Bird Watcher List

Information about birds seen around the Middle Rio Grande area.

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About this List

This list is based on the November 2011 American Birding Association checklist version 7.3.

Ducks, Geese & Swans (Anatidae)

  • Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
  • Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens
  • Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
  • Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera
  • Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
  • Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
  • American Wigeon, Anas americana
  • Wood Duck, Aix sponsa
  • Canvasback, Aythya valisineria
  • Redhead, Aythya americana
  • Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris
  • Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
  • Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
  • Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator

New World Quail (Odontophoridae)

  • Gambel’s Quail, Callipepla gambelii

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys & Old World Quail (Phasianidae)

  • Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus

Grebes (Podicipedidae)

  • Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps

Bitterns, Herons & Egrets (Ardeidae)

  • Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
  • Great Egret, Ardea alba
  • Snowy Egret, Egretta thula
  • Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
  • Green Heron, Butorides virescens
  • Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

Ibises & Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)

  • White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi

New World Vultures (Cathartidae)

  • Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura

Ospreys (Pandionidae)

  • Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, Kites, Eagles & Allies (Accipitridae)

  • Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
  • Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis
  • Coopers Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
  • Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus
  • Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Caracas & Falcons (Falconidae)

  • American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae)

  • American Coot, Fulica americana

Cranes (Gruidae)

  • Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis

Lapwings & Plovers (Charadriidae)

  • Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus

Sandpipers, Phalaropes & Allies (Scolopacidae)

  • Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius
  • Solitary Sandpiper, Tringa solitaria
  • Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago
  • Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers (Laridae)

  • Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
  • Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
  • Black Tern, Childonias niger

Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae)

  • Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
  • White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatica
  • Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
  • Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura

Cuckoos, Roadrunners & Anis (Cuculidae)

  • Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus

Typical Owls (Strigidae)

  • Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus
  • Western Screech Owl, Megascops kennicottii

Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidae)

  • Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

  • Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus
  • Calliope Hummingbird, Stellula calliope
  • Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
  • Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)

  • Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers & Allies (Picidae)

  • Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
  • Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picoides scalaris
  • Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
  • Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
  • Williamson's Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus thyroideus
  • Red-naped Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

  • Black Phoebe, Sayornis nigricans
  • Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya
  • Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens
  • Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis

Vireos (Vireonidae)

  • Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus

Jays, Crows, Magpies & Ravens (Corvidae)

  • Western Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica
  • American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
  • Chihuahuan Raven, Corvus cryptoleucus

Swallows & Allies (Hirundinidae)

  • Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
  • Violet-green Swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
  • Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
  • Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis
  • Cliff Swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Chickadees & Titmice (Paridae)

  • Mountain Chickadee, Poecile gambeli
  • Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus

Bushtits (Aegithalidae)

  • Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus

Nuthatches (Sittidae)

  • Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
  • White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis

Creepers (Certhiidae)

  • Brown Creeper, Certhia americana

Wrens (Troglodytidae)

  • Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
  • House Wren, Troglodytes aedon

Gnatcatchers & Gnatwrens (Polioptilidae)

  • Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea

Dippers (Cinclidae)

  • American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus

Kinglets (Regulidae)

  • Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula

Thrushes (Turdidae)

  • American Robin, Turdus migratorius
  • Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus
  • Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
  • Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana

Mockingbirds & Thrashers (Mimidae)

  • Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos

Starlings & Mynas (Sturnidae)

  • European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris

Waxwings (Bombycillidae)

  • Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)

  • Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla
  • Orange-crowned Warbler, Orethlypis celata
  • Virginia's Warbler, Orethlypis virginiae
  • Yellow Warbler, Seophaga petechia
  • Yellow-rumped Warbler, Seophaga coronata
  • Black-throated Gray Warbler, Setophaga nigrscens
  • Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
  • MacGillivray's Warbler, Geothlypis tolmiei
  • Wilson's Warbler, Cardellina pusilla

Emberizids (Emberizidae)

  • Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus
  • Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus
  • Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
  • Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella brewire
  • Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus
  • Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis "Oregon" form "Slate-colored" form "Gray-headed" form "Pink-sided" form
  • White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
  • Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
  • Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
  • Lincoln’s Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii

Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers & Allies (Cardinalidae)

  • Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra
  • Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
  • Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus
  • Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena
  • Blue Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea
  • Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles & Orioles (Icteridae)

  • Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
  • Yellow-headed Blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
  • Great-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus mexicanus
  • Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula
  • Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater
  • Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii

Fringilline & Cardueline Finches and Allies (Fringillidae)

  • House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus
  • American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis
  • Lesser Goldfinch, Carduelis psaltria
  • Pine Siskin, Carduelis pinus
  • Evening Grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus

Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)

  • House Sparrow, Passer domesticus
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