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North America, David Allen Sibley Allen David America, North

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Resources

for smartphones and computers. Most include songs! songs! include Most computers. and smartphones for

female incubates the eggs and feeds the young. young. the feeds and eggs the incubates female

An Internet search will show many birdwatching apps apps birdwatching many show will search Internet An take care of their nestlings. In others, only the the only others, In nestlings. their of care take Songbird Songbird

Hear the Songbirds the Hear Both the male and female adults of some species species some of adults female and male the Both

communicate during all seasons. seasons. all during communicate

shorter and simpler sounds known as calls, used to to used calls, as known sounds simpler and shorter

attracting predators. Songbirds also produce other other produce also Songbirds predators. attracting

tend to stop singing when close to the nest to avoid avoid to nest the to close when singing stop to tend

a nest full of young birds will be the result. Males Males result. the be will birds young of full nest a

plumage and vibrant song will attract a mate, and and mate, a attract will song vibrant and plumage

goes well, the irresistible combination of colorful colorful of combination irresistible the well, goes

other birds of the same species to stay away. If all all If away. stay to species same the of birds other

their claim to nesting territories and to warn warn to and territories nesting to claim their sweet trill. sweet

through mid-summer. They use songs to announce announce to songs use They mid-summer. through collection of burr-like buzzing, ending in a long, long, a in ending buzzing, burr-like of collection

spring mornings, and many sing from mid-winter mid-winter from sing many and mornings, spring singer, this wren produces a complex and variable variable and complex a produces wren this singer,

Male songbirds pour forth their melodies on on melodies their forth pour songbirds Male easily identifiable. easily the wren scolds territorial intruders. As a loud loud a As intruders. territorial scolds wren the

song (cheerily-cheeri-up-cheerio), make the robin robin the make (cheerily-cheeri-up-cheerio), song stiff, vertical tilt and waved about threateningly as as threateningly about waved and tilt vertical stiff, grasp their perch, even while sleeping. while even perch, their grasp

this thrush, combined with its elegantly cheerful cheerful elegantly its with combined thrush, this wrens. The Bewick’s long tail is usually held in a a in held usually is tail long Bewick’s The wrens. one facing back, allowing them to easily easily to them allowing back, facing one

of the soil. The handsome rust-colored breast of of breast rust-colored handsome The soil. the of distinguishes this year-round resident from other other from resident year-round this distinguishes feet have three toes facing forward and and forward facing toes three have feet

and listening for them as they squirm near the top top the near squirm they as them for listening and nest site. The striking white eyebrow stripe stripe eyebrow white striking The site. nest ” Their Their ” birds. perching “ as known

in grassy patches as it hunts worms by watching watching by worms hunts it as patches grassy in and crevices for a possible insect meal or future future or meal insect possible a for crevices and world, songbirds are also also are songbirds world,

undeveloped areas of California. Look for this bird bird this for Look California. of areas undeveloped always-curious Bewick’s wren inspects cracks cracks inspects wren Bewick’s always-curious half of all bird species in the the in species bird all of half

America, the robin is also widespread in in widespread also is robin the America, chaparral, or probing around your house, the the house, your around probing or chaparral, people. Making up almost almost up Making people.

An all-time backyard favorite in much of North North of much in favorite backyard all-time An Flitting through parkland open forest and scrubby scrubby and forest open parkland through Flitting

pleasing sounds to many many to sounds pleasing

their songs are familiar, familiar, are songs their 8½-10 inches 8½-10 Length: 4½-5¼ inches 4½-5¼ Length: S

