These species are certain to be seen in suitable habitat.
They are are migrants. They breed here in the summer, then migrate further south in the Fall to their wintering grounds. Many spend the winter as far as Mexico and Central America. Some spend the winter in South America.
These species begin arriving in early March. Breeding takes place mainly in late May through July. By August, some are beginning to move south. By the end of September, most of them will be gone.
| External Links in table below: | |
| (Remote sites open in a new window.) | |
| Cornell | Opens Cornell Lab of Ornithology's All About Birds site's species account in a new browser window. This site offers detailed information on every species including sound recordings. |
| USGS | Opens the USGS Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter species account in a new browser window. Includes BBS and CBC maps, ID Tips and Taxonomy for each species. |
| Image Search | Shows the results of a Google image search for the species. |
| All Photographs by Robert Templeton unless otherwise noted. Copyright Information. | |
| English Name: Genus species: | Comments | Photos |
| Diurnal Raptors: Vultures, Eagles, Hawks and Falcons | ||
| Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving during the last 10 days of March. Majority of residents here by April 1st. |    |
| 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. |   |
| 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. |    |
| 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. |   |
| 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 |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in mid-April. |   |
| Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in mid-April. |   |
| Shrikes and Vireos | ||
| Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in late April. |   |
| Swallows | ||
| 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. |  |
| Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving in last half of March. |    |
| Wood-Warblers | ||
| Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving late-April. |    |
| Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving late-April. |   |
| Sparrows and their Allies | ||
| Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving mid-March. |    |
| Grosbeaks | ||
| Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |   |
| Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |    |
| Buntings | ||
| Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |   |
| Icterids: Blackbirds, Orioles and their Allies | ||
| Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |   |
| Finches and Old World Sparrows | ||
| Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria  Enlarge Map External Sites: Cornell USGS Image Search | Begins arriving at end of April. |  |