Spring ***
Summer **½
Fall ***
Winter ****

San Francisco's Golden Gate Park is among the finest urban parks in the world. It is wholly man made, except for the land forms and isolated oak groves in the eastern part of the park. The park is dominated by a forest of exotic trees, primarily Monterey Pine, Monterey Cypress, Blue Gum (eucalyptus) and small numbers of a wide variety of other trees. The forest is broken by many fields and over a dozen small lakes. The park functions as a habitat island, and the avifauna is abundant in terms of both species and overall numbers.

The western part of the park offers the richest birding opportunities. Weekdays and weekend mornings are certainly the preferred times to visit this area. Holiday and weekend afternoons are so heavily impacted by people that birding is poor in all parts of the park. Kennedy Drive and the area around the concourse and museums are closed to automobile traffic on Sundays and holidays. Middle Drive is closed on Saturdays. There is an effort being made by some skaters and bikers to extend the closure. Isolated areas in the eastern part of the park are best avoided when birding alone.

Bird populations vary extremely between and during seasons. Spring begins in mid-February with the migration of Allen's Hummingbirds and Tree Swallows. From mid-March until mid-May is the best time to look for nesting species. Spring migration peaks during March and April. Summer months are slow, but birds which breed locally remain in the area through August. Fall migration begins in August. Eastern vagrants begin to arrive in early September and continue to pass through until mid-October. Migrants and vagrants continue to be present in small numbers through the winter. By November the wintering population begins to peak. The San Francisco Christmas Bird Count, usually scheduled for a weekday between Christmas and New Year's, generally turns up a number of unexpected birds in the park.

Map of Golden Gate Park, courtesy of USGS

The Eastern Developed Area
Stanyan Street West to Crossover Drive

Much of the eastern part of Golden Gate Park is no longer worth birding. Many of the plants in the Fuchsia Dell have matured, died, and not been replaced, so that area seems to be less used by hummingbirds than in the past. The oaks along the northeastern corridor of the park do not form a fully functional ecosystem and are not as attractive to birds as are natural oak woodlands with their understory of shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, mosses, and lichens. A small, perhaps, irregular, population of Westerns Screech-Owls does inhabit the oak woodlands. Both the oaks and the fuchsia areas are isolated and may not be safe for single birders.

The Rhododendron Dell, located east of the Academy of Sciences and south of Kennedy Drive at about Sixth Avenue, is an area with enough habitat value to be attractive to birds, particularly in spring. The hill in the middle usually has a resident pair of Rufous-sided Towhees. The trees in the area may provide roosting sites for Band-tailed Pigeons. This is an irruptive species, however, and the pigeons may not be present every year. Watch for Red-shouldered Hawks, Scrub Jays, various flycatchers, Orange-crowned, Townsend's, and Wilson's Warblers, Fox, Song, Golden-crowned, and White-crowned Sparrows.

Strybing Arboretum is by far the most diverse plant community in the park. The botanical exhibit is excellent and the birding is good. Be sure to check one of the maps posted near each entrance. A bird list may be available at the book shop by the main entrance gate. Birding is best in winter and spring. Bird numbers drop in summer, but residents can be found. The area has not been well covered during the fall, but common residents and migrants are certainly present, and vagrants can be expected among feeding warbler flocks.

Among the wintering rarities noted recently have been Red-naped and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, White-throated Sparrows, Summer Tanagers, and a variety of vagrant warblers. The pond near the Eugene Friend Gate, across the street from the Japanese Tea Garden, is packed with gulls and ducks during fall and winter. Green-winged Teal, Ring-necked Ducks, and Buffleheads can be found during most winters. Gulls may include Mew, California, Glaucous-winged, and Western.

