This checklist on Teller County birds provides an overview of possible species in the area. The compilation is based on my lifetime of observations in the Colorado Rockies and more specific local records since 2016. The list is by no means comprehensive and additional rarities could be seen in the county. 220 species. Updated 2-22-23.
To search for a species, type Control-F or Command-F and insert search term.
Abundance Codes: (in appropriate habitat and time of year)
C = Common, observed most of the time
U = Uncommon, observed some of the time
R = Rare, rarely observed
Seasonal Status Codes:
Y = Year round
S = Summer (spring thru fall)
M = Migrant (spring and/or fall)
W = Winter (fall thru spring)
LOONS, GREBES
__ Pied-billed Grebe- US
__ Eared Grebe- UM
__ Western Grebe- UM
__ Clark’s Grebe- RM
PELICANS, CORMORANTS
__ American White Pelican- US
__ Double-crested Cormorant- CS
BITTERNS, HERONS
__ American Bittern- RS
__ Great Blue Heron- CY
__ Great Egret- RM
__ Snowy Egret- US
__ Black-crowned Night Heron- RS
IBIS, VULTURES
__ White-faced Ibis- RM
__ Turkey Vulture- CS
WATERFOWL
__ Tundra Swan- RM
__ Canada Goose- CY
__ Wood Duck- RM
__ Gadwall- CS
__ American Wigeon- UM
__ Mallard- CY
__ Blue-winged Teal- CM
__ Cinnamon Teal- UM
__ Northern Shoveler- UM
__ Northern Pintail- CM
__ Green-winged Teal- CS
__ Canvasback- UM
__ Redhead- UM
__ Ring-necked Duck- UM
__ Lesser Scaup- CM
__ Bufflehead- UM
__ Canvasback- RM
__ Common Goldeneye- UW
__ Common Merganser- CY
__ Ruddy Duck- RS
__ Surf Scoter- RM
HAWKS, EAGLES
__ American Swallow-tailed Kite- RM
__ Osprey- CM
__ Bald Eagle- UY
__ Northern Harrier- UW
__ Sharp-shinned Hawk- UY
__ Cooper’s Hawk- UY
__ Northern Goshawk- UY
__ Swainson’s Hawk- US
__ Red-tailed Hawk- CY
__ Ferruginous Hawk- UY
__ Rough-legged Hawk- UW
__ Common Black-Hawk- RS
__ Golden Eagle- UY
FALCONS
__ American Kestrel- UY
__ Merlin- RW
__ Peregrine Falcon- UY
__ Prairie Falcon- UY
GROUSE, TURKEYS
__ Northern Bobwhite- RY (likely domestic escapees)
__ White-tailed Ptarmigan- UY (alpine)
__ Dusky Grouse- UY
__ Wild Turkey- CY
RAILS
__ Virginia Rail- US
__ Sora- US
__ American Coot- US
CRANES
__ Sandhill Crane- UM
PLOVERS, AVOCETS
__ Killdeer- CS
__ American Avocet- RM
SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES
__ Greater Yellowlegs- RM
__ Lesser Yellowlegs- RM
__ Solitary Sandpiper- UM
__ Spotted Sandpiper- CS
__ Semipalmated Sandpiper- RM
__ Western Sandpiper- RM
__ Least Sandpiper- UM
__ Long-billed Dowitcher- RM
__ Wilson’s Snipe- CS
__ Wilson’s Phalarope- RM
GULLS
__ Franklin’s Gull- UM
__ Ring-billed Gull- CS
__ California Gull- US
__ Herring Gull- RM
PIGEONS, DOVES
__ Rock Pigeon- CY
__ Eurasian Collared-Dove- UY
__ Band-tailed Pigeon- US
__ Mourning Dove- CS
__ White-winged Dove- RY
OWLS
__ Flammulated Owl- US
__ Western Screech-Owl- UY
__ Great Horned Owl- CY
__ Northern Pygmy-Owl- UY
__ Long-eared Owl- UY
__ Short-eared Owl- RY
__ Northern Saw-whet Owl- UY
NIGHTJARS
__ Common Nighthawk- US
__ Common Poorwill- RS
SWIFTS
__ Black Swift- RS
__ White-throated Swift- CS
HUMMINGBIRDS
__ Calliope Hummingbird- CM (July thru Sept.)
__ Black-chinned Hummingbird- RS
__ Broad-tailed Hummingbird- CS
__ Rufous Hummingbird- CM (July thru Sept.)
KINGFISHERS
__ Belted Kingfisher- CY
WOODPECKERS
__ Lewis’ Woodpecker- RS
__ Williamson’s Sapsucker- CS
__ Red-naped Sapsucker- CS
__ Downy Woodpecker- CY
__ Hairy Woodpecker- CY
__ Three-toed Woodpecker- UY
__ Northern Flicker- CY
FLYCATCHERS
