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List of birds of Yuma County, Arizona facts for kids

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Roadrunner2007
The greater roadrunner, a bird that means a lot to Arizona, is common in all low desert areas.

This is a list of birds you can find in Yuma County, Arizona, in the United States. Birds are amazing creatures, and Yuma County is home to many different kinds!

Here's what some of the special letters next to the bird names mean:

  • (A) Accidental - This bird has been seen fewer than 10 times and probably won't visit often.
  • (E) Extinct - This type of bird no longer exists anywhere in the world.
  • (Ex) Extirpated - This bird no longer lives in Yuma County, but you can find it in other places.
  • (I) Introduced - Humans brought this bird here, either on purpose or by accident. It's not naturally from this area.
  • (H) Hypothetical - Someone reported seeing this bird, but there's no photo or special proof.
  • (C) Casual - This bird visits sometimes, but not regularly.
  • (SW) Southwest - This bird is found in the southwest part of Arizona, specifically Yuma County.
  • sw–06 - This bird was seen in 2006.
  • (* SW) - This bird breeds (has babies) in the southwest.
  • (–L–) - This means the bird is found in a specific, small area, or "local" spot.
  • LCRV - This stands for the Lower Colorado River Valley.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds love water! They have webbed feet to help them swim. Their bills are flat, and their feathers have special oils to keep water off. There are 131 species of these birds around the world.

Partridges, Grouse, and Turkeys

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and similar birds. They live on land and are usually plump with short, wide wings. Many of these birds are hunted for sport or raised for food.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, plump birds that live on the ground. They look a bit like quails from other parts of the world but are not closely related. All 32 species in this family live only in North and South America.

  • (* SW) Gambel's quail, Callipepla gambelii (lives here all year, doesn't migrate)

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Loons are water birds, about the size of a large duck. They are mostly gray or black and have sharp, spear-shaped bills. Loons are great swimmers and can fly well, but they are clumsy on land because their legs are set far back on their bodies.

  • (SW) Common loon, Gavia immer (visits sometimes in winter)

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized diving birds that live in freshwater. They have special lobed toes that make them excellent swimmers and divers. Like loons, their feet are far back on their bodies, so they aren't very graceful on land.

  • (* SW) Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (lives here all year and in winter)
  • (* SW) Western grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis (lives here all year)
  • (* SW) Clark's grebe, Aechmophorus clarkii (lives here all year and in winter)

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds. They have a special pouch under their beak for catching fish. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes.

Herons and Egrets

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae

This family includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large birds that wade in water. They have long necks and legs. Bitterns are usually shorter and more secretive. These birds fly with their necks pulled back.

New World Vultures

Order: Cathartiformes Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures are scavengers, meaning they eat dead animals. They have bare, featherless necks. Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures also have a good sense of smell.

  • (* SW) Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura (often seen soaring in groups of hundreds)
  • California condor, Gymnogyps californianus (found in far northern Arizona, near the Grand Canyon)

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae

  • (SW) Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (found near all rivers and lakes, like the Colorado River)

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae

Coopers Hawk - Reifel Sanctuary, Ladner, British Columbia
Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

This family includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These are birds of prey, meaning they hunt other animals. They have strong, hooked beaks to tear meat, powerful legs, sharp talons, and excellent eyesight.

  • Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (winters here)
  • (* SW) Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii (might live here all year and in winter)
  • (* SW) Harris's hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus (found in Southern Arizona and Mexico)
  • (* SW) Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
  • Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos (winters here and might live here all year)

Caracaras and Falcons

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks, not their talons.

Crakes, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

This is a large family of small to medium-sized birds like rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. They usually live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are often shy and hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes for walking on soft ground.

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and necks. Unlike herons, cranes fly with their necks stretched out. Many cranes have special, loud "dances" they do when looking for a mate.

  • (–L–) (SW) Sandhill crane, Grus canadensis (winters in southern Arizona)

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are plump birds with short necks and small, thin bills.

Cuckoos and Roadrunners

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

This family includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds vary in size and have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.

Owls

Order: Strigiformes

Owls are amazing nocturnal (night-time) birds of prey. They have large eyes that face forward and can turn their heads almost all the way around! They also have a special circle of feathers around each eye called a "facial disk" that helps them focus light at night.

Barn Owls

Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with big heads and unique heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs and powerful talons.

Typical Owls

Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are usually solitary birds that hunt at night.

Hummingbirds

Order: Trochiliformes Family: Trochilidae

Broad-billed Hummingbird RWD2
Broad-billed hummingbird (Cynanthis latirostris)

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in mid-air by flapping their wings super fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Hummingbirds in Arizona live in mountains and deserts.