For land birds, take the path west (right) from the Eugene Friend Gate for about 50 yards to the fork. Watch for a wintering sparrow flock, which usually includes White-crowned, Golden-crowned, Fox, and Song Sparrows, as well as an occasional White-throated Sparrow or two. At the fork, take the path around the left side of the Eastern New Zealand plant bed. Check the trees at the end of the bed to the right and those to the left along the edge of the meadow for sapsuckers. Red-breasted Sapsuckers are regular here in winter, and both Red-naped and Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers have been found several times. Continue along the paved path past the meadow, to the Japanese moon viewing garden, then continue along the path to the left (watch for Varied Thrushes), back to the South Africa area. This, the Eastern New Zealand and the adjacent Cape Provinces Exhibits, offers the richest birding habitat in the arboretum. Look through the trees and shrubs for roaming flocks of insect-eating birds. These fall and winter flocks often include vagrant warblers. The arboretum harbors what may be San Francisco's last flock of California Quail. Once common throughout San Francisco's parklands, this bird has nearly been extirpated by feral cats that roam the city. The arboretum offers many other interesting plant communities. California native species (great for butterflies), redwood forest, dwarf conifers, and the succulent garden are but a few of the exhibits. The latter can be excellent for hummingbirds. Blooming eucalyptus trees in the area attract warblers, including the occasional American Redstart. A paved path going east from the Eugene Friend Gate can be productive too. If nothing else, the flowers will attract your attention. Rhododendrons are seldom out of bloom there.

Stow Lake is the most widely used lake in the park. The walk around it is about three quarters of a mile. The island in the middle, Strawberry Hill, is accessible by two bridges. A dirt path circles it and winds its way to the top. A small snack bar and boat rental facility are located at the northwest corner of the lake. Restrooms may be found behind the building.

Check the area around the concession for gulls and ducks. Ring-necked Ducks may be seen here in winter. A large flock of Brewer's Blackbirds inhabits the small island near this area. This same island is the only Great Blue Heron nesting site in San Francisco. Look for this heronry on the west side of the island. From the concession, walk east until the road straightens out. Check the eucalyptus trees across the street for flycatchers, warblers, or sparrows. Western Tanagers can be found here during spring and fall migrations. As you continue around the lake, be sure to check the island for Black-crowned Night- Herons. At the point where the road turns to the right and follows the contour of the lake, take the path to the left. This goes down to the Japanese Tea Garden. If today's birding is good in the eucalyptus trees, check this path and the oaks at the bottom of the hill.

Ducks expected on the lake include Mallards, American Wigeons, Ruddy Ducks, Lesser Scaup, Ring-necked Ducks, and Buffleheads. Migrating Green-winged and Cinnamon Teal may be on the lake between January and April. Wintering gulls will include Mew, California, Western, Glaucous-winged, and perhaps Ring-billed. The city's first record of Tufted Duck is from here.

Strawberry Hill, the main island, can be very productive in fall. During September and October it usually provides habitat for two large flocks of insectivores. These flocks are dominated by Yellow Warblers during the early season, and Yellow-rumped Warblers by October. Check the flocks thoroughly for vagrants. Though ignored by most local birders, this could be among the parks' richest vagrant traps.

Adjacent to Stow Lake is the Pioneer Log Cabin, situated on the edge of a meadow with a nice picnic area and excellent birding habitat. Not only do the trees here change with the seasons, but the variations in light, wind, and fog conditions make this among the most visually attractive locations in the park. A rich variety of migrant and resident birds use this area. Watch for Western Tanager, Wilson's, Orange-crowned, Yellow, and Townsend's Warblers, Pacific-slope Flycatchers, and Cedar Waxwings. Many vagrants have been recorded here as well. Among them are Tennessee Warblers, Blackpoll Warblers, Bay-breasted Warblers, a Hooded Warbler, and American Redstarts. The place to look is the hillside behind the log cabin. The vegetation there includes eucalyptus, hawthorn, blackberry, German Ivy, and a tangled mass of other shrubs and vines.

The Western Undeveloped Area
Crossover Drive West to the Great Highway

West of Crossover Drive, the park is less developed than the eastern half. The woods here provide a windbreak for the more planting to the east. It lends itself more to leisurely walks and more gratifying birding experiences.

The area north of Lincoln Way between Crossover Drive and Sunset Boulevard can provide excellent birding. The eucalyptus, pine, and cypress woods open to several meadows and three lovely lakes. Here you can find areas of solitude and unique beauty. To bird the area adequately, plan on walking around each lake, going off the beaten path into meadows and through the woods, and following bridle paths instead of the streets.

