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Birdsthreatened and/or endangeredAll familiesthreatened and/or endangeredCalifornia Sierra Nevada Area

1-40 of 218 species page: 1 | 2 | 3 | >>
Common Loon
Gavia immer

 

28-36" (71-91 cm). Heavy-bodied, thick, pointed, usually black or dark gray bill held horizontally. Breeding plumage, head, neck black with white bands on neck; back black with white spots. In winter, crown, hindneck, upperparts dark grayish; throat, underparts white.… read more

Clark's Grebe
Aechmophorus clarkii

 

22-29" (56-74 cm). Very similar to Western Grebe, but black of cap does not reach eyes, so face is largely white; bill bright yellow or orange-yellow.… read more

Western Grebe
Aechmophorus occidentalis

 

22-29" (56-74 cm). A large slender grebe with a long neck. Blackish above with black of cap extending below eyes; white below and on front of neck. Bill long, slender, greenish yellow. Long white wing stripe shows in flight.… read more

Eared Grebe
Podiceps nigricollis

 

12-14" (30-36 cm). In breeding plumage, black head, back; golden ear tufts; black crest. In winter plumage, dark gray above, white below; neck dusky. Bill appears slightly upturned, sides of face smudged with gray, whitish patch behind ear.… read more

Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps

 

12-15" (30-38 cm). Pigeon-sized. A stocky, uniformly brownish water bird, with stout whitish bill that has black ring around it during breeding season.… read more

American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

 

55-70" (1.4-1.8 m). W. 8' (2.4 m). A huge white bird with a long flat bill and black wing tips. In breeding season, has short yellowish crest on back of head and horny plate on upper mandible. Young birds duskier than adults.… read more

Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus

 

30-35 (76-89 cm). Orange throat pouch and long neck. Long hooked bill tilted upward when swimming. Adults have short tuft of feathers over each eye during breeding season. In flight, the neck shows a slight crook.… read more

Great Egret
Ardea alba

 

35-41" (89-104 cm). W. 4'7" (1.4 m). All-white heron with yellow bill, black legs. Breeding plumage, has long lacy plumes on back. Smaller Snowy Egret has black bill, legs, yellow feet.… read more

Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias

 

39-52" (99-132 cm). W. 5'10" (1.8 m). Large, mainly grayish heron with a pale or yellowish bill. Flies with neck folded, not extended. In southern Florida an all-white form, "Great White Heron," has greenish-yellow rather than black legs.… read more

American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus

 

23-34" (58-86 cm). Medium-sized, streaked brown heron. Outer wing appears blackish brown in flight, contrasting with lighter brown of inner wing and body. Adults show long black stripe down side of throat.… read more

Green Heron
Butorides virescens

 

16-22" (41-56 cm). A dark, crow-sized heron. Crown black, back and wings dark gray-green or gray-blue (depending on lighting); neck chestnut colored. Bill dark; legs bright orange. Immatures have streaks on neck, breast, and sides.… read more

Snowy Egret
Egretta thula

 

20-27" (51-69 cm). W. 3'2" (97 cm). Small, white heron with a slender black bill, black legs, and yellow feet. In breeding season, it has long lacy plumes on its head, neck, and back. Immature bird has yellow stripe up back of leg.… read more

Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis

 

11-14" (28-36 cm). A tiny, secretive heron with blackish back and conspicuous buff wing patches and underparts. Female and young are similar but duller, more buffy.… read more

Black-crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax

 

23-28" (58-71 cm). W. 3'8" (1.1 m). A medium-sized, short-necked heron with black crown, back, gray wings, white underparts. Bill short, black, legs pinkish or yellowish. In breeding season it has 2 or more long white plumes on back of head.… read more

Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura

 

25-32" (64-81 cm). W. 6' (1.8 m). Eagle-sized blackish bird, In flight, wings held upward in a wide, shallow V; rolls, sways from side to side. Flight feathers silvery below. Tail long; head small, bare, reddish; gray in immatures.… read more

Wood Duck
Aix sponsa

 

17-20" (43-51 cm). A beautiful, crested, multicolored duck. Male patterned in iridescent greens, purples, and blues with distinctive white chin patch and face stripes; bill mainly red; tail long. Female grayish with broad white eye ring.… read more

Northern Pintail
Anas acuta

 

Male, 25-29" (64-74 cm); female, 21-23" (53-58 cm). Male, brown head, white underparts, neck, white line extending onto head, grayish back, long black pointed central tail feathers. Inner wing, metallic brown. Female mottled brown, gray, slender.… read more

American Wigeon
Anas americana

 

18-23" (46-58 cm). Male is brownish with white crown, green ear patch, and bold white shoulder patches easily visible in flight. Female is mottled brown with grayish head and whitish shoulder patches. Bill pale blue in both sexes.… read more

Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata

 

17-20" (43-51 cm). Large shovel-shaped bill. Male has green head, white body, and chestnut flanks. Female streaked brown with pale blue shoulder patches; similar to female Blue-winged Teal, but bill much larger.… read more

Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca

 

12-16" (30-41 cm). Male,chestnut head, green ear patch, flashing green inner wing, pale gray sides, pinkish breast with a vertical white stripe down the side. Female is dark brown without distinctive markings.… read more

Cinnamon Teal
Anas cyanoptera

 

