The African Penguin is also known as the Jackass Penguin and the Black-footed Penguin. Their 'braying' sounds like a donkey hence the name Jackass Penguin. They are found in southern African waters at the Cape of Good Hope and Namibia.

The American Bittern is a North American bird that breeds in the north and central N.A. They winter in southern U.S. and Mexico. They can be hard to find, especially since they like to reside in marshes. When startled, they points their head straight up, blending with the grasses and reeds. Females and males are similar looking. They eat amphibians, fish, insects and reptiles.

The American Coot is found throughout North America and is a very common bird in the S.F. Bay Area, especially during fall and winter. They eat plants, insects, fish, and other aquatic animals. The sexes look similar.

The American Goldfinch is find throughout the U.S., Canada and northern and eastern Mexico. American Goldfinches mainly eat seeds and some insects. The plumage is different between the sexes and is seasonal, with the non-breeding plumage being less colorful.

The American Oystercatcher is found along the coasts of the U.S., Mexico and South America. They nest on beaches on coastal islands and feed on marine invertebrates. They use their heavy beak to pry open bivalve mollusks.

The American Pipit is called the Buff-bellied Pipit outside of the U.S. They breed in northern Asia and North America and winter in southern Asia and North America. They are ground feeders and eat insects.

The Asian Blue Quail is known by other names including: King Quail, Indian Blue Quail, and Blue-breasted Quail They were previous placed in genus Coturnix. They are found in Indian, Malayasia, China, Philippines, Australia, New Guinea, etc. Diet is mainly grass seeds, green blakes and small insects.

The Baltimore Oriole, according to Wikipedia, gets its name from the fact that the color of the male resembles Lord Baltimore's coat-of-arms. They breed in the eastern half of North America and winter in Florida, and from Mexico south to northern South America. They mainly eat insects, berries and nectar.

The most widely distributed of the owls, the Barn Owl is on all the continents except Antarctica. The Barn Owl has many different names. For example, White Owl, silver Owl, Demon Owl, etc. The Barn Owl hunts by flying low and slowly over an area of open ground. It can hover until it finds its prey. They mainly eat rodents, but will also eat small invertebrates and birds.

One of the boxes at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley has acted as a nest for them.

In North America, the Black-and-white Warbler is found mostly east of the Rockies from Canada to Mexico. They winter in Florida, Mexico, Central America and northern South America. They nest on the ground and will lay between 4-5 eggs. They eat insects and spiders by moving up and down tree trunks and branches.

In the U.S. this plover is known as the Black-bellied Plover. Elsewhere, it is called the Grey Plover. They breed in the Artic islands and coastal areas across the northern coasts of Alaska, Canada, and Russia. Wintering is coastal areas throughout the world including far south as South America and Australia.

Black-bellied Plovers forage for food on beaches and tidal flats. They mainly eat small mollusks, polychaeteworm, crustaceans, and insects.

The Black-bellied Whistling Duck is a whistling duck that can be found in the southernmost U.S. from Arizona to Florida. They are also found on the coasts of Mexico and Central America, and northern and central South America. The Audubon Park in New Orleans, LA is a reliable place to see them.

They eat plants and some aquatic animals.

The Black-crowned Night-Heron is found on all continents except for Antarctica. In the S.F. Bay Area, a reliable place to see them is at Lake Merritt, Oakland, CA. They can be found near the boatyard (Bellevue Ave and Staten Ave). There are always a few hanging out around the fence and bushes. You can even get fairly close to them without alarming them. I have also seen them nesting at Bird Rock, Point Lobos (south of Carmel, CA) near the Brandt's Cormorants.

Black-crowned Night-Herons are tree nesters. Sexes look similar, but the female are slightly smaller. They primarily eat at night. Their food consists of small fish, crustaceans, frogs, aquatic insects and small mammals.

The Black-headed Grosbeak breeding range is the western half of the U.S., and southwest Canada. They winter in Mexico. The male has a black head and an orangish breast. They eat pine and other seeds, berries, insects, spiders and fruit.

There are five subspecies of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus himantopus). The American Ornithologists' Union calls the American version Himantopus mexicanus and internationally it is called Himantopus himantopus mexicanus.

Black-necked Stilts are found in North and South America. They are fairly common in the San Francisco Bay Area where they breed.

Sexes are similar but females are recognizable because their backs are brownish instead of black. Black-necked Stilts will flock together except when roosting. Then they spread out. They work together to discourage predators.

The Black-necked Stork is found across South and Southeast Asia. They are also found in Australia. The sexes look similar but their iris differs. The female has a yellow iris and the male has a brown iris.

Black-necked Storks are carnivorous and their diet includes: coots, grebes, ducks, fish, amphibians, reptiles, crabs and mollusks.

The Black Parrot or Lesser Vasa Parrot are found on Madagascar and the Seychelles Islands where they mostly inhabit mangrove swamps and evergreen forests. Diet includes seeds, blossoms and fruit (especially berries and mangos). Sexes similar but males are slightly larger.

The Black Scoter is a large sea duck that is also known as the American Scoter. They are found in North America, Europe and Asia. In North America, they breed in the far north. They winter on the coasts of northern US, and Canada. They also winter on the Great Lakes.

Food is obtained by diving for crustaceans and mollusks. They also eat insects and their larvae, fish eggs and rarely vegetation such as duck weed.

The Black-throated Blue Warbler breeds in the northeastern U.S. and southeastern Canada. They winter in the Caribbean and southern Central America.

