Common birds and animals of the Bay Area
The purpose of this compilation, in alphabetical order of common name, is to introduce the common birds and animals found in the Bay Area to any one interested in learning more about the wildlife in the beautiful state of California PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. Items marked TBD are to be determined. Images may be added later
Homepage References Acknowledgements Comments
Index of common names Avocet Bobcat Bittern ButterflyMonarch Cormorant Curlew DeerMule EgretGreat EgretSnowy Goose_Canada GullCalifornia GullGlaucousWinged Gull_Western Heron Jay Killdeer Loon Otter PelicanBrown PelicanWhite Rabbit Raven Sandpiper Sealion Seal SquirrelCaliforniaGround SquirrelDouglas Squirrel_Western_Gray Starfish Stilt Tern Turkey Willet
Name	Description
Avocet, American Recurvirostra Americana Resident	Distinctive feature: Crow size. Strongly up-curved black bill. Very long blue-gray legs. Season plumage Distinctive behavior: Sweeps bill side to side.
Bobcat Felis rufus Resident	Distinctive featureShort 6" black tail with white tip. Size: V. large domestic cat. Males bigger (30 lbs), solitary and roam over larger area. Females smaller (15 to 20lbs) solitary with smaller territory. Distinctive behavior: Snarls and growls ferociously like a mountain lion if disturbed. Bobcats subsist on a diet of rabbits, ground squirrels, mice, pocket gophers and wood rats. Though some are known to take down deer and small farm animals.
Bittern, American Botaurus lentiginosus Resident	Distinctive feature: Crow+ size. Stocky body. Mottled brown plumage. Distinctive behavior: Remains motionless camouflaged in vegetation with bill pointing upward.
Butterfly, Monarch Danaus plexippus Migrant	Distinctive feature: Orange wing coloration with black veins and margins. 2 rows of white spots. Distinctive behavior: Migratory. Each new generation makes the same trip every year.
Cormorant, Brandt Phalacrocorax penicillatus Migratory	Distinctive feature: Snake like neck Distinctive behavior: Can dive up to 180 ft. Feathers are not waterproof. After diving cormorant can be seen holding it’s wings open to dry it in the sun and air.
Curlew, Long-billed Numenius americanus Winter visitor	Distinctive feature: Crow+ size. Down curved black bill. Cinnamon color plumage Distinctive behavior: Gets it’s name from the contact call that sounds like ‘cur-leeeeeeeeeu’.
Deer, Mule Odocoileus hemionus Resident	Distinctive feature: Goat+ size. Females smaller than males. Male or buck antlers, that start growing in spring are shed around December each year and are high and branch forward, forking equally into 2 tines with a spread up to 4 feet Distinctive behavior: Tail drooping downward unlike the upheld bushy tail of Black-tailed deer. Antlers branch equally into 2 forks unlike Black-tailed deer which branch at several points.
Egret, Great Camerodius albus Winter visitor	Distinctive feature: Crow+ size. Yellow bill, black feet, white plumage Distinctive behavior: Slow mover waiting patiently for kill
Egret, Snowy Camerodius thula Winter visitor	Distinctive feature: Crow- size. Black bill, yellow feet, lacy white plumes Distinctive behavior: Darts in shallow water raking water with feet looking for fish. Winter visitor or resident. Factoid: Numbers were decimated for fine soft features used by milliners
Goose, Canada Branta canadiensis Winter visitor	Distinctive feature: TBD Distinctive behavior: Honking. Flying in V formation is 71% more efficient Factoid: Strong family ties, mate for life. Inbreeding gives distinctive species
Gull, Californian Larus californicus Winter visitor	Distinctive feature: Crow size. Black wing tips. Greenish legs (unlike Herring gull which has pink legs) Distinctive behavior: Very effective scavenger and skilled flier as well.
Gull, Glaucous-winged Larus glaucescens Resident (?)	Distinctive feature: Crow+ size. Gray back. White head and under parts Distinctive behavior: Very effective scavenger and skilled flier as well.
Gull, Western Larus occidentalis Resident	Distinctive feature: Crow+ size. Almost black dark back. White head and under parts Distinctive behavior: Only resident gull. Sits facing the breeze.
Heron, Great Blue Andrea herondias Resident	Distinctive feature: Blue-gray plumage with big sharp yellow beak. Adult about 4’ high Distinctive behavior: Stands motionless with neck coiled back waiting for prey to come within striking distance before catching it with sharp pointed bill. It kills the fish by banging it on a nearby rock, washes it and swallows it headfirst.
Jay, Scrub Aphelocoma coerulescens Resident	Distinctive feature: No crest. Back brown rest of upper parts blue Distinctive behavior: When perched hangs tail straight down.
Killdeer Charadius vociferus Resident	Distinctive feature: Robin size. Black breast bands and orange red on tail. Short straight bill. Distinctive behavior: Loud ‘kee-dee’ call.
