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Bird Checklists of the United States

Birds of Colorado National Monument

Fruita, Colorado

The categories listed under "frequency of sightings" are based on the frequency with which observations are reported. A bird which is commonly present may be infrequently reported as a result of secretive or nocturnal behavior thus be categorized as uncommon.

Although there has never been a comprehensive survey of the Monument's birds, to date 127 species have been recorded here. Be an alert observer and you may be able to add new species to the list. Please report any new or unusual sightings.

Bird names are taken from Birds of North America, Robbins et al., Golden Press, 1983.

C = Commonly reported - usually can be seen in its appropriate habitat.
U = Uncommonly reported - can usually be seen if searched for in its appropriate habitat.
R = Rarely reported - very low possibility of encountering species, although not out of normal range.
Ca = Casual - ut of specie's normal range.
+ = Expected but no records.

SEASONS

Sp = Spring March-May
Su = Summer June-August
F = Fall September-November
W = Winter December-February

PELICANS, DUCKS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ American White Pelican.............      Ca 
___ Mallard............................Ca       Ca


VULTURES, EAGLES, HAWKS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Turkey Vulture.....................C  C  C
___ Northern Goshawk...................U  R  U  U
___ Cooper's Hawk......................U  U  U  U
___ Sharp-shinned Hawk.................U  U  U  U
___ Northern Harrier...................R  U  U  R
___ Red-tailed Hawk....................C  C  C  C
___ Golden Eagle.......................C  C  C  C
___ Bald Eagle.........................U  R  U  U
___ Prairie Falcon.....................R  U  +  R
___ Peregrine Falcon...................R  U  U  R
___ American Kestrel...................C  C  U  U


GALLINACEOUS BIRDS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Turkey.............................R     R  +
___ Blue Grouse........................         Ca
___ Gambel's Quail.....................C  C  C  R
___ Chukar.............................R  R  +  R
___ Ring-necked Pheasant...............Ca Ca


HERONS, CRANES, SHOREBIRDS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Great Blue Heron...................Ca    Ca
___ Sandhill Crane.....................   Ca Ca Ca
___ Killdeer...........................Ca Ca


DOVES
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Rock Dove..........................C  C  C  C
___ Mourning Dove......................C  C  U  U


OWLS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Western Screech Owl................   R  R  Ca
___ Great Horned Owl...................U  U  U  U
___ Long-eared Owl.....................R  R  +  +
___ Northern Saw-whet Owl..............      R  R
___ Northern Pygmy-Owl.................   R  +


GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Common Poorwill....................R  U
___ Common Nighthawk...................   C  R
___ White-throated Swift...............C  C  C


HUMMINGBIRDS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Broad-tailed Hummingbird...........C  C  R
___ Black-chinned Hummingbird..........C  C  R
___ Rufous Hummingbird.................R  U  R


KINGFISHERS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Belted Kingfisher..................   Ca


WOODPECKERS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Common Flicker.....................U  C  C  R
___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...........U  U
___ Williamson's Sapsucker.............         +
___ Hairy Woodpecker...................+  U  U  U
___ Downy Woodpecker...................R  U  U  +


FLYCATCHERS, LARKS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Western Kingbird...................U  C
___ Ash-throated Flycatcher............C  C
___ Say's Phoebe.......................C  C  C  R
___ Willow Flycatcher..................      Ca
___ Hammond's Flycatcher...............      R
___ Dusky Flycatcher...................R  U
___ Gray Flycatcher....................U  U
___ Western Flycatcher.................      Ca
___ Western Wood-Pewee.................+  U
___ Olive-sided Flycatcher.............   R
___ Horned Lark........................+  +  +  R


SWALLOWS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Barn Swallow.......................+  R
___ Cliff Swallow......................+  U
___ Violet-green Swallow...............C  C  R
___ Tree Swallow.......................   R


JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Steller's Jay......................   Ca Ca
___ Scrub Jay..........................C  C  C  C
___ Pinyon Jay.........................C  C  C  C
___ Black-billed Magpie................C  C  C  C
___ Clark's Nutcracker.................U  U  U  U
___ Common Raven.......................C  C  C  C


