Birds of the Gila National Forest: A Checklist United States PREPARED BY Southwestern Department of Forest Region Agriculture Service PRODUCED IN COOPERATION WITH Dale A. Zimmerman, Ph.D. Southwest New Mexico Audubon Society Using the Checklist The first column after the species name is an indication of the bird’s abundance. Bear in mind, however, that many species are locally distributed and do not range throughout the Gila National Forest which embraces a highly diverse range of elevations and habitats (see below). Thus, the expressions of abundance are to be viewed as general indications, and of course only for the habitat(s) favored by the species in question. Abundance also varies seasonally, and often from year-to-year as well. Additionally, actual abundance is often distinct from detectability. Some species may be common but secretive and only rarely seen. Others may be numerically sparse, yet highly vocal or otherwise conspicuous. The following designations relate to abundance, not necessarily to frequency of detection. An asterisk (*) following a species name indicates breeding on the Gila National Forest. A - Abundant C - Common F - Fairly Common U - Uncommon R - Rare The second column reflects seasonal status, showing the time of year when the species normally appears in the checklist area: P - Permanent Resident (present year-round) S - Summer Resident (present from spring until fall migration) or Summer Visitor (not known to breed on the Gila) W - Winter Resident (typically from October through March) T - Transient (present as a migrant in spring and/or fall) V - Visitant (present at various seasons, often irregularly) The remaining columns indicate the usual habitat(s) of each species. On the forest, vegetation types range from spruce/fir forest high in the Mogollon Mountains to desert scrub and remnant grassland in the lower Burro Mountains. Small expanses of grassland are scattered in the higher ranges. Generally, ponderosa pine is the dominant species at elevations between 6,000 and 7,000 feet. Somewhat higher, and in many canyons, is a mixed conifer forest typically dominated by Douglas-fir, often with Gambel’s oak. Woodlands of piñon pine, juniper and oak, in varying combinations, are present on drier sites throughout the forest. Riparian areas support rich deciduous or coniferous woodland and, locally, small areas of marsh or other open habitats. This great ecological diversity provides for a remarkably varied bird fauna. This checklist includes 166 species known to breed on the Gila, 114 others that are more or less regular non- breeders, and 57 species considered to be casual (recorded 3- 5 times) or accidental (recorded but once or twice). Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian Loons __ Common Loon RT • Grebes __ Eared Grebe FS • CT • __ Western Grebe FT • __ Clark’s Grebe UT • __ Pied-billed Grebe* CW • CP • Cormorants __ Double-crested Cormorant UT • • __ Neotropic Cormorant RT •• Herons and Ibises __ American Bittern RT • __ Least Bittern RT • __ Great Blue Heron* FP •• __ Great Egret RT •• __ Snowy Egret UT • • __ Green Heron RS •• __ Black-crowned Night Heron US • • __ White-faced Ibis UT • Vultures __ Turkey Vulture CS••••• •• • Swans, Geese, and Ducks __ Snow Goose UT • __ Ross’s Goose RT • __ Canada Goose FW • __ Tundra Swan RT • __ Wood Duck RW • __ Gadwall FW • __ American Wigeon FT • __ Mallard* CP • __ Blue-winged Teal* RS • UT • Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ Cinnamon Teal* FS • FT • __ Northern Shoveler FT • __ Northern Pintail FW • __ Green-winged Teal* US • • CT • __ Canvasback UT • __ Redhead US • UT • __ Ring-necked Duck US • FT • __ Greater Scaup RT • __ Lesser Scaup CW • __ Bufflehead FT • __ Common Goldeneye UT • __ Hooded Merganser RT •• __ Common Merganser* FP •• __ Red-breasted Merganser RT • __ Ruddy Duck* US • Hawks, Eagles, and Falcons __ Osprey* RS •• UT • • __ Bald Eagle RS •••• • UW • ••• • __ Northern Harrier RS UW• • •• •• • __ Sharp-shinned Hawk* UP •••• • •• __ Cooper’s Hawk* FP••••• • __ Northern Goshawk* RP •••• • • __ Common Black Hawk* FS •• __ Swainson’s Hawk* FS•••• __ Zone-tailed Hawk* US •••• • UT •••• __ Red-tailed Hawk* CP••••• • • __ Ferruginous Hawk UT• • • UW• • • __ Rough-legged Hawk RW • __ Golden Eagle* UP••••• • __ American Kestrel* FS••••• • • CT••••• * • FW••••• • • • Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ Merlin UT• • • UW• __ Prairie Falcon* UP••••• __ Peregrine Falcon* RS••••• • • RT••••• • • Grouse