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Birds of San Diego, California

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

276,483
recent observations
50
species listed
50
birds

Naturalists have logged 276,483 research-grade observations across the 50 most-recorded species near San Diego. The most frequently seen is the Western Gull, with 15,168 recorded sightings.

Most-observed birds near San Diego

Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
15,168 observations
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
10,732 observations
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
10,604 observations
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
10,555 observations
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
10,278 observations
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus
9,823 observations
Black Phoebe
Sayornis nigricans
8,742 observations
California Towhee
Melozone crissalis
8,635 observations
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
8,021 observations
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
7,453 observations
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
6,913 observations
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
6,843 observations
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
6,532 observations
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria
6,522 observations
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata
6,277 observations
Brandt's Cormorant
Urile penicillatus
6,266 observations
American Coot
Fulica americana
5,984 observations
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
5,896 observations
Great Egret
Ardea alba
5,685 observations
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum
5,368 observations
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
5,265 observations
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys
5,262 observations
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
5,054 observations
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
4,972 observations
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii
4,874 observations · iNaturalist
Cassin's Kingbird
Tyrannus vociferans
4,737 observations
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
4,669 observations
Allen's Hummingbird
Selasphorus sasin
4,513 observations
Western Bluebird
Sialia mexicana
4,435 observations
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
4,273 observations
Heermann's Gull
Larus heermanni
4,198 observations
Hooded Oriole
Icterus cucullatus
4,154 observations
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
3,884 observations
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Numenius hudsonicus
3,871 observations
Bushtit
Psaltriparus minimus
3,765 observations
Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya
3,740 observations
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata
3,734 observations
California Scrub-Jay
Aphelocoma californica
3,716 observations
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
3,441 observations
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
3,411 observations
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
3,262 observations
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
3,168 observations
Common Raven
Corvus corax
3,000 observations
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
2,985 observations
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
2,861 observations
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
2,710 observations
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
2,593 observations
Great-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
2,575 observations
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
2,554 observations
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Dryobates nuttallii
2,510 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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