This checklist includes all bird species found in Carlsbad Caverns National Park , 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 2025
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Country or region: Carlsbad Caverns National Park [map]
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Black-bellied Whistling Duck | Dendrocygna autumnalis | Rare/Accidental |
Ruddy Duck | Oxyura jamaicensis | |
Tundra Swan | Cygnus columbianus | |
Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | |
Snow Goose | Anser caerulescens | |
Ross's Goose | Anser rossii | |
Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | |
Common Goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | |
Barrow's Goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | |
Hooded Merganser | Lophodytes cucullatus | |
Goosander | Mergus merganser | |
Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | |
Redhead | Aythya americana | |
Ring-necked Duck | Aythya collaris | |
Lesser Scaup | Aythya affinis | |
Northern Shoveler | Spatula clypeata | |
Cinnamon Teal | Spatula cyanoptera | |
Blue-winged Teal | Spatula discors | |
Gadwall | Mareca strepera | |
American Wigeon | Mareca americana | |
Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | |
Northern Pintail | Anas acuta | |
Common Teal | Anas crecca | |
Wood Duck | Aix sponsa | |
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Scaled Quail | Callipepla squamata | |
Northern Bobwhite | Colinus virginianus | Near-threatened |
Montezuma Quail | Cyrtonyx montezumae | |
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Common Pheasant | Phasianus colchicus | Introduced species |
Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | |
Lesser Prairie Chicken | Tympanuchus pallidicinctus | Vulnerable |
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Pied-billed Grebe | Podilymbus podiceps | |
Western Grebe | Aechmophorus occidentalis | |
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 | |
Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | |
Inca Dove | Columbina inca | |
Common Ground Dove | Columbina passerina | |
Ruddy Ground Dove | Columbina talpacoti | Rare/Accidental |
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Common Nighthawk | Chordeiles minor | |
Lesser Nighthawk | Chordeiles acutipennis | |
Common Poorwill | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | |
Eastern Whip-poor-will | Antrostomus vociferus | Near-threatened |
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Chimney Swift | Chaetura pelagica | Vulnerable |
White-throated Swift | Aeronautes saxatalis | |
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Broad-billed Hummingbird | Cynanthus latirostris | |
Magnificent Hummingbird | Eugenes fulgens | |
Blue-throated Hummingbird | Lampornis clemenciae | |
Lucifer Hummingbird | Calothorax lucifer | |
Black-chinned Hummingbird | Archilochus alexandri | |
Anna's Hummingbird | Calypte anna | |
Costa's Hummingbird | Calypte costae | |
Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | |
Calliope Hummingbird | Selasphorus calliope | |
Rufous Hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | Near-threatened |
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Groove-billed Ani | Crotophaga sulcirostris | Rare/Accidental |
Greater Roadrunner | Geococcyx californianus | |
Black-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus erythropthalmus | Rare/Accidental |
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | Coccyzus americanus | |
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Virginia Rail | Rallus limicola | |
Sora | Porzana carolina | |
Common Gallinule | Gallinula galeata | |
American Coot | Fulica americana | |
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Sandhill Crane | Antigone canadensis | |
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American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | |
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American Bittern | Botaurus lentiginosus | |
Least Bittern | Ixobrychus exilis | |
Black-crowned Night Heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
Yellow-crowned Night Heron | Nyctanassa violacea | Rare/Accidental |
Green Heron | Butorides virescens | |
Cattle Egret | Bubulcus ibis | |
Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | |
Great Egret | Ardea alba | |
Tricolored Heron | Egretta tricolor | |
Little Blue Heron | Egretta caerulea | |
Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | |
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White Ibis | Eudocimus albus | Rare/Accidental |
White-faced Ibis | Plegadis chihi | |
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Double-crested Cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | |
Neotropic Cormorant | Phalacrocorax brasilianus | |
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American Avocet | Recurvirostra americana | |
Black-winged Stilt | Himantopus himantopus | |
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Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Near-threatened |
Snowy Plover | Charadrius nivosus | Near-threatened |
