birds

Birdwatcher’s guide on
OUR PRESERVES

This Ojai Meadows Preserve guide contains native birds of this region. Download a pdf of this guide and save to your phone for quick access and use when you are out of service.
eBird also provides an excellent source of info on birds of the region.

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eBird
Two ducks, one with a green head and the other with a brown-speckled head, standing on a patch of greenery near water.

  • Anas platyrhynchos

    Male—metallic green head & neck, yellow bill, narrow white collar, chestnut breast.

    Female—mottled plumage, orange bill marked with black

A California quail standing on a rock with a blurred green and yellow background.

  • Callipepla californica

    Gray & brown above, with prominent teardrop‐ shaped plume or double plume. Scaled underparts & brown sides & crown. Body color varies from grayish to brown.

    Male has pale forehead, black throat & chestnut patch on belly.

A heron standing on green grass.

  • Ardea herodias

    Gray‐blue; black stripe extends above eye; white fore‐ neck is streaked with black. Adult has yellowish bill.

A white heron standing on dry ground with a long neck and beak.

  • Ardea alba

    Large, white with heavy yellow bill, black legs & feet.

A bird flying against a blue sky with patches of white clouds.

  • Cathartes aura

    Adult has red head, white bill, brown legs. In flight, wings held upward in a shallow V.

A bird of prey flying in clear blue sky, with its wings spread wide.

  • Buteo jamaicensis

    In flight, wings broad & fairly rounded, squared tail, upper tail is red with black terminal band, under tail is tail

    Underparts, pale with dark belly band; back pattern spotted or speckled.

A small bird perched on dry, leafless branches with a mountain and cloudy sky in the background.

  • Falco sparverius

    Russet back & tail, double black stripes on white face.

    In flight, adult shows pale underwing, male has distinc‐ tive row of white, circular spots on trailing edge of wings.

A duck swimming on water.

  • Fulica americana

    Overall blackish; outer undertail coverts white. Whitish bill has dark subterminal band; legs yellow.

A bird walking on dry, sandy ground with sparse vegetation.

  • Charadrius vociferus

    Double breast bands. Reddish orange rump is visible in flight.

A bird perched on a branch with green leaves against a blue sky background.

  • Patagioenas fasciata

    Purplish head & breast; dark‐tipped yellow bill, yellow legs; broad gray tail band on longish tail; narrow white band on nape.

A bird perched on a tree branch against a background of blue sky and green leaves.

  • Zenaida macroura

    Long tail tapers to a point. Black spots on upperwing; pinkish wash below.

    In flight, shows white tips on outer tail feathers.

A pigeon walking on a dirt ground.

  • Streptopelia decaocto

    Slightly larger than Mourning Dove. Very pale gray‐buff; black collar.

Two owls sitting on a tree branch among green leaves.

  • Bubo virginianus

    Bulky body shape; white throat; distinctive ear tufts.

A bird perched on a branch surrounded by green leaves.

  • Calypte anna

    Adult male’s head & throat are deep rose red, ex‐ tending a short distance onto sides of neck.

    Female’s throat usually shows red flecks, often forming a patch of color.

    Both sexes, underparts are grayish, washed with a varying amount of green. Bill is shorter.

A woodpecker with a red crown and black and white plumage pecking at a tree trunk.

  • Melanerpes formicivorus

    Black chin, yellowish throat, white cheeks & fore‐ head, red cap.

    Male, black bar on forecrown.

    In flight, white rump & small white patches on outer wings.

Downy Woodpecker climbing a tree trunk with green foliage in the background.

  • Picoides nuttallii

    Underparts, white with black spotting; upperparts, black; head pattern, capped, striped, unique pattern, malar or malar stripe; cap is red, gray; forehead is black; nape is red; throat is white.

    In flight, notched tail.

Small black bird perched on a grayish tree branch with a blurred green background.

  • Sayornis nigricans

    Black head, upperparts & breast; white belly & undertail coverts.

A small bird perched on a wire outdoors.

  • Sayornis saya

    Grayish brown above, darkest on heads, wings & tail; breast & throat pale grayish brown; belly & undertail converts tawny.

A bird perched on a wire against a blue sky.

  • Tytannus vociferans

    Dark brown tail; narrow buffy tips & lack of white edges on out‐ er tail feathers distinguish from Western Kingbird. Upperparts darker gray than Western, washed with olive on back; paler wings contrast with darker back. White chin contrasts with dark gray head & breast. Belly dull yellow.

A small yellow bird perched on a black wire against a clear blue sky.

  • Tyrannus verticalis

    Black tail, with white edges on outer feathers. Upperparts ashy gray, paler than Cassin’s tinged with olive on back; dark wings contrast with paler back. Throast & breast pale gray; belly bright lemon yellow.

A bird perched on a branch in a natural outdoor setting.

  • Aphelocoma californica

    Long tail; blue above; contrasting brown patch; distinct white eye brow & blue breast band.

A black crow standing on dry ground with some grass, with its beak slightly open.

  • Corvus brachyrhynchos

    Long, heavy bill, smaller than ravens. Fan‐shaped tail distinguishes all crows from ravens in flight.

A black crow standing on sandy ground with some grass patches.

  • Corvus corax

    Long, wedge‐shaped tail in flight.

Small bird perched on a wire with a blurred green background.

  • Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

    Squarish tail & buffy rump. Most have dark chestnut & blackish throat, pale forehead,

A small gray bird perched on a tree branch.

  • Baeolophus inornatus

    Grayish brown with a short crest.

A bird perched upside down on a bush.

  • Psaltriparus minimus

    Very small & long tailed, gray above, paler below; Female has paler eyes, male’s eyes are darker. Coastal birds have brown crown; interior birds show brown ear patch & gray cap.