and Relatives __ Ring-necked Pheasant* UP • __ Blue Grouse* UP • __ Wild Turkey* FP •• • Quail __ Montezuma Quail* UP • __ Scaled Quail* UP• __ Gambel’s Quail* CP ••• • Rails, Coots and Cranes __ Virginia Rail* US • __ Sora* US • __ Common Moorhen RT • __ American Coot* CP • __ Sandhill Crane UW • • Plovers __ Black-bellied Plover RT • __ Semipalmated Plover RT • __ Killdeer* FP • Avocets and Stilts __ Black-necked Stilt RT • __ American Avocet RT • Snipes and Sandpipers __ Greater Yellowlegs UT • __ Lesser Yellowlegs UT • __ Solitary Sandpiper RT • __ Willet RT • __ Spotted Sandpiper* FT • RS • RW • __ Long-billed Curlew RT • Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ Marbled Godwit RT • __ Western Sandpiper FT • __ Least Sandpiper FT • __ Baird’s Sandpiper UT • __ Pectoral Sandpiper RT • __ Long-billed Dowitcher UT • __ Common Snipe FT • __ Wilson’s Phalarope UT • __ Red-necked Sandpiper RT • Gulls and Terns __ Franklin’s Gull RT •• __ Bonaparte’s Gull RT •• __ Ring-billed Gull UT • • __ California Gull RT •• __ Forster’s Tern UT • __ Black Tern RT • Pigeons and Doves __ Rock Dove* UP •• __ Band-tailed Pigeon* FS •••• •• __ White-winged Dove* US •••• • __ Mourning Dove* CP •••• • • __ Inca Dove RV • • __ Common Ground Dove WR • • Cuckoos and Roadrunners __ Yellow-billed Cuckoo* US • __ Greater Roadrunner* UP•••• • • Owls __ Barn Owl* UP••••• • __ Flammulated Owl* FS •• __ Western Screech Owl* UP •••• • __ Great Horned Owl* FP••••• • • __ Northern Pygmy Owl* UP ••• __ Elf Owl* RS •••• • __ Burrowing Owl* RS• • __ Spotted Owl* UP • •• • __ Long-eared Owl* RS• •• •• UW• •• • • Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ Short-eared owl RT •••• __ Northern Saw-whet Owl RW •• • Nightjars __ Lesser Nighthawk US• • __ Common Nighthawk* FS••••• • • • CT••••• • • • __ Common Poor-will* FS••••• • • • __ Whip-poor-will* FS ••• • Swifts __ Black Swift R T • • • • • RS ••• • __ White-throated Swift* FS ••• • • Hummingbirds __ Blue-throated Hummingbird RS • __ Magnificent Hummingbird* RS ••• • __ Black-chinned Hummingbird* CS•••• • __ Anna’s Hummingbird RT ••• •• __ Calliope Hummingbird UT •••• __ Broad-tailed Hummingbird* CS ••• • •• __ Rufous Hummingbird CT •••• • •• Kingfishers __ Belted Kingfisher* UT • • •• UW • • •• RS • ••• Woodpeckers __ Lewis’s Woodpecker* US • __ Acorn Woodpecker* CP •••• • __ Gila Woodpecker* RS • __ Red-naped Sapsucker* FS •••• • • CT •••• • • RW •••• • • __ Williamson’s Sapsucker* US • RW • • __ Ladder-backed Woodpecker* UP•••• • __ Downy Woodpecker* UP • __ Hairy Woodpecker* CP •••• • •• Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ Three-toed Woodpecker* RP •• __ Northern Flicker* CP •••• • •• Tyrant Flycatchers __ Olive-sided Flycatcher* FS •• • __ Greater Pewee* RS •• __ Western Wood Pewee* CS •• •• __ Willow Flycatcher* RS •• __ Hammond’s Flycatcher FT ••• • __ Dusky Flycatcher FT ••• • __ Gray Flycatcher* FS •••• • __ Cordilleran Flycatcher* CS •• •• __ Black Phoebe* CP •• __ Say’s Phoebe* CP •••• • • __ Vermilion Flycatcher* FS • __ Ash-throated Flycatcher* CS••••• • __ Brown-crested Flycatcher* RS • __ Cassin’s Kingbird* CS••••• • __ Western Kingbird* CS••••• • Shrikes __ Loggerhead Shrike RS•••• • UT•••• • UW•••• •• Vireos __ Bell’s Vireo* RS • __ Gray Vireo RS ••• __ Cassin’s Vireo W R • • • • • __ Plumbeous Vireo* CS •••• • • __ Hutton’s Vireo* US ••• • RW ••• __ Warbling Vireo* CS •• •• CT •• • Corvids __ Steller’s Jay* CP •• __ Western Scrub Jay* CP ••• __ Mexican Jay* CP •• • __ Pinyon Jay* CP • __ Clark’s Nutcracker* RS • RW • Abundance Residence Desert Oak Woodland Oak-Juniper Pinyon-Juniper Ponderosa Pine Spruce-Fir Mt. Grassland Marsh/Open Decid. Riparian Conif. Riparian __ American Crow* FP • `__ Chihuahuan Raven UW• • __ Common Raven* CP •••• • • • Larks __ Horned Lark* CP• •• Swallows and Martins __ Purple Martin* FS • • __ Tree Swallow* UT •• •• __ Violet-green Swallow* CS ••• • •• CT ••• •• __ No. Rough-winged Swallow* FS •• __ Bank Swallow RT ••• __ Barn Swallow* FT •••• • • US •••• • • __ Cliff Swallow* FS •••• • • Tits and Relatives __ Mountain Chickadee* CP •• • __ Bridled Titmouse* FP • • __ Juniper Titmouse* FP •• __ Verdin US• • • __ Bushtit* CP ••• • Nuthatches and Creepers __ Red-breasted Nuthatch* FP •• __ White-breasted Nuthatch* CP •• • __ Pygmy Nuthatch* CP ••• __ Brown Creeper* FP •• Wrens __ Cactus Wren* UP• __ Rock Wren* CP ••• __ Canyon Wren* CP ••• • __ Bewick’s Wren* CP ••• • __ House Wren* CS •• •• __ Winter Wren R W • __ Marsh