Elk Glen Lake is a good place to start. Located at the foot of the 25th Avenue entrance and Martin Luther King Drive, the lake has been a valuable duck habitat in the past. Its value declined during the recent drought, perhaps because the lake's water supply was frequently interrupted and the lake was sometimes reduced to little more than a puddle. Ring-neck, Ruddies, American Wigeons, Mallards, and Buffleheads can be expected here. Watch for a Belted Kingfisher which flies between here and other lakes in the area. A Red-breasted Sapsucker often winters near the fruit tree on the north shore of the lake. Look for warbler flocks in the eucalyptus just north of the lake. A sparrow and finch flock usually winters in the weed patch at the lake's east end. At dusk, a Great Horned Owl sometimes flies over the lake.

Return to King Drive and go right to Mallard Lake, about a quarter mile west on the south side of the street. There are more secluded paths in the woods on both sides of the street. Mallard Lake is a great duck feeding pond for those with a loaf of old bread. Even in summer there are a few Mallards around. But from September through April, the flock includes not only Mallards, but American Wigeons, Ring-necked Ducks, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads, and an occasional Eurasian Wigeon. Watch for Green-winged Teal and Cinnamon Teal, Gadwalls, Northern Shovelers, and Common Goldeneyes. All of the expected gulls use the lake, but Mew Gulls seem to particularly enjoy this pond. Land birds occur in small numbers too. Black Phoebes, Downy Woodpeckers, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Brown Creepers, Pygmy Nuthatches, and Song Sparrows are only a few of the possibilities. A Great Blue Heron and a Great Egret can usually be found at this or the other lakes in the vicinity. Green Herons and Black-crowned Night-Herons are seen less frequently.

Check the meadow across the street for birds perching in the trees around its edge. Band-tailed Pigeons are a possibility, as is the seldom seen Barn Owl.

From here continue west. If you are on foot, walk to the 30th Avenue entrance to the park. A path comes down the hill from the left and continues on the right. Follow it through the valley about 200 yards to Metson Lake. If you are driving, continue west, turn right at the first street, then turn right again. Continue to the top of the hill to Metson Lake. Note that this road, Middle Drive, is closed to automobile traffic on Saturdays.

During recent years, Metson Lake has lost much of its attraction to birds. Wood Ducks no longer appear regularly in the park, presumably because of breeding habitat loss elsewhere in their range. California Quail are no longer present, most probably because of the number of cats and unleashed dogs in the park. Mallards and wigeons are the most common winter residents. They may be joined from time to time by other ducks, gulls, and a heron or egret. Spring and summer bring out a few swallows. In winter, the nearby woods are good for Hermit and Varied Thrushes, while Pygmy Nuthatches, Downy Woodpeckers, and California Towhees are here year-round.

To return to your starting point, continue east along Middle Drive until it ends at Transverse Drive, turn right, and turn right again at King Drive for the return to Elk Glen Lake. If you are on foot, just turn right after you pass the fenced maintenance yard and continue straight ahead to Elk Glen Lake. To go west, turn around and follow the road beyond the Polo Field, down the hill to its merger with King Drive at the southeast end of the Chain of Lakes. If you are on foot, take any of the trails in the area. One goes west from the south end of the lake. During the spring, Red-shouldered Hawks and Olive-sided Flycatchers can be heard calling in this area. This can be an interesting area for nesting species, particularly in shrubs west of the forested area.

Chain of Lakes transects the park between 41st Avenue and Lincoln Way and 43rd Avenue and Fulton Street. These three lakes provide one of the best and most popular birding sites in the park. Varied habitats appear to be the key to the value of this area. Well-intentioned but poorly planned maintenance projects have been mixed blessings for these lovely little lakes. South and Middle Lakes are in generally good condition, although some of the most valuable habitat was "cleaned up". North Lake has lost much of its habitat value. Efforts to seal the lake's bottom failed, and the northern third of the lake is diked off and dry during much of the year. That area is devoid of shoreline vegetation. The other two-thirds of the lake is well vegetated, but frequent changes in water level have caused it to lose much of the avian diversity it once supported.

To bird this area, begin at the parking lot between South and Middle Lakes. From there it is an easy walk to any of the other lakes. If the lot is full, park on Kennedy Drive near its intersection with Chain of Lakes Drive.

South Lake is good for ducks, except in the summer months. It usually harbors a number of Mallards, American Wigeons, and coots. A Great Egret can often be found along its shoreline. The shrubs and trees on the west side of the lake may hold Varied and Hermit Thrushes, Chestnut-backed Chickadees, and a variety of other small birds, including occasional vagrants.

