Birds of Kern County, California

bold italics with asterisk * = CBRC review species

ITALICS WITH ASTERISK * = exceptional, rare visitants or vagrants

(E) = endangered species; (T) = threatened species; (FP) = Fully Protected by CDFG; (CSC) = species of concern; sensitive = listed as sensitive with USFS or BLM; (W) = Audubon watch list; (I) = introduced

Total number of species: 430 native + 15 introduced = 445 (California Condor may be treated as introduced)

LINK to: Birds of Kern County, California: A photo checklist

FYI: Recent American Ornithologist's Union checklists and supplements 36th through 52nd editions yield the following changes relevant to Kern County birders. Changes to taxonomic nomenclature current as of 31 July 2011.

AOU 36th supplement, 1987. Red-eyed Vireo was split, with Yellow-green Vireo, Vireo flavoviridus recognized as a full species.

AOU 37th supplement, 1989. Collared Dove changed to Eurasian Collared-Dove. Common Barn Owl changed to Barn Owl. Western Flycatcher was split into Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis and Cordilleran Flycatcher, Empidonax occidentalis. (Pacific-slope Flycatcher is found in our area and resides in and to the west of the Sierra Nevada and Cascade mountains, while the Cordilleran species is found to the east). Eye-browed Thrush spelling changed to  Eyebrowed Thrush. Water Pipit changed to American Pipit, Anthus rubescens. Brown Towhee was split into California Towhee, Pipilo crissalis and Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus.

AOU 38th supplement, 1991. no changes relevant to Kern County.

AOU 39th supplement, 1994. Green-backed Heron changed to Green Heron, Butorides virescens. Lesser Golden-Plover split into American Golden-Plover, Pluvialis dominica (spelling change in 40th, revised in 41st) and Pacific Golden-Plover, Pluvialis fulva. Herring Gull was split into Herring Gull, Larus argentatus and Yellow-legged Gull, Larus cachinnans. Black-shouldered Kite reverts to White-tailed Kite, Elanus leucurus. Rosy Finch reverts to three separate species. Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis, Black Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte atrata, and Brown-capped Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte australis.

AOU 40th supplement, 1995. Great Egret changed to Ardea alba. Northern Flicker was split into Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus and Gilded Flicker, Colaptes chrysoides. Scrub Jay was split into Western Scrub-Jay, Aphelocoma californica, Florida Scrub-Jay, Aphelocoma coeruluscens, and Island Scrub-Jay, Aphelocoma insularis. Gray-cheeked Thrush split into Gray-cheeked Thrush, Catharus minimus and Bicknell's Thrush, Catharus bicknelli. Rufous-sided Towhee was (re)split into Eastern Towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus and Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus. Sharp-tailed Sparrow was split into Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ammodramus caudacutus and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow, Ammodramus nelsoni. Northern Oriole was (re)split into Baltimore Oriole, Icterus galbula and Bullock's Oriole, Icterus bullockii.

AOU 41st supplement, 1997. Ross' Goose spelling changed to Ross's Goose. Harris' Hawk spelling changed to Harris's Hawk. Burrowing Owl changed back to Athene cunicularia. (It was changed in the 38th but reverts in the 41st). Lewis' Woodpecker spelling changed to Lewis's Woodpecker. Olive-sided Flycatcher changed to species cooperi. Cliff Swallow and Cave Swallow changed to genus Petrochelidon. Titmice changed to genus Baeolophus. Plain Titmouse was split into Juniper Titmouse, Baeolophus griseus and Oak Titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus. (Oak Titmouse occurs commonly in our area, in the Sierra Nevada mountains and west and the Juniper Titmouse occurs east of the Sierra Nevada but is exceptionally rare in Kern). Chickadees changed to the genus Poecile. Solitary Vireo was split into Blue-headed Vireo, Vireo solitarius, Plumbeous Vireo, Vireo plumbeus and Cassin's Vireo, Vireo cassini. Harris' Sparrow spelling changed to Harris's Sparrow.

AOU 42nd supplement, 2000. Oldsquaw common name changed to Long-tailed Duck. Black-billed Magpie specific epithet changed to Pica hudsonia. Juniper Titmouse specific epithet changed to Baeolophus ridgwayi (42^nd).

