RIPARIAN AREA BIRDS

The most common dove species in this area. A slender bird with long tapering wings and tail. Both sexes are grey and buff colored on the top half of their body, buff on the underside with a pinkish hue on the breast. They also have black spots on their upper wings. The call is a soft cooing sound.

This is a large black crow-like bird. Differentiated from crows by it's larger size, heavier bill, and wedge-shaped tail. It is found in various habitats and feeds on a wide variety of food including carrion.

A small brown bird with a brown streaked upper breast and sides. There are no wing bars, but they have yellow lores and eye brows. Their feet and legs are pink. Commonly found in more open areas of (less vegetated) marshes and fields.

A small bird with a slender body and long pointed wings. An aerial bird but sometimes found perching on wires or posts. It's coloring is a glossy blue-black above and with a buffy throat,breast, and rump. The square tail is a distinguishing feature from the barn swallow. Commonly found near bridges, and overpasses near water. This is where it nests in colonies of mud nests. These are agile flyers that capture insects for food.

Similar in appearance to cliff swallows but their tail is longer and forked. They are dark on their back but buffy on their breast and have a cinnamon throat. They nest in colonies, in and under man made structures. They can capture insects while in flight.

The male is a glossy black with red shoulder patches edged with yellow. Females are brown above with a streaked brown underside, and may have areas of slight reddish color. During mating season males display their shoulder patches by flaring their feathers and holding their wings outward. Commonly found in marshes, sloughs, and open grassy fields.

This perching bird has a grey back and pale underside. It has white wing patches that are noticeable during flight. The long tail has white outer feathers. It's song is a mixture of imitated songs and calls that may continue into the night hours. Commonly found in thickets and shrubs along creek margins. 

A small sparrow like bird with brownish grey back, wings, neck and head, buff colored underside and throat with brown streaking on the breast, sides and neck. Also the pipit has a buff colored eye stripe and eye ring. The bill is a dark grey and the feet and legs are a pinkish color. They are locally found in open marshland and fields in the winter.

This is a small perching bird with olive-colored upper parts, and yellow under parts. The male has a black mask that wraps around the front of the head, across the top of its bill. This species is found in dense patches of reeds in marsh habitats where it is more often heard than seen.

A small fly catching bird with a black to dark grey top half with a white belly and under tail coverts. The juveniles are browner and have wing bars. Common near water where it finds perches from which to catch it's prey in it's wings.