The male Black-throated Blue Warbler matches it name more than the female of the species.

The Black-throated Gray Warbler is found in western North America. It is considered a fairly common bird, but it is not common where it was spotted in Emeryville in 2010. It's sighting drew out the bird watchers. Black-throated Gray Warblers eat insects such as small caterpillars.

The Black-throated Green Warbler breeds in northeastern and central Canada and northeastern U.S. Winters are spent in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Diet is insects and insect larvae.

The Black Turnstone is found on the west coast of North America. It breeds in Alaska and winters from Canada thru Mexico. Black Turnstones pick and dig through sand and rocks looking for food.

The Blue-throated Piping-Guan or Blue-throated Piping Guan is found in Northern South America. Both sexes look similar. Diet is mostly figs and palm fruits but will also eat leaves and snails.

The Blue-winged Teal is a dabbling duck that breeds in North America and winters along the North America coast and South America.

The white crescent on the male is a great field marker. They feed in shallow water eating mostly plants with some mollusks and aquatic insects.

The Blue-winged Warbler breed in northeastern U.S. and migrates to Mexica and the Caribbean for the winter. Diet is insects and spiders.

The Brewer's Sparrow is found in western North America from Canada to Mexico. Breeding grounds are on the northern part of their range. Diet is mostly small insects and probably some seeds.

The Bronzed Cowbird breed in Arizona, Texas and northern Mexico. They winter in Mexico and Central America. Diet is seeds and insects.

The Brown-headed Cowbird ranges throughout North America. They breed in western and southern Canada, western and northern U.S. The Brown-headed Cowbird lays its eggs in the nest of other small perching birds.

The Bullock's Oriole breeds throughout the western part of the U.S. and northern Mexico. They winter in southern Mexico and Central America. Diet includes insects, caterpillars, spiders, fruits, and nectar.

The Burrowing Owl is a small owl with long-legs and a short tail that is found in North and South America. They primarily eat large insects and small mammals (principally rodents). They nest in abandoned animal burrows or crevices. They frequently perch on posts and rocks or can be seen peeking out of their burrows.

The best place to see them fairly closely is at Cesar Chavez Park in Berkeley during the winter months. They and the Bufflehead are what got me on interested in bird watching.

The rusty red head of the male Canvasback is quite distinctive. The female is not as colorful, but the light brown and white body is quite interesting. Canvasbacks are a North American bird. They breed in western Canada, Alaska, and north-western U.S. They winter in the U.S. and Mexico.

Canvasbacks feed mainly by diving for aquatic plants. They also eat some mollusks, aquatic insects, and small fish. A reliable place to find them in the S.F. Bay Area is at Lake Merritt in Oakland, CA during the fall and winter.

The Canyon Towhee is found in the southwest and Mexico. They feed on the ground or in low scrub.

The Cape Barren Goose is found in southern Australia and is the rarest of all the geese. They eat leaves, stems and seeds of grassess, sedges, etc. They are able to drink salt or brackish water.

These pictures were found in our stash and not sure who, where or when they were taken.

The Cape May Warbler breeds across the boreal forest of Canada and the northern U.S. This warbler winters in Central America, the Caribbean and norther South America. Diet is insects and nectar.

The Capuchinbird is also known by the name Calfbird. They are found in South America in parts of Colombia, Venezuela, Guianas and northern Brazil. Capuchinbird males attempt to attract females by gathering in leks and 'singing' and puffing out cowl.

Diet is mostly fruit with some large insects.

The Caspian Tern is the largest Tern in the world. The large red-orange bill is quite distinctive. Caspian Terns breed around lakes and coasts in North America, Europe, and Asia and migrate south to Central America, northernmost South America, southern Asia and Africa. Year-round residents occur on the coasts of Africa, southern Asia, and Australia.

They are mostly fish eaters and dive for them. We see them frequently in the Bay Area. My favorite place is Middle Harbor, Oakland, CA in August-October.

The Cedar Waxwing us a North American songbird. Waxwings that migrate breed in southern Canada and migrate to southern U.S. and Mexico. Year-round residents are found throughout central North America.

The Cedar Waxwing will feed almost exclusively on fruit from fall through early spring. During the breeding season they will also eat insects. In the S.F. Bay area we see them in large flocks as they move between berry producing trees.

The Chestnut-fronted Macaw is also known as the Severe Macaw. They are found in Northern South America. Diet includes plant leaves and seeds, fruit, and bark.

The Chestnut Munia is also known as the Black-headed Munia. It was formerly considered a subspecies of the Tricoloured Munia. They are found in southern Asia and Hawaii. The ones found in Hawaii may have escaped from cages and are fairly widespread in Kauai. I wasn't very lucky on seeing them and only saw these ones briefly before they took off. They were fairly fair away and the photos are marginal.

The Chestnut-sided Warbler breeds in northeastern U.S. and southeast Canada. Winters are spent in Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. The plumage of the adult male is quite striking with the chestnut streaked flanks and the yellow crown. They mainly eat insects during breeding season and during the winter they will eat fruit.

The Chipping Sparrow it noted for its flight call. It makes a fast trill when it is flushed. They are found throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. They breed through much of their range. They forage on the ground looking for seeds and crumbs of most any kind of food.

The Clark's Grebe breeds in northern U.S. from the Great Plains to the west coast and winters along western U.S. from California through Mexico. The Clark's Grebe is very similar to the Western Grebe and you can frequently spot them together. The Clark's Grebe's bill is more orange yellow than greenish yellow. Both are black and white birds with the crown of the head being black. The black on the Clark's Grebe head extends to just above the eye.

