This checklist includes all bird species found in Bird Conservation Region 15: Sierra_Nevada , based on the best information available at this time. It is based on a wide variety of sources that I collated over many years. I am pleased to offer these checklists as a service to birdwatchers. If you find any error, please do not hesitate to .
The taxonomic order and nomenclature follows Howard and Moore 4th edition (incl. corrigenda vol.1-2). If you prefer to view the list based on a different authority, click on one of the list available below. Globally threatened species (status in red) were identified by Birdlife International in Birdlife Data Zone (species).
Bird Checklists of the World is part of Avibase and Bird links to the World, which are designed and maintained by Denis Lepage, and hosted by Birds Canada, which is a co-partner of Birdlife International.
© Denis Lepage 2023
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Country or region: Bird Conservation Region 15: Sierra_Nevada [map]
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Fulvous Whistling Duck | Dendrocygna bicolor | Rare/Accidental |
Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | |
Mute Swan | Cygnus olor | Rare/Accidental |
Trumpeter Swan | Cygnus buccinator | Rare/Accidental |
Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | |
Whooper Swan | Cygnus cygnus | Rare/Accidental |
Brent Goose | Branta bernicla | Rare/Accidental |
Cackling Goose | Branta hutchinsii | |
Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | |
Snow Goose | Anser caerulescens | |
Ross's Goose | Anser rossii | |
Greater White-fronted Goose | Anser albifrons | |
Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis | Rare/Accidental |
Surf Scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | Rare/Accidental |
Velvet Scoter | Melanitta fusca | Rare/Accidental |
Black Scoter | Melanitta americana | Rare/Accidental |
Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | |
Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | |
Barrow's Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | |
Smew | Mergellus albellus | Rare/Accidental |
Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | |
Goosander | Mergus merganser | |
Red-breasted Merganser | Mergus serrator | |
Harlequin Duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | Rare/Accidental |
Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | |
Redhead | Aythya americana | |
Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | |
Tufted Duck | Aythya fuligula | Rare/Accidental |
Greater Scaup | Aythya marila | |
Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | |
Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | |
Cinnamon Teal | Spatula cyanoptera | |
Blue-winged Teal | Spatula discors | |
Gadwall | Mareca strepera | |
Eurasian Wigeon | Mareca penelope | |
American Wigeon | Mareca americana | |
Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | |
Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | |
Common Teal | Anas crecca | |
Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | |
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Mountain Quail | Oreortyx pictus | |
California Quail | Callipepla californica | |
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Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Introduced species |
Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | |
White-tailed Ptarmigan | Lagopus leucura | |
Greater Sage Grouse | Centrocercus urophasianus | Rare/Accidental |
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Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | |
Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | |
Clark's Grebe | Aechmophorus clarkii | |
Red-necked Grebe | Podiceps grisegena | Rare/Accidental |
Slavonian Grebe | Podiceps auritus | |
Black-necked Grebe | Podiceps nigricollis | |
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Rock Dove | Columba livia | Introduced species |
Eurasian Collared Dove | Streptopelia decaocto | Introduced species |
Band-tailed Pigeon | Patagioenas fasciata | |
White-winged Dove | Zenaida asiatica | Rare/Accidental |
Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | |
Common Ground Dove | Columbina passerina | |
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Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | |
Lesser Nighthawk | Chordeiles acutipennis | Rare/Accidental |
Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | |
Mexican Whip-poor-will | Antrostomus arizonae | Rare/Accidental |
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Black Swift | Cypseloides niger | |
Vaux's Swift | Chaetura vauxi | |
White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | |
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Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird | Archilochus colubris | Rare/Accidental |
Anna's Hummingbird | Calypte anna | |
Costa's Hummingbird | Calypte costae | |
Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | Rare/Accidental |
Calliope Hummingbird | Selasphorus calliope | |
Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | |
Allen's Hummingbird | Selasphorus sasin | Rare/Accidental |
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Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | Rare/Accidental |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | Rare/Accidental |
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Yellow Rail | Coturnicops noveboracensis | Rare/Accidental |
Black Rail | Laterallus jamaicensis | |
Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | |
Sora | Porzana carolina | |
Common Gallinule | Gallinula galeata | Rare/Accidental |
American Coot | Fulica americana | |
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Sandhill Crane | Antigone canadensis | |
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Red-throated Diver | Gavia stellata | Rare/Accidental |
Pacific Loon | Gavia pacifica | |
Great Northern Diver | Gavia immer | |
White-billed Diver | Gavia adamsii | |
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Black Storm-petrel | Hydrobates melania | Rare/Accidental |
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American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | |
Brown Pelican | Pelecanus occidentalis | Rare/Accidental |
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American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | |
Least Bittern | Ixobrychus exilis | Rare/Accidental |
Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
Green Heron | Butorides virescens | |
Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | |
Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | |
Great Egret | Ardea alba | |
Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | |
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Glossy Ibis | Plegadis falcinellus | Rare/Accidental |
White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | |
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Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | |
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American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | |
Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | Rare/Accidental |
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Grey Plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Rare/Accidental |
American Golden Plover | Pluvialis dominica | |
Semipalmated Plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | |
Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | |
Snowy Plover | Charadrius nivosus | Rare/Accidental |
Mountain Plover | Charadrius montanus | Rare/Accidental |
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Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | |
Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | |
Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | |
Ruddy Turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Rare/Accidental |
Black Turnstone | Arenaria melanocephala | Rare/Accidental |
Red Knot | Calidris canutus | Rare/Accidental |
Curlew Sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | |
Sanderling | Calidris alba | Rare/Accidental |
Dunlin | Calidris alpina | Rare/Accidental |
Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | Rare/Accidental |
Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | |
Pectoral Sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | Rare/Accidental |
Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | Rare/Accidental |
Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | |
Short-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus | Rare/Accidental |
Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | |
Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | |
Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | |
Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | |
Willet | Tringa semipalmata | |
Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | Rare/Accidental |
Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | |
Wilson's Phalarope | Steganopus tricolor | |
Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | |
Grey Phalarope | Phalaropus fulicarius | Rare/Accidental |
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Long-tailed Skua | Stercorarius longicaudus | Rare/Accidental |
Arctic Skua | Stercorarius parasiticus | Rare/Accidental |
Pomarine Skua | Stercorarius pomarinus | Rare/Accidental |
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Sabine's Gull | Xema sabini | Rare/Accidental |
Bonaparte's Gull | Chroicocephalus philadelphia | |
Little Gull | Hydrocoloeus minutus | Rare/Accidental |
Franklin's Gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan | Rare/Accidental |
Heermann's Gull | Larus heermanni | Rare/Accidental |
Mew Gull | Larus canus | |
Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | |
California Gull | Larus californicus | |
Western Gull | Larus occidentalis | Rare/Accidental |
Lesser Black-backed Gull | Larus fuscus | |
American Herring Gull | Larus smithsonianus | |
Thayer's Gull | Larus thayeri | |
Glaucous-winged Gull | Larus glaucescens | Rare/Accidental |
Glaucous Gull | Larus hyperboreus | Rare/Accidental |
Caspian Tern | Hydroprogne caspia | |
Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | |
Common Tern | Sterna hirundo | |
Arctic Tern | Sterna paradisaea | Rare/Accidental |
Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | |
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Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | |
California Condor | Gymnogyps californianus | Rare/Accidental |
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Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | |
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White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | Rare/Accidental |
Golden Eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | |
Hen Harrier | Circus cyaneus | |
Sharp-shinned Hawk | Accipiter striatus | |
Cooper's Hawk | Accipiter cooperii | |
Northern Goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | |
Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | |
Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | |
Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | Rare/Accidental |
Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | |
Zone-tailed Hawk | Buteo albonotatus | Rare/Accidental |
Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | |
Rough-legged Buzzard | Buteo lagopus | |
Ferruginous Hawk | Buteo regalis | |
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Common Barn Owl | Tyto alba | |
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Northern Pygmy Owl | Glaucidium gnoma | |
Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | |
Northern Saw-whet Owl | Aegolius acadicus | |
Northern Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | |
Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | |
Flammulated Owl | Psiloscops flammeolus | |
Western Screech Owl | Megascops kennicottii | |
Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis | |
Barred Owl | Strix varia | |
Great Grey Owl | Strix nebulosa | |
Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | |
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Pileated Woodpecker | Dryocopus pileatus | |
Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | |
Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | Rare/Accidental |
Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | |
Red-breasted Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus ruber | |
Lewis's Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | |
Acorn Woodpecker | Melanerpes formicivorus | |
Nuttall's Woodpecker | Picoides nuttallii | |
Ladder-backed Woodpecker | Picoides scalaris | Rare/Accidental |
Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | |
Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | |
White-headed Woodpecker | Picoides albolarvatus | |
Black-backed Woodpecker | Picoides arcticus | |
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Belted Kingfisher | Megaceryle alcyon | |
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American Kestrel | Falco sparverius | |
Merlin | Falco columbarius | |
Prairie Falcon | Falco mexicanus | |
Peregrine Falcon | Falco peregrinus | |
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Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | Rare/Accidental |
Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | |
Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | Rare/Accidental |
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Tyrannus forficatus | Rare/Accidental |
Brown-crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus tyrannulus | |
Ash-throated Flycatcher | Myiarchus cinerascens | |
Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | |
Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | |
Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | Rare/Accidental |
Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | |
Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | |
Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | Rare/Accidental |
Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | |
Gray Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | |
Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | |
Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Empidonax difficilis | |
Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | Rare/Accidental |
Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | |
Western Wood Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | |
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White-eyed Vireo | Vireo griseus | Rare/Accidental |
Gray Vireo | Vireo vicinior | |
Plumbeous Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | |
Cassin's Vireo | Vireo cassinii | |
Hutton's Vireo | Vireo huttoni | |
Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | |
Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus | Rare/Accidental |
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Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | |
Northern Shrike | Lanius borealis | |
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Gray Jay | Perisoreus canadensis | |
Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | |
Yellow-billed Magpie | Pica nutalli | |
Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | |
Common Raven | Corvus corax | |
American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | |
Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | |
Woodhouse's Scrub Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii | |
Californian Scrub Jay | Aphelocoma californica | |
Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | Rare/Accidental |
Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | |
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House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced species |
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American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | |
White Wagtail | Motacilla alba | |
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Evening Grosbeak | Hesperiphona vespertina | |
Pine Grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | |
Asian Rosy Finch | Leucosticte arctoa | |
Gray-crowned Rosy Finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | |
House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | |
Cassin's Finch | Haemorhous cassinii | |
Purple Finch | Haemorhous purpureus | |
Common Redpoll | Acanthis flammea | Rare/Accidental |
Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | |
Pine Siskin | Spinus pinus | |
American Goldfinch | Spinus tristis | |
Lesser Goldfinch | Spinus psaltria | |
Lawrence's Goldfinch | Spinus lawrencei | |
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Lapland Longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | Rare/Accidental |
Chestnut-collared Longspur | Calcarius ornatus | Rare/Accidental |
McCown's Longspur | Rhynchophanes mccownii | Rare/Accidental |
Snow Bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | Rare/Accidental |
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Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | |
Clay-colored Sparrow | Spizella pallida | Rare/Accidental |
Black-chinned Sparrow | Spizella atrogularis | |
Field Sparrow | Spizella pusilla | Rare/Accidental |
Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | |
Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | |
Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | |
Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | Rare/Accidental |
Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | Rare/Accidental |
Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | |
Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | |
Eastern Towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus | |
California Towhee | Kieneria crissalis | |
Rufous-crowned Sparrow | Aimophila ruficeps | |
Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | |
Harris's Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula | Rare/Accidental |
White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | |
White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | |
Golden-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | |
Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | |
American Tree Sparrow | Passerella arborea | Rare/Accidental |
Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis | Rare/Accidental |
Bell's Sparrow | Artemisiospiza belli | |
Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | |
Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | |
Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | |
Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | |
Swamp Sparrow | Melospiza georgiana | Rare/Accidental |
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Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis | Rare/Accidental |
Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | Rare/Accidental |
Prothonotary Warbler | Protonotaria citrea | Rare/Accidental |
Tennessee Warbler | Leiothlypis peregrina | Rare/Accidental |
