Birds of the
San Pedro River
The San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area (SPRNCA) includes over 56,000 acres in Cochise County, Arizona. Extending approximately 40 miles northward from the Mexican border to a few miles south of the town of St. David. The SPRNCA represents the most extensive, healthy riparian ecosystem remaining in the desert Southwest. The Bureau of Land Management manages the area to protect and enhance the existing riparian habitat and wildlife communities, as well as provide for recreational use, cultural interpretation, and educational opportunities.
​
The SPRNCA is home to over 100 species of breeding birds and provides invaluable habitat for another 250 species of migrant and wintering birds. Located between the Huachuca and Mule Mountains, and adjacent to Mexico, the SPNCA attracts a myriad of bird species from a spectrum of vegetative ecotones.
​
Concerns have increased over population declines of migrant bird species which breed in North America and winter south of the United States (Neotropical Migratory Birds). The Bureau of Land Management recognized this problem and however tangible conservation actions have been minimal.
​
This checklist, which documents over 375 bird species, has been compiled by Maricopa Audubon from historical avian records within the Upper San Pedro River Valley and from biological inventories within the SPNCA. All bird species known to have occurred from the international border north to Interstate 10 below the oak zone have been included in this checklist.
Updates
This checklist will be periodically updated, so notification of interesting sightings would be greatly appreciated. Please report them to:
​
BLM, 1763 Paseo San Luis, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635, (520) 458-3559
Bird Abundance & Occurrence
ABUNDANCE
C - Common. Normally seen in appropriate habitat.
U - Uncommon. Occurs but in small numbers or locally.
R - Rare. Annual, but very local or in very small numbers.
Ca - Casual. Few records for the San Pedro NCA, or not
of annual occurrence.
I - Irregular. Erratic pattern of occurrence.
* - Accidental. One or two records, or historical occurrence.
RESIDENCY
P - Permanent
S - Summer Resident
W - Winter Resident
T - Transient or migrant
# - Indicates Neotropical Migratory Bird Species
1
LOONS & GREBES
___Pacific Loon T*
___Common Loon Ca T
___Least Grebe T*
___Pied-billed Grebe U W T #
___Eared Grebe U W #
___Western Grebe R T #
___Clark's Grebe R T #
2
CORMORANTS & PELICANS
___Greater Scaup Ca T
___American White Pelican Ca T #
___Lesser Scaup U W
___Brown Pelican Ca T
___Surf Scoter Ca T
___Double-crested Cormorant R T #
___Common Goldeneye Ca W
___Neotropic Cormorant R T
___Magnificent Frigatebird T*
___Hooded Merganser Ca T
___Common Merganser R W
3
HERONS & ALLIES
___Hooded Merganser Ca T
___Common Merganser R W
___Red-breasted Merganser Ca T
___American Bittern R T
___Least Bittern R T #
___Great Blue Heron C P
___Great Egret R T #
___Snowy Egret R T #
___Little Blue Heron Ca T
___Tricolored Heron Ca T
___Cattle Egret R T #
___Green-backed Heron R P #
___Black-crowned Night-Heron R P #
___White-faced Ibis U T #
___Wood Stork Ca T
4
RAPTORS
