Colorado Bird Catalog
Status Categories
Indigenous: occurs in an area through natural process without involvement of people.
Abbreviations: (1) IN = indigenous; mig = migratory; pio = pioneer; res = resident; aut = autumn; bre = breeding; spr = spring; err = erratic; irr = irregular; reg = regular; sea = seasonal; sed = sedentary; sto = stocked; (2) EX = exotic; fer = feral; est = established; une = unestablished
IN: mig - aut – arrives in autumn and spends a portion of the season but not all
IN: mig - bre - irr – migratory and nests but not every year, or has nested historically but does not
presently
IN: mig - bre - reg – migratory but nests somewhere in state every year
IN: mig - err – occurs erratically, unpredictably, so not seen every year
IN: mig - spr – arrives in spring and spends a portion of the season but not all
IN: mig - sto – wild populations supplemented or otherwise manipulated by deliberate human
intervention
IN: pio - mig - bre – originating outside the state but expanding range through natural process to
establish a seasonal presence
IN: pio - res - bre – originating outside the state but expanding range through natural process to
establish a year-round presence
IN: res - mig - bre – present in the state year round but the individuals of the state may be migratory so
that different individuals are here in summer than in winter
IN: res - sea – present in the state throughout one or more seasons but absent for at least one
IN: res - sed - bre – present in the state throughout the year by nonmigratory individuals
IN: res - sto – wild populations supplemented by deliberate human intervention
Exotic: “from another land,” meaning a species occurs in an area as a consequence of human
involvement in geographic displacement, typically from another continent.
EX: est - bre – once captive but now breeding in the wild
EX: fer – escaped or released from captivity but with no wild, self-sustaining population and continuing
to occur only through ongoing escapes or releases
EX: pio – originating as an exotic species outside the state but then expanding range through natural
processes to arrive and establish a self-sustaining population here without direct human
involvement
EX: sto - est – raised in captivity then released for the specific purpose of establishing a wild, self-
sustaining population; all known cases in Colorado limited to gamebirds
EX: sto - une – raised in captivity then released for the specific purpose of establishing a wild population
but without the species becoming established as planned
American Name Latin Name Colorado Status
1 Anhinga Anhinga anhinga 1 specimen: 1931
1 Anhinga, Rufous-necked Anhinga novaehollandiae 1 specimen: 1927
Auks Alcidae
2 Murrelet, Ancient Synthliboramphus antiquus IN: mig - err
2 Murrelet, Long-billed Brachyramphus perdix IN: mig - err
Barn-Owls Tytonidae
Barn-Owl Tyto alba IN: mig - bre - reg
Blackbirds Icteridae
Blackbird, Brewer’s Euphagus cyanocephalus IN: mig - bre - reg
Blackbird, Red-winged Agelaius phoeniceus IN: res - mig
Blackbird, Rusty Euphagus carolinus IN: res - sea
Blackbird, Yellow-headed Xanthcephalus xanthocephalus IN: mig - bre - reg
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivora IN: mig - bre - reg
Cowbird, Bronzed Molothrus aeneus 1 sighting
Cowbird, Brown-headed Molothrus ater IN: mig - bre - reg
Grackle, Common Quiscalus quiscula IN: mig - bre - reg
Grackle, Great-tailed Quiscalus mexicanus IN: mig - bre - reg
Meadowlark, Eastern Sturnella magna IN: mig - bre - reg
Meadowlark, Western Sturnella neglecta IN: res - sed - bre
Oriole, Baltimore Icterus galbula IN: mig - bre - reg
Oriole, Bullock’s Icterus bullockii IN: mig - bre - reg
Oriole, Orchard Icterus spurius IN: mig - bre - reg
Oriole, Scott’s Icterus parisorum IN: mig - bre - reg
