U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Seal BeachNational Wildlife Refuge

Birdlist

Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge800 Seal Beach Blvd., Bldg. 226Seal Beach, CA 90740

Telephone: (562) 598-1024

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Servicehttp://www.fws.gov

Refuge Information1-800-344-WILD

Front cover photo: Black Necked Stilt© Gary Meredith

September 2007

"The Coming and going of the birds is more or less a mystery and a surprise. We go out in the morning, and no thrush or vireo is to be heard; we go out again, and every tree and grove is musical; yet again, and all is silent. Who saw them come? who saw them depart?"-John Burroughs,"Wake Robbin"

Bird List Key

c - Common - species seen on nearly every visit at the proper season, usually in good numbers. ( >10 per day)u - Uncommon - Present, but not certain to be seen. ( <10 per day)o - Occasional - species not seen on most visits, even at the proper season, but small numbers can be expected nearly every year with repeated searching.r - Rare - species seen only sporadically, not annually* - Species breeds or probably breeds regularly.(*) - Species breeds sporadically or bred formerly.x - Accidental or unusual occurrence. - Found on neighboring lands of Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station and not on Refuge.

The Current breeding status of many species is uncertain, requiring ongoing surveys.

Sp - Spring, March through MayS - Summer, June through AugustF - Fall, September through OctoberW - Winter, November through February

Key to Habitats

Seasons

California Least TernsKen Morris/USFWS

Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) was established in 1972 "to provide for the conservation, protection, and propagation of native species of fish and wildlife, including migratory birds, that are threatened with extinction.” Located within Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach, the refuge is one of many successful partnerships for conserving wildlife between the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the U.S. Navy. It serves as a critical stopover for birds migrating along the Pacific Flyway and provides protection for resident birds that have endured a great deal of habitat loss within southern California as well as the local area.

The refuge is designated a “Globally Important Bird Area” by the American Bird Conservancy and during winter months has one of the highest concentrations of raptors anywhere in the U.S.. More than 200 species of birds can be found within the refuge and on adjoining Navy lands including the endangered light-footed clapper rail, CA least tern, CA brown pelican, and Belding’s Savannah Sparrow.

Introduction

Seal BeachNWR

Light-footed Clapper Rail© Shari Erickson

Common Name Sp S F W Common Name Sp S F W

LoonsPacific Loon rRed-throated Loon rCommon Loon r r r

GrebesPied-billed Grebe c r c cEared Grebe u u cHorned Grebe uRed-necked Grebe x Western Grebe c u cClark's Grebe r r u Pelicans

White Pelican uBrown Pelican c o c c

CormorantsDouble-crested Cormorant u o c c Brandt's Cormorant r rPelagic Cormorant r r

Bitterns,Herons, and EgretsAmerican Bittern r r o Great Blue Heron* c c c cGreat Egret c c c cSnowy Egret c c c cLittle Blue Heron x x Cattle Egret r r rTricolored Heron x xReddish Egret x x xGreen Heron r rBlack- crowned Night-Heron u u u u

Ibis White-faced Ibis r r r o

VultureTurkey Vulture u u u u

WaterfowlMute Swan x x xTundra Swan xRoss' Goose o Snow Goose oCanada Goose c cCackling Goose o o White- fronted Goose oBrant u r u uMallard * c c c cNorthern Pintail u cGreen- winged Teal u uGadwall * r r r rEurasian Wigeon rAmerican Wigeon c cRedhead o Canvasback oNorthern Shoveler c cBlue- winged Teal u uCinnamon Teal u uRing- necked Duck rLesser Scaup c cGreater Scaup r r

Snowy Egret© Tim Anderson

Common Name Sp S F W Common Name Sp S F W

Black Bellied Plover© Gary Meredith

RailsClapper Rail * u u u uVirginia Rail xSora r r rAmerican Coot u c c

PloversBlack-bellied Plover c u c cPacific Golden-Plover r o oSnowy Plover r rMountain Plover rSemipalmated Plover u u uKilldeer* c u c c

OystercatchersBlack Oystercatcher r r r

StiltsBlack- necked Stilt * u u r oAmerican Avocet * u r u u

ShorebirdsGreater Yellowlegs u u uLesser Yellowlegs r r xWillet c c c cWandering Tattler r rSpotted Sandpiper r rWhimbrel o o uLong- billed Curlew u r u cMarbled Godwit c o c cRuddy Turnstone u u u

Waterfowl (cont.)Long- tailed Duck x xSurf Scoter u uCommon Goldeneye r rBufflehead u uHooded Merganser r r rRed- breasted Merganser u uCommon Merganser x xRuddy Duck u u c