___Turkey Vulture C S #
___Osprey R T #
___White-tailed Kite R T
___Mississippi Kite R T #
___Bald Eagle R W
___Northern Harrier C W #
___Sharp-shinned Hawk U W #
___Cooper's Hawk U P #
___Northern Goshawk Ca T
___Common Black Hawk R T #
___Harris' Hawk R P
___Gray Hawk C S #
___Broad-winged Hawk Ca T #
___Swainson's Hawk U S #
___Zone-tailed Hawk R T #
___Red-tailed Hawk C P
___Ferruginous Hawk R W
___Rough-legged Hawk R W
___Golden Eagle R T
___Crested Caracara Ca T
___American Kestrel C P #
___Peregrine Falcon R W #
___Merlin R W #
___Aplomado Falcon T *
___Prairie Falcon R W
5
SWANS,GEESE & DUCKS
___Ruddy Duck U W #
___Black-bellied Whistling Duck R S #
___Tundra Swan Ca T
___Greater White-fronted Goose R W
___Snow Goose R W
___Ross' Goose R W
___Canada Goose R W
___Wood Duck Ca W
___Green-winged Teal U W #
___Mallard C P #
___Northern Pintail U W #
___Redhead R W #
___Ring-necked Duck C W #
___Blue-winged Teal U T R W #
___Garganey T *
___Cinnamon Teal U W T #
___Northern Shoveler C W
___Gadwall U W #
___American Wigeon U W #
___Canvasback U W #
___Bufflehead U W #
6
QUAIL & ALLIES
___Long-billed Dowitcher U T #
___Wild Turkey R T
___Common Snipe U W #
___Montezuma Quail Ca T
___Wilson's Phalarope C T #
___Scaled Quail C P
___Red-necked Phalarope R T #
___Gambel's Quail C P
___Red Phalarope Ca T #
7
RAILS & ALLIES
___Black Rail T *
___Virginia Rail U W #
___Sora U W #
___Purple Gallinule Ca T #
___Common Moorhen U P
___American Coot U P
8
GULLS & TERNS
___Long-tailed Jaeger T *
___Franklin's Gull R T #
___Bonaparte's Gull R T #
___Heermann's Gull Ca T
___Ring-billed Gull U T #
___California Gull R T
___Sandhill Crane Ca T
___Herring Gull Ca T #
___Black-legged Kittiwake Ca T
___Sabine's Gull Ca T
___Common Tern Ca T #
___Forster's Tern R T #
___Least Tern T *
___Black Tern U T #
9
SHOREBIRDS
___Black-bellied Plover Ca T #
___Snowy Plover Ca T #
___Semipalmated Plover R T #
___Kildeer C P
___Black-necked Stilt U T #
___American Avocet U T #
___Greater Yellowlegs U T #
___Lesser Yellowlegs U T #
___Solitary Sandpiper R T #
___Least Sandpiper C T U W #
___Baird's Sandpiper U T #
___Pectoral Sandpiper R T #
___Dunlin Ca T #
___Stilt Sandpiper R T #
___Short-billed Dowitcher Ca T #
___Spotted Sandpiper U T #
___Willet R T #
___Whimbrel Ca T #
___Long-billed Curlew R T #
___Marbled Godwit R T #
___Ruddy Turnstone Ca T #
___Semipalmated Sandpiper R T #
___Sanderling R T #
___Western Sandpiper U T #
10
PIGEONS & DOVES
___Rock Dove C P
___Band-tailed Pigeon Ca T
___White-winged Dove C S R W #
___Mourning Dove C P #
___Inca Dove U P
___Common Ground Dove U P
___Ruddy Ground-Dove Ca T
11
CUCKOOS & ALLIES
___Yellow-billed Cuckoo U S #
___Greater Roadrunner C P
___Groove-billed Ani Ca T
12
OWLS
___Common Barn-Owl U P
___Flammulated Owl T * #
___Western Screech Owl U P
___Great Horned Owl C P
___Elf Owl U S #
___Burrowing Owl Ca P #
___Long-eared Owl Ca T
___Short-eared Owl Ca T #
13
WOODPECKERS
___Lewis' Woodpecker Ca W
___Acorn Woodpecker R T
___Gila Woodpecker C P
___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Ca T #
___Red-naped Sapsucker U W #
___Red-breasted Sapsucker Ca T
___Williamson's Sapsucker Ca W #
___Ladder-backed Woodpecker C P
___Hairy Woodpecker Ca T
___Strickland's Woodpecker Ca T
___Northern Flicker C P
___Gilded Flicker U P
14
