Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
 |
The New Mexico Breeding Bird Atlas ProjectAtlas Handbook |
Safe dates are used to place a species in the possible breeding category—the lowest breeding category—based only on a visual observation of the species between specific dates. Outside of the safe dates (or any time of the year if no safe dates are given) it is unsafe to presume from a visual observation that an observed species is breeding. Use of safe dates, however, increases the number of species that can be easily added to the "possible" category. Based on the comments from managers of other breeding bird atlases, completely omitting the use of safe dates has the potential of increasing the amount of field time required to otherwise record the same number of possible breeding species.
Below is a list of safe dates to be used in the New Mexico Breeding Bird Atlas Project. This list was compiled based on summary data from New Mexico Department of Game and Fish's breeding bird observation cards and by comparison with the safe dates used by the Colorado and Oklahoma Breeding Bird Atlases. Given that the New Mexico breeding card records are clearly incomplete, judging the dates requires some knowledge of the migratory nature of each species and has a speculative nature. In most cases, the safe dates given below are conservative. Safe dates are omitted for species poorly documented by breeding bird cards and for many species that are year-round resident in the state. Some safe dates may be modified in future years as new information becomes available from the atlas fieldwork.
| Species Name | NM Proposed Safe Dates | NM Earliest | NM Latest |
| Pied-billed Grebe | May 1 - July 31 | 5/15 | 9/2 |
| Eared Grebe | June 1 - July 31 | 6/5 | 9/21 |
| Western Grebe | June 1 - July 31 | 5/16 | 11/7 |
| Clark's Grebe | none | 4/13 | 9/28 |
| American Bittern | none | 5/23 | 7/15 |
| Least Bittern | none | 6/18 | 7/17 |
| Great Blue Heron | none | 2/25 | 7/22 |
| Great Egret | none | 5/11 | 7/19 |
| Snowy Egret | none | 4/27 | 7/9 |
| Little Blue Heron | none | 6/2 | 7/27 |
| Cattle Egret | none | 4/28 | 7/19 |
| Green Heron | none | 6/12 | 7/6 |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | May 1 - June 30 | 4/27 | 7/9 |
| White-faced Ibis | none | - | - |
| Turkey Vulture | none | 5/14 | 8/13 |
| Canada Goose | May 1 - June 1 | 4/22 | 6/10 |
| Wood Duck | none | 5/15 | 7/11 |
| Gadwall | none | 6/1 | 9/1 |
| Mallard | May 1 - July 31 | 4/21 | 8/12 |
| Mexican Duck | none | 5/1 | 7/20 |
| Blue-winged Teal | none | 5/8 | 7/27 |
| Cinnamon Teal | none | 5/11 | 8/3 |
| Northern Pintail | none | - | - |
| Green-winged Teal | none | 5/26 | 7/26 |
| Canvasback | none | - | - |
| Redhead | none | 6/25 | 8/3 |
| Common Merganser | none | 5/26 | 7/28 |
| Ruddy Duck | none | 6/10 | 9/21 |
| Osprey | none | 4/30 | 8/2 |
| Mississippi Kite | none | 6/8 | 8/13 |
| Northern Harrier | none | 5/18 | 6/28 |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | none | 6/30 | 7/31 |
| Cooper's Hawk | May 1 - June 30 | 3/20 | 7/19 |
| Northern Goshawk | May 15 - July 15 | 5/12 | 7/30 |
| Common Blackhawk | none | 3/23 | 7/16 |
| Harris' Hawk | none | 3/12 | 6/19 |
| Swainson's Hawk | June 1 - June 30 | 4/16 | 8/11 |
| Zone-tailed Hawk | May 15 - June 30 | 4/10 | 8/16 |
| Red-tailed Hawk | none | 3/23 | 7/11 |
| Ferruginous Hawk | May 1 - June 15 | 3/5 | 7/25 |
| Golden Eagle | May 1 - June 30 | 5/13 | 7/4 |
