Birds of COLORADO

and in the nearby states of
KANSAS, NEBRASKA,
OKLAHOMA, and WYOMING

from Quails to Woodpeckers

including those during 
Focus On Nature Tours
noted with an (*)

1993 thru 2011

(during the months of April & July)


PART 1 of a List of Birds in Colorado & Nearby States compiled by Armas Hill,
with some photos 

249 species of birds have cumulatively been seen, along with 8 additional subspecies.
during 11 FONT Colorado birding & nature tours: 9 in April and 2 in July.


Upper right photograph: DUSKY GROUSE 
(photo by Alan Brady) 


Link: 

Part 2 of this List of Colorado Birds from Flycatchers to Buntings

Codes:

CO = Colorado
KS = Kansas
NE = Nebraska
OK = Oklahoma
WY = Wyoming

apr:  during tours in April (usually 3rd week)
jul:   during tours in July  (1st week)

(USe):     endemic to the USA 
(USqe):   quasi (or nearly) endemic to the USA
(USneb): near-endemic breeder in the USA
(NAi):      species introduced into North America

(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
(t1): critical   (t2): endangered   (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally

(ph):  species with a photo in the FONT web-site


Links:

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in Colorado & adjacent states

A Complete List with some Photos of North American Birds, in 6 parts:
List #1: Grouse to Anhinga  
List #2: Condor to Shorebirds  
List #3: Jaegers to Cuckoos  
List #4: Owls to Flycatchers  
List #5: Shrikes to Pipits  
List #6: Olive Warbler to Buntings

Nebraska Birds

Mammals during FONT tours in Colorado & nearby states  (with photos)

Birds:

1. Scaled Quail ______ apr  CO  OK
   Callipepla squamata
   
   
2. Northern Bobwhite  (nt)  ______  apr  CO  KS
   Colinus virginianus
   
   
3. Dusky Grouse  (ph)  ______  apr  CO   (was called the Blue Grouse, until the more-westerly Sooty Grouse was recently split from it) 
   Dendragapus obscurus richardsonii
    
   
   
   
   Now the Dusky Grouse, it was called the Blue Grouse 
   when this photo was taken during a FONT tour in Colorado.
   (photo by Alan Brady)
    
   
4. White-tailed Ptarmigan  (ph)  ______  apr  CO  
   Lagopus leucurus altipetens
   
   
   
   
   White-tailed Ptarmigan photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
    
   
5. Greater Sage Grouse (nt) (USqe) (ph) ______  apr  CO
   Centrocercus urophasianus
   
   
   
   
   A displaying male Greater Sage Grouse in the very early morning light,
   photographed during the FONT tour in Colorado in April 2009.  
   
   
6. Gunnison Sage Grouse (t2) (USe) ______  apr  CO  (nearly endemic to Colorado, with a very few in adjacent Utah - see note following list) 
   Centrocercus minimus
   
   
7. Greater Prairie Chicken (nt) (USe) (ph)  ______  apr  CO  NE   (note follows list)
   Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus
   
   
   
   
   A Greater Prairie Chicken photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
     
   
8. Lesser Prairie Chicken (t3) (USe) (ph)  ______  apr  CO  KS  (note follows list)
   Tympanuchus pallidcinctus 
   
   
   
   
   A Lesser Prairie Chicken photographed during a FONT tour in Kansas
   
   
9. Sharp-tailed Grouse ______  apr  CO  NE  (note follows list)
   Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus
   
   
10. Wild Turkey  (ph)  ______  apr  CO  KS  NE  OK    (introduced population)
    Meleagris gallopavo
    
    
    
    
    Wild Turkeys
    (photo by James Scheib)
     
    
11. Chukar (NAi) ______ apr  CO
    Alectoris chukar
    
    
12. Common Pheasant (NAi) ______  apr jul  CO  KS  NE  OK
    Phasianus colchicus
    
    
13. Trumpeter Swan  ______  apr  NE
    Cygnus buccinator
    
    
14. Mute Swan (i) (ph)  ______  apr  CO
    Cygnus olor
    
    
15. Greater White-fronted Goose ______  apr  CO
    Anser albifrons frontalis
    
    
16. Snow Goose  (ph)  ______ apr  CO  KS
    Chen (formerly Anser) c. caerulescens  (known as (known as "Lesser Snow Goose") 
    
    
17. Ross' Goose ______  apr  CO
    Chen (formerly Anser) rossi
    
    
18. Canada Goose  ______  apr jul  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY  (in late-spring & summer, introduced subspecies of eastern North America)
    Branta canadensis 
    
