American Bittern by Alison Sheehey © 2000

 

BIRDS OF KERN NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE

Delano, California

KNWR     Checklist of Birds of Pixley NWR     Mammals of KNWR     Pixley NWR

Alison Sheehey © Nature Ali Publications

Kern National Wildlife Refuge is found just south of the historic Tulare Lake in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The region was a vast wetland prior to the 1900's where millions of birds could be found thriving in the appropriate season. Starting in the 1850's and ending in the early 1950's most of the wetlands were drained and reclaimed for agriculture. With the damming of the San Joaquin valley rivers for flood control and irrigation purposes, the lake and marsh water supply was finally depleted.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge was established on November 18, 1960 to resurrect a portion of a lost ecosystem. This 11,249-acre refuge restores a small segment of extremely valuable waterfowl habitat and plays an important role in the success of avifauna using the Pacific Flyway.

Birding is best on the refuge October through March. Migrating and wintering species provide the greatest numbers and variety of birds. Refuge ponds are usually dry between May and August, mostly to control disease vectors that arise in the heat of the summer. The summer months can be extremely dusty, hot, and dry. Although this results in fewer opportunities to observe wildlife, birding can still prove rewarding.

The refuge headquarters is located at the junction of Garces Highway and Corcoran Road, 18 miles west of Delano, California.

The seasons and status of the 226 species listed are coded as follows.

Season Designations

Sp - Spring, March to May
S - Summer, June to August
F - Fall, September to November
W - Winter, December to February

Abundance Symbols

a - abundant species
c - common, certain to be seen in proper habitat
u - uncommon, present but not certain to be seen
o - occasionally seen
r - rarely seen
x - accidental, outside of normal species range
(I)  - species introduced to the region by man

* - species known to nest here

WATERFOWL                            

 Sp  S F W
___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck                       x x x x
___ Greater White-Fronted Goose                  o - o o
___ Snow Goose                                   o - o o
___ Ross' Goose                                 - - r r
___ Brant                                        x - - x
___ Cackling Goose                                 - - - -
___ Canada Goose                                 u r u u
___ Tundra Swan                                  - - - r
___ Wood Duck                                    u - u u
___ Gadwall*                   a c a a
___ Eurasian Wigeon      x - - x
___ American Wigeon* a o a a
___ Mallard*      c c a a
___ Blue-winged Teal*          o o o o
___ Cinnamon Teal*              a c o c
___ Northern Shoveler*        a u a a
___ Northern Pintail*           a c a a
___ Green-winged Teal*                           c c a a
___ Canvasback*                            o r o o
___ Redhead*                               u o u u
___ Ring-necked Duck                     u r u c
___ Greater Scaup                      x - x x
___ Lesser Scaup                        - o o o
___ Bufflehead                     u - u u
___ Common Goldeneye                  r - r r
___ Barrow's Goldeneye                  - - - x
___ Hooded Merganser               - - r r
___ Common Merganser            o - o o
___ Red-breasted Merganser       x - - -
___ Ruddy Duck*   c c c c

GALLINACEOUS BIRDS  

 Sp  S  F  W 
___ Ring-necked Pheasant (I) *                   a a a a
___ Scaled Quail (I)       x - - -
___ California Quail        r r r r

GREBES

 Sp  S F W
___ Pied-billed Grebe* c  c  c c
___ Horned Grebe x - x r
___ Eared Grebe* c o c c
___ Western Grebe*  o o o u
___ Clark's Grebe* o o o u

PELICANS AND CORMORANTS

 Sp  S F W
___ American White Pelican  o  r  o o
___ Double-crested Cormorant  u o u u

