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Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
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Birds found during FONT
Birding & Nature Tours
in Colorado
(and nearby Kansas, Wyoming,
Nebraska, & Oklahoma)
1993 thru 2009
(during the months of April &
July)
A Colorado bird list compiled by Armas Hill
with photos
247 species of birds have cumulatively been
seen,
along with 8 additional subspecies.
during 10 FONT Colorado birding & nature tours: 8 in April and 2 in July.
Upper right photograph: BROWN-CAPPED ROSY FINCH
This species as a breeder is nearly endemic to Colorado. Some also nest in a
limited area of southern Wyoming.
In the winter, the species occurs in a third state, with some in northern New
Mexico.
Codes:
co = Colorado
ks = Kansas
ne = Nebraska
ok = Oklahoma
wy = Wyoming
APR: during tours in April (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 Tours in Colorado & adjacent states
A Complete List of North American Birds, north of Mexico, in 2 parts:
List #1: Grouse to Flycatchers
List #2: Jaegers to Flycatchers
List #3: Shrikes to Buntings
Mammals during
FONT tours in Colorado & nearby states
(with
photos)
Birds:
- Scaled Quail ______APR co,ok
Callipepla squamata
- Northern Bobwhite (nt) ______ APR
co,ks
Colinus virginianus
- 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)
- White-tailed Ptarmigan (ph) ______ APR co
Lagopus leucurus altipetens

White-tailed Ptarmigan photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
- Sage Grouse (nt) (USqe) (ph) ______ APR JUL
co
Centrocercus urophasianus

A displaying male Sage Grouse in the very early
morning light,
photographed during the FONT tour in Colorado in April 2009.
- Gunnison Grouse (t2) (USe)
______ APR co
(nearly endemic to Colorado, with a very few in adjacent Utah - see note
following list)
Centrocercus minimus
- Greater Prairie Chicken (nt) (USe)
(ph) ______ APR
co
(note follows list)
Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus

A Greater Prairie Chicken photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
- Lesser Prairie Chicken (t3) (USe)
(ph) ______ APR
ks (note follows list)
Tympanuchus pallidcinctus

A Lesser Prairie Chicken photographed during a FONT tour in Kansas
- Sharp-tailed Grouse ______ APR co
(note follows list)
Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus
- Wild Turkey (ph) ______ APR
co,ks,ne,ok (introduced population)
Meleagris gallopavo

Wild Turkeys
(photo by James Scheib)
- Chukar (NAi) ______ APR co
Alectoris chukar
- Common Pheasant (NAi)
______ APR JUL co,ks,ok
Phasianus colchicus
- Mute Swan (i) (ph) ______ APR co
Cygnus olor
- Greater White-fronted Goose
______ APR co
Anser albifrons frontalis
- Snow Goose (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Chen (formerly Anser)
c. caerulescens (known as (known as "Lesser Snow
Goose")
- Ross' Goose ______ APR
Chen (formerly Anser)
rossi
- Canada Goose ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
(in late-spring & summer, introduced subspecies of eastern
North America)
Branta canadensis
- Wood Duck (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks
Aix sponsa
- Mallard (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Anas p. platyrhynchos
- Northern Pintail (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Anas acuta
- Blue-winged Teal (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Anas discors
- Cinnamon Teal ______ APR JUL co,wy
Anas cyanoptera septentrionalium
- Green-winged Teal (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
(was considered conspecific with the Eurasian Teal, Anas
crecca)
Anas carolinensis
- Northern Shoveler ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Anas clypeata
- Gadwall (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Anas strepera
- American Wigeon (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Anas americana
- Canvasback ______ APR JUL co,wy
Aythya valisineria
- Redhead (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Aythya americana
- Ring-necked Duck (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Aythya collaris
- Lesser Scaup (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Aythya affinis
- Common Goldeneye ______ APR co,wy
Bucephala clangula
- Barrow's Goldeneye ______ APR co
Bucephala islandica
- Bufflehead (ph) ______ APR co,ks,wy
Bucephala albeola
- Common Merganser ______ APR JUL co,wy
Mergus merganser americanus
- Red-breasted Merganser (ph) ______ APR co
Mergus serrator
- Ruddy Duck (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Oxyura j. rubida

