30-Day List

If it's alive and it lives wild, it's wildlife.

30-Day List

Wildlife to See in 30 Days

This list itemizes those species of fishes, amphibians, turtles, squamates (lizards and snakes), birds, and mammals that a motivated and reasonably skilled naturalist should be able to find within a 50-mile circle centered at one of three highway intersections: (1) Colo. 14 and I-25 just east of Fort Collins; (2) U.S. 34 and I-25 just east of Loveland; or (3) Colo. 66 and I-25 northeast of Longmont. Other species admittedly occur inside this circle but have been excluded because they

1 do not occur within the circle during the month of June;

2 require some form of capture to find and to identify;

3 are extremely scarce, infrequent, erratic year-to-year, or otherwise unreliable;

4 pose complicated identification challenges that exceed the intent of this material.

The list follows current phylogenetic sequences for each group and is divided according to classes, orders, and families as indicated by spacing.

Each included species is presented with a color code as follows:

Blue = found on the plains in blue-outlined portion of map circle.
Red = found in foothills and mountains in red-outlined portion of map circle.

Bicolor = found both plains and mountains; if name is split equally, then species is evenly likely in either area; if species name is split unevenly, the color distribution indicates the
higher likelihood of finding the species (Note: blue always comes first as a matter of consistent format style only).

Asterisk (*) = requires more deliberate effort because of low numbers, secretive habits, limited distribution, or other complicating factors. (Note: It may be a simple matter of needing to turn over a lot of rocks, boards, or dry cow manure to find certain lizards or snakes.)

The following codes apply to the dominant portion of the species’ color-coded distribution within the circle. These codes DO NOT apply outside the circle and are not intended to reflect abundance, distribution, or ease of finding anywhere other than in the mapped circle.

L = limited sites of occurrence even if habitat appears to be available.
S = signs only; almost no chance to see the actual animal.

Fishes: Salmons

Salmonidae: Salmon Family

Trout, Brook *

Fishes: Minnows

Cyprinidae: Minnow Family

Carp, Common

Goldfish *

Catostomidae: Sucker Family

Sucker, White *

Fishes: Livebearers

Cyprinodontidae: Killifish Family

Topminnow, Plains *

Fishes: Perches

Centrarchidae: Sunfish Family

Bass, Large-mouthed *

Percidae: Perch Family

Darter, Johnny *

Amphibians: Caudatans

Amblystomatidae: Mole-Salamander Family

Salamander, Tiger *

Amphibians: Anurans

Spadefoot, Plains * [Not in Loveland or Longmont circles]

Bufonidae: Toad Family

Toad, Great Plains – L

Toad, Woodhouse’s

Hylidae: Treefrog Family

Chorus-Frog, Striped

Ranidae: Frog Family

Frog, Bull

Frog, Northern Leopard *

Testudines: Turtles

Chelydridae: Snapping-Turtle Family

Snapping-Turtle, Common

Emydidae: Pond-Turtle Family

Turtle, Painted – L

Squamates: Lizards and Snakes

Phrynosomatidae: "Common Lizard" Family

Lizard, Lesser Earless *

Lizard, Short Horned

Lizard,"Fence"

Teiidae: Whiptail Family

Racerunner, Six-lined *

Scincidae: Skink Family

Skink, Many-lined *
Colubridae: Colubrid Family

Racer

Hognose-Snake, Western *

Snake, Milk *

Water-Snake, Northern

Snake, Gopher

Garter-Snake, Western Terrestrial

Garter-Snake, Plains

Garter-Snake, Common

Viperidae: Viper Family

Rattle-Snake, Western *

Birds: Waterfowl

Anatidae: Waterfowl Family

Goose, Canada

Duck, Wood – L

Gadwall

Wigeon, American *

Mallard

Teal, Cinnamon

Shoveler, Northern

Pintail, Northern – L

Teal, Green-winged – L

Redhead

Bufflehead – L

Merganser, Common

Duck, Ruddy

Birds: Pheasants

Phasianidae: Pheasant Family

Pheasant, Ring-necked

Turkey – L

Birds: Grebes

Podicipedidae: Grebe Family

Grebe, Eared – L

Grebe, Pied-billed

Grebe, Western

Grebe, Clark’s – L

Birds: "Totipalms"