Like the Western Grebe, the Clark's Grebe's are mainly fish eaters, but will eat small aquatic animals.

The Clay-colored Sparrow breeds in shrubby open areas and jack pine woods across central Canada and central northern United States east to the Great Lakes. Non-breeding season in spent in southern Texas and Mexico. Diet is mostly seeds, leaf buds and insects.

The Common Bronzewing is a pigeon that is native to Australia where it is very common. Diet is mostly seeds with some leafy material and some some insects.

The Common Hill Myna is also called the Hill Myna, Talking Myna, Common Grackle, and Eastern Hill Myna. They are found in India, southeast Asian, and Indonesia. Both sexes look similar. Diet is primarily fruit but nectar, insects and small vertebrates are also eaten

The Common Redpoll resides in the northern hemisphere. They are very resistant to cold. They eat small seeds and can store them in their throat pouches.

The Common Tern has four subspecies. They breed across northern North America and much of Europe and Asia. They winter on the coasts of southern North America, South America, Africa, southern Asia and Australia.

Diet includes fish, mollusks, crustaceans and other invertebrates.

The Common Waxbill is a small passerine bird belonging to the estrildid finch family. They are also known as the St. Helena Waxbill. Common Waxbills are a beautiful little bird that have been imported to Hawaii. Originally, native to sub-Saharan Africa they have been imported to other countries as pets. They eat grass seeds and sometimes insects (especially during breeding season). They usually feed by clinging to the stems of the grass and feeding off the flower heads.

The Common Yellowthroat breeds across much of Canada and the U.S. Winters are spent in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. Year-round populations exist on the Pacific coast, southern U.S. and parts of Mexico. The male is fairly easy to spot because of its black face and yellow throat. They eat insects.

The Crested Oropendola is a new World tropical icterid bird. They are found in lowland South America east of the Andes, from Panama and Colombia south to northern Argentina, as well as on Trinidad and Tobago. They are found in small flocks. They eat insects, fruit and some nectar.

The Falcated Duck is a dabbling duck found in south-eastern Asia. One Falcated Duck showed up at the Colusa Wildlife Refuge, CA in the winter of 2011 and 2012.

Diet is mostly vegetarian with some aquatic insects eaten.

Ferruginous Hawks are a western North American hawk. They live in prairies, deserts, and open ranges where their diet consists mainly of small mammals.

The Field Sparrow mostly breeds in the eastern half of the United States. The northern most birds migrate south in winter to the southeast, south and Mexico. They mostly eat grass seeds in winter and insects and seeds during breeding season.

The Florida Scrub Jay is endemic to the state of Florida. Diet includes arthropods, acorns, and small vertebrates.

The Fox Sparrow is one of the largest sparrows. They mostly breed in Alaska, Canada and northwestern U.S. Winters are spent in southern U.S. and northern Mexico. One of its noticeable features is the dark streaking on its belly. They mainly eat seeds, insects and berries.

The Golden-crowned Kinglet is a small passerine with a black crown with a yellow stripe down the middle. They are found in North America. Year-round residents are on the west coast, while kinglets who migrate breed in Canada and winter throughout the U.S. into Mexico.

Diet includes insects and their eggs.

The Golden-crowned Sparrow breeds in Alaska and western Canada. Winters are spent in western U.S. from Washing to Baja, California. Diet is insects, seeds, fruits, grains, buds, flowers and plant sprouts.

The Golden-winged Warbler is also known as Brewster's Warbler. They mostly breed in the eastern U.S. and southern Canada, and winter from southern Mexico, to northern South America.

Sexes are somewhat similar but the female does not have the black throat and auricular of the male. Diet includes insects such as caterpillars, moths, and spiders.

The Gray-cheeked Thrush (U.S.) or Grey-cheeked Thrush breed in Canada, Alaska and eastern Siberia. They winter in northern South America. Their upperparts are brownish gray and the underparts are whitish gray with brown streaks. They have grey cheeks and pink legs. They eat insects and other arthropods.

The Great Crested Flycatcher is a large flycatcher and is found over most of the eastern and mid-western portions of North America. They migrate to Mexico and South America for winters. They are mainly found in treetops and are rarely found on the ground.

Great Egrets are also called Great White Egrets and are found in all the continents except Antarctica. They are the symbol of the National Audubon Society. They feed on fish, frogs, or insects by spearing them with their long bill. Both sexes are similar. In the breeding season (Feb-July), the tail feathers are longer.

The Greater Necklaced Laughingthrush is found in Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Laos, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam. Diet is mostly insects with some fruit.

The Great Potoo is found in Central and South America and is the largest of the three Potoo species. Great Pottos eat at night and their diet includes beetles, katydids, grasshoppers and other flying insects. They will sometimes eat bats.

The Green-backed Trogon is also known as the Amazonia White-tailed Trogon. They are found in tropical humid forests in South America.

The Green Jay has thirteen recognized subspecies divided into two groups. The first group is found in Central America (luxuosus group), the second in the Andes of South America (nominate group). Birds below are from the nominate group.

Diet includes insects and other invertebrates, cereal grains, fruit, seeds, acorns, household scraps, bird eggs and nestling, etc.