14-17" (36-43 cm). Male bright rufous with pale blue shoulder patches. Female mottled sandy brown, dusky, with pale blue shoulder patches; face plainer than female Blue-wing's, but the two are often not distinguishable in the field.… read more

Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors

 

14-16" (36-41 cm). Brown with pale blue shoulder patches. Male, gray head, white crescent in front of eye. Female mottled brown, gray, obscure patterning on face, pale blue shoulder patches like the male.… read more

Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos

 

18-27" (46-69 cm). Male, green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, grayish body; inner wing, metallic purplish blue, bordered with white. Female, mottled brown, with white tail, purplish-blue inner wing, mottled orange brown bill.… read more

Gadwall
Anas strepera

 

18-21" (46-53 cm). Male is a medium-sized grayish duck with white patch on hind edge of wing, black rump, and sandy brown head. Female mottled brown, with white patch on hind edge of wing.… read more

Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis

 

15-18" (38-46 cm). Head angular. Head of male glossed with purple, not green. Female dark brown, small white face patch. In flight, white stripe is shorter than that of the Greater Scaup, which extends three-fourths of the wing's length.… read more

Redhead
Aythya americana

 

18-22" (46-56 cm). Male gray, brick-red head, black breast. Female duller, browner, light area around base of bill. Pale gray wing stripe, pale blue-gray bill. Similar Canvasback has whiter body and sloping forehead and bill.… read more

Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris

 

14-18" (36-46 cm). Male, black back, breast; purple-glossed, black head; pale gray flanks; vertical white mark on side. Female brownish, narrow white eye ring. Bill pale gray with white ring. Angular shape of head, white ring on bill, distinguish from the scaup.… read more

Canvasback
Aythya valisineria

 

19-24" (48-61 cm). Male, whitish body, black chest, reddish head with low forehead. Long bill gives head a distinctive sloping profile. Female grayish, sandy-brown head. At a distance males can be distinguished by their white bodies.… read more

Canada Goose
Branta canadensis

 

Small races, 22-26" (56-66 cm); large races, 35-45" (89-114 cm). Brownish body with black head, long black neck, conspicuous white cheek patch. The smaller Brant has a shorter neck and lacks white cheek patch.… read more

Cackling Goose
Branta hutchinsii

22-27" (56-68 cm). Brownish body with black head, long black neck, conspicuous white cheek patch. Shorter neck, bill, and overall size than Canada Goose.… read more

Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola

 

13-15" (33-38 cm). Male largely white, with black back, black head with greenish, purplish gloss, large white patch from behind eye to top and back of head. Female all dark, with single whitish patch on cheek. Fast flier, with a rapid wingbeat.… read more

Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula

 

16-20" (41-51 cm). Male, white body; black back; black-appearing (glossy greenish) head; round white spot in front of eye. Eye bright yellow. Female grayish, warm brown head, white neck ring, dark bill. Both have large white wing patch, conspicuous in flight.… read more

Barrow's Goldeneye
Bucephala islandica

 

16 1/2 -20" (42-51 cm). Male, white body, black back, black-appearing (glossed with purple) head. Stubby, crescent-shaped bill. Female, gray; brown head, white collar, (usually) orange-yellow bill. Both sexes have small white wing patches.… read more

Snow Goose
Chen caerulescens

 

25-31" (64-79 cm). Pure white, black wing tips; bill pink, black "lips"; legs pink. Dark phase, bluish-gray upperparts, brownish underparts, white head, neck. Blue-phase birds have spread westward, often seen among thousands of white Snow Geese.… read more

Ross's Goose
Chen rossii

 

24" (61 cm). A Mallard-sized edition of the Snow Goose. White wings, black wing tips, pink bill, and pink legs. Differs from Snow Goose in its smaller size, very stubby bill, and rounder head. The rare blue phase looks like a miniature "Blue Goose" (see Snow Goose).… read more

Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus (Mergus cucullatus)

 

16-19" (41-48 cm). Slender pointed bill. Male has white, fan-shaped, black-bordered crest, blackish body, dull rusty flanks, white breast with 2 black stripes down side. Female, dull gray-brown, with warmer brown head, crest. Both show white wing patch in flight.… read more

Common Merganser
Mergus merganser

 

22-27" (56-69 cm). Male, flashing white sides, green head, white breast, long, thin red bill. Female has gray body and sides; reddish-brown crested head sharply set off from white throat.… read more

Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis

 

14-16" (36-41 cm). Long tail, often held straight up. Breeding male, chestnut body, black crown, white cheeks. Female/winter male are dusky brown, whitish cheeks of female crossed by dark stripe. Male's bill is blue in breeding season, black at other times.… read more

Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii

 

14-20" (36-51 cm). W. 28" (71 cm). Long tail, short rounded wings. Adult slate-gray above, with dark cap, and finely rust-barred below. Immature brown above, whitish below with fine streaks. Tail tip rounded, not squared-off.… read more

Northern Goshawk
Accipiter gentilis

 

20-26" (51-66 cm). W. 3' 6" (1.1 m). Long narrow tail, short rounded wings, bold white eyebrow. Adults blue-gray above with black crown; pale underparts finely barred with gray. Young birds similar in size, shape, brown above, streaked below.… read more

1-40 of 218 species page: 1 | 2 | 3 | >>

 

 
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