Birds We've Seen

Please click on the link Nerdy Birders Life List in order to review all of the birds from our joint life list. Below is some information on recent birds we have seen.

Greater Roadrunner (bird #126)

The comical-looking Roadrunner -- or "Chaparral Cock," as it is called by cowboys -- would rather run than fly. Twisting and turning in and out of cactus thickets, it can easily outdistance a human. The bird jerks its tail from side to side or up and down; it also elevates its bushy crest when excited. It eats a variety of animal foods, including small snakes, lizards, mice, scorpions, and insects.

Information and picture was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Phainopepla (bird #125)

The Phainopepla is the northernmost of a group of tropical birds that feed on mistletoe. In the Southwest the berries are seasonal, so it supplements them with insects, which it takes from the air in long sallies, like a typical flycatcher.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Gilded Flicker (bird #124)

The Gilded Flicker was until recently considered a subspecies of the widespread Northern Flicker. The ice ages separated the ancestral flickers, keeping them scattered in several refugia for thousands of years. Today those barriers are gone. The Gilded has become adapted to the desert, whereas the two northern populations inhabit woodland habitat, with only the treeless Great Plains keeping them somewhat apart. All three forms interbreed where their ranges come together, and numerous confusing intermediates can be found.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Cactus Wren

Cactus Wrens forage for food very methodically, searching under leaves and other ground litter. It is easy to spot an area inhabited by Cactus Wrens because, like other members of the family, they build many "dummy" nests, which are never used for breeding but serve as roosting places. These nests are usually so well guarded by sharp spines that it is difficult to understand how the birds can use them without being impaled. They are late sleepers and an early bird-watcher may surprise them still dozing in the snug nest. Although their grating song is hardly musical, it is a most evocative sound for those who love the desert.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Curve-billed Thrasher (bird #123)

The most characteristic dawn sound in the Texas brush country-or indeed wherever this bird occurs-is its sharp call, which sounds much like a human whistling to attract attention. Like the Cactus Wren, it builds nests that are conspicuous but hard to reach because they are placed in the center of dense, thorny desert vegetation. The Curve-billed Thrasher forages on the ground, tossing aside litter in search of insects with its prominently down-curved bill.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Pyrrhuloxia (bird #122)

Pyrrhuloxias feed on seeds and insects and benefit cotton fields by destroying great numbers of cotton worms and weevils. Partial to mesquite thickets, these birds use their strong bills to crush the mesquite beans. Although shy and difficult to detect in their dense habitat, they respond to squeaking noises made by an observer. When an observer approaches, a pair will fly up to a high watch post, erect their crests, and sound a loud alarm. The name Pyrrhuloxia comes from Latin and Greek words meaning "bullfinch with a crooked bill." Also called the "Gray Cardinal," the Pyrrhuloxia is similar to the Northern Cardinal in most respects except that it is often found in flocks after the breeding season.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Anna’s Hummingbird (bird #121)

Anna's and other hummingbirds vigorously defend their feeding territories which, although often as small as a few clumps of fuchsias, provide adequate nectar and small nectar-feeding insects. From July to late fall, however, transient and juvenile birds disregard territorial claims, and competition at feeders increases greatly.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Neotropic Cormorant (bird #120)

Primarily a tropical species, the Neotropic Cormorant is most likely to be seen along the Gulf Coast, where it is the smallest of the three cormorants in the East, but a few individuals live near Elephant Butte, on the Rio Grande in New Mexico. It often perches on telephone wires, where it can be seen spreading its wings to dry. When alarmed, it is more apt to escape by flying than by diving, as its larger relatives do. These birds sometimes engage in communal fishing, lining up across a stream and moving forward with flailing wings to drive fish into shallow water.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Rufous-winged Sparrow (bird #119)

An important habitat requirement for this very restricted species seems to be tall sacaton grass. Its range was formerly more widespread in Arizona, but areas heavily grazed by cattle have seriously reduced its habitat and it has all but disappeared. It lives in small, scattered populations in isolated areas, and expert guidance is necessary to locate it.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Lesser Scaup (bird #118)

Both the Lesser and Greater scaup are popularly called "Bluebills." Confined to the New World, the Lesser Scaup is thought to be descended from an earlier invasion of North America by the ancestor of both modern species of scaup. Here it evolved into a distinct species, to be joined later by a second arrival, the Greater Scaup, found in both hemispheres. In the northern states, where the Greater Scaup is more common in winter, the Lesser is often found in small parties on fresh water, while in the South it is seen in large flocks on lakes and salt water.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Ruddy Duck (bird #117)

