27 Most Common NIGHT Birds In California (+Song ID) | Radar Bromo

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California is well-known for its rich | avifauna – location are almost 680 vertebrate type location pinch a number of those being very progressive during nan night!

Examples of nocturnal birds successful California see nan bluish mockingbird, barn owl, spotted owl, yellow-breasted chat, Wilson’s snipe, and galore others.

Do immoderate of them sound familiar? Let’s jump successful and spot what each of these looks and sounds like!

Night Birds In California

1. Northern Mockingbird

Scientific name: Mimus polyglottos

Northern mockingbirds are birds astir often heard singing during nan nighttime successful California. The nighttime singers are often young, unattached males aliases older males without mates.

They are astir noisy from March to August (their breeding season) and from precocious September to November (while establishing wintertime territories).

To trim their perpetually annoying singing, see utilizing vertebrate nets connected trees aliases placing cardboard cutouts of predators for illustration hawks aliases owls.

These birds are year-round residents successful CA and are aptly named, arsenic they tin mimic complete 200 different songs and imitate up to 35 species.

Their mimicry extends to sounds for illustration rusty hinges, car alarms, cackling hens, and canine barks, sometimes indistinguishable moreover pinch physics analysis.

Read More: Loud nighttime birds recovered successful TX

2. Yellow-breasted Chat

Scientific Name: Icteria virens

Yellow-breasted chats tin beryllium often heard singing successful nan greeting and evening during summertime successful astir parts of California. They will besides moreover singing astatine nighttime during nan tallness of their breeding play (May to July).

Often heard than seen, they are communal astir dense, brushy areas and hedgerows. These birds person a unsocial operation of cackles, clucks, whistles, and hoots successful their songs, on pinch harsh “chak” calls.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2d/Icteria_virens_-_Yellow-breasted_Chat_XC254465.mp3

Yellow-breasted Chat Song | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

They tin mimic different birds, sometimes confusing birdwatchers. During nan breeding season, they go much conspicuous, singing from exposed spots and flying openly while gurgling their songs.

3. American Robin

Scientific name: Turdus migratorius

American robins are songbirds that tin beryllium heard astir forests, lawns, and suburbs crossed CA, passim nan full year.

As wintertime fades and daylight increases, they will beryllium nan first birds you perceive singing conscionable arsenic dawn approaches, giving them nan nickname “wake robins.”

The opus is described arsenic a “cheery” carol consisting of a drawstring of 10 aliases truthful clear whistles; American robins besides person a crisp “yeep” siren telephone aliases a mumbled “tuk” erstwhile communicating pinch 1 another.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/American_Robin.ogg

Source: G. McGrane, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

However, erstwhile nan sun goes down, their opus changes. From sunset until it gets very dark, they adhd soft, almost whispered notes to their singing, making their opus sound elegant and intricate.

Read More: Birds you perceive astatine nighttime successful South Carolina

4. Killdeer

Scientific Name: Charadrius vociferus

Killdeers tin beryllium heard passim nan state. They inhabit unfastened areas for illustration sandbars, mudflats, fields, and moreover municipality locations.

Killdeers are progressive time and night, pinch noticeable nighttime activity, particularly successful early outpouring and precocious summer. They often congregate successful places for illustration promenade parking tons and well-lit shot fields, engaging successful socializing, calling, and searching for food. Their sanction comes from their loud, piercing calls resembling “kill-deer, kill-deer.”

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/97/Charadrius_vociferus.ogg

Killdeer Call | Source: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

5. Wilson’s Snipe

Scientific Name: Gallinago delicata

Wilson’s snipes for illustration bedewed grassy fields, sedge marshes, and bogs. They are wintertime residents successful California and their activity peaks during dawn and dusk.

To find them, perceive for their “tuk-tuk” call, which tin beryllium heard from nan crushed aliases debased perches.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ca/Gallinago_delicata_-_Wilson%27s_Snipe_XC609619.mp3

Wilson’s Snipe Call | Source: Doug Hynes, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Their winnowing show formation is besides very absorbing and tin beryllium heard overhead. Males will alert precocious successful circles and past return shallow dives to nutrient a unique sound. This behaviour tin beryllium spotted during nan time and agelong into nan night.

6. Flammulated Owl

Scientific Name: Psiloscops flammeolus

Flammulated owls are unsocial among mini owls owed to their completely acheronian eyes and debased hoots.

These mini birds are conscionable 6 inches agelong but span astir 14 inches crossed nan wings – specified ample wings let them to quickly move from 1 character to nan other. Females are longer and bigger than males – nan type were named aft nan flame-like markings connected their faces.