Orange-crowned Warbler | Leiothlypis celata | |
Lucy's Warbler | Leiothlypis luciae | |
Nashville Warbler | Leiothlypis ruficapilla | |
Virginia's Warbler | Leiothlypis virginiae | Rare/Accidental |
MacGillivray's Warbler | Geothlypis tolmiei | |
Kentucky Warbler | Geothlypis formosa | Rare/Accidental |
Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | |
Hooded Warbler | Setophaga citrina | Rare/Accidental |
American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | Rare/Accidental |
Cerulean Warbler | Setophaga cerulea | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Parula | Setophaga americana | Rare/Accidental |
Magnolia Warbler | Setophaga magnolia | Rare/Accidental |
Yellow Warbler | Setophaga petechia | |
Chestnut-sided Warbler | Setophaga pensylvanica | Rare/Accidental |
Blackpoll Warbler | Setophaga striata | Rare/Accidental |
Black-throated Blue Warbler | Setophaga caerulescens | Rare/Accidental |
Palm Warbler | Setophaga palmarum | Rare/Accidental |
Yellow-rumped Warbler | Setophaga coronata | |
Yellow-throated Warbler | Setophaga dominica | Rare/Accidental |
Prairie Warbler | Setophaga discolor | Rare/Accidental |
Grace's Warbler | Setophaga graciae | |
Black-throated Gray Warbler | Setophaga nigrescens | |
Townsend's Warbler | Setophaga townsendi | |
Hermit Warbler | Setophaga occidentalis | |
Canada Warbler | Cardellina canadensis | Rare/Accidental |
Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla | |
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Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | |
Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | |
Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | Rare/Accidental |
Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | |
Scott's Oriole | Icterus parisorum | |
Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | |
Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | Rare/Accidental |
Hooded Oriole | Icterus cucullatus | |
Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | |
Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | |
Tricolored Blackbird | Agelaius tricolor | |
Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | |
Rusty Blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | Rare/Accidental |
Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | |
Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | |
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Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | Rare/Accidental |
Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | |
Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | Rare/Accidental |
Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | Rare/Accidental |
Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | |
Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra | Rare/Accidental |
Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | |
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Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | Rare/Accidental |
Oak Titmouse | Baeolophus inornatus | |
Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | |
Chestnut-backed Chickadee | Poecile rufescens | |
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Verdin | Auriparus flaviceps | Rare/Accidental |
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Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | |
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Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | |
Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | |
Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | |
Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | |
Purple Martin | Progne subis | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | |
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Yellow-browed Warbler | Abrornis inornatus | Rare/Accidental |
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Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | |
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Wrentit | Chamaea fasciata | |
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | |
Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | |
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Bohemian Waxwing | Bombycilla garrulus | Rare/Accidental |
Cedar Waxwing | Bombycilla cedrorum | |
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Phainopepla | Phainopepla nitens | |
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American Treecreeper | Certhia americana | |
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Pygmy Nuthatch | Sitta pygmaea | |
Red-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta canadensis | |
White-breasted Nuthatch | Sitta carolinensis | |
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Boulder Wren | Salpinctes obsoletus | |
Canyon Wren | Catherpes mexicanus | |
Pacific Wren | Troglodytes pacificus | |
House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | |
Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | |
Cactus Wren | Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus | |
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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | |
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Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | |
Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | |
Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | Rare/Accidental |
Bendire's Thrasher | Toxostoma bendirei | |
California Thrasher | Toxostoma redivivum | |
Le Conte's Thrasher | Toxostoma lecontei | |
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Common Starling | Sturnus vulgaris | Introduced species |
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American Dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | |
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Western Bluebird | Sialia mexicana | |
Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | |
Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | |
Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius | |
Wood Thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | Rare/Accidental |
Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | |
Veery | Catharus fuscescens | Rare/Accidental |
Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | |
American Robin | Turdus migratorius |
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