Pelecanidae: Pelican Family

White Pelican, American

Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorant Family

Cormorant, Double-crested

Birds: Storks

Ardeidae: Heron Family

Heron, Great Blue

Egret, Snowy – L

Egret, Cattle – L

Night-Heron, Black-crowned *

Birds: Condors

Cathartidae: Condor Family

Condor, Red-headed ["Turkey Vulture"]

Birds: Hawks

Pandionidae: Osprey Family

Osprey – L [Variously treated as separate family or joined with hawk family]
Accipitridae: Hawk Family

Eagle, Bald – L

Harrier, Northern

Hawk, Swainson’s

Hawk, Red-tailed

Hawk, Ferruginous – L

Eagle, Golden

Falconidae: Falcon Family

Kestrel, American

Falcon, Prairie – L

Birds: Rails

Rallidae: Rail Family

Rail, Virginia

Sora

Coot, American

Birds: Shorebirds

Charadriidae: Plover Family

Killdeer

Plover, Mountain * [Not in Loveland or Longmont circles]
Recurvirostridae: Stilt Family

Avocet, American

Scolopacidae: Sandpiper Family

Sandpiper, Spotted

Snipe, Wilson’s

Phalarope, Wilson’s – L

Laridae: Gull Family

Gull, Franklin’s *

Gull, Ring-billed

Gull, California

Tern, Forster’s – L

Tern, Black *

Birds: Pigeons

Columbidae: Pigeon Family
Pigeon, Rock

Pigeon, Band-tailed *

Collared-Dove, Eurasian

Dove, Mourning

Birds: Owls

Tytonidae: Barn-Owls

Owl, Barn *

Strigidae: Owls

Owl, Flammulated *

Screech-Owl, Eastern

Owl, Great Horned

Owl, Burrowing – L

Birds: Nightjars

Caprimulgidae: Nightjars
Nighthawk, Common

Poorwill, Common *

Birds: Hummingbirds

Apodidae: Swift Family

Swift, Chimney

Swift, White-throated – L
Trochilidae: Hummingbird Family

Hummingbird, Broad-tailed

Birds: Kingfishers

Alcedinidae: Kingfisher Family

Kingfisher, Belted

Birds: Woodpeckers

Picidae: Woodpecker Family

Sapsucker, Williamson’s

Sapsucker, Red-naped

Woodpecker, Downy

Woodpecker, Hairy

Flicker, Northern

Birds: Songbirds

Tyrannidae: Flycatcher Family

Flycatcher, Olive-sided

Wood-Pewee, Western
Flycatcher, Dusky

Flycatcher, Cordilleran

Phoebe, Say’s

Kingbird, Western

Kingbird, Eastern

Laniidae: Shrike Family

Shrike, Loggerhead

Vireonidae: Vireo Family

Vireo, Plumbeous

Vireo, Warbling

Corvidae: Crow Family

Jay, Steller’s
Jay, Blue

Scrub-Jay, Western – L

Magpie, Black-billed

Crow, American

Raven, Common

Alaudidae; Lark Family

Lark, Horned

Hirundinidae: Swallow Family

Swallow, Tree

Swallow, Violet-green

Swallow, Rough-winged

Swallow, Bank - L

Swallow, Cliff

Swallow, Barn

Paridae: Chickadee Family
Chickadee, Black-capped

Chickadee, Mountain

Sittidae: Nuthatch Family

Nuthatch, Red-breasted
Nuthatch, White-breasted

Nuthatch, Pygmy

Certhiidae: Creeper Family

Creeper, Brown *
Troglodytidae: Wren Family
Wren, Rock

Wren, Canyon

Wren, House

Wren, Marsh

Cinclidae: Dipper Family

Dipper, American

Regulidae: Kinglet Family

Kinglet, Ruby-crowned

Sylviidae: Gnatcatcher Family

Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray

Turdidae: Thrush Family

