Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer

Articles

Vol. 17 No. 1 (1986)

NESTING OF THE PHAINOPEPLA ON SANTA CRUZ ISLAND, CALIFORNIA

Submitted
September 12, 2025
Published
January 1, 1986

Abstract

The Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens) is reported to breed on only one island off the coast of southern California: Santa Catalina (Diamond and Jones 1980). Recently, however, I discovered Phainopeplas nesting on Santa Cruz Island, over 100 km away.

This discovery shows that the insular breeding distribution of this erratic species is more extensive than previously thought.

References