The Birds of Chileno Valley Ranch

By Peter Fugazzotto, Director, Communications

May 29, 2019

Sally and Mike Gale, owners of Chileno Valley Ranch, regularly partner with PRBO Conservation Science (now Point Blue Conservation Science) and the Marin RCD to monitor birds on the ranch.

They host a bird count annually; a recent survey on their ranch found an impressive 33 species using the restored creek corridor in a single spring.

Sally relishes the return of the barn swallows after each winter, watching them from the porch as they gather mud for their nests in the barn rafters. Birds respond quickly to changes in their environment and serve as evidence that the ecosystem is thriving.

“I keep seeing new birds. Now we have lazuli buntings and yellow warblers. It is so exciting!”                                                   

Sally Gale

Birds Observed at Chileno Valley Ranch

• Allen’s hummingbird
• American crow
• American goldfinch
• American robin
• Anna’s hummingbird
• Ash-throated flycatcher
• Black-headed grosbeak
• Black phoebe   
• Brown-headed cowbird
• Bushtit
• California towhee
• Chestnut-backed chickadee
• Cliff swallow
• Downy woodpecker
• European starling
• House finch
• House sparrow
• Lark sparrow
• Lazuli bunting
• Mourning dove
• Nuttall’s woodpecker
• Oak titmouse
• Orange-crowned warbler
• Purple finch
• Red-winged blackbird
• Savannah sparrow
• Song sparrow
• Spotted towhee
• Swainson’s thrush
• Warbling vireo
• Western bluebird
• Western scrub-jay
• Wilson’s warbler