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List of birds of New Mexico facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Geococcyx californianus
The greater roadrunner is the state bird of New Mexico.

This article lists all the different types of birds found in the state of New Mexico. The list is approved by the New Mexico Bird Records Committee (NMBRC). As of August 2022, there are 552 bird species officially recorded in New Mexico.

Some birds on this list are special:

  • Review list (R): These birds are seen rarely or not regularly in New Mexico. If someone spots them, they need to provide more detailed proof than for common birds.
  • Introduced (I): These are birds that were brought to North America by people and have now made New Mexico their home. There are five such species.
  • Extirpated (Ex): These birds used to live in New Mexico but are no longer found here, though they still exist in other places. Three species are in this group, with one more added from another source.
  • Accidental: One species has been added that is very rarely seen and usually doesn't live in New Mexico.

The birds are listed in a scientific order, which is how bird experts group them. This order comes from the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The names of the bird families come from the Clements taxonomy.

Unless noted, all birds listed below live in New Mexico regularly. They might be here all year, just for summer or winter, or just passing through during migration.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

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Canada goose

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are great at living in water. They have webbed feet, flat bills, and special oily feathers that shed water. New Mexico has recorded 39 species in this group.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, round birds that live on the ground. They are not closely related to Old World quails, but they look and act similar. Four species have been seen in New Mexico.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. These birds live on land and vary in size. They are usually plump with wide, short wings. Many are hunted for sport or raised for food. Seven species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized birds that dive in freshwater. They have lobed toes, making them excellent swimmers and divers. However, their feet are set far back on their bodies, so they are clumsy on land. Six species have been seen in New Mexico.

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. They have a soft, fleshy area at the base of their bill called a cere. Eight species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

The Cuculidae family includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds vary in size and have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Some cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds' nests, a behavior called brood parasitism. Four species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Nightjars and Allies

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night. They usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Seven species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds that spend most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and almost never land on the ground. Instead, they perch on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a crescent moon. Four species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds that can hover in the air by flapping their wings very fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward. Seventeen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

This large family includes rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Most of these birds live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are usually shy and hard to see. They have strong legs and long toes, which help them walk on soft ground. They are not strong fliers. Ten species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Finfoots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Heliornithidae

Finfoots are a small family of tropical birds. They have webbed toes, similar to grebes and coots. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike herons, which look similar, cranes fly with their necks stretched out. Most cranes have fancy and loud dances to attract mates. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts, which are large wading birds. Avocets have long legs and bills that curve upwards. Stilts have very long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Plovers and Lapwings

Killdeer
Killdeer

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

This family includes plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, pointed wings. They live in open areas worldwide, often near water. Eight species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Sandpipers and Allies

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large and varied family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, and phalaropes. Most of these birds eat small insects and worms they find in mud or soil. Different bill and leg lengths allow many species to feed in the same areas without competing for food. Thirty-five species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae

Skuas and jaegers are medium to large birds, usually gray or brown. They often have white marks on their wings. They have long bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large, dark gulls and are strong, agile fliers. Three species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae

This family includes auks, murres, and puffins. These birds have short wings and live on the open sea. They only come to land to breed. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

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Ring-billed gull

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds. It includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are usually gray or white, often with black marks on their heads or wings. They have strong, longish bills and webbed feet. Twenty-nine species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Loons are water birds about the size of a large duck. They are mostly gray or black and have bills shaped like spears. Loons swim very well and fly adequately, but they are clumsy on land because their legs are placed far back on their bodies. Four species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Northern Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

Storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds. They are related to petrels and eat tiny sea creatures and small fish from the water's surface, often while hovering. Their flight is fluttering, sometimes like a bat. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong bills. They have wide wings. Unlike other wading birds, storks do not have a special powder to clean off fish slime. Storks also cannot make sounds because they lack a voice box. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds found over tropical oceans. They are black or black-and-white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. Males have colorful throat pouches that can inflate. They cannot swim or walk well and cannot take off from flat ground. They have the largest wingspan for their body weight of any bird, allowing them to stay in the air for over a week. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Suliformes Family: Sulidae

This family includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large coastal seabirds that dive headfirst into the water to catch fish. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Anhingas

Order: Suliformes Family: Anhingidae

Anhingas are water birds that look like cormorants. They have very long necks and long, straight beaks. They eat fish and often swim with only their neck above the water. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Cormorants and Shags

Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large water birds, usually with dark feathers and colored skin on their faces. Their bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a special pouch under their beak. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

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Great blue heron

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae

This family includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns have shorter necks and are more secretive. Birds in this family fly with their necks pulled back, unlike storks or ibises. Twelve species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae

This family includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, wide wings and long bodies and necks. Their bills are also long; ibises have down-curved bills, while spoonbills have flat, spoon-shaped bills. Four species have been recorded in New Mexico.

New World Vultures

Order: Cathartiformes Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but they look similar because they evolved in similar ways. Like Old World vultures, they eat dead animals. However, New World vultures use their good sense of smell to find carcasses, while Old World vultures use their sight. Three species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae

The Osprey family has only one type of bird. Ospreys are fish-eating birds of prey. They have a very large, strong hooked beak for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and excellent eyesight.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Full Body 1880px
Red-tailed hawk

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae

This family includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These birds of prey have very large, strong hooked beaks for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and sharp eyesight. Twenty-one species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Barn-Owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae

Barn-owls are medium to large owls with big heads and unique heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful claws. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are small to large birds of prey that hunt at night and are usually alone. They have large eyes that face forward and good hearing. They have a hawk-like beak and a circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Fourteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Trogons

Order: Trogoniformes Family: Trogonidae

Trogons live in tropical forests around the world. They have soft, often colorful feathers, and males and females look different. They have compact bodies with long tails and short necks. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and short tails. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Woodpeckers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues for catching insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks. Sixteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are birds of prey that hunt during the day. Unlike hawks and eagles, falcons kill their prey with their beaks instead of their claws. Six species have been recorded in New Mexico.