beautiful, and and beautiful,

Turdus migratorius Turdus Thryomanes bewickii Thryomanes

are often often are

American Robin American Bewick’s Wren Bewick’s ongbirds ongbirds

Common Songbirds Wilson’s Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler in the East Bay Wilsonia pusilla Dendroica coronata Regional Park District Length: 4½-5 inches Length: 5-6 inches 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 This dazzling, yellow warbler can be easy to spot, One of the most abundant warbler species, this 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 ( TR S 711) but difficult to positively identify because it almost dazzling bird is identified by its bright yellow rump ebparks.org never stops moving. A tireless insectivore, the patch. The male “butter butt” in breeding plumage Wilson’s warbler seems to chase bugs constantly also has bright yellow on the sides, throat, and by gleaning, probing, and suddenly flitting upward crown as well as black (sometimes dark blue-gray) Visitor Centers to snatch airborne prey. While the yellow and on the breast and cheeks. His song is a sweet olive-green female Wilson’s might be confused with warble. Look for yellow-rumps foraging for insects Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont another warbler species, the silky black cap of the in trees and tall shrubs, sometimes flying up to catch 510-544-2797, [email protected] male is distinctive. They are fond of water; you may them in the air. Big Break Regional Shoreline, Oakley get a good look at this bird by pausing quietly near Big Break Visitor Center at the Delta the shallow edge of a stream or pond. 510-544-3050, [email protected] Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch 510-544-2750, [email protected] Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont 510-544-3220, [email protected] Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium 510-544-3187, [email protected] Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore 510-544-3146, [email protected] Open summer weekends Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks, Hayward 510-544-3220 (Coyote Hills), [email protected] Open summer weekends Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol 510-544-3249, [email protected] Open weekends only Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Botanic Garden: 510-544-3169, [email protected] Tilden Nature Area/Environmental Education Center 510-544-2233, [email protected]

Regional Parks Membership enjoy free day-use parking, swimming, dog pass, and more. 510-544-2220 regionalparksfoundation.org

On the cover: Song sparrow. Photos courtesy Jerry Ting 20190813

• • ww.goldengateaudubon.org w differently than the recording. the than differently

in the East Bay Regional Parks. Regional Bay East the in

recordings

Birder Resources Birder you hear in the wild may sound sound may wild the in hear you

many songbird species commonly seen and heard heard and seen commonly species songbird many

Songbird audio audio Songbird

even by the individual bird, so what what so bird, individual the by even The following are just a few favorites among the the among favorites few a just are following The

Donald and Lillian Stokes Lillian and Donald

Songs sometimes vary by region and and region by vary sometimes Songs

eld Guide to the Birds, Western Region, Region, Western Birds, the to Guide eld  Fi • songbirds, the experience is sure to be rewarding! be to sure is experience the songbirds,

www.ebparks.org/songbirds. to

this brochure. In whatever way you choose to study study to choose you way whatever In brochure. this

National Wildlife Federation Wildlife National

camera, its QR code reader, or go go or reader, code QR its camera,

possible to see and hear many of the birds listed in in listed birds the of many hear and see to possible

eld Guide to the Birds of North America, America, North of Birds the to Guide eld   Fi •

this QR code with a smart phone phone smart a with code QR this

neighborhood, or even your backyard, it may be be may it backyard, your even or neighborhood,

of the birds in this brochure, scan scan brochure, this in birds the of National Geographic National

When exploring your East Bay Regional Parks, your your Parks, Regional Bay East your exploring When

To hear songbird audio clips clips audio songbird hear To eld Guide to the Birds of North America, America, North of Birds the to Guide eld  Fi •

sometimes even summer. summer. even sometimes

will be very stressful to the birds you are observing. are you birds the to stressful very be will stern Birds, Roger Tory Peterson Tory Roger Birds, stern  We •

beg the adults for food through late spring and and spring late through food for adults the beg

competing “bird” (the sound coming from your phone) phone) your from coming sound (the “bird” competing

the nest and start flying), they often continue to to continue often they flying), start and nest the

North America, David Allen Sibley Allen David America, North

; the sudden appearance of a a of appearance sudden the ; outside recordings

begging for food. Once the young birds fledge (leave (leave fledge birds young the Once food. for begging

