Birds in California in December: What to Photograph (60 Species)

60 birds were recorded seen in California in December in our iNaturalist sample; 1 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Top birds in December

Red-tailed Hawk10,114 obs.

White-crowned Sparrow8,852 obs.

Yellow-rumped Warbler6,762 obs.

Black Phoebe6,716 obs.

American Coot6,138 obs.

Great Egret5,775 obs.

Great Blue Heron5,758 obs.

Snowy Egret5,497 obs.

Western Gull5,277 obs.

Mallard5,098 obs.

Anna's Hummingbird4,981 obs.

House Finch4,703 obs.

All birds seen in California in December

#	Species	Scientific name	Family	Obs.	Peak in state
1	Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	Hawks, Eagles, and Kites	10,114	Jan (past peak)
2	White-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys	New World Sparrows	8,852	Jan (past peak)
3	Yellow-rumped Warbler	Setophaga coronata	New World Warblers	6,762	Jan (past peak)
4	Black Phoebe	Sayornis nigricans	Tyrant Flycatchers	6,716	Apr (past peak)
5	American Coot	Fulica americana	Rails, Gallinules, and Coots	6,138	Jan (past peak)
6	Great Egret	Ardea alba	Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns	5,775	Jan (past peak)
7	Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns	5,758	Jan (past peak)
8	Snowy Egret	Egretta thula	Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns	5,497	Jan (past peak)
9	Western Gull	Larus occidentalis	Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers	5,277	Aug (past peak)
10	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	5,098	Apr (past peak)
11	Anna's Hummingbird	Calypte anna	Hummingbirds	4,981	Apr (past peak)
12	House Finch	Haemorhous mexicanus	Finches, Euphonias, and Allies	4,703	Apr (past peak)
13	California Scrub-Jay	Aphelocoma californica	Crows, Jays, and Magpies	4,322	Apr (past peak)
14	Red-shouldered Hawk	Buteo lineatus	Hawks, Eagles, and Kites	4,291	Jan (past peak)
15	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	4,243	Jan (past peak)
16	Double-crested Cormorant	Nannopterum auritum	Cormorants and Shags	3,952	Jan (past peak)
17	American Wigeon	Mareca americana	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	3,910	Jan (past peak)
18	Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	New World Vultures	3,869	Apr (past peak)
19	California Towhee	Melozone crissalis	New World Sparrows	3,682	Apr (past peak)
20	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Corthylio calendula	Kinglets	3,680	Dec (peak)
21	Golden-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia atricapilla	New World Sparrows	3,664	Jan (past peak)
22	Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	New World Sparrows	3,603	Apr (past peak)
23	Say's Phoebe	Sayornis saya	Tyrant Flycatchers	3,541	Jan (past peak)
24	American Kestrel	Falco sparverius	Falcons and Caracaras	3,478	Jan (past peak)
25	Northern Shoveler	Spatula clypeata	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	3,447	Jan (past peak)
26	Western Bluebird	Sialia mexicana	Thrushes	3,238	Apr (past peak)
27	Black-crowned Night Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns	3,135	Apr (past peak)
28	Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers	3,116	Jan (past peak)
29	Cooper's Hawk	Astur cooperii	Hawks, Eagles, and Kites	3,087	Jul (past peak)
30	American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	Crows, Jays, and Magpies	3,039	Apr (past peak)
31	Common Raven	Corvus corax	Crows, Jays, and Magpies	3,036	Apr (past peak)
32	Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	3,012	Apr (past peak)
33	Acorn Woodpecker	Melanerpes formicivorus	Woodpeckers	2,987	Apr (past peak)
34	Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis	Pelicans	2,955	Sep (past peak)
35	Lesser Goldfinch	Spinus psaltria	Finches, Euphonias, and Allies	2,940	Apr (past peak)
36	Song Sparrow	Melospiza melodia	New World Sparrows	2,819	Apr (past peak)
37	Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	Mockingbirds and Thrashers	2,801	Apr (past peak)
38	Willet	Tringa semipalmata	Sandpipers and Allies	2,697	Jan (past peak)
39	Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps	Grebes	2,679	Jan (past peak)
40	Ruddy Duck	Oxyura jamaicensis	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	2,585	Jan (past peak)
41	Townsend's Warbler	Setophaga townsendi	New World Warblers	2,307	Oct (past peak)
42	Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	2,295	Jan (past peak)
43	Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	Pigeons and Doves	2,235	Apr (past peak)
44	Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	Ducks, Geese, and Swans	2,219	Jan (past peak)
45	Northern Harrier	Circus hudsonius	Hawks, Eagles, and Kites	2,201	Jan (past peak)
46	American White Pelican	Pelecanus erythrorhynchos	Pelicans	2,163	Jan (past peak)
47	Savannah Sparrow	Passerculus sandwichensis	New World Sparrows	2,141	Oct (past peak)
48	Least Sandpiper	Calidris minutilla	Sandpipers and Allies	2,131	Sep (past peak)
49	American Robin	Turdus migratorius	Thrushes	2,078	Apr (past peak)
50	Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus	Woodpeckers	2,052	Oct (past peak)

Birds Seen in California in December

Top birds in December

All birds seen in California in December