Birds in California: Identification Guide for Birdwatchers

California is one of the best birdwatching states in the United States because it has coastlines, deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, grasslands, valleys, lakes, and city parks. This wide mix of habitats gives birders a chance to see backyard birds, shorebirds, seabirds, hummingbirds, quail, raptors, owls, woodpeckers, waterfowl, jays, sparrows, and many seasonal migrants.

Birds in California can change a lot by region. The Pacific Coast attracts gulls, pelicans, cormorants, sandpipers, and other coastal birds. Desert areas are better for roadrunners, thrashers, quail, and cactus-loving species. Mountain forests bring jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, owls, and nuthatches, while wetlands and lakes are good for ducks, herons, egrets, grebes, and shorebirds.

This guide covers common and interesting birds in California, with simple identification tips based on color, size, habitat, season, and behavior. You can also explore our main Birds in the United States guide to find bird identification pages for all 50 states.

Quick Look at Birds in California

Bird	Main ID Clue	Common Habitat
California Quail	Curved head plume, scaled belly	Shrubland, yards, chaparral
Anna’s Hummingbird	Green back, pink-red throat male	Gardens, parks, coastal areas
Western Bluebird	Blue body, rusty chest	Open woods, parks, fields
California Scrub-Jay	Blue head, wings, and tail	Oak woodlands, yards, parks
Steller’s Jay	Dark head, blue body, crest	Mountain forests, conifer woods
Acorn Woodpecker	Black-and-white face, red cap	Oak woodlands, forests
Red-tailed Hawk	Broad wings, reddish tail	Roadsides, fields, hills
Great Horned Owl	Large owl, ear tufts	Forests, deserts, cities
Brown Pelican	Large coastal bird, long bill	Coastlines, bays, beaches
Great Egret	Tall white wading bird	Wetlands, marshes, lakes