Birds and Other Wildlife of Old East Davis
An Annotated List (Observations from 1978 to 2016)
Prepared for Old East Davis Neighborhood Association
Contact: www.OldEastDNA.org
Prepared by Edward Whisler, Wildlife Biologist
Contact: edwhisler@yahoo.com
Reviewed by Rhonda Reed and Cayce Wallace
Seasons Observed: C = common (can be seen on most visits); U = uncommon (can be seen on some but not most visits); O = occasional (not seen every year); R = rare (seldom seen, perhaps only once or twice in 25 years).
Location: This wildlife list is specific to Old East Davis (OED).The boundary of OED is: L Street on the east; 2nd Street railroad tracks on the south; I Street railroad tracks on the west; and Yale Drive on the north.
August 2016 (Final)
Species Seasons Observed Comments
| Fall | Winter | Spring | Summer | ||
| Birds1, 2 | |||||
| Greater White-fronted Goose | U | U | O | Aerial = most often seen in-flight over OED |
|
| Snow Goose | U | U | Aerial | ||
| Ross’s Goose | R | O | Aerial | ||
| Cackling Goose | O | O | Aerial | ||
| Canada Goose | U | U | U | O | Aerial; a Davis resident |
| Tundra Swan | O | U | Aerial | ||
| Wood Duck | R | Aerial | |||
| Gadwall | U | O | Aerial | ||
| American Wigeon | O | U | Aerial | ||
| Mallard | O | O | O | O | Aerial |
| Northern Shoveler | O | O | O | Aerial | |
| Northern Pintail | O | O | O | Aerial | |
| Wild Turkey | U | U | U | U | Confirmed nesting in 2016; introduced, not native to California; increasing |
| Double-crested Cormorant | U | U | U | U | Aerial |
| Great Egret | U | U | U | U | Aerial |
| Snowy Egret | U | U | U | U | Aerial |
| Cattle Egret | U | U | U | U | Aerial; native to Africa |
| Green Heron | O | O | Probably nested in the past | ||
| White-faced Ibis | O | O | O | O | Aerial |
| Turkey Vulture | U | U | U | U | Aerial |
| Osprey | R | R | Aerial | ||
| White-tailed Kite | U | U | U | U | Potential nester |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | U | U | O | A fast flying bird hunter | |
| Cooper’s Hawk | U | U | U | U | Potential nester |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | O | U | U | O | Confirmed nesting along 900 block of 3rd St. in 2016 |
| Swainson’s Hawk | O | C | C | Confirmed nesting at 4th and I St. (2016); an alternate nest may occur at 3rd and J St; a California Threatened Species9 | |
| Red-tailed Hawk | O | O | O | O | Aerial |
| Killdeer | O | O | O | O | Aerial |
| Ring-billed Gull | U | Aerial | |||
| California Gull | U | C | U | Aerial | |
| Herring Gull | O | Aerial | |||
| Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon, Rock Dove) |
C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; introduced from Europe |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | U | U | U | U | Confirmed nesting; introduced from Europe |
| Mourning Dove | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| Barn Owl | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; nests in nest boxes and palm trees |
| Great Horned Owl | U | U | U | U | Confirmed nesting |
| Western Screech-Owl | O | R | Nested downtown in 19955; Western Screech-Owls don’t screech; uses nest boxes | ||
| White-throated Swift | O | O | U | U | Aerial |
| Anna’s Hummingbird | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; common in gardens |
| Rufous Hummingbird | U | U | Migrant | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | O | Aerial | |||
| Red-breasted Sapsucker | U | U | A woodpecker that can be hard to detect | ||
| Nuttall’s Woodpecker | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| Downy Woodpecker | O | O | U | U | Potential nester |
| Northern Flicker | C | C | U | A large woodpecker | |
| American Kestrel | O | O | U | U | Confirmed nesting along 200 block of J and K Streets; uses nest boxes |
| Merlin | O | O | A medium-small falcon | ||
| Western Wood-Pewee | O | O | Migrant | ||
| Pacific-slope Flycatcher | U | U | Migrant | ||
| Black Phoebe | U | U | U | U | Confirmed nesting |
| Western Kingbird | U | U | Confirmed nesting | ||
| Cassin’s Vireo | O | Migrant | |||
| Warbling Vireo | U | O | Migrant | ||
| California Scrub-Jay (Western Scrub-Jay) |
C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; very tolerant of humans |
| Yellow-billed Magpie | U | U | U | U | Declined in recent years |
| American Crow | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| Common Raven | O | O | O | O | Aerial; increased in recent years |
| Horned Lark | O | O | Aerial | ||
| N. Rough-winged Swallow | O | O | Aerial | ||
| Tree Swallow | U | U | Aerial; uses nest boxes | ||
| Barn Swallow | U | U | Aerial | ||
| Cliff Swallow | O | O | Aerial | ||
| Bushtit | C | U | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | R | Nests along Olive Drive | |||
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | U | U | U | O | Irregular from year to year |