    
19. Wood Duck  (ph)  ______  apr jul  CO  KS
    Aix sponsa
    
    
20. Mallard  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Anas p. platyrhynchos
    
    
21. Northern Pintail  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Anas acuta
    
    
22. Blue-winged Teal  (ph)  ______  apr,jul  CO  KS  NE  OK WY
    Anas discors
    
    
23. Cinnamon Teal ______ apr jul  CO WY
    Anas cyanoptera septentrionalium
    
    
24. Green-winged Teal  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY  (was considered conspecific with the Eurasian Teal, Anas crecca)
    Anas carolinensis
    
    
25. Northern Shoveler ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Anas clypeata
    
    
26. Gadwall  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Anas strepera
    
    
27. American Wigeon  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Anas americana
    
    
28. Canvasback ______ apr jul  CO  NE WY
    Aythya valisineria
    
    
29. Redhead  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  NE WY
    Aythya americana
    
    
30. Ring-necked Duck  (ph)  ______ apr jul  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Aythya collaris
    
    
31. Lesser Scaup  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Aythya affinis
    
    
32. Common Goldeneye ______ APR  CO  WY
    Bucephala clangula
    
    
33. Barrow's Goldeneye ______ APR  CO
    Bucephala islandica
    
    
34. Bufflehead  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Bucephala albeola
    
    
35. Common Merganser ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
    Mergus merganser americanus
    
    
36. Red-breasted Merganser  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Mergus serrator
    
    
37. Ruddy Duck  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Oxyura j. rubida  
    
    
    
    
    A female Ruddy Duck
    (photo by Kim Steininger)
    
    
38. Common Loon ______ APR  WY
    Gavia immer
    
    
39. Pied-billed Grebe ______ APR JUL  CO  NE  WY
    Podilymbus p. podiceps
    
    
40. Black-necked Grebe ______ APR JUL  CO  WY  (has been called Eared Grebe)
    Podiceps nigricollis californicus
    
    
41. Western Grebe  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
    Aechmophorus o. occidentalis
    
    
    
    
    Western Grebe
    
    
42. Clark's Grebe ______ APR JUL  CO  NE  WY
    Aechmophorus clarkii 
    
    
43. White-faced Ibis  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY
    Plegadis chihi
    
    
    
    
    White-faced Ibis
     
    
44. Great Blue Heron ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Ardea herodias 
    
    
45. Great Egret  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO
    Ardea alba
    
    
46. Snowy Egret  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
    Egretta thula
    
    
47. Cattle Egret  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
    Bubulcus ibis
    
    
48. Green Heron ______ APR  KS
    Butorides virescens
    
    
49. Black-crowned Night-Heron ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY
    Nycticorax nycticorax
    
    
50. American White Pelican  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  NE WY
    Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
    
    
    
    
    
    An American White Pelican photographed during a FONT tour 
    in Wyoming, near Colorado.
    The noticeable knob on the bill is a feature of the bird 
    in breeding plumage.
    
      
    
51. Double-crested Cormorant ______ APR JUL  CO KS  NE  WY
    Phalacrocorax auritus
    
    
52. Turkey Vulture  (ph) ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Cathartes aura meridionalis
    
    
53. Osprey  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Pandion haliaetus carolinensis
    
    
    
    
    Osprey
    (photo by Kim Steininger)
    
    
54. Bald Eagle  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  NE  WY  
    Haliaeetus leucocephalus 
    
    
55. Northern Harrier  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY    (considered conspecific with the Hen Harrier of Eurasia, Circus cyaneus)
    Circus cyaneus hudsonius
    
    
    
    
    A female Northern Harrier
    (photo by Kim Steininger)
    
     
56. Sharp-shinned Hawk  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  KS
    Accipiter striatus velox
    
    
    
    Sharp-shinned Hawk
    (photo by Kim Steininger)
    
    
57. Cooper's Hawk  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Accipiter cooperi  (monotypic)
    
    
    
    
    Cooper's Hawk
     
    
58. Northern Goshawk ______ APR JUL  CO
    Accipiter gentilis atricapillus
    
    
59. Broad-winged Hawk ______ APR CO(rare)
    Buteo p. platypterus
    
    
60. Swainson's Hawk  (ph) ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Buteo swainsoni 
    
    
    
    
    Swainson's Hawk
    (photo by Howard Eskin)
    
    
61. Red-tailed Hawk  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Buteo jamaicensis calurus
    
    
62. "Harlan's Hawk" ______ APR  CO  WY   (a subspecies of the Red-tailed Hawk)
    Buteo jamaicensis harlani
    
    
63. Ferruginous Hawk (nt) (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  OK
    Buteo regalis
    
    
    
    
    A Ferruginous Hawk photographed during a FONT tour 
    in Kansas, near Colorado
    
    
    
64. Rough-legged Hawk  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  WY
    Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis
    
