Salton Sea - south end
California · Southwest
Moderate
October-May
$7 per vehicle
Open daily, sunrise to sunset
About This Location
Salton Sea - south end is a productive birding destination in California, with 342 species recorded on eBird. This desert and chaparral habitat attracts Snow Goose, Northern Shoveler, and Green-winged Teal 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
Lesser Goldfinch
Spinus psaltria
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna bicolor
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Numenius hudsonicus
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
Heermann's Gull
Larus heermanni
Recent Observations
Species reported at this location in the last 14 days
Gull-billed Tern
Cinnamon Teal
Mallard
Redhead
Ruddy Duck
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Ridgway's Rail
American Coot
Black-necked Stilt
Forster's Tern
Pied-billed Grebe
Eared Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Green Heron
Great Egret
Great Blue Heron
Turkey Vulture
Burrowing Owl
Cliff 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
Check eBird hotspot data before visiting to see recent sightings and what species are being reported.
- 5
Bring quality optics — a good pair of binoculars (8x42 or 10x42) makes all the difference in species identification.
Amenities
Nearby Attractions
- Salton Sea State Recreation Area
- Sonny Bono NWR
- Salvation Mountain
More in California
California Birding Guide
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