Birding Resources
Great places to go birding!
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There are many great places to go birding in and around Davis. The town’s position in the Central Valley makes it a great place to see all kinds of birds, especially waterfowl.
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The UC Davis Arboretum and Public Garden is right on campus, and a great spot to see a variety of species ranging from migratory songbirds and raptors to Wood Ducks and Green Herons. The Arboretum has paved paths and nearby parking (free on weekends).
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The Putah Creek Riparian Reserve is about 15 minutes by bike from campus and contains a beautiful stretch of riparian habitat with dirt trails and gravel levees. The reserve hosts many birds including a variety of warblers and sparrows throughout the year, and it is common to spot and hear Belted Kingfishers flying up and down the creek. In late spring and summer, abundant Tree Swallows and Swainson’s Hawks are almost guaranteed.
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Some species that can be seen in these locations depending on the time of year.
Top Left: Red-shouldered Hawk (year-round resident)
Top Right: Downy Woodpecker (year-round resident)
Bottom Left: Black-throated Gray Warbler (migrant)
Bottom Right: Swainson's Hawk (summer resident)
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Photos: Ryan Bourbour
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The Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area, east of Davis, is a little more difficult to access being about 10 minutes away from campus by car, but it more than makes up for it with enormous numbers of waterfowl and hunting raptors in the winter. The bypass is predominantly a driving route on a gravel path with limited areas to walk around. It’s a great place to see species that prefer open wetland habitat that are uncommon in the City of Davis itself. If you’re lucky, you may also spot Sandhill Cranes here!
While there are fewer waterfowl during summer, the Yolo Bypass Bridge is host to hundreds of thousands of Mexican-free-tailed bats that often attract Peregrine Falcons and Swainson’s Hawks looking for an evening meal http://yolobasin.org/battalkandwalks/
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Thousands of Snow Geese wintering at the Yolo Bypass.
Photo: Ryan Bourbour
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The Yolo Audubon has an extensive list of the best places to bird in Davis and Yolo County that is worth checking out: https://yoloaudubon.org/birding-locations/
SCB-D nest box highway
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In collaboration with the UC Davis Museum of Wildlife and Fish Biology, the City of Davis, local Davis residents, and undergraduate interns, we established a network of twenty nest boxes along the Covell Greenbelt around North Davis Ponds and have monitored the nest boxes since 2019. We collect data such as the species using the boxes and the numbers of eggs and chicks. Once the chicks are large enough, we put unique numbered and colored bands on their legs so we can identify them in the future. In 2020, fifteen nest boxes were used by four species, 112 eggs were laid, and 85 chicks fledged. We have trained up to ten undergraduates per year in nest box monitoring. Please reach out if you are interested in participating in the weekly monitoring that takes place in the spring and summer!
For more information, check out the following links:
https://mwfbsongbirdnestbox.wordpress.com/
http://mwfb.ucdavis.edu/outreach/nestboxesec5_3.html
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