San Francisco is a great place for birding! Located on the Pacific coast, the city provides diverse habitats that attract over 300 bird species throughout the year. From busy urban parks to tranquil coastal wetlands, there are many excellent spots to view birds in their natural environments. In this article, we will explore some of the best places to go birding in San Francisco and what birds you might see when you visit.
Where are some of the best places to go birding in San Francisco?
Here are some of the top birding locations in San Francisco:
Golden Gate Park
Golden Gate Park offers excellent birding opportunities right in the heart of the city. The park contains forests, meadows, ponds, and botanical gardens that attract over 200 bird species. Some birds to look for include Anna’s Hummingbird, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Red-tailed Hawk, Allen’s Hummingbird, Nuttall’s Woodpecker, and Western Bluebird. The park is easily accessible by public transportation.
Crissy Field
Crissy Field borders the San Francisco Bay and provides a mix of restored tidal marsh, beaches, and grasslands. Over 200 species have been recorded here. Watch for Whimbrel, Marbled Godwit, Brown Pelican, Brant, and a variety of ducks in winter. Large rafts of scaup and scoters can be viewed from the promenade. Shorebirds are plentiful during migration.
Lake Merced
Lake Merced is a freshwater lake surrounded by parks and golf courses. It hosts over 140 species including grebes, cormorants, American Coot, ducks, gulls, terns, and swallows. The lakeshores provide habitat for Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, and more. Bald Eagles are sometimes seen here in winter.
Fort Funston & Ocean Beach
Fort Funston offers 180-foot high cliffs above the Pacific Ocean along with beach and scrub habitats. Seabirds such as Brown Pelican, Brandt’s Cormorant, Western Gull, and Common Murre can be viewed offshore. Cliffs and bushes host White-crowned Sparrow, Common Yellowthroat, Lesser Goldfinch. Shorebirds occur on the beach including Sanderling, Whimbrel, Willet, and Black Turnstone.
Presidio
The Presidio contains forest, wetlands, and scrub habitats with coastal influence. Birding hotspots include Mountain Lake, Lobos Creek, and Battery Caulfield Road. Expect Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Bushtit, Bewick’s Wren, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch and more. Late fall brings Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend’s Warbler, and other migrants.
Point Reyes National Seashore
Point Reyes is world-famous for its diversity of habitats. There are beaches, coastal scrub, coniferous and oak woodlands, freshwater marshes, estuaries, and open ocean. Over 470 bird species have been documented. Waterbirds, shorebirds, raptors, and passerines can be found year-round. Highlights include Tundra Swan, Snowy Plover, Peregrine Falcon, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, and Pygmy Nuthatch.
What are the best times of year to go birding in San Francisco?
Different seasons offer varied birding opportunities in San Francisco:
Spring Migration (March – May)
Many neotropical migrant songbirds pass through on their way north, such as warblers, vireos, flycatchers, and swallows. Resident species are busy breeding and territorial. Shorebirds and waterfowl migrate through the area.
Summer (June – August)
Resident birds can be found nesting and feeding fledglings. Young birds of the year start appearing. Seabirds are actively breeding along the coast.
Fall Migration (September – November)
Southbound migrants from northern breeding grounds pass through including sparrows, thrushes, and warblers. Wintering waterfowl begin arriving at wetland sites. Raptor migration peaks in October-November.
Winter (December – February)
Wintering birds take up residence, including ducks, grebes, loons, and shorebirds along the coast. Large rafts of scoters and scaup can be viewed. Ferruginous Hawk, Bald Eagle and other raptors visit.
Are there any rare or specialty birds to look for?
Here are some noteworthy target species for dedicated birders in the San Francisco area:
Black Oystercatcher
These striking black and orange shorebirds inhabit rocky intertidal zones along the coast. Check for them at Point Reyes, Ocean Beach, and Land’s End.
Tufted Puffin
In late summer and fall, small numbers of Tufted Puffins can be spotted offshore during pelagic boat trips out of Half Moon Bay.
Tricolored Blackbird
This endangered species breeds in the Central Valley but occasionally wanders west to wetlands around San Francisco in winter.
Burrowing Owl
A rare but regular winter visitor to San Francisco’s shoreline parks and open spaces. Check dry grasslands in Pacifica, Fort Funston, and Candlestick Point.
Mountain Plover
Occasional winter reports of this elusive grassland species come from odd locations around San Francisco, including golf courses, large lawns, and airports.
What kinds of habitats offer the best birding experiences?
San Francisco has a diversity of habitats, each attracting their own assemblage of bird life:
Coastal Wetlands
Marshes, sloughs, mudflats. Shorebirds, wading birds, waterfowl, seabirds. Crissy Field, Point Reyes.
Coastal Scrub
Low bushes, grasses, ice plant. Sparrows, towhees, buntings, gnatcatchers. Land’s End, Fort Funston.
Forest
Coniferous and oak woodlands. Warblers, chickadees, nuthatches, thrushes. Mt. Davidson, Presidio.
Parks and Gardens
Meadows, lawns, lakes, botanical collections. Doves, hummingbirds, finches, woodpeckers. Golden Gate Park, Lake Merced.
Beaches
Intertidal areas, sand dunes, rocky jetties. Sanderlings, turnstones, oystercatchers, gulls. Ocean Beach, Point Reyes.
Urban
Buildings, bridges, transmission towers. Pigeons, swallows, swifts, raptors. Financial District, Bay Bridge.
What tips and gear do you recommend for birding in San Francisco?
Here are some tips to make your San Francisco birding experience more enjoyable and productive:
Use Binoculars
Bring a good pair of binoculars. Magnification of 8x or 10x is ideal. This allows you to clearly see details of plumage for identification.
Bring a Field Guide
Guide books or mobile apps allow you to look up unfamiliar birds you encounter. The Sibley Field Guide and National Geographic Field Guide are recommended options.
Dress in Layers
San Francisco weather can quickly shift from sunny to foggy. Dress in layers you can add or remove as needed for comfort.
Pack Snacks and Water
Birding areas like Crissy Field and Point Reyes offer miles of walking. Bring plenty of snacks and water to stay fueled and hydrated.
Be Quiet
Move slowly and speak softly when approaching birding hotspots. This avoids startling birds and allows you to hear their calls and songs.
Follow Ethical Guidelines
Be respectful by keeping distance from nests, avoiding stressing birds, and following rules of protected areas.
Conclusion
Whether you are a casual nature lover or a veteran birder, San Francisco offers outstanding opportunities to view a wide array of bird species year round. The city parks, beaches, wetlands and open spaces provide the diverse habitats birds rely on along the Pacific Flyway. Grab your binoculars and field guide and explore San Francisco’s excellent urban birding! Let us know in the comments about your favorite birding experiences in the city.