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Upland Sandpiper | Bartramia longicauda | |
Long-billed Curlew | Numenius americanus | |
Stilt Sandpiper | Calidris himantopus | Near-threatened |
Baird's Sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | |
Least Sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | Near-threatened |
Semipalmated Sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | Near-threatened |
Western Sandpiper | Calidris mauri | |
Long-billed Dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | Near-threatened |
American Woodcock | Scolopax minor | Rare/Accidental |
Wilson's Snipe | Gallinago delicata | |
Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | |
Solitary Sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | |
Willet | Tringa semipalmata | |
Lesser Yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | Vulnerable |
Greater Yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | Near-threatened |
Wilson's Phalarope | Steganopus tricolor | |
Red-necked Phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | |
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Franklin's Gull | Leucophaeus pipixcan | |
Ring-billed Gull | Larus delawarensis | |
California Gull | Larus californicus | |
Least Tern | Sternula antillarum | |
Black Tern | Chlidonias niger | |
Forster's Tern | Sterna forsteri | |
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Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | |
Black Vulture | Coragyps atratus | Rare/Accidental |
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Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | |
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White-tailed Kite | Elanus leucurus | |
Swallow-tailed Kite | Elanoides forficatus | 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 | |
Mississippi Kite | Ictinia mississippiensis | |
Harris's Hawk | Parabuteo unicinctus | |
Common Black Hawk | Buteogallus anthracinus | |
Gray Hawk | Buteo plagiatus | |
Red-shouldered Hawk | Buteo lineatus | Rare/Accidental |
Broad-winged Hawk | Buteo platypterus | |
Short-tailed Hawk | Buteo brachyurus | Rare/Accidental |
Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | |
Zone-tailed Hawk | Buteo albonotatus | |
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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Elf Owl | Micrathene whitneyi | |
Burrowing Owl | Athene cunicularia | |
Northern Long-eared Owl | Asio otus | |
Short-eared Owl | Asio flammeus | |
Flammulated Owl | Psiloscops flammeolus | |
Western Screech Owl | Megascops kennicottii | |
Eastern Screech Owl | Megascops asio | Rare/Accidental |
Spotted Owl | Strix occidentalis | Near-threatened |
Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | |
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Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | |
Williamson's Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus thyroideus | |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus varius | |
Red-naped Sapsucker | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | |
Lewis's Woodpecker | Melanerpes lewis | |
Red-headed Woodpecker | Melanerpes erythrocephalus | |
Acorn Woodpecker | Melanerpes formicivorus | |
Red-bellied Woodpecker | Melanerpes carolinus | Rare/Accidental |
Ladder-backed Woodpecker | Picoides scalaris | |
Downy Woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | |
Hairy Woodpecker | Picoides villosus | |
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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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Northern Beardless Tyrannulet | Camptostoma imberbe | |
Piratic Flycatcher | Legatus leucophaius | Rare/Accidental |
Great Kiskadee | Pitangus sulphuratus | Rare/Accidental |
Tropical Kingbird | Tyrannus melancholicus | Rare/Accidental |
Cassin's Kingbird | Tyrannus vociferans | |
Thick-billed Kingbird | Tyrannus crassirostris | |
Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | |
Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | |
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | Tyrannus forficatus | |
Dusky-capped Flycatcher | Myiarchus tuberculifer | |
Great Crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus crinitus | |
Brown-crested Flycatcher | Myiarchus tyrannulus | |
Ash-throated Flycatcher | Myiarchus cinerascens | |
Vermilion Flycatcher | Pyrocephalus rubinus | |
Black Phoebe | Sayornis nigricans | |
Eastern Phoebe | Sayornis phoebe | |
Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | |
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | Empidonax flaviventris | Rare/Accidental |
Willow Flycatcher | Empidonax traillii | |
Least Flycatcher | Empidonax minimus | |
Hammond's Flycatcher | Empidonax hammondii | |
Gray Flycatcher | Empidonax wrightii | |
Dusky Flycatcher | Empidonax oberholseri | |
Pacific-slope Flycatcher | Empidonax difficilis | Rare/Accidental |
Cordilleran Flycatcher | Empidonax occidentalis | |
Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | Near-threatened |
