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Birds of San Francisco, California

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

348,822
recent observations
50
species listed
50
birds

Naturalists have logged 348,822 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near San Francisco. The most frequently seen is the Black-crowned Night Heron, with 17,678 recorded sightings.

Most-observed birds near San Francisco

Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
17,678 observations
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
13,505 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
13,496 observations
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
13,387 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
13,229 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
12,315 observations
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
11,978 observations
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
11,536 observations
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
10,589 observations
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
9,355 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
9,118 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
8,579 observations
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
8,567 observations
California Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma californica
8,417 observations
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
8,330 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
7,907 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
7,691 observations
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
7,621 observations
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
7,585 observations
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
7,493 observations
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
7,201 observations
American Coot
Fulica americana
6,740 observations
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria
6,343 observations
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
6,299 observations
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
6,189 observations
Common Raven
Corvus corax
6,138 observations
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
6,061 observations
Golden-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia atricapilla
5,762 observations
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana
5,491 observations
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
5,219 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
5,108 observations
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
5,061 observations
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
4,954 observations
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
4,861 observations
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens
4,448 observations
Brewer's Blackbird
Euphagus cyanocephalus
4,414 observations
Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
4,150 observations
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
4,076 observations
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
3,913 observations · iNaturalist
Townsend's Warbler
Setophaga townsendi
3,809 observations
Bushtit
Psaltriparus minimus
3,599 observations
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
3,592 observations
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
3,573 observations
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
3,466 observations
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
3,437 observations
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
3,380 observations
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
3,374 observations
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
3,309 observations
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
3,260 observations
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
3,219 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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