Bird List for the Bosque del Apache

The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge lies along 9 miles of the Rio Grande in the desert of southcentral New Mexico. Low dikes built since the refuge was established in the late 1930's have created extensive water impoundments, ideal winter habitat for ducks, geese, sandhill cranes and wading birds.

The riparian habitat of the Rio Grande and the adjoining arid uplands provide a wide variety of bird life. Cultivated fields furnish additional food for wintering waterfowl, pheasant and other wildlife.

This "folder" lists 320 species of birds seen on the refuge since 1940, and is in accordance wuth the Sixth Edition A.O.U. Checklist. Symbols used in this list are defined as follows:

S - Spring . . . . March - May
S - Summer . . . . June - August
F - Fall . . . . . September - November
W - Winter . . . . December - February

In the list below, the seasonal occurances are listed in the above order.

- nests locally
a - abundant . . . a common species which is very numerous
c - common . . . . certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon . . . present, but not certain to be seen
o - occasional . . seen only a few times during a season
r - rare . . . . . see at intervals of 2 to 5 years

The J and A markings indicate sightings during January and August 1994 visits.
The links on the names of the birds will bring up pictures of the birds from the North American Breeding Bird Survey server of the National Biological Service.

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Loons
  Common Loon r   r
Grebes
  Pied-billed Grebe a c a c
  Horned Grebe r   r
  Eared Grebe u   u o
  Western Grebe o u u o
  Clark's Grebe o o o
  American White Pelican c o c o
Comorants
A Double-crested Cormorants c c c u
  Olivaceous Cormorant u u u u
Bitterns and Herons
  American Bittern u u u o
  Least Bittern u u u
J, A Great Blue Heron a u c c
A Great Egret o o o
A Snowy Egret c a c o
  Little Blue Heron o o o
  Cattle Egret u u o r
A Green-Backed Heron u u u
A Black-crowned Night Heron u c c o
Ibises
  White-faced Ibis u u u
Swans, Geese, Ducks
  Tundra Swan     o
J Greater White-fronted Goose o   o o
J Snow Goose u   a a
J Ross Goose u   u c
J, A Canada Goose c c c c
  Wood Duck     o o
J Green-winged Teal c o a c
J, A Mallard a c a a
J Northern Pintail c u a a
  Blue-winged Teal c u c
  Cinnamon Teal c u c o
J Northern Shoveler c u a a
J Gadwall c u c a
  American Wigeon c o c u
  Canvasback u o u u
J Redhead u o u c
  Ring-necked Duck u   u c
  Lesser Scaup u o u u
  Common Goldeneye r   r r
J Bufflehead u   u c
J Hooded Merganser o   u u
J Common Merganser o   o c
  Red-breasted Merganser r   r r
  Ruddy Duck c u c c
American Vultures
A Turkey Vulture c a a
Kites, Eagles, Hawks
  Osprey o     o
  Mississippi Kite r r r
J Bald Eagle o   o u
J Northern Harrier c o c a
  Sharp-shinned Hawk c   c c
J Cooper's Hawk c o o c
  Northern Goshawk o   o o
  Harris Hawk o   o o
  Swainson's Hawk u u u
  Zone-tailed Hawk       r
J, A Red-tailed Hawk c u c a
  Ferruginous Hawk u u u u
  Rough-legged Hawk o   o o
  Golden Eagle u u u u
Caracaras and Falcons
J, A American Kestrel c u c c
  Merlin o     o
  Peregrine Falcon r   o o
  Prairie Falcon o o u u
Pheasants, Turkeys, Quail
J, A Ring-necked Pheasant c c c c
  Wild Turkey u u u
  Montezuma Quail r r r
  Scaled Quail u u u u
J Gambel's Quail c c c c
Rails, Gallinules, Coots
  Virginia Rail c c u
A Sora Rail c c c
  Purple Gallinules r r r
  Common Moorhen u u u
J American Coot c c a a
Cranes
J Sandhill Crane     a a
  Whooping Crane     u u
Plovers
  Black-bellied Plover r   r
  Snowy Plover r r r
  Semipalmated Plover o   o
  Kildeer a a a c
Stilts and Avocets
A Black-necked Stilt c u u
  American Avocet a a a c
Sandpipers and Phalaropes
A Greater Yellowlegs c c c o
  Lesser Yellowlegs u o u o
  Solitary Sandpiper o u o
  Willet o u u
  Spotted Sandpiper c c c
  Upland Sandpiper r   o
  Long-billed Curlew o o o
  Marbeled Godwit o o o
  Semipalmated Sandpiper r   r
  Western Sandpiper u o u
  Least Sandpiper u u u r
  White-rumped Sandpiper r   r
  Baird's Sandpiper u   u
  Pectoral Sandpiper o   o
  Dunlin r   r r
  Stilt Sandpiper o   r
J? Long-billed Dowitcher c o c o
  Common Snipe c u c u
  Wilson's Phalarope c o c
  Red-necked Phalarope o   o
Gulls and Terns
  Franklin's Gull r   r
  Bonaparte's Gull o   o r
  Ring-billed Gull c   c u
  Herring Gull o   o o
  Forster's Tern o o o
  Black Tern u o u