Flammulated owls breed successful nan bluish parts of California and tin beryllium heard astir actively singing conscionable aft acheronian and adjacent dawn, little successful nan mediate of nan night.

Because of nan agelong trachea (windpipe), flammulated owls make low-pitched azygous aliases double hoots that sound for illustration overmuch larger owls made them. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology describes their repeated hoots arsenic “ventriloquial” since it is almost intolerable to find nan vertebrate from nan sound.

7. Western Screech-owl

Scientific Name: Megascops kennicottii

These mini owls pinch stocky bodies are communal year-round successful woodlands crossed nan state. Part of their technological sanction “kennicottii” is aft nan American naturalist Robert Kennicott.

The type are nocturnal, often seen sitting connected perches earlier swooping down and catching their prey. They mostly provender connected insects, mini mammals, and birds – perceive for their bid of whistled notes that accelerate astatine nan extremity and that are fixed astatine night.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/Megascops_kennicottii_-_Western_Screech_Owl_XC429070.mp3

Western Screech-owl Call | Source: FR, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Western screech owls tin beryllium recovered successful different wooded habitats, but mostly for illustration riparian and deciduous areas; besides municipality areas and parks.

Read More: Sounds of communal nighttime birds successful Alabama

8. Great Horned Owl

Scientific Name: Bubo virginianus

Great horned owls are 1 of nan largest raptors successful California. They measurement almost 2 feet long, measurement up to 3.5 pounds, and tin beryllium recovered passim nan twelvemonth successful nan state.

These owls for illustration unfastened areas for illustration fields and marshes adjacent mature forests. They go astir vocal for an hr aft acheronian and an hr earlier dawn.

Great horned owls make deep, large “ho-ho-hoo hoo hoo” sounds that tin person 4 aliases 5 syllables. The female owl’s telephone is higher-pitched, and it tends to highest aft midnight.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6f/Bubo_virginianus_-_Great_Horned_Owl_XC450919.mp3

Great Horned Owl Call | Source: Michael & Katie LaTour, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

In wintertime aliases spring, they often singing successful a duet. Territorial hooting tends to alteration successful February aliases March erstwhile they commencement laying eggs. In summer, nan unique juvenile begging telephone tin sometimes beryllium confused pinch nan calls of barn owls.

9. Barn Owl

Scientific Name: Tyto alba

One of nan astir startling sounds you tin perceive astatine nighttime successful California is nan loud, harsh telephone of barn owls. These imperishable residents of nan authorities are reasonably communal passim nan year; during nan colder months, they find shelter successful heavy conifer trees aliases barns, while successful nan remainder of nan year, they bent astir farms, rocky cliffs, forests, wetlands, and unfastened areas.

These medium-sized owls person heart-shaped heads, cinnamon and grey upperparts, and achromatic underparts. They often person a “ghostly” appearance, particularly if seen astatine nighttime erstwhile they are astir active.

Barn owls do not hoot and make bone-chilling screams instead.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Tyto_alba_-_Western_Barn_Owl_XC345927.mp3

Barn Owl Call | Source: Luis Gracia, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

They are rather communal successful nan USA and are among galore birds that tin beryllium heard calling during nan nighttime successful FL.

10. Barred Owl

Scientific Name: Strix varia

Found successful northwestern parts of CA, barred owls make their homes successful forested areas, including swamps, riversides, precocious ground, and particularly ample expanses of woods.

They are progressive passim nan nighttime and are known for their “who-cooks-for-you” opus and “hoo-ahhh” call. They will duet, and their juveniles make a high-pitched raspy hissing noise, an automatic confirmation if it’s heard successful a circumstantial block.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Strix_varia_-_Northern_Barred_Owl_XC178042.mp3

Barred Owl Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

11. Long-eared Owl

Scientific Name: Asio otus

Long-eared owls are secretive, nocturnal, and well-camouflaged owls that person gray-brown bodies pinch ray bars and dense streaks connected their underparts.

Long-eared owls are residents of California occuring much wide successful lowland areas of nan authorities during migration and winter.

They go progressive soon aft dusk passim nan night. Long-eared owls don’t vocalize often but person chopped calls. The male’s opus is simply a low-pitched bid of “hoo” notes, akin to nan sound of blowing crossed a bottle.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/39/Asio_otus_-_Long-eared_Owl_XC108293.mp3

Long-eared Owl Call | Source: Alexander Kurthy, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The unique juvenile begging telephone is besides a bully indicator, but be aware is needed arsenic distant barking dogs aliases mooing cows tin sound for illustration long-eared owls.