AOU 43rd supplement, 2002. Roseate Spoonbill genus changed to Platalea ajaja. Common Snipe Split--G. galinago delicata becomes Wilson's Snipe, Gallinago delicata. G. galinago galinago becomes Common Snipe, Galinago galinago, our local species is Wilson's Snipe, where Common Snipe distributed in Eurasia. Red Phalarope specific epithet gender changed to match genus Phalaropus fulicarius. Blue Grosbeak genus changed to Passerina caerulea.

AOU 44th supplement, 2003. Anseriformes and Galliformes move above Gaviiformes due to recent DNA evidence. Columba livia common name changes to Rock Pigeon to conform with British Ornithologists’ Union (1992) usage. Band-tailed Pigeon genus changed to Patagioenas fasciata.  Western Screech-Owl genus changed to Megascops kennicottii. Many changes are anticipated especially within the Passeriformes. Look to the 45th supplement to offer significant changes in order and relationships.

AOU 45th supplement, 2004. Cackling Goose has been split and is now a separate species from Canada Goose: Kern County records are for one subspecies of Canada Goose, Branta canadensis moffitti and two subspecies of Cackling Goose,  Branta hutchinsii leucopareia and B. h. minima. See Angus Wilson's explanation of Canada Goose subspecies web site at ... http://www.oceanwanderers.com/CAGO.Subspecies.html. Spotted Sandpiper specific epithet gender changed to match genus Actitis macularius.

AOU 46th supplement, 2005. No changes relevant to Kern County.

AOU 47th supplement, 2006. Blue Grouse has been split to coastal populations Sooty Grouse - Dendragapus fuliginosus and interior populations Dusky Grouse Dendragapus obscurus. Kern and Tulare County species now named Sooty Grouse because of the yellow gular sacs and the strong deep hoot. Changed Ringed-turtle Dove - Streptopelia risoria to conform with name from native populations African Collared-Dove - Streptopelia roseogrisea (I). Changed scientific names of Least Tern - Sternula antillarum, Caspian Tern - Hydroprogne caspia, Wandering Tatter - Tringa incana and Willet - Tringa semipalmata.  Rearranged order of some Scolopacidae, and Sterninae.

AOU 48th supplement, 2007. The family Cathartidae is moved back to the Order FALCONIFORMES just before the Suborder ACCIPITRES under the heading Suborder CATHARTAE: American Vultures. This family was moved to the order Ciconiiformes (AOU 1998) but is now tentatively returned to the order Falconiformes after re-evaluation of the reasons for the earlier change. Further, some genetic studies (Cracraft et al. 2004, Fain and Houde 2004, Ericson et al. 2006) have shown that the New World vultures are not closely related to the storks, although their precise phylogenetic relationship to the Falconiformes is yet undetermined. Genus of Belted Kingfisher changes to Megaceryle alcyon from Ceryle alcyon.

AOU 49th supplement, 2008. The order of Laridae changed significantly as a result of the 2008 update to the 7th edition in addition the following generic changes Larus philadelphia changed to Chroicocephalus philadelphia (Bonaparte’s Gull), Larus minutus changed to Hydrocoloeus minutus (Little Gull) Larus atricilla changed to Leucophaeus atricilla (Laughing Gull) Larus pipixcan changed to Leucophaeus pipixcan (Franklin’s Gull).

AOU  50th supplement, 2009. These are the following changes pertinent to Kern County only. The sequence of families and subfamilies in GALLIFORMES were changed to: ODONTOPHORIDAE, PHASIANIDAE, Phasianinae, Tetraoninae, Meleagridinae: Quail are now before Chukar, Grouse, and Turkey.
The common name of Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow was shortened to Nelson’s Sparrow.
The Genus Piranga (Tanagers) was moved into Cardinalidae in front of the genus Pheucticus.
The genus of all of the goldfinches in Kern changed in the 50th supplement, from Carduelis to Spinus, therefore the following four species are now: Spinus pinus (Pine Siskin), Spinus psaltria (Lesser Goldfinch), Spinus lawrencei (Lawrence’s Goldfinch), Spinus tristis (American Goldfinch).