    
65. Golden Eagle ______ APR JUL  CO  OK  WY
    Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
    
    
66. American Kestrel  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Falco s. sparverius
    
    
67. Merlin  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  WY
    Falco columbarius richardsoni
    
    
68. Prairie Falcon  (ph)  ______ APR JUL CO  KS
    Falco mexicanus
    
    
69. Peregrine Falcon  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Falco peregrinus anatum 
    
    
70. Virginia Rail  (ph)  ______ JUL  CO
    Rallus limicola 
    
    
71. Sora ______ JUL  CO
    Porzana carolina
    
    
72. American Coot ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
    Fulica americana
    
    
73. Sandhill Crane  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Grus canadensis tabida
    
    
74. Semipalmated Plover  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Charadrius semipalmatus
    
    
75. Piping Plover (t3) (ph)  ______  APR  CO
    Charadrius melodus 
    
    
    
    
    The Piping Plover is an inland rarity in Colorado. 
    It was seen there during the 2005 FONT tour in the
    same vicinity as Snowy Plovers.
    Above, an adult & chick.    
    Nearby, that same day, but in a different habitat,
    we also saw the Mountain Plover. 
    
     
76. Snowy Plover  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  (no longer considered conspecific with the Kentish Plover of the Old World) 
    Charadrius nivosus 
    
    
    
    
    Snowy Plover
    (photo by Howard Eskin)
    
    
77. Killdeer ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Charadrius vociferus
    
    
78. Mountain Plover (t3) (USneb) (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS   
    Charadrius montanus
    
    
    
    
    
    A Mountain Plover photographed during a FONT tour
    
    
79. Black-necked Stilt  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Himantopus mexicanus
    
    
80. American Avocet  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY  
    Recurvirostra americana
    
    
81. Greater Yellowlegs ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
    Tringa melanoleuca
    
    
82. Lesser Yellowlegs  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
    Tringa flavipes
    
    
83. Solitary Sandpiper  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  KS
    Tringa solitaria
    
    
84. Spotted Sandpiper  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
    Actitis macularia 
    
    
85. Willet  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO
    Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus
    
    
86. Long-billed Curlew (nt) (ph)  ______ APR  CO  NE  KS
    Numenius americanus
    
    
    
    
    Long-billed Curlew
    (photo by Abram Fleishman)
    
    
87. Marbled Godwit  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  WY
    Limosa fedoa
    
    
88. Semipalmated Sandpiper ______ APR  CO
    Calidris pusilla
    
    
89. Western Sandpiper  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Calidris mauri
    
    
90. Least Sandpiper ______ APR  CO
    Calidris minutilla
    
    
91. Baird's Sandpiper ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
    Calidris bairdii
    
    
92. Pectoral Sandpiper  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
    Calidris melanotos
    
    
93. Dunlin  (ph)  ______  APR  CO
    Calidris alpina
    
    
94. Long-billed Dowitcher ______ APR  CO
    Limnodromus scolopaceus
    
    
95. Wilson's Snipe  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY  (was considered conspecific with the Common Snipe of the Palearctic, Gallinago gallinago) 
    Gallinago delicata
    
    
96. Wilson's Phalarope ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
    Phalaropus tricolor
    
    
97. Franklin's Gull  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY
    Larus pipixcan
    
    
98. Bonaparte's Gull  (ph)  ______ APR  CO  KS  WY
    Larus philadelphia
    
    
99. Ring-billed Gull  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
    Larus delawarensis
    
    
100. California Gull  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
     Larus californicus
     
     
101. "American" Herring Gull ______ APR  CO  WY
     Larus argentatus smithsonianus
     
     
102. Caspian Tern  (ph)  ______ JUL  CO
     Hydroprogne (formerly Sterna) caspia
     
     
103. Forster's Tern  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  NE
     Sterna forsteri
     
     
104. Black Tern  (ph)  ______ JUL  coCO
     Chlidonias niger
     
     
105. Feral Pigeon (i) ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  WY
     Columba livia
     
     
106. Band-tailed Pigeon  (ph)  ______ JUL  CO
     Patagioenas (formerly Columba) fasciata
     
     
107. Mourning Dove ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  WY
     Zenaida macroura
     
     
108. Eurasian Collared Dove (NAi) ______ APR  CO  KS  NE  OK
     Streptopelia decaocto
     
     
109. Great Horned Owl  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS
     Bubo v. virginianus
     
     
     
     
     A young Great Horned Owl leaving the nest.
     During FONT tours in April in eastern Colorado & western Kansas,
     Great Horned Owls are often seen either on their nests or about to leave. 
     
     
110. Burrowing Owl  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  NE  OK  
     Athene cunicularia hypugaea
     
     
111. Common Nighthawk ______ APR JUL  CO
     Chordeiles minor
     
     
112. Common Poorwill ______ JUL  CO
     Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
     
     
113. American Black Swift ______ JUL  CO
     Cypseloides niger
     
     
114. White-throated Swift ______ APR JUL  CO 
     Aeronautes saxatalis
     
     
115. Black-chinned Hummingbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO
     Archilochus alexandri
     
     
116. Broad-tailed Hummingbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO
     Selasphorus platycercus
     
     
     
     
     A Broad-tailed Hummingbird photographed during a FONT tour.
       
