BIRDS OF

COLFAX COUNTY

NEW MEXICO

 

image: Black-Billed Magpie

COLFAX COUNTY FACTS

Area:  3,771 square miles

Highest Point:  12,584 ft. Little Costilla Peak

Lowest Point:  5,560 ft. at southernmost point of the Canadian River

Number of documented bird species:  345

KEY PUBLIC ACCESS LOCATIONS

Carson National Forest

Cimarron Canyon State Park

Eagle Nest Lake State Park

Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge

Springer Lake

Stubblefield/Laguna Madre Dams

Sugarite Canyon State Park

Key

h

Breeds in Colfax County.

C

Common:  Unlikely to be missed in suitable habitat.

FC

Fairly Common:  Includes locally common as well as irruptive species; some species may only be present in numbers for part of the season. 

U

Uncommon:  A very broad category that includes residents that are present but usually hard to find, and migrants that may only be present for short periods of time.  

R

Rare:  At best, one sighting per season; gaps in occurrence may extend over many years.

Wi

Winter:  December, January, February.

Sp

Spring: March, April, May

Su

Summer:  June, July

Fa

Fall:  August, September, October, November

 

 

Wi

Sp

Su

Fa

 

LOONS

 

 

Red-throated Loon

 

 

 

R

 

 

Pacific Loon

R

R

 

U

 

 

Common Loon

U

U

R

U

 

 

Yellow-billed Loon

 

 

 

R

 

GREBES

 

h

Pied-billed Grebe

R

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Horned Grebe

 

U

 

U

 

h

Eared Grebe

R

FC

U

FC

 

h

Western Grebe

R

FC

U

FC

 

h

Clark’s Grebe

R

U

U

U

 

PELICANS

 

 

American White Pelican

 

U

U

 FC

CORMORANTS

 

 

Neotropic Cormorant

 

R

R

R

 

Double-crested Cormorant

 

FC

U

FC

BITTERNS, HERONS

 

 

American Bittern

 

 

R

 

 

Least Bittern

 

R

R

 

 

Great Blue Heron

U

FC

U

FC

 

Great Egret

 

U

R

R

 

Snowy Egret

 

U

U

U

 

Little Blue Heron

 

 

 

R

 

Reddish Egret

 

 

R

R

 

Cattle Egret

 

U

 

U

 

Green Heron

 

U

U

U

 

Black-crowned Night-Heron

 

U

U

U

IBISES

 

 

White Ibis

Glossy Ibis

White-faced Ibis

 

R

 

 

 

 

 

R

 

 

 

h

 

FC

U

FC

 

AMERICAN VULTURES

 

h

Turkey Vulture

 

FC

FC

FC

 

DUCKS, GEESE, SWANS

 

 

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck

R

 

R

 

 

 

Greater White-fronted Goose

U

U

R

U

 

 

Snow Goose

U

U

 

FC

 

 

Ross’s Goose

U

U

 

FC

 

 

Cackling Goose

U

U

 

U

 

h

Canada Goose

C

C

C

C

 

 

Trumpeter Swan

R

 

 

 

 

 

Tundra Swan

U

U

 

U

 

 

Wood Duck

R

U

R

U

 

h

Gadwall

FC

C

FC

C

 

 

Eurasian  Wigeon

 

 

 

R

 

h

American Wigeon

FC

C

U

C

 

h

Mallard

C

C

FC

C

 

h

Blue-winged Teal

 

FC

U

U

 

h

Cinnamon Teal

R

C

FC

C

 

 

Northern Shoveler

FC

C

U

C

 

h

Northern Pintail

FC

C

U

FC

 

h

Green-winged Teal

FC

C

U

C

 

h

Canvasback

FC

C

R

FC

 

h

Redhead

FC

C

FC

FC

 

 

Ring-necked Duck

U

FC

U

FC

 

 

Greater Scaup

U

U

 

U

 

 

Lesser Scaup

U

FC

U

FC

 

 

Surf Scoter

 

R

 

R

 

 

White-winged Scoter

 

 

 

R

 

 

Long-tailed Duck

R

 

 

R

 

 

Bufflehead

FC

FC

R

FC

 

 

Common Goldeneye

FC

FC

 

FC

 

 

Barrow's Goldeneye

R

R

 

 

 

 

Hooded Merganser

U

U

R

U

 

h

Common Merganser

U

FC

U

FC

 

 

Red-breasted Merganser

U

U

 

U

 

h

Ruddy Duck

U

FC

FC

C

 

KITES, EAGLES, HAWKS

 

 

Osprey

 

U

 

U

 

 

Mississippi Kite

 

 

 

R

 

h

Bald Eagle

FC

U

U

U

 

h

Northern Harrier

U

U

R

U

 

h

Sharp-shinned Hawk

U

U

U

U

 

h

Cooper’s Hawk

U

U

U

U

 

h

Northern Goshawk

U

U

U

U

 

 

Common Black-Hawk

 

 

R

 

 

 

Red-shouldered Hawk

 

 

R

R

 

h

Swainson’s Hawk

 

FC

C

C

 

h

Red-tailed Hawk

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Ferruginous Hawk

FC

U

U

U

 