__ Olive-sided Flycatcher- CS
__ Western Wood-Pewee- CS
__ Least Flycatcher- RS
__ Willow Flycatcher- US
__ Hammond’s Flycatcher- US
__ Dusky Flycatcher- US
__ Cordilleran Flycatcher- CS
__ Say’s Phoebe- US
__ Western Kingbird- US
__ Eastern Kingbird- RS
SHRIKES
__ Loggerhead Shrike- US
__ Northern Shrike- UW
VIREOS
__ Plumbeous Vireo- US
__ Warbling Vireo- CS
JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS
__ Canada Jay- CY
__ Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay- RY
__ Steller’s Jay- CY
__ Blue Jay- RY
__ Pinyon Jay- US
__ Clark’s Nutcracker- CY
__ Black-billed Magpie- CY
__ American Crow- CY
__ Common Raven- CY
LARKS, SWALLOWS
__ Horned Lark- CS
__ Tree Swallow- CS
__ Violet-green Swallow- CS
__ Northern Rough-winged Swallow- RS
__ Cliff Swallow- US
__ Barn Swallow- CS
CHICKADEES, BUSHTITS
__ Black-capped Chickadee- UY
__ Mountain Chickadee- CY
__ Busthtit- UY
NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS
__ Red-breasted Nuthatch- CY
__ White-breasted Nuthatch- CY
__ Pygmy Nuthatch- CY
__ Brown Creeper- CY
WRENS, DIPPERS
__ Rock Wren- US
__ Canyon Wren- UY
__ House Wren- CS
__ Marsh Wren- RS
__ Bewick’s Wren- RS
__ American Dipper- CY
KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS
__ Golden-crowned Kinglet- CS
__ Ruby-crowned Kinglet- CS
__ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher- UM
THRUSHES
__ Western Bluebird- CS
__ Mountain Bluebird- CS
__ Townsend’s Solitaire- CY
__ Veery- RS
__ Swainson’s Thrush- US
__ Hermit Thrush- CS
__ American Robin- CS
MIMIC THRUSHES
__ Gray Catbird- US
__ Sage Thrasher- UM
__ Curve-billed Thrasher- RS
__ Northern Mockingbird- RY
STARLINGS, PIPITS
__ European Starling- CY
__ American Pipit- CS (alpine)
WAXWINGS
__ Cedar Waxwing- UM
__ Bohemian Waxwing- RW
WARBLERS
__ Northern Waterthrush- RM
__ Orange-crowned Warbler- UM
__ Virginia’s Warbler- US
__ Yellow Warbler- CS
__ Cape May Warbler- RM
__ Yellow-rumped Warbler- CS
__ Black-throated Gray Warbler- RM
__ Townsend’s Warbler- UM
__ Macgillivray’s Warbler- CS
__ Common Yellowthroat- CS
__ Wilson’s Warbler- CS
TANAGERS
__ Western Tanager- CS
TOWHEES, SPARROWS
__ Green-tailed Towhee- CS
__ Spotted Towhee- RS
__ Canyon Towhee- RS
__ American Tree Sparrow- UW
__ Chipping Sparrow- CS
__ Brewer’s Sparrow- UM
__ Clay-colored Sparrow- RM
__ Vesper Sparrow- CS
__ Lark Sparrow- RM
__ Lark Bunting- RM
__ Savannah Sparrow- US
__ Fox Sparrow- US
__ Song Sparrow- CY
__ Lincoln’s Sparrow- CS
__ White-throated Sparrow- RM
__ White-crowned Sparrow- CS
__ Snow Bunting- RW
__ Dark-eyed Junco
– Gray-headed- CY
– Pink-sided- CW
– Oregon- CW
– Slate-colored- CW
– White-winged- UW
GROSBEAKS, BUNTINGS
__ Black-headed Grosbeak- CS
__ Rose-breasted Grosbeak- RM
__ Blue Grosbeak- RM
__ Lazuli Bunting- RS
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES
__ Red-winged Blackbird- CS
__ Western Meadowlark- CS
__ Yellow-headed Blackbird- RS
__ Brewer’s Blackbird- CM
__ Common Grackle- US
__ Brown-headed Cowbird- CS
__ Bullock’s Oriole- US
__ Bobolink- RM
FINCHES
__ Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch- UW
__ Black Rosy-Finch- RW
__ Brown-capped Rosy-Finch- UY (alpine)
__ Pine Grosbeak- UY
__ Cassin’s Finch- CY
__ House Finch- CY
__ Red Crossbill- UY
__ White-winged Crossbill- RY
__ Common Redpoll- RW
__ Pine Siskin- CY
__ Lesser Goldfinch- US
__ American Goldfinch- US
__ Evening Grosbeak- CY
__ Dickcissel- RS
WEAVER FINCHES
__ House Sparrow- CY
Compiled by Joe LaFleur, Woodland Park, CO
Better Birdwatching- 888-414-2837, 719-301-8801, joe@betterbirdwatching.com
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