This duck is one of the most aquatic members of the family and like a grebe can sink slowly out of sight. Although it can avoid danger by diving or by hiding in marsh vegetation, it is a strong flier and undertakes long migrations to and from its nesting places. Largely vegetarian, it favors pondweed and the seeds of other aquatic plants, but also consumes large numbers of midge larvae during the breeding season.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Bridled Titmouse (bird #116)
The range of the Bridled Titmouse overlaps that of the Mountain Chickadee, but the unique face pattern and crest distinguish this species. It accepts nesting holes made or used by other species and even settles in breeding boxes.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Northern Shoveler (bird #115)

The Northern Shoveler, related to the Blue-winged and Cinnamon teal, favors broad, shallow marshes where it can use the comb-like teeth along the edges of its large bill to strain aquatic animals, plants, and seeds from the water. Like the two teal, male shovelers wear eclipse plumage until February, much later than ducks whose courtship begins in the fall. Though less numerous than in ancient times, the Northern Shoveler and other marsh ducks have lately become relatively abundant because game departments and private organizations in Canada, the United States, and Mexico have purchased wetland habitat to ensure their survival.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Black Phoebe (bird #114)

Black Phoebes are territorial and solitary nesters, often remaining year-round in an established territory. The wanderers found in atypical winter habitats (chaparral or grassland) are thought to be first-year, nonbreeding birds.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Vermilion Flycatcher (bird #113)

This species is unusual among flycatchers in that the sexes are differently colored. In southern Texas, it is conspicuous and tame, often nesting near houses and farmyards. The bright colors of the male have earned it the Mexican name brasita de fuego, "little coal of fire." Despite its brilliant color, the Vermilion Flycatcher is hard to detect in cottonwoods, willows, or mesquite, since it hunts from the highest canopy and generally remains well concealed. In sparsely vegetated areas, however, it may descend to the ground after insect prey. The male defends his territory with a prominent aerial display; he flies up singing, his red underparts and cap contrasting with the blue sky. When trying to attract a female he sings even at night.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Gadwall (bird #112)

This species has the widest range of any duck, breeding almost throughout the North Temperate Zone and is abundant in winter in southern marshes. Often considered drab, the male Gadwall is a handsome duck clad in soft pastel grays and tans. This species is one of the dabbling ducks; it feeds by tipping forward so that the tail sticks up as it reaches for plants on the bottom.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

American Coot (bird #111)

Coots are the most aquatic members of their family, moving on open water like ducks and often feeding with them. Coots feed in many ways: by diving to the bottom, dabbling at the surface, grazing on land near shore, and stealing food from other diving birds. They are expert swimmers, propelled by wide lobes on their toes, but they are also heavy birds that must patter over the water before becoming airborne.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Bewick’s Wren (bird #110)

Bewick's Wren uses its long, narrow, slightly down-curved bill for scavenging on the ground and picking in crevices for insects and spiders. Searching for food, it may venture into hollow trunks, rock crevices, or barns. Bewick's Wren was named by Audubon for Thomas Bewick (1753-1828), the English naturalist and engraver. Although this species resembles the somewhat larger Carolina Wren, it has an entirely different song and, at close range, shows white in the outer tail feathers. Eastern populations dropped drastically,possibly do to the expansion of House Wrens which remove eggs, starting early in the 20th century, and now it is nearly restricted to the West.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Lesser Goldfinch (bird #109)

Lesser Goldfinches feed on dandelion seeds and raise their young on soft unripe seeds. They adjust the time and place of their breeding to the presence of this staple food. Their Old World cousins, the Siskins, goldfinches, serins, and canaries, have been kept as cage birds for centuries, the males singing incessantly all year except during the molt period.


Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Pine Siskin (bird #108)

Siskins, redpolls, and goldfinches are a closely related group of seed specialists. All have short, conical beaks; short, slightly forked tails; bright wing markings; and "nervous" behavior. They feed in flocks, which, after breeding, may contain hundreds of birds. They are all acrobats, often hanging upside down, like titmice and chickadees, plucking seeds from hanging seedpods and cones. The Pine Siskin's winter visits to the United States occur mainly in years when the seed crop has failed in the boreal forests. In some years large flocks may appear as far south as Florida. Their principal foods are the seeds of hemlocks, alders, birches, and cedars. Like most northern finches, they are also fond of salt, and can be found along highways that have been salted to melt snow.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Yellow-rumped Warbler (bird #107)