• • e Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western Western of Birds to Guide Field Sibley e  Th

DO NOT play play NOT DO please However, birds. identify to way

chirping aggressively when their parents are close, close, are parents their when aggressively chirping

Field Guides Field

Comparing recordings with live songs is an excellent excellent an is songs live with recordings Comparing

During the spring, listen for baby birds in the nest nest the in birds baby for listen spring, the During

Resources Resources

for smartphones and computers. Most include songs! songs! include Most computers. and smartphones for

female incubates the eggs and feeds the young. young. the feeds and eggs the incubates female

An Internet search will show many birdwatching apps apps birdwatching many show will search Internet An take care of their nestlings. In others, only the the only others, In nestlings. their of care take Songbird Songbird

Hear the Songbirds the Hear Both the male and female adults of some species species some of adults female and male the Both

communicate during all seasons. seasons. all during communicate

shorter and simpler sounds known as calls, used to to used calls, as known sounds simpler and shorter

attracting predators. Songbirds also produce other other produce also Songbirds predators. attracting

tend to stop singing when close to the nest to avoid avoid to nest the to close when singing stop to tend

a nest full of young birds will be the result. Males Males result. the be will birds young of full nest a

plumage and vibrant song will attract a mate, and and mate, a attract will song vibrant and plumage

goes well, the irresistible combination of colorful colorful of combination irresistible the well, goes

other birds of the same species to stay away. If all all If away. stay to species same the of birds other

their claim to nesting territories and to warn warn to and territories nesting to claim their sweet trill. sweet

through mid-summer. They use songs to announce announce to songs use They mid-summer. through collection of burr-like buzzing, ending in a long, long, a in ending buzzing, burr-like of collection

spring mornings, and many sing from mid-winter mid-winter from sing many and mornings, spring singer, this wren produces a complex and variable variable and complex a produces wren this singer,

Male songbirds pour forth their melodies on on melodies their forth pour songbirds Male easily identifiable. easily the wren scolds territorial intruders. As a loud loud a As intruders. territorial scolds wren the

song (cheerily-cheeri-up-cheerio), make the robin robin the make (cheerily-cheeri-up-cheerio), song stiff, vertical tilt and waved about threateningly as as threateningly about waved and tilt vertical stiff, grasp their perch, even while sleeping. while even perch, their grasp

this thrush, combined with its elegantly cheerful cheerful elegantly its with combined thrush, this wrens. The Bewick’s long tail is usually held in a a in held usually is tail long Bewick’s The wrens. one facing back, allowing them to easily easily to them allowing back, facing one

of the soil. The handsome rust-colored breast of of breast rust-colored handsome The soil. the of distinguishes this year-round resident from other other from resident year-round this distinguishes feet have three toes facing forward and and forward facing toes three have feet

and listening for them as they squirm near the top top the near squirm they as them for listening and nest site. The striking white eyebrow stripe stripe eyebrow white striking The site. nest ” Their Their ” birds. perching “ as known

in grassy patches as it hunts worms by watching watching by worms hunts it as patches grassy in and crevices for a possible insect meal or future future or meal insect possible a for crevices and world, songbirds are also also are songbirds world,

undeveloped areas of California. Look for this bird bird this for Look California. of areas undeveloped always-curious Bewick’s wren inspects cracks cracks inspects wren Bewick’s always-curious half of all bird species in the the in species bird all of half

America, the robin is also widespread in in widespread also is robin the America, chaparral, or probing around your house, the the house, your around probing or chaparral, people. Making up almost almost up Making people.

