U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Birds

Buenos Aires

National Wildlife Refuge

How to Use Your Checklist

This list is in accordance with the 7th edition

(1998) A.O.U. checklist and the 45fh Supplement

(July 2004). This guide is arranged by habitat to

help locate some of the nearly 330 species of

birds recorded on the refuge.

Key

R - Resident, may be found year round.

W - Winter Visitor (may include early fall

and/or late spring)

M - Migration spring and/or fall

S - Summer, may be migrating through

the refuge.

✦ - Only a few records

• - Breeding records for refuge

* - Records not documented

Italics designate an endangered species

Arivaca Cienega (AC)

A 1-1/4mile loop meanders through a seasonal

wetland and groves of mesquite and hackberry

trees.

Arivaca Creek (Ck)

A 1-1/4 mile loop follows the seasonal stream

under mesquite trees and majestic cottonwoods.

Mustang Trail leaves the Creek Trail for a steep

hike up El Cerro.

Brown Canyon (BC)

The canyon is open by guided walk only. Call for

a schedule or to make reservations.

Semidesert Grasslands (Gr)

Most of the refuge is an extensive grassland

with mesquite trees. Many southwestern

birds can be sighted near the headquarters

visitor center. (HQ).

Wetlands (Wt)

In wet years, shorebirds and waterfowl may be

seen in the grasslands at dirt tanks, natural

wetlands, and the Aguirre Lake–Grebe Pond area.

Join a Tour or Take a Class

Call 520/823-4251 x 116 for tour and program

information or reservations for Brown Canyon

walks and workshops. Free guided bird walks

start at 8:00 am at Arivaca Cienega, November

through April; no reservations needed.

AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Black-bel. Whistling-Duck• S S S

