Welcome to California's   Central Coast Birding Trail

Brown Pelican Symbol of the Central Coast Birding Trail Copyrighted Photo courtesy of: Don Des Jardin

California's Central Coast is strategically located on the Pacific Flyway and features 83 prime birding sites in four counties: Monterey, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura. Within these four counties are eight Globally Important Bird Areas. In proper habitat and season, nearly 300 bird species can be reliably found along the trail.

Let this website be your complete guide to the Central Coast Birding Trail. This Index Page directs you to an array of pages that will provide you with all the information you will need to make your trip to the Central Coast a productive birding adventure as well as to enjoy the numerous other attractions of the area.

Each of the four county links take you a map with descriptions and photo galleries* of the individual trail sites. There are two links to specialty birds with specific information on the best locations to find these most sought-after species of the Pacific Rim. Other links take you to an Events Page, a Resources Page and an After Hours Page. Bring your non-birding spouse with you without guilt, since the Central Coast has a large variety of engaging activities to enjoy when not birding. For starters there are the missions of El Camino Real, great food and great wine. Additional links from all of these pages take you to sites with related useful information. Whether you plan to spend a weekend or several weeks, California's Central Coast is a trip you will long remember.

Click on the links below to visit the Counties of the Central Coast:

Monterey

San Luis Obispo

Santa Barbara

Ventura

In addition to the County trail site descriptions, please visit: 
Specialty birds of the Central Coast Birding Trail: CCBT Speciality Birds  
Pelagic Birding on the Central Coast Birding Trail: CCBT Pelagic Birding
Birding Event Calendars:  Central Coast Events
Local attractions after birding is done: After Hours
Resources for birding the Central Coast Trail Areas: Resources

These Audubon chapters from the Central coast support the areas of the trail and will be happy to give you more information:

Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society (Monterey County) Morro Coast Audubon Society (San Luis Obispo County) La Purisima Audubon Society (North Santa Barbara County) Santa Barbara Audubon Society (South Santa Barbara County) Ventura Audubon Society (North Ventura County) Conejo Valley Audubon Society (South Ventura County)

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We wish to thank the following photographers  for permission to use their beautiful photographs for this site.
All of their images are copyrighted and may not be used without contacting the photographer.
Check out their web sites below for a real treat!

Don DesJardin	Web Site 1 | Web Site 2
Peter LaTourrette	Web Site 1 | Web Site 2
Jim Dunn	Web Site
Hugh P. Smith, Jr.	Web Site
Jim Greaves	Web Site

The California Central Coast Birding trail and this web site is sponsored by

Audubon-California ( of the National Audubon Society)
711 University Ave
Sacramento, CA 95825
916-649-7600

The mission of Audubon~California is to conserve and restore California's ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.