Willet (Western)

A large sandpiper of the interior West and the ocean beaches, the Willet is known by its piercing calls and bright black-and-white flashing wings. It is the only North American sandpiper whose breeding range extends southward into the tropics

Willets breeding in the interior of the West differ from the Atlantic in ecology, morphology, and subtly in calls. Western Willets breed in freshwater habitats, and are slightly larger and paler gray. Eastern Willets have stouter bills and more barring on their chest and back. The difference in pitch between the calls of the two forms is very difficult for a person to detect, but the birds can hear the difference and respond more strongly to recorded calls of their own form.


Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Stilt (Black-necked)

A striking black-and-white bird with very long, thin red legs, the Black-necked Stilt is found along the edges of shallow water in open country.

There is Five species of rather similar-looking stilts and have the second-longest legs in proportion to their bodies of any bird, exceeded only by flamingos.

The Hawaiian subspecies of Black-necked Stilt has the black part of its neck reaching much farther forward than the mainland forms. Habitat loss and hunting led to the decline in its numbers. It uses primarily the few freshwater wetlands found on the Hawaiian Islands. This particular species was found inland at the California Ocean coastline town of Dana Point.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Sandpiper (Spotted)

The most widespread breeding sandpiper in North America, the Spotted Sandpiper breeds along the edges of nearly any water source throughout the northern half of the continent. It is at home around urban ponds as well as tundra pools.

The female Spotted Sandpiper is the one who establishes and defends the territory. She arrives at the breeding grounds earlier than the male. The male takes the primary role in parental care, incubating the eggs and taking care of the young. One female may lay eggs for up to four different males at a time.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Phoebe (Black)

A small black-and-white flycatcher of the Southwest, the Black Phoebe is often found around people, but nearly always near water

Although primarily insectivorous, the Black Phoebe occasionally catches fish. It dives into ponds to catch small minnows or other tiny fish, and may even feed fish to nestlings.

The male Black Phoebe shows the female potential nest sites, hovering in front of a likely spot for 5 to 10 seconds. The female makes the final decision about where to place the nest and does all the construction.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Hummingbird (Black Chinned)

A hummingbird of relatively modest appearance, the Black-chinned Hummingbird is common throughout much of the western United States. It occupies a range of habitats, from urban areas to desert, and from sea level to over 8,200 ft.

In a study in Arizona and New Mexico, nesting females spent most of their time in canyon bottoms but often relied on nectar sources on nearby hillsides. Males occupied and defended territories on the hillsides but rarely ventured into the canyon bottoms.

Photographed at Desert Museum, Tucson, AZ

Hummingbird (Anna's)

A common bird of urban areas of the far West, the Anna's Hummingbird makes itself conspicuous by its behaviour as well as its choice of habitat. The male sings frequently from exposed perches, and makes elaborate dive displays at other hummingbirds and sometimes at people.

In the first half of the 20th century, the Anna's Hummingbird bred only in northern Baja California and southern California. The planting of exotic flowering trees provided nectar and nesting sites, and allowed the hummingbird to greatly expand its breeding range.

On rare occasions, bees and wasps may become impaled on the bill of an Anna's Hummingbird, causing the bird to starve to death.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Gull (Western)

A large, dark-backed gull of the Pacific Coast, the Western Gull is seldom found far from the ocean. Like most gulls, the Western Gull is an opportunistic feeder, capturing its own live prey, scavenging refuse, or stealing food from seals and other gulls. It is known to steal milk from lactating female seals while they lie on their backs sleeping on the beach.

In colonies with many more females than males present, two females may establish a pair bond. Each lays eggs, and then takes care of the double-sized brood. The female-biased sex ratio of some Western Gull colonies may have been the result of pollution by pesticides that acted like estrogens and made some male embryos develop as females. (Dana Point, CA)

Gull (Herring)

Herring Gulls are one of the most familiar and widespread gulls in North America. Herring Gull numbers were greatly reduced in the 19th century, but are now numerous, and expanding in range and numbers. They are often found foraging around garbage dumps, fishing operations, and other human activities

Herring Gulls have four phases in their life cycle, and many different plumages. From their second winter onwards, they have grey backs and yellow irises.

