The Ellwood Shores area is one of the richest sites in the Santa Barbara area in terms of both numbers of species and numbers of birds.
Approximately 650 bird species inhabit North America north of Mexico. Approximately 200 of them frequent the Ellwood Shres area between Devereux Slough, Hollister Avenue, the ocean, and the Sandpiper Golf Course.
This enormous diversity of birds is a result of the extraordinary diversity of mixed habitats currently available in this small area including riparian woodland, eucalyptus woodland, coastal scrub, native and introduced grasses, recovering grasslands, overgrazed grasslands, creek bed, vernal pools, sand dunes, beach, bluffs, lagoon, tide pools, and open ocean.
Northern and southern birds exist here along side pelagic, shore, desert, and savannah birds. In addition, large numbers of migrating birds, pass through the area in the spring and the fall, while many winter here.
In a 5-hour survey of the site in April 1991, R.K. Mish counted 21,546 birds (conservatively) and 83 species at the Ellwood Shores site! On five different field trips starting on 30 March 1991 and ending on 27 April 1991 Mish counted 96 different species, including as many as 500 individuals of a single species. The average number of birds seen totaled 1,665 birds per field trip.
These counts are conservative, since only identifiable birds were counted. Others such as finches and hummingbirds, which abound in the area, were simply too numerous to count. For example, during the spring when the Eucalyptus are in bloom 30 or 40 birds can be seen buzzing around each tree. Many Great Horned Owls hunt, roost, and nest in the area that is scheduled for development. These are difficult to see unless you know the trees they roost in or spend a night in the area.
Click here to see a checklist of Ellwood Shores birds and their pictures
Let us know if you have identified additional species at the site