After School Birds

External sites open in a separate window.

All Photographs by Robert Templeton unless otherwise noted. Copyright Information.

English Name: Genus species:	Comments	Photos
Diurnal Raptors: Vultures, Eagles and Hawks
Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	Adult is pictured. Note the horizontal barring on the breast and belly. Number of Individuals Observed:1	El Bosque
Woodpeckers
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	One of the most common birds in the valley. From below, shows red feather shafts in flight. The upper photo shows key marks: Black breast band. Red feather shafts on underside of wings and tail. Red mark under the eye indicates a male. Female (middle photo): no red face mark. Lower photo shows diagnostic white rump patch which is always visible in flight and sometimes visible when perched. Number of Individuals Observed:2	Cachanillas El Bosque El Bosque
Jays, Crows and their Allies
Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	Unmistakable large black and white bird with very long tail. Number of Individuals Observed:1	El Bosque
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	At times difficult to distinguish from Common Raven as the largest Crows are nearly as big as the smallest Ravens. By sound, the crow's "caw" is familiar. In flight, the crow's tail is often square or rounded. Crows are very social and often appear in noisy groups. Bill smaller and thinner than that of the Raven. Number of Individuals Observed:4	El Bosque
Common Raven Corvus corax Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	At times difficult to distinguish from American Crow. By sound, a throaty chortle or shout. In flight, the tail often appears wedge shaped. Ravens are often solitary, but sometimes appear with a few other individuals. Often soars like a hawk. Crows do not. Bill is thick and heavy. The throat is shaggy compared to the Crow. Breeding pairs perform synchronized flight high overhead. Number of Individuals Observed:1	El Bosque Camino de los Marquez, Santa Fe
Chickadees and their Allies
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	Distinctive Small (~5in) black, white and gray bird that says its name repeatedly: a buzzy chick-a-dee-dee-dee During breeding season, gives a high descending two pitched fee-bee. Number of Individuals Observed:2	El Bosque
Dippers
American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	Slate-colored bird seen in rushing streams. Often standing on rocks right at the water level, bobbing by bending its knees. Feeds by walking on the bottom of the stream. Number of Individuals Observed:2	El Bosque See Slide Show of Dipper Feeding
Sparrows and their Allies
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search	In winter, there are 5 sub-species of Dark-eyed Junco in our area. Many have a full black or gray hood. All have a dark eye set in dark plumage. Almost always in flocks of 10-20 individuals. Identifiable by a very "dry" sounding "tck-tck" and by white showing on the sides of the tail, especially in flight. Do a an Image Search (at left) to get an idea of the great variation in the plumage of this species. Number of Individuals Observed:10	Dixon Dixon

Top of Page