BITTERNS, HERONS AND EGRETS

 Sp  S F W
___ American Bittern*                u  r  u o
___ Least Bittern                  o r r o
___ Great Blue Heron*        c c c c
___ Great Egret   c u c u
___ Snowy Egret*           c c u u
___ Cattle Egret*         u u u u
___ Green Heron  u u u u
___ Black-crowned Night-Heron*  c c c c
IBIS AND SPOONBILLS                             Sp  S F W
___ White-faced Ibis*  c c  u o
VULTURES  Sp  S F W
___ Turkey Vulture o o  o r
OSPREY, KITES, EAGLES AND HAWKS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Osprey r - r r
___ White-tailed Kite* c c c o
___ Bald Eagle r - - r
___ Northern Harrier* a c a a
___ Sharp-shinned Hawk c c c c
___ Cooper's Hawk u u u u
___ Red-shouldered Hawk r - r r
___ Swainson's Hawk r - r -
___ Red-tailed Hawk* c u a a
___ Ferruginous Hawk o - o o
___ Rough-legged Hawk r - r r
___ Golden Eagle o r o o
FALCONS   Sp  S  F  W 
___ American Kestrel*          c c c c
___ Merlin                  r - r r
___ Peregrine Falcon     o o o o
___ Prairie Falcon        o o o o
RAILS       Sp  S  F  W 
___ Virginia Rail*                              u u u u
___ Sora*                                   o u c c
___ Common Moorhen*                          u r c c
___ American Coot*                           a o a a
CRANES Sp  S  F  W 
___ Sandhill Crane   r - r r
PLOVERS    Sp  S  F  W 
___ Black-bellied Plover                u - u o
___ Snowy Plover                         o - - -
___ Semipalmated Plover                 o - o o
___ Killdeer*                          a a a a
___ Mountain Plover                            o - u u
STILTS AND AVOCETS Sp  S  F  W 
___ Black-necked Stilt*                      a a c c
___ American Avocet*       a a a r
SHOREBIRDS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Greater Yellowlegs             c - c c
___ Lesser Yellowlegs                   o - o o
___ Solitary Sandpiper                     r - - -
___ Willet                                o - o o
___ Wandering Tattler                   - - x -
___ Spotted Sandpiper                    u - o o
___ Whimbrel                           o - o -
___ Long-billed Curlew                 u o u c
___ Marbled Godwit                       o - o -
___ Ruddy Turnstone                        r - - -
___ Red Knot                             - r r -
___ Semipalmated Sandpiper                   x - - -
___ Western Sandpiper                       a o a o
___ Least Sandpiper                        c o a c
___ Baird's Sandpiper - - u -
___ Pectoral Sandpiper                    - - o -
___ Sharp-tailed Sandpiper                  x - - -
___ Dunlin                                  c - u o
___ Stilt Sandpiper       x - r -
___ Ruff     x  
___ Short-billed Dowitcher                    u o u o
___ Long-billed Dowitcher a  c  a  a 
SNIPE Sp  S  F  W 
___ Wilson's Snipe                     c o c c
PHALAROPES    Sp  S  F  W 
___ Wilson's Phalarope                      u o u -
___ Red-necked Phalarope     u - u -
GULLS AND TERNS Sp  S  F  W 
___ Bonaparte's Gull                    o o - -
___ Ring-billed Gull                     o c c c
___ California Gull                 c o o c
___ Herring Gull                  r r r r
___ Caspian Tern*                       o o o o
___ Common Tern                     - - r -
___ Forster's Tern               c c u u
___ Least Tern                          - x - -
___ Black Tern    r  r  -  - 
DOVES  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Rock Pigeon (I)                        o o o o
___ Mourning Dove*               c a a a
___ Common Ground Dove               - x - -
CUCKOOS   Sp  S  F W
___ Greater Roadrunner* c c c c
OWLS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Barn Owl*                           c c c c
___ Western Screech-Owl                 o o o o
___ Great Horned Owl*                  u u u u
___ Burrowing Owl*                      c c c c
___ Long-eared Owl*     - o - -
___ Short-eared Owl* u  u  o  o 
GOATSUCKERS     Sp  S  F  W 
___ Lesser Nighthawk                  c c o -
___ Common Poorwill             - u - -
SWIFTS   Sp S  F  W 
___ Vaux's Swift                       o - o -
HUMMINGBIRDS     Sp  S  F  W 
___ Black-chinned Hummingbird u c u -
___ Anna's Hummingbird*                       c c c c
___ Costa's Hummingbird          - - - r
___ Calliope Hummingbird           x - - -
___ Rufous Hummingbird           o - o -
KINGFISHERS Sp  S  F  W 
___ Belted Kingfisher           u - u u
WOODPECKERS    Sp  S  F  W 
___ Acorn Woodpecker                          o o o -
___ Nuttall's Woodpecker*                     o - o o
___ Downy Woodpecker                         - - u u
___ Northern Flicker             c o c c
FLYCATCHERS   Sp  S  F  W 
___ Olive-sided Flycatcher                  o o - -
___ Western Wood-Pewee                         c - u -
___ Willow Flycatcher                        - o - -
___ Hammond's Flycatcher                    u - o -
___ Gray Flycatcher                        r - r -
___ Dusky Flycatcher                      o - - -
___ Pacific Slope Flycatcher                u - u -
___ Black Phoebe*                             u u c c
___ Eastern Phoebe                           - x - -
___ Say's Phoebe                           u o u u
___ Vermilion Flycatcher                 x - x x
___ Ash-throated Flycatcher           u - u -
___ Western Kingbird*                    c c o -
SHRIKES  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Loggerhead Shrike*      a a c c
VIREOS    Sp  S  F  W 
___ Cassin's Vireo           u - u -
___ Warbling Vireo                     u - u -
___ Red-eyed Vireo                     x      
JAYS, MAGPIES AND CROWS   Sp  S  F  W 
___ Clark's Nutcracker         - - x -
___ American Crow*                     o o o o
___ Common Raven *                 c c c c
LARKS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Horned Lark*                        c c c c
SWALLOWS   Sp  S  F  W 
___ Tree Swallow                         c u a o
___ Violet-green Swallow                 u - u -
___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow         u - u -
___ Bank Swallow                          o o - -
___ Cliff Swallow*              a a o -
___ Barn Swallow*                     c c u -
Chickadees and Titmice Sp  S  F  W 
___ Oak Titmouse - x - -
Bushtits Sp  S  F  W 
___ Bushtit r r r -
Creepers Sp  S  F  W 
___ Brown Creeper - - - r
WRENS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Rock Wren                       - - r r
___ Bewick's Wren *                 - - o o
___ House Wren *                       o - o o
___ Marsh Wren*          a a a a
KINGLETS, BLUEBIRDS AND THRUSHES  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Golden-crowned Kinglet                   - - o o
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet                  u - u u
___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher              - - o -
       
