Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Cibola, Arizona
The main portion of the refuge is alluvial river bottom with dense growths of salt cedar, mesquite, and arrowweed. Through this flows the Colorado River, in both a dredged channel and a portion of its original channel. The refuge also contains 2,000 acres of farmland and 785 acres of desert foothills and ridges.
Although there are birds to be observed year-round, the spring and fall months, with their seasonal migration, offer the greatest variety of species.
Nesting birds include the great egret, great blue heron, night-herons, bitterns, clapper rails, white-winged doves as well as common yellowthroat, phainopepla, northern mockingbird, Lucy's warbler, and other song birds.
The endangered Yuma clapper rail, the only freshwater form of clapper rail, is found in suitable marshes throughout the refuge. Cibola NWR is important as a wintering ground for the western (or Great Basin) subspecies of Canada goose and for Sandhill Cranes. Many ducks, primarily pintail, wigeon, and green-winged teal, also spend a portion of the winter here.
One group of birds, known as Neotropical migrants, are those species that nest in the United States or Canada, and spend the winter primarily south of our border in Mexico, Central or South America, or in the Caribbean. Many of them, including conspicuous or colorful hawks, hummingbirds, warblers, and orioles, and less colorful but no less important shorebirds, flycatchers, and thrushes, are experiencing population declines due to widespread loss of habitats important for their survival. Preservation of many different habitats for nesting, wintering, and migratory stopover sites is becoming vital for the survival of many of these birds. Those Neotropical migrants occuring on this refuge are identified with a "#".
This list was developed from refuge records and information obtained from ornithologists and veteran birders. It contains 244 species. Species are listed in accordance with the sixth edition (1983) A.O.U. checklist.
Sp - March-May
S - June-August
F - September-November
W - December-February
a - abundant: common species, very numerous
c - common: certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon: present, but not certain to be seen
o - occasional: seen only a few times during a season
r - rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years
x - accidental: seen only once or twice
GREBES Sp S F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe* c c c c ___ Eared Grebe c - c o ___ Western Grebe* c r c c ___ Clarke's Grebe u u - -
PELICANS Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican c o c c
CORMORANTS Sp S F W ___ Double-crested Cormorant* c c c c
BITTERNS, HERONS & EGRETS Sp S F W ___ American Bittern r - - o ___ Least Bittern* c c u o ___ Great Blue Heron* c c c c ___ Great Egret* c c c c ___ Snowy Egret* c c c c ___ Cattle Egret u u u u ___ Green Heron* c c u u ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron* c c u o
IBISES & STORKS Sp S F W ___ White-faced Ibis c c u o ___ Wood Stork - o o -
DUCKS, GEESE & SWANS Sp S F W ___ Tundra Swan - - o o ___ Greater White-fronted Goose - - u u ___ Snow Goose - - c c ___ Ross' Goose - - u u ___ Canada Goose o - a a ___ Green-winged Teal u a a a ___ Mallard c u c a ___ Northern Pintail c o c c ___ Blue-winged Teal o - o - ___ Cinnamon Teal c o c o ___ Northern Shoveler c o c c ___ Gadwall u - c c ___ American Wigeon u - c c ___ Canvasback u - u u ___ Redhead u o c o ___ Ring-necked Duck r - u u ___ Greater Scaup - - - r ___ Lesser Scaup u - c u ___ Common Goldeneye r - - u ___ Bufflehead o - c c ___ Common Merganser u r c c ___ Red-breasted Merganser o r o o ___ Ruddy Duck c o c u
VULTURES Sp S F W ___ Turkey Vulture c c c u