Buntings (see “Cardinals” and “Sparrows”)
Bushtits Aegithalidae
Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus IN: res- sed - bre
Cardinals Cardinalidae
Bunting, Indigo Passerina cyanea IN: mig - bre - reg
Bunting, Lazuli Passerina amoena IN: mig - bre - reg
Bunting, Painted Passerina ciris IN: mig - bre - reg
Cardinal, Northern Cardinalis cardinalis IN: res - sed - bre
Dickcissel Spiza americana IN: mig - bre - reg
Grosbeak, Black-headed Pheucticus melanocephalus IN: mig - bre - reg
Grosbeak, Blue Guiraca caerulea IN: mig - bre - reg
Grosbeak, Rose-breasted Pheucticus ludovicianus IN: mig - bre - reg
Pyrrhuloxia Cardinalis sinuatus 3 sight records
Chickadees Paridae
Chickadee, Black-capped Poecile atricapilla IN: res - sed - bre
Chickadee, Mountain Poecile gambeli IN: res - sed - bre
Titmouse, Juniper Baeolophus griseus IN: res - sed - bre
Condors Cathartidae
3 Condor, California Gymnogyps californianus 1 group of 3 birds
4 Vulture, Black Coragyps atratus IN: mig - err
5 Vulture, Turkey Cathartes aura IN: mig - bre - reg
Cormorants Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorant, Double-crested Phalacrocorax auritus IN: mig - bre - reg
Cormorant, Neotropic Phalacrocorax brasilianus IN: mig - err
Cranes Gruidae
Crane, Sandhill Grus canadensis IN: mig - bre - reg
6 Crane, Whooping Grus americana IN: mig - sto - une
Creepers Certhiidae
Creeper, Brown Certhia americana IN: res - sed - bre
Crows Corvidae
Crow, American Corvus brachyrhynchos IN: res - sed - bre
Jay, Blue Cyanocitta cristata IN: pio - res - bre
Jay, Gray Perisoreus canadensis IN: res - sed - bre
Jay, Pinyon Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus IN: res - sed - bre
Jay, Steller’s Cyanocitta stelleri IN: res - sed - bre
Magpie, Black-billed Pica pica IN: res - sed - bre
Nutcracker, Clark’s Nucifraga columbiana IN: res - sed - bre
Raven, Chihuahuan Corvus cryptoleucus IN: res - sed - bre
Raven, Common Corvus corax IN: res - sed - bre
Scrub-Jay, Western Aphelocoma californica IN: res - sed - bre
Cuckoos Cuculidae
Ani, Groove-billed Crotophaga sulcirostris IN: mig - err
Cuckoo, Black-billed Coccyzus erythrophthalmus IN: mig - bre - reg
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed Coccyzus americanus IN: mig - bre - reg
Roadrunner, Greater Geococcyx californianus IN: res - sed - bre
Dippers Cinclidae
7 Dipper, American Cinclus mexicanus IN: res - sed - bre
Doves (see “Pigeons”)
Ducks Anatidae: Anatinae
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola IN: res - mig - bre
Canvasback Aythya valisineria IN: res - mig - bre
Duck, American Black Anas rubripes IN: mig - err
8 Duck, Harlequin Histrionicus histrionicus IN: res - sea
Duck, Long-tailed Clangula hyemalis IN: res - sea
9 Duck, Mottled Anas fulvigula 2 specimens
Duck, Muscovy Cairina moschata EX: fer
Duck, Ring-necked Aythya collaris IN: res - mig - bre
Duck, Ruddy Oxyura jamaicensis IN: res - sed - bre
10 Duck, Tufted Aythya fuligula 1 sighting
11 Duck, Wood Aix sponsa IN: res - sed - bre
12 Eider, Common Somateria mollissima 1 spec.; 1 sighting
Gadwall Anas strepera IN: res - mig - bre
13 Garganey Anas querquedula 1 sighting
Goldeneye, Barrow’s Bucephala islandica IN: res - mig - bre
Goldeneye, Common Bucephala clangula IN: res - sea
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos IN: res - sed - bre
Merganser, Common Mergus merganser IN: res - sed - bre
Merganser, Hooded Lophodytes cucullatus IN: res - sea
Merganser, Red-breasted Mergus serrator IN: res - sea
Pintail, Northern Anas acuta IN: res - mig - bre
Redhead Aythya americana IN: res - sed - bre
Scaup, Greater Aythya marila IN: res - sea
Scaup, Lesser Aythya affinis IN: res - sea
Scoter, Black Melanitta nigra IN: res - sea
Scoter, Surf Melanitta perspicillata IN: res - sea