An all-time backyard favorite in much of North North of much in favorite backyard all-time An Flitting through parkland open forest and scrubby scrubby and forest open parkland through Flitting

pleasing sounds to many many to sounds pleasing

their songs are familiar, familiar, are songs their 8½-10 inches 8½-10 Length: 4½-5¼ inches 4½-5¼ Length: S

beautiful, and and beautiful,

Turdus migratorius Turdus Thryomanes bewickii Thryomanes

are often often are

Robin American Bewick’s Wren Bewick’s ongbirds ongbirds

Common Songbirds Wilson’s Warbler Yellow-rumped Warbler in the East Bay Wilsonia pusilla Dendroica coronata Regional Park District Length: 4½-5 inches Length: 5-6 inches 2950 Peralta Oaks Court, Oakland, CA 94605 This dazzling, yellow warbler can be easy to spot, One of the most abundant warbler species, this 1-888-EBPARKS or 1-888-327-2757 ( TR S 711) but difficult to positively identify because it almost dazzling bird is identified by its bright yellow rump ebparks.org never stops moving. A tireless insectivore, the patch. The male “butter butt” in breeding plumage Wilson’s warbler seems to chase bugs constantly also has bright yellow on the sides, throat, and by gleaning, probing, and suddenly flitting upward crown as well as black (sometimes dark blue-gray) Visitor Centers to snatch airborne prey. While the yellow and on the breast and cheeks. His song is a sweet olive-green female Wilson’s might be confused with warble. Look for yellow-rumps foraging for insects Ardenwood Historic Farm, Fremont another warbler species, the silky black cap of the in trees and tall shrubs, sometimes flying up to catch 510-544-2797, [email protected] male is distinctive. They are fond of water; you may them in the air. Big Break Regional Shoreline, Oakley get a good look at this bird by pausing quietly near Big Break Visitor Center at the Delta the shallow edge of a stream or pond. 510-544-3050, [email protected] Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve, Antioch 510-544-2750, [email protected] Coyote Hills Regional Park, Fremont 510-544-3220, [email protected] Crown Memorial State Beach, Alameda Crab Cove Visitor Center and Aquarium 510-544-3187, [email protected] Del Valle Regional Park, Livermore 510-544-3146, [email protected] Open summer weekends Garin/Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Parks, Hayward 510-544-3220 (Coyote Hills), [email protected] Open summer weekends Sunol-Ohlone Regional Wilderness, Sunol 510-544-3249, [email protected] Open weekends only Tilden Regional Park, Berkeley Botanic Garden: 510-544-3169, [email protected] Tilden Nature Area/Environmental Education Center 510-544-2233, [email protected]

Regional Parks Membership enjoy free day-use parking, swimming, dog pass, and more. 510-544-2220 regionalparksfoundation.org

On the cover: Song sparrow. Photos courtesy Jerry Ting Soy Ink Bug 20190813 goes here Common Songbirds in the East Bay Regional Park District

Black-Headed Grosbeak Chestnut-backed Chickadee Pheucticus melanocephalus Poecile rufescens Length: 7-8 inches Length: 4-4½ inches A major celebrity of the songbird world, the Naturalist Aldo Leopold once called the chickadee black-headed grosbeak’s spectacular color a “small bundle of large enthusiasms.” Partial to and robust size add to the joy of hearing its treetops, these lively birds dangle fearlessly like tiny rich, warbling song (similar, but more complex acrobats as they work to extract insects. Look for a than the American robin’s song). Black-headed tiny bird with a black cap and bib, and rust-colored grosbeaks are most common in oak woodlands, back and sides. Chickadees are quite vocal birds, streamside habitats, and among groves of calling to one another often as they forage with a conifers. Consuming both insects and seeds, cheerful raspy chickadee-dee. Both male and female grosbeaks sometimes appear at backyard feeding care for the young. Sunflower seeds and suet attract stations, where they dash in to snatch a seed them to backyard feeders. before shyly disappearing into nearby vegetation.

