Birds

Male and female Rufous hummingbirds in flight
Male and female rufous hummingbirds in flight

NPS Photo

The outstanding biodiversity of the Gila National Forest and Wilderness provides for a remarkably varied bird fauna. Over 100 bird species are common to the area, and you might get lucky and experience a rare sighting. New Mexico is home to many seasonal and year-round birds, as well as many migratory birds.

Birders come to this region in the hopes of checking the Montezuma quail or the zone-tailed hawk off their life list. During the summer, you may very likely be buzzed by a rufous or broad-tailed hummingbird.

The Sonoran Desert Network collects long-term data on wildlife including birds at Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument. A Bird Checklist may be available.

 
A large black bird known as a Common Raven sits along the cliff wall.
"Common" raven sitting on a tree branch at the Trailhead

G.Warrick

"Common" Raven

Family: Corvids

Size: 24 inches, wingspan 53 inches

Habitat: Found in a variety of habitats, including mountains, deserts and coastal areas.

About: A very large all-black bird, ravens are commonly seen flying high over the Gila National Forest and at the Gila Cliff Dwellings trailhead parking area. But whether they are common or Chihuahuan ravens remains a bit of a question. Based on habitat, the former seems more likely, since common ravens are more frequent in mountainous terrain. Chihuahuan ravens are more likely to be seen in open desert-like landscapes. But that is not entirely unlike the upper Gila River valley.

More gregarious than the common raven, Chihuahuan ravens often congregate in groups of dozens to more than one hundred, much like crows. Both species have a large vocal repertoire that is similar enough to cause confusion. The common raven is larger (24 inches in length vs. 20), but that is hard to judge without a side-by-side comparison. The Chihuahuan raven has white under-feathers on the neck that can be seen on the rare occasion that a gust of wind blows the outer feathers apart; hence their former name, white-necked raven. The length of the bristles that extend from the base of the bill is proportionally longer in the Chihuahuan, but there is overlap between the two species, so that is not a useful field mark for many individual birds. Like all other corvids, ravens are extremely intelligent and playful. Ravens eat a very wide range of foods and have done well adjusting to the expansion of human settlement. At the trailhead parking area they search for anything edible (please don’t feed them) that might be in the back of an unsuspecting visitor’s pickup. And they won’t stop there. They have been known to enter vehicles through open doors and windows, and even unzip unattended bags in search of food. Beware!

There is an ongoing discussion as to whether this is a common raven or a Chihuahuan raven.
 
A Mexican Spotted Owl is perched on a branch. It has dark eyes and is an ashy-chestnut brown color with white and brown spots on its abdomen, back, and head. Its brown tail is marked with thin white bands.
Mexican spotted owl sitting on a wall inside the cliff dwellings

NPS Photo/Jonah Snead

Mexican spotted owl

Family: True Owls (Strigidae)

Size: 18 to 19 inches, wingspan 39 to 40 inches

Habitat: Pine-oak and mixed conifer forests, particularly in steep canyons

About: This relatively small owl is found in wooded areas throughout the Western United States. Here in the Southwest it is found in higher elevations in pine/fir/oak/juniper forests. The Spotted owl is particularly sensitive to high temperatures and as a consequence, tends to live and roost in steep sided canyons that are cooler than the nearby forested mesa tops. Its preference for cool temperatures also means it prefers complex, multistoried forests in order to scale up and down within the canopy to stay at the right temperature throughout the day.

Spotted owls are carnivores that feed primarily on pack rats and flying squirrels. They eat other small mammals that they come across while hunting at night as well, swooping down to pluck prey from a branch or the ground then taking them to a high branch to eat. They will also store food in the crooks of branches, slowly walking away from the stashed prey as if creating a mental image of the location in their mind before flying off.

Spotted owls generally mate for life. 1 to 4 eggs are laid in the spring and hatch within about one month. They fledge after about 35 days. The young stay near the nest for another 2 to 3 months and then leave the area in early fall.
 