CAPRIMULGIDS/GOATSUCKERS
___Lesser Nighthawk C S #
___Common Nighthawk U S #
___Common Poorwill C S #
___Whip-poor-will Ca T #
15
FLYCATCHERS & ALLIES
___Northern Beardleess-Tyrannulet U S #
___Olive-sided Flycatcher R T #
___Greater Pewee Ca T #
___Western Wood-Pewee C S #
___Willow Flycatcher R T #
___Least Flycatcher Ca T #
___Hammond's Flycatcher U W #
___Dusky Flycatcher U W #
___Gray Flycatcher U W #
___Pacific-Slope Flycatcher U T #
___Buff-breasted Flycatcher T * #
___Black Phoebe C P
___Eastern Phoebe R W #
___Say's Phoebe C P #
___Vermillion Flycatcher C S R W #
___Dusky-capped Flycatcher R S #
___Ash-throated Flycatcher C S #
___Brown-crested Flycatcher C S #
___Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher T * #
___Tropical Kingbird R S #
___Cassin's Kingbird C S #
___Thick-billed Kingbird R T #
___Western Kingbird C S #
___Eastern Kingbird Ca T #
___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Ca T #
16
SWIFTS
___Black Swift T * #
___Chimney Swift T * #
___Vaux's Swift U T #
___White-throated Swift U P #
17
HUMMINGBIRDS
___Broad-billed Hummingbird R T #
___Violet-crowned Hummingbird R T #
___Blue-throated Hummingbird Ca T #
___Magnificent Hummingbird Ca T #
___Plain-capped Starthroat T *
___Lucifer Hummingbird Ca T #
___Black-chinned Hummingbird C S #
___Anna's Hummingbird U P
___Costa's Hummingbird R S #
___Calliope Hummingbird R T #
___Broad-tailed Hummingbird U T #
___Rufous Hummingbird U T #
___Allen's Hummingbird Ca T #
18
TROGONS & KINGFISHERS
___Elegant Trogon T * #
___Belted Kingfisher U W #
___Green Kingfisher U P
___Rose-throated Becard T * #
19
LARKS & SWALLOWS
___Black-tailed Gnatcatcher U P
___Horned Lark U P #
___Eastern Bluebird I W
___Purple Martin R T #
___Western Bluebird I W #
___Tree Swallow C T #
___Mountain Bluebird I W #
___Violet-green Swallow C T #
___Townsend's Solitaire Ca W #
___Northern Rough-winged Swallow C S #
___Veery T * #
___Bank Swallow U T #
___Swainson's Thrush R W #
___Varied Thrush Ca T
___Cliff Swallow C S #
___Hermit Thrush U W #
___Barn Swallow C S #
___Rufous-backed Robin Ca W
___American Robin R W
20
JAYS, CROWS & RAVENS
___Steller's Jay I W
___Blue Jay T *
___Scrub Jay I W
___Mexican Jay Ca T
___Pinyon Jay I W
___American Crow I W
___Chihuahan Raven C P
___Common Raven C P
21
MOCKINGBIRDS & THRASHERS
___Gray Catbird Ca T #
___Northern Mockingbird C P
___Sage Thrasher R W #
___Clark's Nutcracker I W
___Brown Thrasher Ca T #
___Bendire's Thrasher R P #
___Curve-billed Thrasher C P
___Crissal Thrasher C P
22
TITMICE, BUSHTITS & WRENS
___Cactus Wren C P
___Rock Wren U P
___Canyon Wren U P
___Bewick's Wren C P
___House Wren U W #
___Winter Wren R W
___Marsh Wren U W #
23
PIPITS & WAXWINGS
___Bridled Titmouse U W
___American Pipit U W #
___Verdin C P
___Sprague's Pipit Ca W #
___Bushtit C P
___Bohemian Waxwing T *
___Red-breasted Nuthatch Ca T
___Cedar Waxwing U T #
___White-breasted Nuthatch C P
___Pygmy Nuthatch T *
24
SILKY FLYCATCHERS & SHRIKES
___Brown Creeper U W #
___Phainopepla U P
___Northern Shrike T *
___Loggerhead Shrike C P #
___European Starling C P
25
VIREOS
___White-eyed Vireo T * #
___Bell's Vireo C S #
___Gray Vireo U T #
___Solitary Vireo C T #
___"Plumbeous" Vireo C T #
___Yellow-throated Vireo T * #
___Hutton's Vireo U T #
___Warbling Vireo C T #
___Philadelphia Vireo T * #
___Yellow-green Vireo T *
26
