-faced Ibis, winter plumage
Plegadis chihi. Nine spent the winter of 2015-16 at Ellis Creek, to everyone's delight. Expanding population in Central Valley spills over locally sometimes.
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla. Altitudinal migrants, start singing just prior to early spring departure. Distinctive crown patches allow for easy identification of the adult golden-crowned sparrow in breeding plumage.
Northern Pintail male
Anas acuta. A dabbling duck that is elegant, graceful, and thankfully common. This is a large duck, and the male's long central tail feathers give rise to the species' English and scientific names. The hen's plumage is more subtle and subdued, with drab brown feathers. Both sexes have blue-grey bills and grey legs and feet.
Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris. Formerly regular in Shollenberger Park in winter. Walks instead of hopping. Philopatric - returns to birthplace after migrating. 15 distinct subspecies.
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater. Obligate nest parasites, sneaking around riparian areas in spring. Listen for water gurgling call of male in spring.
California Gull
Larus californicus. Longish low posture, pointy wings. State bird of Utah. Expanding colony in the south bay makes this one of our 3 year round gulls.
Merlin
Falco columbarius. A jay sized falcon best identified by its sudden absence - it is swift and aggressive. Feeds on smaller birds and follows migrations. Also called "Pigeon Hawk".
Cattle Egret (left) looking at Snowy Egret (right)
Bubulcus ibis. Smaller than Snowy Egret, with stout neck, and walks upright. Self introduced from Africa. Local populations knocked back by extended frost. Fairly stable colony at the Laguna de la Santa Rosa.
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens. Small songbird common in winter, easily overlooked due to "anybird" plumage. Terrestrial, closely allied to wagtails. Runs on the ground.
Lincoln Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii. Dapper, skulky, often mistaken for Song Sparrows. Adults have dark-streaked olive-brown upperparts with a light brown breast with fine streaks, a white belly, and a white throat. They forage on the ground in dense vegetation, mainly eating insects and seeds. hey are very secretive.
American Wigeon pair
Anas americana. Formerly known as Baldpate for white forehead. Dabblers, divers and grazers all rolled into one duck.
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor. Needle-beaked dirvishes (whirling dancer) of the central pond in high summer. Gender reversal; the males are more dully marked in breeding plumage and hatch the eggs.
Oak titmouse
Baeolophus inornatus. Soft gray color. Perky little crest on top of its head. Formerly called Plain Titmouse.
Willet
Tringa semipalmata. Rather drab, large, gray shorebird with straight bill. Willets nest on the ground, usually in well-hidden locations in short grass, often in colonies. These birds forage on mudflats or in shallow water, probing or picking up food by sight. They mainly eat insects, crustaceans and marine worms, but also eat some plant material.
Great Egret
Ardea alba. Large white bird with yellow bill and black feet. Nests by Lakeville Holding Ponds. Almost went extinct in early 1900's due to being hunted for its fashionable plumes for hats. Currenlty, a species of concern due to wetland habitat loss. Emblem of the Audubon Society.
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata. An elusive bird, usually seen as it flushes from grasses or sedges, escaping in rapid, zigzag flight. Winter only, disappears in wet grass.
Bullock's Oriole
Icterus bullockii. Builds pendulous side-entry nests in tall riparian trees.
Bewick's Wren
Thryomanes bewickii. Likes coyote bush along adobe creek. Mascot of Madrone Audubon Society.
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia. North America's largest tern. Bright red bill and black cap make it a standout. The one time mascot of PRBO.
Horned grebe
Podiceps auritus. Like other grebes, it swallows large numbers of it own feathers, which lodge in the stomach and prevent fish bones from passing into the intestines.
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon. Unique-looking with a shaggy crest on its head, a long bill, blue feathers and a white collar. Fishes by plunging headfirst into the water. Look for it perched in a tree by the river or along Ellis or Adobe Creek. Nests in burrows. Plains Indians wore dead kingfishers as necklaces hoping to be imbued with their powers of flight.
Eurasian Wigeon male (right) with American Wigeon female (left)
Anas penelope. A dabbling duck searching for plant food. Increasing in our area, but still scarce. Hybrids with American Wigeon occur.
American Coot, followed by chicks
Fulica americana. Mudhens. When in chase-mode, it looks like they are walking on water. So pitiful in flight that it's hard to imagine them migrating.
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca. Watch for a dark sparrow, hopping and scratching in the underbrush to uncover food.
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca. Common shorebird that calls "drew, drew, dew" near shore of Shollenberger pond. Grayish bird with 14" long yellow legs and long bill that torques upward at its end. Both yellowlegs occur together in groups.
Black-necked Stilt, with chicks under her feathers
Himantopus mexicanus. Nests on islands in central pond at Shollenberger. Easily distinguished by its bright pink legs. Mascot of Petaluma Wetland Alliance.
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos. True mimics, hear them imitate cell phone ringtones and car alarms. Curious, and with an attitude!
Red-throated Pipit
Anthus cervinus. An Asian fall vagrant. Roger Marlowe photographed one at Ellis Creek finishing ponds during draw down September, 2015. A small passerine (perching songbird). Eats insects.
Ash-throated Fycatcher
Myiarchus cinerascens. Likeliest in late summer. Breeds in upland forest. Lives in the hottest, driest parts of the West, but also found in open, dry, shady woodland. They launch their pursuit of insect food from upper branches of mature trees.