The Harlequin Duck is a small sea duck. They are definitely one of the most beautiful ducks in the world. They are mostly found on the coasts of Asia, North America, Greenland, and Iceland. In North America they breed near cold fast moving streams on both coasts. They eat mollusks, crustaceans and insects.

The Hawaiian Duck is an endangered duck in Hawaii. They can interbreed with Mallards and are probably a subspecies. They are mostly found in Kauai.

The Hawaiian Hawk is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and currently only breeds on the island of Hawaii. The U.S. considers this species endangered and the IUCN lists them as 'Near Threatened'.

The Hawaiian Stilt is native to Hawaii. There are five subspecies of Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus himantopus). The American Ornithologists' Union calls the Hawaiian species Himantopus mexicanus knudseni and internationally it is called Himantopus himantopus knudseni.

The Hawaiian Stilt or in Hawaiian Ae`o is an endangered species. They eat dragon flies, small fish, worms, crabs, water insects, and the seeds and roots of water plants.

The Hermit Thrush is a North American bird that birds in Alaska, Canada and northeastern and western U.S. They winter from southern U.S. to Central America. They are permanent residents in northern coastal U.S. states and southern Ontario. You can spot them on the ground searching for insects and berries.

The Himalayan Monal Pheasant is also known as the Impeyan Monal or Impeyan Pheasant. It is the national bird of Nepal.

The Hooded Oriole breeds in California south to northern Mexico, Texas, and eastern Mexico. They mostly winter in Central America.

The males have an alternate plumage for breeding but the females do not. Diet includes insects, spiders, nectar and fruit.

The Horned Puffin breeds on rocky islands off the coasts of Siberia, Alaska, and British Columbia. They winter far out to sea. Not a lot is known about these birds.

They nest in rock crevices and on cliffs. They eat fish, squid and crustaceans. When returning to feed their chicks, they will bring back a beak full of fish.

The House Sparrow is native to Europe and Asia but was introduced to the Americas, Australia, and Africa. Now they are a very common bird that coexists with humans very well. I frequently see them hopping in and out of house eaves.

The Indian Peafowl is native to Indian and Sri Lanka but has been introduced to many other countries in the world. What we call Peacock in the U.S. is the Indian Peafowl. The male is commonly known as a Peacock and has the long tail feathers with the eyes. Peafowl eat ticks, termites, ants, locusts, rodents, plants, flower petals, seed heads, scorpions, etc.

The Indigo Bunting breeds in both the eastern half and the southwest of the United States, southern Canada and northeastern Mexico. They winter in southern Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean.

The beautiful blue of the males is quite striking and makes them easily recognizable during breeding season. During breeding season they eat spiders, insects, seeds and berries. During winter they mainly eat grass seeds.

The Kentucky Warbler breeds in the southeast U.S. Winters are spent in Central America and northern South America. They are considered a common bird in their range. Since I live on the west coast, I was quite excited to see them in Texas. They build their nests on the ground under a shrub or in a patch of vegetation. They eat insects and their larva and small spiders.

Lark Sparrows are found in open-country throughout much of the U.S. and Mexico. They breed in the U.S. and migrate to the west coast and Mexico where there is also a year-round population. They nest on the ground in a clump of grass or other vegetation. They mostly eat seeds, but will also eat insects.

The Lawrence Goldfinch breeds in California and winters in eastern and southern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. The Lawrence Goldfinch is a little bit bigger than the Lesser Goldfinch. They are an uncommon bird that is found mostly in California along the coast and through the Central Valley. The best place to see them in the Bay Area is the Sunol Regional Park.

The Laysan Duck or Laysan Teal is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands and is named after Laysan island, one of the northwestern Hawaiian Islands. The Laysan Duck was once found throughout the Hawaiian Islands, but with the advent of the Polynesians and non-native predators, they are no found only on Laysan Island.

The Lazuli Bunting breed in southwestern Canada, and western United States. They winter in Mexico. The males are quite beautiful with their blue head and a bit of rust on their breast. One of the best places to see them is the Sibley Volcanic Regional Preserve in Oakland, CA.

The Lesser Flamingo mainly resides in Africa with another population in India. They are the smallest species of flamingos. Most of the plumage is pinkish white and the bill is blacker than the Greater Flamingo.

The Lesser Goldfinch is found mostly in the west and southwest of the U.S. into Mexico and northern South America. The male has a black had and the underparts are yellow. The back is a yellowish green.

The Lesser Goldfinch eats seeds, especially from the sunflower family. They also eat fruits and buds.

The Lesser Yellowlegs breeds in Canada and Alaska and winter from southern U.S. to the tip of South America. The Lesser Yellowlegs is similar but smaller than the Greater Yellowlegs. Its bill is just a little bit longer than its head while the Greater Yellows bill is much longer than its head. Lesser Yellowlegs are also found in larger flocks than the Greater Yellowlegs.

Lesser Yellowlegs mainly eat insects. During the non-breeding season they eat small fish and crustaceans.

The Lewis's Woodpecker is found in western North America from southern Canada to norther Mexico. They are one of the largest American woodpeckers. Besides foraging for insects in trees, Lewis's Woodpeckers will also catch insects in the air while flying. Besides insects, they also feed on berries and nuts.

The Lincoln's Sparrow if found through North America. They breed in Alaska, Canada and northeastern and western United States. They winter in southern United States, Mexico, and Central America. Diet is insects and their larvae, small seeds and invertebrates.