CHICKADEES, NUTHATCHES
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Black-capped Chickadee.............U  U  U  C
___ Mountain Chickadee.................U  U  C  U
___ Plain Titmouse.....................C  C  C  C
___ Bushtit............................U  C  C  U
___ White-breasted Nuthatch............U  U  U  U
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch..............U     +  U
___ Brown Creeper......................         R


WRENS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ House Wren.........................U  U
___ Bewick's Wren......................C  C  U  +
___ Rock Wren..........................C  C  U  U
___ Canyon Wren........................C  C  C  R


MOCKINGBIRDS, THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Northern Mockingbird...............   R
___ Sage Thrasher......................R     R
___ American Robin.....................C  C  C  C
___ Townsend's Solitaire...............U  R  U  U
___ Hermit Thrush......................Ca
___ Western Bluebird...................U     U  U
___ Mountain Bluebird..................C  C  U  U


GNATCATCHERS, KINGLETS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher..............C  C  U
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet...............R  R  R  +


WAXWINGS, SHRIKES, VIREOS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Cedar Waxwing......................         +
___ Northern Shrike....................      R  R
___ Loggerhead Shrike..................R  R  R  R
___ European Starling..................R  R  +  R
___ Gray Vireo.........................U  U
___ Solitary Vireo.....................U  U  R
___ Warbling Vireo.....................U  U


WARBLERS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Black and White Warbler............R     R
___ Orange-crowned Warbler.............R     +  +
___ Virginia's Warbler.................R  U  +
___ Yellow Warbler.....................R  R
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler..............C  R  R
___ Black-throated Gray Warbler........U  C
___ Macgillivray's Warbler.............   R  R
___ Wilson's Warbler...................      R


WEAVER FINCHES
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ House Sparrow......................U  U  U  +


BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES, TANAGERS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Western Meadowlark.................C  C  R  +
___ Red-winged Blackbird...............R     R
___ Brewer's Blackbird.................C  C  +  +
___ Brown-headed Cowbird...............U  C  +
___ Scott's Oriole.....................R  R
___ Northern Oriole....................U  C
___ Western Tanager....................R  R  R


GROSBEAKS, FINCHES
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak.............Ca Ca
___ Black-headed Grosbeak..............   R     Ca
___ Evening Grosbeak...................R     U  +
___ Blue Grosbeak......................   U
___ Lazuli Bunting.....................C  C
___ Cassin's Finch.....................U  U  R  R
___ House Finch........................C  C  C  C
___ Rosy Finch.........................R     C  C
___ Pine Siskin........................R  R  +  R
___ American Goldfinch.................+  R  +  +
___ Lesser Goldfinch...................   U


TOWHEES, SPARROWS, JUNCOS
                                       Sp Su F  W
___ Green-tailed Towhee................R  R  R
___ Rufous-sided Towhee................R  U  +  R
___ Savannah Sparrow...................      Ca
___ Lark Sparrow.......................U  C  +
___ Black-throated Sparrow.............C  C
___ Sage Sparrow.......................R  +  R
___ Dark-eyed Junco....................C     C  C
___ American Tree Sparrow..............         R
___ Chipping Sparrow...................C  C  U
___ Brewer's Sparrow...................U  U
___ White-crowned Sparrow..............R        +
___ Song Sparrow.......................+  R  +  +

United States Department of the Interior
National Park Service
Colorado National Monument
Fruita, Colorado 81521

Grand Valley Audubon Society.  1990.  Birds of Colorado National Monument, 
     Fruita, Colorado.  Colorado National Monument Association.  National 
     Park Service.  Unpaginated.

Grand Valley Audubon Society.  1990.  Birds of Colorado National Monument, 
     Fruita, Colorado.  Colorado National Monument Association.  National 
     Park Service.  Unpaginated.  Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife 
     Research Center Online.
     http://www.npwrc.usgs.govfrutia.htm  
     (Version 02DEC99)