REB-Bird List

RioEmbudoBirds.org list of Species Observed (Total Species: 226):

This is a list of all bird species that I know to have been identified within the Audubon NMDI (New Mexico Dixon) Christmas Bird Count Circle. That count circle is centered near Dixon, NM and has a radius of 7.5 miles. Nearby sites such as Orilla Verde Recreation Area near Pilar, the Los Luceros property near Alcalde and the Okay Owingeh fishing lakes host a larger array of species. They are not included as they are outside the NMDI count area. Two additional Audubon CBC circles document wintertime birdlife in those areas: NMOV (NM Orilla Verde) and NMES (NM Española. See Map of the three count areas.

The formulation of this list was derived by consulting eBird records, Audubon Christmas Bird Count data, lists from many years of local bird walks in the area and my own lists of observations. Various local birdwatchers have been recording sightings in this area since as early as 1969. (If anyone knows of earlier or other records, please contact the me.) Jack Whetstone, a resident of Dixon from 1969 until 1976 kept detailed records of his bird sightings during that time. He also kept records on Summer trips he made to Dixon in 1977, 1978, 1981 and 1987. He also spent the winter of 1987-88 here. In 1997, Bob Weber, a Taos resident, began an Audubon Christmas Bird Count in the area. In 2001, I took over the management of that count. I have kept detailed records of bird activity along the Río Embudo since 1999.

Robert Templeton, March 2023

Seasonal classes:
Present All Year: Species are present in all seasons. Some species are also migratory: Winter and summer birds may be different individuals.
Winter Visitors: These species generally breed further north and/or at higher elevations in New Mexico. Arrive early to late Fall and leave in early to late Spring.
Spring-Fall Transients: Most species transit the area during both Spring and Fall migrations. Most species are moving between more southern wintering ranges and more northern breeding ranges. Individuals of a few species may stay and breed, but "transient" best describes the majority of individuals.
Migrant Summer Breeders: Species that winter further south, but migrate to breed in this area.
Vagrant: Seeing these birds is highly unusual and irregular. They are generally outside of or near the edge of their usual range. Many of these species are regular on the east slope of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains or on the plains east of the mountains. Sightings are usually during non-breeding periods.

Abundance classes:
Common: Almost always seen in suitable habitat and proper season.
Less Common: Present and seen regularly in suitable habitat and proper season.
Uncommon: Present, but not often seen even in suitable habitat and proper season.
Rare: Known to be present, but not seen every year