New World and African Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Parrots have strong, curved bills, stand upright, and have strong legs with clawed feet that can grasp things in two directions (two toes forward, two backward). Many parrots are brightly colored. They range in size from about 8 cm (3.1 in) to 1 m (3.3 ft) long. Most of the more than 150 species in this family live in the Americas.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like Old World flycatchers but are stronger and have sturdier bills. They don't have the complex songs of other songbirds. Most are plain-looking. As their name suggests, most eat insects. Thirty-two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae

Vireos are small to medium-sized songbirds. They are usually greenish and look like wood warblers, but they have stronger bills. Thirteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are songbirds known for catching other birds and small animals. They often impale their prey on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. Corvids are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger species are very smart. Eleven species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Penduline-Tits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Remizidae

Penduline-tits are a family of small songbirds related to true tits. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

The Paridae are mostly small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. Some have crests on their heads. They are adaptable and eat a mix of seeds and insects. Six species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Larks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small ground birds known for their often beautiful songs and display flights. Most larks are plain-looking. They eat insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

This family of birds is built for catching food while flying. They have slender bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are better for perching than walking. Eight species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Long-tailed Tits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae

Long-tailed tits are a group of small songbirds with medium to long tails. They build woven, bag-shaped nests in trees. Most eat a mixed diet that includes insects. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Kinglets

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Ruby-crowned kinglet

Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of birds that look like titmice. They are very small birds that eat insects. Adult kinglets have colorful crowns on their heads, which gives them their name. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are songbirds with soft, silky feathers and unique red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, which is how they got their name. These birds live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter. Two species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Silky-Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptiliogonatidae

Silky-flycatchers are a small family of songbirds found mostly in Central America. They are related to waxwings and also have soft, silky feathers, usually gray or pale yellow. They have small crests on their heads. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, unlike most other birds that can only climb up. Nuthatches have large heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet. Three species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds that are brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, down-curved bills, which they use to pull insects from tree bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which help them support themselves on vertical trees. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Polioptilidae

These delicate birds look and act like Old World warblers, constantly moving through leaves to find insects. Gnatcatchers are mostly soft bluish-gray and have the long, sharp bill typical of insect-eating birds. Many species have distinct black patterns on their heads (especially males) and long, often upright, black-and-white tails. Three species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small and often hard to see, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin, down-curved bills. Several species often hold their tails straight up. All wrens eat insects. Ten species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Sage thrasher
Sage thrasher

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

This family of songbirds includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and New World catbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing singing, especially their ability to copy many other bird calls and outdoor sounds. They usually have dull gray and brown feathers. Nine species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized songbirds with strong feet. They fly strongly and directly and often gather in large groups. They prefer open areas and eat insects and fruit. Their feathers are usually dark with a shiny, metallic look. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae

Dippers are small, sturdy birds that find food in cold, fast-moving streams. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Thrushes and Allies

Western Bluebird - male
Western bluebird

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds, mostly found in the Old World. They are plump, soft-feathered, small to medium-sized birds that eat insects or sometimes everything. They often feed on the ground. Many have beautiful songs. Fourteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Old World Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae

The Old World flycatcher family is large and includes many small songbirds. These birds are mainly small, tree-dwelling insect eaters. Many, as their name suggests, catch their prey while flying. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Olive Warbler

Order: Passeriformes Family: Peucedramidae

The olive warbler is the only bird in its family. It used to be grouped with the wood-warblers, but DNA studies showed it needed its own family.

Old World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. They are generally small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong, short beaks. Sparrows eat seeds, but they also eat small insects. One species has been recorded in New Mexico.

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae

This family includes wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are small songbirds with medium to long tails. They are slender, insect-eating birds that feed on the ground in open areas. Three species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-sized and have strong, often cone-shaped beaks. All finches have twelve tail feathers and nine main flight feathers. These birds fly with a bouncing motion, flapping and then gliding with closed wings. Most sing well. Fifteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Calcariidae

This group of songbirds used to be part of the New World sparrows family. However, they are different in many ways and are usually found in open grassy areas. Five species have been recorded in New Mexico.

New World Sparrows

Green-tailed Towhee
Green-tailed towhee

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae

Before 2017, these birds were part of the Emberizidae family. Most are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of these birds have unique patterns on their heads. Thirty-seven species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Yellow-breasted Chat

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteriidae

This bird was once thought to be a wood-warbler, but experts were unsure. In 2017, studies showed it was unique enough to have its own family.

Troupials and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

This group of small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds is found only in the Americas. It includes grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species are mainly black, sometimes with bright yellow, orange, or red colors. Seventeen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

New World Warblers

Yellow rumped warbler - natures pics
Yellow-rumped warbler

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

Wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird, live more on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects. Fifty species have been recorded in New Mexico.

Cardinals and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

Cardinals are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. Males and females often have different feather colors. Fifteen species have been recorded in New Mexico.

See also

  • List of birds
  • Lists of birds by region
  • List of North American birds
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List of birds of New Mexico Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.