PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
 or 302/529-1876

 


Birds of COLORADO

 and in the nearby states of
KANSAS, NEBRASKA, 
OKLAHOMA, & WYOMING 
From Flycatchers to Buntings 

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

1993 thru 2011

(during the months of April & July)
PART 2 of a List of Birds of 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: 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.  

Link:

Part 1 of List of Colorado Birds from Quails to Woodpeckers

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 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. Olive-sided Flycatcher ______ JUL  co
    Contopus cooperi

  2. Western Wood Pewee ______ JUL  co
    Contopus sordidulus

  3. Willow Flycatcher ______ JUL  co
    Empidonax traillii

  4. Dusky Flycatcher  (ph)  ______ APR, JUL  co,ks
    Empidonax oberholseri




     Dusky Flycatcher
     (photo by Marie Gardner)
  5. Gray Flycatcher ______ APR  co
    Empidonax wrightii 

  6. Cordilleran Flycatcher ______ JUL  co
    Empidonax occidentalis

  7. Eastern Phoebe ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ok
     Sayornis phoebe

  8. Say's Phoebe  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
    Sayornis saya

  9. Vermilion Flycatcher  (ph)  ______ APR (rare in CO)  co
    Pyrocephalus rubinus

  10. Ash-throated Flycatcher  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Myarchus cinerascens

  11. Cassin's Kingbird ______ APR  co
    Tyrannus vociferans

  12. Western Kingbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Tyrannus verticalis

  13. Eastern Kingbird  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Tyrannus tyrannus

  14. Loggerhead Shrike  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ok
    Lanius ludovicianus

  15. Plumbeous Vireo ______ JUL  co
    Vireo plumbeus

  16. Warbling Vireo ______ JUL  co
    Vireo gilvus

  17. Gray Jay  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Perisoreus canadensis capitalis




    This Gray Jay was photographed during the FONT tour in Colorado in April 2009 
  18. 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)
     
  19. 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)
  20. 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)
  21. Pinyon Jay ______ APR  co
    Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

  22. Clark's Nutcracker ______ APR JUL  co
    Nucifraga columbiana

  23. Black-billed Magpie ______ APR JUL  co,ks,wy (was conspecific with Eurasian Magpie, Pica pica)
     Pica hudsonia

  24. American Crow ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,wy
    Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis

  25. Chihuahuan Raven ______ APR  co,ks,ok
     Corvus cryptoleucus

  26. Northern Raven  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ne,ok,wy
    Corvus corax principalis

  27. Horned Lark  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Eremophila alpestris

  28. Tree Swallow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,wy
    Tachycineta bicolor

  29. Violet-green Swallow ______ APR JUL  co
    Tachycineta thalassina lepida

  30. Northern Rough-winged Swallow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Stelgidopteryx serripennis

  31. Bank Swallow ______ APR  co (in the Old World called Sand Martin)
    Riparia r. riparia

  32. American Cliff Swallow ______ APR JUL  co,ks
    Petrochelidon p. pyrrhonota

  33. Barn Swallow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Hirundo rustica erythrogaster

  34. Juniper Titmouse _____ APR  co
    Baeolophus (formerly Parus) r. ridgwayi

  35. Black-capped Chickadee  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,wy
     Poecile (formerly Parus) atricapilla septentrionalis

  36. Mountain Chickadee ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Poecile (formerly Parus) g. gambeli

  37. American Bushtit ______ APR  co
    Psaltriparus minimus plumbeus      (the "Lead-colored Bushtit")

     
  38. Red-breasted Nuthatch  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Sitta canadensis




     Red-breasted Nuthatch
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
  39. White-breasted Nuthatch  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ks,wy
    Sitta carolinensis nelsoni

  40. Pygmy Nuthatch  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Sitta pygmaea melanotis

  41. Brown Creeper ______ APR JUL  co
    Certhia americana montana

  42. Rock Wren ______ APR JUL  co
    Salpinctes obsoletus




    A Rock Wren in the rain, and on a rock
    (photo by Doris Potter)
  43. Canyon Wren ______ APR JUL  co
    Catherpes mexicanus

  44. Bewick's Wren ______ APR  co,ks
     Thryomanes bewickii eremophilus

  45. House Wren  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Troglodytes aedon parkmani

  46. Winter Wren  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Troglodytes troglodytes pacificus

  47. Marsh Wren  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Cistothorus palustris




     Marsh Wren
     (photo by Kim Steininger)

  48. American Dipper ______ APR JUL  co
    Cinclus mexicanus unicolor

  49. Ruby-crowned Kinglet  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Regulus calendula




     Ruby-crowned Kinglet
     (photo by Kim Steininger)
  50. Golden-crowned Kinglet  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Regulus satrapa

  51. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Polioptila caerulea

  52. Eastern Bluebird  (ph)  ______ APR  co.ks,ne
     Sialia sialis

  53. Western Bluebird  ______ APR JUL  co
    Sialia mexicana




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




     A Mountain Bluebird photographed during a FONT tour
     
  55. Townsend's Solitaire ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Myadestes townsendi

  56. Swainson's Thrush ______ JUL  co
    Catharus ustulatus

  57. Hermit Thrush  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Catharus guttatus auduboni

  58. American Robin ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
    Turdus migratorius

  59. Gray Catbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Dumetella carolinensis

  60. Northern Mockingbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Mimus p. polyglottos

  61. 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       
  62. Brown Thrasher  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Toxostoma rufum

  63. Common Starling (i) ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Sturnus vulgaris

  64. American Pipit ______ APR JUL  co,wy  (also called Buff-bellied Pipit)  
    Anthus rubescens  

  65. Cedar Waxwing  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
     Bombycilla cedrorum

  66. Worm-eating Warbler ______ APR  co (rare in CO)
    Helmitheros vermivorum

  67. Northern Parula  (ph)  ______ APR  co (rare in CO)
    Setophaga (formerly Parula) americana

  68. Orange-crowned Warbler  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ks
    Oreothlypis (formerly Vermivora) celata orestera

