Guide to selected species of: San Clemente - Blue Rock Open Space  BirdsButterfliesFishesMammalsReptiles/AmphibiansTreesWildflowers     show all familiesAmerican VulturesAuks, Murres, PuffinsBarn OwlsBlackbirds and OriolesBushtitsCardinalsChickadees and TitmiceCormorantsCreepersCrows, Magpies, JaysCuckoos, Roadrunners, AnisDippersDucks and GeeseFalconsFinchesGrebesGulls and TernsHawks and EaglesHerons, Egrets, BitternsHummingbirdsIbises and SpoonbillsKingfishersKingletsLarksLoonsMockingbirds and ThrashersNew World QuailNew World SparrowsNightjarsNuthatchesOld World SparrowsOld World Warblers and GnatcatchersOwlsOystercatchersPelicansPheasants and GrousePigeons and DovesPloversRails, Gallinules, CootsSandpipersShearwaters and PetrelsShrikesSilky FlycatchersStarlings and MynasStilts and AvocetsStorm-PetrelsSwallowsSwiftsTanagersThrushesTyrant FlycatchersVireosWagtails and PipitsWaxwingsWood WarblersWoodpeckersWrensWrentits    8 Birds field check-list    © Jack Dermid 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. © Jim Roetzel Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis 18-25" (46-64 cm). W. 4' (1.2 m). Light-phase birds have whitish breast, rust-colored tail. Broad, rounded wings, white chest. Young birds duller, more streaked, lacking rust-colored tail . Variable in color, some blackish in West, these usually retain rusty tail. © Hugh P. Smith, Jr. California Quail Callipepla californica 9-11" (23-28 cm). Similar to Gambel's Quail, but crown brown, not chestnut; forehead buff, not black; and belly scaled, lacking black patch in center. Female less boldly marked than male. © Arthur Morris Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura 12" (30 cm). Soft, sandy buff with a long pointed tail bordered with white. Black spots on wings. © Arthur Morris Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus 12" (30 cm). Brown back, dark bars and spots; whitish or buff below with black spots; black crescent on breast; white rump, visible in flight. Eastern, red patch on nape, yellow wing linings; male, black mustache. Western, lack nape patch, salmon-pink wing linings; males, red "mustache." © Herbert Clarke California Towhee Pipilo crissalis 8-10" (20-25 cm). Uniform gray-brown above and below, with buff or rust-colored undertail coverts. © Tim Zurowski Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus 8" (20 cm). Male, head, chest, rump, tail black; back, wings black, white spots; sides rufous; mid-belly white. Female, brown replaces black of male. Eyes red; tail corners, outer feathers white. Young, streaked all over. Scratches on ground under brush. © Tim Zurowski Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus 5 1/2-6 1/2" (14-17 cm). Male, dusky rose-red, more raspberry than purple, brightest at crown, rump. Off-white below; mantle streaked with brown; wings, notched tail brown. Female, light stripe behind eye, dark stripe on jaw; streaked breast.    1 through 8 of 8 field check-list  |  Page 1 of 1