| House Wren | O | O | Prefers dense shrubs | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | O | O | |||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | C | C | C | A small bird with attitude | |
| Western Bluebird | O | O | O | O | Increasing in Davis |
| Varied Thrush | O | O | Looks like a sporty Robin | ||
| American Robin | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| Swainson’s Thrush | R | U | Migrant | ||
| Hermit Thrush | U | U | Most active at dusk and dawn; a skulker | ||
| Northern Mockingbird | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting |
| European Starling | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; introduced from Europe |
| American Pipit | O | O | Aerial | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | C | C | U | This handsome bird occurs in flocks from 15 to 30 | |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | U | O | U | O | |
| Yellow Warbler | U | U | Migrant | ||
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | C | C | C | Very tolerant of humans | |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | U | O | U | U | Migrant; a few occur in winter |
| Townsend’s Warbler | U | O | U | U | Migrant; a few occur in winter |
| Wilson’s Warbler | O | U | U | Migrant | |
| Spotted Towhee | O | U | Prefers shrubs and vines | ||
| Fox Sparrow | U | U | O | Prefers shrubs and vines | |
| White-crowned Sparrow | C | C | U | Prefers shrubs and vines | |
| Golden-crowned Sparrow | C | C | U | Prefers shrubs and vines | |
| Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco | C | C | U | Prefers shrubs and conifers | |
| Western Tanager | O | O | U | U | Likes fruit trees |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | U | U | Likes fruit trees | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird | U | U | Aerial | ||
| Brewer’s Blackbird | U | U | U | U | Confirmed nesting |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | U | Confirmed nesting | |||
| Bullock’s Oriole | U | U | Likes fruit trees | ||
| Purple Finch | U | U | Likes fruit trees | ||
| House Finch | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; a friendly songster |
| Red Crossbill | R | R | Irregular; a mountain bird | ||
| Pine Siskin | O | O | Irregular from year to year | ||
| Lesser Goldfinch | U | U | C | C | Probable nester |
| American Goldfinch | C | C | U | U | Likes Elm trees |
| House Sparrow | C | C | C | C | Confirmed nesting; introduced from Europe |
| Mammals3 | |||||
| Virginia Opossum | C | U | C | C | Confirmed breeding; introduced from southern USA |
| Brazilian Free-tailed Bat (Mexican Free-tailed Bat) |
O | O | There used to be at least two colonies downtown; a beneficial species | ||
| Raccoon | U | U | U | U | Confirmed breeding; a delightful visitor, although it can become a pest |
| Striped Skunk | R | R | R | Rarely enters suburbia | |
| California Ground Squirrel (Beechey Ground Squirrel) |
U | U | U | U | Confirmed breeding; occurs on 2nd St.; 200 block of J and K St.; and Train Station |
| Eastern Fox Squirrel | C | C | C | C | Confirmed breeding; native east of the Great Plains; the typical park squirrel |
| Western Gray Squirrel | R | A native squirrel that rarely enters suburbia | |||
| House Mouse | C | C | C | C | Confirmed breeding; native to Asia; a pest |
| Black Rat (Roof Rat, Ship Rat) |
C | C | C | C | Confirmed breeding; native to Asia; a pest |
| Desert Cottontail (Audubon’s Cottontail) |
U | U | U | U | A native rabbit; resides along 2nd St. and Train Station triangle |
| Amphibians4 | |||||
| Western Toad | O | O | O | Declining in suburbs; may occur in moist gardens | |
| Reptiles4 | |||||
| Western Fence Lizard (Blue Belly Swift) |
O | O | O | Confirmed breeding; seen on 200 block of J St. | |
| Pacific Gopher Snake | R | R | R | A rare visitor to suburbia; observed along 2nd St; a beneficial species | |
| California Kingsnake8 (Common Kingsnake) |
A rare visitor to suburbia; observed along Yale Drive; a beneficial species | ||||
References:
- Sibley, D.A. 2000. National Audubon Society: The Sibley Guide to Birds. Chanticleer Press Edition.
- Yolo Audubon Society Checklist Committee. 2004. Checklist of the Birds of Yolo County, California. Revised April 2004. Yolo Audubon Society, Davis, CA.
- Reid, F.A. 2006. A Field Guide to Mammals of North America: North of Mexico (4th ed.). Peterson Field Guides, Houghton Mifflin Co.
- Stebbins, R.C. and S. M. McGinnis. 2012. Field Guide to Amphibians and Reptiles of California. Revised edition. California Natural History Guides, University of California Press.
Other Wildlife Resources (online):
- org (Cornell University) www.ebird.org
- Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology allaboutbirds.org
- org (California Academy of Sciences) www.inaturalist.org
- California Herps (California Reptiles and Amphibians) californiaherps.com
- California Wildlife dfg.ca.gov/biogeodata/cwhr/cawildlife.aspx
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