Until recently, the eastern and western populations of the Yellow-rumped Warbler were thought to be two distinct species, respectively the "Myrtle Warbler" and "Audubon's Warbler." However, it has been found that in the narrow zone where the ranges of the two come together, the birds hybridize freely. In the East, the "Myrtle Warbler" is an abundant migrant, and the only warbler that regularly spends the winter in the northern states. Yellow-rumped Warblers are vivid and conspicuous birds that search for food both high and low in Douglas firs or pines. They most often sing from the high canopy of trees. During winter they disperse in loose flocks, and usually two or three birds at most are observed at a time. The birds constantly chirp a "contact call" that keeps the flock together.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Gambel’s Quail (bird #106)

These desert-dwelling quail are attracted to water and gather in large numbers, often representing several coveys, to drink at stock tanks maintained for cattle. The ringing call of the male, heard even in the heat of day, is one of the characteristic sounds of the desert Southwest.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Violet-crowned Hummingbird (bird #105)

Although rare in its very limited range in southeastern Arizona, the Violet-crowned Hummingbird is common in Mexico. It is a conspicuous bird and behaves aggressively toward other hummers.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Broad-billed Hummingbird (bird #104)

The Broad-billed Hummingbird is said to be quieter and less active than most hummers, often sitting on a high perch for long periods. However, its flight is more irregular and jerky than that of others in the same habitat.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Verdin (bird #103)

These tiny desert birds, rarely seen drinking, are thought to obtain moisture from insects, seeds, and berries. A Verdin's nest is a globular mass of thorny twigs lined with feathers or soft grass. The thorny protection around most nests probably discourages predators and the insulation protects the eggs and young from the intense heat. The small clutch size may be an adaptation to assure sufficient food in an area of climatic extremes.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Black Throated Sparrow (bird #102)

This handsome sparrow of the arid Southwest is well named. Its old name, "Desert Sparrow," is also apt, for despite its vivid markings, it is often difficult to detect among the rocks and scrub, especially when not moving about. However, it may be observed when it mounts a bush or rock to sing its pleasant song. The Black-throated Sparrow is well adapted to the extremes of its habitat. Studies have shown that it has a great tolerance for heat and drought. During the hot months of late summer and early fall it maintains itself on dry seeds and drinks regularly at water holes. After the rains, these sparrows scatter into small flocks and feed on vegetation and insects, from which they derive all the moisture they need. They raise their young in the dry upland desert.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Gila Woodpecker (bird #101)

The Gila Woodpecker is a characteristic bird of the Sonoran Desert. Like the Elf Owl and the "Gilded Flicker," it nests in holes in giant saguaro cacti.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Bronzed Cowbird (bird #100)

During courtship both sexes, but especially males, erect their neck feathers into a ruff. The males bow and jump up and down, whistling unmusical squeaky calls. Like their close relatives the Brown-headed Cowbirds, these birds follow livestock, especially cattle, snapping up insects flushed from the grass. They alight on the backs and necks of livestock to feed on ticks. Cowbirds also feed extensively on seeds and grain. During the colder months these birds form enormous flocks and move around the countryside with other species of blackbirds.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Great-tailed Grackle (bird #99)

Where Great-tailed and Boat-tailed grackles occur together, the Great-tailed tends to avoid salt marshes, the chief habitat of the Boat-tailed. Occasionally, however, the two may nest very near one another, and on rare occasions the species have been known to hybridize. The Great-tail seems to be extending its range eastward but has not yet reached Florida. Like magpies, these noisy, opportunistic birds feed on a great variety of food: fruits, grain, insects, garbage, and offal. They are usually bold but become cautious and wary when in danger. The polygamous male is more cunning and shyer than the female; he often remains safe in a treetop until all his females are feeding on the ground. He will then join them.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Eurasian Collard-Dove (bird #98)

Originally a Mideastern species, the Eurasian Collared-Dove has extended its range dramatically into western Europe since about 1930. It was inadvertently released in the Bahamas in the 1970s then spread to South Florida, probably by natural means, in the late 1970s or early 1980s. Florida birds were initially mistaken for feral populations of Ringed Turtle-Dove (S. risora), a domestic cage bird with no natural populations anywhere in the world. This mistake was soon corrected, and the species was officially recognized in the U.S. in the 1990s. It is expanding its presence rapidly north and west, having already reached Georgia, Louisiana and Arkansas; based on European experience, likely to become the "beige Starling" of U.S. avifauna.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Red-naped Sapsucker (bird #97)