The Long-billed Dowitcher breeds in Alaska, north-west Canada, and Siberia. They winter in southern U.S. and Mexico. The Long-billed Dowitcher is similar to the Short-billed Dowitcher but, their bills are slightly longer. Long-billed Dowitcher are usually found in smaller flocks than Short-billed.

During breeding, Long-billed Dowitchers eat insects and insect larvae. Otherwise, they eat mollusks, crustaceans, marine worms, and other aquatic invertebrates.

The Louisiana Waterthrush is a warbler and is found along the edges of wooded streams and ponds. They breed in eastern U.S. and winter in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. They are easily confused with the Northern Waterthrush. Other people in Galveston, assured me this was a Louisiana Waterthrush.

Louisiana Waterthrush bob their head and tails. They eat insects, mollusks and crustaceans that they find among leaf litter.

The Malay Crested Fireback is found in the lowland forests of the Malay Peninsula and Sumatra. Originally the Malay Crested Fireback and the Bomean Crested Fireback were considered two subspecies of the Crested Fireback Lophura ignita. The Malay Crested Fireback was split out into Lophura rufa in 2014.

The Malay Crested Fireback are sexually dimorphic with the male predominately glossy bluish black, white stripes on the flanks, a reddish brown rump, bare blue facial skin, a black bushy crest, and a white and black tail. The female is mostly brown with a short crest, less blue facial skin and the underparts are brownish black with white edging. Diet consists of plants, fruits and small animals.

The Marsh Wren is either migratory or resident breeders. Wren who migrate breed in southern Canada and norther U.S. and migrate to southern U.S. and Mexico. Resident breeders and found in western U.S.

The Marsh Wren is aptly named since it breeds in marshes. Two good places to find them are the Martin Luther Regional Park in Oakland and Coyote Hills in Fremont. Their singing helps you to find them perching on blades of grass or bushes.

Nelson's Sparrow originally was lumped with the Saltmarsh Sparrow and was known as the Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow. They breed in marshes on the Atlantic coast of Canada, Maine, central Canada, north central U.S. They migrate to southeastern coasts of the United States. Diet is insects, spiders, snails and seeds.

The Newell's Shearwater is a seabird that is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands. It mostly breed on Kauai. I saw this bird in the open-air lobby of the Kauai Marriott Resort. It was twilight and I only had my iPhone.

They feed by diving into deep water and swimming down to a dept of up to 10 meters using their wings to swim forward. Diet is probably squid and small fish.

Northern Cardinals were my favorite bird in Illinois when I was a child. While not found in California, they are found throughout most of the eastern, central and southwest United States, and Mexico.

Northern Cardinals eat insects, fruits and seeds and as the two pictures below show, leaves.

The Northern Goshawk is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It is the largest Accipiter in North America. Its prey is birds and mammals which it catches with its speed in dense forests.

The Northern Pintail is a large and very elegant duck that is found in North America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The male in breeding season is quite beautiful with its chocolate head and white breast. The female is quite a bit smaller than the male and has less distinctive plumage.

A frequent winter visitor to the Bay Area, Northern Pintails feed on plants by dabbling and upending themselves in shallow water. Besides aquatic plants, Northern Pintails will also consume seeds in fields, invertebrate animals, aquatic insects, mollusks and crustaceans.

The Northern Shoveler breeds in northern Europe, Asia and North America. They winter in southern Europe, Asia, North America and Africa.

Northern Shovelers are dabbling ducks. Unlike most dabbling ducks, Northern Shovelers have a specialized beak for straining out food when they move their beak across the surface of the water. They eat small aquatic animals and plants.

The Orange-crowned Warbler is a small passerine that breeds in Alaska, across much of Canada, and the western U.S. Winters are spend in the U.S. southern States, Mexico and Central America. They eat insects, berries and nectar.

The Orchard Oriole is the smallest Northern American oriole. They breed in the eastern half of the U.S. and Mexico and winter in southern Mexico to northern South America. They eat nectar and pollen from flowers, especially during the winter.

The Osprey is sometimes known as the Sea Hawk. They are found on all the continents except Antarctica. They nests near the water and their diet is almost exclusively fish. It is amazing how big a fish an Osprey can carry. Check out some of the pictures below.

The Ovenbird is considered a large wood warbler breeds in eastern North America and winters in Central America, many Caribbean Islands, Florida, and northern Venezuela.

The Pacific Golden Plover breeds in the Arctic tundra from northernmost Asia into western Alaska. Most winter in Asia and Australia but a few also winter in California and Hawaii. Pacific Golden Plovers run-stop-pluck as they are feeding on lawns, pastures, rocky shores, etc.

The Painted Bunting breeds from Texas to Louisiana in the U.S., and northeastern Mexico. They winter in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. They most eat seeds but will also eat insects during the breeding season.

The Palm Warbler is not a common sight in the S.F. Bay Area. They are mostly found in the eastern half of North America where they breed in central and eastern Canada, around the Great Lakes, and northeastern U.S. They winter in southern U.S., the Caribbean, and Central America. Palm Warblers mainly eat insects and berries.

There are two variants or subspecies of Palm Warblers: the Yellow Palm Warbler and the Brown Palm Warbler. The yellow subspecies has more yellow on its body and its supercilium is yellow. Their territory overlaps, with the brown subspecies having a larger territory. They both mostly reside on the eastern half of North America. Unless specified otherwise, the below pictures are 'Brown'.

