San Mateo County Birding Guide by Sequoia Audubon Society - Printed on October 30, 2026
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San Carlos has two contiguous parks, Eaton and Big Canyon, that feature large tracts of open space. The main trail spans both parks, connecting at Brittan Avenue. The two parks are treated separately here, because there are some differences in habitat, and each park by itself can provide a pleasant two hours of birding. But for a longer hike, it is productive to consider the two parks as one.
Big Canyon Park consists of one long loop upslope and around the canyon (as one might expect, given the name). The elevation gains are modest, and the trail is well-maintained, with steps on some of the steeper switchbacks. The trail can be navigated easily by any able-bodied person, regardless of age; however, it is not accessible for the handicapped.
From the starting point at Brittan Avenue, follow the main trail north, then go to either the left or the right; both are clearly marked with brown signs reading "Start of Trail." The trail wends through mixed oak woodland, with occasional openings into grassland scrub. Bridges have been constructed to cross seasonal streams. This canyon, nestled into a residential area, provides breath-taking views and classic California oak habitat. On my most recent visit (November 2009), birds responded with alacrity to pishing; they seemed to want to be seen! In fact, this park would be an excellent location for a beginning birder's woodland walk. The trees are not very high, the scrub grows right next to the trail, and the fact that the trail wends around a deep extensive canyon means that birds in flight can be tracked for extended periods of time as they cross from one side to another. While the park has not yielded rare birds, that may be due to a lack of attention from birders rather than a lack of attraction for the birds.
Walking the entire trail should take between one-two hours, depending on how fast you walk and how many birds you are stopping to admire. The openness of the canyon permits observation of raptors and other large birds. During summer months, the open areas at the height of the canyon rim get very hot; if you choose to bird here in summer (or in our sometimes hottest season during the peak of fall migration), do carry water with you. The neighborhood location can also make this a somewhat noisy trail, with leaf blowers and lawn mowers drowning out warblers' call notes at times.
California Quail, Turkey Vulture, White-tailed Kite, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-shouldered Hawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Mourning Dove, Band-tailed Pigeon, Western Screech-Owl, Great Horned Owl, Anna's Hummingbird, Allen's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, American Kestrel, Peregrine Falcon, Olive-sided Flycatcher (migration), Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Black Phoebe, Say's Phoebe, Hutton's Vireo, Steller's Jay, California Scrub-Jay, American Crow, Common Raven, Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Violet-green Swallow, Chestnut-backed Chickadee, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Red-breasted Nuthatch (uncommon and irruptive), White-breasted Nuthatch, Pygmy Nuthatch, Bewick's Wren, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Wrentit, Western Bluebird, Hermit Thrush, American Robin, Varied Thrush (winter), Northern Mockingbird, California Thrasher, Cedar Waxwing (fall-spring), Orange-crowned Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Wilson's Warbler, Fox Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco, White-crowned Sparrow, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Song Sparrow, Lincoln's Sparrow, California Towhee, Spotted Towhee, Western Tanager, Hooded Oriole, House Finch, Purple Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, American Goldfinch
In this guide, "rarities" are defined as those species given an County Abundance Code of 4, 5, or 6.
Be the first to find one!
From Highway 280 drive east about 1 mile on Edgewood, and then turn left onto Crestview. Drive north on Crestview to Brittan Avenue. Turn right and park on the side of the road near the signed "entrances" to Big Canyon and Eaton Parks. One can also get to the park from Avenida de las Pulgas, from which one would turn west onto Brittan Avenue. SamTrans bus #261 stops right in front of the parks on Brittan Avenue.
This is a free and open public park
Sunrise to sunset
Poison oak, ticks, rattlesnakes, and the remote possibility of mountain lion. The trail is well-maintained, and poison oak is not as abundant as in the neighboring Eaton Park. As mentioned above, this can be a hot hike in the heat, so carry water in spite of this being a short trail.
The noise from traffic and the neighborhood can interfere with listening for bird sounds.
While there are no facilities in Big Canyon Park, there are restrooms in nearby Crestview Park; a sign on the Westside of the trail points you in that direction. There are some benches along the trail; these are indicated clearly on the map as well.
San Carlos Parks and Recreation 650-802-4382
Big Canyon Park (SM Co.) is a hotspot in eBird. However, it suffers from a severe lack of data: only seventeen of forty-eight quadrants have data, and a mere 63 species are represented. We can do better! Record your sightings for posterity at eBird.
Big Canyon Park has received some regular attention from iNaturalist users, as you can see in this place marker.
Sequoia Audubon Society has led one field trip to Eaton/Big Canyon Parks, in 2016.
Author: Jennifer Rycenga, Uploaded: