This checklist covers the UCSC Arboretum, ephemeral pond (Arboretum’s "reservoir"), adjacent fields and pastures, Moore Creek’s marshy stretch just north of the Arboretum, and UCSC’s Experimental Farm.
A printed edition of this checklist, available at the Arboretum, includes a map of the area. The Arboretum’s Hummingbird Trail leaflet details its South African, Australian, and New Zealand gardens. This checklist includes species, seasonal abundances, and habitats.
No one in UCSC’s 35 years has diligently censused the Arboretum’s birds through many seasons. So in compiling this checklist we occasionally have had to surmise seasonal patterns from nearby habitats. We hope birders will augment this inventory with regular observations in the years ahead. "Take good notes!"
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Our ABUNDANCE CODES reflect likelihood of encounter:
C: COMMON – at appropriate season, likely to be seen in or near Arboretum.
FC: FAIRLY COMMON – at appropriate seasons, usually seen in or near the Arboretum, but may be missed for days at a time.
U: UNCOMMON – despite appropriate season, usually seen only a few times monthly in or near the Arboretum, though present elsewhere in Santa Cruz.
R: RARE – seen only a few times seasonally or even annually in or near the Arboretum, though present elsewhere in Santa Cruz.
X: EXCEPTIONAL – see note at end of species-list. Should be reported with appropriate documentation to the Santa Cruz Bird Club
Irr: IRREGULAR –abundance fluctuates
drastically year to year.
| DBL-CRESTED CORMORANT | R sum, U Sep-Apr | overhead |
| GREAT BLUE HERON | R Oct-Apr | pond, overhead |
| GREEN HERON | R all yr | pond |
| TURKEY VULTURE | FC Apr-Oct, U wtr | overhead |
| MALLARD | FC Oct-Apr | pond |
| OSPREY | R migrant | overhead |
| WHITE-TAILED KITE | R sum, FC Sep-Apr | treetops, overhead |
| NORTHERN HARRIER | U Oct-Apr | over pastures |
| SHARP-SHINNED HAWK | FC Oct-Apr, R sum | trees |
| COOPER’S HAWK | FC Oct-Apr, R sum | trees |
| RED-SHOULDERED HAWK | C all yr | trees, overhead |
| RED-TAILED HAWK | C all yr | treetops, overhead |
| GOLDEN EAGLE | R all yr | pastures, overhead |
| AMERICAN KESTREL | U sum, C Oct-Apr | trees, overhead |
| MERLIN | R Oct-Mar | treetops, overhead |
| PEREGRINE FALCON | R Oct-Apr | overhead |
| CALIFORNIA QUAIL | C all yr | all arboretum |
| KILLDEER | FC Oct-Apr | paths, fields |
| COMMON SNIPE | R fall-wtr | Moore Creek marsh |
| CALIFORNIA GULL | C Oct-May | overhead |
| WESTERN GULL | U Oct-Mar | overhead |
| GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL | U Nov-Feb | overhead |
| CASPIAN TERN | U Apr-Sep | overhead |
| ROCK DOVE | C all yr | overhead |
| BAND-TAILED PIGEON | FC all yr | treetops, overhead |
| MOURNING DOVE | C all yr | all arboretum |
| BARN OWL | U all yr | bldgs, woodland trees |
| GREAT HORNED OWL | FC all yr | trees, power poles |
| NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL | R fall-wtr | smaller trees |
| BURROWING OWL | U Oct-Mar | pastures |
| VAUX’S SWIFT | U Apr-Oct | overhead |
| WHITE-THROATED SWIFT | U Apr-Oct, Irr R wtr | overhead |
| ANNA’S HUMMINGBIRD | C all yr | all arboretum |
| RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD | U spr, ?U Jul-Oct | gardens |
| ALLEN’S HUMMINGBIRD | C Feb-Oct | shrubs, gardens |
| BELTED KINGFISHER | R wtr | trees near water, overhead |
| ACORN WOODPECKER | C all yr | oaks, scattered redwoods |
| RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER | R Oct-Mar | smaller trees |
| NUTTALL’S WOODPECKER | R fall-wtr | trees |
| DOWNY WOODPECKER | FC | all yr trees |
| HAIRY WOODPECKER | FC | all yr trees |
| NORTHERN FLICKER | C all yr | all arboretum |
| OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER | U spr-sum | treetops |
| WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE | U spr-sum | larger trees |
| WILLOW FLYCATCHER | R Aug-Sep | small trees around pond |
| PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER | C Apr-Oct | trees |
| BLACK PHOEBE | C all yr | all arboretum |
| SAY’S PHOEBE | FC wtr | fences, perches in fields |
| ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER | U spr-sum | smaller trees |
| WESTERN KINGBIRD | U migrant | isolated trees |
| TREE SWALLOW | U spr-sum | overhead |
| VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW | FC Mar-Oct | overhead |
| N. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW | U migrant | overhead |
| CLIFF SWALLOW | C Mar-Sep | overhead |
| BARN SWALLOW | FC Mar-Oct | overhead |
| LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE | U fall-wtr | perches in fields |
| CASSIN’S VIREO | U spr, U fall | woodland trees |
| HUTTON’S VIREO | FC all yr | shrubs, smaller trees |
| WARBLING VIREO | C Apr-Sep | woodland trees |
| STELLER’S JAY | C all yr | trees, esp. conifers |
| WESTERN SCRUB-JAY | C all yr | all arboretum |
| AMERICAN CROW | FC all yr | overhead |
| COMMON RAVEN | FC all yr | overhead |
| CHESTNUT-BACKED CHICKADEE | C all yr | all arboretum |
| OAK TITMOUSE | U all yr | trees, shrubs |
| BUSHTIT | C all yr | all arboretum |
| RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH | Irr R-U wtr | trees |
| PYGMY NUTHATCH | FC all yr | taller conifers |
| BROWN CREEPER | U all yr | woodland treetrunks |
| BEWICK’S WREN | C all yr | shrubs, undergrowth |
| HOUSE WREN | U migrant | thickets |
| WINTER WREN | U Oct-Apr | thickets |
| GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET | R Oct-Apr | woodland treetops |
| RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET | C Oct-Apr | all arboretum |
| BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER | R migrant | shrubs, thickets |
| WESTERN BLUEBIRD | R migrant | trees |
| SWAINSON’S THRUSH | FC spr-sum | undergrowth |
| HERMIT THRUSH | C Oct-Apr | undergrowth |
| AMERICAN ROBIN | C all yr | all arboretum |
| VARIED THRUSH | Irr R-U Oct-Apr | trees, esp. with berries |
| WRENTIT | C all yr | shrubs, thickets |
| NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD | C all yr | all arboretum |
| CALIFORNIA THRASHER | U all yr | shrubs, on ground |
| AMERICAN PIPIT | U fall-wtr | pastures |
| CEDAR WAXWING | FC Oct-May | larger trees, treetops |
| EUROPEAN STARLING | C all yr | larger trees, overhead |
| ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER | C spr-sum, R fall-wtr | shrubs, trees |
| YELLOW WARBLE | R R spr, FC fall | trees, shrubs |
| YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER | C Oct-Apr | trees, shrubs |
| BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER | U spring, R fall | woodland trees |
| TOWNSEND’S WARBLER | C fall-wtr | trees, esp. conifers |
| HERMIT WARBLER | R migrant | larger trees |
| COMMON YELLOWTHROAT | R migrant | moist thickets and shrubs |
| WILSON’S WARBLER | C spr-sum | shrubs, smaller trees |
| WESTERN TANAGER | U migrant | woodland trees |
| SPOTTED TOWHEE | C all yr | shrubs, all arboretum |
| CALIFORNIA TOWHEE | C all yr | on ground |
| CHIPPING SPARROW | U Apr-Jul, R Aug-Oct | small trees |
| CLAY-COLORED SPARROW | R fall | shrubs in fields |
| LARK SPARROW | U spr-sum | pastures, field fencing |
| SAVANNAH SPARROW | U all yr | pastures |
| GRASSHOPPER SPARROW | R Mar-Aug | pastures with low perches |
| FOX SPARROW | C Oct-Apr | shrubs, on ground |
| SONG SPARROW | C all yr | all arboretum |
| LINCOLN’S SPARROW | U fall-wtr | thickets |
| WHITE-THROATED SPARROW | R fall-wtr | shrubs, garden edges |
| GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW | C Sep-Apr | shrubs, garden paths |
| WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW | C Sep-Apr | all arboretum |
| DARK-EYED JUNCO | C all yr | woodland undergrowth |
| BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK | FC Apr-Oct | woodland trees |
| LAZULI BUNTING | R migrant | woodland-field edges |
| RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD | C all yr | marshy pastures |
| WESTERN MEADOWLARK | C fall-wtr, FC sum | pastures |
| BREWER’S BLACKBIRD | C all yr | fields, disturbed habitats |
| BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD | U Mar-Sep, R Oct-Feb | larger trees, overhead |
| HOODED ORIOLE | U May-Aug | tall trees |
| BULLOCK’S ORIOLE | FC Apr-Aug | woodland trees |
| PURPLE FINCH | FC all yr | trees |
| HOUSE FINCH | C all yr | trees, shrubs |
| RED CROSSBILL | Irr X-R Oct-Apr | conifers, overhead |
| PINE SISKIN | U-FC wtr, R-U sum | trees |
| LESSER GOLDFINCH | U all yr | shrubby fields |
| AMERICAN GOLDFINCH | FC all yr | trees, shrubs |
| EVENING GROSBEAK | Irr X-R wtr | conifers, overhead |
| HOUSE SPARROW | FC all yr | disturbed habitats |
Several species rate an "X" for their exceptional rarity in the Arboretum. A few of these, such as GREAT EGRET (wtr), BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON (fall-wtr), various DUCKS (wtr) momentarily visiting the ephemeral pond, SORA (fall), COOT (Oct-Apr), and the once-numerous TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD (fall-wtr), are not rare elsewhere in the area. Among other species recorded only once or a very few times at the Arboretum and rare throughout our area: FERRUGINOUS HAWK (wtr), SHORT-EARED OWL (wtr), LESSER NIGHTHAWK (Sep), BLACK-CHINNED and COSTA’S HUMMINGBIRDS (spr), EASTERN KINGBIRD (Sep), EASTERN PHOEBE (Jan), HORNED LARK (wtr), CLARK’S NUTCRACKER (Jan), SAGE THRASHER (Feb), VESPER SPARROW (fall), SWAMP SPARROW (wtr), ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (fall-wtr), INDIGO BUNTING (Dec) and various fall WARBLERS: TENNESSEE, NASHVILLE, BLACK-THROATED BLUE, MacGILLIVRAY’S, PALM (fall-wtr), AMERICAN REDSTART. With continued surveys, careful identifications, and documented reporting to the Santa Cruz Bird Club of rarities, this list of "X" species is bound to lengthen.
Josiah Clark, Jeff Davis, Todd Newberry, David Suddjian: Spring, 2000