OAKLAND – Northeastern University’s sprawling, 135-acre Oakland campus is a feast for the senses.

Overcast mornings often give way to sun-soaked afternoons, when pleasant heat rouses scents of sage, eucalyptus and fresh-cut grass that linger over the hilly, tree-dense urban oasis until evening. Melodic chimes echo from the 72-foot El Campanil bell tower every quarter hour like a sacred Om, keeping pace for students as they trek across the arboretum to their next class.

But the skies over campus also brim with dozens of colorful, chatty bird species, many of which nest permanently among the bushes and trees and emit a chorus of birdsong. Sarah Swope, Northeastern professor of biology and an avid birder, said the campus acts as a stepping-stone habitat – a place of safe refuge for migratory species during their long journeys.

“If you are from a different part of the country, or even just different parts of the state, you might hear birds that you’ve never heard before,” said Swope from her office, which is stocked with all manner of decorative avian skeletons, preserved nests and binoculars for curious students. “Go take a quiet walk, slowly, and you can really see the place come to life.”


Related: This project aims to rescue Oakland’s namesake tree species

California’s extraordinary diversity of habitat types makes it a fascinating place to observe birds, she said. The state has open ocean, interior mountains with high elevations, grasslands, chaparral and more than 800 miles of coastline, each with a different suite of species. Northeastern’s campus features a similar variety, housing coastal oak woodlands, areas of coastal scrub and transitional riparian zones along the creek that attract hawks, warblers, woodpeckers, jays and turkeys.

Scroll through the following illustrations to learn about 10 of the most unique bird species on Northeastern’s Oakland campus and listen to the songs that make up its natural soundtrack.

Northeastern Global News,
in your inbox.

Sign up for NGN’s daily newsletter for news, discovery and analysis from around the world.

Audio recordings courtesy of the Xeno-canto Foundation.