Seasons in the Sea - A month-by-month guide to Central California sea life

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Cormorants: Image credit-Mary Hollinger - NOAA

Seabird

Nesting locations and habitats

< March seabirds April seabirds May seabirds >

Nesting locations and habitats for coastal birds
that leave the Central California Coast in spring

The table below lists many of the birds that spend winters on the Central Coast of California, but which leave in spring to nest elsewhere. For each type of bird, this table shows where they are migrating in spring and what kind of nesting habitat they prefer.

Note: Some of the shorebirds and wetland birds listed in this table are discussed on the web pages about "tidepools in April" "beaches in April" and "estuaries in April."

Return to April seabird page

Type of bird Nesting region(s) Nesting habitat
 
NEARSHORE SEABIRDS
Surf scoterNorthern Alaska, Canada
tundra
White-winged scoterAlaska, Western Canada
lakes
Black scoterWestern Alaska
coast, boreal forests
Western grebeGreat Basin
sagebrush
Clark's grebeGreat Basin
sagebrush
Horned grebeSouthern Alaska, W. Canada
lakes, marshes
Eared grebeWestern United States, Canada
marshy areas
Pacific loonNorthern Canada, Alaska
lakes
California gullGreat Basin
lakes
 
ROCKY-COAST SHOREBIRDS
Black turnstoneW to NW Alaska
coastal wetlands
SurfbirdN Alaska, Canada
rocky mountain slopes
 
SANDY-COAST SHOREBIRDS
Marbled godwitMontana to Alberta
grassy prairie
Western WilletColorado to mid-Canada
marshy areas
WhimbrelN. Alaska, Canada
coastal and mountain tundra
SanderlingW to NW Alaska
delta/wetland
 
COASTAL WETLAND BIRDS
Western sandpiperCanadian Arctic
delta/wetland
CurlewIdaho and Montana
high plains
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