Rare Birds in California
Our list for California has 99 rare birds recorded regularly there: 20 residents, 15 summer visitors, 28 winter visitors, 34 passage migrants and 2 scarce visitors
Most likely in October
GBIF · OctShare of all bird records in California in October, 2019–2024. Each month links to that month’s page.
All 99, most common first
Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideusSummer visitorRare21–25 cmRegularly May–Feb
Common PheasantPhasianus colchicusResidentRare50–90 cmRecorded all year
Evening GrosbeakHesperiphona vespertinaSummer visitorRare16–22 cmRecorded all year
Cattle EgretArdea ibisResidentRare46–56 cmRecorded all year
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarumWinter visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Sep–Apr
Muscovy DuckCairina moschataResidentRare66–84 cmRecorded all year
Ladder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalarisResidentRare16–19 cmRecorded all year
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusResidentRare13–17 cmRecorded all year
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitariaPassage migrantRare19–23 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusillaPassage migrantRare15–18 cmRegularly Jul–Sep
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegenaWinter visitorRare40–50 cmRegularly Aug–Jun
Western Screech-owlMegascops kennicottiiResidentRare19–25 cmRecorded all year
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallidaWinter visitorRare13–15 cmRegularly Sep–May
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanicaWinter visitorRare10–14 cmRegularly Jun–Mar
Red KnotCalidris canutusResidentRare23–26 cmRecorded all year
Indian PeafowlPavo cristatusResidentRare86–230 cmRecorded all year
Black TernChlidonias nigerSummer visitorRare22–26 cmRegularly Apr–Oct
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosusResidentRare58–85 cmRecorded all year
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrinaWinter visitorRare10–13 cmRegularly Sep–Jun
American RedstartSetophaga ruticillaSummer visitorRare11–14 cmRecorded all year
Sand MartinRiparia ripariaSummer visitorRare12–14 cmRegularly Apr–Sep
Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopusWinter visitorRare46–59 cmRegularly Oct–Apr
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalisWinter visitorRare37–60 cmRecorded all year
Data: EOD – eBird Observation Dataset (Cornell Lab of Ornithology), accessed via GBIF.org, CC BY 4.0. Records from 2019–2024, aggregated and filtered by Birdfact. How these lists are made