     
117. Belted Kingfisher  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO KS NE WY
     Megaceryle (formerly Ceryle) alcyon
     
     
118. Lewis' Woodpecker ______ APR JUL  CO
     Melanerpes lewis
     
     
119. Red-bellied Woodpecker  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
     Melanerpes carolinus
     
     
     
     
     The Red-bellied Woodpecker reaches the far western edge of its range
     in far eastern Colorado.
     (photo by Howard Eskin) 
     
     
120. Red-naped Sapsucker  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO WY
     Sphyrapicus nuchalis
     
     
     
     
     A Red-naped Sapsucker photographed during a FONT tour
     in Colorado in April
       
     
121. Williamson's Sapsucker ______ APR JUL  CO
     Sphyrapicus thyroideus nataliae
     
     
122. Ladder-backed Woodpecker  (ph)  ______ APR  CO
     Picoides scalaris cactophilus
     
     
123. Downy Woodpecker ______ APR JUL  CO  KS  WY
     Picoides pubescens leucurus
     
     
124. Hairy Woodpecker  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  CO  WY
     Picoides villosus septentrionalis
     
     
125. Northern Flicker ______ APR JUL (both "Yellow-shafted" & "Red-shafted")  CO  KS  NE  WY
     Colaptes auratus auratus  ("Yellow-shafted")  CO  KS  NE
     Colaptes auratus cafer  ("Red-shafted") CO  WY  
     
     
     

Notes:

The Gunnison Sage Grouse is a newly-described species of the USA heartland. It is very localized with a range restricted to southwest Colorado and southeast Utah. It's thought to have formerly been more widespread (possibly in New Mexico, eastern Arizona, southwest Kansas, and Oklahoma).
Now the bird occurs in 6 or 7 counties of southwest Colorado and a single county in adjacent southeast Utah. The entire population is estimated at being less than 5,000 birds, with most (2,500-3,000) in the Gunnison Basin (of Colorado). Elsewhere populations number less than 300, with fewer than 150 in Utah.
It has disappeared from several population pockets since 1980, with an overall decline of over 60% in males attending breeding leks in the Gunnison Basin in the last 50 years.
Formerly considered a subspecies of the more-northerly  Sage Grouse,  Gunnison Grouse of both sexes have  plumages similar to that species, but are about 30% smaller. 

There are 3 species in the "Prairie Chicken Group": the Greater Prairie Chicken, the Lesser Prairie Chicken, and the Sharp-tailed Grouse.  

There have historically been 3 subspecies of Greater Prairie Chickens. 
In the eastern United States, the subspecies T.c. cupido, called the "Heath Hen", occurred formerly in bushy habitat from Boston south to Washington. It was extirpated on the mainland about 1835. It continued to survive beyond that on the Massachusetts offshore island of Martha's Vineyard until it was last reported there in 1932. At that time, the eastern race of the Greater Prairie Chicken became extinct.
Another race of the species, in coastal Texas, is now very rare. T.c. attwateri, the "Attwater's Prairie Chicken" has declined in 30 years from 8,700 individuals in 1937 to 1,070 in 1967. After another 30 years, in 1998, only 56 individuals remained in 3 isolated populations. Even with released captive-reared birds, that subspecies is severely threatened.
The most wide-ranging of the Greater Prairie Chicken subspecies (and the one occurring in eastern Colorado), T.c. pinnatus, has declined over much of its range. The population in the late 1970's was estimated as 500,000. Due to its being in small isolated populations, the species overall is at considerable risk.

Greater Prairie Chickens at their lek at dawn.

The Lesser Prairie Chicken has declined substantially since the European settlement of the Great Plains. That decline is thought to be over 90% since the 19th Century, and nearly 80% since the early 1960's. 
In 1980, Lesser Prairie Chickens occupied only 8% of their original range (which was historically throughout the southwest Great Plains, in southeast Colorado, southwest Kansas, western Oklahoma, northern Texas, and eastern New Mexico). Now, it is only in small, scattered populations.
The population estimate was about 50,000 birds in about 1980 (from 42,000 to 55,000 in 1979). 20 years later, in 1999, the population was estimated as 10,000 to 25,000, mostly in northwest Texas and Kansas.      

There are 5 subspecies of Sharp-tailed Grouse. It now occurs in less than half of its original range in 9 U.S. states. It is now extinct in 8 U.S. states where it formerly occurred. In the northern part of its range (in Canada), it is fairly common. 

A good source for information (such as that above) about the grouse is the book: "Pheasants, Partridges, and Grouse" by Steve Madge and Phil McGowan, 
published in 2002 by Princeton Univ Press.  

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