Birds

Cedar Waxing in a tree.

NPS Photo/Nolen Taricco

Hot Springs National Park supports a variety of song birds, wild turkey, raptors and other birds. Birding is possible all year long, as the species often change with the spring and fall migrations.

The Grand Promenade is great place to see many types of birds as it hosts both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs. The trails on West Mountain in the early morning are another wonderful place to see and hear a variety of birds.

For all the birds that can be found in the park, please see the list below.

Christmas Bird Count

Each year, citizen scientists make an enormous contribution to conservation by braving the cold weather to take part in the Christmas Bird Count. Hot Springs National Park, along with the local chapters of the National Audubon Society and the City of Hot Springs, collects this data to assess the bird populations and to help guide conservation actions. Last year's count included over 9,000 birds from 113 separate species. In prior years, the Hot Springs National Park Bird Count has tied for the highest species diversity in the state! Having that sort of information for thousands of circles across the nation gives citizen science the spotlight in studies about bird populations, mirgration patterns, and even climate change impacts.

From December 14 through January 5, all around the country families, students, birders and scientists - armed with binoculars, bird guides, and checklists - go out on an annual mission, often before dawn. For over one hundred years, the desire to both make a difference and to experience the beauty of nature has driven dedicated people to leave the comfort of a warm house during the Holiday season.

 

Birds of Hot Springs National Park

Bitterns, Herons

• Great Blue Heron
• Little Blue Heron
• Green-backed Heron
• Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Swans, Geese, Ducks

• Snow Goose
• Canada Goose
• Green-winged Teal
• Muscovy Duck

Vultures

• Black Vulture
• Turkey Vulture

Kites, Eagles, Hawks, and Allies

• Osprey
• Sharp-shinned Hawk
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Broad-winged Hawk
• Red-tailed Hawk
• Golden Eagle

Falcons

• American Kestrel

Patridges, Grouse, Turkey, Quail

• Wild Turkey
• Northern Bobwhite

Plovers, Lapwings

• Lesser Golden Plover
• Semipalmated Plover
• Killdeer

Sandpipers and Allies

• American Woodcock

Pigeons, Doves

• Rock Dove (Pigeon)
• Mourning Dove

Cuckoos and Roadrunners

• Yellow-billed Cuckoo
• Greater Roadrunner

Owls

• Eastern Screech Owl
• Great Horned Owl
• Barred Owl

Goatsuckers

• Common Nighthawk
• Chuck-will's-widow
• Whip-poor-will

Swifts

• Chimney Swift

Hummingbirds

• Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Kingfishers

• Belted Kingfisher

Woodpeckers and Allies

• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
• Downy Woodpecker
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Northern Flicker
• Pileated Woodpecker

Tyrant Flycatchers

• Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Eastern Wood Pewee
• Acadian Flycatcher
• Eastern Phoebe
• Great Crested Flycatcher
• Eastern Kingbird

Swallows

• Purple Martin
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow
• Barn Swallow

Jays and Crows

• Blue Jay
• American Crow
• Fish Crow

Chickadees and Titmice

• Carolina Chickadee
• Tufted Titmouse

Nuthatchers

• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• White-breasted Nuthatch

Creepers

• Brown Creeper

Wrens

• Carolina Wren
• House Wren
• Winter Wren

Old World Warblers and Thrushes

• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet
• Blue-grey Gnatcatcher
• Eastern Bluebird
• Swainson's Thrush
• Hermit Thrush
• Wood Thrush
• American Robin

Mockingbirds, Thrashers, and Allies

• Gray Catbird
• Northern Mockingbird
• Brown Thrasher

Waxwings

• Cedar Waxwing

Starlings and Allies

• European Starling

Vireos

• White-eye Vireo
• Bell's Vireo
• Warbling Vireo
• Red-eyed Vireo

Warblers, N.W. Finches, Blackbirds, and Allies

• Blue-winged Warbler
• Tennessee Warbler
• Nashville Warbler
• Yellow Warbler
• Chestnut-sided Warbler
• Magnolia Warbler
• Yellow-rumped Warbler
• Black-throated Green Warbler
• Blackburnian Warbler
• Yellow-throated Warbler
• Pine Warbler
• Bay-breasted Warbler
• Black-and-white Warbler
• Worm-eating Warbler
• American Redstart
• Ovenbird
• Louisiana Warterthrush
• Kentucky Warbler
• Common Yellowthroat
• Yellow-breasted Chat
• Summer Tanager
• Scarlet Tanager
• Northern Cardinal
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Blue Grosbeak
• Indigo Bunting
• Rufous-sided Towhee
• Bachman's Sparrow
• Chipping Sparrow
• Field Sparrow
• Fox Sparrow
• Song Sparrow
• White-throated Sparrow
• Whtie-crowned Sparrow
• Dark-eyed Junco
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Common Grackle
• Brown-headed Cowbird
• Orchard Oriole
• Northern Oriole

Old World Finches and Allies

• Purple Finch
• House Finch
• Pine Siskin 
• American Goldfinch

Old World Sparrows

• House Sparrow