GNATCATCHERS, KINGLETS & THRUSHES
___Golden-crowned Kinglet Ca W
___Ruby-crowned Kinglet C W #
___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U T #
___Yellow-breasted Chat C S #
27
TANAGERS
___Hepatic Tanager Ca T #
___Scarlet Tanager T * #
___Summer Tanager C S #
___Western Tanager C T #
28
WOOD WARBLERS
___Golden-winged Warbler T * #
___Tennessee Warbler Ca T #
___Orange-crowned Warbler C T #
___Nashville Warbler U T #
___Virginia's Warbler R T #
___Lucy's Warbler C S #
___Yellow Warbler C S #
___Chestnut-sided Warbler Ca T #
___Magnolia Warbler T * #
___Cape May Warbler T * #
___Black-throated Blue Warbler Ca T #
___Yellow-rumped Warbler U W #
___Black-throated Gray Warbler U T #
___Townsend's Warbler U T #
___Hermit Warbler R T #
___Black-throated Green Warbler Ca T #
___Blackburnian Warbler T * #
___Yellow-throated Warbler T * #
___Grace's Warbler T * #
___Pine Warbler T * #
___Palm Warbler T * #
___Black-and-White Warbler R T #
___Prothonotary Warbler Ca T #
___Worm-eating Warbler T * #
___Kentucky Warbler T * #
___Hooded Warbler Ca T #
___Mourning Warbler T * #
___Wilson's Warbler C T #
___MacGillivray's Warbler U T #
___Red-faced Warbler T * #
29
GROSBEAKS & ALLIES
___Northern Cardinal U P
___Pyrrhuloxia C P
___Northern Parula Ca T #
___Yellow Grosbeak T *
___Rose-breasted Grosbeak Ca T #
___Black-headed Grosbeak C T #
___Blue Grosbeak C S #
___Lazuli Bunting C T R S #
___Indigo Bunting R S #
___Varied Bunting R S #
___Painted Bunting R T #
___Dickcissel Ca T #
___Green-tailed Towhee C W #
___Spotted Towhee R W
___Canyon Towhee C P
___Abert's Towhee C P
___Botteri's Sparrow C S #
___Cassin's Sparrow C S #
___Rufous-winged Sparrow Ca T
___Rufous-crowned Sparrow U P
___American Redstart R T #
___Chipping Sparrow C W #
___Clay-colored Sparrow Ca T #
___Brewer's Sparrow C W #
___Ovenbird Ca T #
___Black-chinned Sparrow R T #
___Northern Waterthrush R T #
___Vesper Sparrow C W #
___Lark Sparrow U W #
___Black-throated Sparrow C P
___Sage Sparrow R W #
___Common Yellowthroat C S R W #
___Lark Bunting U W #
___Savannah Sparrow U W #
___Baird's Sparrow R W #
___Grasshopper Sparrow R W #
___Painted Redstart R T #
___Fox Sparrow Ca W
___Song Sparrow C P
___Lincoln's Sparrow C W #
___Swamp Sparrow R W
___White-throated Sparrow R W
___Golden-crowned Sparrow Ca W
___White-crowned Sparrow C W #
___Harris' Sparrow Ca W
___Dark-eyed Junco U W
___Yellow-eyed Junco T *
___McCown's Longspur Ca T
___Chestnut-collared Longspur R W #
30
BLACKBIRDS & ALLIES
___Bobolink Ca T #
___Red-winged Blackbird C P #
___Eastern Meadowlark C P
___Western Meadowlark U W
___Yellow-headed Blackbird C W #
___Rusty Blackbird Ca T #
___Brewer's Blackbird C W #
___Great-tailed Grackle C P
___Common Grackle T *
___Bronzed Cowbird R P #
___Brown-headed Cowbird C P #
___Orchard Oriole Ca T #
___Hooded Oriole U S #
___Baltimore Oriole T * #
___Bullock's Oriole C S #
___Scott's Oriole U S #
31
FINCHES & ALLIES
___Purple Finch Ca W
___Cassin's Finch Ca W #
___House Finch C P
___Red Crossbill Ca T
___Pine Siskin U W #
___Lesser Goldfinch C P
___Lawrence's Goldfinch I W
___American Goldfinch R W
___House Sparrow C P