Valle de Oro

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Birds of Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge Refuge Introduction Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, the first urban wildlife refuge in the southwest, serves as an urban oasis for both wildlife and people. With a future array of wetland habitats and the cottonwood bosque, Valle de Oro NWR will restore a sustainable habitat for Middle Rio Grande wildlife and migratory birds. In addition to observing a high diversity of birds at Valle de Oro NWR visitors and community members can connect to the refuge through education-based programs that utilize ecology, cultural awareness, and environmental stewardship. Currently, the refuge is open MondaySunday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Tours of the refuge are available upon request and special events take place regularly. Binoculars are available for check out! Bird List Introduction and Key This list of 229 species is in accordance with the American Ornithologists’ Union Checklist of North American Birds, 7th edition (1998) and its supplements through July 2016. Those species marked with an asterisk (*) have nested on the refuge. Species that occur as accidental (marked with an “X”) may occur more regularly in areas surrounding the refuge, but most are true geographic rarities. Seasons and occurrences for bird sightings on the refuge are coded below. Note that seasons vary from species to species; fall migration for some, such as shorebirds and flycatchers, is much earlier (midJuly to mid-September) compared to fall migration for other species, such as most waterfowl and sparrows (September to November). Seasons Sp—Spring—period of spring migration (depending on species) from mid-February to early June S—Summer—June to August F—Fall—period of fall migration (depending on species) from mid-July to November W—Winter—December to February Abundance A—Abundant: a common and numerous species 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 * Has nested on the refuge Common Name Sp Su F W Ducks, Geese and Swans __Gr. White-fronted Goose R U U __Snow Goose U U C __Ross’s Goose U U C __Brant X __Cackling Goose C C C __Canada Goose C U C C __Wood Duck U O U U __Gadwall U X U U __American Wigeon U U U __Mallard C C C C __Blue-winged Teal U U __Cinnamon Teal U U __Northern Shoveler U U U __Northern Pintail U U U __Green-winged Teal U U O __Canvasback R O __Redhead O O __Ring-necked Duck U O __Greater Scaup X __Lesser Scaup O __Bufflehead X __Hooded Merganser X X __Common Merganser U R U __Ruddy Duck R R New World Quail __Scaled Quail X __Gambel’s Quail O Pheasants __Ring-necked Pheasant C U U C Grebes __Pied-billed Grebe X X Pigeons and Doves __Rock Pigeon C C C C __Eurasian Collared-Dove C C C C __White-winged Dove C C C C __Mourning Dove C C C C Cuckoos and Roadrunners __Yellow-billed Cuckoo U U __Greater Roadrunner U U U U Goatsuckers __Common Nighthawk U U Swifts __White-throated Swift X Hummingbirds __Black-ch. Hummingbird C C C __Broad-tailed Hummingbird U U __Rufous Hummingbird U Common Name Sp Su F Rails and Coots __Sora R O __American Coot U X Cranes __Sandhill Crane C C Stilts and Avocets __Black-necked Stilt O __American Avocet O Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies __Killdeer C C C __Upland Sandpiper X __Long-billed Curlew U U __Marbled Godwit U R __Baird’s Sandpiper O O __Least Sandpiper U U __Pectoral Sandpiper R __Semipalmated Sandpiper R __Western Sandpiper O U __Long-billed Dowitcher U __Wilson’s Snipe U U __Spotted Sandpiper U U __Solitary Sandpiper O O __Greater Yellowlegs U U __Willet X __Lesser Yellowlegs O O __Wilson’s Phalarope U U Gulls and Terns __Franklin’s Gull U __Ring-billed Gull U U __California Gull X __Lesser Black-backed Gull X Cormorants __Neotropic Cormorant O O __Double-crested Cormorant O O Herons, Bitterns and Allies __Great Blue Heron U U U __Great Egret U U U __Snowy Egret C C C __Cattle Egret C C C __Green Heron R R __Black-cr. Night-Heron R R R __Yellow-cr. Night-Heron X Ibises __Glossy Ibis X __White-faced Ibis C U C American Vultures __Turkey Vulture C C C Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies __Osprey R X __White-tailed Kite X __Mississippi Kite X X __Bald Eagle U __Northern Harrier C C __Sharp-shinned Hawk U U __Cooper’s Hawk C C C __Northern Goshawk X __Common Black Hawk R R R __Swainson’s Hawk U C U __Red-tailed Hawk C U C __Ferruginous Hawk O U __Golden Eagle X Barn Owls __Barn Owl O O W U C C U O U U R U C U C C U X Common Name Sp