A female Ruddy Duck
(photo by Kim Steininger)
- Common Loon ______ APR wy
Gavia immer
- Pied-billed Grebe ______ APR JUL co,wy
Podilymbus p. podiceps
- Black-necked Grebe ______ APR JUL co,wy
(has been called Eared Grebe)
Podiceps nigricollis californicus
- Western Grebe (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Aechmophorus o. occidentalis

Western Grebe
- Clark's Grebe ______ APR JUL co
Aechmophorus clarkii
- White-faced Ibis (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Plegadis chihi

White-faced Ibis
- Great Blue Heron ______ APR JUL
co,ks,wy
Ardea herodias
- Great Egret (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Ardea alba
- Snowy Egret (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Egretta thula
- Cattle Egret (ph) ______ APR JUL ks
Bubulcus ibis
- Green Heron ______ APR ks
Butorides virescens
- Black-crowned Night-Heron
______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Nycticorax nycticorax
- American White Pelican (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,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.
- Double-crested Cormorant
______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Phalacrocorax auritus
- Turkey Vulture (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,wy
Cathartes aura meridionalis
- Osprey (ph) ______ APR
co
Pandion haliaetus carolinensis

Osprey
(photo by Kim Steininger)
- Bald Eagle (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
- 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)
- Sharp-shinned Hawk (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Accipiter striatus velox

Sharp-shinned Hawk
(photo by Kim Steininger)
- Cooper's Hawk (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,wy
Accipiter cooperi (monotypic)

Cooper's Hawk
- Northern Goshawk ______ APR JUL co
Accipiter gentilis atricapillus
- Broad-winged Hawk ______ APR (rare in
CO) co
Buteo p. platypterus
- Swainson's Hawk (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Buteo swainsoni

Swainson's Hawk
(photo by Howard Eskin)
- Red-tailed Hawk (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Buteo jamaicensis calurus
- "Harlan's Hawk"
______ APR co
(a
subspecies of the Red-tailed Hawk)
Buteo jamaicensis harlani
- Ferruginous Hawk (nt) (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok
Buteo regalis

A Ferruginous Hawk photographed during a FONT tour
in Kansas, near Colorado
- Rough-legged Hawk (ph) ______ APR co,wy
Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis
- Golden Eagle ______ APR JUL co,ok,wy
Aquila chrysaetos canadensis
- American Kestrel (ph) ______ APR JUL co.ks,ne,ok,wy
Falco s. sparverius
- Merlin (ph) ______ APR co,wy
Falco columbarius richardsoni
- Prairie Falcon (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Falco mexicanus
- Peregrine Falcon (ph) ______ APR co
Falco peregrinus anatum
- Virginia Rail (ph) ______ JUL co
Rallus limicola
- Sora ______ JUL co
Porzana carolina
- American Coot ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Fulica americana
- Sandhill Crane (ph) ______ APR co
Grus canadensis tabida
- Semipalmated Plover (ph) ______ APR co
Charadrius semipalmatus
- 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.
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)
Killdeer ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Charadrius vociferus
Mountain Plover (t3) (USneb) (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks
Charadrius montanus

A Mountain Plover photographed during a FONT tour
Black-necked Stilt (ph) ______ APR co
Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Recurvirostra americana
Greater Yellowlegs ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Tringa flavipes
Solitary Sandpiper (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Tringa solitaria
Spotted Sandpiper (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Actitis macularia
Willet (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus
Long-billed Curlew (nt) (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Numenius americanus

Long-billed Curlew
(photo by
Abram Fleishman)
Marbled Godwit (ph) ______ APR co,wy
Limosa fedoa
Semipalmated Sandpiper ______ APR co
Calidris pusilla
Western Sandpiper (ph) ______ APR co
Calidris mauri
Least Sandpiper ______ APR
co
Calidris minutilla
Baird's Sandpiper ______ APR JUL co,ks
Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper (ph) ______ APR co
Calidris melanotos
Long-billed Dowitcher ______ APR
co
Limnodromus scolopaceus
Wilson's Snipe (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
(was considered conspecific with the Common Snipe of
the Palearctic, Gallinago gallinago)
Gallinago delicata
Wilson's Phalarope ______ APR JUL
co,ks
Phalaropus tricolor
Franklin's Gull (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks,wy
Larus pipixcan
Bonaparte's Gull (ph) ______ APR co,ks,wy
Larus philadelphia
Ring-billed Gull (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Larus delawarensis
California Gull (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Larus californicus
"American" Herring Gull ______ APR
co,wy
Larus argentatus smithsonianus
Caspian Tern (ph) ______ JUL co
Hydroprogne (formerly Sterna) caspia
Forster's Tern (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Sterna forsteri
Black Tern (ph) ______ JUL co
Chlidonias niger
Feral Pigeon (i) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Columba livia
Band-tailed Pigeon (ph) ______ JUL co
Patagioenas (formerly Columba) fasciata
Mourning Dove ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Zenaida macroura
Eurasian Collared Dove (NAi)
______ APR co,ks,nb,ok
Streptopelia decaocto
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.
Burrowing Owl (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks,ne,ok
Athene cunicularia hypugaea
Common Nighthawk ______ APR JUL co
Chordeiles minor
Common Poorwill ______ JUL co
Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
American Black Swift ______ JUL co
Cypseloides niger
White-throated Swift ______ APR JUL co
Aeronautes saxatalis
Black-chinned Hummingbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Archilochus alexandri
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Selasphorus platycercus