During fall migration, or when the eucalyptus trees are in bloom, this area may be temporary home to a few vagrant species.

Middle Lake is among the most productive and popular birding areas in Golden Gate Park. From the parking lot between South and Middle Lakes, take the trail leading to the lake. Between September and April, sparrows abound in this shrub-dominated habitat. Look in the bushes to the right for a place where local residents feed some of the park's many feral cats. Unfortunately, this is also a favorite spot for Golden-crowned and White-crowned Sparrows, California Towhees, and Dark-eyed Juncos. California Quail, once abundant here, have been extirpated.

At the fork, follow the trail to the left. Fall-flowering eucalyptus, combined with fruiting Myoporum and blackberry provide a food base for many migrants. Watch for warblers, particularly Orange-crowned, Yellow, Townsend's, Yellow-rumped, and Wilson's. The insectivore flock which forms in August should also include Pacific-slope Flycatchers, Western Wood-Pewees, Olive-sided Flycatchers, Bushtits, Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Warbling Vireos, Western Tanagers and, as the season progresses, a vagrant vireo or warbler. Don't discount the possibility of seeing migrants more common to the interior. Among these might be a Solitary Vireo, Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-breasted Chat, Black-headed Grosbeak, or Northern Oriole. Many of the warblers of North America have been seen here or at North Lake at one time or another. Tennessee Warblers, Blackpolls, and American Redstarts are among those seen almost every year. Expect to see just about any migrant North American passerine here. Continue along the path just past the little meadow to the redwood grove. Check it thoroughly during migration. The least you will get are a few Orange-crowned, Yellow, or Yellow-rumped Warblers. But like the nearby eucalyptus trees, this grove too holds a special attraction for vagrants, so expect almost anything.

Continue north and check the open water for ducks. Green-winged Teal, Northern Shovelers, and Wood Ducks are likely to be among the flock of Mallards and wigeons. Pied-billed Grebes, Double-crested Cormorants, and American Coots are usually present on the lake as well. Follow the trail right around the lake. Bird the insect-rich willow grove at the east end for insectivores, hummingbirds, finches, and sparrows. Fall and winter vagrants to this niche have included a Yellow-green Vireo, Chestnut-sided Warblers, Tennessee Warblers, and American Redstarts.

The stream which bisects the hill can be productive if it is running or if its pools of water have not yet dried up. Despite its concrete bed, this stream is a wonderful place to bird in spring. Flowering eucalyptus may attract migrant flycatchers and Western Tanagers. The mature woods host cavity-nesting Downy Woodpeckers, Tree Swallows, Pygmy Nuthatches, and Brown Creepers. The forest canopy may harbor nesting Red-shouldered Hawks, Mourning Doves, Common Ravens, American Robins, California Towhees, and Pine Siskins. Ground and shrub nesters may include Rufous-sided Towhees, Wilson's Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos, and White-crowned Sparrows.

Back at the lakeside trail, continue south. Check the oak just where the trail turns west for a Hutton's Vireo in spring. Song Sparrows can be found in the marsh all year, but fall migrants and winter residents make this an excellent spot for general birding. Vagrants are always a possibility. Western Wood-Pewees, Olive-sided Flycatchers, and Pacific-slope Flycatchers usually spend time in this area between August and October. Western Tanagers are generally numerous, and the occasional Black-headed Grosbeak may be joined by a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Accipiters hunt this area between September and April and, though never common, they should be watched for.

North Lake is just to the south and west across Kennedy Drive. Redevelopment projects have not been kind to the environment of this pond. Its habitat value has crashed, due in large part to the removal of vegetation and lack of water. However, Red-winged Blackbirds and Song Sparrows still nest in the marshes, and during fall and winter Mallards inhabit the open water of this lake, where they are often joined by Double-crested Cormorants, Pied-billed Grebes, American Coots, and a variety of gulls. A Great Egret and a Great Blue Heron can usually be found along the shoreline.