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. They are great at catching fish!

Woodpeckers and Flickers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks. They use their beaks to tap loudly on tree trunks, often looking for insects. They have strong tails to help them hold onto trees.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

These birds are found throughout North and South America. They are usually plain-looking and mostly eat insects. They don't have fancy songs like some other birds.

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are known for catching small animals and even other birds. They sometimes stick their uneaten prey on thorns, creating a "larder" or food storage area. Their beaks are hooked, like a bird of prey.

  • (* SW) Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus (lives here all year and is very common in the low desert)

Jays, Crows, and Ravens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, and jays. These birds are known for being very smart!

Larks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small birds that live on the ground. They often have beautiful songs and special display flights, sometimes flying in zigzagging groups. They eat insects and seeds.

  • (* SW) Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris (winters here and migrates)

Swallows and Martins

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

This family of birds is built for flying! They have slender bodies, long, pointed wings, and wide mouths to catch insects in the air. Their feet are better for perching than walking.

Chickadees and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

These are small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. They can adapt well and eat a mix of seeds and insects.

  • (* SW) Verdin, Auriparus flaviceps (only found in the Low Desert and lives here all year)

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small, often hard-to-spot birds, but they have surprisingly loud songs! They have short wings and thin, downward-curved bills. Many species hold their tails straight up. They all eat insects. The cactus wren is one of the larger wrens.

  • (* SW) Cactus wren, Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
  • (* SW) Rock wren, Salpinctes obsoletus (loves to search for food among rocks)
  • (* SW) Canyon wren, Catherpes mexicanus
  • (* SW) Marsh wren, Cistothorus palustris

Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Polioptilidae

This family includes small birds that eat insects.

Thrushes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are plump birds with soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized and eat insects or sometimes everything (omnivores), often finding food on the ground. Many have lovely songs.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

This family includes thrashers and mockingbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing songs and their ability to copy many other bird calls and outdoor sounds! They are usually gray, black, and brown.

  • (* SW) Northern mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos (lives here all year, now even in desert areas)
  • (* SW) Crissal thrasher, Toxostoma crissale (lives here all year, doesn't migrate)
  • (SW) Le Conte's thrasher, Toxostoma lecontei (lives here all year in hot, low deserts)

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized birds 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.

  • (* SW) European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (I) (also seen alone or in pairs in the low desert)

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings have soft, silky feathers and unique red tips on some wing feathers that look like sealing wax. These birds live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter.

Silky-flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptiliogonatidae

This small family of birds is mostly found 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.

  • (* SW) Phainopepla, Phainopepla nitens (found in quiet mountain canyons and near rivers, especially where mistletoe berries grow)

Wood-warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

Wood warblers are small, often colorful birds found only in North and South America. Most live in trees, but some live more on the ground. Most of them eat insects.

Tanagers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae

Tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized birds found only in North and South America, mostly in tropical areas. Many species are brightly colored. They eat seeds, but they especially love fruit and nectar.

New World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae

Cassin's Sparrow, Peucaea cassinii
Cassin's sparrow (Peucaea cassinii)

These birds are often called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the "Old World" sparrows. Many have unique patterns on their heads. About a third of the 29 species listed for SW Arizona live here, while others are found in different areas like mountains or Mexico.

  • (* SW) Abert's towhee, Pipilo aberti (found only in Arizona's SW and Southern low desert)
  • (* SW) Lark sparrow, Chondestes grammacus (winters here and some live here all year)
  • (* SW) Black-throated sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata (in summer, they search intensely for food and water in small, energetic groups)
  • (* SW) Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia (lives here all year and in winter)
  • (* SW) White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys (winters here)

Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

Cardinals are strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. The males and females often have different colored feathers.

Blackbirds and Orioles

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

This family includes grackles, blackbirds, and orioles. Many of these birds are black, often with bright yellow, orange, or red colors. Most of the 11 species listed are common and breed in the Lower Colorado River Valley.

Finches and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae

Lesser-Goldfinch
Lesser goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)

Finches are seed-eating birds, usually small to medium-sized, with strong, often cone-shaped beaks. They have a bouncy flight pattern, flapping and then gliding with their wings closed. Most sing well. The 9 species listed here are mostly winter residents or live here all year.

Old World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong beaks. They eat seeds but also hunt small insects. The house sparrow is very common in SW Arizona.

Images for kids

  • 043 - RING-NECKED DUCK (1-30-13) encanto park, phoenix, maricopa co, az (1) (8714816161)

    Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

See also

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List of birds of Yuma County, Arizona Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.