Palo Alto Baylands
California · Southwest
Moderate
October-May
Free
Open daily, dawn to dusk
About This Location
Palo Alto Baylands is a productive birding destination in California, with 274 species recorded on eBird. This desert and chaparral habitat attracts Canada Goose, Northern Shoveler, and Gadwall among many others. The unique desert and riparian habitats support specialty species alongside wintering and migrating birds.
Location
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Notable Species
Live Bird Data
Powered by eBird / Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Notable Sightings
Rare or unusual species spotted nearby in the last 14 days
Vermilion Flycatcher
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
Western Gull
Larus occidentalis
Song Sparrow (pusillula)
Melospiza melodia
Scaly-breasted Munia
Lonchura punctulata
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
American Wigeon
Mareca americana
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Mallard
Anna's Hummingbird
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
American Avocet
Killdeer
Long-billed Curlew
Marbled Godwit
Willet
Greater Yellowlegs
Least Sandpiper
Western Sandpiper
Ring-billed Gull
California Gull
Forster's Tern
Snowy Egret
Turkey Vulture
Black Phoebe
Common Raven
Barn Swallow
Birding Tips
- 1
Start birding at dawn when desert birds are most active before the heat.
- 2
Check around water sources, which concentrate desert species.
- 3
Carry extra water and sun protection; mornings are the prime birding window.
- 4
A spotting scope is essential here — many waterbirds stay far from shore and are difficult to identify with binoculars alone.
- 5
Winter months bring peak waterfowl diversity — visit November through February for the best duck and goose viewing.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center
- Charleston Slough
- Shoreline Park
More in California
California Birding Guide
Complete guide to birding in California →