The Papuan Hornbill or Blyth's Hornbill and are found in the Moluccas, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and the Solomon Islands. They are sexually dimorphic. The male has a black body, rufous colored head, white throat and a white tail. Bill is pale yellow with a brown base. Females are black with a white throat and tail. Their bill is also pale yellow with a smaller brown base.

Their diet is mainly fruit, but they will also eat crabs and bee honeycomb.

The Peregrine Falcon is a large, crow-sized falcon. It's ranges from the Arctic tundra to the tropics. It is found on all continents except Antarctica.

Its black head and black mustache shaped markings are quite distinctive. This Falcon can also dive at over 200 mph. Diet is almost exclusively medium-sized birds. It is one of the predators that the Least Tern Watch in Alameda, CA is concerned about. They can deprecate the Least Terns and their fledglings quickly.

The Pied Crow is also known as the African Pied Crow or the White-bellied Crow. They are found through Sub-Saharan African. Diet is varied and is eaten from the ground. Types of food include insects and other invertebrates, small reptiles, small mammals, young birds and egs, grain, peanuts, carrion, human food, etc.

The Pine Siskin is found through North America. The population that breeds in Alaska, and western Canada migrate throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Resident populations are found across southern Canada, the Great Lakes, and the western U.S. and Mexico. They mainly eat seeds, plant parts and some insects.

The Piping Plover is a small North American plover that breeds in the Great Plains, the Great Lakes and along the eastern coast of North America. Wintering is usually around the southern and gulf coasts down through Mexico.

Diet polychaete worms, flies, midges, grasshoppers, beetles, crustaceans, mollusks, etc.

The Prothonotary Warbler is a beautiful yellow warbler that breeds in swamps in the eastern U.S. They winter in Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. One of the interesting facts about the Prothonotary Warbler is that the male often builds several incomplete and unused nests while the female builds the used one. Their nests are parasitized by the Brown-headed Cowbird. They consume insects and snails.

The Purple Finch is found across Canada, the eastern half of the U.S., and a band along the west coast of the U.S. The Purple Finch is very similar in appearance to the House Finch. One of the main differences between the two is that the Purple Finch doesn't have the brown streaks on the breast.

The Purple Martin is the largest swallow found in North America. They breed mostly in the eastern half of North America and migrate to South America for winters. Their existence has been serious threatened by the introduction of European Starlings to North American. Purple Martins eat insects they catch in the air.

The Purplish-backed Jay is also known as Beechey's Jay. They are endemic to Mexico and are found in the pacific coastal lowlands of northwest Mexico.

They are omnivores and will eat invertebrates (mosquitoes, cockroaches, beetles, spiders, etc.), small rodents, fruit, berries and grains. They are non-migratory.

The Red-and-yellow Barbet is found in eastern Africa. Sexes are similar but females and juveniles are less brightly colored. They eat seeds, fruit and invertebrates.

The Red-crested Cardinal is also known as the Brazilian Cardinal. It was imported to the Hawaiian Islands and I have seen it on both Oahu and Kauai. They were imported from South America where they are found in Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay. They eat seeds, plant matter, insects and fruit.

The Red-crested Finch or Red-pilated Finch is found mainly in central South America and can be found in parts of Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina and Guianas. The sexes are sexually dimorphic. The male is mostly a dark red with a black crown with a red stripe. Eyes are dark brown with a white eye ring. Females are more light brown with a whitish throat and a crimson rump.

They forage on the ground for food and eat fruit and insects.

The Red Crossbill is in the finch family. In Eurasia they are known as the Common Crossbill. They are found throughout the northern hemisphere and are mostly a resident bird.

Crossbills mandibles cross at the tips which aid in separating the scales of conifer cones and extracting the seeds for eating. The males are mostly red or orange and the females are green or yellow in coloration.

The Redhead duck is a diving duck found in North America. They breed in marshes and prairie potholes. They mainly eat aquatic plants with some mollusks, aquatic insects and small plants.

Red Knots are found along the coast of all the continents except Antarctica. They breed in the far north and winter from European and North American coasts to Africa, South America and Australia. Red Knots probe for food on sandy beaches. In their breeding plumage they are quite noticeable with their rust body.

Red-necked Phalaropes breed in the far north of North America, Europe and Asia. They winter off the coasts of North America, South America and Africa, and Asia. I have seen more Red-necked Phalaropes in the Bay Area than any other Phalarope. One interesting fact about them is that they will spend up to nine months at sea at a time.

They eat aquatic insects and small crustaceans in fresh water and large quantities of brine shrimp in salt water. At sea they eat zooplankton and other small creatures. They will spin in tight circles to create an upwelling of food.

Red Phalaropes breed in the far north of North America, Europe and Asia. They winter off the coasts of North America, South America and Africa. They are rare visitors to the San Francisco Bay Area since they spend most of their time at sea.

Red Phalaropes eat a variety of invertebrates including insects, mollusks, and crustaceans on breeding grounds. At sea they will pick parasites from the backs of whales.

The Red-throated Loon (or Red-throated Diver) is the smallest and lightest of the loons and one of the most widely distributed of the loon family. They breed in the far-northern hemisphere if North America, Europe and Asia.

The Red-vented Bulbul is native to the Indian subcontinent but has been introduced to other places including Fiji, Hawaii, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Argentina and New Zealand. It is on the list of the world's 100 worst invasive alien species.

They feed on fruits, vegetables, flower buds, and insects. Hawaii considers them a pest because of damages to Oahu orchards and because they aggressively chase native birds.