All Species in Taxonomic Order

4-Letter Species Code	Common Name	Genus + Specific Epithet	Season	Abundance Class
Swans, Geese and Ducks
sngo	Snow Goose	Anser caerulescens	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
gwfg	Greater White-fronted Goose	Anser albifrons	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
cacg	Cackling Goose	Branta hutchinsii	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
cang	Canada Goose	Branta canadensis	Present All Year	Common
wodu	Wood Duck	Aix sponsa	Present All Year	Uncommon
bwte	Blue-winged Teal	Spatula discors	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
cite	Cinnamon Teal	Spatula cyanoptera	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
nsho	Northern Shoveler	Spatula clypeata	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
gadw	Gadwall	Mareca strepera	Winter Visitor	Rare
amwi	American Wigeon	Mareca americana	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
mall	Mallard	Anas platyrhynchos	Present All Year	Common
nopi	Northern Pintail	Anas acuta	Winter Visitor	Rare
gwte	Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
redh	Redhead	Aythya americana	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
rndu	Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
lesc	Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis	Winter Visitor	Rare
ltdu	Long-tailed Duck	Clangula hyemalis	Vagrant
buff	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
cogo	Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula	Winter Visitor	Common
bago	Barrow's Goldeneye	Bucephala islandica	Winter Visitor	Rare
home	Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus	Winter Visitor	Rare
come	Common Merganser	Mergus merganser	Winter Visitor	Less Common
Upland Game Birds
scqu	Scaled Quail	Callipepla squamata	Present All Year	Uncommon
witu	Wild Turkey	Meleagris gallopavo	Present All Year	Uncommon
rnep	Ring-necked Pheasant	Phasianus colchicus	Present All Year	Rare
Grebes
pbgr	Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps	Present All Year	Uncommon
eagr	Eared Grebe	Podiceps nigricollis	Winter Visitor	Rare
Pigeons and Doves
ropi	Rock Pigeon	Columba livia	Present All Year	Common
btpi	Band-tailed Pigeon	Patagioenas fasciata	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
eucd	Eurasian Collared-Dove	Streptopelia decaocto	Present All Year	Common
wwdo	White-winged Dove	Zenaida asiatica	Present All Year	Uncommon
modo	Mourning Dove	Zenaida macroura	Present All Year	Less Common
Cuckoos and their Allies
grro	Greater Roadrunner	Geococcyx californianus	Present All Year	Uncommon
ybcu	Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Coccyzus americanus	Vagrant
Nightjars, Nighthawks and Swifts
coni	Common Nighthawk	Chordeiles minor	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
copo	Common Poorwill	Phalaenoptilus nuttallii	Migrant Summer Breeder	Rare
wtsw	White-throated Swift	Aeronautes saxatalis	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
Hummingbirds
bchu	Black-chinned Hummingbird	Archilochus alexandri	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
cahu	Calliope Hummingbird	Selasphorus calliope	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
ruhu	Rufous Hummingbird	Selasphorus rufus	Spring-Fall Transient	Common
bthu	Broad-tailed Hummingbird	Selasphorus platycercus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
Gruiformes: Coots, Cranes and Rails
vira	Virginia Rail	Rallus limicola	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
amco	American Coot	Fulica americana	Present All Year	Uncommon
sacr	Sandhill Crane	Antigone canadensis	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
Smaller Wading Birds
bnst	Black-necked Stilt	Himantopus mexicanus	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
amav	American Avocet	Recurvirostra americana	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
kill	Killdeer	Charadrius vociferus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Uncommon
lbdo	Long-billed Dowitcher	Limnodromus scolopaceus	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
wisn	Wilson’s Snipe	Gallinago delicata	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
spsa	Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularius	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
sosa	Solitary Sandpiper	Tringa solitaria	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
will	Willet	Tringa semipalmata	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
rbgu	Ring-billed Gull	Larus delawarensis	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