The Red-naped Sapsucker is the common member of the sapsucker group in the Rocky Mountains. It interbreeds with the Yellow-bellied at the eastern edge of its breeding range and with the Red-breasted to the West. The resulting hybrids can be difficult to identify. All three birds were formerly considered a single species.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Mountain Chickadee (bird #96)

A constantly moving insect-gleaner of the mountain forest, the Mountain Chickadee frequently descends into the lowlands in winter. In November an occasional flock can be found near sea level in desert oases containing planted conifers, while other flocks forage at 8,500 feet (2,600 meters) in the subalpine forests of nearby mountains.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Western Scrub-Jay (bird #95)

Like all jays, this species may be secretive and silent around its nest or while perching in a treetop in early morning but is frequently noisy and conspicuous. Scrub jays often eat the eggs or young of other birds, but in summer they are mainly insectivorous. These birds also eat acorns and have been described as "uphill planters," counter-balancing the tendency of acorns to bounce or roll downhill. The jays bury many more acorns than they consume and help regenerate oak forests that have been destroyed by fire or drought.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Acorn Woodpecker (bird #94)

This well-named woodpecker harvests acorns and, in agricultural or suburban areas, almonds and walnuts as well. In autumn the birds store their crop of nuts tightly in individual holes so that no squirrel can pry them out. The storage trees are usually mature or dead pines or Douglas firs with thick, soft bark, but dead oak branches and fence posts are also used. The holes made by a colony are used year after year. Acorns seem to be emergency provisions; on mild winter days these birds catch flying insects.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Steller’s Jay (bird #93)

Somewhat more reticent than the Gray Jay, Steller's nevertheless quickly becomes accustomed to campsites and human providers. It is often seen sitting quietly in treetops, surveying the surroundings. Near its nest site, it is silent and shy.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Chipping Sparrow (bird #92)

The Chipping Sparrow's habit of lining its nest with hair has earned it the name "Hairbird." Formerly, it utilized horsehair, but with the decline in the use of horses it takes any hair available and will even pluck strands from the coat of a sleeping dog. Originally inhabitants of natural clearings and brushy forest borders, these sparrows are now found in gardens and suburban areas and have become familiar songbirds. During most of the year they feed on the ground, but in the breeding season males always sing from an elevated perch. Their food consists mainly of seeds, but in summer the adults and the young feed on insects.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Say’s Phoebe (bird #91)

Although primarily insect eaters (as are all flycatchers), Say's Phoebes will eat other foods, such as berries, during long spells of cold, inclement weather, when insects are unavailable, or during migration.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Cassin’s Vireo (bird #90)

5-6" (13-15 cm). Very similar to both Blue-headed and Plumbeous Vireos, with plumage roughly intermediate between the two. Duller and grayer overall than Blue-headed but shares that species' yellow sides and flanks, olive back, white wingbars, and bold white "spectacles."

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

Broad-tailed Hummingbird (bird #89)

4-4 1/2" (10-11 cm). Male metallic green, with rose-red gorget; green crown; broad tail with little rufous. Female similar to female Rufous and Allen's Hummingbirds, but has green central tail feathers; outer tail feathers are rust-colored at base, black in middle, and white on outer tips.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 

American Wigeon (bird #88)

The American Wigeon, or "Baldpate," is a wary bird, taking flight the instant it is disturbed. Flocks rise straight up from the surface of the water, uttering their whistling calls. They are often seen on marshy ponds in the company of diving birds such as coots, Redheads, and Canvasbacks. Wigeons wait at the surface while the other birds dive, then snatch the food away when the birds reappear. They also visit grain fields and meadows to graze like geese on tender shoots. Unlike many dabbling ducks, these birds often spend the night on large open bays, sleeping in rafts well out from shore.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Red-breasted Merganser (bird #89)

The Red-breasted Merganser breeds farther north than its relatives and is also the most common winter merganser on salt water, especially where rocky coves provide good fishing. Like the other two species, it lives mainly on fish, which it captures in swift underwater dives, aided by its long pointed bill lined with sharp, tooth-like projections. Often found searching for food alone, these birds also gather in large flocks where fish are abundant.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Northern Shrike (bird #86)

The Northern Shrike sits quietly, often in the top of a tree, before swooping down after insects, mice, and small birds. It kills more than it can eat, impaling the prey on a thorn or wedging it in a forked twig. On lean days it feeds from its larder. Like other northern birds that depend on rodent populations, the Northern Shrike's movements are cyclical, becoming more abundant in the United States when northern rodent populations are low. Sometimes they hunt from an open perch, where they sit motionless until prey appears; at other times, they hover in the air, ready to pounce on anything that moves.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).