 

Rough-legged Hawk

U

U

 

U

 

h

Golden Eagle

U

U

U

U

 

FALCONS

 

h

American Kestrel

FC

FC

U

FC

 

 

Merlin

U

U

 

U

 

h

Peregrine Falcon

R

U

U

U

 

h

Prairie Falcon

U

U

U

U

 

PHEASANTS, GROUSE, TURKEYS

 

h

Ring-necked Pheasant

R

R

R

R

 

h

White-tailed Ptarmigan

R

R

R

R

 

h

Blue Grouse

U

U

U

U

 

h

Wild Turkey

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

QUAIL

 

h

Scaled Quail

U

U

U

U

 

RAILS, GALLINULES, COOTS

 

 

Black Rail

 

R

 

 

 

h

Virginia Rail

U

U

U

U

 

 

Sora

 

U

U

U

 

 

Common Moorhen

 

R

 

 

 

h

American Coot

U

FC

C

C

 

CRANES

 

 

Sandhill Crane

U

U

 

FC

 

PLOVERS

 

 

Black-bellied Plover

 

U

U

U

 

 

American Golden-Plover

 

 

 

R

 

h

Snowy Plover

 

U

R

U

 

 

Semipalmated Plover

R

U

U

U

 

 

Piping Plover

 

R

 

R

 

h

Killdeer

U

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Mountain Plover

 

U

U

U

 

STILTS, AVOCETS

 

 

Black-necked Stilt

 

U

R

 

 

h

American Avocet

 

FC

U

FC

 

SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES

 

 

Greater Yellowlegs

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

Lesser Yellowlegs

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

Solitary Sandpiper

 

U

U

U

 

 

Willet

 

U

R

U

 

h

Spotted Sandpiper

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Upland Sandpiper

 

 

 

R

 

 

Whimbrel

 

R

 

 

 

h

Long-billed Curlew

 

U

U

U

 

 

Hudsonian Godwit

 

R

 

 

 

 

Marbled Godwit

 

U

U

U

 

 

Ruddy Turnstone

 

R

 

 

 

 

Red Knot

 

 

 

R

 

 

Sanderling

 

U

R

U

 

 

Semipalmated Sandpiper

 

U

R

U

 

 

Western Sandpiper

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

Least Sandpiper

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

White-rumped Sandpiper

 

U

R

 

 

 

Baird’s Sandpiper

R

FC

U

FC

 

 

Pectoral Sandpiper

 

 

 

U

 

 

Dunlin

 

U

 

R

 

 

Stilt Sandpiper

 

U

U

U

 

 

Short-billed Dowitcher

 

 

U

U

 

 

Long-billed Dowitcher

 

FC

U

FC

 

h

Wilson’s Snipe

R

U

U

U

 

 

Wilson’s Phalarope

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

Red-necked Phalarope

 

U

R

U

 

 

Red Phalarope

 

 

R

R

 

GULLS, TERNS

 

 

Long-tailed Jaeger

 

 

R

R

 

 

Laughing Gull

 

R

R

R

 

 

Franklin’s Gull

 

FC

U

FC

 

 

Bonaparte’s Gull

R

FC

R

U

 

 

Mew Gull

 

R

 

 

 

 

Ring-billed Gull

U

FC

U

FC

 

 

California Gull

R

U

U

U

 

 

Herring Gull

U

U

U

U

 

 

Thayer’s Gull

 

 

 

R

 

 

Glaucous Gull

R

 

 

 

 

 

Sabine’s Gull

 

 

 

U

 

 

Black-legged Kittiwake

 

 

 

R

 

 

Caspian Tern

 

 

 

R

 

 

Common Tern

 

 

 

U

 

 

Arctic Tern

 

 

 

R

 

 

Forster’s Tern

 

U

U

U

 

 

Black Tern

 

U

U

FC

 

PIGEONS, DOVES

 

h

Rock Pigeon

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Band-tailed Pigeon

 

U

U

U

 

h

Eurasian Collared-Dove

U

U

U

U

 

 

White-winged Dove

R

R

R

 

 

h

Mourning Dove

U

C

C

C

 

 

Inca Dove

 

 

 

R

 

CUCKOOS, ROADRUNNERS

 

h

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

 

R

R

R

 

h

Greater Roadrunner

U

U

U

U

 

BARN-OWLS

 

 

 

 

 

h

Barn Owl

U

U

U

U

 

TYPICAL OWLS

 

h

Flammulated Owl

 

U

U

U

 

h

Western Screech-Owl

U

U

U

U

 

h

Great Horned Owl

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Northern Pygmy-Owl

U

U

U

U

 

h

Burrowing Owl

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Long-eared Owl

U

U

U

U

 

 

Short-eared Owl

 

R

 

R

 

 

Boreal Owl

 

 

 

R

 

h

Northern Saw-Whet Owl

U

U

U

U

 

NIGHTHAWKS, NIGHTJARS

 

h

Common Nighthawk

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Common Poorwill

 

U

U

U

 

 

Whip-poor-will

 

R

R

 

 

SWIFTS

 