The Ring-necked Duck is a diving duck and is found in North and Central America. They are similar in coloration to the Tufted Duck. The Ring-necked Duck has a peaked head instead of a head tuft. The Ring-necked also has a white ring at the base of the bill.

They eat aquatic plants as well as some mollusks, aquatic insects and small fish.

The Rose-breasted Grosbeak breed in central and southeastern Canada, and central and eastern United States. The winter in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

The plumage of the breeding male is striking with its black and white body and the "rose colored" breast. The female has a white breast with streaks of brown. They eat insects, seeds and berries. They also occasionally eat nectar.

The Rosy-faced Lovebird is also known as the Peach-faced Lovebird and the Rosy-collared Lovebird. They are native to arid regions in southwestern Africa such as the Namib Desert. Both sexes look identical. They mainly eat seeds and can be a pest in grain fields.

The Rufous Fantail is also known as the Black-breasted Rufous-faintail or Rufous-fronted Fantail. They are found in Australia, Indonesia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Diet is small insects.

The Sagebrush Sparrow is found in western United States and Mexico. They breed in northwestern U.S. They eat insects, spiders, seeds, small fruits, and vegetation.

The Sagebrush Sparrow and Bell's Sparrow were two of five subspecies of the Sage Sparrow. In 2013, they were split with one subspecies becoming the Sagebrush Sparrow and the other four, Bell's Sparrow.

The Savannah Sparrow is recognizable by its yellowish eyebrow stripes. They are a widespread sparrow and are found throughout North America. They breed throughout Alaska, Canada, and northern United States. They winter in the southern half of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America.

They forage on the ground or in low bushes and mainly eat seeds. They also eat insects in the breeding season.

The Short-billed Dowitcher breeds in Canada and Alaska and winters along the North to the South American coast. The Short-billed Dowitcher is similar to the Long-billed Dowitcher. The bill is shorter for each of the sexes for the Short-billed Dowitcher but the male Long-billed is about the same size as the female Short-billed Dowitcher.

During breeding Dowitchers eat insects and insect larvae. Otherwise, they eat mollusks, crustaceans, marine worms, and other aquatic invertebrates.

The Song Sparrow is a North American Sparrow that breeds in Canada, and north central United States. They mostly winter is southern U.S. and northern Mexico. Song Sparrows mainly eat seeds and insects.

The Summer Tanager was formerly placed in the tanager family and is now classified with other members of its genus in the cardinal family. Summer Tanagers breed in the southwest and southeastern United States, and northern Mexico. They winter in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and northern South America.

The males are bright red during breeding season and the females are yellow-brown. They mainly eat insects, especially bees and wasps. They also eat berries.

The Sun Parakeet or Sun Conure is a parrot that is found in northeastern South America. They are considered social birds and live in large flocks. Diet may include fruits and berries.

Surfbirds are found along the western coast of North and South America. They breed in the far north and winter from Canada to the tip of South America. Surfbirds have a short stout bill that they use to pick invertebrates from rocks.

The Tennessee Warbler breeds throughout much of Canada and northeastern U.S. Winters are spent in southern Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. They are insect eaters.

The Townsend's Warbler is found in western North America where they breed in Alaska, Canada and northern U.S. They winter along the Pacific coast, the U.S. southwest, Mexico and Central America. They are closely related to the Hermit Warbler and will interbreed with them if their ranges overlap. They mainly eat insects, spiders and seeds during the breeding season and berries and plant nectar in the winter.

The Tropical Kingbird is a year-round resident from southern Arizona and the lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas in the U.S. south to the northern half of South America. There is some migration southwards in South America. Diet is mostly insects.

The Tufted Duck is normally found in Eurasia and Africa. It is an occasional visitor in the winter to both coasts of the U.S. and Canada. The Tufted Ducks is a diving duck and eats mollusks, aquatic insects and some plants.

The Vinaceous-breasted Amazon is found in Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Both sexes look similar. Diet primarily includes tree seeds, buds, berries, flowers, fruits and young eucalyptus and pine leaves. While both sexes look similar the males are generally largers with larger heads and beaks.

The Violaceous Euphonia is in the true finch family. It is found in the eastern South America including Brazil, Paraguay and northeastern Argentina. They are also found on Trinidad and Tobago. They are sexually dimorphic with the female being a olive yellow and the male a bright yellow and blue.

They mainly eat small fruit including mistletoe berries. They rarely will eat insects.

The Western Grebe breeds in western North America from the Great Plains to the west coast and mostly winters in California and parts of Mexico. The Western Grebe is very similar to the Clark's Grebe and you can frequently spot them together. The Western Grebe's bill is more greenish yellow (Clark's is orangish-yellow). Both are black and white birds with the crown of the head being black. The black on the Western Grebe usually extends to below the eye.

I have seen their mating display in Richmond and Berkeley, CA. They paddle so furiously that they are moving across the water in an upright position almost like they are running across the water.

Western Grebe's are mainly fish eaters, but will eat small aquatic animals.

The Western Rosella is found in Australia. The zoos labeled these birds as Eastern Rosella birds but to my eye they look more like Western Rosella, subspecies xanthogenys.

The sexes are dimorphic with the female being much duller and having no cheek patch or solid colored red belly. Diet includes grasses, herbs, fruits, berries, flowers, etc.

Whimbrels breed in subarctic North America, Europe and Asia and migrate to South America, Africa, south Asia and Australia. They are a large shorebird and have a decurved bill. They also have a small head and a long neck. They do not have an alternate plumage.