A small bird with a long beak, hovers in the air. the bird known as a hummingbird has a green back and magenta throat feathers.
Broad-tailed hummingbird captured in flight

NPS Photo

Broad-tailed hummingbird

Family: Hummingbirds

Size: 3 to 4 inches, wingspan 5.25 inches

Habitat: Shrubby habitat near conifer forests and high elevation meadows

About: The Broad-tailed hummingbird is a handsome hummingbird with an iridescent green back and white breast, with the males displaying a prominent iridescent magenta throat patch (in hummingbirds called a gorget). They look similar to the Anna’s hummingbird, but the Broad-tailed hummingbird has a green rather than magenta head. They feed on nectar from plants and also eat a lot of tiny insects, picked from leaves, snatched midair, or picked out of spider webs.

Male Broad-tailed hummingbirds can be seen during the spring and summer months performing an impressive courtship dance for the females in which they fly high up in the air, sometimes over one hundred feet, and come zooming down toward the female, their wings making a loud buzzing sound, pulling out of their dive right in front of the perched female. They will use this dive to chase off rival males and even other animals (including humans) that get too close to food sources!

Once they mate, the females take over rearing duties. The female builds a nest made mostly out of spider webs that she forms around her body. She then camouflages the nest by sticking bits of lichen, moss, bark, and plant material to the outside. She lays 2 tiny eggs that hatch in 16 to 19 days and fledge in another 21 to 26 days.
 
A medium sized bird, known as a Steller's Jay, has a black head fading into blue feathers just above the wings, perches on a wooden post.
Steller's jay on fence post

NPS Photo

Steller's Jay

Family: Corvids

Size: 11 to 14 inches, wingspan 17 to 18 inches

Habitat: Coniferous forests, particularly between 3,000- and 10,000-feet elevation

About: This beautiful and conspicuous jay is found in evergreen forests from the Rocky Mountains west to the Pacific Ocean. While there are at least 16 sub-species of Steller’s jay, some of which look quite different from each other, all of them have a black crest making them easy to tell apart from other jays. The Steller’s jay is closely related to the Eastern blue jay and in parts of the Mid-western United States hybridize with it.

Steller’s jays are omnivores and opportunists feeding on insects, nuts, berries, small animals, eggs, unguarded picnics, and food thrown away by humans. They are incredibly intelligent with great spatial memories. They often cache food in cracks and crevices found in trees but unlike other birds tend to remember where nearly every cache is. They are also very vocal with the ability to mimic other birds. They will often sound the alarm when a predator is near and mob it along with other species.

Steller’s jays nest on the branches of conifer trees, near the trunk. Usually the 10 to 15 inch diameter nest is found near the top of trees, but they can be found anywhere above 3 feet from the ground. These and blue jays are the only Western Hemisphere jays to use mud in the construction of their nests. They lay 2 to 6 eggs that hatch in about 16 days. The young fledge about 16 days after hatching.
 
A small bird known as a Canyon Wren with a slightly curved beak, brown chest white throat and grayish head stands on a rock.
Canyon wren perched on a rock

NPS Photo

Canyon Wren

Family: Wrens

Size: Body 4.5 to 6.5 inches, wingspan 7 to 8 inches

Habitat: Cliffs, steep sided canyons, rocky outcrops and boulder piles in arid regions

About: This handsome bird is a familiar companion to anyone who has ventured into the canyon country of the American southwest. Its call, a loud, sweet cascade of whistles that echo off canyon walls, is one of the most distinctive and beautiful bird calls heard North America. These small birds blend in with their surroundings, but if you catch a glimpse, they have a rich cinnamon brown body with dark brown speckles and a stark white throat.

Canyon wrens are active hunters that eat mostly insects and spiders that they catch on the rocks, snag from spider webs, steal from wasps’ nests, and sometimes pursue in the air. They can often be seen skittering across steep open spaces looking for prey on the rocks.

These wrens nest in sheltered crevices in a small nest made of twigs and grasses held together and lined with lichens, feathers and spider webs. They have 4 to 6 eggs which hatch within 12 to 18 days with the female incubating the eggs and the male feeding her through this period. The young are able to forage with their parents after about 10 days of hatching.

Canyon wrens are thought to get all of the water they need from their food without having to drink directly from a water source – a handy adaptation for this desert dwelling bird! They also seem to have an ongoing feud with white-throated swifts who nest in the same canyon walls that canyon wrens do. In Arizona swifts have been observed divebombing canyon wrens when they hear the distinctive song.
 