Medium to Large Waterbirds: Pelicans and their Allies
dcco	Double-crested Cormorant	Nannopterum auritum	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
awpe	American White Pelican	Pelecanus erythrorhynchos	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
Long-legged Wading Birds
gbhe	Great Blue Heron	Ardea herodias	Present All Year	Common
greg	Great Egret	Ardea alba	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
sneg	Snowy Egret	Egretta thula	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
grhe	Green Heron	Butorides virescens	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
bcnh	Black-crowned Night-Heron	Nycticorax nycticorax	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
wfib	White-faced Ibis	Plegadis chihi	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
Diurnal Raptors: Vultures, Eagles and Hawks
tuvu	Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
ospr	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
goea	Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos	Present All Year	Rare
noha	Northern Harrier	Circus hudsonius	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
ssha	Sharp-shinned Hawk	Accipiter striatus	Present All Year	Uncommon
coha	Cooper’s Hawk	Accipiter cooperii	Present All Year	Less Common
baea	Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus	Winter Visitor	Common
miki	Mississippi Kite	Ictinia mississippiensis	Vagrant
swha	Swainson’s Hawk	Buteo swainsoni	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
ztha	Zone-tailed Hawk	Buteo albonotatus	Vagrant
rtha	Red-tailed Hawk	Buteo jamaicensis	Present All Year	Common
rlha	Rough-legged Hawk	Buteo lagopus	Winter Visitor	Rare
feha	Ferruginous Hawk	Buteo regalis	Winter Visitor	Rare
Nocturnal Raptors: Owls
bano	Barn Owl	Tyto alba	Present All Year	Rare
weso	Western Screech-Owl	Megascops kennicottii	Present All Year	Uncommon
ghow	Great Horned Owl	Bubo virginianus	Present All Year	Less Common
nopo	Northern Pygmy-Owl	Glaucidium gnoma	Present All Year	Rare
nswo	Northern Saw-whet Owl	Aegolius acadicus	Present All Year	Rare
Kingfishers
beki	Belted Kingfisher	Megaceryle alcyon	Present All Year	Less Common
Woodpeckers
lewo	Lewis’s Woodpecker	Melanerpes lewis	Present All Year	Less Common
acwo	Acorn Woodpecker	Melanerpes formicivorus	Vagrant
wisa	Williamson’s Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus thyroideus	Winter Visitor	Rare
rnsa	Red-naped Sapsucker	Sphyrapicus nuchalis	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
dowo	Downy Woodpecker	Dryobates pubescens	Present All Year	Common
lbwo	Ladder-backed Woodpecker	Dryobates scalaris	Present All Year	Less Common
hawo	Hairy Woodpecker	Dryobates villosus	Present All Year	Common
nofl	Northern Flicker	Colaptes auratus	Present All Year	Common
Falcons
amke	American Kestrel	Falco sparverius	Present All Year	Uncommon
merl	Merlin	Falco columbarius	Winter Visitor	Uncommon
pefa	Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus	Present All Year	Rare
prfa	Prairie Falcon	Falco mexicanus	Present All Year	Rare
Tyrant Flycatchers
atfl	Ash-throated Flycatcher	Myiarchus cinerascens	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
caki	Cassin’s Kingbird	Tyrannus vociferans	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
weki	Western Kingbird	Tyrannus verticalis	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
eaki	Eastern Kingbird	Tyrannus tyrannus	Vagrant
osfl	Olive-sided Flycatcher	Contopus cooperi	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
wewp	Western Wood-Pewee	Contopus sordidulus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
eawp	Eastern Wood-Pewee	Contopus virens	Vagrant
wifl	Willow Flycatcher	Empidonax traillii	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
hafl	Hammond’s Flyctcher	Empidonax hammondii	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
grfl	Gray Flycatcher	Empidonax wrightii	Migrant Summer Breeder	Rare
dufl	Dusky Flycatcher	Empidonax oberholseri	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
cofl	Cordilleran Flycatcher	Empidonax occidentalis	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
blph	Black Phoebe	Sayornis nigricans	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
eaph	Eastern Phoebe	Sayornis phoebe	Vagrant
saph	Say’s Phoebe	Sayornis saya	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
Shrikes and Vireos
grvi	Gray Vireo	Vireo vicinior	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
