BIRDS of Red Rock State Park

RED ROCK STATE PARK: Center for Environmental Education

Birding Tips

Many birds are attracted by our bird-feeding area just behind the Visitor Center, and that is an excellent location to start your tour, or to take pictures. If you sit or stand quietly, you will find that the birds will come quite close. You are also welcome to watch the feeder area from the classroom when it is not in use for classes or meetings.

The Visitor Center roof is another good viewing point for birds around the feeders and the broader vicinity.

Most of the resident (year-round) birds can be found in the Riparian area adjacent to Oak Creek. Look along the field behind the Visitor Center as well as the trails that border Oak Creek. Another good birding spot is between Kiva Trail and Eagle's Nest Trail by the irrigation ditch and ponds.

Low voices and slow movements will enable you to watch birds going about their everyday business; whereas, loud noises and sudden motions will disturb them and prevent you from enjoying their presence.

Biotic Communities

The park is located at an elevation between 3,800 - 4,200 feet with most of the vegetation of the Upper Sonoran life zone characterized by Pinyon-Juniper woodland. Oak Creek, which is spring-fed, flows from Oak Creek Canyon through the park for a mile and a half creating a riparian habitat along its length. Look for the greatest variety and abundance of birds in this area.

A Checklist of Birds in this Park and Vicinity

Symbol Key
Status:
Permanent    (P) year-round resident
Summer       (S)
Winter       (W)
Migrant      (M) present in Spring or Fall
 
Abundance:
Common       (c)   present in proper habitat in
                   moderate to large numbers annually
Uncommon     (u)   present in proper habitat in small to
                   moderate numbers annually
Rare         (r)   present in proper habitat singly or
                   in very small numbers annually
Irregular    (i)   irruptive or invasion species
Accidental   (acc) five or fewer recorded
 