___ Western Bluebird                  - - o o
___ Swainson's Thrush                          o - - -
___ Hermit Thrush                          u - u u
___ American Robin                 u - u u
___ Varied Thrush                   o - o o
MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS Sp  S  F  W 
___ Northern Mockingbird*                     u u u u
___ Sage Thrasher     o - o o
___ California Thrasher                           o o o o
Starlings Sp  S  F  W 
___ European Starling* u u u u
WAGTAILS AND PIPITS            Sp  S  F  W 
___ American Pipit                                       u - c c
WAXWINGS Sp  S  F  W 
___ Bohemian Waxwing           - - - x
___ Cedar Waxwing                              u - u o
WARBLERS   Sp  S  F  W 
___ Orange-crowned Warbler               u - u -
___ Nashville Warbler                     o - o -
___ Yellow Warbler                        c - c c
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler             c - c -
___ Black-throated Gray Warbler         u - u -
___ Townsend's Warbler                  o - - -
___ Hermit Warbler                     o - - -
___ MacGillivray's Warbler        u - u -
___ Common Yellowthroat               c u u u
___ Wilson's Warbler                 c - u -
___ Yellow-breasted Chat - r - -
TANAGERS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Western Tanager                   u u u -
TOWHEES AND SPARROWS    Sp  S  F  W 
___ Spotted Towhee   u - u u
___ Chipping Sparrow        u - u -
___ Vesper Sparrow            u - u u
___ Lark Sparrow                  u - u u
___ Sage Sparrow*               u u u u
___ Lark Bunting                - - x -
___ Savannah Sparrow c - c a
___ Fox Sparrow                    u - u u
___ Song Sparrow* c c c c
___ Lincoln's Sparrow              u - c c
___ Swamp Sparrow                          - - - x
___ White-crowned Sparrow              c - a a
___ Golden-crowned Sparrow           u - u r
___ Dark-eyed Junco                 o - c c
GROSBEAKS AND BUNTINGS  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Black-headed Grosbeak                     c u u -
___ Blue Grosbeak                         u u o -
BLACKBIRDS, MEADOWLARKS AND ORIOLES  Sp  S  F  W 
___ Red-winged Blackbird* a a a a
___ Tricolored Blackbird* a a a a
___ Western Meadowlark*     a a a a
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird*     a a c o
___ Brewer's Blackbird*         a a a a
___ Great-tailed Grackle*       c c c c
___ Brown-headed Cowbird*       c c u u
___ Hooded Oriole               o - - -
___ Bullock's Oriole*         c c r -
FINCHES Sp  S  F  W 
___ House Finch*                        c c c c
___ Pine Siskin                       r - r o
___ Lesser Goldfinch                 u - u u
___ American Goldfinch               u - u u
WEAVER FINCHES   Sp S F W 
___ House Sparrow (I)*  c c c c

Kern National Wildlife Refuge Complex
P.O. Box 670

Delano, CA 93216-0670

(661) 725 2767

Thanks to John Wilson, Luke Cole, Jack Allen, Al DeMartini, Mike Ritter and others for helping keep this checklist up to date.

 NATURE ALI     CHECKLISTS        Parrot Project of Bakersfield 

Field Guide to the Birds of Kern County      The Nature of Kern County    

Kern River Preserve        THE California PARROT PROJECT           NATURE ALI MYOTHERAPY

This page was created on February 22, 2000 and last updated on Saturday, January 07, 2012 .

Copyright © 1998-2012 Nature Ali. All rights reserved.

Click Here to Visit!