February Birding in San Diego

Yellow-rumped Warbler by Steve Brad

It’s winter in San Diego. As the month begins, all birds present are either year-round residents or migrant species that have been in town for several months now. Some of our early breeding species, like owls, hawks, egrets, and herons, will begin exhibiting courtship and nesting behavior. Male thrashers will start singing as they stake out breeding territory. As February progresses, some long distance migrants begin to appear. Look for a few early arriving swallows to be flying over our lagoons and swooping down to take insects on the wing.