Common Murres (Uria aalge)

With nearly 490 species recorded (45% of species of birds in North America), Point Reyes National Seashore easily claims the prize for the greatest avian diversity in any U.S. national park. The species total here, in fact, is larger than the species total in each of forty of the United States. Some of the factors responsible for attracting this amazing diversity are Point Reyes' location at an optimal latitude, its diverse habitats, its location along the Pacific Flyway, and the shape of the peninsula which acts as a geographic magnet.

While all birds at Point Reyes are protected, two threatened species currently are the focus of studies and extra steps to ensure their survival: the snowy plover and the northern spotted owl.

View Birds of Point Reyes National Seashore species list (205 KB PDF, Adobe® Acrobat Reader® required).

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