The Western blue bird is one of the many feathered species found at John Muir National Historic Site.
NPS / Jessica Weinberg McClosky
Birds of John Muir National Historic Site
Over 100 bird species have been documented in the park. While hiking, you might see a red-tailed hawk soaring overhead, hear an acorn woodpecker storing acorns in a granary oak along the trails, or encounter a flock of California quail crossing your path. Here are a few birds you might spot while exploring the park:
Red-Shouldered Hawk:
These hawks are often seen gliding or soaring around oak woodlands and near rivers. They feature brown, black, and white wings with a distinctive reddish chest and neck. In flight, you can spot their black tails with white bands. Red-shouldered hawks hunt small mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. The oldest recorded red-shouldered hawk lived to be 25 years old.
Anna's Hummingbird:
One of the most commonly seen hummingbirds in the John Muir NHS area, Anna’s hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowering plants and often visit hummingbird feeders in nearby neighborhoods. Their nests are crafted from plant materials and spider webs, decorated with lichens, mosses, and other colorful objects. A group of these iridescent birds is known as a bouquet, a glittering, a hover, a shimmer, or a tune of hummingbirds.
Lesser Goldfinch:
hese small songbirds are known for their long, pointed wings and stubby bills. Males have vibrant yellow bodies with black crowns, wings, and tails, while females are more subdued with olive-colored backs. Lesser goldfinches are common throughout the Bay Area, often flocking with other small songbirds. Their songs and wheezy, descending calls are frequently heard in both urban and natural settings, including the oak woodlands and grasslands of Mt. Wanda.