Pigeons and Doves
  White-winged Dove r o r
A Mourning Dove c a a u
Cuckoos
  Yellow-billed Cuckoo u u
J Greater Roadrunner c c c c
Barn Owls
  Barn Owl r o o r
Typical Owls
  Western Screech Owl o u o
  Great Horned Owl u u u u
  Burrowing Owl u u u o
  Short-eared Owl     r r
  Northern Saw-whet Owl       r
Goatsuckers
  Lesser Nighthawk c a c
  Common Nighthawk u u u
  Common Poorwill o c o
Swifts
  White-throated Swift r r
Hummingbirds
A Black-chinned Hummingbird c c c
  Broad-tailed Hummingbird u u u
  Rufous Hummingbird   u u
Kingfishers
  Belted Kingfisher u o u o
Woodpeckers
  Red-naped Sapsucker u   u u
  Williamson's Sapsucker       o
  Ladder-backer Woodpecker c c c u
  Downey Woodpecker u   u u
  Hairy Woodpecker u u u u
J, A Northern Flicker c c a a
Tyrant Flycatchers
  Olive-sided Flycatcher     r
  Western Wood-Pewee c c u
  Willow Flycatcher o   o
  Dusky Flycatcher u   u
  Gray Flycatcher o   o
  Black Phoebe u c u u
  Eastern Phoebe       r
  Say's Phoebe c c c c
  Vermillion Flycatcher o u o r
A Ash-throated Flycatcher r r
  Brown-crested Flycatcher r r
  Cassin's Kingbird o o o
  Western Kingbird c a u
  Eastern Kingbird o   o
  Scissor-tailed Flycatcher r r
Larks
  Horned Lark c u u c
Swallows
  Purple Martin   o o
  Tree Swallow a o a r
  Violet-green Swallow c   c
  Northern Rough-winged Swallow c u c
  Bank Swallow u u u
  Cliff Swallow c u c
A Barn Swallow a a a
Jays, Magpies, Crows
  Stellar's Jay r   r r
  Scrub Jay u u u u
  Pinyon Jay u   u u
  American Crow c   c c
  Chihuahuan Raven o u u
J Common Raven c c c o
Titmice
  Mountain Chickadee u   u u
  Plain Titmouse o o o o
Verdins
  Verdin u u u u
Bushtits
  Red-brested Nuthatch o   u u
  White-brested Nuthatch o   u u
Creepers
  Brown Creeper       o
Wrens
  Cactus Wren o o o o
  Rock Wren u u u u
  Canyon Wren r r r r
  Bewick's Wren o   u u
  House Wren u   u
A Marsh Wren u o c c
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
  Golden-crowned Kinglet       c
  Ruby-crowned Kinglet u   u
  Blue-gray Gnatcatcher u   u
  Black-tailed Gnatcatcher u u u u
Thrushes
  Eastern Bluebird r   r o
  Western Bluebird u   c
  Mountain Bluebird u   u u
  Townsend's Solitaire o   o o
  Hermit Thrush u   u r
  American Robin c c c c
Mockingbirds and Thrash
  Northern Mockingbird c c u o
  Sage Thrasher     r o
  Brown Thrasher     r r
  Curved-billed Thrasher u u u u
  Crissal Thrasher u u u u
Pipets
  American Pipet (Water) u r u c
Waxwings
  Cedar Waxwing o   o o
Silky-Flycatchers
  Phainopepla o o
Shrikes
  Northern Shrike       o
  Loggerhead Shrike u u u c
Starlings
  European Starling c c c c
Vireos
  Bell's Vireo o o
  Solitary Vireo o o
  Warbling Vireo o   o
Wood-Warblers
  Orange-crowned Warbler u   u
  Virginia's Warbler u   u
  Lucy's Warbler o o o
  Yellow Warbler u u u
  Yellow-rumped Warbler c o c u
  Black-throated Gray Warbler o   o
  American Redstart o   o
  Northern Waterthrush o   o
  MacGillivray's Warbler o   o
A Common Yellowthroat c c u
  Wilson's Warbler c   u
  Yellow-brested Chat c c u
Tanager
  Hepatic Tanager o o
  Summer Tanager u u u
  Scarlet Tanager o o
  Western Tanager c r o
Cardinals and Grosbeaks
  Pyrrhuloxia u u u u
  Rose-brested Grosbeak u o
  Black-headed Grosbeak c u c
A Blue Grosbeak a a u r
  Lazuli Bunting o r r
  Indigo Bunting u r u
  Dicksissel     o
Sparrows
  Green-tailed Towhee u   u o
  Rufous-sided Towhee c c c c
A Canyon Towhee u u u u
  Cassin's Sparrow   o o
  Rufous-crowned Sparrow o o o o
  American Tree Sparrow       r
  Chipping Sparrow c   c o
  Brewer's Sparrow c   c o
  Black-chinned Sparrow o   o
  Vesper Sparrow o   c o
  Lark Sparrow c o c o
  Black-throated Sparrow u c u u
  Sage Sparrow u   u u
  Lark Bunting o   u r
  Savannah Sparrow c   c u
  Song Sparrow c   c a
  Lincoln's Sparrow o   o o
  Swamp Sparrow   r o o
J White-throated Sparrow o   o o
J White-crowned Sparrow c o a a
  Harris' Sparrow     o o
J Dark-eyed Junco c   c a
  Chestnut-collared Longspur     o o
Blackbirds and Orioles
J, A Red-winged Blackbird a a a a
  Eastern Meadowlark r   r r
J, A Western Meadowlark a a a a
? Yellow-headed Blackbird c u c c
  Rusty Blackbird       o
  Brewer's Blackbird c   c c
J Great-tailed Grackle c c c c
  Common Grackle   o o o
  Brown-headed Cowbird c c c o
  Northern Oriole c c
Finches
A House Finch c c c c
  Pine Siskin c o u c
? Lesser Goldfinch c c c u
  American Goldfinch u   u c
  Evening Grosbeak     o r
Old World Sparrows
J House Sparrow c c c c

