Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)

OTHER NAMES: Rufous-sided Towhee, Oregon Towhee 
Latin Etymology: Pipilo ("to cheep") maculatus ("spotted") 

Adult male Spotted Towhee (subspecies P. m. falcifer) at Roy's Redwoods, California - August 2022

Featured Subspecies: Pipilo maculatus falcifer
Weight: 33g  /  Length: 17cm  /  Wingspan: 28cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A distinctively patterned bird, the Spotted Towhee is a bird of upland forest and scrub - they are closely related to the similar looking Eastern Towhee, with which it was formerly considered a single species. Given their favoured habitat, their colonisation of an area tends to follow regrowth after fires, which means that smaller scrubland can re-establish for a while.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Passerellidae
Genus: Pipilo
SUBSPECIES: P. m. oregonus,  P. m. falcifer,  P. m. megalonyx, P. m. clementae, P. m. umbraticola, P. m. consobrinus, P. m. arcticus, P. m. curtatus, P. m. falcinellus, P. m. monatus, P. m. gaigei, P. m. griseipygius, P. m. orientalis, P. m. maculatus, P. m. sympatricus, P. m. vulcanorum, P. m. oaxacae, P. m. chiapensis, P. m. repetens, P. m. macronyx, P. m. socorroensis

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found in much of the Western Unted States
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP:  Seen at Roy's Redwoods

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

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Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Setophaga ("moth eating") townsendi (named for John Townsend)

Adult male Townsend's Warbler (Setophaga townsendi) at San Francisco, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: n/a
Weight: 8.8g  /  Length: 11-13cm  /  Wingspan: 20cm
NO UK STATUS/ IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A stunningly coloured New World Warbler tied to the Pacific Coast, Townsend's warbler is a long distance migrant despite it's small size, with a migratory range spanning from Alaska to Oregon in the Summer to Oregon to Central America in the Non-breeding season. The female is less starkly patterned with the male, with the blacks being replaced by olive tones.

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Parulidae
Genus: Setophaga
SUBSPECIES: none - monotypic 

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Breeds in extreme Northwest of the Lower 48 and Southern Alaska, Winters along Pacific Coast of Lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Roy's Redwoods and San Francisco

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

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Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Corthylio (small wren-like bird mentioned by Hesychius) calendula ("dim")

Adult female Ruby-crowned Kinglet (subspecies C. c. grinelli) at Roy's Redwoods, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: probably Corthylio calendula grinelli
Weight: 5-20g  /  Length: 9-11cm  /  Wingspan: 16-18cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

Given "kinglet" is the name of the family, the Ruby-crowned Kinglet is actually the only member of the family to have that word in it's name. As the name suggests, it has a uniquely bright red crest, although this is only present in the males, with the females like this one being a drab dull green bird. 

Related Species:
Order: Passeriformes
Family: Regulidae
Genus: Corthylio
SUBSPECIES: C. c. grinnelli, C. c. calendula, C. c. obscurus

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES
Breeds in the Alaska and the Rockies, Wnters in much of the rest of Lower 48
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Roy's Redwoods

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

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Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)

OTHER NAMES: N/A
Latin Etymology: Melanerpes ("black creeper") formicivorus ("ant eating")

Adult male Acorn Woodpecker (subspecies M. f. bairdi) at Roy's Redwoods, California - September 2022

Featured Subspecies: Melanerpes formicivorus bairdi
Weight: 65-90g  /  Length: 19-23cm  /  Wingspan: 35-43cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

A distinctive woodpecker species localised in the US to the South West, the acorn woodpecker is most known for its distinctive feeding strategy of creating "granary trees" essentially excavating small holes in trees or non living wood such as utility poles, and wedging in potentially thousands of acorns in a single granary, which is used from year to year. Perhaps even more perculiarly, acorn woodpeckers actually primarily feed on insects, sap and fruit, with the acorns functioning more as an emergency larder.

Related Species:

Order: Piciformes

Family: Picidae

Genus: Melanerpes

SUBSPECIES: M. f. bairdi, M. f. angustifrons, M. f. formicivorus, M. f. albeolus, M. f. lineatus, M. f. striatipectus, M. f. flavigula

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
Found in the South West of the Lower 48 

- CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen at Roy's Redwoods and Berkeley,

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

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Western Fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis)

OTHER NAMES: Blue-belly
Latin Etymology: Sceloporus ("leg pore") occidentalis (of the West)

Adult Western Fence Lizard (subspecies S. o. bocourtii) at Roy's Redwoods, California - Septmember 2022

Featured Subspecies: Coast Range fence Lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis bocourtii)
Weight: 11g  /  Length: 21cm
NO UK STATUS / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The ubiquitous lizard species of the Bay Area, and as the name suggests, found in a huge range including much of the West, they are a species that adapts well to many habitats. Despite the drab upper body of the individuals I saw, they also possess a bright blue underside to varying degree between individuals, and some populations even are bright blue and turquoise all over.

Related Species:
Order: Squamata
Family: Phrynosomatidae
Genus: Sceloporus
SUBSPECIES: S. o. biseriatus, S. o. bocourtii, S. o. longipes, S. o. occidentalis, S. o. taylori

 - Sighting Locations -

UNITED STATES 
A common resident of the West Coast.
 - CALIFORNIA 2022 TRIP: Seen in virtally all locations.

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

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