Photographing Wildlife in the Sacramento Valley

The Sacramento Valley, or Central Valley, lies just north of the Sacramento- San Joaquin River Delta and includes the Sacramento River and various mountain ranges - the southern Siskiyou Mountains to the north, and the northern Sierra Nevada to the east. These mountains define the shape of the valley, and provide water for agricultural, industrial, residential, and recreation uses. Most of the rivers are heavily dammed and diverted. In more recent years, statewide droughts in California have further strained the Sacramento Valley's water security.

Citrus, nut orchards, and cattle ranches are common to both halves of the Central Valley. Nuts, such as almonds and walnuts, are of greater importance north of the Delta, and rice, nonviable in the drier San Joaquin Valley, is a major crop.

Raptors

With such a large agricultural presence, the Sacramento Valley attracts a diverse range of wildlife - mammals and birds. High rodent populations have produced a prolific number of raptors. Buteos such as Red-Tailed Hawks and Red Shouldered Hawks are commonly seen perched atop street signs and telephone wires along stretches of highway. More elusive raptors like accipiters (Sharp-Shinned and Cooper’s Hawks) can be found hunting song birds in the sparse tree cover or diving in and out of berry brambles. Falcons, Harriers and Kites dip into Buteo territory, hunting voles and field mice.

Cooper's Hawk

Red Tailed Hawk

White Tailed Kite

Red Tailed Hawk

American Kestrel

Northern Harrier

Owls

The Sacramento Valley is home to a variety of owls, perhaps none more prevalent than the Barn Owl. Barn Owls make their homes in structures such as barns and other out-buildings or in dense tree cover (i.e. cypress, manzanita, etc.). They are expert hunters, boasting the best hearing out of all scientifically tested animals, and glide noiselessly over fields and orchards. Due to the oftentimes direct proximity of agricultural land to the interstate, Barn owls suffer large casualties from collisions with vehicles.

Great Horned Owls are another prolific Central Valley Owl. Their prey sources in the valley include rodents, rabbits, skunks, a variety of bird species and even other owls, primarily Barn Owls.

Short Eared Owls are common visitors to the valley in the winter months and make their homes on the ground in fields and other open terrain. They are rarely seen alone, often hunting in pairs or larger numbers. The largest number of Short Eared Owls that I have seen hunting at one time was a family unit of fourteen.

Burrowing Owls are another year round resident of the valley, as well as Western Screech Owls.

Great Horned Owl

Short Eared Owl

Great Horned Owl

Short Eared Owl

Waterfowl

Another major feature of the Central Valley is its position along the Pacific Flyway. The Pacific Flyway is a major north-south flyway for migratory birds in the Americas, extending from Alaska to Patagonia. Every year, migratory birds travel some or all of this distance both in spring and in fall, following food sources, heading to breeding grounds, or traveling to overwintering sites. Any given bird species travels roughly the same route every year, at almost the same time.

The valley’s high concentration of wintertime water sources (flooded fields, streams, and the Sacramento River) offer key rest stops and attract thousands of migratory winter birds including swans, geese, cormorants, ducks, and other waterfowl.

Snow Geese

Sandhill Cranes

Wood Duck

Mammals

This is a rough list of Central Valley mammals, not taking into account the occasional vagrant (I am also choosing not to include smaller rodents and bats for the sake of time and space):