plvi	Plumbeous Vireo	Vireo plumbeus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
wavi	Warbling Vireo	Vireo gilvus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
losh	Loggerhead Shrike	Lanius ludovicianus	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
nshr	Northern Shrike	Lanius borealis	Winter Visitor	Rare
Jays, Crows and their Allies
pija	Pinyon Jay	Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus	Present All Year	Less Common
stja	Steller’s Jay	Cyanocitta stelleri	Winter Visitor	Rare
blja	Blue Jay	Cyanocitta cristata	Vagrant
wosj	Woodhouse’s Scrub-jay	Aphelocoma woodhouseii	Present All Year	Common
clnu	Clark's Nutcracker	Nucifraga columbiana	Vagrant
bbma	Black-billed Magpie	Pica hudsonia	Present All Year	Common
amcr	American Crow	Corvus brachyrhynchos	Present All Year	Common
cora	Common Raven	Corvus corax	Present All Year	Common
Chickadees and their Allies
bcch	Black-capped Chickadee	Poecile atricapillus	Present All Year	Common
moch	Mountain Chickadee	Poecile gambeli	Winter Visitor	Less Common
juti	Juniper Titmouse	Baeolophus ridgwayi	Present All Year	Less Common
bush	Bushtit	Psaltriparus minimus	Present All Year	Uncommon
Larks
hola	Horned Lark	Eremophila alpestris	Winter Visitor	Rare
Swallows
bans	Bank Swallow	Riparia riparia	Migrant Summer Breeder	Rare
tres	Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
vgsw	Violet-green Swallow	Tachycineta thalassina	Spring-Fall Transient	Common
nrws	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
bars	Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
clsw	Cliff Swallow	Petrochelidon pyrrhonota	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
Kinglets
rcki	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Regulus calendula	Winter Visitor	Less Common
Waxwings
cedw	Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum	Present All Year	Uncommon
Nuthatches and Creepers
rbnu	Red-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta canadensis	Winter Visitor	Rare
wbnu	White-breasted Nuthatch	Sitta carolinensis	Present All Year	Common
pynu	Pygmy Nuthatch	Sitta pygmaea	Winter Visitor	Rare
brcr	Brown Creeper	Certhia americana	Present All Year	Rare
Gnatcatchers
bggn	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea	Migrant Summer Breeder	Uncommon
Wrens
rowr	Rock Wren	Salpinctes obsoletus	Present All Year	Less Common
canw	Canyon Wren	Catherpes mexicanus	Present All Year	Less Common
bewr	Bewick’s Wren	Thryomanes bewickii	Present All Year	Less Common
howr	House Wren	Troglodytes aedon	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
wiwr	Winter Wren	Troglodytes hiemalis	Vagrant
mawr	Marsh Wren	Cistothorus palustris	Winter Visitor	Rare
Mimids "Mimic Thrushes"
grca	Gray Catbird	Dumetella carolinensis	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
cbth	Curve-billed Thrasher	Toxostoma curvirostre	Present All Year	Uncommon
brth	Brown Thrasher	Toxostoma rufum	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
sath	Sage Thrasher	Oreoscoptes montanus	Present All Year	Rare
nomo	Northern Mockingbird	Mimus polyglottos	Migrant Summer Breeder	Uncommon
Starlings and Mynas
eust	European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris	Present All Year	Common
Dippers
amdi	American Dipper	Cinclus mexicanus	Present All Year	Less Common
Thrushes and their Allies
eabl	Eastern Bluebird	Sialia sialis	Vagrant
webl	Western Bluebird	Sialia mexicana	Present All Year	Common
mobl	Mountain Bluebird	Sialia currucoides	Winter Visitor	Less Common
toso	Townsend’s Solitaire	Myadestes townsendi	Winter Visitor	Common
swth	Swainson's Thrush	Catharus ustulatus	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
heth	Hermit Thrush	Catharus guttatus	Winter Visitor	Less Common
amro	American Robin	Turdus migratorius	Present All Year	Common
European Passerines
hosp	House Sparrow	Passer domesticus	Present All Year	Common
Wagtails and Pipits
ampi	American Pipit	Anthus rubescens	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
Finches
evgr	Evening Grosbeak	Coccothraustes vespertinus	Present All Year	Less Common
gcrf	Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch	Leucosticte tephrocotis	Vagrant
hofi	House Finch	Haemorhous mexicanus	Present All Year	Common
cafi	Cassin’s Finch	Haemorhous cassinii	Winter Visitor	Less Common
recr	Red Crossbill	Loxia curvirostra	Vagrant
pisi	Pine Siskin	Spinus pinus	Present All Year	Less Common
lego	Lesser Goldfinch	Spinus psaltria	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
amgo	American Goldfinch	Spinus tristis	Winter Visitor	Less Common
