Birding, or birdwatching, can be one of the more enjoyable and relaxing pleasures of nature. All you need are a pair of eyes, perhaps binoculars, and a good field guide on the birds of California and those that migrate within the great Pacific Flyway.
Butte County grows a lot of rice, and as such, the fields are generally flooded in the winter for decomposition (only 20% can be burned for disease containment). You'll often see birds hanging out on the checks and within fields. This provides ideal habitat for birds stopping over while migrating in the Pacific Flyway. Furthermore, there are some well developed man-made refuges that are seasonally flooded for migrations. The riparian corridors along the Sacramento River and its tributaries are also ideal locations to see birds.
Great Places for Birding
- Butte College Wildlife Refuge
- Bidwell Park
- Illano Seco Wildlife Refuge
- Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
