Kern River Valley Bird Checklist

Birds of the Kern River Watershed

Found in northeastern Kern County, the Kern River Valley is located between the protective reaches of the southern Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Piute Mountains. This unique region contains five of the six major habitat bioregions found in California and is within the Pacific Flyway. These unique factors contribute to amazing diversity of all life forms. Birds are no exception as 351 species have been found so far, with more being discovered each season. The South Fork of the Kern River Valley contains the largest remaining contiguous riparian forest in California. The geographic boundaries of this list include: Isabella Reservoir - the adjacent uplands - the South Fork Valley east to Canebrake – and local forests, including the Greenhorns, up to Sequoia National Monument, Breckenridge, the Piutes and the Kern Plateau.

LEGEND

Symbols indicate the frequency of past observations of species in their proper habitat and season.

STATUS

(I) – introduced species.

W - wandering from primary range

V – vagrant, far from principle range.

M - known from montane habitat only

S - known from South Fork Valley only

D - known from desert habitat only

* - nesting species

*(?) – possible/probable breeding

( ) - parenthesis indicate nesting within habitat specified but known to wander into other areas

DISTRIBUTION

A - All Habitats

C - Chaparral

D - Desert

F - Foothills

G - Grassland

GB - Great Basin Desert

M - Marsh

Me - Meadow

MD - Mojave Desert

L - Lake/Reservoir

O - Desert Oasis

OW - Oak Woodland

PF - Pine/Fir Forest

PJ - Pinyon/Juniper Forest

R - River

RF - Riparian Forest

S - Suburban

SF - Sequoia Forest

SM - Salt Marsh

VS - Valley Scrub

SEASONS:

Spring: March – May

Summer: June – July

Fall: August – November

Winter: December – February

c – common, easily seen daily.

f – fairly common, seen most days.

u – uncommon, present but easily missed.

i - irruptive, present some years and in various numbers

r – rare, seldom seen.

x – not expected, less than 5 records.

e – extirpated, no longer occurs.

Status

Distribution

Sp

Su

F

W

Swans, Geese, and Ducks - Anatidae

 

Tundra Swan

Cygnus columbianus

W

L,R

-

-

-

x

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

L,R

-

-

r

r

Snow Goose

Chen caerulescens

L,R,G

x

-

r

r

Ross's Goose

Chen rossii

L,R

-

-

r

r

Cackling Goose

Branta hutchinsii

L,M,R,G

-

-

r

r

Canada Goose

Branta canadensis

L,M,R,G

-

-

r

u

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

*

M,R

f

f

u

r

Green-winged Teal

Anas crecca

*

L,M,R

u

r

u

u

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

*

L,M,R,G,S

c

c

c

c

Northern Pintail

Anas acuta

*

L,M,R

u

r

u

r

Blue-winged Teal

Anas discors

*(?)

M

r

r

-

-

Cinnamon Teal

Anas cyanoptera

*

L,M,R

u

u

u

r

Northern Shoveler

Anas clypeata

*(?)

L,M

u

r

u

u

Gadwall

Anas strepera

*

L,M,R

u

u

u

r

American Wigeon

Anas americana

L,M,R,G

u

-

u

u

Canvasback

Aythya valisineria

L,M,R

u

-

u

u

Redhead

Aythya americana

*

L,M,R

r

r

r

r

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

L,M,R

u

-

u

u

Tufted Duck

Aythya fuligula

V

L

-

-

-

x

Greater Scaup

Aythya marila

L

r

-

r

r

Lesser Scaup

Aythya affinis

L,M

u

-

u

u

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

V

L

-

-

-

x

Surf Scoter

Melanitta perspicillata

V

L

-

-

-

x

White-winged Scoter

Melanitta fusca

V

L

-

-

-

x

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

L,R

r

-

r

f

Barrow's Goldeneye

Bucephala islandica

V

L

-

-

-

x

Bufflehead

Bucephala albeola

L,M,R

u

x

-

u

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

L,M,R

-

-

-

r

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

*

L,M,R

u

u

u

c

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

W

L

x

-

x

x

Ruddy Duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

*

L,M,R

u

r

r

u

Partridges, Grouse, and Turkeys - Phasianidae

 

Chukar

Alectoris chukar

(I)*

G,MD

r

r

r

r

Ring-necked Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

(I)*

G,M

r

r

r

r

Sooty  Grouse

Dendragapus fuliginosus

M*

Me

r

r

r

r

Wild Turkey

Meleagris gallopavo

(I)*

F,RF,PF

u

u

u

u

New World Quail - Odontophoridae

 

Mountain Quail

Oreortyx pictus

*

C, MD, PF

u

u

u

u

California Quail

Callipepla californica

*

A

c

c

c

c

Gambel's Quail

Callipepla gambelii

(I)*

C, MD

r

r

r

r

Loons - Gaviidae

 

 

Red-throated Loon

Gavia stellata

V

L

-

x

x

x

Pacific Loon

Gavia pacifica

W

L

-

-

r

r

Common Loon

Gavia immer

L,R

r

x

r

r

Grebes - Podicipediformes

 