A Broad-tailed Hummingbird photographed during a FONT tour.
Belted Kingfisher (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,wy
Megaceryle (formerly Ceryle) alcyon
Lewis' Woodpecker ______ APR JUL co
Melanerpes lewis
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)
Red-naped Sapsucker (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Sphyrapicus nuchalis

A Red-naped Sapsucker photographed during a FONT tour
in Colorado in April
Williamson's Sapsucker ______ APR JUL
co
Sphyrapicus thyroideus nataliae
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (ph) ______ APR co
Picoides scalaris cactophilus
Downy Woodpecker ______ APR JUL
co,ks,wy
Picoides pubescens leucurus
Hairy Woodpecker (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Picoides villosus septentrionalis
Northern Flicker ______ APR JUL (both
"Yellow-shafted" & "Red-shafted")
co,ks,wy
Colaptes auratus auratus ("Yellow-shafted")
co,ks
Colaptes auratus cafer ("Red-shafted")
co,wy
Olive-sided Flycatcher ______ JUL co
Contopus cooperi
Western Wood-Pewee ______ JUL co
Contopus sordidulus
Willow Flycatcher ______ JUL co
Empidonax traillii
Dusky Flycatcher (ph) ______ APR, JUL co,ks
Empidonax oberholseri

Dusky Flycatcher
(photo by Marie Gardner)
Gray Flycatcher ______ APR co
Empidonax wrightii
Cordilleran Flycatcher ______ JUL co
Empidonax occidentalis
Eastern Phoebe ______ APR JUL
co,ks,ok
Sayornis phoebe
Say's Phoebe (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Sayornis saya
Vermilion Flycatcher (ph) ______ APR (rare in CO)
co
Pyrocephalus rubinus
Ash-throated Flycatcher (ph) ______ APR co
Myarchus cinerascens
Cassin's Kingbird ______ APR co
Tyrannus vociferans
Western Kingbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Tyrannus verticalis
Eastern Kingbird (ph) ______ JUL
co
Tyrannus tyrannus
Loggerhead Shrike (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok
Lanius ludovicianus
Plumbeous Vireo ______ JUL co
Vireo plumbeus
Warbling Vireo ______ JUL co
Vireo gilvus
Gray Jay (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Perisoreus canadensis capitalis

This Gray Jay was photographed during the FONT
tour in Colorado in April 2009
Steller's Jay (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha

The eastern range of the Steller's Jay is in western Colorado
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Blue Jay (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ne
Cyanocitta cristata cyanotephra

The Blue Jay reaches the western edge of its range in eastern Colorado
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Western Scrub Jay ______ APR JUL co
Aphelocoma californica woodhouseii

The Western Scrub Jay is at the eastern edge of
its range in Colorado
(photo by Doris Potter)
Pinyon Jay ______ APR
co
Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Clark's Nutcracker ______ APR JUL co
Nucifraga columbiana
Black-billed Magpie
______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
(was conspecific with Eurasian Magpie, Pica
pica)
Pica hudsonia
American Crow ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,wy
Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis
Chihuahuan Raven ______ APR co,ks,ok
Corvus cryptoleucus
Northern Raven (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ok,wy
Corvus corax principalis
Horned Lark (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Eremophila alpestris
Tree Swallow (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Tachycineta bicolor
Violet-green Swallow ______ APR JUL co
Tachycineta thalassina lepida
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
(ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Bank Swallow ______ APR co (in
the Old World called Sand Martin)
Riparia r. riparia
American Cliff Swallow ______ APR JUL
co,ks
Petrochelidon p. pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
Juniper Titmouse _____ APR co
Baeolophus (formerly Parus) r. ridgwayi
Black-capped Chickadee (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks,wy
Poecile (formerly Parus) atricapilla septentrionalis
Mountain Chickadee ______ APR JUL co,wy
Poecile (formerly Parus) g. gambeli
American Bushtit ______ APR co
Psaltriparus minimus plumbeus (the "Lead-colored Bushtit")
Red-breasted Nuthatch (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Sitta canadensis

