Younger Lagoon Reserve

FIELD CHECKLIST OF THE BIRDS OF THE YOUNGER LAGOON AREA

Compiled 1987 W. Breck Tyler

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Seasonal Status Codes: *
C = Common   Sighted on virtually every occasion.
FC = Fairly common   Sighted on many occasions.
U = Uncommon   Sighted on some occasions.
R = Rare   Sighted on few occasions, but recorded most years.
Cs = Casual   Few sightings, but not unexpected in the Santa                        Cruz area.
X = Exceptional   Very few sightings. Normally not expected in                               the Santa Cruz area.
( ) = Indicates former status. Current status reduced or unclear.

Habitat codes: *
B = Brush   Includes coastal scrub, chaparral, and other                     shrubbery.
C = Coastal   Includes sandy beaches, rocky shores, and cliffs.
F = Field   Includes agricultural lands and Other open areas.
L = Lagoon   Includes the waters and immediate shorelines of                        Younger Lagoon.
M = Marsh   Includes cattail marshes of the upper lagoon.
O = Oceanic   Includes all adjacent marine waters within sight of                         land.
W = Willows   Includes all willow groves of the upper lagoon.

Click on a bird name below to see a picture and a description of the bird. Click on the picture for a link to a sound of the bird.

SPECIES SEASONAL STATUS HABITAT
Sum Fa Wi Spr

LOONS
Red-throated Loon              -        U     FC    FC                       O, L
Pacific Loon                        -        FC   FC    C                         O, L
Common Loon                    -        R      U      U                         O, L

GREBES
Pied-billed Grebe**             R      U     FC     FC                        L
Horned Grebe                      -       U     U       U                        L, O
Red-necked Grebe               -       -      Cs      -                           O
Eared Grebe                        -       U     FC    FC                      L, O
Western Grebe                     R      FC   FC    FC                      O, L
Clark's Grebe                       -       U      R      U                          O

FULMARS and SHEARWATERS
Northern Fulmar                   -        R      R      R                           O
Pink-footed Shearwater        R       R      -       -                            O
Buller's Shearwater               Cs     R      -       -                            O
Sooty Shearwater                 U       R      -       R                           O
Black-vented Shearwater      -       Cs     Cs    -                            O

PELICANS and CORMORANTS
Brown Pelican                     FC    C       R      U                         O, C
Double-crested Cormorant  U      FC     FC    U                      O, L, C
Brandt's Cormorant             FC    FC     FC    U                        O, C
Pelagic Cormorant**           FC    FC     FC   FC                       O, C

FRIGATEBIRDS
Magnificent Frigatebird - X - - O

HERONS and EGRETS
American Bittern                 Cs       -       -      Cs                       L, M
Great Blue Heron                U       U      U      U                           L
Great Egret                         U       U      U      U                         L, F
Snowy Egret                       FC     FC    FC    FC                       L, F
Cattle Egret                         X       R       R      -                          F, L
Green Heron
(Green-backed Heron)        Cs      Cs     -       -                            L
Black-crowned Night-Heron R      R      -        R                           L

SPECIES                       SEASONAL STATUS              HABITAT
                                        Sum     Fa    Wi     Spr

WATERFOWL
Tundra Swan                     -         -        X       -                           L
Mute Swan                        -         -        -        X                          L
Snow Goose                      -          -        X       -                         O
Brant                                 -         U        -       U                         O
Canada Goose                  -         -         -        X                         L
Green-winged Teal           Cs       U       R        -                        L, F
Mallard* (sound)              FC      C       C       C                        L, F
Northern Pintail                Cs       FC     FC     R                          L
Cinnamon Teal                  -         U       FC     FC                      L, F
Northern Shoveler             -         U        U      -                           L
Gadwall                            -          -        Cs      -                          L
Eurasian Wigeon               -         Cs       -        -                          L
American Wigeon             -         U        FC    U                         L
Ring-necked Duck            -                    Cs      -                          L
Greater Scaup                  -         U         U       U                         L
Lesser Scaup                    -         U        U       U                         L
Harlequin Duck                -         -          R      -                           O
Black Scoter                    -         -          R       -                          O
Surf Scoter                       R       FC       FC     C                       O, L
White-winged Scoter        -         U         U       U                      O, L
Common Goldeneye         -         -          U       -                          L
Bufflehead                        -         U        FC      U                        L
Hooded Merganser          -         Cs        -       Cs                        L
Red-breasted Merganser -        R         U       R                        L,O
Ruddy Duck                     -         R         R      Cs                        L