Older Herring Gulls have pink legs, while younger birds’ legs are brownish grey. Mature birds’ beaks are yellow with paler tips, and a red spot on the lower bill, which develops during their third winter. Younger birds have dark reddish beaks. Irises are pale yellow on adults and dark brown to paler yellow on juveniles.

Photographed ocean side at Dana Point, CA

Gull (California)

A common winter gull of the West Coast, the California Gull breeds inland across large areas of the West. It can be found in parking lots and lakes from California to Manitoba.

The California Gull is the "seagull" that came to the aid of Mormon settlers in Utah, helping rid their crops of a plague of grasshoppers. A golden statue in Salt Lake City commemorates the event, and in recognition the California Gull was made the state bird of Utah.

Note on the beak the orange marking on the bottom towards the front.

Photographed ocean side at Dana Point, CA

Goldfinch (Western Lesser)

The Lesser Goldfinch is a small, seed-eating finch of the Southwest. It comes in two forms: a dark-backed one in Texas, and the greenish-backed one farther westward into California.

The eastern Male Lesser Goldfinches in the United States tend to have black backs and napes. Those found to the west have green backs and only a black cap.

South of central Mexico, all of the males are black-backed.

Photographed in the wild, Dana Point, CA

Finch (House)

A bright red and brown-striped bird of the cities and suburbs, the House Finch comes readily to feeders. It also breeds in close association with people, and often chooses a hanging plant in which to put its nest.

female

The House Finch was originally a bird of the southwest United States and Mexico. In 1940 a small number of finches were turned loose on Long Island, New York, and they quickly started breeding. They spread across the entire eastern United States and southern Canada within the next 50 years.

male

The red color of a male comes from pigments that it gets in its food during molt. The more pigment in the food, the redder the male. Females prefer to mate with the reddest male they can find, perhaps assuring that they get a capable male who can find enough food to feed the nestlings.

photographed in the wild at Dana Point, CA

Cormorant (Dbl Crested)

Double-crested cormorants are usually found in flocks, and are one of only two species that prefer fresh water. In the mid-twentieth century, populations were seriously reduced due to DDT use, but have begun to bounce back.

Cormorants feed principally on slow moving or schooling species of fish. Their increase in population has made them a major predator in the northern areas causing a reduction of young fish in the smaller lakes.

Can be found on rock islands and gather in colonies. It is common to see them with their wings spread out to let the sun dry their un-oiled wings

Photographed at South Etobicoke Creek, Etobicoke, ON

Coot (American)

Often mistaken for a duck, the American Coot is a common water bird. It’s all black body and white chicken-like beak distinguishes this swimming rail from the real ducks.

Although it swims like a duck, the American Coot does not have webbed feet like a duck. Instead of having all the toes connected by webs, each coot toe has lobes on the sides of each segment.

An awkward and often clumsy flier, the coot requires long running takeoffs across the water’s surface to become airborne.

Although the coot will consume grains, grasses, and agricultural crops on land, it generally forages in or under water, where it is almost exclusively an herbivore.

Photographed in Dana Point, CA

Bluebird (Western)

Bluebird (Western)

The Western Bluebird is a common sight in parklands of the West. Unlike the other species of bluebirds, it does not like large meadows, preferring open forests instead.

Male are dark blue with a bright reddish chest. Female are drab gray-blue with a duller reddish chest.

Occasionally Western Bluebirds have helpers at the nest. Most of the extra birds attending nests are helping their presumed parents, some after their own nests have failed

Western Bluebirds can be helped by birds far beyond family members. Violet-green Swallows have been observed feeding and defending nests of Western Bluebirds. (Dana Point,CA)