Bluebird, Western

Bluebird, Mountain

Solitaire, Townsend’s

Thrush, Hermit

Robin, American

Mimidae: Mockingbird Family

Catbird, Gray

Mockingbird, Northern *

Thrasher, Brown

Sturnidae: Starling Family

Starling, European

Bombycillidae: Waxwing Family

Waxwing, Cedar – L

Parulidae: Warbler Family

Warbler, Virginia’s
Warbler, Yellow

Warbler, Yellow-rumped

Ovenbird *

Yellowthroat, Common

Chat, Yellow-breasted

Thraupidae: Tanager Family

Tanager, Western

Emberizidae: Sparrow Family

Towhee, Green-tailed

Towhee, Spotted

Sparrow, Chipping

Sparrow, Vesper

Sparrow, Lark

Bunting, Lark [Possibly not in Longmont circle]

Sparrow, Savannah – L

Sparrow, Grasshopper *
Sparrow, Song

Junco, Dark-eyed

Longspur, McCown’s – L [Not in Loveland or Longmont circles]

Cardinalidae: Cardinal Family

Grosbeak, Black-headed

Grosbeak, Blue *

Bunting, Lazuli

Icteridae: Blackbird Family

Blackbird, Red-winged

Meadowlark, Western

Blackbird, Yellow-headed

Blackbird, Brewer’s

Grackle, Common

Grackle, Great-tailed – L

Cowbird, Brown-headed

Oriole, Bullock’s

Fringillidae: Finch Family
Finch, House

Crossbill, Red

Siskin, Pine

Goldfinch, Lesser *

Goldfinch, American

Passeridae: Old World Sparrow Family

Sparrow, House

Mammals: Rodents

Sciuridae: Squirrel Family

Chipmunk, Least

Chipmunk, Colorado

Ground-Squirrel, Wyoming
Ground-Squirrel, Rock

Ground-Squirrel, Thirteen-lined

Ground-Squirrel, Golden-mantled

Squirrel, Tassel-eared *
Squirrel, Fox

Marmot, Yellow-bellied

Steppe-Squirrel, Black-tailed

Chickaree, Common

Geomyidae: Pocket-Gopher Family

Pocket-Gopher, Northern – S

Pocket-Gopher, Plains – S

Heteromyidae: Pocket-Mouse Family

Kangaroo-Rat, Ord’s *
Castoridae: Beaver Family

Beaver

Cricetidae: Cricetid Mouse Family

Mouse, Deer *

Woodrat, Bushy-tailed – S

Woodrat, Mexican – S
Muridae: Murid Mouse Family

Mouse, House *

Muskrat

Vole, Meadow *

Erethizontidae: Porcupine Family

Porcupine *

Mammals: Lagomorphs

Leporidae: Rabbit Family

Cottontail, Desert

Cottontail, Eastern

Cottontail, Mountain

Hare, Snowshoe *

Jackrabbit, Black-tailed *

Jackrabbit, White-tailed

Mammals: Bats

Vespertilionidae: Evening-Bat Family

Bat, Little Brown *

Bat, Big Brown *

Mammals: Carnivores

Canidae: Dog Family

Coyote

Fox, Red

Fox, Swift *

Mustelidae: Weasel Family

Weasel, Long-tailed *
Mephitidae: Skunk Family

Skunk, Striped

Procyonidae: Raccoon Family

Raccoon

Mammals: Cattles

Cervidae: Deer Family

Deer, Mule

Deer, White-tailed

Antilocapridae: Pronghorn Family

Pronghorn

Bovidae: Cattle Family

Sheep, Bighorn – L

The preceding list itemizes the vertebrate richness that a reasonably motivated naturalist should be able to find in the defined 1,962-mile square area. That richness is numerically summarized here:

Taxonomic Class	Orders	Families	Species
Fishes	4	5	7
Amphibians	2	5	7
Turtles	1	2	2
Squamates	1	5	14
Birds	16	46	150
Mammals	5	15	40

Totals

220