Bird Watcher List

The Botanic Garden is a haven for birds with more than 36 acres of cultivated gardens, natural habitats, perennial ponds and diverse food sources. Situated along the Rio Grande, the location serves as an extension to natural Bosque habitat. Birds forage, roost and nest along quiet pathways, which makes this a great place for birding year-round.

Ducks, Geese & Swans (Anatidae)

• Cackling Goose, Branta hutchinsii
• Canada Goose, Branta canadensis
• Snow Goose, Chen caerulescens
• Wood Duck, Aix sponsa
• Gadwall, Anas strepera
• American Wigeon, Anas americana
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
• Cinnamon Teal, Anas cyanoptera
• Northern Shoveler, Anas clypeata
• Northern Pintail, Anas acuta
• Canvasback, Aythya valisineria

• Redhead, Aythya americana
• Ring-necked Duck, Aythya collaris
• Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola
• Hooded Merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus
• Red-breasted Merganser, Mergus serrator

New World Quail (Odontophoridae)

• Scaled Quail, Callipepla squamata
• Gambel’s Quail, Callipepla gambelii

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys & Old World Quail (Phasianidae)

• Ring-necked Pheasant, Phasianus colchicus

Grebes (Podicipedidae)

• Pied-billed Grebe, Podilymbus podiceps

Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)

• Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus
• Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus

Bitterns, Herons & Egrets (Ardeidae)

• Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias
• Great Egret, Ardea alba
• Snowy Egret, Egretta thula
• Cattle Egret, Bubulcus ibis
• Green Heron, Butorides virescens
• Black-crowned Night-Heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

Ibises & Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)

• White-faced Ibis, Plegadis chihi

New World Vultures (Cathartidae)

• Turkey Vulture, Cathartes aura

Ospreys (Pandionidae)

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, Kites, Eagles & Allies (Accipitridae)

• Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
• Swainson's Hawk, Buteo swainsoni
• Northern Goshawk, Accipiter gentilis
• Coopers Hawk, Accipiter cooperii
• Sharp-shinned Hawk, Accipiter striatus
• Bald Eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Northern Harrier, Circus cyaneus

Caracas & Falcons (Falconidae)

• American Kestrel, Falco sparverius

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae)

• American Coot, Fulica americana

Cranes (Gruidae)

• Sandhill Crane, Grus canadensis

Lapwings & Plovers (Charadriidae)

• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus

Sandpipers, Phalaropes & Allies (Scolopacidae)

• Spotted Sandpiper, Actitis macularius
• Solitary Sandpiper, Tringa solitaria
• Common Snipe, Gallinago gallinago
• Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers (Laridae)

• Franklin's Gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan
• Ring-billed Gull, Larus delawarensis
• Herring Gull, Larus argentatus
• Black Tern, Childonias niger

Pigeons & Doves (Columbidae)

• Rock Pigeon, Columba livia
• White-winged Dove, Zenaida asiatica
• Eurasian Collared-Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
• Mourning Dove, Zenaida macroura

Cuckoos, Roadrunners & Anis (Cuculidae)

• Greater Roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus

Typical Owls (Strigidae)

• Great Horned Owl, Bubo virginianus
• Western Screech Owl, Megascops kennicottii

Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidae)

• Common Nighthawk, Chordeiles minor

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

• Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus
• Calliope Hummingbird, Stellula calliope
• Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
• Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri

Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)

• Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers & Allies (Picidae)

• Northern Flicker, Colaptes auratus
• Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Picoides scalaris
• Downy Woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
• Hairy Woodpecker, Picoides villosus
• Williamson's Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus thyroideus
• Red-naped Sapsucker, Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

• Western Wood-Pewee, Contopus sordidulus
• Willow Flycatcher, Empidonax traillii
• Black Phoebe, Sayornis nigricans
• Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya
• Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens
• Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis

Vireos (Vireonidae)

• Warbling Vireo, Vireo gilvus

Jays, Crows, Magpies & Ravens (Corvidae)

• Blue Jay, Cyanocitta cristata
• Western Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica
• American Crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Chihuahuan Raven, Corvus cryptoleucus
• Common Raven, Corvus corax

Swallows & Allies (Hirundinidae)

• Barn Swallow, Hirundo rustica
• Violet-green Swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
• Tree Swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis
• Cliff Swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Chickadees & Titmice (Paridae)

• Mountain Chickadee, Poecile gambeli
• Black-capped Chickadee, Poecile atricapillus

Bushtits (Aegithalidae)

• Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus

Nuthatches (Sittidae)

• Red-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
• White-breasted Nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis

Creepers (Certhiidae)

• Brown Creeper, Certhia americana

Wrens (Troglodytidae)

• Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii
• House Wren, Troglodytes aedon

Gnatcatchers & Gnatwrens (Polioptilidae)

• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea

Dippers (Cinclidae)

• American Dipper, Cinclus mexicanus

Kinglets (Regulidae)

• Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Regulus calendula

Thrushes (Turdidae)

• American Robin, Turdus migratorius
• Hermit Thrush, Catharus guttatus
• Eastern Bluebird, Sialia sialis
• Western Bluebird, Sialia mexicana

Mockingbirds & Thrashers (Mimidae)

• Northern Mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos
• Sage Thrasher, Oreoscoptes montanus
• Curve-Billed Thrasher, Toxostoma curvirostre

Starlings & Mynas (Sturnidae)

• European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris

Waxwings (Bombycillidae)

• Cedar Waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Wood-warblers (Parulidae)

• Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla
• Northern Waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis
• Prothonotary Warbler, Protonotaria citrea
• Orange-Crowned Warbler, Orethlypis celata
• Virginia's Warbler, Orethlypis virginiae
• Yellow Warbler, Seophaga petechia
• Yellow-rumped Warbler, Seophaga coronata
• Black-throated Gray Warbler, Setophaga nigrscens
• Common Yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
• MacGillivray's Warbler, Geothlypis tolmiei
• Wilson's Warbler, Cardellina pusilla

Emberizids (Emberizidae)

• Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus
• Canyon Towhee, Pipilo fuscus
• Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus
• Brewer's Sparrow, Spizella brewire
• Lark Sparrow, Chondestes grammacus
• Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis "Oregon" form "Slate-colored" form "Gray-headed" form "Pink-sided" form
• White-Throated Sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
• White-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
• Chipping Sparrow, Spizella passerina
• Song Sparrow, Melospiza melodia
• Lincoln’s Sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii
• Fox Sparrow, Passerella iliaca

Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers & Allies (Cardinalidae)

• Summer Tanager, Piranga rubra
• Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
• Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus
• Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena
• Blue Grosbeak, Passerina caerulea
• Indigo Bunting, Passerina cyanea
• Dickcissel, Spiza americana

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles & Orioles (Icteridae)

• Red-winged Blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
• Yellow-headed Blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
• Great-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus mexicanus
• Common Grackle, Quiscalus quiscula
• Brown-headed Cowbird, Molothrus ater
• Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii

Fringilline & Cardueline Finches and Allies (Fringillidae)

• House Finch, Carpodacus mexicanus
• American Goldfinch, Carduelis tristis
• Lesser Goldfinch, Carduelis psaltria
• Pine Siskin, Carduelis pinus
• Evening Grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus

Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)

• House Sparrow, Passer domesticus