The Merlin is a small, powerfully built falcon known for its incredible speed, agility, and fierce hunting prowess. A fearsome hunter, this bird of prey specializes in rapid aerial ambushes of smaller birds. Historically, in medieval Europe they were used in falconry, being particularly favored by noblewomen for hunting skylarks, earning them the nickname “lady [...]
The ripening of red winter native Toyon berries coincides with the arrival of large flocks of these dazzling beauties. The elegant Cedar Waxwing sports a black mask and sleek pointed crest plus silky beige plumage tipped in waxy red and yellow. Listen for the high-pitched, trilled whistle as dozens descend from the treetops to feast [...]
Swinhoe’s White-eye is a newcomer that is rapidly making a big impact. The sprightly, diminutive songbird native to southern China, Vietnam, and Malaysia has recently established a vibrant, burgeoning presence in Southern California since being noticed in Huntington Beach two decades ago. At first there were only a few, likely arriving as a result of [...]
The White-tailed Kite can be seen patrolling and hovering over grasslands, open scrub, and agricultural fields where it hunts small mammals like voles and mice using a unique hunting technique known as “kiting”, where it hovers motionless in the air facing into the wind scanning the ground for movement. Once sighted, it rapidly dives, feet [...]
Spotting a male Western Tanager as it flits through dense pine trees is both a challenge and a pure delight. The mid-sized songbird presents with a bright yellow body, black wings and an astonishing red head. The drabber female is duller, greenish yellow below with grayish back and wings. Western Tanagers nest in high montane [...]
