Diagnostic Features for Coastal Sage / Chaparral Birds

 

 

Bird Species

Key Characteristic(s)

Behavior (activities, locations, movements, & voice)

 

Wrentit

(Wrentit family)

 

Small, grey-brown bird;

“Voice of the Chaparral”

Darts among bushes, usually in small groups. 

(Voice is a single note repeated at increasing speed to a trill)

 

California Towhee

(Sparrow family)

 

Small-medium, brown bird

(Resembles an overgrown sparrow)

Spends most of its time on the ground, singly or in small

groups. (Voice is a high-pitched, metallic chink or chime)

 

California Thrasher

(Mockingbird family)

 

Medium, grey-brown bird

with long upturned tail and a down-curved bill

Common in open shrublands on branches and ground.

(Voice is non-melodic, dry chaks and gleeks)

 

Scrub Jay

(Crow/jay family)

 

Typical bluish “jay-bird”, but

without the head-crest

Aggressive bird in small groups that “talk” to one another

from different shrubs.  (Voice is a raspy squak or screetch)

 

Bushtit

(Bushtit family)

 

Very small, nondescript grey bird that darts about in flocks

Tend to be in darting “waves” among the shrub canopies (very social).  (Voice is high, thin, “fussing” notes – irritating after a while)

 

Oak Titmouse

(Bushtit family)

 

Small grey bird with tuft (cap)

on head,

 

Tend to be solitary (unlike the more common and very social Bushtits to which they are related);  song and behavior are like chickadees (chick-a-dee-dee)

 

Raven

(Crow/jay family)

 

Large black bird that looks like a crow. Is distinguished by its “V” shaped tail and bigger bill.

These large birds are often seen and heard (clucks and croaks) playing in small groups, and are well adapted to humans - they take a horrendous toll on endangered species (e.g. horned lizards)

 

Annas Hummingbird

(Hummingbird fam.)

 

Typical greenish hummer,

with a red head

The male is a highly territorial hummingbird with an impre-

sive areal display–flying straight up in the air and diving downward with a sharp pop.  (Voice is a high grating hisp)

 

Redtail Hawk

(Hawk family)

 

Large, broad-winged hawk with a single thin white band at the end of its reddish tail

Can be seen soaring in large circles high above the community looking for small rodents with its incredible keen eyesight; will occasionally call out with a long asthmatic squeal (keeeerr)