Greater Pewee | Contopus pertinax | Rare/Accidental |
Western Wood Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | |
Eastern Wood Pewee | Contopus virens | Rare/Accidental |
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White-eyed Vireo | Vireo griseus | Rare/Accidental |
Bell's Vireo | Vireo bellii | |
Black-capped Vireo | Vireo atricapilla | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
Gray Vireo | Vireo vicinior | |
Yellow-throated Vireo | Vireo flavifrons | Rare/Accidental |
Plumbeous Vireo | Vireo plumbeus | |
Cassin's Vireo | Vireo cassinii | |
Blue-headed Vireo | Vireo solitarius | Rare/Accidental |
Hutton's Vireo | Vireo huttoni | |
Warbling Vireo | Vireo gilvus | |
Philadelphia Vireo | Vireo philadelphicus | Rare/Accidental |
Red-eyed Vireo | Vireo olivaceus | |
Yellow-green Vireo | Vireo flavoviridis | Rare/Accidental |
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Loggerhead Shrike | Lanius ludovicianus | Near-threatened |
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Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | |
Clark's Nutcracker | Nucifraga columbiana | |
Common Raven | Corvus corax | |
Chihuahuan Raven | Corvus cryptoleucus | |
American Crow | Corvus brachyrhynchos | |
Pinyon Jay | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | Vulnerable |
Woodhouse's Scrub Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii | |
Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | |
Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | |
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House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Introduced species |
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American Pipit | Anthus rubescens | |
Sprague's Pipit | Anthus spragueii | Vulnerable |
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Evening Grosbeak | Hesperiphona vespertina | Vulnerable |
House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | |
Cassin's Finch | Haemorhous cassinii | |
Purple Finch | Haemorhous purpureus | Rare/Accidental |
Red Crossbill | Loxia curvirostra | |
Pine Siskin | Spinus pinus | |
American Goldfinch | Spinus tristis | |
Lesser Goldfinch | Spinus psaltria | |
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Chestnut-collared Longspur | Calcarius ornatus | Vulnerable |
McCown's Longspur | Rhynchophanes mccownii | |
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Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | |
Clay-colored Sparrow | Spizella pallida | |
Black-chinned Sparrow | Spizella atrogularis | |
Field Sparrow | Spizella pusilla | |
Brewer's Sparrow | Spizella breweri | |
Black-throated Sparrow | Amphispiza bilineata | |
Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | |
Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | |
Cassin's Sparrow | Peucaea cassinii | |
Grasshopper Sparrow | Ammodramus savannarum | |
Green-tailed Towhee | Pipilo chlorurus | |
Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | |
Eastern Towhee | Pipilo erythrophthalmus | Rare/Accidental |
Canyon Towhee | Kieneria fusca | |
Rufous-crowned Sparrow | Aimophila ruficeps | |
Dark-eyed Junco | Junco hyemalis | |
Harris's Sparrow | Zonotrichia querula | Near-threatened |
White-throated Sparrow | Zonotrichia albicollis | |
White-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys | |
Golden-crowned Sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | |
Fox Sparrow | Passerella iliaca | |
American Tree Sparrow | Passerella arborea | |
Le Conte's Sparrow | Ammospiza leconteii | Rare/Accidental |
Sagebrush Sparrow | Artemisiospiza nevadensis | |
Vesper Sparrow | Pooecetes gramineus | |
Savannah Sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | |
Baird's Sparrow | Centronyx bairdii | Rare/Accidental |
Song Sparrow | Melospiza melodia | |
Lincoln's Sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | |
Swamp Sparrow | Melospiza georgiana | |
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Ovenbird | Seiurus aurocapilla | |
Worm-eating Warbler | Helmitheros vermivorum | Rare/Accidental |
Louisiana Waterthrush | Parkesia motacilla | Rare/Accidental |
Northern Waterthrush | Parkesia noveboracensis | |
Golden-winged Warbler | Vermivora chrysoptera | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
Blue-winged Warbler | Vermivora cyanoptera | Rare/Accidental |
Black-and-white Warbler | Mniotilta varia | |
Prothonotary Warbler | Protonotaria citrea | |
Swainson's Warbler | Limnothlypis swainsonii | 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 | |
MacGillivray's Warbler | Geothlypis tolmiei | |
Kentucky Warbler | Geothlypis formosa | Rare/Accidental |
Common Yellowthroat | Geothlypis trichas | |
Hooded Warbler | Setophaga citrina | |
American Redstart | Setophaga ruticilla | |
Cape May Warbler | Setophaga tigrina | Rare/Accidental |
Cerulean Warbler | Setophaga cerulea | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
Northern Parula | Setophaga americana | |
Magnolia Warbler | Setophaga magnolia | Rare/Accidental |
Bay-breasted Warbler | Setophaga castanea | Rare/Accidental |
