birds
"Everyone likes birds. What wild creature is more accessible to our eyes and ears, as close to us and everyone in the world, as universal as a bird?"
- David Attenborough
- David Attenborough
introduction
Birds are animals with very lightweight skeletons, toothless beaks, and feathers. They are warm-blooded, and lay eggs instead of giving live birth to young. Birds have a large size range depending on the species, from 2.2 inches to 9 feet tall. This group constitutes the only living dinosaurs on the planet today, and their closest living relatives are Crocodiles. Birds are social animals, sometimes living in large groups, and commonly communicate with one another using calls and chirps. The noises that birds make are a welcome addition to any landscape; bird calls have the ability to create a sense of peace and calm in the garden.
Bringing Birds Into the Garden
Birds are some of the most important members of a biodiverse ecosystem, eating and transporting seeds, taking care of insect infestations, keeping the ground clean of berries and other fruits, and adding to soil nutrition. They are also animals that are are among the most affected by human activity, but they have found some ways to coexist with us in our urban landscapes. The number of bird species in an area decreases when urbanization increases, but that does not mean that we can't help to bring these friendly, helpful garden inhabitants back into our landscape. Luckily, there are more than a few ways that home gardeners can bring the birds back in.
Provide Water Year-Round
Water is an essential part of a bird's habitat, especially in urban landscapes. Clean, cool water is hard to come by in areas that are commonly paved over and can mean the difference between life and death for a small songbird in summertime. Water should be changed out every two or three days. Bird baths or other water sources should be kept at least 10 feet away from shrubs that could shelter potential predators.
Water is an essential part of a bird's habitat, especially in urban landscapes. Clean, cool water is hard to come by in areas that are commonly paved over and can mean the difference between life and death for a small songbird in summertime. Water should be changed out every two or three days. Bird baths or other water sources should be kept at least 10 feet away from shrubs that could shelter potential predators.
Install Native Plants
Choose native plants that support diverse insect species. The National Audubon Society and other groups have been warning for decades that North American songbird populations are in steep decline and habitat loss is a primary culprit. Here's a pop quiz: What do 96 percent of bird species in North America (not counting water birds) feed their offspring? Hint: It's not seeds, not berries and not earthworms. The answer? Bugs. Insects and arthropods (spiders and related species) provide the rich source of protein that young birds need for rapid and healthy growth. Without a steady supply of bugs, the vast majority of our beloved songbirds would vanish. In fact, many of them already have. In addition to insects, native shrubs also provide nectar and berries for birds. Choose native plants that provide myriad food sources, and the birds will be drawn in naturally.
Choose native plants that support diverse insect species. The National Audubon Society and other groups have been warning for decades that North American songbird populations are in steep decline and habitat loss is a primary culprit. Here's a pop quiz: What do 96 percent of bird species in North America (not counting water birds) feed their offspring? Hint: It's not seeds, not berries and not earthworms. The answer? Bugs. Insects and arthropods (spiders and related species) provide the rich source of protein that young birds need for rapid and healthy growth. Without a steady supply of bugs, the vast majority of our beloved songbirds would vanish. In fact, many of them already have. In addition to insects, native shrubs also provide nectar and berries for birds. Choose native plants that provide myriad food sources, and the birds will be drawn in naturally.
Keep It Messy
Birds love a natural-looking landscape, with plenty of places to hide, search, and hunt for insects. Leaving logs and dead wood around gives their prey places to set up shop, and even leaving dead standing trees in the outer reaches of the garden (away from areas where a fall could cause damage or injury) can provide birds with places to rest and nest.
Birds love a natural-looking landscape, with plenty of places to hide, search, and hunt for insects. Leaving logs and dead wood around gives their prey places to set up shop, and even leaving dead standing trees in the outer reaches of the garden (away from areas where a fall could cause damage or injury) can provide birds with places to rest and nest.
bird species List
The California Bird Records Committee (CBRC) keeps track of bird sightings in California. Of their list of 681 total California bird species, those below are ones that are most commonly sighted.
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
New World Quail
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
Grebes
Pigeons and Doves
Cuckoos
Nightjars and Allies
Swifts
Hummingbirds
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Cranes
Stilts and Avocets
Oystercatchers
Plovers and Lapwings
Sandpipers and Allies
Skuas and Jaegers
Auks, Murres, and Puffins
Gulls, Terms, and Skimmers
Tropicbirds
Loons
Albatrosses
Storm-Petrels
Shearwaters and Petrels
Frigatebirds, Boobies, and Gannets
Cormorants and Shags
Pelicans, Herons, Egrets, Bitterns, and Ibises
Vultures, Osprey, Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
Owls
Kingfishers and Woodpeckers
Falcons and Caracaras
New World and African Parrots
Flychatchers
Shrikes, Vireos, and Erpornis
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
Swallows
Bulbuls, Warblers, Kinglets, Waxwings, and Nuthatches
Treecreepers, Gnatcatchers, Wrens, Mockingbirds, and Thrashers
Starlings, Dippers, Thrushes, and Allies
Sparrows, Wagtails, and Pipits
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
Buntings, Longspurs, and Larks
Chats, Troupials, and Allies
Cardinals and Allies