Sparrows and their Allies
btsp	Black-throated Sparrow	Amphispiza bilineata	Migrant Summer Breeder	Rare
lasp	Lark Sparrow	Chondestes grammacus	Spring-Fall Transient	Less Common
larb	Lark Bunting	Calamospiza melanocorys	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
chsp	Chipping Sparrow	Spizella passerina	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
fisp	Field Sparrow	Spizella pusilla	Vagrant
brsp	Brewer’s Sparrow	Spizella breweri	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
atsp	American Tree Sparrow	Spizelloides arborea	Winter Visitor	Rare
deju	Dark-eyed Junco	Junco hyemalis	Winter Visitor	Common
wcsp	White-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys	Winter Visitor	Common
gcsp	Golden-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia atricapilla	Vagrant
hasp	Harris's Sparrow	Zonotrichia querula	Vagrant
wtsp	White-throated Sparrow	Zonotrichia albicollis	Winter Visitor	Rare
vesp	Vesper Sparrow	Pooecetes gramineus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
savs	Savannah Sparrow	Passerculus sandwichensis	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
sosp	Song Sparrow	Melospiza melodia	Present All Year	Common
lisp	Lincoln’s Sparrow	Melospiza lincolnii	Spring-Fall Transient	Less Common
swsp	Swamp Sparrow	Melospiza georgiana	Vagrant
cant	Canyon Towhee		Present All Year	Common
rcsp	Rufous-crowned Sparrow	Aimophila ruficeps	Present All Year	Rare
gtto	Green-tailed Towhee	Pipilo chlorurus	Spring-Fall Transient	Less Common
spto	Spotted Towhee	Pipilo maculatus	Present All Year	Common
Chats
ybch	Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
Icterids: Blackbirds, Orioles and their Allies
yhbl	Yellow-headed Blackbird	Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
weme	Western Meadowlark	Sturnella neglecta	Present All Year	Rare
oror	Orchard Oriole	Icterus spurius	Vagrant
buor	Bullock’s Oriole	Icterus bullockii	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
baor	Baltimore Oriole	Icterus galbula	Vagrant
scor	Scott's Oriole	Icterus parisorum	Vagrant
rwbl	Red-winged Blackbird	Agelaius phoeniceus	Present All Year	Less Common
bhco	Brown-headed Cowbird	Molothrus ater	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
brbl	Brewer’s Blackbird	Euphagus cyanocephalus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
cogr	Common Grackle	Quiscalus quiscula	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
gtgr	Great-tailed Grackle	Quiscalus mexicanus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
Wood-Warblers
nowa	Northern Waterthrush	Parkesia noveboracensis	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
baww	Black-and-white Warbler	Mniotilta varia	Vagrant
ocwa	Orange-crowned Warbler	Leiothlypis celata	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
viwa	Virginia’s Warbler	Leiothlypis virginiae	Migrant Summer Breeder	Less Common
mgwa	MacGillivray’s Warbler	Geothlypis tolmiei	Spring-Fall Transient	Less Common
coye	Common Yellowthroat	Geothlypis trichas	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
howa	Hooded Warbler	Setophaga citrina	Vagrant
nopa	Northern Parula	Setophaga americana	Vagrant
mawa	Magnolia Warbler	Setophaga magnolia	Vagrant
yewa	Yellow Warbler	Setophaga petechia	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
btbw	Black-throated Blue Warbler	Setophaga caerulescens	Vagrant
piwa	Pine Warbler	Setophaga pinus	Vagrant
yrwa	Yellow-rumped Warbler	Setophaga coronata	Spring-Fall Transient	Common
btyw	Black-throated Gray Warbler	Setophaga nigrescens	Migrant Summer Breeder	Uncommon
towa	Townsend’s Warbler	Setophaga townsendi	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
wiwa	Wilson’s Warbler	Cardellina pusilla	Spring-Fall Transient	Common
Tanagers
suta	Summer Tanager	Piranga rubra	Spring-Fall Transient	Rare
weta	Western Tanager	Piranga ludoviciana	Spring-Fall Transient	Common
Grosbeaks (Cardinalidae)
rbgr	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus	Spring-Fall Transient	Uncommon
bhgr	Black-headed Grosbeak	Pheucticus melanocephalus	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
Buntings
blgr	Blue Grosbeak	Passerina caerulea	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
lazb	Lazuli Bunting	Passerina amoena	Migrant Summer Breeder	Common
inbu	Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea	Migrant Summer Breeder	Uncommon
pabu	Painted Bunting	Passerina ciris	Vagrant

RioEmbudoBirds.org list of Species Observed (Total Species: 226):

Seasonal classes:

Abundance classes:

All Species in Taxonomic Order