Ross's Goose
Chen rossii. Tiny geese, not much larger than many ducks.
Snowy Egret with young
Egretta thula. Small egret with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Golden slipper" and usually black legs. Nests in colonies, sometimes with herons. A bird arriving at a nest to relieve its mate must perform an elaborate greeting ceremony to avoid being attacked as an intruder.
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius. Pretty scarce now, mostly in late spring migration. These are not gregarious birds and are seldom seen in flocks.
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis. Large gulls of Pacific all have common ancestor, but evolved separately in isolation and can still hybridize. White body with slate colored back and wings.
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys. Boldly black and white streaked head with no yellow dot before the eye. A ground scratcher. Western bird only, rarely seen east of the Sierra Nevada.
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola. Wears the black belly only for a few weeks either side of its summer absence from our region. Same species called Gray Plover in Europe.
Turkey Vulture
A carrion-eating raptor. A carrion-eating raptor Sometimes seen perched on a fencepost with its wings held outspread. This may serve to dry its wings, warm its body and kill bacteria it picks up from eating dead stuff. Usually sleeps in until warm thermal breezes provide lift. seen soaring high overhead in the wetlands. It doesn't have a smooth steady flight like a hawk; instead it teeters back and forth. In Baja California, it's nicknamed The Undertaker because it deals with dead bodies!
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos. May gang up on red-shouldered hawks. Among the most intelligent of birds.
American Kestrel, female
Falco sparverius. Formerly known as Sparrow Hawk due to its small size. Male has blue-gray wings, female's are brown, our most beautiful hawk.
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus. Males have small amount of bright red on crown, breast, and rump. Widespread and common and can be an agricultural pest. Omnivorous, feeds mainly on insects and seeds.
Western Kingbirds
Tyrannus verticalis. Has nested in eucalyptus at Ellis Creek.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis. A cut bank burrow nester, many raise broods further up the Petaluma River.
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica. Probably the world's most cosmopolitan passerine (perching songbird).
Mute Swan, still classified as non-native
Cygnus olor. Nonnative invasive species from Europe has a pink to orange bill and straight neck compared to native Tundra Swan which has black bill and curved neck. Seen in many local community ponds. Dominates native swans and geese, kill their young, and take over their territory.
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus. The common wintering dowitcher. Favors fresh water habitat whereas the short-billed dowitcher prefers salt water. Migrations occcur September to October.
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula. Small egret with black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. Golden slipper" and usually black legs. Nests in colonies, sometimes with herons. A bird arriving at a nest to relieve its mate must perform an elaborate greeting ceremony to avoid being attacked as an intruder.
Common-Loon
Gravia immer. Expert divers up to 200 ft. below with eyes that can focus in air and under water, heavier bones, and leg muscles that hold extra oxygen.Grey or black bill held horizontally.
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus. Male has bright red shoulder patches. Our most abundant passerine (perching song bird - has 3 toes pointing forward and one back to facilitate perching. Flies in large flocks. Eat insects and seeds.
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura. Now being bullied by larger Eurasian Collared-Dove. Low, mournful coo. Common in rural and suburban areas.
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa. Larger shorebird with long up-curving bill. They mainly eat insects and crustaceans, but also eat parts of aquatic plants.
Eared grebe
Podiceps nigricollis. Our smallest grebe, has a penchant for brackish water.
Northern Harrier male
Circus cyaneus. Fomerly called Marsh Hawk. Common in winter, a few stay to nest. Watch for the harrier flying low to the ground. They hunt by sound as well as sight. Adult male is nicknamed the "Gray Ghost".for its silvery color.
Clark's grebe
Aechmophorus clarkii. Sometimes found on the Petaluma River, its less common here that the Western Grebe. Its bill is yellow and its eye is in the white area of its face.
Green Heron
Butorides virescens. Smallest of herons with darker colors. Preys on wide variety of insects, frogs, and small fish. Solitary nester.
Bonaparte's Gull, adult breeding
Chroiocephalus philadelphia. Lovely and tern like. In breeding plumage, it has a slaty black hood, which it loses in non-breeding plumage. Usually some in winter in the oxidation ponds.
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus. These pass though our wetlands in spring from the bay, on through the Bodega Gap. Sometimes migrate with curlews.
Common Gallinule (right) followed by chick
Gallinula galeata. A goodly, but fluctuating population nesting in the Ellis Creek fiishing ponds.
Dunlin (adult plumage)
Calidris alpina. Hardy, dumpy northern wintering shorebirds.
Canada Goose with gosling
Branta canadensis. Honk! Honk! Honk! We hear it all over town. Only started breeding in the area in the 80's, now the scourge of the links. Like most geese, the Canada goose, with black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brown body, is primarily herbivorous and normally migratory; it tends to be found on or close to fresh water.
Sage Thrasher
Oreoscoptes montanus. Fall/winter vagrant. One in Shollenberger Park February, 2016.
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo. Not seen often in wetlands, but numerous in Sonoma County. Look for them across the river on the hillside ranches.
White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus. Stunning predators, named for their hovering in the air above prey. In spring may nest in pines between Point Blue and Ellis Creek. Once rare and endangered because of DDT, the kite has made a dramatic comeback, now a very common resident of our wetlands.
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus. Looks similar to common Killdeer, but with only one breast-band.
