List of birds of California

Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. • Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (*) • Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (*) • Bar-headed goose, Anser indicus (hypothetical) (not on the AOS Check-list) • Emperor goose, Anser canagica (*) • Snow goose, Anser caerulescens • Ross's goose, Anser rossii • Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons • Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris (*) • Brant, Branta bernicla • Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (hypothetical) • Wood duck, Aix sponsa • Baikal teal, Sibirionetta formosa (*) • Garganey, Spatula querquedula (*) • Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors • Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera • Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata • Gadwall, Mareca strepera • Falcated duck, Mareca falcata (*) • Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope • American wigeon, Mareca americana • Eastern spot-billed duck, Anas zonorhyncha (accidental) • Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos • Mexican duck, Anas diazi (*) • American black duck, Anas rubripes (*) • Northern pintail, Anas acuta • Green-winged teal, Anas crecca • Canvasback, Aythya valisineria • Redhead, Aythya americana • Common pochard, Aythya ferina (*) • Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris • Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula • Greater scaup, Aythya marila • Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis • Steller's eider, Polysticta stelleri (*) • King eider, Somateria spectabilis (*) • Common eider, Somateria mollissima (*) • Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus • Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata • White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi • Stejneger's scoter, Melanitta stejnegeri (hypothetical) • Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis ==Guans, chachalacas, and curassows==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae The chachalacas, guans, and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae. These are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments. • Plain chachalaca, Ortalis vetula (hypothetical) ==New World quail==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. • Mountain quail, Oreortyx pictus • California quail, Callipepla californica • Gambel's quail, Callipepla gambelii ==Pheasants, grouse, and allies==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies, including partridges, grouse, turkeys, and Old World quail. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. • Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (I) • Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus • White-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucurus (I) • Sooty grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus • Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus (Ex) • Greater sage-grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus • Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) • Chukar, Alectoris chukar (I) ==Grebes==

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. • Least grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus (*) • Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps • Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus • Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena • Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis • Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis • Clark's grebe, Aechmorphorus clarkii ==Pigeons and doves==

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. • Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) • Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata • Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis (*) • European turtle-dove, Streptopelia turtur (accidental) • Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) • Spotted dove, Spilopelia chinensis (I) • Inca dove, Columbina inca • Common ground dove, Columbina passerina • Ruddy ground dove, Columbina talpacoti (*) • White-tipped dove, Leptotila verreauxi (hypothetical) • White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica • Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura ==Cuckoos==

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites. • Groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris (*) • Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus (*) • Greater roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus • Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus • Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (*) ==Nightjars and allies==

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves. • Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis • Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor • Common poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii • Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis (*) • Buff-collared nightjar, Antrostomus ridgwayi (*) • Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (*) • Mexican whip-poor-will, Antrostomus arizonae ==Swifts==

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. • Black swift, Cypseloides niger • White-fronted swift, Cypseloides storeri (hypothetical) • White-collared swift, Streptoprocne zonaris (*) • Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica • Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi • Common swift, Apus apus (*) • White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis ==Hummingbirds==