Blackburnian Warbler | Setophaga fusca | Rare/Accidental |
Yellow Warbler | Setophaga petechia | |
Chestnut-sided Warbler | Setophaga pensylvanica | |
Blackpoll Warbler | Setophaga striata | Rare/Accidental Near-threatened |
Black-throated Blue Warbler | Setophaga caerulescens | |
Palm Warbler | Setophaga palmarum | Rare/Accidental |
Pine Warbler | Setophaga pinus | 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 | |
Black-throated Green Warbler | Setophaga virens | Rare/Accidental |
Canada Warbler | Cardellina canadensis | Rare/Accidental |
Wilson's Warbler | Cardellina pusilla | |
Red-faced Warbler | Cardellina rubrifrons | |
Painted Redstart | Myioborus pictus | |
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Yellow-breasted Chat | Icteria virens | |
Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | |
Bobolink | Dolichonyx oryzivorus | Rare/Accidental |
Eastern Meadowlark | Sturnella magna | Near-threatened |
Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | |
Scott's Oriole | Icterus parisorum | |
Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | |
Streak-backed Oriole | Icterus pustulatus | Rare/Accidental |
Baltimore Oriole | Icterus galbula | Rare/Accidental |
Hooded Oriole | Icterus cucullatus | |
Orchard Oriole | Icterus spurius | |
Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | |
Bronzed Cowbird | Molothrus aeneus | |
Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | |
Rusty Blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | Vulnerable |
Brewer's Blackbird | Euphagus cyanocephalus | |
Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | Near-threatened |
Great-tailed Grackle | Quiscalus mexicanus | |
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Rose-breasted Grosbeak | Pheucticus ludovicianus | |
Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | |
Dickcissel | Spiza americana | |
Indigo Bunting | Passerina cyanea | |
Blue Grosbeak | Passerina caerulea | |
Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | |
Varied Bunting | Passerina versicolor | |
Painted Bunting | Passerina ciris | |
Scarlet Tanager | Piranga olivacea | Rare/Accidental |
Summer Tanager | Piranga rubra | |
Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | |
Hepatic Tanager | Piranga flava | |
Northern Cardinal | Cardinalis cardinalis | |
Pyrrhuloxia | Cardinalis sinuatus | |
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Juniper Titmouse | Baeolophus ridgwayi | |
Mountain Chickadee | Poecile gambeli | |
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Verdin | Auriparus flaviceps | |
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Horned Lark | Eremophila alpestris | |
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Cliff Swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | |
Cave Swallow | Petrochelidon fulva | |
Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
Sand Martin | Riparia riparia | |
Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | |
Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | |
Purple Martin | Progne subis | |
Northern Rough-winged Swallow | Stelgidopteryx serripennis | |
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Bushtit | Psaltriparus minimus | |
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Ruby-crowned Kinglet | Regulus calendula | |
Golden-crowned Kinglet | Regulus satrapa | |
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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 | Rare/Accidental |
Winter Wren | Troglodytes hiemalis | |
House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | |
Sedge Wren | Cistothorus platensis | Rare/Accidental |
Marsh Wren | Cistothorus palustris | |
Carolina Wren | Thryothorus ludovicianus | Rare/Accidental |
Bewick's Wren | Thryomanes bewickii | |
Cactus Wren | Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus | |
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Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | Polioptila caerulea | |
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher | Polioptila melanura | |
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Blue Mockingbird | Melanotis caerulescens | Rare/Accidental |
Gray Catbird | Dumetella carolinensis | |
Northern Mockingbird | Mimus polyglottos | |
Sage Thrasher | Oreoscoptes montanus | |
Curve-billed Thrasher | Toxostoma curvirostre | |
Brown Thrasher | Toxostoma rufum | |
Long-billed Thrasher | Toxostoma longirostre | Rare/Accidental |
Crissal Thrasher | Toxostoma crissale | |
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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 | |
Eastern Bluebird | Sialia sialis | |
Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | |
Townsend's Solitaire | Myadestes townsendi | |
Varied Thrush | Ixoreus naevius | Rare/Accidental |
Wood Thrush | Hylocichla mustelina | Rare/Accidental |
Swainson's Thrush | Catharus ustulatus | |
Veery | Catharus fuscescens | |
Gray-cheeked Thrush | Catharus minimus | Rare/Accidental |
Hermit Thrush | Catharus guttatus | |
American Robin | Turdus migratorius |
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