AOU  51st supplement, 2010. These are the following changes pertinent to Kern County only. Higher-level taxonomic changes include the addition of two new orders that were split from existing orders:
Suliformes (Frigatebirds, boobies, cormorants, darters, and allies)
Accipitriformes (Hawks, kites, eagles, and allies). Two families (Ardeidae and Threskiornithidae) are transferred from the order Ciconiiformes to the order Pelecaniformes. New linear sequences are adopted for species in the genera Cyanolyca, Aimophila, and Pipilo, and the sequences of genera within the Cotingidae and portions of the Corvidae and Emberizidae are rearranged to reflect new findings on relationships. The family placement of one species (Chamaea fasciata) is changed on the basis of new information on its phylogenetic relationships. The English group names of three orders (Pelecaniformes, Ciconiiformes, and Falconiformes), one suborder (Pelecani), and three families (Ramphastidae, Sylviidae, and Cardinalidae) are modified because of changes to the composition of these groups.

* Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus, Formerly considered a single species – Winter Wren T. hiemalis – and now two species based on differences in songs and calls, plumage, and lack of hybridization.
Changes to species names:
* Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera - Formerly Vermivora pinus
* Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina - Formerly Vermivora peregrina
* Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata - Formerly Vermivora celata
* Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla - Formerly Vermivora ruficapilla
* Virginia’s Warbler Oreothlypis virginiae - Formerly Vermivora virginiae
* Lucy’s Warbler Oreothlypis luciae - Formerly Vermivora luciae
* Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis - Formerly Seiurus noveboracensis
* Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla - Formerly Seiurus motacilla
* California Towhee Melozone crissalis - Formerly Pipilo crissalis
* Cassin’s Sparrow Peucaea cassinii - Formerly Aimophila cassinii

* McCown’s Longspur Rhynchophanes mccownii - Formerly Calcarius mccownii

AOU  52nd supplement, 2011. These are the following changes pertinent to Kern County only. Changes in this supplement include the following: Major reorder of Warblers. Replace genus Dendroica with genus Setophaga. Change of several species names plus one common name. Found some errors in the order of species on this checklist which was brought up to date.
Changes to species names:
* Common Gallinule - Gallinula galeata, Formerly - Common Moorhen, Gallinula chloropus
Snowy Plover - Charadrius nivosus, Formerly - Charadrius alexandrinus
MacGillivray's Warbler - Geothlypis tolmiei, Formerly - Oporornis tolmiei
Mourning Warbler - Geothlypis philadelphia, Formerly - Oporornis philadelphia
Kentucky Warbler - Geothlypis formosa, Formerly - Oporornis formosus
Hooded Warbler - Setophaga citrina, Formerly - Wilsonia citrina
Cape May Warbler - Setophaga tigrina, Formerly - Dendroica tigrina
Cerulean Warbler - Setophaga cerulea, Formerly - Dendroica cerulea
Northern Parula - Setophaga americana, Formerly - Parula americana
Magnolia Warbler - Setophaga magnolia, Formerly - Dendroica magnolia
Bay-breasted Warbler - Setophaga castanea, Formerly - Dendroica castanea
Blackburnian Warbler - Setophaga fusca, Formerly - Dendroica fusca
Yellow Warbler - Setophaga petechia, Formerly - Dendroica petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler - Setophaga pensylvanica, Formerly - Dendroica pensylvanica
Blackpoll Warbler - Setophaga striata, Formerly - Dendroica striata
Black-throated Blue Warbler - Setophaga caerulescens, Formerly - Dendroica caerulescens
Palm Warbler - Setophaga palmarum, Formerly - Dendroica palmarum
Yellow-rumped Warbler - Setophaga coronata, Formerly - Dendroica coronata
Yellow-throated Warbler - Setophaga dominica, Formerly - Dendroica dominica
Prairie Warbler - Setophaga discolor, Formerly - Dendroica discolor
Black-throated Gray Warbler - Setophaga nigrescens, Formerly - Dendroica nigrescens
Townsend's Warbler - Setophaga townsendi, Formerly - Dendroica townsendi
Hermit Warbler - Setophaga occidentalis, Formerly - Dendroica occidentalis
Black-throated Green Warbler - Setophaga virens, Formerly - Dendroica virens
Canada Warbler - Cardellina canadensis, Formerly - Wilsonia canadensis
Wilson's Warbler - Cardellina pusilla, Formerly - Wilsonia pusilla

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