Gr. White-fronted Goose ✦ M

Snow Goose ✦ W M

Canada Goose ✦ W W

Wood Duck ✦ W W

Gadwall W W

Eurasian Wigeon ✦ W W

American Wigeon W W

Mallard • R R

Blue-winged Teal M M

Cinnamon Teal • R R

Northern Shoveler W W

Northern Pintail W W

Garganey ✦ M

Green-winged Teal ✦ W W

Canvasback W

Redhead W W

Ring-necked Duck W W

Lesser Scaup ✦ W M

AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Plovers

Semipalmated Plover M

Killdeer • R R R R

Stilts and Avocets

Black-necked Stilt M M

American Avocet M

Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies

Greater Yellowlegs W W

Lesser Yellowlegs M

Solitary Sandpiper M M

Willet M M

Spotted Sandpiper M M

Long-billed Curlew M

Marbled Godwit ✦ M

Western Sandpiper M

Least Sandpiper M

Wh.-rumped Sandpiper ✦ M

Baird’s Sandpiper ✦ M

Pectoral Sandpiper ✦ M

Dunlin ✦ M

Long-billed Dowitcher M

Wilson’s Snipe W M M

Wilson’s Phalarope M

Red-necked Phalarope ✦ M

Red Phalarope ✦ M

Gulls and Terns

Bonaparte’s Gull ✦ M

Heermann’s Gull ✦ M

Ring-billed Gull W W

California Gull ✦ M

Forster’s Tern M

Least Tern ✦ M M

Black Tern M

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Pigeon R

Band-tailed Pigeon S S S

White-winged Dove • W SSSSS

Mourning Dove • RRRRRR

Inca Dove R R W W

Common Ground-Dove • R R S S R

Ruddy Ground-Dove ✦ W W

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis

Yellow-billed Cuckoo • SSSSSS

Greater Roadrunner • RRRRRR

Groove-billed Ani ✦ M M

Barn Owls

Barn Owl • R R S R R R

Typical Owls

Western Screech-Owl • RRRRR

Whiskered Screech-Owl • S S

Great Horned Owl • RRRRRR

Northern Pygmy-Owl ✦ S

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl ✦ R R

Elf Owl • S S

Burrowing Owl M M

Long-eared Owl •✦ W

Short-eared Owl W

Northern Saw-whet Owl ✦ W

Goatsuckers

Lesser Nighthawk • SSSSSS

Common Nighthawk • SSSSSS

Common Poorwill • SSSSSS

Buff-collared Nightjar • S S S

Whip-poor-will • S

Swifts

Vaux’s Swift MMMMMM

White-throated Swift • W W S W W M

AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Long-tailed Duck ✦ W

Bufflehead W W

Common Goldeneye ✦ W

Hooded Merganser ✦ W

Common Merganser W

Red-breasted Merganser ✦ W

Ruddy Duck S R

New World Quail

Scaled Quail • R R R R

Gambel’s Quail • RRRRRR

N. Bobwhite (Masked) • RR

Montezuma Quail • R R

Grebes

Pied-billed Grebe R R

Eared Grebe M

Western Grebe ✦ W

Pelicans

American White Pelican ✦ M

Brown Pelican ✦ S

Cormorants

Neotropic Cormorant ✦ S

Double-crested Cormorant S

Herons, Bitterns, and Allies

American Bittern ✦ W

Least Bittern ✦ M

Great Blue Heron • R R R

Great Egret W M

Snowy Egret M M

Little Blue Heron ✦ M

Cattle Egret M M

Green Heron S S

Black-cr. Night-Heron • S S

Ibis

White-faced Ibis S M

Vultures

Black Vulture S S S S S

Turkey Vulture SSSSSS

Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies

Osprey ✦ MM M M

White-tailed Kite • S S S S

Northern Harrier W W W W

Sharp-shinned Hawk WWWWWW

Cooper’s Hawk • RRRRRR

Gray Hawk • S S S

Common Black-Hawk M M M

Harris’s Hawk ✦ WW W W

Red-shouldered Hawk ✦ W W

Swainson’s Hawk • S S S S

Zone-tailed Hawk • M S S M S

Red-tailed Hawk • RRRRRR

Ferruginous Hawk W W W

Rough-legged Hawk M W W W

Golden Eagle • W W R W W W

Caracaras and Falcons

Crested Caracara ✦ W W

American Kestrel • RRRRRR

Merlin W WWWW

Aplomado Falcon Historical

Peregrine Falcon W M S W W

Prairie Falcon R W W R

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Virginia Rail • R

Sora • R M S

Common Moorhen • R

American Coot • R M R

Cranes

Sandhill Crane ✦ W
AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Hummingbirds

Broad-bl. Hummingbird • SSSS

Violet-cr. Hummingbird ✦ S S

Blue-thr. Hummingbird ✦ MMM

Magnificent Hummingbird ✦ M

Black-ch. Hummingbird • SSSSSS

Anna’s Hummingbird • W W R W W

Costa’s Hummingbird • S S S M S

Calliope Hummingbird ✦ M

Broad-tl. Hummingbird M M M M

Rufous Hummingbird M M M M

Allen’s Hummingbird M M M

Trogons

Elegant Trogon ✦ M M

Kingfishers

Belted Kingfisher R M M

Green Kingfisher ✦ W W

Woodpeckers

Lewis’s Woodpecker ✦ MMM

Acorn Woodpecker • R

Gila Woodpecker • RRRRRR

Williamson’s Sapsucker ✦ M W

Red-naped Sapsucker W W W W

Red-br. Sapsucker ✦ W M

Ladder-b. Woodpecker • RRRRRR

Arizona Woodpecker R

N. (Red-shafted) Flicker• RRRRRR

Gilded Flicker R R W R

Tyrant Flycatchers

N. Beardless-Tyrannulet • SSSS

Olive-sided Flycatcher M

Greater Pewee * M

Western Wood-Pewee • S S R M

Willow Flycatcher MMMM M

Willow (SW) Flycatcher MMMM M

Hammond’s Flycatcher M M

Gray Flycatcher WWWWWW

Dusky Flycatcher W W W M W

Pacific-slope Flycatcher S S

Cordilleran Flycatcher S S M

Buff-br. Flycatcher ✦ M

Black Phoebe • RRRRRR

Eastern Phoebe ✦ W W

Say’s Phoebe • RRRRRR

Vermilion Flycatcher • RRRRRR

Dusky-capped Flycatcher • SSSS M

Ash-throated Flycatcher • S S S S SM

Brown-crested Flycatcher •S S S

Sulphur-bel. Flycatcher • S

Tropical Kingbird • S

Cassin’s Kingbird • SSSSSS

Thick-billed Kingbird • S S S

Western Kingbird • S S M S S S

Scissor-tld. Flycatcher ✦ M M

Rose-throated Becard ✦ S

Shrikes

Loggerhead Shrike • R W R R R

Vireos

Bell’s Vireo • S S S S S S

Plumbeous Vireo • M R S

Cassin’s Vireo • M M

Hutton’s Vireo • W W R

Warbling Vireo M M M M

Crows and Jays

Steller’s Jay ✦ WW W

Western Scrub-Jay R

Mexican Jay • R

Pinyon Jay ✦ M

Clark’s Nutcracker ✦ M M

Chihuahuan Raven • RRRRRR

Common Raven • RRRRRR

Larks

Horned Lark • M R R R

Swallows

Purple Martin S S S

Tree Swallow M M

Violet-green Swallow MMMM M

N. Rough-winged • M M S S S

Bank Swallow ✦ M

Cliff Swallow • S M S S

Barn Swallow • S S S S S

AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Titmice

Bridled Titmouse • W W R

Juniper Titmouse ✦ M

Verdin

Verdin • R R R R R R

Bushtits

Bushtit R R

Nuthatches

Red-breasted Nuthatch ✦ WW

White-breasted Nuthatch • R R R

Creepers

Brown Creeper ✦ W

Wrens

Cactus Wren • RRRRRR

Rock Wren • W R R R

Canyon Wren • W R

Bewick’s Wren • RRRRRR

House Wren W W R W S

Winter Wren W

Marsh Wren W W

Kinglets

Ruby-crowned Kinglet WWWWW

Gnatcatchers

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher • W R R R

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher • W R R R

Black-cap. Gnatcatcher • S

Thrushes

Western Bluebird WWWW

Mountain Bluebird W W W W W

Townsend’s Solitaire ✦ WWMW

Swainson’s Thrush M M M M

Hermit Thrush W W W W

Rufous-backed Robin ✦ W W

American Robin WWWWW

Varied Thrush ✦ W W

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Northern Mockingbird • RRRRRR