Read More: Examples of birds that tin beryllium heard astatine nighttime successful Michigan

12. Short-eared Owl

Scientific Name: Asio flammeus

Short-eared owls are recovered connected each continents isolated from Antarctica and Australia, making them 1 of nan astir wide vertebrate species.

Similar to long-eared owls, these nocturnal owls are astir communal successful California during wintertime months, though immoderate northern populations enactment location year-round. You will perceive them singing astir unfastened grasslands, including weedy fields, writer strips of mini airports, coastal marshes, and moreover cultivation fields pinch stubble.

Mottled brownish above, they person very short receptor tufts and large yellowish eyes that are accentuated by achromatic rings, making them look for illustration they are wearing mascara!

Although mostly silent, short-eared owls will make a bid of “voo-hoo-hoo” calls.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Short-eared_Owl.ogg

Short-eared Owl Call | Source: Jamescandless, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

They are mostly nocturnal erstwhile astir of nan hunting happens, but they tin besides beryllium crepuscular (active adjacent dawn and dusk).

Read More: Song ID guideline of nighttime birds recovered successful Louisiana

13. Northern Saw-whet Owl

Scientific Name: Aegolius acadicus

Northern saw-whet owls are recovered successful forests of nan Northern Coastal region and Siera Nevada year-round; successful nan remainder of nan state, they tin beryllium heard during winter.

Named aft their large and repetitive whistles described arsenic “a saw being sharpened connected a whetstone”, their calling peaks astir 2 hours aft sunset and decreases until conscionable earlier sunrise.

Listen for nan tooting advertizing opus of males, a repeated “toot-toot-toot.” They springiness a assortment of different calls, and later successful nan season, juveniles nutrient a raspy, hissing call.

The compound called porphyrin makes their formation feathers unsocial – nan pigment gives them a neon pinkish fluorescence erstwhile exposed to UV light.

Read More: Birds that singing astatine nighttime successful Massachusetts

14. Burrowing Owl

Scientific Name: Athene cunicularia

Burrowing owls are nan only owl type that nest underground.

You’ll perceive them successful nan unfastened grasslands and shrub-steppe areas across Southern California and nan Central Valley region.

Identify them successful personification by their agleam eyes, agelong grayish legs, and deficiency of receptor tufts. These owls person brownish heads and wings pinch achromatic spots and achromatic bellies.

Burrowing owls aren’t very vocal but will still make various sounds: clucking, screaming, rattling, etc. They will often make a two-note cooing telephone erstwhile mating aliases defending territory.

What makes them unsocial is that astir of nan burrows they usage to nest are made by badgers, awesome predators of their eggs and young.

15. Spotted Owl

Scientific Name: Strix occidentalis

Spotted owls are type of existent owls. True owls aliases emblematic owls beryllium to nan Strigidae family and are 1 of nan 2 mostly accepted owl families, together pinch barn owls.

California spotted owls are subspecies of spotted owls that hap passim nan Sierra Nevada upland scope successful California, arsenic good arsenic successful confederate and coastal California wrong nan Coastal, Transverse, and Peninsular upland ranges.

California spotted owls are vocal type that tin beryllium astir often heard astatine sunset, early evening, predawn, and dawn.

Out of 13 different hoots, barks, and whistles, their astir celebrated telephone consists of a bid of 4 heavy hoots pinch nan mediate 2 notes closest together. Females person higher voices than males and some sexes make nan calls to take sides their territory.

Unfortunately, nan populations wrong 3 important study areas successful California person decreased by 31-55% since nan 1990s, and these declines are speeding up.

16. Great Gray Owl

Scientific Name: Strix nebulosa

Today, Yosemite serves arsenic nan southernmost residence for astir of California’s awesome grey owls, which are categorized arsenic an endangered type by nan state. Researchers judge that location are astir 200 to 300 of these owls there.

Patterned pinch brownish and achromatic mottling, streaks, and barrings, awesome grey owls blend perfectly pinch nan gray-brown bark of their conifer perch.

These owls are highly secretive and difficult to find and birders often see it a immense accomplishment to get a confirmed sighting.

Great grey owls hoot and hunt astatine nighttime aliases astir dusk and dawn, mostly catching voles.

They are astir vocal during nan breeding play pinch pairs making a low-pitched bid of “hoos” that past betwixt 6 and 8 seconds and person a 30-second region betwixt nan calls. They will besides make soft double hoots erstwhile protecting their territories aliases erstwhile humans provender them; females person higher-pitched voices than males.

17. Pied-billed Grebe

Scientific Name: Podilymbus podiceps

Pied-billed grebes are small, stocky, and short-necked h2o birds recovered passim nan Americas. They are wide successful California and tin beryllium heard location year-round.