Red-breasted Nuthatch
(photo by Howard Eskin)
White-breasted Nuthatch (ph) ______ APR co,ks,wy
Sitta carolinensis nelsoni
Pygmy Nuthatch (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Sitta pygmaea melanotis
Brown Creeper ______ APR JUL co
Certhia americana montana
Rock Wren ______ APR JUL
co
Salpinctes obsoletus

A Rock Wren in the rain, and on a rock
(photo by Doris Potter)
Canyon Wren ______ APR JUL co
Catherpes mexicanus
Bewick's Wren ______ APR co,ks
Thryomanes bewickii eremophilus
House Wren (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Troglodytes aedon parkmani
Winter Wren (ph) ______ APR co
Troglodytes troglodytes pacificus
Marsh Wren (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Cistothorus palustris

Marsh Wren
(photo by Kim Steininger)
American Dipper ______ APR JUL co
Cinclus mexicanus unicolor
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Regulus calendula

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
(photo by Kim Steininger)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (ph) ______ APR
co
Regulus satrapa
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Polioptila caerulea
Eastern Bluebird (ph) ______ APR co.ks
Sialia sialis
Western Bluebird ______ APR JUL co
Sialia mexicana

A Western Bluebird
(photo by Doris Potter)
Mountain Bluebird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Sialia currucoides

A Mountain Bluebird photographed during a FONT tour
Townsend's Solitaire ______ APR JUL co,wy
Myadestes townsendi
Swainson's Thrush ______ JUL co
Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush (ph) ______ APR JUL
co
Catharus guttatus auduboni
American Robin ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Turdus migratorius
Gray Catbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Mimus p. polyglottos
Sage Thrasher (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Oreoscoptes montanus

A Sage Thrasher photographed in the early morning sunlight
during a FONT Colorado tour in April
Brown Thrasher (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Toxostoma rufum
Common Starling (i) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Sturnus vulgaris
American Pipit ______ APR JUL co,wy
(also called Buff-bellied Pipit)
Anthus rubescens
Cedar Waxwing (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Bombycilla cedrorum
Worm-eating Warbler ______ APR co
(rare in CO)
Helmitheros vermivorum
Northern Parula (ph) ______ APR co
(rare in CO)
Parula americana
Orange-crowned Warbler (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Vermivora celata orestera
Virginia's Warbler ______ APR JUL co
Vermivora virginiae
American Yellow Warbler (ph) ______ JUL co
Dendroica petechia
"Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler
(ph) ______ APR
co,ks
Dendroica coronata
"Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler
______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Gray Warbler
______ APR co
Dendroica nigrescens
Black-and-white Warbler ______ JUL co
Mniotilta varia
MacGillivray's Warbler (ph) ______ JUL co
Oporornis petechia
Common Yellowthroat (ph) ______ JUL co
Geothlypis trichas
Wilson's Warbler ______ APR JUL co,ks
Wilsonia pusilla pileolata
Yellow-breasted Chat (ph) ______ JUL co
Icteria virens
Western Tanager (ph) ______ JUL co
Piranga ludoviciana
Northern Cardinal (ph) ______ APR co
Cardinalis c. canicaudus
Green-tailed Towhee (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Pipilo chlorurus

A Green-tailed Towhee photographed during a
FONT Colorado tour in April
Spotted Towhee ______ APR JUL co
Pipilo maculatus montanus
Canyon Towhee (ph) ______ APR co,ok
Pipilo fuscus
Cassin's Sparrow ______ APR JUL co,ks
Aimophila cassinii
Rufous-crowned Sparrow ______ APR
ok
Aimophila ruficeps
American Tree Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co
Spizella arborea
Chipping Sparrow (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne
Spizella passerina
Clay-colored Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co
Spizella pallida
Brewer's Sparrow (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Spizella b. breweri (subspecies valid as long as
"Timberline
Sparrow" of Canada considered conspecific)

