California Bird Atlas

09/25/2026

Keep your eyes out for VARIED THRUSHES!

They are found mostly in the western U.S. and Canada.

In California, they breed along the coast in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties and are scattered around the state during the non-breeding season.

Their orange throats, chests, wing bars, and eyebrows are distinctive. They also have a distinctive breast band. The males are orange and dark gray. The females and immatures are orange and brown.

They mostly eat insects in the summer and berries and seeds in the winter.

Let us know if you see this gorgeous bird and what habitat they are using! Thank you so much for being our ears and eyes looking for birds around the state!

1) Varied Thrush (male), Ventura County © Lynn Oldt / Macaulay Library / eBird

2) Varied Thrush (female), Humboldt County © Max Brodie / Macaulay Library / eBird

09/23/2026

DOWNY WOODPECKERS and HAIRY WOODPECKERS look almost exactly the same - except for size!

They are both black and white, with the males having a little red spot on the back of their head.

Their heads and faces have almost the same pattern of black and white stripes.

They both have black wings with white spots and a distinctive white stripe in the middle of their back.

The main differences are their size and the size of their bill.

Downy Woodpeckers are very small with a small bill. They also have black spots on their white outer tail feathers.

Hairy Woodpeckers are much bigger, but this can be hard to tell if you see one by itself. But they do have a much larger bill in comparison to the size of their head. And they lack spots on their outer tail feathers.

Both have a Pacific subspecies which has a browner/grayer chest than the Eastern subspecies.

In California, Downy Woodpeckers are more common in the valley and Hairy Woodpeckers are more common in the mountains, but there is a lot of overlap. They are both here year-round.

Keep an eye out for them and you might be lucky enough to see them side by side! Happy birding!

1) Downy Woodpecker, Siskiyou County © Steve Huckabone / Macaulay Library / eBird

2) Hairy Woodpecker, Placer County © Jacob Truetken / Macaulay Library / eBird

09/20/2026

There are two main subspecies of NORTHERN FLICKER in the U.S.

The RED-SHAFTED is mostly in the west and the YELLOW-SHAFTED is mostly in the east, but there is a lot of overlap. There is also a lot of hybridization between the two.

Both subspecies are gray/tan with a black collar, spotted front, scalloped back, and slightly downcurved bill.

Red-shafted have red under their wings and tail and a red mustache.

Yellow-shafted have yellow under their wings and tail, a black mustache, and a red "V" on the back of their head.

Hybrids have some combination or variation of both.

If you are able to distinguish and note the subspecies on your checklists, it helps us to know how the groups are moving and mixing.

Thank you so much for taking the time to share your bird sightings with us!

1) Northern Flicker (Red-shafted), Humboldt County © Tony Kurz / Macaulay Library / eBird

2) Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted), Santa Cruz County © Alex Rinkert / Macaulay Library / eBird

3) Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted x Red-shafted), Yolo County © Kirk Swenson / Macaulay Library / eBird

09/19/2026

OVER 200,000 CHECKLISTS!

Almost 5800 atlasers! And almost 53% of blocks with data!

September is a great month to see migrating birds, even rare ones! We appreciate all your efforts to document the birds around you! The more people involved, the better! So, continue to invite your birding friends and acquaintances to participate! Thank you! Happy Fall birding!

09/17/2026

Here's a tricky id: COOPER'S HAWK vs SHARP-SHINNED HAWK!

Cooper's Hawks have a larger head, longer and rounder tail, and contrasting black crown.

Sharp-shinned Hawks have a smaller head, shorter and squarer tail, and less contrast between crown and back.

1) Cooper's Hawk, Orange County © James Kendall / Macaulay Library / eBird

2) Sharp-shinned Hawk, Santa Barbara County © Tom Beland / Macaulay Library / eBird

09/14/2026

Check out this fun comic by Rosemary Mosco!

Are you ready for the Red-Breasted Nuthatch irruption/eruption?!

https://rosemarymosco.com/comics/bird-and-moon/irruption

09/14/2026

It's looking like an irruption year for RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES!

This is when birds migrate earlier, in larger numbers, and farther south than usual.

This can happen with boreal species when cone production is poor in the north.

So, keep an eye out for these adorable little birds in your area!

Red-breasted Nuthatch, San Diego County, 9/11/26 © Wenge Shi / Macaulay Library / eBird

09/13/2026

Save the dates for the Morro Bay Bird Festival!

Big news! Our 2027 keynote lineup is here, featuring three extraordinary leaders in birding, ecology, and wellness.

Holly Merker
Award-winning author, podcaster, and birding guide Holly Merker is a pioneer in Mindful Birding—exploring the deep connection between birds and human wellness. Co-author of Ornitherapy and founder of the Mindful Birding Network, her work has been featured in the New York Times, British Vogue, and AARP.

Pete Dunne
Retired Director of the Cape May Bird Observatory and founder of the World Series of Birding, Pete Dunne is an iconic voice in birding with over 20 books to his name. Best known for expanding the frontiers of raptor identification, his latest book is The Courage of Birds.

Morgan Tingley
Associate Professor at UCLA and incoming President of the American Ornithological Society, Dr. Morgan Tingley researches how birds adapt to climate change and wildfires. An award-winning ecologist, his work on migration and conservation regularly captures national headlines.

Festival Details:
Dates: January 14–18, 2027
Registration Opens: November 7, 2026
Click the link in our bio to learn more!

09/11/2026

This is a great opportunity to learn about birds in the Monterey Bay area!

09/10/2026

HUTTON'S VIREOS look very similar to Ruby-crowned Kinglets.

So how can you tell the difference?

Hutton's Vireos are a little larger and have a thicker bill. Their range is much narrower, but there is some overlap.

Ruby-crowned Kinglets have a wide dark bar behind the second white wing bar that Hutton's Vireos don't have.

1) Hutton's Vireo, San Diego County © Barbara Wise / Macaulay Library / eBird

2) Ruby-crowned Kinglet, San Joaquin County © Mark Elness / Macaulay Library / eBird