Identify them by their brownish plumage that gets darker connected nan crown and back. Such colors service arsenic awesome camouflage but make it harder to spot them.

These birds are commonly recovered successful marshes and ponds pinch emergent vegetation and are progressive passim nan night. Listen for their loud, whooping, cuckoo-like song, pinch pairs sometimes singing together successful a duet.

18. Common Poorwill

Scientific Name: Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Length: 7.1 in
Wingspan: 12 in
Weight: 1.3-2 oz

Common poorwills are nocturnal birds recovered year-round successful confederate parts of CA. Some organization surviving successful nan coastal parts tin beryllium heard calling during summertime nights.

They inhabit barren unfastened areas rich | successful grasses and shrubs wherever they nest connected nan crushed and provender connected nocturnal insects for illustration grasshoppers, beetles, and moths. Common poorwills will either hunt connected nan crushed aliases drawback them successful nan air.

These mini and compact nighttime birds person grayish plumage, short wings, and tails, sewage their sanction aft their opus that sounds for illustration a whistled “poor-will“.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Common_Poorwill_Great_Basin_National_Park.ogg

Common Poorwill Call | Source: National Park Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

19. Common Nighthawk

Scientific Name: Chordeiles minor

These medium-sized birds pinch forked tails and long, pointed wings are crepuscular and nocturnal raptors recovered successful bluish and eastbound parts of California erstwhile nan summertime breeding play comes. They are 1 of nan past birds to get successful nan state.

Common nighthawks tin beryllium seen successful prairies, forests, savannahs, and municipality areas, and are astir progressive during dawn and dusk pinch a visible moon. They nutrient a chopped peent sound and prosecute successful courtship displays pinch accelerated dives creating a booming sound arsenic aerial passes complete wings.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4b/Chordeiles_minor.ogg

Common Nighthawk Call | Source: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Keep successful mind that communal nighthawks are well-camouflaged and blend pinch nan situation during nan day. Their plumage is usually gray, black, and brownish with achromatic patches connected their wings adjacent to nan guidelines of superior feathers.

20. Lesser Nighthawk

Scientific Name: Chordeiles acutipennis

In nan confederate parts of California, lesser nighthawks are breeding birds recovered successful barren washes of nan foothills, while they are communal breeding birds successful nan desert.

Lesser nighthawks are known for their erratic, bat-like flying technique, graceful loops, and predominant guidance changes during flight.

Although intimately related to communal nighthawks, they are mostly quieter birds. Lesser nighthawks are astir vocal astatine nighttime during their breeding play erstwhile they tin nutrient toad-like trills lasting up to complete 3 minutes.

Lesser nighthawks will forage and singing adjacent dawn and dusk aliases heavy into nan nighttime erstwhile there’s a afloat satellite aliases thoroughfare ray nearby.

21. Mexican Whip-poor-will

Scientific Name: Antrostomus arizonae

Mexican whip-poor-wills are nightbirds commonly heard aft dark. Their unique song, resembling “whip-poor-WILL,” tin beryllium heard endlessly during nan night. Out of 5 subspecies, nan 1 breeding successful southeastern California is nan Antrostomus arizonae arizonae.

These birds for illustration forested foothills and canyons pinch pines and deciduous trees, on pinch adjacent unfastened areas for hunting. They forage for flying insects connected nan crushed astatine night.

Though akin to communal poorwills, Mexican whip-poor-wills person longer tails, a chopped voice, and different habitats.

22. American Coot

Scientific Name: Fulica americana

American coots are mini chicken-like water birds pinch achromatic plumage, agleam achromatic beaks, reddish eyes, and yellow-green legs.

Although they lucifer ducks, American coots are only distantly related to them. These imperishable residents of California tin beryllium seen and heard successful freshwater wetlands pinch unfastened h2o and emergent vegetation astir dawn and dusk.

American coots nutrient a crisp “poot” telephone and a screeching “kree” sound, and they are peculiarly noisy swimmers, truthful you whitethorn besides admit them by splashing h2o sounds.

Read More: List of nocturnal birds recovered successful Virginia

23. Virginia Rail

Scientific Name: Rallus limicola

Virginia rails are compact aquatic birds characterized by their brownish plumage, which is notably darker connected their backs and crowns. They besides person unique orange-brown legs and bills.

In coastal parts of California, they are communal year-round, while they conscionable breed successful nan remaining parts of nan state. They often make harsh “kuk-kuk-kuk” calls during nan night; their “grunt” calls tin beryllium utilized for connection betwixt mates.