VULTURES, HAWKS, and EAGLES
Turkey Vulture                  -         -         Cs       R                         F
Osprey                             Cs      Cs       Cs       -                        C, L
White-tailed Hawk
(Black-shouldered Kite)    U       FC        U       U                      F, W
Northern Harrier               U       FC       FC     FC                   F, B, L
Sharp-shinned Hawk        -        U          U       U                      B, W
Cooper's Hawk                Cs      U          U       U                      B, W
Red-shouldered Hawk      -        Cs         R        -                       F, W
Red-tailed Hawk              U       FC       FC     FC                        F
Ferruginous Hawk            -        Cs         -         -                          F
Rough-legged Hawk         -         -           R        -                         F
Golden Eagle                    -         -           -       Cs                         F
American Kestrel              R        FC       FC     FC                     F, B
Merlin                               -         R          U      Cs                        F
Peregrine Falcon               -         R         Cs       R                        F

SPECIES                       SEASONAL STATUS              HABITAT
                                        Sum     Fa    Wi     Spr

QUAILS and PHEASANTS
Ring-necked Pheasant       Cs        -       Cs     Cs                         B
California Quail                 (U)       -       (U)    (U)                      B, W

RAILS and COOTS
Virginia Rail                        -         R        R       R                       M, L
Sora                                  -         R        R       R                       M, L
Common Moorhen             -         -         -       Cs                      L, M
American Coot                  U        FC     FC     FC                        L

SHOREBIRDS
Black-bellied Plover         -          U       FC     FC                   C, L, F
Snowy Plover                  -           -         -        R                         C
Semipalmated Plover        Cs       R         -        R                       L, C
Killdeer                            U        FC      FC     FC                   L, F, C
American Oystercatcher
(American Black
Oystercatcher)                  R         U        U       U                        C
Black-necked Stilt            Cs       -        Cs      Cs                        L
American Avocet              -         Cs       -        Cs                       L
Greater Yellowlegs           Cs        U        R       U                      L, F
Lesser Yellowlegs             -          R       Cs       -                         L
Willet                                R       FC      FC     FC                   C, L, F
Wandering Tattler             Cs        R        R        R                        C
Spotted Sandpiper            R         U        U       U                      L, C
Whimbrel                          R         U        U       U                      C, F
Long-billed Curlew           -          -         -        Cs                        F
Marbled Godwit               R         FC     FC     FC                    C, L
Ruddy Turnstone              R          U       U        U                        C
Black Turnstone                R         FC      FC     FC                     C
Surfbird                            -           R       U       R                        C
Sanderling                         R         FC      C       FC                    C, L
Western Sandpiper           R          U        R       R                    L, F, C
Least Sandpiper                R         U        U       U                    L, C, F
Baird's Sandpiper             -           Cs      -         -                         L
Pectoral Sandpiper           -           R        Cs      -                         L
Dunlin                               -           U        R        R                       L
Short-billed Dowitcher      -          FC      U        FC                    L, F
Long-billed Dowitcher      Cs        U        U        U                      L, F
Wilson's Snipe
(Common Snipe)               -           R       Cs       R                      L, F

PHALARONES
Red-necked Phalarope - U - U L, O, F
Red Phalarope - U R - L, O, F

JAEGERS
Pomarine Jaeger Cs U Cs R O
Parasitic Jaeger R U Cs - O

SPECIES                       SEASONAL STATUS              HABITAT
                                         Sum     Fa    Wi     Spr

GULLS
Bonaparte's Gull                 -         FC     R      FC                  O, F, L
Heermann's Gull                FC       FC     U       R                   O, C, L
Mew Gull                           -          R      U       R                      O, C
Ring-billed Gull                   -          R       R      U                      F, C
California Gull                    R         FC     U      FC               O, C, F, L
Herring Gull                       -          U       U       U                       O, C
Thayer's Gull                      -          R       R       R                       O, C
Western Gull                      C        C       C       C                       O, C
Glaucous-winged Gull         -         U       FC     U                       O, C
Black-legged Kittiwake      -          -        U       R                         O
Sabine's Gull                      -           -        -       Cs                        O