| American Kestrel | May 15 - July 15 | 5/1 | 7/31 |
| Prairie Falcon | May 1 - June 15 | 4/16 | 7/22 |
| Chukar | none | 7/30 | - |
| Ring-necked Pheasant | May 15 - July 15 | 5/4 | 7/16 |
| Blue Grouse | none | 6/1 | 8/6 |
| Wild Turkey | none | 5/31 | 8/23 |
| Montezuma Quail | none | 7/10 | 9/11 |
| Northern Bobwhite | none | 6/7 | 7/12 |
| Scaled Quail | May 15 - July 31 | 5/4 | 9/15 |
| Gambel's Quail | May 15 - July 31 | 5/24 | 8/29 |
| Virginia Rail | none | 5/26 | 8/27 |
| Sora | none | 5/19 | 7/24 |
| Common Moorhen | none | 4/13 | 8/5 |
| American Coot | May 1 - July 31 | 4/16 | 9/21 |
| Snowy Plover | none | 5/25 | 7/29 |
| Killdeer | May 1 - July 15 | 4/21 | 7/20 |
| Mountain Plover | none | 4/9 | 7/29 |
| Black-necked Stilt | none | 5/25 | 8/27 |
| American Avocet | none | 5/20 | 8/17 |
| Spotted Sandpiper | none | 6/22 | 8/22 |
| Long-billed Curlew | none | 5/27 | 6/28 |
| Rock Dove | March 1 - July 31 | 1/26 | 7/27 |
| Band-tailed Pigeon | none | 2/24 | 9/12 |
| White-winged Dove | none | 2/21 | 12/29 |
| Mourning Dove | May 15 - July 31 | 5/7 | 9/2 |
| Inca Dove | none | 3/24 | 9/24 |
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | none | 6/29 | 7/30 |
| Greater Roadrunner | May 1 - June 30 | 4/14 | 8/27 |
| Barn Owl | May 1 - June 30 | 3/15 | 7/17 |
| Flammulated Owl | none | 6/5 | 7/20 |
| Western Screech Owl | none | 5/18 | 7/18 |
| Great Horned Owl | March 1 - July 15 | 1/16 | 7/5 |
| Northern Pygmy-Owl | none | 5/10 | 6/25 |
| Elf Owl | none | 5/27 | 6/29 |
| Burrowing Owl | June 1 - July 15 | 6/2 | 7/27 |
| Spotted Owl | none | 6/13 | 7/6 |
| Long-eared Owl | May 1 - June 30 | 5/2 | 7/23 |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | none | - | - |
| Lesser Nighthawk | none | 7/18 | 7/21 |
| Common Nighthawk | none | 5/31 | 8/25 |
| Common Poorwill | none | 5/16 | 7/21 |
| Whip-poor-will | none | 6/24 | - |
| Black Swift | none | 7/12 | 8/21 |
| White-throated Swift | May 15 - July 15 | 4/17 | 7/26 |
| Magnificent Hummingbird | none | 6/13 | - |
| Black-chinned Hummingbird | June 1 - June 30 | 4/26 | 8/19 |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird | June 1 - June 30 | 5/1 | 8/20 |
| Elegant Trogon | none | 7/7 | - |
| Belted Kingfisher | none | 5/8 | 6/28 |
| Lewis's Woodpecker | June 1 - June 30 | 4/16 | 8/13 |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | none | 5/16 | 9/12 |
| Acorn Woodpecker | May 15 - July 15 | 5/14 | 7/25 |
| Red-naped Sapsucker | May 15 - July 15 | 5/10 | 8/25 |
| Williamson's Sapsucker | May 15 - July 15 | 5/15 | 7/25 |
| Ladder-backed Woodpecker | May 1 - June 30 | 4/17 | 7/11 |
| Downy Woodpecker | none | 4/25 | 7/4 |
| Hairy Woodpecker | May 15 - July 15 | 5/3 | 9/2 |
| Three-toed Woodpecker | none | 6/20 | 8/11 |
| Northern Flicker | May 1 - July 15 | 4/30 | 8/2 |
| Greater Pewee | none | 6/25 | 7/14 |
| Western Wood-Pewee | June 1 - June 30 | 5/16 | 8/7 |
| Willow Flycatcher | none | 6/22 | 7/6 |
| Hammond's Flycatcher | none | 6/1 | 6/26 |
| Dusky Flycatcher | none | 6/23 | 7/22 |
| Gray Flycatcher | none | 4/26 | 8/20 |
| Cordilleran Flycatcher | June 15 - July 15 | 5/28 | 8/21 |
| Buff-breasted Flycatcher | none | 7/24 | - |
| Black Phoebe | May 1 - June 30 | 4/1 | 7/25 |
| Eastern Phoebe | none | 6/4 | 7/3 |
| Say's Phoebe | May 1 - June 30 | 3/25 | 8/7 |
| Vermillion Flycatcher | May 15 - June 15 | 4/5 | 7/23 |
| Dusky-capped Flycatcher | none | 6/2 | 6/18 |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher | May 15 - July 15 | 5/3 | 7/20 |
