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BASIC INFORMATION
Beginning Bird
Identification
Bird Feeding
Instructions
Feeding
Hummingbirds
CHECKLISTS
Kern River Valley Birds Checklist
Kern Valley Spring Nature Festival
Birds
Audubon Kern River Preserve
Winter Birding Guide
Audubon Kern River
Preserve Spring Bird Arrival Guide
Audubon Kern River Preserve
Summer Birding Guide
Audubon Kern River Preserve
Fall Birding Guide
MAPS & DIRECTIONS TO BIRDING HOTSPOTS
Canebrake Ecological Reserve
Birding on the Kern River Preserve and
South Fork Kern River
KRV Hummingbird Finding Guide
Visitor and Travel Information Page
SPECIES ACCOUNTS
Summer Tanagers on the Kern River
Tricolored Blackbird - May 2008
White-crowned Sparrows in the Kern River
Valley and beyond
RESEARCH
Bird Banding on the Kern River Preserve
and South Fork Kern River
Kern River Valley Turkey Vulture
Community Watch
CONTESTS
America's birdiest inland county 2010
Kern County
2008, America's birdiest inland county!
Kern County, America's
birdiest inland county in 2007
Kern River Valley Christmas Bird
Count History
Schedule of KRV
Christmas Bird Counts |
 Birding in winter brings a different experience than any other time
of year. Our winter birds arrive from September through late
November. In winter the number of sparrows, waterfowl and
woodpeckers swell as the birds evacuate the cold mountains to the
warmer and more food rich valleys. One our favorite, and most
abundant, winter residents is the White-crowned Sparrow. They are
resident on the Kern River Preserve from mid September until late
May. There are five subspecies of White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia
leucophrys) found in North America. Four of the subspecies are
migratory.
Three subspecies have been found on the preserve but our wintering
population mostly consists of Gambel’s
White-crowned Sparrows - Zonotrichia
leucophrys gambelli. Gambel’s White-crowned Sparrows have a
white lore and orange bill. The distinction is clear if you know
what to look for as it is the most unique subspecies.
Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii breeds in Alaska, the
northern mainland of Canada, eastern British Columbia, and
southwestern Alberta. This subspecies has pale lores and an orange
bill.
Zonotrichia leucophrys leucophyrys breeds in northern
Ontario, Quebec, Newfoundland, and northeastern Manitoba.
Zonotrichia leucophrys oriantha breeds in mountainous western
Alberta and western United States.
Z. l. leucophrys and
Z. l. oriantha have dark lores and
pink to dark reddish pink bills. They are infrequently seen on the
preserve.
Zonotrichia leucophrys pugetensis breeds along the Pacific
Coast of North America ranging from Campbell River, Vancouver Island
through northwestern California.
Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli is non-migratory and the only
subspecies found exclusively in California. It lives along a narrow
band on Coast from northwestern California to Santa Barbara County.
Z. l. pugatenis and
Z. l. nuttalli are virtually
indistinguishable, with pale lores and dull yellowish bills. These
are not found inland.
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About Audubon Kern River Preserve
The Kern River Preserve is managed by
Audubon California for the preservation of one of California’s
largest contiguous cottonwood-willow riparian forests and the
wildlife it supports.
Audubon Kern River Preserve supporters provide financial and volunteer support for Preserve outreach, education, wildlife habitat protection & stewardship. |