 
Grebes
__Pied-billed Grebe             W-c
Herons & Egrets
__Great Blue Heron              P-c
__Snowy Egret                   M-u
__Green-backed Heron            P-r
__Black-cr. Night-Heron         S-u
Ibises
__White-faced Ibis              M-u
Geese and Ducks
__Canada Goose                  P-u
__Wood Duck                     W-u
__Mallard                       W-u
__Cinnamon Teal                 W-u
__Ring-necked Duck              W-u 
__Common Merganser              P-c
Vultures/Ospreys
__Turkey Vulture                S-c
__Osprey                        W-u
Hawks, Eagles and Falcons
__Bald Eagle                    W-c
__Northern Harrier              W-c
__Sharp-shinned hawk            W-u
__Cooper's Hawk                 P-c
__Common Black-Hawk             S-c
__Zone-tailed Hawk              M-u
__Red-tailed Hawk               P-c
__Ferruginous Hawk              W-u
__Golden Eagle                  M-u
__American Kestrel              P-c
__Prairie Falcon                S-c
Turkey & Quail
__Wild Turkey                   W-r
__Gambel's Quail                P-u
Rails & Coots
__American Coot                 W-u
Plovers/Sandpipers & Snipes
__Killdeer                      M-u
__Willet                        M-r
__Spotted Sandpiper             P-u
__Common Snipe                  W-r
Pigeons & Doves
__Rock Dove                     P-u
__Band-tailed Pigeon            M-r
__Mourning Dove                 P-c
__Inca Dove                     P-u           
Cuckoos & Roadrunners
__Yellow-billed Cuckoo          S-r
__Greater Roadrunner            P-c
Typical Owls
__Great Horned Owl              P-c
Nighthawks & Nightjars
__Common Nighthawk              S-u
__Common Poorwill               S-u
Swifts
__White-throated Swift          S-c
Hummingbirds
__Magnificent Hummingbird       S-r
__Black-ch.Hummingbird          S-c
__Anna's Hummingbird            P-c
__Costa's Hummingbird           S-r
__Broad-tailed Hummingbird      S-c
__Rufous Hummingbird            M-c
Kingfishers
__Belted Kingfisher             P-c
Woodpeckers
__Lewis' Woodpecker             acc
__Acorn Woodpecker              acc
__Gila Woodpecker               P-c
__Red-naped Sapsucker           P-c
__Ladder-backed Woodpecker      P-c
__Hairy Woodpecker              P-c            
__Northern Flicker              P-c
Tyrant Flycatchers                           
__Western Wood-Pewee            S-c
__Western Flycatcher            S-c
__Black Phoebe                  P-c
__Say's Phoebe                  P-c
__Ash-throated Flycatcher       S-c
__Brown-crested Flycatcher      S-u
__Cassin's Kingbird             S-u
__Western Kingbird              S-c                                                          
Swallows
__Violet-green Swallow          S-c
__No.Rough-winged Swallow       S-u
__Cliff Swallow                 S-c                                                           
Jays, Crows & Ravens
__Stellar's Jay                 W-u
__Western Scrub Jay             P-c
__American Crow                 W-u                                                            
__Common Raven                  P-c
Chickadees & Titmice
__Mountain Chickadee            W-u
__Bridled Titmouse              P-c
__Plain [Juniper] Titmouse      P-c
Verdins/Bushtits                           
__Verdin                        W-u
__Bushtit                       P-c
Nuthatches/Creepers
__White-breasted Nuthatch       P-u
__Brown Creeper                 W-u
Wrens
__Rock Wren                     P-u
__Canyon Wren                   P-c
__Bewick's Wren                 P-c
__House Wren                    M-u            
__Winter Wren                   u
__Marsh Wren                    u
Kinglets & Thrushes 
__Ruby-crowned Kinglet          W-c
__Western Bluebird              W-c
__Mountain Bluebird             W-u
__Townsend's Solitaire          W-c
__Hermit Thrush                 W-c
__American Robin                W-c
Mockingbirds & Thrashers
__Northern Mockingbird          S-c
__Crissal Thrasher              W-u
Pipits
__American Pipit                W-u
Waxwings
__Cedar Waxwing                 W-u
Silky Flycatchers
__Phainopepla                   S-c
Shrikes
__Loggerhead Shrike             M-c;W-u
Starlings
__European Starling             P-c
Vireos
__Bell's Vireo                  u
__Solitary [Plumbeus] Vireo     S-c
__Hutton's Vireo                u
__Warbling Vireo                u
Wood Warblers
__Orange-crowned Warbler        M-u
__Lucy's Warbler                S-c
__Yellow-rumped Warbler         S-c
__Black-throated Gray Warbler   M-u
__MacGillivray's Warbler        M-r
__Common Yellowthroat           S-c
__Wilson's Warbler              M-acc
__Painted Redstart              acc
__Yellow-breasted Chat          S-c
Tanagers
__Hepatic Tanager               S-u
__Summer Tanager                S-c
__Western Tanager               S-c
Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Buntings
__Northern Cardinal             P-c
__Rose-breasted Grosbeak        M-u
__Black-headed Grosbeak         S-c
__Blue Grosbeak                 S-c
__Lazuli Bunting                S-c
__Indigo Bunting                S-u
Towhees. Sparrows & Juncos
__Spotted Towhee                P-c
__Canyon Towhee                 P-c
__Abert's Towhee                P-c
__Chipping Sparrow              W-c
__Black-chinned Sparrow         M-u
__Lark Sparrow                  M-c
__Black-throated Sparrow        M-u
__Song Sparrow                  W-c
__Lincoln's Sparrow             acc
__White-crowned Sparrow         W-c
__Dark-eyed Junco               W-c
Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles
__Red-winged Blackbird          W-u
__Western Meadowlark            W-u
__Yellow-headed Blackbird       M-r
__Brewer's Blackbird            M-u
__Great-tailed Grackle          S-u
__Brown-headed Cowbird          S-c
__Hooded Oriole                 S-c
__Bullock's Oriole              S-c
__Scott's Oriole                S-u
Finches & Goldfinches                               
__Cassin's Finch                W-u                   
__House Finch                   P-c
__Pine Siskin                   W-c                      
__Lesser Goldfinch              P-c                   
__American Goldfinch            P-u
__Evening Grosbeak              M-u
Old World Svarrows  
__House Sparrow                 P-u
 
Noteworthy Observations:
  (Please report new sightings to Park staff)