| Brown-crested Flycatcher | none | 5/22 | 7/24 |
| Cassin's Kingbird | May 15 - July 15 | 5/12 | 8/7 |
| Western Kingbird | May 15 - July 15 | 5/4 | 8/10 |
| Eastern Kingbird | none | 6/1 | 8/18 |
| Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | none | 4/29 | 7/18 |
| Loggerhead Shrike | none | 2/27 | 7/18 |
| Plumbeous Vireo | June 1 - June 30 | 5/18 | 7/28 |
| Hutton's Vireo | none | 6/26 | 7/13 |
| Warbling Vireo | June 1 - June 30 | 5/25 | 8/4 |
| Gray Jay | none | 6/9 | - |
| Steller's Jay | May 15 - July 15 | 5/1 | 8/20 |
| Blue Jay | none | 6/2 | 8/31 |
| Western Scrub-Jay | May 15 - June 15 | 4/20 | 7/28 |
| Mexican Jay | none | 4/24 | 6/10 |
| Pinyon Jay | none | 3/2 | 8/19 |
| Clark's Nutcracker | none | 4/14 | 6/12 |
| Black-billed Magpie | May 1 - June 15 | 3/29 | 7/5 |
| American Crow | none | 4/14 | 7/9 |
| Chihuahuan Raven | May 15 - June 30 | 3/30 | 7/12 |
| Common Raven | May 15 - June 30 | 3/15 | 7/12 |
| Horned Lark | May 1 - June 15 | 4/8 | 7/5 |
| Purple Martin | May 15 - June 15 | 5/14 | 7/21 |
| Tree Swallow | none | 5/14 | 7/27 |
| Violet-green Swallow | June 1 - June 30 | 5/19 | 7/22 |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow | none | 5/6 | 6/28 |
| Bank Swallow | none | 5/30 | 7/10 |
| Barn Swallow | May 15 - July 15 | 5/10 | 8/29 |
| Cliff Swallow | none | 4/18 | 8/6 |
| Cave Swallow | none | 6/20 | 7/7 |
| Black-capped Chickadee | none | 5/26 | 7/15 |
| Mountain Chickadee | June 1 - July 15 | 5/25 | 7/29 |
| Bridled Titmouse | none | 4/23 | 6/1 |
| Juniper Titmouse | May 15 - June 15 | 4/29 | 7/4 |
| Verdin | June 1 - June 30 | 5/19 | 8/3 |
| Bushtit | none | 4/2 | 7/19 |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | none | 4/2 | 6/23 |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | May 15 - June 15 | 5/1 | 7/13 |
| Pygmy Nuthatch | May 15 - June 15 | 5/19 | 8/10 |
| Brown Creeper | none | 4/14 | 7/15 |
| Cactus Wren | May 1 - June 30 | 4/1 | 7/23 |
| Rock Wren | May 15 - June 30 | 4/20 | 7/28 |
| Canyon Wren | June 1 - June 30 | 5/18 | 7/29 |
| Carolina Wren | none | 9/1 | - |
| Bewick's Wren | May 15 - July 15 | 5/5 | 8/9 |
| House Wren | June 1 - July 15 | 6/2 | 7/21 |
| Marsh Wren | none | 6/6 | 6/25 |
| American Dipper | May 1 - July 15 | 4/9 | 7/26 |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | none | 6/20 | 7/6 |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | none | 6/20 | 7/30 |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | May 15 - June 30 | 5/10 | 7/23 |
| Black-tailed Gnatcatcher | none | 5/26 | 8/21 |
| Eastern Bluebird | none | 4/10 | 5/25 |
| Western Bluebird | May 15 - July 15 | 5/1 | 8/7 |
| Mountain Bluebird | May 1 - June 15 | 4/30 | 8/7 |
| Townsend's Solitaire | none | 5/24 | 7/30 |
| Swainson's Thrush | none | 7/4 | 7/15 |
| Hermit Thrush | June 1 - July 15 | 6/20 | 7/19 |
| American Robin | May 15 - July 15 | 4/30 | 7/27 |
| Catbird | none | 5/31 | 8/10 |
| Northern Mockingbird | May 15 - July 15 | 4/6 | 8/15 |
| Sage Thrasher | none | 5/26 | 7/14 |
| Brown Thrasher | none | 6/8 | 7/8 |
| Bendire's Thrasher | none | 5/1 | 7/16 |
| Curve-billed Thrasher | May 1 - June 30 | 2/18 | 8/31 |
| Crissal Thrasher | none | 3/6 | 7/21 |
| European Starling | May 1 - June 15 | 2/22 | 10/18 |
| American Pipit | none | 6/18 | 7/27 |
| Cedar Waxwing | none | 7/1 | - |
| Phainopepla | none | 3/23 | 8/3 |
| Olive Warbler | none | 5/11 | 7/29 |