Red Shouldered Hawk (bird #85)

The Red-shouldered Hawk prefers lowlands, especially swampy woods and bogs. There it hunts by watching quietly from a low perch, dropping down to capture snakes and frogs. It also eats insects and small mammals. Normally shy, these birds become tame if they are not persecuted and in some places may nest in suburban areas. During courtship a pair can be quite noisy, wheeling in the sky above their nesting territory and uttering their distinctive whistled scream.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).

Rough Legged Hawk (bird #84)

This large hawk often hovers above its prey like a kestrel. Lemmings, other rodents, and birds are its main sources of food during the breeding season. The number of eggs laid by the Rough-leg, like the Snowy Owl, depends on the food supply, with larger clutches occurring in years when lemmings are abundant. At a distance this hawk can be identified by its habit of hovering and by the way it perches: balancing precariously on the most slender twigs at the top of a tree. On the wintering grounds, where it takes larger rodents and upland birds, it can be strikingly tame, probably because it encounters few humans in the Far North.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).

Ring-necked Duck (bird #83)
This species might better be called the "Ring-billed Duck," for its chestnut neck ring is usually seen only at close range, while the white ring on the bill can be a prominent field mark. More partial to acid ponds and lakes in wooded regions than other diving ducks, it eats the seeds of aquatic plants as well as snails and insects. Because it never gathers in large flocks it has not been hunted extensively like some of its relatives. A fast flier, the Ring-neck undertakes longer migrations than most other diving ducks.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Greater Scuap (bird #82)
The Greater Scaup is the more common of the two scaup in the northern United States, where it is usually seen in large rafts, often composed of thousands of birds, on large lakes or coastal bays. Although the two scaup can be difficult to tell apart, any very large flock of scaup on the northeast coast in winter may be assumed to be the Greater. Because it dives for mollusks and other animals and is not as much of a vegetarian as the Redhead or the Canvasback, the Greater Scaup is not considered as choice a game bird, although it is still shot in large numbers annually.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 


Canvasback (bird #81)
Inhabitants of large prairie marshes during the summer, these wary birds usually spend the winter on large lakes, bays, and estuaries. A major item in their diet is wild celery, which gives their flesh a rich taste; they are generally regarded as the best-tasting of North American waterfowl. In recent years their numbers have declined drastically, chiefly because of the draining of the large marshes they require to breed. Where they are still relatively numerous, their long, V-shaped flocks are a striking sight as they move from one feeding ground to another.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Redhead Duck (bird #80)
Redheads do most of their feeding at night, spending the daylight hours resting on water. Formerly more abundant, this diving duck has declined greatly because of the twin pressures of hunting and habitat destruction. In many areas the introduction of carp from Eurasia has caused the destruction of its aquatic food plants. There are now said to be about 600,000 Redheads left in North America.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Horned Lark (bird #79)
The Horned Lark, which walks or runs instead of hopping, moves in an erratic pattern when feeding. On its breeding territory and when in flocks during winter, it feeds on seeds and ground insects. The only true lark native to the New World, this is one of our earliest nesting birds. Even in the northern states, nests may be found in February, when the first set of eggs is often destroyed by severe snowstorms. As many as three broods are raised each year. This bird is philopatric, or faithful to its birthplace, where it returns after every migration. Consequently, each local population adapts to the color of its habitat; 15 distinct subspecies have been described in the West.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).


Song Sparrow (bird #78)
The Song Sparrow is one of the most widespread, diverse, and geographically variable of North American birds. The 34 recognized subspecies range from very large, dark-colored, large-billed birds on the rocky beaches of the humid Aleutian Islands to small, sandy, short-billed birds in scrub desert areas in the lower Colorado River valley. Other subspecies are found in coastal salt marshes, freshwater marshes, humid coastal belts, and dry, sagebrush-covered regions.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015). 


Greater Black-backed Gull (bird #77)
The Black-backed is the largest gull in North America measuring upwards of 30". It has a black back and wings while the rest of the plumage is white. The bill is yellow and their legs are pinkish. These gulls will normally be accompanied by the more common Herring Gull. It will pray on almost anything including small ducks, petrels, fish, shellfish, along with the eggs of other gulls.

Information was obtained through Nature Share (2015).