BIRDS of San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area
The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (NCA) includes over 56,000 acres in Cochise County, Arizona. Extending approximately 40 miles northward from the Mexican border to a few miles south of St. David, the NCA represents the most extensive, healthy riparian ecosystem remaining in the desert Southwest. The Bureau of Land Management manages the area to protect and enhance the existing riparian habitat and wildlife communities, as well as provide for recreational use, cultural interpretation, and educational opportunities.
The NCA is home to over 100 species of breeding birds and provides invaluable habitat for another 250 species of migrant and wintering birds. Located between the Huachuca and Mule Mountains, and adjacent to Mexico, the NCA attracts a myriad of bird species from a wide variety of vegetative life-zones.
Concerns have increased over population declines of migrant bird species which breed in North America and winter south of the United States (Neotropical Migratory Birds). The Bureau of Land Management recognized this problem and has prepared management plans to monitor and enhance populations of bird species which utilize Bureau lands throughout North America.
This checklist, which documents over 375 bird species, has been compiled from historical avian records within the Upper San Pedro River Valley and from biological inventories within the NCA. All bird species known to have occurred from the International border north to Interstate 10 below the oak zone have been included in this checklist. This checklist will be periodically updated, so notification of interesting sightings would be greatly appreciated. Please report them to:
BLM, 1763 Paseo San Luis, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635, (520) 458-3559
ABUNDANCE
C - Common. Normally seen in appropriate habitat.U - Uncommon. Occurs but in small numbers or locally.R - Rare. Annual, but very local or in very small numbers.Ca - Casual. Few records for the San Pedro NCA, or not of annual occurrence.I - Irregular. Erratic pattern of occurrence.* - Accidental. One or two records, or historical occurrence. RESIDENCYP - PermanentS - Summer ResidentW - Winter ResidentT - Transient or migrant# - Indicates Neotropical Migratory Bird SpeciesLOONS AND GREBES ___Blue-winged Teal U T R W #___Pacific Loon T* ___Garganey T *___Common Loon Ca T ___Cinnamon Teal U W T #___Least Grebe T* ___Northern Shoveler C W___Pied-billed Grebe U W T # ___Gadwall U W #___Eared Grebe U W # ___American Wigeon U W #___Western Grebe R T # ___Canvasback U W #___Clark's Grebe R T # ___Redhead R W # ___Ring-necked Duck C W #CORMORANTS AND PELICANS ___Greater Scaup Ca T___American White Pelican Ca T # ___Lesser Scaup U W___Brown Pelican Ca T ___Surf Scoter Ca T___Double-crested Cormorant R T # ___Common Goldeneye Ca W___Neotropic Cormorant R T ___Bufflehead U W #___Magnificent Frigatebird T* ___Hooded Merganser Ca T ___Common Merganser R WHERONS AND ALLIES ___Red-breasted Merganser Ca T___American Bittern R T ___Ruddy Duck U W #___Least Bittern R T # ___Great Blue Heron C P___Great Egret R T # RAPTORS___Snowy Egret R T # ___Turkey Vulture C S #___Little Blue Heron Ca T ___Osprey R T #___Tricolored Heron Ca T ___White-tailed Kite R T___Cattle Egret R T # ___Mississippi Kite R T #___Green-backed Heron R P # ___Bald Eagle R W___Black-crowned Night-Heron R P # ___Northern Harrier C W #___White-faced Ibis U T # ___Sharp-shinned Hawk U W #___Wood Stork Ca T ___Cooper's Hawk U P # ___Northern Goshawk Ca TSWANS, GEESE AND DUCKS ___Common Black Hawk R T #___Black-bellied Whistling Duck R S # ___Harris' Hawk R P___Tundra Swan Ca T ___Gray Hawk C S # ___Greater White-fronted Goose R W ___Broad-winged Hawk Ca T #___Snow Goose R W ___Swainson's Hawk U S #___Ross' Goose R W ___Zone-tailed Hawk R T #___Canada Goose R W ___Red-tailed Hawk C P___Wood Duck Ca W ___Ferruginous Hawk R W ___Green-winged Teal U W # ___Rough-legged Hawk R W___Mallard C P # ___Golden Eagle R T___Northern Pintail U W # ___Crested Caracara Ca T ___American Kestrel C P # ___Least Sandpiper C T U W # ___Merlin R W # ___Baird's Sandpiper U T #___Peregrine Falcon R W # ___Pectoral Sandpiper R T #___Aplomado Falcon T * ___Dunlin Ca T #___Prairie Falcon R W ___Stilt Sandpiper R T # ___Short-billed Dowitcher Ca T #QUAIL AND ALLIES ___Long-billed Dowitcher U T #___Wild Turkey R T ___Common Snipe U W #___Montezuma Quail Ca T ___Wilson's Phalarope C T #___Scaled Quail C P ___Red-necked Phalarope R T #___Gambel's Quail C P ___Red Phalarope Ca T # RAILS AND ALLIES GULLS AND TERNS___Black Rail T * ___Long-tailed Jaeger T *___Virginia Rail U W # ___Franklin's Gull R T #___Sora U W # ___Bonaparte's Gull R T #___Purple Gallinule Ca T # ___Heermann's Gull Ca T___Common Moorhen U P ___Ring-billed Gull U T #___American Coot U P ___California Gull R T___Sandhill Crane Ca T ___Herring Gull Ca T # ___Black-legged Kittiwake Ca TSHOREBIRDS ___Sabine's Gull Ca T___Black-bellied Plover Ca T # ___Common Tern Ca T #___Snowy Plover Ca T # ___Forster's Tern R T #___Semipalmated Plover R T # ___Least Tern T *___Kildeer C P ___Black Tern U T #___Black-necked Stilt U T # ___American Avocet U T # PIGEONS AND DOVES___Greater Yellowlegs U T # ___Rock Dove C P___Lesser Yellowlegs U T # ___Band-tailed Pigeon Ca T___Solitary Sandpiper R T # ___White-winged Dove C S R W #___Willet R T # ___Mourning Dove C P #___Spotted Sandpiper U T # ___Inca Dove U P___Whimbrel Ca T # ___Common Ground Dove U P___Long-billed Curlew R T # ___Ruddy Ground-Dove Ca T___Marbled Godwit R T # ___Ruddy Turnstone Ca T # CUCKOOS AND ALLIES___Sanderling R T # ___Yellow-billed Cuckoo U S #___Semipalmated Sandpiper R T # ___Greater Roadrunner C P___Western Sandpiper U T # ___Groove-billed Ani Ca TOWLS WOODPECKERS___Common Barn-Owl U P ___Lewis' Woodpecker Ca W___Flammulated Owl T * # ___Acorn Woodpecker R T___Western Screech Owl U P ___Gila Woodpecker C P___Great Horned Owl C P ___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Ca T #___Elf Owl U S # ___Red-naped Sapsucker U W #___Burrowing Owl Ca P # ___Red-breasted Sapsucker Ca T___Long-eared Owl Ca T ___Williamson's Sapsucker Ca W #___Short-eared Owl Ca T # ___Ladder-backed Woodpecker C P ___Hairy Woodpecker Ca TGOATSUCKERS ___Strickland's Woodpecker Ca T___Lesser Nighthawk C S # ___Northern Flicker C P___Common Nighthawk U S # ___Gilded Flicker U P___Common Poorwill C S # ___Whip-poor-will Ca T # FLYCATCHERS AND ALLIES ___Northern Beardleess-Tyrannulet U S #SWIFTS ___Olive-sided Flycatcher R T #___Black Swift T * # ___Greater Pewee Ca T #___Chimney Swift T * # ___Western Wood-Pewee C S #___Vaux's Swift U T # ___Willow Flycatcher R T #___White-throated Swift U P # ___Least Flycatcher Ca T # ___Hammond's Flycatcher U W #HUMMINGBIRDS ___Dusky Flycatcher U W #___Broad-billed Hummingbird R T # ___Gray Flycatcher U W #___Violet-crowned Hummingbird R T # ___Pacific-Slope Flycatcher U T #___Blue-throated Hummingbird Ca T # ___Buff-breasted Flycatcher T * #___Magnificent Hummingbird Ca T # ___Black Phoebe C P___Plain-capped Starthroat T * ___Eastern Phoebe R W #___Lucifer Hummingbird Ca T # ___Say's Phoebe C P #___Black-chinned Hummingbird C S # ___Vermillion Flycatcher C S R W #___Anna's Hummingbird U P ___Dusky-capped Flycatcher R S # ___Costa's Hummingbird R S # ___Ash-throated Flycatcher C S #___Calliope Hummingbird R T # ___Brown-crested Flycatcher C S #___Broad-tailed Hummingbird U T # ___Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher T * #___Rufous Hummingbird U T # ___Tropical Kingbird R S #___Allen's Hummingbird Ca T # ___Cassin's Kingbird C S # ___Thick-billed Kingbird R T #TROGONS AND KINGFISHERS ___Western Kingbird C S #___Elegant Trogon T * # ___Eastern Kingbird Ca T #___Belted Kingfisher U W # ___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Ca T # ___Green Kingfisher U P ___Rose-throated Becard T * #LARKS AND SWALLOWS ___Black-tailed Gnatcatcher U P___Horned Lark U P # ___Eastern Bluebird I W___Purple Martin R T # ___Western Bluebird I W #___Tree Swallow C T # ___Mountain Bluebird I W #___Violet-green Swallow C T # ___Townsend's Solitaire Ca W #___Northern Rough-winged Swallow C S # ___Veery T * #___Bank Swallow U T # ___Swainson's Thrush R W #___Cliff Swallow C S # ___Hermit Thrush U W #___Barn Swallow C S # ___Rufous-backed Robin Ca W ___American Robin R WJAYS, CROWS AND RAVENS ___Varied Thrush Ca T___Steller's Jay I W ___Blue Jay T * MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS___Scrub Jay I W ___Gray Catbird Ca T #___Mexican Jay Ca T ___Northern Mockingbird C P___Pinyon Jay I W ___Sage Thrasher R W #___Clark's Nutcracker I W ___Brown Thrasher Ca T #___American Crow I W ___Bendire's Thrasher R P #___Chihuahan Raven C P ___Curve-billed Thrasher C P___Common Raven C P ___Crissal Thrasher C P TITMICE, BUSHTITS AND WRENS PIPITS AND WAXWINGS___Bridled Titmouse U W ___American Pipit U W #___Verdin C P ___Sprague's Pipit Ca W #___Bushtit C P ___Bohemian Waxwing T *___Red-breasted Nuthatch Ca T ___Cedar Waxwing U T #___White-breasted Nuthatch C P ___Pygmy Nuthatch T * SILKY FLYCATCHERS AND SHRIKES___Brown Creeper U W # ___Phainopepla U P ___Cactus Wren C P ___Northern Shrike T *___Rock Wren U P ___Loggerhead Shrike C P #___Canyon Wren U P ___European Starling C P___Bewick's Wren C P ___House Wren U W # VIREOS___Winter Wren R W ___White-eyed Vireo T * #___Marsh Wren U W # ___Bell's Vireo C S # ___Gray Vireo U T #GNATCATCHERS, KINGLETS AND THRUSHES ___Solitary Vireo C T # ___Golden-crowned Kinglet Ca W ___"Plumbeous" Vireo C T #___Ruby-crowned Kinglet C W # ___Yellow-throated Vireo T * #___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U T # ___Hutton's Vireo U T #___Warbling Vireo C T # ___Yellow-breasted Chat C S # ___Philadelphia Vireo T * # ___Yellow-green Vireo T * TANAGERS ___Hepatic Tanager Ca T #WOOD WARBLERS ___Summer Tanager C S #___Golden-winged Warbler T * # ___Scarlet Tanager T * #___Tennessee Warbler Ca T # ___Western Tanager C T # ___Orange-crowned Warbler C T # ___Nashville Warbler U T # GROSBEAKS AND ALLIES___Virginia's Warbler R T # ___Northern Cardinal U P___Lucy's Warbler C S # ___Pyrrhuloxia C P___Northern Parula Ca T # ___Yellow Grosbeak T *___Yellow Warbler C S # ___Rose-breasted Grosbeak Ca T # ___Chestnut-sided Warbler Ca T # ___Black-headed Grosbeak C T #___Magnolia Warbler T * # ___Blue Grosbeak C S #___Cape May Warbler T * # ___Lazuli Bunting C T R S #___Black-throated Blue Warbler Ca T # ___Indigo Bunting R S # ___Yellow-rumped Warbler U W # ___Varied Bunting R S #___Black-throated Gray Warbler U T # ___Painted Bunting R T #___Townsend's Warbler U T # ___Dickcissel Ca T #___Hermit Warbler R T # ___Green-tailed Towhee C W #___Black-throated Green Warbler Ca T # ___Spotted Towhee R W___Blackburnian Warbler T * # ___Canyon Towhee C P___Yellow-throated Warbler T * # ___Abert's Towhee C P___Grace's Warbler T * # ___Botteri's Sparrow C S #___Pine Warbler T * # ___Cassin's Sparrow C S #___Palm Warbler T * # ___Rufous-winged Sparrow Ca T___Black-and-White Warbler R T # ___Rufous-crowned Sparrow U P___American Redstart R T # ___Chipping Sparrow C W #___Prothonotary Warbler Ca T # ___Clay-colored Sparrow Ca T #___Worm-eating Warbler T * # ___Brewer's Sparrow C W #___Ovenbird Ca T # ___Black-chinned Sparrow R T # ___Northern Waterthrush R T # ___Vesper Sparrow C W #___Kentucky Warbler T * # ___Lark Sparrow U W #___Mourning Warbler T * # ___Black-throated Sparrow C P___MacGillivray's Warbler U T # ___Sage Sparrow R W #___Common Yellowthroat C S R W # ___Lark Bunting U W #___Hooded Warbler Ca T # ___Savannah Sparrow U W #___Wilson's Warbler C T # ___Baird's Sparrow R W #___Red-faced Warbler T * # ___Grasshopper Sparrow R W #___Painted Redstart R T # ___Fox Sparrow Ca W ___Song Sparrow C P___Lincoln's Sparrow C W #___Swamp Sparrow R W___White-throated Sparrow R W___Golden-crowned Sparrow Ca W___White-crowned Sparrow C W #___Harris' Sparrow Ca W ___Dark-eyed Junco U W ___Yellow-eyed Junco T * ___McCown's Longspur Ca T ___Chestnut-collared Longspur R W # BLACKBIRDS AND ALLIES ___Bobolink Ca T #___Red-winged Blackbird C P #___Eastern Meadowlark C P___Western Meadowlark U W___Yellow-headed Blackbird C W #___Rusty Blackbird Ca T # ___Brewer's Blackbird C W #___Great-tailed Grackle C P___Common Grackle T *___Bronzed Cowbird R P #___Brown-headed Cowbird C P #___Orchard Oriole Ca T #___Hooded Oriole U S #___Baltimore Oriole T * #___Bullock's Oriole C S #___Scott's Oriole U S # FINCHES AND ALLIES___Purple Finch Ca W___Cassin's Finch Ca W #___House Finch C P___Red Crossbill Ca T___Pine Siskin U W #___Lesser Goldfinch C P___Lawrence's Goldfinch I W___American Goldfinch R W___House Sparrow C P