Birds of North America Illustrations

Cactus Wren Breeding Male: Large wren with black-and-white streaked reddish-brown back, dark crown with distinctive white stripe over eyes, white chin, and heavily spotted white underparts with buff wash on sides and belly. Wings and tail are dark with white bars. Bill is long and slightly decurved. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has fewer and paler breast spots and shorter tail.

California Condor: Very large raptor with black body, bare-skinned red-orange head, and white wing patches. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has gray-skinned head and dull gray wing patches. Exceptionally rare bird.

California Gnatcatcher Breeding Male: Medium-sized gnatcatcher with a black cap, dark blue-gray upperparts, black tail, and paler gray, buff-washed underparts. Bill is short, slender, and black. Tail is black with white edges, with undertail appearing all-black when closed. Female is paler and lacks black cap. Winter male resembles female but has dark eyebrow.

California Gull Breeding Adult: Moderately large gull with white body, gray wings, and black wing tips. Bill is yellow with diagnostic red and black spot near tip of bill. Legs are yellow; eye is dark with red orbital ring. Sexes are similar. Winter adult develops brown streaks on back of head and nape. Juvenile is mottled gray-brown overall with dark wing tips, pink legs, and black bill that becomes pink-based during 1st winter; back turns pale gray, underparts lighten, and legs turn yellow-green by 2nd winter.

California Quail: Medium-sized quail with distinctive, curled black head plume and white-bordered black throat. Breast is gray and belly is sharply scaled. Flanks are brown with white streaks and back is olive-brown. Female and juvenile are smaller, with brown plume, and without black throat.

California Thrasher: Large, slender thrasher with dark brown upperparts and paler gray-brown underparts. Face is finely streaked, eyes are dark, and bill is very long and down curved. Throat has small buff patch. Tail is long with reddish-brown undertail coverts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has buff edges on wing feathers.

California Towhee: Large sparrow with uniform brown-gray body, faintly streaked underparts, and buff throat bordered with dark streaks. Tail is long with cinnamon-brown undertail coverts. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has more diffusely streaked underparts.

Calliope Hummingbird: Very small hummingbird with metallic green upperparts and flanks, and white underparts. Throat feathers are long and purple-red, appearing as streaks on a white background, whiskers when fluffed out, or dark, inverted V when folded. Female and juvenile have pale rufous flanks, green upperparts, white underparts, and small dark spots on throat.

Canada Goose: Large, long-necked goose with dark upperparts and paler underparts grading to white on vent. Head and neck are black with white chin bar. Body is usually gray-brown, although varies from dark brown to gray in different races. White semi-circle above black tail is visible in flight. Sexes are similar.

Canada Warbler: Small warbler with slate-gray upperparts, bright yellow underparts, black-streaked necklace, and white vent. Eye-ring is yellow. Female is duller with gray upperparts.

Canvasback: Large, flashy diving duck with pale gray body and black breast and tail. Head is red-brown with long, sloping profile and long, dark bill. Female has gray breast and brown head. Juvenile resembles female; eclipse male resembles breedng male but is duller.

Canyon Towhee: Large sparrow with gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, a large central breast spot, and white belly patch. Crown is rust-brown. Tail is long with brown undertail coverts. Sexes are similar.

Canyon Wren Breeding Male: Medium-sized wren with rust-brown upperparts, fine white spots on gray-brown back, nape, and crown, white throat and breast, and white-spotted brown belly. Tail is long and brown with thin black bars. Head has a flattened appearance; bill is long, slender, and slightly decurved. Sexes are similar, although female may be smaller. Juvenile resembles adult, but with more textured and less spotted upperparts.

Cape May Warbler: Small warbler with olive-yellow upperparts and thick, black streaks on yellow underparts. Face is bright yellow with chestnut-brown ear patch. Wings are dark with large white patches. Female and juvenile are less yellow overall and do not have bright yellow face, chestnut-brown ear patch, or white wing patches.

Carolina Chickadee Breeding Male: Small chickadee with gray upperparts, distinct black cap and bib, dull white cheeks, and white underparts with rust-brown flanks. Bill is dark and short. Sexes are similar.

Carolina Wren: Medium-sized wren with rufous upperparts and buff underparts. Eyebrows are vivid white. Throat is white and bill is long and decurved. Wings and tail are dark barred with white flecks. Sexes are similar.

Caspian Tern Breeding Adult: Large, stocky tern with pale gray upperparts and white underparts. Cap is black and may appear weakly crested; large bill is coral-red. Undersides of primaries are gray. Tail is white, relatively short, and slightly forked; legs are black. Sexes are similar. Winter adult has dark streaked cap and white eye rings. Juvenile resembles winter adult but has gray chevrons on white back, dark gray legs, and orange bill.

Cassin's Auklet: Small seabird (alcid) with slate-gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, and white belly. Eyes are pale yellow. Bill is short with white at base of lower mandible. Tail is short. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has dark brown eyes

Cassin's Finch: Medium-sized, cheery finch with bright red crown and brown-streaked back. Belly is white and neck, upper breast, and rump are buff. Bill tapers evenly to a sharp point. Female has crisp brown streaks over entire body and no red hues.

Cassin's Kingbird: Large, scolding flycatcher with dark olive-gray upperparts and dull yellow underparts. Mask is dark gray, throat is white, and breast band is gray. Tail is black with gray or white tip. Sexes are similar.

Cassin's Sparrow: Medium-sized, skulking grassland sparrow with fine brown streaks on gray-brown head and back, and buff underparts. Tail is long, rounded, and white-tipped. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has streaked underparts.

Cassin's Vireo Breeding Male: Small vireo with olive-gray upperparts, white underparts, and pale yellow flanks. Head is gray with white eye-ring that extends to brow. Wings are dark with two white bars. Female is slightly duller. Juvenile has less gray on crown and sides of head.

Cattle Egret: Medium-sized, stocky egret with white body and pale orange-brown patches on head, neck and back. Eyes, bill and legs are orange. Sexes are similar. Winter adult and juvenile are white and with dull yellow-orange eyes, bill, and legs.

Cave Swallow (southwest) Breeding Male: Small swallow with steel-blue upperparts, white underparts, and rufous wash on breast and sides. Forehead is chestnut-brown and throat and rump are buff. Tail is square. Sexes are similar.

Cedar Waxwing: Small waxwing with red-brown upperparts, pale slate-gray rump, and buff underparts. Head is crested and has black mask. Tail is yellow-tipped with white undertail coverts. Wings have red bead-like tips on secondaries. Sexes are similar. Juvenile has smaller crest and gray-brown streaks on underparts.

Cerulean Warbler: Small warbler with sky-blue, faintly streaked upperparts and black-streaked white flanks. Black band separates white throat and belly. Wings have two bold white bars. Female has unstreaked, blue-gray upperparts, yellow wash on face and breast, pale streaks on flanks, and yellow eyebrows.

Chestnut-backed Chickadee: Small, energetic chickadee with chestnut-brown back, rump and flanks, and white breast and belly. Cap and throat are black; cheek patch is white. Wings and tail are dark. Sexes are similar.