Monterey Bay is one of the best and most accessible localities in the world to observe a large variety of seabirds. At any time of year many species of pelagic birds and mammals may be seen. The annual passing of migrants, the inclusive periods of residency of wintering animals and their favored haunts on the bay have now been studied adequately enough that we may generalize them in print.
In cases where descriptions in popular field guides are incomplete or inaccurate, a piece on identification at sea is included in the following annotated list of selected bird species.