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. • Mexican violetear, Colibri thalassinus (*) • Rivoli's hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens (*) • Blue-throated mountain-gem, Lampornis clemenciae (*) • Lucifer hummingbird, Calothorax lucife (hypothetical) • Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (*) • Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri • Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna • Costa's hummingbird, Calypte costae • Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope • Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus • Allen's hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin • Broad-tailed hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus • Broad-billed hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (*) • Xantus's hummingbird, Basilinna xantusii (*) • Violet-crowned hummingbird, Leucolia violiceps (*) ==Rails, gallinules, and coots==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. • Ridgway's rail, Rallus obsoletus • Virginia rail, Rallus limicola • Sora, Porzana carolina • Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata • American coot, Fulica americana • Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (*) • Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis • Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis ==Cranes==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae Cranes are large, long-legged, long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". • Demoiselle crane, Anthropoides virgo (UO) • Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis • Common crane, Grus grus (*) • Whooping crane, Grus americana (hypothetical) ==Stilts and avocets==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. • Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus • American avocet, Recurvirostra americana ==Oystercatchers==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae The oystercatchers are large, obvious, and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. • American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus • Black oystercatcher, Haematopus bachmani ==Plovers and lapwings==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. • Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola • European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (hypothetical) • American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica • Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva • Eurasian dotterel, Charadrius morinellus (*) • Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus • Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (*) • Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus • Piping plover, Charadrius melodus (*) • Lesser sand-plover, Charadrius mongolus (*) • Greater sand-plover, Charadrius leschenaultii (*) • Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia (*) • Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus • Mountain plover, Charadrius montanus ==Sandpipers and allies==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. • Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda (*) • Bristle-thighed curlew, Numenius tahitiensis (*) • Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus • Little curlew, Numenius minutus (*) • Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus • Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (*) • Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (*) • Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa • Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres • Black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala • Red knot, Calidris canutus • Surfbird, Calidris virgata • Ruff, Calidris pugnax • Broad-billed sandpiper, Calidris falcinellus (hypothetical) • Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata • Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus • Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (*) • Long-toed stint, Calidris subminuta (*) • Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis (*) • Sanderling, Calidris alba • Dunlin, Calidris alpina • Rock sandpiper, Calidris ptilocnemis • Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima (*) • Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii • Little stint, Calidris minuta (*) • Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla • White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (*) • Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis • Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos • Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla • Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri • Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus • Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus • Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (*) • American woodcock, Scolopax minor (*) • Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (*) • Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata • Terek sandpiper, Xenus cinereus (*) • Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia • Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria • Gray-tailed tattler, Tringa brevipes (*) • Wandering tattler, Tringa incana • Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes • Willet, Tringa semipalmata • Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (*) • Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia (*) • Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca • Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (*) • Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis (*) • Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor • Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus • Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius ==Skuas and jaegers==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae Skuas and jaegers are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers. • South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki • Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus • Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus • Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus ==Auks, murres, and puffins==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits. However, they are only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest. • Common murre, Uria aalge • Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia (*) • Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle (hypothetical) • Pigeon guillemot, Cepphus columba • Long-billed murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (*) • Marbled murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus • Kittlitz's murrelet, Brachyramphus brevirostris (*) • Scripps's murrelet, Synthliboramphus scrippsi • Guadalupe murrelet, Synthliboramphus hypoleucus • Craveri's murrelet, Synthliboramphus craveri • Ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus • Cassin's auklet, Ptychoramphus aleuticus • Parakeet auklet, Aethia psittacula • Least auklet, Aethia pusilla (*) • Crested auklet, Aethia cristatella (*) • Rhinoceros auklet, Cerorhinca monocerata • Horned puffin, Fratercula corniculata • Tufted puffin, Fratercula cirrhata ==Gulls, terns, and skimmers==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. • Swallow-tailed gull, Creagrus furcatus (*) • Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla • Red-legged kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris (*) • Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea (*) • Sabine's gull, Xema sabini • Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia • Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (*) • Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus • Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (*) • Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla • Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan • Belcher's gull, Larus belcheri (*) • Black-tailed gull, Larus crassirostris (*) • Heermann's gull, Larus heermanni • Common gull, Larus canus (accidental) • Short-billed gull, Larus brachyrhynchus • Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis • Western gull, Larus occidentalis • Yellow-footed gull, Larus livens • California gull, Larus californicus • Herring gull, Larus argentatus • Yellow-legged gull, Larus cachinnans (hypothetical) • Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides • Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus • Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus (*) • Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens • Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus • Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (*) • Kelp gull, Larus dominicanus (*) • Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscata (*) • Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus (*) • Least tern, Sternula antillarum • Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica • Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia • Black tern, Chlidonias niger • White-winged tern, Chlidonias leucopterus (*) • Common tern, Sterna hirundo • Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea • Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri • Royal tern, Thalasseus maximus • Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis (*) • Elegant tern, Thalasseus elegans • Black skimmer, Rynchops niger ==Tropicbirds==

Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. • White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus (*) • Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus • Red-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon rubricauda (*) ==Loons ==