Birding at this hotspot takes place along the road only, since most of the land surrounding the road is private. Frequent stops are worthwhile along the whole stretch of the road (up to the campground, which has its own hotspot). Lesser Nighthawks "sing" here pre-dawn and can sometimes be flushed from the road at night. Sparrows like Bell's and Black-chinned are most likely to be detected by ear. Keep an eye out on the hillsides for Scott's Oriole.

In addition to Lesser Nighthawk, the main attraction here is desert birds like Bell's Sparrow, Black-throated Sparrow, Brewer's Sparrow, Black-chinned Sparrow, and Scott's Oriole. Other species of note include Greater Roadrunner, Common Poorwill, Costa's Hummingbird, Prairie Falcon, Western Kingbird, Loggerhead Shrike, Rock Wren, Mountain Bluebird, and Lawrence's Goldfinch. There are also records of California Condor, Burrowing Owl, Long-eared Owl, Gray Flycatcher, Sage Thrasher (early spring), Lark Bunting, and Vesper Sparrow.

Ballinger Canyon is the most accessible piece of desert habitat in Santa Barbara County. The road is rough, and a high-clearance car is ideal.

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.