TERNS
Caspian Tern                     U          -         -       U                        O, L
Elegant Tern                      U          R        -       Cs                       O, L
Common Tern                   -           -         -       Cs                       O, L
Arctic Tern                        -           -         -       Cs                         O
Forster's Tern                    U         U         -       U                        L, O

ALCIDS
Common Murre                 FC       U        U       U                         O
Pigeon Guillemot                FC       -         -        FC                     O, C
Marbled Murrelet               U         U        R       U                         O
Ancient Murrelet                 -          -         R       -                          O
Rhinoceros Auklet              -         -         R       R                         O

DOVES and PIGEONS
Rock Pigeon
(Rock Dove)                    FC      FC      FC      FC                        F
Band-tailed Pigeon            U        U        U        FC                   F, W
Mourning Dove*               C         C       C       C                    F, B, W

SPECIES SEASONAL STATUS HABITAT
Sum Fa Wi Spr

OWLS
Barn Owl
(Common Barn-Owl)        R          R       U      R                      F, W
Great Horned Owl             -          -        U      -                      F, W
Burrowing Owl                  -          -         X      -                         F
Short-eared Owl                -           R       R       -                     W, F

SWIFTS
Black Swift                       Cs        -         -       R                      L, F
Vaux's Swift                      -         Cs        -       -                       F, L
White-throated Swift         -          R         -       -                       L, F

HUMMINGBIRDS
Anna's Hummingbird*        FC     FC     FC     FC                    B, W
Rufous Hummingbird           -        -        Cs      R                      B, W
Allen's Hummingbird*         U       -        U      FC                    B, W

KINGFISHERS
Belted Kingfisher U U U U L

WOODPECKERS
Downy Woodpecker Cs Cs Cs - W, B
Northern Flicker
(Common Flicker) - U U U B

FLYCATCHERS and KINGBIRDS
Western Wood-Pewee       -         -       -        R                    W, B
Willow Flycatcher               -         -       -        Cs                     W
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
(Western Flycatcher)           R        -       -        R                       W
Black Phoebe*                   U        FC    FC    FC                 B, L, F
Say's Phoebe                      -         FC    FC     U                    F, B
Ash-throated Flycatcher     Cs        -        -       Cs                  W, B
Tropical Kingbird                -        Cs      -        -                      B, F
Western Kingbird               -         -        -       R                     B, F

LARKS
Horned Lark R U R U F

SPECIES SEASONAL STATUS HABITAT
Sum Fa Wi Spr

SWALLOWS
Tree Swallow                    R         -        R      FC                    L, F
Violet-green Swallow        U         -        -        U                     F, L
Northern
Rough-winged Swallow     R         -        -        R                      F, L
Cliff Swallow*                   FC       R       -       FC                   F, L
Barn Swallow*                  FC       R       -       FC                   F, L

JAYS and CROWS
Western Scrub-Jay            -         (R)      (R)     (R)                  B, W
American Crow                 -           -         R       R                      F
Common Raven                 -           -         -        R                      F

CHICKADEES and BUSHTITS
Chestnut-backed
Chickadee - R U R W, B
Bushtit U U U U B, W

WRENS
Bewick's Wren*                U        U        U        U                      B
House Wren                      -         Cs      Cs       -                    B, W
Marsh Wren                      -         (U)     (U)     (U)               M, L, B

KINGLETS
Golden-crowned Kinglet - - Cs - W
Ruby-crowned Kinglet - U U R W, B

THRUSHES
Swainson's Thrush*           U        -          -        FC                   W
Hermit Thrush                    -         U        U        U                W, B, F
American Robin*               U        U       FC      FC               F, W, B

WRENTITS
Wrentit* U U U U B, W

MOCKINGBIRDS and THRASHERS
Northern Mockingbird R - R R F, B
Sage Thrasher - X - - B, W

SPECIES                       SEASONAL STATUS              HABITAT
                                        Sum     Fa    Wi     Spr

WAGTAILS and PIPITS
Yellow Wagtail                   -         X       -       -                       B, L
American Pipit (Water Pipit) -       FC     I        R                       F, L

