Birds Of Southern California

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) Description: Male in breeding plumage has gray crown, chestnut nape, black bib and black bill. Female has streaked back, buffy eye stripe and unstreaked breast. Habitat: Cultivated lands, woodland and edge, around human habitation. Diet: Seeds, insects and fruit. Displays: Courting male hops around female, back flattened, head up, tail down, wings extended with tips nearly touching the ground. Nest: In artificial or natural cavity.

YOU wouldn't expect a blissful birding memory to come out of a few asphalt-cloaked acres in Central L.A.: Audubon warblers, Hutton's vireos, an Anna's hummingbird (acting, in typical hummingbird fashion, so territorial that it buzzes the warblers), a black phoebe and a Cooper's hawk. There's also a special guest, heard but not seen, a northern flicker, its piercing cry unmistakable. These are birds of the suburban gardens or chaparral trails.

Description: Bills are long and slightly curved. The breeding male is orange-yellow with a black upper back, wings and tail. A black patch extends over throat area, and there are two whitish bars on the wings. Female lacks black throat and back. Habitat: Riparian woodland, palm groves, arid scrub, deciduous woodland, around human habitation. Diet: Insects, nectar, fruit. Displays: In courtship, on elevated perch, male performs series of exaggerated bows toward female as he approaches, then hops around her singing softly with head pointed skyward; female may respond with similar posture.

HOUSE SPARROW (Passer domesticus) Description: Male in breeding plumage has gray crown, chestnut nape, black bib and black bill. Female has streaked back, buffy eye stripe and unstreaked breast. Habitat: Cultivated lands, woodland and edge, around human habitation. Diet: Seeds, insects and fruit. Displays: Courting male hops around female, back flattened, head up, tail down, wings extended with tips nearly touching the ground. Nest: In artificial or natural cavity.

GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) Description: Large, gray-blue heron. Black stripe extends above eye; white foreneck is streaked with black. Breeding adult has yellowish bill and ornate plumes on head, neck and back. Habitat: Freshwater and brackish marshes, swamps, lakes, rivers. Diet: Mostly fish, but sometimes also feeds on human food scraps, nestlings, small mammals. Displays: Pairs will rest their crests and clap bills. Nest: Builds a platform nest in a tree or on a cliff.

Description: Male's head and throat are deep rose red. Female's throat usually shows red flecks, often forming a patch of color. Underparts are grayish in both sexes, mixed with varying amounts of green. Back is an irridescent green in both sexes. Habitat: Open woodland, chaparral, gardens. Diet: Primarily nectar, also spiders and tree sap. Displays: Male flight traces arc of vertical circle before female; rising very high, plummets downward making chirp sound at lowest point, then rises straight above female, hovers and faces her at top of ascent, delivering brief squeaky song.

(Psaltriparus minimus) Description: Tiny, acrobatic, long-tailed bird that usually feeds in large, active, twittering flocks. Gray-brown above, paler below, brownish cap. Habitat: Woodlands, scrub, chapparal. Diet: Insects (including spiders), seeds, fruit. Displays: Courtship of calls, trills, posturing. Nest: Distinctive gourd-shaped hanging pocket, woven around and supported by twigs. Made of moss, lichen, leaves, cocoons, grass and flowers, secured by spider web and lined with plant down, hair and feathers.

YOU wouldn't expect a blissful birding memory to come out of a few asphalt-cloaked acres in Central L.A.: Audubon warblers, Hutton's vireos, an Anna's hummingbird (acting, in typical hummingbird fashion, so territorial that it buzzes the warblers), a black phoebe and a Cooper's hawk. There's also a special guest, heard but not seen, a northern flicker, its piercing cry unmistakable. These are birds of the suburban gardens or chaparral trails.

Emeritus classes offered by Saddleback College will begin Jan. 10 at the Sea Country Community and Senior Center. The courses offered this semester, which runs through May 18, are Art Forms, Birds of Southern California and Exercise to Music. The center is at 24062 Aliso Creek Road. Information: (949) 425-5151.

Description: Adult males have broad black mask bordered above by white and below by a bright yellow throat and breast; undertail coverts are yellow and underparts are dark olive. Female's crown, back, wings and face are olive colored with a whitish eye ring. Habitat: Overgrown fields, fresh and salt water marshes. Diet: Insects and seeds. Displays: Male follows female while swooping from perch to perch, performing calls and a garbled song.

Description: Male's head and throat are deep rose red. Female's throat usually shows red flecks, often forming a patch of color. Underparts are grayish in both sexes, mixed with varying amounts of green. Back is an irridescent green in both sexes. Habitat: Open woodland, chaparral, gardens. Diet: Primarily nectar, also spiders and tree sap. Displays: Male flight traces arc of vertical circle before female; rising very high, plummets downward making chirp sound at lowest point, then rises straight above female, hovers and faces her at top of ascent, delivering brief squeaky song.

Description: Bills are long and slightly curved. The breeding male is orange-yellow with a black upper back, wings and tail. A black patch extends over throat area, and there are two whitish bars on the wings. Female lacks black throat and back. Habitat: Riparian woodland, palm groves, arid scrub, deciduous woodland, around human habitation. Diet: Insects, nectar, fruit. Displays: In courtship, on elevated perch, male performs series of exaggerated bows toward female as he approaches, then hops around her singing softly with head pointed skyward; female may respond with similar posture.

GREAT BLUE HERON (Ardea herodias) Description: Large, gray-blue heron. Black stripe extends above eye; white foreneck is streaked with black. Breeding adult has yellowish bill and ornate plumes on head, neck and back. Habitat: Freshwater and brackish marshes, swamps, lakes, rivers. Diet: Mostly fish, but sometimes also feeds on human food scraps, nestlings, small mammals. Displays: Pairs will rest their crests and clap bills. Nest: Builds a platform nest in a tree or on a cliff.