  69. Virginia's Warbler ______ APR JUL  co
    Oreothlypis (formerly Vermivora) virginiae

  70. Yellow Warbler  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) petechia 

  71. "Myrtle" Yellow-rumped Warbler  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ks
    Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) coronata

  72. "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler ______ APR JUL  co,ks,wy
    Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) coronata

  73. Black-throated Gray Warbler ______ APR  co
    Setophaga (formerly Dendroica) nigrescens 

  74. Black-and-white Warbler ______ JUL  co
    Mniotilta varia

  75. MacGillivray's Warbler  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Geothlypis (formerly Oporornis) petechia

  76. Common Yellowthroat  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Geothlypis trichas

  77. Wilson's Warbler ______ APR JUL  co,ks
    Cardellina (formerly Wilsonia) pusilla pileolata

  78. Yellow-breasted Chat  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Icteria virens 

  79. Western Tanager  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Piranga ludoviciana

  80. Northern Cardinal  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Cardinalis c. canicaudus 

  81. Green-tailed Towhee  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Pipilo chlorurus




     A Green-tailed Towhee photographed during a 
    FONT Colorado tour in April
      
  82. Spotted Towhee  (ph) ______ APR JUL  co
    Pipilo maculatus montanus

  83. Canyon Towhee  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ok
    Pipilo fuscus

  84. Cassin's Sparrow ______ APR JUL  co,ks
    Aimophila cassinii

  85. Rufous-crowned Sparrow ______  APR  ok
    Aimophila ruficeps 
  86. American Tree Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Spizella arborea

  87. Chipping Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne
     Spizella passerina

  88. Clay-colored Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Spizella pallida

  89. 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 

  90. Vesper Sparrow ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Pooecetes gramineus confinis

  91. Lark Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Chondestes grammacus

  92. Sage Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Amphispiza belli nevadensis

  93. Lark Bunting ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Calamospiza  melanocorys

  94. Savannah Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Passerculus sandwichensis

  95. Grasshopper Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ks
     Ammodramus savannarum

  96. "Slate-colored" Fox Sparrow ______ APR  co
    Passerella iliaca schistacea

  97. Song Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,wy
     Melospiza melodia

  98. Lincoln's Sparrow ______ APR JUL  co
    Melospiza melodia

  99. White-throated Sparrow ______ APR  (rare in CO)  co
    Zonotrichia albicollis

  100. White-crowned Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co,ks
     Zonotrichia leucophrys




     An immature White-crowned Sparrow
     (photo by Howard Eskin)

  101. Harris's Sparrow  (ph)  ______ APR  co
    Zonotrichia querula




    Harris' Sparrow
    (photo by Marie Gardner)
  102. "White-winged" Dark-eyed Junco ______ APR  co,ks
    Junco hyemalis aikeni

  103. "Oregon" Dark-eyed Junco ______ APR  co
    Junco hyemalis oreganus

  104. "Pink-sided" Dark-eyed  Junco ______ APR  co,wy
    Junco hyemalis mearnsi

  105. "Gray-headed" Dark-eyed Junco ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Junco hyemalis caniceps

  106. "Slate-colored" Dark-eyed Junco  (ph)  ______ APR  co,wy
    Junco h. hyemalis

  107. McCown's Longspur  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Calcarius mccownii




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




     A male Chestnut-collared Longspur in breeding plumage 
    photographed during a FONT tour in Colorado
     
  109. Black-headed Grosbeak ______ JUL  co
    Pheucticus melanocephalus

  110. Lazuli Bunting  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Passerina amoena

  111. Indigo Bunting  (ph)  ______ JUL  co
    Passerina cyanea

  112. Western Meadowlark ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Sturnella neglecta

  113. Red-winged Blackbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
    Agelaius phoeniceus

  114. Yellow-headed Blackbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,wy
     Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus





     A male Yellow-headed Blackbird
     (photo by Howard Eskin) 

  115. Brewer's Blackbird ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne,ok,wy
    Euphagus cyanocephalus

  116. Great-tailed Grackle  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ok
     Quiscalus mexicanus

  117. Common Grackle ______ APR JUL  cp,ks,ne,ok,wy
     Quiscalus quiscula

  118. Brown-headed Cowbird  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks
     Molothrus ater

  119. Orchard Oriole  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co
    Icterus spurius

  120. Bullock's Oriole  (ph)  ______ JUL co
    Icterus bullockii

  121. 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
     
  122. Black Rosy Finch (USe) (ph)  ______ APR  co  
    Leucosticte atrata



     A Black Rosy Finch photographed during a 
    FONT tour in Colorado in April
     
  123. 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
  124. Pine Grosbeak  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy  
    Pinicola enucleator montanus




     A Pine Grosbeak photograph during a FONT tour
    in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
  125. 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
  126. House Finch  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,wy
     Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis




    House Finch
    (photo by Doris Potter)
  127. Red Crossbill  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Loxia curvirostra




     A Red Crossbill photographed during a FONT tour
    in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
     
  128. Pine Siskin  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ok,wy
     Carduelis pinus

  129. American Goldfinch  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,ks,ne
     Carduelis tristis




     American Goldfinch
     (photo by Howard Eskin)

  130. Lesser Goldfinch ______ JUL  co (both black-backed & green-backed forms)
    Carduelis psaltria

  131. Evening Grosbeak  (ph)  ______ APR JUL  co,wy
    Coccothraustes vespertinus




     An Evening Grosbeak photographed during a FONT tour
    in Wyoming, near Colorado, in April
  132. 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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