Accidentals

v
Tricolored Heron Calliope Hummingbird
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Lewis' Woodpecker
White Ibis Red-headed Woodpecker
Wood Stork Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
American Black Duck Couch's Kingbird
Eurasian Wigeon Blue Jay
Greater Scaup Black-billed Magpie
Black Scoter Winter Wren
Surf Scoter Sedge Wren
White-winger Scoter Bendire's Thrasher
Barrow's Goldeneye Gray Catbird
Black-shouldered Kite Sprague's Sparrow
Black Vulture Nashville Warbler
Common Black Hawk Northern Parula
Whimbrel Blk-throated Blue Warbler
Ruddy Turnstone Townsend's Warbler
Sanderling Black and White Warbler
Short-billed Dowitcher Prothonotary Warbler
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Painted Redstart
Long-tailed Jaeger Clay-colored Sparrow
California Gull Fox Sparrow
Black-legged Kittiwake Golden-crowned Sparrow
Least Tern McCown's Longspur
Inca Dove Bobolink
Band-tailed Pigeon Bronzed Cowbird
Common Ground-Dove Red Crossbill
Groove-billed Ani Lawrence's Goldfinch
Long-eared Owl

For additional information contact:

Refuge Manager
Bosque del Apache NWR
Socorro, NM 87801

Books on Birds

The Audubon Society Field Guide to the Bald Eagle, David G. Gordon , Sasquatch Books.
Birds (National Audubon Society First Field Guides), Scott Weidensaul, Scholastic Trade.
How to Identify Birds: An Audubon Handbook, John Farrand, McGraw-Hill.
Western Birds : An Audubon Handbook, John Farrand, McGraw-Hill.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Western Region, Miklos D. F. Udvardy, John Farrand, Knopf.
National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Birds: Eastern Region, John Bull, John Farrand, Knopf.
Field Guide to Hawks: North America , William S. Clark, Brian K. Wheeler (Illustrator), Houghton Mifflin.
All the Backyard Birds : West (American Bird Conservancy Compact Guide), Jack L. Griggs, Scott Edwards, HarperPerenial.
All the Birds of North America : American Bird Conservancy's Field Guide, Jack L. Griggs, HarperCollins.
All the Waterbirds : Freshwater (An American Bird Conservancy Compact Guide), Jack L. Griggs, Edward S. Brinkley, Harper Resource.
The Birder's Handbook: A Field Guide to the Natural History of North American Birds;Including All Species That Regularly Breed North of Mexico, Darryl Wheye, Fireside.
Ducks of North America and the Northern Hemisphere, John Gooders, Checkmark Books.
Waterfowl : An Identification Guide to the Ducks, Geese and Swans of the World, Steve Madge, Hilary Burn (Illustrator), Houghton Mifflin.
Shorebirds : An Identification Guide to the Waders of the World, Peter Hayman, John Marchant, Tony Prater, Houghton Mifflin.
Hawks in Flight : The Flight Identification of North American Migrant Raptors, Peter Dunne, David Sibley, Houghton Mifflin.
A Photographic Guide to North American Raptors, Brian K. Wheeler (Editor), Academic Press.
North American Birds of Prey (National Audubon Society Pocket Guides), Clay Sutton, Richard K. Walton, Knopf.
The Raptors of Arizona, Richard L. Glinski (Editor), Richard Sloan (Illustrator), University of Arizona Press.


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