RaptorsOsprey u r u uWhite- tailed Kite r r rBald Eagle rNorthern Harrier o r o uSharp- shinned Hawk r r rCooper's Hawk o r o o Red- shouldered Hawk x xSwainson's Hawk xRed- tailed Hawk * c u c cFerruginous Hawk rGolden Eagle rAmerican Kestrel * u r u uMerlin r oPeregrine Falcon o r o oPrairie Falcon r

Light-footed Clapper Rail© Tim Anderson

Common Name Sp S F W Common Name Sp S F W

Least Tern©Tim Anderson

TernsCaspian Tern u u u uRoyal Tern r u uElegant Tern c o rCommon Tern xForster's Tern * c c c cLeast Tern * c c Black Tern x xBlack Skimmer * u o u o

Pigeons, DovesRock Pigeon u u u uMourning Dove * c c c cSpotted Dove r xCommon Ground-dove x

OwlsBarn Owl * u u u uGreat- horned Owl * o o o oShort- eared Owl oBurrowing Owl * o o o o

GoatsuckersLesser Nighthawk x x

SwiftsWhite- throated Swift r r

HummingbirdsBlack-chinned Hummingbird xAnna's Hummingbird * o o o oCosta's Hummingbird x Rufous Hummingbird xAllen's Hummingbird r r

KingfisherBelted Kingfisher u u u

WoodpeckerRed-breasted Sapsucker xDowny Woodpecker xNorthern Flicker o

Shorebirds (cont.)Black Turnstone rSurfbird rRed Knot o o oPectoral Sandpiper rWestern Sandpiper c o c cLeast Sandpiper c o c cBaird's Sandpiper xDunlin u u cStilt Sandpiper xSanderling rRuff xShort- billed Dowitcher c o c cLong- billed Dowitcher u r u uCommon Snipe oWilson's Phalrope o oRed- necked Phalarope o oRed Phalarope x

GullsBonaparte's Gull rHeerman's Gull rRing- billed Gull c u c cCalifornia Gull u u cHerring Gull rWestern Gull u o u cGlaucous- winged Gull oGlaucous Gull x

Common Name Sp S F W Common Name Sp S F W

Belding's SavannahSparrow

©Tim Anderson

Bluebirds, ThrushesWestern Bluebird * rMountain Bluebird xHermit Thrush r rAmerican Robin x x

MimicsNorthern Mockingbird * u u u uSage Thrasher r r

WaxwingsCedar Waxwing x x

Shrike *Loggerhead Shrike* r r r r

StarlingEuropean Starling * c c c c

VireoWarbling Vireo r

WarblersOrange- crowned Warbler r rNashville Warbler rYellow Warbler rYellow- rumped Warbler o o uBlack- throated Gray Warbler rTownsend's Warbler rHermit Warbler r

FlycatchersWestern Wood-Pewee rHammond's Flycatcher rPacific Slope Flycatcher rBlack Phoebe * o o o oSay's Phoebe * o r o uAsh- throated Flycatcher oWestern Kingbird * o oCassin's Kingbird r u u

LarkHorned Lark* u u u u

SwallowsViolet-green Swallow rNorthern Rough-winged Swallow o rCliff Swallow * c c rBarn Swallow * c c r rTree Swallow o

PipitAmerican Pipit o o o u

CorvidsWestern Scrub-Jay xAmerican Crow u u u uCommon Raven* o o o o

BushtitBushtit* o o o o

WrensRock Wren r r Bewick's Wren xHouse Wren r rMarsh Wren o o u

Kinglet, GnatcatcherRuby- crowned Kinglet r rBlue- gray Gnatcatcher r r

Common Name Sp S F W Common Name Sp S F W

Warblers (cont.)Common Yellowthroat * o o uWilson's Warbler r

TanagersWestern Tanager r

GrosbeaksBlack- headed Grosbeak rBlue Grosbeak o rLazuli Bunting x

Towhees, SparrowsGreen- tailed Towhee xSpotted Towhee r rCalifornia Towhee x xChipping Sparrow rLark Sparrow rLincoln Sparrow oSavannah Sparrow o o uSavannah Sparrow (Belding's) * c c c cSavannah Sparrow (Large-billed) o uNelson's Sharp- tailed Spar. r oFox Sparrow xSong Sparrow * o o o oWhite- crowned Sparrow u u cGolden- crowned Sparrow rLapland Longspur xHouse Sparrow u u u u

IcteridsRed- winged Blackbird * c c o uTricolored Blackbird xWestern Meadowlark * u u u uYellow- headed Blackbird x xBrewer's Blackbird r rBrown- headed Cowbird r rBullock's Oriole rHooded Oriole * r r

FinchesHouse Finch * c c c cAmerican Goldfinch u u u uLesser Goldfinch o o o

WeaversHouse Sparrow * o o o oOrange Bishop u u u u

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