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)