Loon, Pacific Gavia arctica Migrant(?)	Distinctive feature: Straight bill, dark black/white color, smaller than common loon. Distinctive behavior: TBD
Otter, Sea Enhydra lutris Resident	Distinctive feature: Raccoon size with webbed feet and tapering tail useful for swimming. Has pouches below armpits to store food cache. . Distinctive behavior: Floats on back when eating, keeping front paws and nose out of water. They eat up to 25% body weight in food each day. Very playful.
Pelican, Brown Pelecanus occidentalis Resident	Distinctive feature: Brownish plumage. 6 ½ ‘ to 7’ wingspan. Distinctive behavior: Plunge diver. Draws wing and feet back and dives fast. Air sacs cushion the diving impact. Captures prey in its open bill along with up to 18 pints of water. It closes its bill, raises it and the elastic skin of the pouch contracts pushing water out but not the fish. It rises like a cork facing the wind ready for takeoff. Fish carried in gullet not in pouch. ‘A wonderful bird the pelican, his bill will hold more than his belican’.
Pelican, White Pelecanus erythrohynchos Summer visitor	Distinctive feature: White plumage. 8’ to 9 ½‘ wingspan. Rivals Californian Condor for longest in N. America. Distinctive behavior: Cooperative fishing. Flocks of pelican herd fish to shallow waters before feeding on them
Rabbit, Brush Sylvilagus bachmani Resident	Distinctive feature: Rat+ size, darker color, less white on tail. Distinctive behavior: Found close to dense vegetation
Raven, Common Corvus corax Resident	Distinctive feature: Twice size of crow. Black plumage. Unlike crow (which has squarish tail and flies with wings at angle to body) the raven has a wedged shaped tail and flies with horizontal wings Distinctive behavior: Largest American passerine or perching bird. Does more soaring than flapping as compared to crows
Sandpiper, Spotted Actitis maculatus Resident	Distinctive feature: Robin- size. Spots on breast during spring/summer Distinctive behavior: Stands motionless between short burst of speed as it looks for food. Clear ‘peee-weet’ call
Sea Lion, Californian Zalophus californianus Resident	Distinctive feature: Tan to chocolate brown coloration. Sagittal crest or bump on the top of the head Distinctive behavior: Raucous noise earns it the lion moniker. Roost in groups
Squirrel, California Ground Citellus beecheyi Resident. Only native species	Distinctive feature: Rat size, shorter less bushy tail. Brown color with gray mantle over shoulder Distinctive behavior: Unlike Western gray squirrel, this runs down not up, when frightened.
Squirrel, Douglas or Chickaree Tamiascurus douglasii Resident.	Distinctive feature: Rat size, reddish. Distinctive behavior: Noisy, active eater feeding on seeds of Douglas and other conifers.
Squirrel, western gray Tamiascurus douglasii Resident.	Distinctive feature: Rat+ size, All gray with long bushy tail Distinctive behavior: TBD
Star fish, Bat Patiria miniata Resident.	Distinctive feature: Come in many colors mainly red, purple, yellow etc. Size ranges from 1” diameter to 5” diameter. Distinctive behavior: TBD
Stilt, Black necked Himantopus mexicanus Resident.	Distinctive feature: Very long red legs, black neck and wings contrast with white breast. Straight bill Distinctive behavior: Shorebird feeds on tiny life by probing mud with long bill
Tern, Forster’s Sterna forsteri Migratory	Distinctive feature: Dove+ size. Sharp red bill tipped with black. Deeply forked tail. Black cap Distinctive behavior: Migratory birds. Fly with bill pointed downward looking for food Factoid: Some species like the Arctic tern cover 22,000 miles a year round trip.
Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Resident	Distinctive feature: Peacock size. Male heads are featherless with characteristic fleshy snood projecting from forehead above the bill. Females paler and buffer. Largest gamebird in North America. Abundant in pre-colonial days it has been recently reintroduced into wild. Distinctive behavior: Extremely alert they forage constantly for food.
Willet Catatrophus semipalmatus Resident	Distinctive feature: Crow- size. Sandpiper with long straight bill Distinctive behavior: Makes ‘pee-wee-willet’ sound. Bobs as it moves rapidly looking for crustaceans.
References Sierra Nevada natural history – Tracy Storer and Robert Usinger Pacific Coastal Wildlife – Charles Yocom and Ray Dasmann Birding at the bottom of the bay – Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. Handbook of Californian Birds – V. Brown, H Weston and J Buzzell Californian wildlife region – Vinson Brown
Acknowledgements In school, botany and zoology were among my favorite subjects. My boy scout experience strengthened my love for the outdoors. My interest in natural wildlife got a kick start when I met Susheel Borkar, a class mate at XLRI Jamshedpur in 1985/87. Over the years I have hiked at the foothills of the Western Ghats, Lower Himalayas, Southern Alps, Canadian Rockies,and the Sierra Nevada among other places. I resumed hiking in California after meeting several like minded people in the Summer of '03. This led me to compile this list. Email feedback, including comments/corrections/suggestions and criticisms, to goagonsalves@yahoo.com  and I'll be happy to add your name to this list
	Email comments to goagonsalves@yahoo.com