WAXWINGS and SHRIKES
Cedar Waxwing - R R - F, B
Loggerhead Shrike Cs R R - F, B

STARLINGS
European Starling* FC FC FC FC F, B

VIREOS
Warbling Vireo - - - U W, B

WARBLERS
Orange-crowned Warbler** U      U        R      U                     W, B
Yellow Warbler                 -          R        -        U                       W
Yellow-rumped Warbler    -          FC     FC     U                  B, F, W
Townsend's Warbler          -          Cs      -         -                     B, W
Palm Warbler                    -           R       Cs      -                      B, W
Northern Waterthrush        -           -        -       Cs                      W
MacGillivray's Warbler      -           -        -        Cs                      W
Common Yellowthroat*    U          U       U      FC             M, B, L, W
Wilson's Warbler               R          -        -       FC                   W, B

BUNTINGS and GROSBEAKS
Indigo Bunting - - X - B, F
Dickcissel - - X - F

TOWHEES and SPARROWS
Spotted Towhee
(Rufous-sided Towhee)      -           U       U       U                   B, W
Canyon Towhee
(Brown Towhee)*             FC        FC     FC    FC                 B, W
Chipping Sparrow              -           Cs      -       -                     F, B
Clay-colored Sparrow       -           Cs      -       -                      F, B
Vesper Sparrow                -           Cs      -       -                      F, B
Lark Sparrow                    -            -        -      Cs                    F, B
Savannah Sparrow             R          FC     U      U                    F, B
Fox Sparrow                      -          FC     FC    U                    B, W
Song Sparrow*                 C          C        C      C               B, M, W, F
Lincoln's Sparrow              -           FC     U      U                  B, F, W
Swamp Sparrow                -           R       -        Cs                 B, L, F
White-throated Sparrow     -          -        Cs      -                      F, B
Golden-crowned Sparrow -           C      C       C                     B, F
White-crowned Sparrow* FC       C      C      C                     B, F

SPECIES                       SEASONAL STATUS              HABITAT
                                         Sum     Fa    Wi     Spr

JUNCOS and LONGSPURS
Dark-eyed Junco                -          R       R       R                    B, W, F
Lapland Longspur               -          Cs     -        -                           F

BLACKBIRDS, MEADOWLARKS, and ORIOLES
Bobolink                            X          Cs     -       -                           F
Red-winged Blackbird*     FC        U      FC    C                      B, F, M
Tricolored Blackbird          -            R      Cs     Cs                    M, B, F
Western Meadowlark        -           FC    FC     U                          F
Rusty Blackbird                 -            -        X      -                         L, F
Brewer's Blackbird**        FC        C       C      C                          F
Brown-headed Cowbird* U          Cs      -       U                     W, F, B
Hooded Oriole                  Cs         -        -        -                          W
Scott's Oriole
(Northern Oriole) a           (R)        -        -        R                         W

FINCHES
House Finch*                     C         C       C      C                     B, F, W
Pine Siskin                         -           U       U      R                     B, W, F
Lesser Goldfinch                -           U       U      R                     B, W, F
Lawrence's Goldfinch         -           -        -       Cs                        B, F
American Goldfinch**        U         FC     FC    FC                  B, W, F

WEAVER FINCHES
House Sparrow - R - - F

Addendum by Habitat Restoration Group
per Santa Cruz Bird Club Records.

SHOREBIRDS
Ruff
Wilson's Phalarope

*Seasonal designations are somewhat arbitrary, as seasons may encompass different months for different species. The following are typical for most species:
Sum - Summer June 15 - September 15 Fa - Fall September 15 - November 30
Wi - Winter December 1 - March 15 Spr - Spring March 15 - June 15

Status classifications refer to the relative likelihood that a species will be sighted within its preferred habitat. In other words, classifications refer to frequency of sightings, which is sometimes, but not always, equivalent to numerical abundance.

*Habitats are listed in general order of preference for each species. Species may be seen in habitats other than those listed.

Nesting/Breeding
* = Nesting/Breeding confirmed for Younger Lagoon area.

** = Nesting/Breeding suspected but not confirmed for Younger Lagoon area.

a = Formerly nested at Younger Lagoon; current status unclear.

Mail comments to fusari@ucsc.edu