Great blue heron sideways to viewer
Great blue heron looking to the side

Great blue heron

Family: Herons, egrets, and kin

Size: 38 to 54 inches, wingspan 74 to 89 inches

Habitat: Feeds near or in fresh and salt water. Nests usually within 3 miles of feeding areas.

About: The majestic Great blue heron can be seen through much of the United States quietly stalking fish in shallow waterways or flying with slow, deep wingbeats and curved neck over the landscape. This largest of North American herons is a skilled fisher that will also opportunistically feed on frogs, small mammals, large insects, and other birds.

For most of the year the Great blue heron is solitary – guarding its feeding territory from other herons, other aquatic birds, and even humans. If a heron perceives a threat to its territory it will extend its neck, throwing its head back and stretching out its wings while calling out a loud “KRAAK!” sound. From a bird that often stands over 4 feet tall, this can be quite an intimidating display!

During breeding season these usually solitary and territorial birds gather in great rookeries, sometimes containing hundreds of pairs. These rookeries are often high up in tall trees where they make large nests up to 4 feet across and 3.5 feet deep. The sight of large groups of these giant birds on the slim branches high in the treetops is one of the strangest in nature!
 
Red-tailed hawk in flight low over the grass
Red-tailed hawk in flight low over the grass

Red-tailed Hawk

Family: Raptors

Size: 17 to 24 inches, wingspan 44 to 53 inches

Habitat: Very widespread in North America, found primarily in open areas

About: The Red-tailed hawk is the largest of North American hawks as well as one of the most common and recognizable. The large size, broad wings, and distinctive red tail can be seen circling over open areas from Alaska to central Mexico and from the Pacific Coast to the Atlantic Coast. They are also often seen perching on telephone or light poles looking for movement in the grass below. Though they are distinctive for their large size, Red-tailed hawks rarely weigh more than 3 pounds, testament to how well adapted to life on the wing they are.

The Red-tailed hawk feeds primarily on small rodents such as mice, but able to catch prey as large as cottontail rabbits. They also eat small birds and reptiles when given the chance. They hunt by scanning the ground with their excellent eyesight either flying high above grasslands or perched high on a telephone pole, light pole, or tree overlooking grassy areas. Once prey is spotted, they swoop down to surprise it from above.

These large hawks make equally large nests often reaching 3 feet across and sometimes as much as 6.5 feet tall! These nests are usually constructed at the crown of large trees with a commanding view of the landscape below. Sometimes they will nest on cliff edges or even window ledges and billboards if they are in the right location. The nest is built of dry sticks and lined with bark strips, fresh vegetation, and dry grass. The female lays 1 to 5 eggs that hatch in about a month and the young fledge around 45 days later.
 
Below you will find a list of common and not so common birds that have been spotted in the monument arranged by family and common names.