Take the paved path around the lake to the right. Migrant warblers are most often found in shrubs and trees along the north end of the lake. A bridge at the southwest corner of the lake marks a spot to look for Northern Waterthrush, provided the lake's depth is high enough to flood the stream bed west of the bridge. Just to the north, check the island to the right for migrants in spring and fall. It has been an excellent site for birding in the past, and it can be expected to be so again once the lake's artificial habitat is stabilized. This southern part of the lake has produced virtually all western migrants expected along the coast, as well as such rarities as a Philadelphia Vireo, Northern Parulas, and a Prothonotary Warbler. Other islands should be checked for roosting ducks and herons. This lake provides night sanctuary for several hundred ducks which roost here during the winter.

As the path turns to the right just past the little island with the swamp cypress, go left across the street onto a dirt road and check the wood lot which is bounded by the golf course to the south, the archery field to the west, and Fulton Street to the north. This is one of the oldest pine stands in the park. It is dominated by the European Maritime Pine (Pinus pinaster). During nesting season, look for all the common park cavity nesters. Fall and winter bring insectivores to the canopy and seed-eaters to the forest floor. At any season, the actual birding can vary from exciting to dull. Exercise caution at the western end of the wood lot, since arrows do occasionally find their way into the woods. Do not go inside the Myoporum hedge, as this forms the barrier between the wood lot and the archery range.

Return to the lake by any of the trails and continue back to the starting point. If the northern end of the lake is stabilized and revegetated, it may become a rich area for ducks and gulls once again. The east side of the lake does not usually provide the best birding. Despite this, be sure to check the willows on the island for chickadees, Bushtits, and warblers. Anna's and Allen's Hummingbirds, Black Phoebes, Song Sparrows, and White-crowned Sparrows can also be found in this area.

Other Golden Gate Park Sites

The Buffalo Paddock, just east of Chain of Lakes Drive on Kennedy Drive, can be a wonderful birding spot. Don't count on infinite variety here, but instead regard it as an opportunity to observe avian behavior. A large blackbird flock utilizes this fenced meadow all year, so you can observe interactions between the dominant Brewer's Blackbirds and the large numbers of Red-winged Blackbirds, Brown-headed Cowbirds, and starlings. To the patient observer, much can be revealed by watching the group dynamics of the mixed flock. In the fall and winter, you may also find a Tricolored Blackbird. The meadow hosts a large wintering population of Killdeer. Common Snipe winter here from time to time. Red-tailed Hawks have nested on the north side of the meadow, and one or two usually winter here. Late summer and early fall bring a profusion of grass and weed seeds, which attract large numbers of House Finches, Pine Siskins, and a few American and Lesser Goldfinches.

Spreckels Lake is just east of the Buffalo Paddock. Developed for, and still used by model boat hobbyists, this is a favorite spot for all our wintering gulls. It is one of the park's best sites for seeing Western Grebes, Canvasbacks, Ruddy Ducks, Buffleheads, and Lesser Scaup. A visiting Greater Scaup is a real possibility, and Tufted Ducks have turned up as well. Look overhead for all the park's swallows: Tree, Violet-green, Cliff, Barn, and Rough-winged.

Lloyd Lake, about a mile east of Spreckels Lake and just west of Crossover Drive, is a nice spot to look for our more common ducks. It is a favorite spot for Ring-necked Ducks. You can usually find a Belted Kingfisher here as well. Be sure to check the north shoreline for waders, including Black-crowned Night Herons and Green Herons. A walk to the area just north of the lake can be interesting. This once was the park dump, and the variety of vegetation and its proximity to the lake provide good habitat for a number of species. Pacific-slope Flycatcher has been heard singing in this area during nesting season.

Final Notes: There are a number of species that can be expected throughout the park. Red Crossbills are the first to come to mind. They can be present throughout the year and may be abundant in irruptive years. Listen and watch for them in any of the coniferous forest areas. Red-shouldered Hawks, Anna's Hummingbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Pygmy Nuthatches, Brown Creepers, Bushtits, and Chestnut-backed Chickadees are hard to miss if you spend an hour's birding almost anywhere in the park. Hawks such as Sharp-shinned, Cooper's, and Red-tailed winter here. There are records for many other species as well. Cedar Waxwings seem to erupt in their April and May migration and can be found just about everywhere.

…And the Final Note: Remember that Golden Gate Park is a completely artificial environment. As such, it is fragile and susceptible to incredibly rapid changes, such as those witnessed at the Chain of Lakes in recent years.

© 1985, 1996 Sequoia Audubon Society, used by permission