A Brewer's Sparrow photographed during a
FONT Colorado tour in April
Vesper Sparrow ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Pooecetes gramineus confinis
Lark Sparrow (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,ks
Chondestes grammacus
Sage Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co
Amphispiza belli nevadensis
Lark Bunting ______ APR JUL co,ks
Calamospiza melanocorys
Savannah Sparrow (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Ammodramus savannarum
"Slate-colored" Fox Sparrow
______ APR co
Passerella iliaca schistacea
Song Sparrow (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow ______ APR JUL co
Melospiza melodia
White-throated Sparrow ______ APR (rare
in CO) co
Zonotrichia albicollis
White-crowned Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co,ks
Zonotrichia leucophrys
An immature White-crowned Sparrow
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Harris's Sparrow (ph) ______ APR co
Zonotrichia querula

Harris' Sparrow
(photo by Marie Gardner)
"White-winged" Dark-eyed Junco
______ APR co,ks
Junco hyemalis aikeni
"Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco
______ APR co
Junco hyemalis oreganus
"Pink-sided" Dark-eyed Junco ______ APR
co,wy
Junco hyemalis mearnsi
"Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Junco
______ APR JUL co,wy
Junco hyemalis caniceps
"Slate-colored" Dark-eyed Junco
(ph) ______ APR co,wy
Junco h. hyemalis
McCown's Longspur (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Calcarius mccownii

A McCown's Longspur photographed during a FONT tour
in Wyoming, near Colorado
Chestnut-collared Longspur (ph)
______ APR JUL co
Calcarius ornatus

A male Chestnut-collared Longspur in breeding plumage
photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
Black-headed Grosbeak ______ JUL co
Pheucticus melanocephalus
Lazuli Bunting (ph) ______ JUL co
Passerina amoena
Indigo Bunting (ph) ______ JUL co
Passerina cyanea
Western Meadowlark ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Sturnella neglecta
Red-winged Blackbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Agelaius phoeniceus
Yellow-headed Blackbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

A male Yellow-headed Blackbird
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Brewer's Blackbird ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Euphagus cyanocephalus
Great-tailed Grackle (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok
Quiscalus mexicanus
Common Grackle ______ APR JUL cp,ks,ne,ok,wy
Quiscalus quiscula
Brown-headed Cowbird (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Molothrus ater
Orchard Oriole (ph) ______ APR JUL co
Icterus spurius
Bullock's Oriole (ph) ______ JUL co
Icterus bullockii
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch
(ph) ______ APR
co
Leucosticte tephrocotis
Leucosticte t. littoralis ("Hepburn's Rosy
Finch")
A Gray-crowned Rosy Finch photographed during a
FONT tour in Colorado in April
Black Rosy Finch (USe) (ph) ______ APR co
Leucosticte atrata

A Black Rosy Finch photographed during a
FONT tour in Colorado in April
Brown-capped Rosy Finch (USe) (ph) ______ APR
JUL co
(this species nearly endemic to Colorado, particularly as a breeder)
Leucosticte australis

A Brown-capped Rosy Finch photographed during a
FONT tour in Colorado in April
Pine Grosbeak (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Pinicola enucleator montanus

A Pine Grosbeak photograph during a FONT tour
in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
Cassin's Finch (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Carpodacus cassinii
A Cassin's Finch photographed during a FONT tour
in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
House Finch (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,wy
Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis

House Finch
(photo by Doris Potter)
Red Crossbill (ph) ______ APR JUL
co,wy
Loxia curvirostra
A Red Crossbill photographed during a FONT tour
in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
Pine Siskin (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ok,wy
Carduelis pinus
American Goldfinch (ph) ______ APR JUL co,ks
Carduelis tristis

American Goldfinch
(photo by Howard Eskin)
Lesser Goldfinch ______ JUL co
(both
black-backed & green-backed forms)
Carduelis psaltria
Evening Grosbeak (ph) ______ APR JUL co,wy
Coccothraustes vespertinus

An Evening Grosbeak photographed during a FONT tour
in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
House Sparrow (i) ______ APR JUL co,ks,ne,ok,wy
Passer domesticus
Notes:
The Gunnison
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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