Ducks & Geese (Anatidae)
Common merganser (Mergus merganser)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Plovers & Lapwings (Charadriidae)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)
Sindpipers (Scolopacidae)
Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Turkeys (Phasianidae)
Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Quails (Odontophoridae)
Gambel’s quail (Callipepla gambelii)
Montezuma quail (Cyrtonyx montezumae)
Herons (Ardeidae)
Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
Green heron (Butorides striata)
Vultures (Cathartidae)
Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
Hawks (Accipitridae)
Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Common black hawk (Buteogallus anthracinus)
Cooper’s hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Zone-tailed hawk (Buteo albonotatus)
Pigeons (Columbidae)
Band-tailed pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)
Mourning dove (Zenaida macroura)
White-winged dove (Zenaida asiatica)
European Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)
Cuckoos & Roadrunners (Cuculidae)
Greater roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
Owls (Strigidae & Tytonidae)
Barn owl (Tyto alba)
Elf owl (Micrathene whitneyi)
Flammulated owl (Otus flammeolus)
Great horned owl (Bubo virginianus)
Long-eared owl (Asio otus)
Mexican spotted owl (Strix occidentalis lucida)
Northern pygmy-owl (Glaucidium gnoma)
Northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus)
Western screech owl (Megascops kennicottii)
Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidae)
Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
Common poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii)
Mexican whip-poor-will (Antrostomus arizonae)
Swifts (Apodidae)
White-throated swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)
Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Black-chinned hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)
Broad-tailed hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
Calliope hummingbird (Stellula calliope)
Rufous hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)
Woodpeckers (Picidae)
Acorn woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)
Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
Ladder-backed woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)
Lewis’ woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis)
Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Red-naped sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis)
Williamson’s sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus)
Falcons (Falconidae)
American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Prairie falcon (Falco mexicanus)
Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)
Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)
Ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)
Black phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
Cassin’s kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans)
Cordilleran flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis)
Dusky flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri)
Dusky-capped flycatcher (Myiarchus tuberculifer)
Gray flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii)
Greater pewee (Contopus pertinax)
Hammond’s flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii)
Say’s phoebe (Sayornis saya)
Western kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)
Western wood-pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
Willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)
Vireos (Vireonidae)
Bell’s vireo (Vireo bellii)
Hutton’s vireo (Vireo huttoni)
Plumbeous vireo (Vireo plumbeus)
Warbling vireo (Vireo gilvus)
Corvids (Corvidae)
Chihuahuan raven (Corvus cryptoleucus)
Clark’s nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)
Common raven (Corvus corax)
Mexican jay (Aphelocoma ultramarine)
Pinyon jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
Corvids (cont.)
Steller’s jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Woodhouse's scrub-jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Swallows (Hirundinidae)
Bank swallow (Riparia riparia)
Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Purple martin (Progne subis)
Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Chickadees & Titmice (Paridae)
Bridled titmouse (Baeolophus wollweberi)
Juniper titmouse (Baeolophus ridgwayi)
Mountain chickadee (Poecile gambeli)
Bushtit (Aegithalidae)
American bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
Nuthatches & Creepers (Sittidae & Certhiidae)
Brown creeper (Certhia americana)
Pygmy nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)
Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Wrens (Troglodytidae)
Bewick’s wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
Canyon wren (Catherpes mexicanus)
House wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Rock wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
Kinglets & Gnatcatchers (Regulidae & Polioptilidae)
Blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula)
Thrushes (Turdidae)
American robin (Turdus migratorius)
Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus)
Townsend’s solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)
Swainson’s thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
Western bluebird (Sialia mexicana)
Mimids (Mimidae)
Curve-billed thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Sage thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
Warblers (Parulidae & Peucedramidae)
American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
Black-throated gray warbler (Dendroica nigrescens)
Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Grace’s warbler (Dendroica graciae)
Lucy’s warbler (Vermivora luciae)
MacGillivray’s warbler (Oporornis tolmiei)
Olive warbler (Peucedramus taeniatus)
Orange-crowned warbler (Vermivora celata)
Painted redstart (Myioborus pictus)
Red-faced warbler (Cardellina rubrifrons)
Townsend’s warbler (Dendroica townsendi)
Virginia’s warbler (Vermivora virginiae)
Wilson’s warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)
Yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia)
Yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens)
Yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata)
Emberzines (Emberizidae)
Black-throated sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)
Brewer’s sparrow (Spizella breweri)
Canyon towhee (Pipilo fuscus)
Chipping sparrow (Spizella passerine)
Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)
Green-tailed towhee (Pipilo chlorurus)
Lark bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
Lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
Lincoln’s sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
Rufous-crowned sparrow (Aimophila ruficeps)
Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Spotted towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Tanagers (Cardinalidae)
Hepatic tanager (Piranga flava)
Summer tanager (Piranga rubra)
Western tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
Cardinals, Grosbeaks, & Buntings (Cardinalidae)
Black-headed grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
Blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Lazuli bunting (Passerina amoena)
Icterids (Icteridae)
Brewer’s blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Bullock’s oriole (Icterus bullockii)
Yellow-headed blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Finches (Fringillidae)
House finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
Lesser goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria)
Pine siskin (Spinus pinus)
Red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
 
To explore current and past bird sightings in the area, check eBird at: https://ebird.org/hotspot/L589670

Last updated: January 29, 2024

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26 Jim Bradford Trail
Mimbres, NM 88049

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575-536-9461

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