Drive along the road with frequent stops; there are multiple pullouts. At the Forest Service gate (34.77490, -119.57416) you can park the car and walk further up the dirt road; there is a creek here that has water much of the year, which attracts birds in this dry landscape.

Early to mid-morning is preferable since, during most of the year, the midday heat dampens bird activity.

Bell's Sparrow throughout much of the canyon, and in the chaparral at the Forest Service gate. Scott's Oriole probably breeds here and can often be heard singing in spring and summer. Roadrunner is regular. Four species of owl have been observed here: Barn, Western Screech, Great Horned, and Northern Pygmy. Prairie Falcons can be seen, especially in the outer parts of the canyon.

Other regular birds here include Costa's Hummingbird, Golden Eagle, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Horned Lark, Rock Wren, Canyon Wren, Phainopepla, Lawrence's Goldfinch, Lark Sparrow, and - in winter months - Vesper Sparrow. Fox Sparrows can be found in the chaparral near the Forest Service gate. There are several records of Sage Thrasher.

This is a 12-mile hotspot that starts at the intersection of Foothill Road and Santa Barbara Canyon Road, and it traverses several habitats: open agricultural fields of Cuyama Valley, shrubby grassland in part of the canyon, and chaparral at the inner part of the canyon. This is one of the few locations in Santa Barbara County with its mix of dryland species such as Bell's Sparrow and Scott's Oriole. The canyon is worth a visit even were it not for the birds, as it offers beautiful scenery. The Forest Service gate is also the starting-off point of various hikes deeper into the backcountry.

Cuyama Valley offers a range of habitats, many of which are not found elsewhere in Santa Barbara County.

The valley itself has grasslands and croplands and can be birded from many roads such as Bell and Foothill Road, Aliso Canyon Road, Wasioja Road, and Cottonwood Canyon. This area has hundreds if not thousands of Horned Larks in winter, and the occasional longspur. Winter brings Ferruginous Hawks and Mountain Bluebirds. In spring, the valley becomes a stopover point for migrating Swainson's Hawks, with as many as 74 seen at one time! Note that most land in the valley is private, so do not venture beyond the roadside.

The canyons east of the valley offer desert habitat and species like Black-throated Sparrow, Bell's Sparrow, Black-chinned Sparrow, and Scott's Oriole. The best hotspot here is Ballinger Canyon. Nighthawks can be heard here in early spring mornings. Santa Barbara Canyon offers some of the same species, especially Bell's Sparrow and Scott's Oriole.

To the south of the valley are the foothills of the Sierra Madre. These can most easily be accessed at Aliso Park and Bates Canyon. Many songbirds breed here, including Cassin's Vireo and Black-throated Gray Warbler. Six owl species have been recorded here, and Common Poorwills are regular, especially in spring. The upper reaches of Bates Canyon have Brown Creeper and sometimes Golden-crowned Kinglets, and in the high-altitude chaparral, Bell's Sparrow and Black-chinned Sparrow.

A few ponds attract shorebirds and ducks, including New Cuyama Water Treatment Plant, Quatal Canyon, and what is referred to as the "nighthawk pond" on State Road 33. These also attract dozens of nighthawks in late summer, at dusk. Caliente Ranch Wetland is a natural depression on farmland, and attracts ducks and sometimes shorebirds when there is water (usually after the winter rains).

Since the valley is mostly tree-less, patches of trees attract passerines year-round, and particularly during migration. Check out Quatal Canyon, Richardson Park, and Santa Barbara Pistachio.

Dry Canyon has one of the few patches of Pinyon Pine in Santa Barbara County. A small patch of pine forest can also be found at Miranda Pine Campground.

The Cuyama Dairy attracts hundreds of blackbirds, often including Tricolored.

Santa Barbara Canyon to Big Pine Mountain

Santa Barbara Canyon