Naturalist Michael Elsohn Ross has been leading birding tours, bird watching workshops, and custom birding trips in Yosemite since 1977. Michael is equally comfortable and adept at leading groups (no larger than 12), as well as families, couples, and individuals. As a long time resident of El Portal, at the park’s western boundary, he has developed an intimate knowledge of Yosemite birds and birding hotspots in and around the park.

If you are interested in a quality bird watching experience with one of the Yosemite’s most experienced birders, contact Michael. He can suggest a variety of birding locations, suited to the time of your visit to Yosemite. Birding tours can be arranged for clubs, organizations, tour groups, families, or school students. Check out the list of Yosemite bird species found in a variety of locations in the park.

Yosemite Birds by elevation and habitat

Within Yosemite’s 1189 square miles are a wide variety of bird habitats. View the list of recommended Yosemite bird watching locations and the bird species likely to be sighted in each locale.

El Portal- 2100 feet at the Yosemite park boundary
Habitats- Pine/oak woodland and oak woodland/chapparral, low elevation riparian
Best times- March through May (Species present in winter are in bold)
Species- Golden eagle, California quail, band-tailed pigeon, northern pygmy owl, common poorwill, white-throated swift, calliope hummingbird, Anna’s hummingbird, pacific-slope flycatcher, ash-throated flycatcher, Cassin’s vireo, western scrub jay, Steller’s jay, violet-green swallow, oak titmouse, bushtit, Bewick’s wren, wrentit, American dipper, canyon wren, ash-throated flycatcher, western wood-pewee, black phoebe, Nuttall’s woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, western bluebird, California thrasher, black-throated gray warbler, western tanager, lazuli bunting, black-headed grosbeak, California towhee, spotted towhee, rufous-crowned sparrow, golden-crowned sparrow, Bullock’s oriole, lesser goldfinch,

Yosemite Valley, Big Meadow, Wawona- 4000 feet
Habitats- Pine/oak woodland, meadows and middle elevation riparian and aquatic
river zones.
Best times- March through October (Species present in winter are in bold)
Species- Golden eagle, peregrine falcon, California quail, band-tailed pigeon, northern pygmy owl, white-throated swift, Vaux’s swift, black swift, calliope hummingbird, Anna’s hummingbird, white-headed woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, red-breasted sapsucker, black-backed woodpecker, pacific-slope flycatcher, western wood-pewee, black phoebe, dusky flycatcher, Hammond’s flycatcher, Cassin’s vireo, Steller’s jay, violet-green swallow, chestnut-backed chickadee, mountain chickadee, bushtit, Bewick’s wren, pacific wren, American dipper, canyon wren, western bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, hermit thrush, varied thrush, black-throated gray warbler, hermit warbler, MacGillivray’s warbler, western tanager, lazuli bunting, black-headed grosbeak, spotted towhee, golden-crowned sparrow, Bullock’s oriole, lesser goldfinch, Lawrence’s goldfinch.

Hodgdon Meadows, Crane Flat, Glacier Point Road
Habitats- Mixed conifer forests, high chapparral, meadows, (Species present in winter are in bold)
Species- Golden eagle, goshawk, peregrine falcon, mountain quail, sooty grouse, northern pygmy owl, white-throated swift, Vaux’s swift, calliope hummingbird, Anna’s hummingbird, white-headed woodpecker, acorn woodpecker, black-backed woodpecker, red-breasted sapsucker, dusky flycatcher, Hammond’s flycatcher, western wood-pewee, black phoebe, Cassin’s vireo, Steller’s jay, violet-green swallow, mountain chickadee, bushtit, pacific wren, American dipper, western bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, hermit thrush, black-throated gray warbler, hermit warbler, MacGillivray’s warbler, western tanager, lazuli bunting, black-headed grosbeak, green-tailed towhee, Bullock’s oriole, Cassin’s finch. Lawrence’s goldfinch.

Tuolumne Meadows Birding season- June through mid-October
Habitats- Mixed conifer forests, Lodgepole forests, varied meadows systems, riparian willow thickets aquatic river zones.
Species- Golden eagle, goshawk, peregrine falcon, white-throated swift, Anna’s hummingbird, Williamson’s sapsucker, dusky flycatcher, Hammond’s flycatcher, western wood-pewee, Clark’s nutcracker, violet-green swallow, mountain chickadee, American dipper, mountain bluebird, Townsend’s solitaire, hermit thrush, western tanager, Pine grosbeak, Cassin’s finch, Red crossbill.

Tioga Pass and high elevation trails: June through mid-October
Habitats-subalpine lodgepole and whitebark pine forests, subalpine and alpine meadows and fell fields, riparian and lakes shore zones.
Species- White-tailed ptarmigan, golden eagle, goshawk, peregrine falcon, white-throated swift, Williamson’s sapsucker, dusky flycatcher, Hammond’s flycatcher, Clark’s nutcracker, violet-green swallow, mountain chickadee, rock wren, American dipper, mountain bluebird, hermit thrush, varied thrush, western tanager, pine grosbeak, Cassin’s finch, red crossbill, gray-crowned rosy-finch.

Yosemite National Park Bird Checklist

Follow this link to download the list:
http://www.nps.gov/yose/naturescience/upload/yosebirdhecklist.pdf

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