Sage Thrasher W W W

Brown Thrasher ✦ M

Bendire’s Thrasher S W R W S

Curve-billed Thrasher • RRRRRR

Crissal Thrasher • RRRR R

Starlings

European Starling • R R R R

Pipits

American Pipit WWWW M

Sprague’s Pipit ✦ W

Waxwings

Cedar Waxwing W W M M M

Silky-flycatchers

Phainopepla • RRRRR

Wood-Warblers

Blue-winged Warbler ✦ M

Orange-crowned Warbler M M W M M

Nashville Warbler M M M

Virginia’s Warbler M M

Lucy’s Warbler • SSSSSS

Northern Parula ✦ M

Yellow Warbler • S S S M

Yellow-r. Warbler (Aud.) W W M W W W

Yellow-r. Warbler (Myr.) MMMMMM

Black-thr. Gray Warbler M S

Black-thr. Green Warbler ✦ M

Townsend’s Warbler M M M

Hermit Warbler M M M

Grace’s Warbler ✦ M

Palm Warbler ✦ M MM

Black-and-white Warbler ✦ M

American Redstart ✦ M S

Ovenbird ✦ M M

Northern Waterthrush M M

MacGillivray’s Warbler M M M M

Common Yellowthroat • R R S W

Hooded Warbler ✦ M

Wilson’s Warbler MMMMMM

Painted Redstart • M M R M

Yellow-breasted Chat • SSSS

Tanagers

Hepatic Tanager • S M

Summer Tanager • S S S

Western Tanager • M M S M M

AC Ck BC Gr HQ Wt

Sparrows and Allies

Green-tailed Towhee WWWWWW

Spotted Towhee • W W R

Canyon Towhee • RRRRRR

Abert’s Towhee • R R R

Rufous-winged Sparrow • RRRRR

Cassin’s Sparrow • RRRRRR

Botteri’s Sparrow • S S

Rufous-crowned Sparrow •RRRRR

Five-striped Sparrow ✦ W W

Chipping Sparrow WWWWWW

Clay-colored Sparrow ✦ W W

Brewer’s Sparrow WWWWWW

Black-chinned Sparrow R W

Vesper Sparrow WWWWWW

Lark Sparrow • RRRRRR

Black-throated Sparrow • RRRRRR

Sage Sparrow ✦ W

Lark Bunting W WWWW

Savannah Sparrow W W W W W

Grasshopper Sparrow • W W R W R

Baird’s Sparrow W W

Fox Sparrow ✦ W W

Song Sparrow • R R R R

Lincoln’s Sparrow WWWWWW

Swamp Sparrow W

White-throated Sparrow W M M

White-crowned Sparrow WWWWWW

Golden-cr. Sparrow ✦ M W

Dark-eyed Junco W W W W

Yellow-eyed Junco ✦ W

McCown’s Longspur ✦ W

Chestnut-col. Longspur ✦ W

Cardinals and Allies

Northern Cardinal • RRRRRR

Pyrrhuloxia • RRRRRR

Rose-breasted Grosbeak ✦ SS S

Black-headed Grosbeak • SSSSSS

Blue Grosbeak • SSSSSS

Lazuli Bunting MMMMMM

Indigo Bunting • S S

Varied Bunting • S S S

Painted Bunting ✦ M

Dickcissel M W M

Blackbirds

Red-winged Blackbird • R S

Eastern Meadowlark • R R W R R R

Western Meadowlark R S R R R

Yellow-headed Blackbird M M

Rusty Blackbird ✦ WW

Brewer’s Blackbird W W W W W

Great-tailed Grackle • R R R R R

Bronzed Cowbird • SSSSSS

Brown-headed Cowbird • SSSSSS

Hooded Oriole • SSSSSS

Streak-backed Oriole ✦ W

Bullock’s Oriole • SSSSSS

Scott’s Oriole • S S

Finches and Allies

Cassin’s Finch ✦ WWWWW

House Finch • RRRRRR

Red Crossbill ✦ W

Pine Siskin W W M

Lesser Goldfinch • RRRRRR

Lawrence’s Goldfinch ✦ WWMW

American Goldfinch ✦ W W

Evening Grosbeak ✦ M

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow • R R R

Habitat Abbreviations

AC = Arivaca Cienega

Ck = Arivaca Creek

BC = Brown Canyon

Gr = Semidesert Grasslands

Wt = Wetlands

Call 520/798-1005 to hear the southeastern Arizona Bird

Report. Call 520/696-4461 to report rare birds.

January 2005