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Birds of San Diego, California

The birds most often spotted near San Diego, ranked by recent research-grade observations.

275,237
recent observations
50
species listed
50
birds

Naturalists have logged 275,237 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near San Diego. The most frequently seen is the Western Gull, with 15,106 recorded sightings.

Most-observed birds near San Diego

Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
15,106 observations
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
10,678 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
10,561 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
10,522 observations
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
10,258 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
9,791 observations
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
8,696 observations
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
8,599 observations
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
7,980 observations
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
7,422 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
6,899 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
6,805 observations
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria
6,508 observations
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
6,497 observations
Brandt's Cormorant
Urile penicillatus
6,241 observations
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
6,213 observations
American Coot
Fulica americana
5,956 observations
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
5,858 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
5,660 observations
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
5,350 observations
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
5,219 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
5,217 observations
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
5,034 observations
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
4,953 observations
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
4,845 observations · iNaturalist
Cassin's Kingbird
Tyrannus vociferans
4,723 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
4,656 observations
Allen's Hummingbird
Selasphorus sasin
4,506 observations
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana
4,412 observations
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
4,260 observations
Heermann's Gull
Larus heermanni
4,171 observations
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
4,154 observations
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
3,862 observations
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Numenius hudsonicus
3,844 observations
Bushtit
Psaltriparus minimus
3,734 observations
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata
3,726 observations
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
3,717 observations
California Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma californica
3,704 observations
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
3,436 observations
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
3,387 observations
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
3,233 observations
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
3,158 observations
Common Raven
Corvus corax
2,992 observations
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
2,971 observations
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
2,836 observations
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
2,695 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
2,584 observations
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
2,566 observations
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
2,539 observations
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
2,503 observations

Built from recent research-grade iNaturalist observations. Identifications are community-sourced and may occasionally be wrong, and the ranking reflects where people record and photograph wildlife, so a species seen often here is not necessarily rare elsewhere. Some plants and animals are only out in certain seasons. Treat this as a lively snapshot of what people are finding, not a formal checklist.

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