Breeding Raptors and the California Bird Atlas
The Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance kicked off our first field trip of the year with a focus on Breeding Raptor Behavior. This field trip was led by Forrest English and participants enjoyed spectacular views of many raptor species, including a Prairie Falcon, American Kestrels, a Merlin, Ferruginous Hawks, Red-tailed Hawks, and even a quick glimpse at a Golden Eagle.
In addition to admiring these incredible birds, we introduced the California Breeding Bird Atlas, a statewide project that the Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance is proud to be a founding partner of. Throughout the day, we documented all observed breeding behaviors and submitted our checklists to the Atlas. Each observation helps build a more complete understanding of where and how birds are breeding across California—a crucial step in supporting conservation efforts.
All eBird users can contribute to the California Bird Atlas! If you haven’t already, consider joining the project on eBird’s California Bird Atlas platform. To get started, check out the Quick Start video for a visual overview, and explore additional guides and resources HERE.
For those who are new to breeding codes—or want a refresher—you can find the full list of codes HERE. Remember: only use a higher breeding code when you’re confident in the behavior you’re observing! For example, during our trip, we saw pairs of Common Ravens and Red-tailed Hawks sitting close together and interacting—clear evidence of bonding, and a great example of the P (Pair in suitable habitat) code. However, not all pairs seen together indicate breeding; sometimes H (In suitable habitat) is the more accurate choice until additional behaviors are observed. It can be nuanced, and that’s okay—learning together is part of the fun! If you want an in-depth video on how to use breeding bird codes, use the button below.
If you have questions about breeding birds or participating in the California Bird Atlas locally, you can reach out to our Eastern Sierra regional coordinators:
Mono County: Forrest English
Inyo County: Rosie Howard and Chris Howard
Thank you to everyone who joined us for this inaugural field trip! We look forward to many more opportunities to explore, learn, and contribute to bird conservation across the Eastern Sierra.
The Eastern Sierra Bird Alliance is a community chapter of the National Audubon Society, representing the diverse habitats of the Eastern Sierra within Inyo and Mono Counties.
Our mission is to educate the public about local bird species and habitats; while working to preserve and protect them for future generations.