Goldfinch Hermit Thrush Carduelis tristis Catharus guttatus Length: 4½-5 inches Length: 6-7 inches

Once referred to as wild canaries, goldfinches are The song of this small, spotted brown thrush social songsters, often traveling in flocks. The male is usually heard in forests and is considered by American goldfinch is the most vivid yellow of many to be among the most beautiful of any our three local species, while the lesser goldfinch songbird. Described as “flute-like” and liquid in (pictured above) is the most common in the East nature, the hermit’s exquisite song must be heard Bay. Finches feed on weed seeds, flower buds, to be believed. A sharply pointed bill, distinct and occasionally insects. Their undulating, “roller dark spots on the creamy breast, rust-red rump coaster” flight pattern and tendency to sing jubilantly and tail, and nervous wing-flicking behavior help while aloft make them easier to identify. Often identify this inconspicuous bird that will thrill you goldfinches can be attracted to residential feeding with its voice. stations stocked with thistle seed.

Northern Mockingbird Oak Titmouse Song Sparrow White-Crowned Sparrow Mimus polyglottoss Baeolophus inornatus Melospiza melodia Zonotrichia leucophrys Length: 8-10 inches Length: 5-5½ inches Length: 5-7 inches Length: 6-7 inches A neighborhood and parkland favorite, the The head-feathers that point up into a crest make this At first glance the song sparrow seems a rather Plump and striking in its appearance, the white- mockingbird has literally hundreds of songs in otherwise plain and grayish bird easy to recognize. Its unassuming “little brown bird.” Its most distinctive crowned sparrow is a common visitor to residential its repertoire. Its scientific name means “many- unique, loud, and jubilant teedle-ee teedle-ee song has field mark is the dark spot centered on the seed feeders, and a year-round resident in the Bay tongued mimic.” In addition to composing his own been called “the heart and soul of the oak forest.” Its streaked brown breast. However, when the male of Area. The bold black and white crown stripes are brilliant vocal productions, the male mockingbird frequent call, however, sounds a lot like a chickadee. this species belts out his sweet and highly complex key diagnostic markings for this species, which imitates other birds and animals, car alarms, and a Just as fun to watch as to listen to, the oak titmouse is springtime song, he lays legitimate claim to the often feed on the ground. Look for white-crowns host of other inanimate noise makers. Expressing energetic in its quest for insects and seeds as it hops title “songbird.” When flushed from its streamside energetically scratch-kicking through leaf-litter his mid-winter through summer-time passion with around branches of trees, especially oaks. Sometimes habitat, this sparrow pumps its tail vigorously as for seeds as you hike parkland trails. In the winter wild abandon, the male often sings loudly at night. it uses its beak to loudly crack open seeds and acorns. it flies low and zips back into hiding. Coyote Hills white-crowns often mix with golden-crowned Sleekly elegant in gray plumage with white wing Regional Park and other shoreline parks along sparrows, whose descending “oh dear me” whistling patches, mockingbirds eat insects and berries and San Francisco Bay provide critical habitat for a song is a familiar wintry sound. can be easily attracted to backyard feeders. special race of this species, the Alameda salt marsh song sparrow. This bird is listed by the state as a “species of special concern.”

Spotted Towhee Purple Finch and House Finch Pipilo maculatus Haemorhous purpureus and Thryomanes bewickii Length: 7-8½ Length: 5-6½ inches inches Two different species that are sometimes hard to tell apart, the males of both purple and house finches This large, belt out a long and cheerful song. Purple finches are colorful sparrow has misnamed since the male’s bright red has only a subtle a call like a door-bell rosy tint, which extends further down on its body buzzer, and a song compared with the house finch. House finch males that is a simple, light-hearted trill. Spending much have a truer red color and dark streaking on their of its time feeding on the ground underneath breast. Contrary to their name, they live in a wide dense bushes, the towhee noisily scratch-kicks dry variety of habitats as well as around houses, and they leaf litter to uncover hidden seeds. You will usually are generally more common than the forest-dwelling hear it long before it appears in the open, but purple finches. Both eat lots of seeds, berries and seeing its black, rust-red, and crisp white coloring flower buds, while the purple finch eats more insects, is worth the wait. especially in summer.