KITES, EAGLES & HAWKS Sp S F W ___ Osprey# c o u r ___ Bald Eagle# u r u u ___ Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk)# c - u u ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk# u - u u ___ Cooper's Hawk# u - u c ___ Harris' Hawk o o o o ___ Swainson's Hawk# - - u - ___ Red-tailed Hawk*# c u c c
FALCONS Sp S F W ___ American Kestrel*# c c c c ___ Merlin# o - - - ___ Prairie Falcon# o - - -
QUAILS Sp S F W ___ Gambel's Quail* a a a a
RAILS, GALLINULES & COOTS Sp S F W ___ Clapper Rail* c c c u ___ Virginia Rail o o - o ___ Sora* c c c c ___ Common Moorhen* c c c c ___ American Coot* a a a a
CRANES Sp S F W ___ Sandhill Crane - - o c
PLOVERS Sp S F W ___ Snowy Plover o - o r ___ Semipalmated Plover o - - o ___ Killdeer*# a a c c
STILTS & AVOCETS Sp S F W ___ Black-necked Stilt c u c - ___ American Avocet u r u r
SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Greater Yellowlegs u o u u ___ Solitary Sandpiper o o o - ___ Willet u o u - ___ Spotted Sandpiper u u c c ___ Long-billed Curlew# u u u u ___ Marbled Godwit o o o - ___ Sanderling o - o - ___ Western Sandpiper c - c - ___ Least Sandpiper c u c c ___ Pectoral Sandpiper - - o r ___ Dunlin o - o o ___ Long-billed Dowitcher u u c c ___ Common Snipe u - u u ___ Wilson's Phalarope r - o o ___ Red-necked Phalarope r - o o
GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS Sp S F W ___ Bonaparte's Gull o - o - ___ Ring-billed Gull c o c c ___ California Gull r - o - ___ Caspian Tern u - u r ___ Common Tern - - o - ___ Forster's Tern c o c r ___ Black Tern o o o -
DOVES Sp S F W ___ White-winged Dove*# c a - - ___ Mourning Dove*# c a c u ___ Common Ground-Dove o o o o
CUCKOOS & ROADRUNNERS Sp S F W ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo# - u - - ___ Greater Roadrunner* c c c c
TYPICAL OWLS Sp S F W ___ Western Screech-Owl* o o o o ___ Great Horned Owl* c c c c ___ Burrowing Owl*# c c c c ___ Elf Owl# u u u -
GOATSUCKERS Sp S F W ___ Lesser Nighthawk*# c c c - ___ Common Poorwill*# u u u -
SWIFTS Sp S F W ___ Vaux's Swift# u - u - ___ White-throated Swift# u o o o
HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird*# u c - - ___ Anna's Hummingbird# o - - u ___ Costa's Hummingbird*# c c - - ___ Rufous Hummingbird# - - u -
KINGFISHERS Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher# u - c c
WOODPECKERS Sp S F W ___ Gila Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Red-naped Sapsucker# o - o o ___ Red-breasted Sapsucker# - - - r ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker* c c c c ___ Northern Flicker# c - c c
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher# o - o - ___ Western Wood-Pewee# c u c - ___ Willow Flycatcher# r r r - ___ Hammond's Flycatcher# r - r - ___ Gray Flycatcher# r - r r ___ Pacific-slope Flycatcher# c - c - ___ Black Phoebe c u c c ___ Say's Phoebe*# c u c c ___ Vermilion Flycatcher# o o u u ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher*# c c c r ___ Brown-crested Flycatcher# o u - - ___ Western Kingbird*# c c u -
LARKS Sp S F W ___ Horned Lark# o - c c
SWALLOWS Sp S F W ___ Tree Swallow# c u a a ___ Violet-green Swallow# o - o - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow# c c c o ___ Bank Swallow# o o o - ___ Cliff Swallow*# a a c - ___ Barn Swallow# c c c -
CROWS Sp S F W ___ American Crow - - c c ___ Common Raven o o o o
VERDINS Sp S F W ___ Verdin* c c c c
WRENS Sp S F W ___ Cactus Wren* c c u u ___ Rock Wren*# u u u u ___ Bewick's Wren c - o o ___ House Wren# o - o o ___ Marsh Wren# a a c c
KINGLETS & GNATCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet# c - c c ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher# o - o o ___ Black-tailed Gnatcatcher* c c c c
THRUSHES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Western Bluebird# - - o o ___ Mountain Bluebird# o - o o ___ Townsend's Solitaire# r - o o ___ Swainson's Thrush# r - - - ___ Hermit Thrush# o - u u ___ American Robin# u - u u