 

Chimney Swift

 

R

R

 

 

h

White-throated Swift

 

U

U

U

 

HUMMINGBIRDS

 

 

Blue-throated Hummingbird

 

 

R

 

 

 

Magnificent Hummingbird

 

 

R

 

 

h

Black-chinned Hummingbird

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Calliope Hummingbird

 

 

U

U

 

h

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Rufous Hummingbird

 

 

FC

FC

 

KINGFISHERS

 

 

 

 

 

h

Belted Kingfisher

U

U

U

U

 

WOODPECKERS

 

h

Lewis’s Woodpecker

R

U

U

U

 

 

Acorn Woodpecker

 

 

R

 

 

 

Red-headed Woodpecker

 

R

R

R

 

h

Williamson’s Sapsucker

U

U

U

U

 

 

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

R

R

 

R

 

h

Red-naped Sapsucker

U

U

U

U

 

h

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

R

U

U

U

 

h

Downy Woodpecker

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Hairy Woodpecker

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

American Three-toed Woodpecker

R

R

R

R

 

h

Northern Flicker

C

C

C

C

 

TYRANT FLYCATCHERS

 

h

Olive-sided Flycatcher

 

U

R

U

 

h

Western Wood-Pewee

 

C

C

C

 

h

Willow Flycatcher

 

U

U

U

 

 

Least Flycatcher

 

 

 

R

 

h

Hammond’s Flycatcher

 

U

U

U

 

h

Gray Flycatcher

 

U

U

U

 

h

Dusky Flycatcher

 

U

U

U

 

h

Cordilleran Flycatcher

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Black Phoebe

 

U

U

U

 

 

Eastern Phoebe

 

R

 

R

 

h

Say’s Phoebe

 

C

C

C

 

 

Vermilion Flycatcher

 

 

R

 

 

h

Ash-throated Flycatcher

 

U

U

U

 

h

Cassin’s Kingbird

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Western Kingbird

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Eastern Kingbird

 

U

U

U

 

 

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

 

R

R

 

 

SHRIKES

 

h

Loggerhead Shrike

U

U

U

U

 

 

Northern Shrike

U

R

 

U

 

VIREOS

 

 

White-eyed Vireo

 

 

R

 

 

 

Yellow-throated Vireo

 

R

 

 

 

h

Plumbeous Vireo

 

U

U

U

 

 

Cassin’s Vireo

 

 

 

R

 

 

Blue-headed Vireo

 

 

 

R

 

h

Warbling Viero

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Red-eyed Vireo

 

 

R

R

 

JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS

 

h

Gray Jay

U

U

U

U

 

h

Steller’s Jay

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Blue Jay

U

U

R

U

 

h

Western Scrub-Jay

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Pinyon Jay

U

U

U

U

 

h

Clark’s Nutcracker

U

U

U

U

 

h

Black-billed Magpie

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

American Crow

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Chihuahuan Raven

R

U

U

U

 

h

Common Raven

C

C

C

C

 

LARKS

 

h

Horned Lark

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

SWALLOWS

 

h

Purple Martin

 

U

U

U

 

h

Tree Swallow

 

U

U

U

 

h

Violet-green Swallow

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

N Rough-winged Swallow

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Bank Swallow

 

U

R

U

 

h

Cliff Swallow

 

C

C

C

 

h

Barn Swallow

 

FC

R

FC

 

TITMICE

 

h

Black-capped Chickadee

U

U

U

U

 

h

Mountain Chickadee

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Juniper Titmouse

U

U

U

U

 

BUSHTITS

 

h

Bushtit

U

U

U

U

 

NUTHATCHES

 

h

Red-breasted Nuthatch

U

U

U

U

 

h

White-breasted Nuthatch

FC

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Pygmy Nuthatch

U

U

U

U

 

CREEPERS

 

h

Brown Creeper

U

U

U

U

 

WRENS

 

h

Rock Wren

U

FC

FC

FC

 

h

Canyon Wren

U

U

U

U

 

 

CarolinaWren

 

R

 

 

 

h

Bewick’s Wren

U

U

U

U

 

h

House Wren

 

FC

FC

FC

 

 

Winter Wren

R

 

 

U

 

h

Marsh Wren

U

FC

U

FC

 

DIPPERS

 

h

American Dipper

U

U

U

U

 

KINGLETS

 

h

Golden-crowned Kinglet

U

U

U

U

 

h

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

U

U

U

U

 

GNATCATCHERS

 

h

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

 

U

U

U

 

THRUSHES

 

 

Eastern Bluebird

U

U

 

U

 

h

Western Bluebird

FC

FC

U

FC

 

h

Mountain Bluebird

FC

FC

U

FC

 

h

Townsend’s Solitaire

FC

U

U

U

 

h

Hermit Thrush

 

FC

FC

FC

 

h

American Robin

FC

C

C

C

 

MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS

 

h

Gray Catbird

R

U

U

U

 

h

Northern Mockingbird

R

C

C

C

 

 

Sage Thrasher

R

U

R

U

 

 

Brown Thrasher

R

 

R

R

 

h

Curve-billed Thrasher

 

R