They are often recovered together pinch soras; short-billed soras provender connected seeds, while nan long-billed Virginia rails mostly devour insects.

Read More: What birds singing astatine nighttime successful Tennessee?

24. Sora

Scientific Name: Porzana carolina

Soras are mini waterbirds that tin beryllium identified by their short yellowish beaks, dark-marked brownish upperparts, blue-gray faces and underparts, and achromatic and achromatic barrings connected nan flanks.

Soras are communal astir wetlands containing cattails and patches of unfastened water; their descending “whinny” telephone is utilized by mated pairs and erstwhile establishing territories. They besides person a “ker-wee” telephone for attracting mates and are astir progressive during dawn and dusk.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e3/Porzana_carolina_-_Sora_-_XC102973.ogg

Sora Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The champion times to spot soras are early successful nan mornings aliases precocious successful nan evenings erstwhile they’re much apt to travel retired from nan heavy plants successful hunt of food.

Read More: What birds tin beryllium heard astatine nighttime successful Indiana?

25. American Bittern

Scientific Name: Botaurus lentiginosus

American bitterns are wading birds from nan heron family. These well-camouflaged solitary birds walk winters mostly successful coastal parts of California. They are chiefly nocturnal pinch astir of nan activity happening astir dusk.

These birds for illustration ample cattail aliases sedge marshes and bedewed meadows, More often heard than seen, American bitterns person a unique booming telephone that resembles a congested pump that group picture arsenic “oong-kach-oonk.“

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/86/Botaurus_lentiginosus_-_American_Bittern_XC127371.ogg

American Bittern Call | Source: Alejandro Erickson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Read More: Ohio’s astir communal nocturnal birds

26. Least Bittern

Scientific Name: Ixobrychus exilis

Least bitterns are 1 of nan smallest heron type successful nan world. They are much progressive astatine dawn and dusk and little vocal successful windy aliases rainy conditions. Males tin beryllium recognized by their soft “coo-coo-coo” and “reek-reek-reek” calls.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bb/Ixobrychus_exilis_-_Least_Bittern_XC251028.mp3

Least Bittern Call | Source: Niels Krabbe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Least bitterns successful California person knowledgeable a important diminution successful their numbers, peculiarly successful nan Central Valley wherever their scope has notably shrunk. While they are occasionally recovered successful Siskiyou, Modoc, and Lassen counties wrong their mapped range, these birds thin to migrate distant from bluish regions during nan wintertime months.

However, they support a year-round beingness successful confederate California on nan coastal slope, nan Salton Sea area, and nan little Colorado River.

Read More: List of nighttime birds of South Carolina

27. Black-crowned Night Heron

Scientific Name: Nycticorax nycticorax

Black-crowned nighttime herons, besides known arsenic black-capped nighttime herons, are 1 of nan astir wide heron type successful nan world.

They tin beryllium seen successful coastal parts of California year-round.

Unlike astir of their heron relatives, black-crowned nighttime herons are astir progressive astatine nighttime aliases dusk. They will often bait food – propulsion immoderate nutrient successful nan h2o to lure nan prey earlier striking pinch their agelong beaks.

These nocturnal and noisy herons will besides migrate successful ample flocks exclusively during nan night. Part of their technological sanction “Nycticorax” comes from ancient Greek and intends “night raven”, referring to their nocturnal feeding habits and croaking crow-like calls.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Nycticorax_nycticorax_-_Black-crowned_Night_Heron_-_XC99573.ogg

Black-crowned Night Heron Call | Source: Jonathon Jongsma, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Read More: Most communal nighttime birds successful Arkansas

What Birds Sing At Night In California?

The astir communal birds that singing astatine nighttime successful California are nan bluish mockingbirds.

Mockingbirds singing each nighttime are often young, unattached males aliases older males without a mate. In lawsuit you want to extremity their nighttime singing, effort to screen your character pinch vertebrate netting aliases pull a female mockingbird to your yard.

You mightiness person besides heard yellow-breasted chats singing successful nan acheronian arsenic they telephone retired to nan females, aliases moreover barn owls and their bone-chilling screams.

Summary

California’s rich | avifauna is brimming pinch nocturnal birds. Some tin beryllium seen year-round there, for illustration respective owl type and bluish mockingbirds, while others, for illustration yellow-breasted chats and communal nighthawks, sojourn nan authorities only to breed.

In lawsuit you’ve stumbled upon aliases heard immoderate of these birds, we dream this guideline helped you place which ones they were.

Feel free to publication our different celebrated articles connected New York’s nocturnal birds and Oregon’s nocturnal birds.

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