Su F Typical Owls __Western Screech-Owl U U U __Great Horned Owl U U U __Burrowing Owl O Kingfishers __Belted Kingfisher U U Woodpeckers __Red-naped Sapsucker R O __Ladder-backed Woodpecker U U U __Downy Woodpecker U U U __Hairy Woodpecker U R U __Northern Flicker C C C Falcons __American Kestrel C C C __Merlin U U __Peregrine Falcon O O __Prairie Falcon U O U Tyrant Flycatchers __Olive-sided Flycatcher U U __Western Wood-Pewee U U U __Willow Flycatcher U U U __Hammond’s Flycatcher O O __Gray Flycatcher U U __Dusky Flycatcher O O __Cordilleran Flycatcher O O __Black Phoebe U U U __Say’s Phoebe C C C __Ash-throated Flycatcher C C U __Cassin’s Kingbird U U U __Western Kingbird C C C __Eastern Kingbird X R __Scissor-tailed Flycatcher X Shrikes __Loggerhead Shrike R R Vireos __White-eyed Vireo X __Bell’s Vireo R __Cassin’s Vireo R R __Plumbeous Vireo U U __Warbling Vireo U U __Red-eyed Vireo X Jays and Crows __Pinyon Jay X __Steller’s Jay R R __Blue Jay X __Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay U U __Black-billed Magpie X __American Crow C U C __Chihuahuan Raven U U U __Common Raven U O U Larks __Horned Lark C R U Swallows __Tree Swallow C C __Violet-green Swallow C C __No. Rough-winged Swallow C U C __Bank Swallow U U U __Cliff Swallow C C C __Barn Swallow C C C Chickadees and Titmice __Black-capped Chickadee C U U __Mountain Chickadee U U __Bushtit U U U Nuthatches __Red-breasted Nuthatch R O __White-breasted Nuthatch C U C Creepers __Brown Creeper O O Wrens __Rock Wren O O __House Wren U U __Marsh Wren U R __Bewick’s Wren C U C W U U U O U U U C C U O O U C R R U C U U C C U U C U C Common Name Sp Su F Gnatcatchers __Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U U Kinglets __Ruby-crowned Kinglet U C Thrushes __Eastern Bluebird C U C __Western Bluebird U U U __Mountain Bluebird U __Swainson’s Thrush X __Hermit Thrush U U __American Robin C U C Mockingbirds and Thrashers __Gray Catbird X X __Curve-billed Thrasher X X X __Northern Mockingbird U U U Starlings __European Starling C C C Waxwings __Cedar Waxwing R U Old World Sparrows __House Sparrow C C C Pipits __American Pipit U U Finches __House Finch C C C __Cassin’s Finch R __Pine Siskin U U __Lesser Goldfinch C C C __American Goldfinch U U Wood-Warblers __Lapland Longspur __Chestnut-collared LongspurU U __McCown’s Longspur X X __Worm-eating Warbler X __Northern Waterthrush R R __Orange-crowned Warbler U U __Lucy’s Warbler U U __Nashville Warbler X X __Virginia’s Warbler U U __MacGillivray’s Warbler U U __Common Yellowthroat C C C __Hooded Warbler X __American Redstart X __Northern Parula X X __Yellow Warbler U U __Palm Warbler X __Yellow-rumped Warbler C C __Black-thr. Gray Warbler U O __Townsend’s Warbler O __Wilson’s Warbler C C __Painted Redstart X __Yellow-breasted Chat U C C Tanagers and Cardinals __Summer Tanager U C U __Western Tanager C U Sparrows __Green-tailed Towhee U U __Spotted Towhee C C C __Canyon Towhee X __Chipping Sparrow U U C __Clay-colored Sparrow R __Brewer’s Sparrow U U __Vesper Sparrow U C __Lark Sparrow R U U __Black-throated Sparrow R __Sagebrush Sparrow X __Lark Bunting R U __Savannah Sparrow C R C __Song Sparrow U U __Lincoln’s Sparrow U U __Swamp Sparrow R R __White-throated Sparrow U U __White-crowned Sparrow C C __Dark-eyed Junco C C W U C U U C C C R C U C U C U X U X Common Name Sp Su Grosbeaks and Buntings __Black-headed Grosbeak C C __Blue Grosbeak C C __Lazuli Bunting U U __Indigo Bunting U U __Dickcissel X Blackbirds and Orioles __Bobolink R R __Red-winged Blackbird C C __Eastern Meadowlark U R __Western Meadowlark C C __Yellow-headed Blackbird U R __Brewer’s Blackbird C R __Common Grackle R __Great-tailed Grackle C C __Brown-headed Cowbird U C __Hooded Oriole X __Bullock’s Oriole U C __Scott’s Oriole X F W C C U U C U C U C R C U C U C U U U X U Be a citizen scientist! Help us track birds on and near the refuge. Your observations will be added to eBird. Submit a photo of your bird list to Refuge Biologist, Ariel Elliott, at ariel_elliott@fws.gov FIELD NOTES Date:_____________________________ Time: ____________________________ Species:___________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ X C Observers:_________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ Weather:__________________________ __________________________________ C R __________________________________ __________________________________ Remarks:_________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ C C R C C __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ April 2017