 

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

*

M,L,R

u

u

u

u

Horned Grebe

Podiceps auritus

W

L,R

x

-

r

r

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

V

L

-

-

x

x

Eared Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

*

M,L,R

u

r

u

u

Western Grebe

Aechmophorus occidentalis

*

L

c

c

c

c

Clark's Grebe

Aechmophorus clarkii

*

L

c

c

c

c

Pelicans - Pelecanidae

 

 

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

L,M

f

f

f

f

Brown Pelican

Pelecanus occidentalis

V

L

x

-

x

-

Cormorants - Phalacrocoracidae

 

Double-crested Cormorant

Phalacrocorax auritus

L,R

c

u

c

c

Frigatebirds - Fregatidae

 

 

Magnificent Frigatebird

Fregata magnificens

V

L

-

x

-

-

Bitterns and Herons - Ardeidae

 

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

e*

M

r

r

r

r

Least Bittern

Ixobrychus exilis

S*

M

r

r

-

-

Great Blue Heron

Ardea herodias

*

L,M,R

c

c

c

c

Great Egret

Ardea alba

 

L,M,R

u

r

r

r

Snowy Egret

Egretta thula

L,M,R

u

r

r

-

Cattle Egret

Bubulcus ibis

G,M

r

-

r

-

Green Heron

Butorides virescens

*

M,R

r

r

r

-

Black-crowned Night-Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

*

L,M,R

u

u

u

u

Ibises and Spoonbills - Threskiornithidae

 

White-faced Ibis

Plegadis chihi

M

r

-

u

-

American Vultures - Cathartidae

 

Turkey Vulture

Cathartes aura

*

A

c

c

c

r

California Condor

Gymnogyps californianus

M,V

r

r

r

r

Kites, Eagles, Hawks, and Allies - Accipitridae

 

Osprey

Pandion haliaetus

*

R

u

u

u

r

White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

*

M,R

r

r

r

r

Mississippi Kite

Ictinia mississippiensis

V

M

x

-

-

-

Bald Eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

L,R

u

x

r

c

Northern Harrier

Circus cyaneus

*

L,M,R,G

u

r

u

c

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

G,F

u

-

f

u

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

*

G,F,MD

u

r

f

u

Northern Goshawk

Accipiter gentilis

(M*)

PF

r

r

r

r

Red-shouldered Hawk

Buteo lineatus

*

RF,R,G

f

f

f

f

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

V

RF

-

-

x

-

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

RF,G

r

x

r

-

Zone-tailed Hawk

Buteo albonotatus

W

RF

x

x

x

-

Red-tailed Hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

*

A

c

c

c

c

Ferruginous Hawk

Buteo regalis

MD,GB,G

r

-

r

u

Rough-legged Hawk

Buteo lagopus

G

-

-

r

r

Golden Eagle

Aquila chrysaetos

*

G,F

u

u

u

u

Caracaras and Falcons - Falconidae

 

Crested Caracara

Caracara cheriway

V

S

x

-

-

-

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

*

A

c

c

c

c

Merlin

Falco columbarius

G,F,RF

r

-

r

r

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

(M*)

G,F,RF

r

r

r

r

Prairie Falcon

Falco mexicanus

*

G

u

u

u

u

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots - Rallidae

 

Virginia Rail

Rallus limicola

*

M

u

u

u

u

Sora

Porzana carolina

*

M

u

u

u

u

Common Moorhen

Gallinula chloropus

*

M,L

r

r

-

r

American Coot

Fulica americana

*

M,R,L,G,S

c

c

c

c

Cranes - Gruidae

 

 

Sandhill Crane

Grus canadensis

W

G,L,M

-

-

-

x

Plovers and Lapwings - Charadriidae

-

-

-

-

Black-bellied Plover

Pluvialis squatarola

L,M

r

-

r

-

Snowy Plover

Charadrius alexandrinus

M,SM

-

-

r

-

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

M

u

-

u

-

Killdeer

Charadrius vociferus

*

L,M,R,G,S

c

c

c

c

Stilts and Avocets - Recurvirostridae

 

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

M,R

u

r

r

r

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

M,R

u

r

r

-

Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies - Scolopacidae

 

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

*

R

u

u

u

u

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

M

r

-

r

-

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

M,R

f

x

u

r

Willet

Tringa semipalmata

M

r

x

r

-

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

M,R

-

-

r

-

Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

W

R,M

r

r

x

-

Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus

G,M

r

-

r

-

Marbled Godwit

Limosa fedoa

M

r

-

r

-

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

W

L

-

x

-

-

Red Knot

Calidris canutus

W

L

-

-

x

-

Sanderling

Calidris alba

W

L

-

-

x

-

Western Sandpiper

Calidris mauri

L,M,R

f

u

f

r

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

L,M,R

f

u

f

u

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

R

-

r

r

-

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

R

-

-

r

-

Dunlin

Calidris alpina

L,M,R

r

-

r

r

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus griseus

L,M,R

-

-

x

-

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

L,M,R

u

r

u

r

Wilson's Snipe

Gallinago delicata

*

M,R

u