The White-eyed Vireo is a small songbird that have multiple and complex songs. They are a North American passerine that breeds in southeastern U.S., eastern Mexico, northern Central America, Cuba and the Bahamas.

They frequent bushes and shrubs and they build their grass lined nests in a cup shape. During breeding season they eat moths, butterflies and caterpillars, flies, beetles, spiders, etc. They also eat poison ivy, pokeweed, berries, etc.

The White Tern is also known as the Common White Tern, the Angel Tern and the White Noddy. They are found on islands in the Pacific and Atlantic Ocean. I only saw these birds early in the morning or late afternoon from my hotel on Oahu, HI. Thus, not a lot of good pictures.

It was recently named Honolulu's official bird and in Hawaiian it is called manu-o-Ku. It is also known as the Fairy Tern. They can live up to 17 years. They diet consists of small fish which they catch by plunge diving.

The White-winged Scoter is found in North America, Europe, and Asia. They do not have the harlequin colored bill as the Surf Scoter but the male has a comma shaped eye white patch around the eye during breeding season. White-winged Surf Scoters primarily feed on crustaceans, mollusks, and insects.

The Willet breeds in central U.S. and Canada and winters along the North American and South American coasts. The Willet is a common visitor to the Bay Area in the winter. Their non-breeding plumage looks quite gray and drab until they take off. Then the underside of their black-and-white wings is on display. A flock of them is quite spectacular.

Willets mainly eat aquatic insects and other invertebrates. Along the coast they also eat crabs, mollusks, and small fish.

The Wood Thrush breeds in the eastern half of the United States and winter in southern Mexico and Central America. The Wood Thrush is the official bird of the District of Columbia. Sexes are similar. Diet includes soil invertebrates and fruit. During breeding and nesting they mainly consume insects.

The Yellow-headed Caracara is found in tropical and subtropical South America and the southern portion of Central America. They eat a wide variety of food including reptiles, amphibians, other small animals, ticks from cattle, fruit, and carrion.

The Yellow-throated Vireo breeds in the Eastern half of the United States and winters in southern Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Box sexes are similar. Diet includes insects, fruits and seeds.

Yellow Warblers breed throughout most of Canada, the U.S. and parts of Mexico. Winters are spent in Mexico, Central America and northern South America. Diet mostly eat insects.

There are 3 subspecies of Swallow Tanagers in South America and Panama. They are sexually dimorphic. The male has a turquoise body, white belly and a black mask and throat. First year males are a more mottled green and they gradually assume the adult plumage around four years. (Males can breed in sub-adult plumage.) The female is a dull green with yellowish underparts.

Outside of breeding season, they are usually found in small flocks with others of their own species. In Brazil flocks of over 100 have been observed.

:Diet: Swallow Tanagers eat fruit, berries and insects. The insects are consumed on-the-wing and berries are picked by hovering. Larger fruits, such as avocados, are manipulated in the mouth until the fleshy parts have been extracted and then the pit is ejected. Small fruits are swallowed whole.

:Courtship: In Venezuela it was observed that courtship ritual included posturing, trembling with the wings and tail, bowing (curtsy reaction), and hopping and chasing. The female initiated pair formation and the male forms and defends a territory from other Swallow Tanagers and bird species.

:Nesting: The male searches for the nest sites and the female selects one. Nest sites are cavities that are either man made (wall crevices, under bridges), naturally made or excavated (tree holes, cliffs). The female builds the nest which is a shallow cup lined with fine fibers. Usually, 3 porcelain white eggs are laid. Both parents feed the young.

:Habitat and Range: They are found in Panama, much of the northern half of South America, south to southern Brazil. They inhabit open woodland, forest edges, second growth, clearings with trees and other riparian habitats.

:Vocalization: Songs and calls are squeaky and unmusical. Only the males sing and they only sing while sitting still.

:Plumage/Molt: No alternate plumage and probably molt annually like other tanagers.

:Migration: Some Swallow Tanagers migrate. In the southern portions of their range, they migrate north. In northern South America, some may migrate in elevation.

:Tongue/feet: Grey legs and feet.

:Bibliography: b29 w43;June, 2013

The Yellow-fronted Canary is a small songbird (passerine) in the finch family from Africa. Another name for this finch is the Green Singing Finch. It was imported to the Hawaiian Island in the 1960s and is found on the Big Island, Oahu and Molokai. The male Yellow-fronted Canary is yellow on the rump, underparts, and the head. The head also has a gray crown and nape and a black malar stripe. The back is mixture of green, brown, gray and yellow feathers. Legs are feet are gray. The bill is conical. Females are similar but somewhat duller.

:Diet: Yellow-fronted Canaries eat seeds, flowers, leaves and insects. During breeding they will consume more insects and also eat nectar.

:Courtship: Monogamous relationship.

:Nesting: The deep open cup nest is built mostly or totally by the female and is made of various plant fibers bound with spider web. It is typically placed in the fork of a bush, tree or creeper.

Two-five eggs are laid and incubated by the female. The male will feed her while she is at the nest. The female feeds the chicks from the food that the male gives her.

:Habitat and Range: Found in dry open woodlands and cultivated areas.

:Vocalization: Its song is a warbled zee-zeree-chereeo.

:Plumage/Molt: unknown

:Migration: Not a migrant in Africa.

:Tongue/feet: unknown

:Bibliography: w4;June, 2012 w1;June, 2012 w19;June, 2012 w20;June, 2012