Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

OTHER NAMES: Buzzard
Latin Etymology: Cathartes ("cleanser") aura (based on an indigineous Mexican name for species)

Adult Turkey Vulture (subspecies C. a. meridionalis) at Berkeley, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Western Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura meridionalis)
Weight: 0.8-2.4kg  /  Length: 62-81cm  /  Wingspan: 160-183cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Turkey Vulture is a member of the New-World Vultures, a group that is evolutionarily distinct from the Vultures featured on this website to date, belonging to their own separate family. The Turkey vulture is probably the archetypal bird of this family, a large black bird with a bright red head which feeds on carrion. They were one of the commonest raptors we encountered on the trip, particularly in hilly areas where they were often thermaling.

Related Species:
Order: Accipitriformes
Family: Cathartidae
Genus: Cathartes
SUBSPECIES: C. a. aura, C. a. jota, C. a. meridionalis, C. a. ruficollis, C. a. septentrionalis

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found throughout the Lower 48 - Summer visitor to more Northern states, resident in the South
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at San Jose, Berkeley, Hayward and Big Sur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Pacific Diver (Gavia pacifica)

OTHER NAMES: Pacific Loon
Latin Etymology: Gavia (name in Latin for an unidentified seabird) pacifica ("of the Pacific")

 
Non-breeding Pacific Diver (Gavia pacifica) at Big Sur, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 1-2.5kg  /  Length: 58-74cm  /  Wingspan: 110-128cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Pacific Diver as it's name suggests is a bird whose range is centred on the North of the Pacific, with its breeding range in Siberia, Alaska and Canada, although it does breed as far East as Hudson Bay and Baffin Island, which would be presumaby the source of the rare vagrancies to Europe. As with most divers, their breeding plumage includes some spectacular pinstripe patterning, but as with other species their High North breeding range makes seeing them in their drab Winter plumage far easier, where they can be distinguished from other species by the presence of a narrow chin strap.

Related Species:
ORDER: Gaviiformes
FAMILY: Gaviidae
GENUS: Gavia
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Winters along West Coast
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Big Sur

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Tringa (bird named by Aristotle) incana ("light grey")  

Non-breeding Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana) at Big Sur, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: N/A
Weight: 110g  /  Length: 28cm  /  Wingspan: 66cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The Wandering Tattler is in many ways a fairly understated grey-brown wader that favours rocky shorelines, but it's migratory habits are fairly spectacular. While most North American Waders primarily travel continentally, this species seems to take the Pacific itself as Wintering grounds, and can be found not only on the Californian Coast, but also on many Pacific islands down around to the North East coast of Australia!

Related Species:
Order: Charadriiformes
Family: Scolopacidae
Genus: Tringa
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in Alaska, Winters in California and Hawai'i
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Big Sur

 Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto

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