| Orange-crowned Warbler | none | 6/18 | 7/29 |
| Virginia's Warbler | June 1 - June 30 | 6/3 | 7/13 |
| Lucy's Warbler | none | 4/19 | 7/18 |
| Northern Parula | none | 5/31 | - |
| Yellow Warbler | June 1 - June 30 | 5/5 | 8/5 |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (Audubon's) | none | 5/28 | 7/24 |
| Black-throated Gray Warbler | none | 5/29 | 7/4 |
| Grace's Warbler | none | 5/25 | 7/21 |
| MacGillivray's Warbler | none | 6/7 | 7/1 |
| Common Yellowthroat | none | 6/6 | 8/3 |
| Wilson's Warbler | none | 6/5 | 7/23 |
| Red-faced Warbler | none | 5/1 | 7/18 |
| Painted Redstart | none | 4/25 | 9/14 |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | June 1 - July 15 | 5/10 | 8/21 |
| Hepatic Tanager | none | 5/8 | 7/27 |
| Summer Tanager | none | 5/17 | 9/6 |
| Western Tanager | June 1 - July 15 | 5/25 | 8/9 |
| Green-tailed Towhee | June 15 - July 15 | 6/7 | 8/10 |
| Spotted Towhee | June 1 - July 15 | 5/2 | 8/4 |
| Canyon Towhee | June 1 - June 30 | 4/17 | 9/18 |
| Cassin's Sparrow | none | 6/3 | 9/8 |
| Rufous-crowned Sparrow | none | 5/20 | 9/6 |
| Chipping Sparrow | June 1 - June 30 | 5/9 | 7/20 |
| Brewer's Sparrow | none | 6/9 | 7/2 |
| Black-chinned Sparrow | none | 5/19 | 7/15 |
| Vesper Sparrow | none | 5/29 | 6/16 |
| Lark Sparrow | May 15 - June 30 | 5/11 | 7/16 |
| Black-throated Sparrow | May 1 - July 15 | 4/24 | 8/24 |
| Sage Sparrow | none | 6/4 | 6/21 |
| Lark Bunting | none | 6/2 | 8/7 |
| Savannah Sparrow | none | 5/27 | 6/27 |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | none | 6/9 | 8/2 |
| Song Sparrow | none | 6/3 | 7/20 |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | none | 6/14 | 7/12 |
| White-crowned Sparrow | none | 7/7 | 7/26 |
| Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) | May 15 - July 15 | 5/12 | 7/31 |
| Northern Cardinal | none | 5/25 | 8/24 |
| Pyrrhuloxia | none | 5/7 | 8/15 |
| Black-headed Grosbeak | June 1 - July 15 | 5/9 | 8/28 |
| Blue Grosbeak | June 1 - July 15 | 5/25 | 9/22 |
| Lazuli Bunting | none | 7/27 | - |
| Dickcissel | none | 7/7 | - |
| Red-winged Blackbird | May 15 - June 30 | 4/29 | 8/3 |
| Eastern Meadowlark | none | 5/28 | 8/10 |
| Western Meadowlark | none | 4/16 | 7/23 |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | May 15 - June 15 | 5/10 | 7/11 |
| Brewer's Blackbird | May 15 - June 15 | 5/20 | 7/17 |
| Common Grackle | May 15 - June 30 | 5/14 | 7/5 |
| Great-tailed Grackle | May 15 - June 30 | 5/10 | 7/24 |
| Bronzed Cowbird | none | 6/21 | - |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | June 1 - June 30 | 5/22 | 8/12 |
| Orchard Oriole | none | 6/8 | 6/8 |
| Hooded Oriole | none | 4/21 | 8/5 |
| Baltimore Oriole | none | 6/24 | - |
| Bullock's Oriole | June 1 - July 15 | 5/11 | 7/31 |
| Scott's Oriole | June 1 - July 15 | 4/29 | 8/1 |
| Pine Grosbeak | none | - | 8/17 |
| Cassin's Finch | none | 6/3 | 8/24 |
| House Finch | May 15 - June 15 | 2/28 | 8/20 |
| Red Crossbill | none | 5/19 | 8/15 |
| Pine Siskin | June 15 - July 15 | 5/19 | 8/21 |
| Lesser Goldfinch | June 15 - July 15 | 6/2 | 11/3 |
| American Goldfinch | none | 6/24 | 8/12 |
| Evening Grosbeak | June 15 - July 15 | 5/30 | 10/11 |
| House Sparrow | April 1 - July 15 | 3/11 | 7/26 |
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/projects/nmbba/safedate.htm
Page Contact Information: Webmaster
Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 18:02:34 EST
Menlo Park, CA [caww54]
