Salton Sea, CA - Bird Watching Guide

By Mark Miller | Last Update: "7.1.25"

Who’d have guessed California’s largest lake would top my bird‑watching list? Contrary to most people's belief, the Salton Sea’s wildlife is still very much alive and active. Aim for winter (December–February), when migrating species flood in and the cooler temps make long sessions with your binoculars comfortable. Expect both Coachella Valley rarities and familiar favorites on nearly every scan.

East Section

This is the top choice for bird watching at the Salton Sea. A wetland area that is maintained, continuously growing, and improving thanks to several human resource entities. 

• Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge: The wetlands at Sonny Bono are managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with a sole focus on maintaining wildlife habitat and reducing crop loss for around 3,000 acres—managing 900 acres of wetlands and ~850 acres of cropland to feed migratory birds.

Several viewing locations and a visitor center are available for your visit. The visitor center offers bathrooms, a bird feeder, and general info about the area. Additionally, you can take a short walk on the “Rock Hill Trail,” which will take you up to a viewpoint overlooking the entire sea and adjacent wetlands near the visitor center. This is a common spot to view Snow Geese who take shelter near the visitor center, I think for safety from the nearby hunting. 

• There are two different locations you can visit. One is the visitor center mentioned above, and the second option is a location named "Unit 1," which has parking spots and a few different viewing decks. 
• If you are underwhelmed by the two Sonny Bono locations mentioned above, I venture off-trail deeper into the wetlands. This is not technically allowed. I have had the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ask me to return to the designated trail. But for me, most of the good bird watching is found from within the wetlands, not from a viewpoint deck near the parking lot. Do this at your own risk.

Imperial Wildlife Area - Bird Viewing Platform: A similar offering to Sonny Bono, but it's the better option. Hunting takes place here, resulting in a healthier resource ecosystem that benefits from the high level of maintenance provided by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. If you want to play it safe, view birds from the Bird Viewing Platform. If you are up for the risk (hunting), I find the best viewing is walking down “Ruddy Road” and then walking down the different paths, peeking through the bush life at birds in the water. Make sure to purchase a permit, which is labeled a “Lands Pass”. Wear an orange hunting hat, and stay close to the roads.

North Section

Two historical landmarks provide an excellent opportunity to observe the migratory birds during winter. 

• The North Shore Yacht Club: Once an active clubhouse with a marina bustling with boats, designed by famous Coachella Valley Legend architect Albert Frey. It is now renovated into a community center for the residents of North Shore. Right behind the building is a body of water that used to be where the boats would dock. Often birds are located here; it's not easy to get to. For me, I find it best to enter the community center, appreciate the building and its history, and then look out at the water from its windows. There is no easy way to access the old harbor. Once I was allowed up to the viewing point on top of the community center, which provided excellent views of the Santa Rosa Mountains and the lake, this is a good place to use the restroom because it is a well-maintained building, which is rare for Salton Sea.

• Salton Sea State Recreation Area: Again, once a thriving location for visitors to experience the Salton Sea, it is now an almost entirely deserted destination. Still open, managed, and maintained by California State Parks. Park your car near the visitor center, where there are clean restrooms and a shop that is typically open and staffed with someone knowledgeable. Behind the shop is another old harbor, “Varner Harbor”, which often hosts migratory birds. I've seen Bonaparte’s Gulls, Great Blue Heron, and several different hawks in the trees near the old harbor. You can walk down to the beach, but be careful not to walk near the water line because it is quicksand and has a bad smell. But the sand before the shoreline has tons of bushes, which provide good shelter for birds, and often there are birds along the coastline, parked in the water using the water as protection from ambushing birds. It is pretty to witness birds flying along the Salton Sea coastline, and from this location, the beautiful Santa Rosa Mountains are featured in the backdrop when visiting the eastern section of the lake.

Unique Birds To Look Out For Here: Burrowing Owl, Sandhill Cranes, Ring-necked Duck, Great Egret, Great Blue Heron, Snowy Egret, Snow Geese, Killdeer, Bonaparte’s Gull, Loggerhead Shrike, Inca Dove, Black Tern, Stilt Sandpiper, Cliff Swallow, Phainopepla.

Conclusion: The North and East Section of Salton Sea, and particularly the locations mentioned above, should be your first stops when considering spending time at the Salton Sea to watch birds. This location offers a long list of birds, not often, or at all, seen across the Coachella Valley, CA. The Salton Sea can be intimidating, and I understand, but I hope this guide grants you more confidence and permission to visit the truly one-of-a-kind bird watching opportunity.