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Northern Mockingbird*# c c c c ___ Sage Thrasher# o - o o ___ Curve-billed Thrasher o r o - ___ Crissal Thrasher* c c c c
PIPITS Sp S F W ___ American Pipit (Water Pipit)# c - c c
WAXWINGS Sp S F W ___ Cedar Waxwing# o - o o
SILKY-FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Phainopepla*# c u c c
SHRIKES Sp S F W ___ Loggerhead Shrike*# u c c c
STARLINGS Sp S F W ___ European Starling c c c c
VIREOS Sp S F W ___ Bell's Vireo*# o o o - ___ Solitary Vireo# u - u r ___ Warbling Vireo# c u c -
WOOD-WARBLERS Sp S F W ___ Orange-crowned Warbler# c r c c ___ Nashville Warbler# u - u - ___ Lucy's Warbler*# c c - - ___ Yellow Warbler# o o o - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler# c - c c ___ Black-throated Gray Warbler# u - u - ___ Townsend's Warbler# u - u - ___ Hermit Warbler# o - o - ___ American Redstart# r - r r ___ MacGillivray's Warbler# u - u - ___ Common Yellowthroat*# c c c c ___ Wilson's Warbler# c o c r ___ Yellow-breasted Chat*# c c c -
TANAGERS Sp S F W ___ Summer Tanager# u u o - ___ Western Tanager# u u c -
GROSBEAKS & BUNTINGS Sp S F W ___ Black-headed Grosbeak# u u c - ___ Blue Grosbeak*# c c c - ___ Lazuli Bunting# u - u -
SPARROWS, TOWHEES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Green-tailed Towhee# o - u u ___ Rufous-sided Towhee# o - o o ___ Abert's Towhee* a a c c ___ Chipping Sparrow# c o c r ___ Brewer's Sparrow# o - c o ___ Vesper Sparrow# u - u r ___ Lark Sparrow# o - o - ___ Black-throated Sparrow# u u o - ___ Sage Sparrow# - - u u ___ Savannah Sparrow# c - c c ___ Fox Sparrow# - - o o ___ Song Sparrow*# c c c c ___ Lincoln's Sparrow# u - u o ___ White-crowned Sparrow# c - c c ___ Dark-eyed Junco# u - o o ___ Chestnut-collared Longspur# - - r -
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Red-winged Blackbird*# a a a u ___ Western Meadowlark# c c c c ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird# c c c - ___ Brewer's Blackbird# u - c u ___ Great-tailed Grackle* c c - - ___ Brown-headed Cowbird*# a a c u ___ Hooded Oriole# o o o - ___ Bullock's Oriole*# c c u -
FINCHES, GOLDFINCHES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ House Finch* c c c c ___ Pine Siskin# r - o o ___ Lesser Goldfinch# c u u u ___ American Goldfinch# o - o o
OLD WORLD SPARROWS Sp S F W ___ House Sparrow* c c c c
Common Loon Rufous Hummingbird Brown Booby Lewis' Woodpecker Brown Pelican Cassin's Kingbird Little Blue Heron Purple Martin Roseate Spoonbill Steller's Jay Fulvous Whistling-Duck Western Scrub-Jay Hooded Merganser Mountain Chickadee Ferruginous Hawk Red-breasted Nuthatch Golden Eagle White-breasted Nuthatch Peregrine Falcon Canyon Wren Black-bellied Plover Bendire's Thrasher Lesser Yellowlegs Hutton's Vireo Red Knot Virginia Warbler Red Phalarope Northern Waterthrush Franklin's Gull Black-chinned Sparrow Herring Gull Lark Bunting Sabine's Gull Grasshopper Sparrow Band-tailed Pigeon Golden-crowned Sparrow Northern Pygmy-Owl Rusty Blackbird Northern Cardinal Lawrence's Goldfinch Short-eared Owl
Refuge Manager
Cibola National Wildlife Refuge
Rt. 2, Box 138
Cibola, AZ 85328
Telephone: 928/857-3253
This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1995. Birds of Cibola National Wildlife
Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1995. Birds of Cibola National Wildlife
Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown,
ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govcibola.htm
(Version 22MAY98).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r2/cibola.htm
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Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 18:44:27 EST
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