A small brown bird perched on a black metal rod outdoors.

  • Troglodytes aedon

    Primary color is brown; underparts are pale gray; upperparts, brown; back pattern, barred or band‐ ed; belly pattern, solid; crown color is tan; fore‐ head & nape, gray‐brown; throat is white.

    In flight, rounded tail, tail is brown with narrow black barring.

A small bluebird perched on top of a wooden post in a natural outdoor setting.

  • Sialia mexicana

    Male’s upperparts & throat are deep purple‐blue; breast, sides & flanks chestnut; belly & undertail coverts grayish. Most birds show some chestnut on shoulders & upper back.

    Female duller, brownish gray above; breast & flanks tinged with chestnut, throat pale gray.

A bird perched on a slender tree branch against a blue sky.

  • Mimus polyglottos

    In flight, white outer tail feathers & white wing patches.

Three crows perched on a leafless tree branch against a blue sky

  • Sturnus vulgaris

    Adult in breeding plumage is iridescent black, w/ a yellow bill w/ blue base in male, pink in female. In fall plumage, feathers are tipped w/ white & buff, giving a speckled appearance; bill brownish. In flight, note short, square tail, stocky body & short, broad‐based, pointed wings that appear pale gray from below.

Small bird with yellow throat and gray streaked feathers perched on a branch with white blossoms.

  • Setophaga coronata

    Yellow rump, yellow patch on side, yellow crown patch, white tail patches. Western birds, have yellow throat.

A small yellow and olive-green bird with a black and white face perched on a thin branch.

  • Geothlypis trichas

    Adult male’s broad black mask is bordered above by gray or white, below by bright yellow throat & breast; undertail converts yellow.

    Female lacks black mask; has whitish eye ring.

A small brown bird perched on a wooden log outdoors with trees in the background.

  • Melozone crissalis

    Brownish overall; slightly warmer brown than rest of upperparts. Buff throat is bordered by a distinct broken ring of dark brown spots. Lores are same color as throat & contrast with cheek; undertail coverts warm cinnamon.

A small, brown and white bird perched on a reed among tall grasses and plants.

  • Melospiza melodia

    All subspecies have long, rounded tail, pumped in flight. All show broad grayish eye brow & broad, dark malar stripe bordering whitish throat. Upperparts are usually streaked. Under‐ parts whitish, with streaking on sides & breast that often converges in a central spot.

A small bird with brown and white plumage, black and white striped head, perched on a rock with a green blurred background.

  • Zonotrichia leucophrys

    Black & white striped crown; pink, orange or yellowish bill; whitish throat; underparts mostly gray.

Small bird with a black head and brown body walking on a brick sidewalk.

  • Junco hyemalis

    Variable. Most subspecies with gray or brown head & breast.

    In flight, white outer tail feathers.

Small bird perched on a black wire against a clear blue sky.

  • Sturnella neglecta

    Black V‐shaped breast band on yellow under‐ parts but in spring & summer yellow extends well into the submoustachial area, especially in males; yellow often veiled in fall.

A black bird with a red patch on its wing perched on green leafy branches outdoors.

  • Agelaius phoeniceus

    Glossy black male has red shoulder patches broadly tipped with buffy yellow.

    Females are dark brown above, heavily streaked below; sometimes show a red tinge on wing cov‐ erts or pinkish wash on chin & throat.

A black bird perched on a wooden branch by the water.

  • Euphagus cyanocephalus

    Male has yellow eyes. Black overall with purplish gloss on head & neck, greenish gloss on body & wings.

    Female’s eyes are usually brown.

A black bird standing on the ground among pieces of wood and dirt.

  • Quiscalus mexicanus

    A large grackle with very long, keel‐shaped tail & golden yellow eyes. Adult male is iridescent black with purple sheen on head, back & under‐ parts. Adult female’s upperparts are brown; un‐ derparts cinnamon‐buff on breast to grayish brown on belly; shows less iridescence than male.

Blackbird standing on dirt ground with green plants in the background.

  • Molothrus ater

    Male’s brown head contrasts with metallic green‐black body.

    Female is gray‐brown above, paler below.

A male house finch perched on a branch in front of a blurred green background.

  • Carpodacus mexicanus

    Male has brown cap; front of head, bib, & rump are typically red but can vary to orange or occasionally yellow. Bib is clearly set off from streaked underparts. Tail is squarish.

    Adult female are streaked with brown overall.

Two yellow and black finches perched on a black metal pole

  • Spinus tristis

    Breeding adult male is bright yellow w/ black cap; black wings have white bars, yellow shoulder patch; tail is black & white. Female is duller overall, olive above; lacks black cap & yellow shoulder patch. White undertail cov‐ erts distinguish female from Lesser Goldfinches. Winter adults are either brownish or grayish above; bill darker. Male may show some black on forehead.

A small yellow and black bird perched on a branch in a garden with green plants.

  • Spinus psaltria

    Smaller than American Goldfinch. All birds have a white wing patch at base of primaries. Entire crown black on adult male; back varies from black in eastern part of range to greenish in western birds. Most adult females are dull yellow below.

A roadrunner bird standing on green grass with its tail raised, black and white patterned feathers, and a tall crest on its head.

  • Geococcyx californianus

    The Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) is a large, ground-dwelling bird found in the deserts and scrublands of the southwestern United States and Mexico. It has a distinctive appearance with a long tail, strong legs, and a shaggy crest. Its plumage is mottled brown and white, providing excellent camouflage in arid environments. The bird has a long, slightly curved bill and an expressive bare patch of skin behind the eye that can flash blue and red when excited. Despite being capable of flight, it spends most of its time on the ground, where it can run at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. The Greater Roadrunner is an opportunistic predator, feeding on insects, lizards, snakes, small mammals, and even other birds.