Date: May 13, 2015
Location: Pilar and Orilla Verde
Number of Species: 31
Time: 8:30am-11:15am
Weather: Overcast, then Partly Cloudy
These were the species that almost everyone saw.
| English Name: Genus species: | Comments | Photos |
| Swans, Geese and Ducks | ||
| Canada Goose Branta canadensis  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Seen only on the Rio Grande. Note white mark on Cheek. Larger than local Ducks. |  Rinconada, July 15, 2012  Embudo, May 21, 2014 Enlarge  Pilar, May 8, 2015 Enlarge |
| Mallard Anas platyrhynchos  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Note white horizontal mark at rear on both Female (above) and Male (below). Male plumage distinctive. |  Rinconada  Rinconada  Rio Grande-Taos County Line, June 9, 2014 Enlarge |
| Pigeons and Doves | ||
| Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search |  Peñasco | |
| Hummingbirds | ||
| Black-chinned Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in early April. One of only two hummingbirds that regularly breed here. In the right light, male's throat shows purple below, black above. Often appears more slender and vertical than the Broad-tailed Hummingbird. Male is pictured. Female has plain throat. |  El Bosque  El Bosque |
| Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in early April. One of only two hummingbirds that regularly breed here. In the right light, male's throat is red. Often appears plumper and rounder than the Black-chinned Hummingbird. Male's wing make a distinctive, loud buzz in flight. Male is pictured. Female has plain throat. |  Dixon  Dixon  Dixon |
| Tyrant Flycatchers | ||
| Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in early April. A fairly plain flycatcher that says its name: a buzzy "pee-wee". In some postures can look like an Empidonax genus flycatcher, without the characteristic Empidonax white eye-ring. Usually perches in trees or posts at mid to low levels. |  El Bosque  Bosque del Apache, NM |
| Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | A few individuals over-winter in Velarde. In the rest of the Embudo area begins arriving in early March. Usually seen on low branches overhanging the river, from which it "hawks" insects. At times perches at mid-level in trees near the river, making its sharp, quick two-note call. Distinctive inverted "v" apparent where the white belly meets the dark breast. |  Cachanillas (Velarde) |
| Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | A few individuals over-winter in Velarde. In the rest of the Embudo area begins arriving in early March. Usually seen on posts or single stalk plants in agricutural areas "hawking" insects. It's call is a slow, plaintive, downward slurred "pee-ee". At close range, may hear "pit,pee-ee". Distinctive peach-colored belly. This species regularly builds nests under people's portales. |  Rinconada |
| Jays, Crows and their Allies | ||
| Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Common in all area habitats. Note white throat and faint white eyebrow. Also brownish-gray back. Distinguished from the Pinyon Jay by longer tail and solitary behavior. |  Arroyo la Mina  Cañoncito |
| Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Unmistakable large black and white bird with very long tail. |  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. |  El Bosque |
| Swallows | ||
| Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Very common during spring migration. All white below, with white wrapping up the sides of the rump as shown in the upper individual in the lower photo. In right light, the back reveals brilliant violet and green colors. |  El Bosque  Rinconada |
| N. Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in last half of March. |   |
| Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in mid-April. |  Cañoncito |
| Wrens | ||
| Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | It's very prominent, white eyebrow is distinctive. Most often seen at transition from Piñon-Juniper to agricultural or riparian areas. Song similar to Song Sparrow, but is "buzzier" and consistently ends on a clear trill. |  El Bosque |
| Thrushes and their Allies | ||
| Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Male (top photo) has blue head and red breast. During breeding season, colors more intense than shown here. Female (middle photo) has blue in wings, but appears gray from front with a light buffy breast. Note white eye-ring. Juvenile on left in lowest photo. Female on right. |  El Bosque   Rinconada Enlarge |
| Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search |  Rinconada Enlarge  Rinconada Enlarge | |
| American Robin Turdus migratorius  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Best known American Bird. Note reddish breast, light colored bill and large white split eye-ring. |  El Bosque |
| Wood-Warblers | ||
| Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving late-April. |    |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Many individuals pass through this area during the spring and fall migrations. A few stay over the winter, primarily in the Velarde area. The first two pictures show breeding plumage. The last shows typical winter plumage. |  La Junta, April 28, 2013  La Junta, April 28, 2013  Apodaca |
| Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving late-April. |  El Bosque  El Bosque |
| Towhees | ||
| Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | One is seldom far from a Spotted Towhee. But though they are nearby, they are usually hidden away under trees and shrubs where they toss leaves with their feet looking for insects to eat. Occasionally you will see one at the edge of the road or briefly flying from one shrub to the next. However, they regularly produce a contact call, a low growl. Hear Contact Call If you listen for that call and follow it, may be rewarded with a view of this lovely bird with a red eye. Note white breast with rufous (reddish) flanks. Lower Photo shows bird in its preferred habitat. |  Arroyo la Mina  El Bosque Enlarge |
| Sparrows and their Allies | ||
| Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search |   | |
| White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Adult (Upper Photo): Distinctive black and white stripes on head. Light colored bill. Clear breast and belly. Juvenile (Lower Photo): Head stripes brown and gray. |  Dixon  Dixon |
| Grosbeaks | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |   |
| Icterids: Blackbirds, Orioles and their Allies | ||
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Female (Upper Picture) has brown streaking all over. Male (Lower Picture) is black with red patches on shoulders. Outside of breeding times, the red may be hidden. Both sexes have medium length, very pointed bill. |  Baca Park, Taos  Rinconada Enlarge |
| Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Click for Photos | |
| Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search |  | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search |   Orilla Verde, May 7, 2014 Enlarge | |
| Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |  El Bosque  El Bosque |
| Finches and Old World Sparrows | ||
| House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Often seen at feeders, this species is common in all habitats, especially agricultural areas. Male (upper picture) is easily identified by red plumage on head, throat, breast and rump. Female (lower photo) does not have red. Both sexes have streaking on breast, belly and flanks. |  Arroyo La Mina  Arroyo La Mina |