Scoter, White-winged Melanitta fusca IN: res - sea
Shoveler, Northern Anas clypeata IN: res - mig - bre
14 Teal, Baikal Anas formosa 1 sighting
Teal, Blue-winged Anas discors IN: mig - bre - reg
Teal, Cinnamon Anas cyanoptera IN: mig - bre - reg
Teal, Green-winged Anas crecca IN: res - mig - bre
15 Whistling-Duck, Black-bellied Dendrocygna autumnalis see notes
16 Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Dendrocygna bicolor see notes
Wigeon, American Anas americana IN: res - mig - bre
Wigeon, Eurasian Anas penelope IN: mig - err
Falcons Falconidae
17 Caracara, Crested Caracara plancus 2 records, 1 specimen
Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus IN: mig - bre - reg
Falcon, Prairie Falco mexicanus IN: res - sed - bre
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus IN: mig - err
Kestrel, American Falco sparverius IN: res - sed - bre
Merlin Falco columbarius IN: res - sea
Finches Fringillidae
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla 2 sightings
Crossbill, Red Loxia curvirostra IN: res - sed - bre
Crossbill, White-winged Loxia leucoptera IN: mig - err
Goldfinch, American Carduelis tristis IN: res - mig - bre
Goldfinch, Lesser Carduelis psaltria IN: mig - bre - reg
Grosbeak, Evening Coccothraustes vespertinus IN:
Grosbeak, Pine Pinicola enucleator IN: res - sed - bre
Finch, Cassin’s Carpodacus cassinii IN: res - sed - bre
Finch, House Carpodacus mexicanus IN: res - sed - bre
Finch, Purple Carpodacus purpureus IN: mig - err
Redpoll, Common Carduelis flammea IN: res - sea
Rosy-Finch, Black Leucosticte atrata IN: res - sea
Rosy-Finch, Brown-capped Leucosticte australis IN: res - sed - bre
Rosy-Finch, Gray-crowned Leucosticte tephrocotis IN: res - sea
Siskin, Pine Carduelis pinus IN: res - sed - bre
Flycatchers Tyrannidae
Flycatcher, Alder Empidonax alnorum IN: mig - err
Flycatcher, Ash-throated Myiarchus cinerascens IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Buff-breasted Empidonax fulvifrons 1 sighting
Flycatcher, Cordilleran Empidonax occidentalis IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Dusky Empidonax oberholseri IN: mig - bre - reg
18 Flycatcher, Dusky-capped Myiarchus tuberculifer 1 specimen: 1883
Flycatcher, Gray Empidonax wrightii IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Great Crested Myiarchus crinitus IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Hammond’s Empidonax hammondii IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Least Empidonax minimus IN: mig - aut, spr
Flycatcher, Olive-sided Contopus cooperi IN: mig - bre - reg
Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed Tyrannus forficatus IN: mig - bre - irr
Flycatcher, Sulphur-bellied Myiodynastes luteiventris 1 sighting
Flycatcher, Vermilion Pyrocephalus rubinus IN: mig - bre - irr
Flycatcher, Willow Empidonax traillii IN: mig - bre - reg
Kingbird, Cassin’s Tyrannus vociferans IN: mig - bre - reg
Kingbird, Eastern Tyrannus tyrannus IN: mig - bre - reg
Kingbird, Thick-billed Tyrannus crassirostris 1 sighting
Kingbird, Western Tyrannus verticalis IN: mig - bre - reg
Phoebe, Black Sayornis nigricans IN: mig - bre - irr
Phoebe, Eastern Sayornis phoebe IN: mig - bre - reg
Phoebe, Say’s Sayornis saya IN: mig - bre - reg
Wood-Pewee, Eastern Contopus virens IN: mig - err
Wood-Pewee, Western Contopus sordidulus IN: mig - bre - reg
Frigatebirds Fregatidae
Frigatebird, Magnificent Fregata magnificens 1 specimen
Geese Anatidae: Anserinae
Brant Branta bernicla IN: mig - err
19 Goose, Bar-headed Anser indicus EX: fer
20 Goose, Cackling Branta hutchinsii IN: res - sea
Goose, Canada Branta canadensis IN: res - sed - bre
21 Goose, Chinese Anser cygnoides EX: fer
Goose, Greater White-fronted Anser albifrons IN: res - sea
Goose, Ross’s Chen rossii IN: res - sea
Goose, Snow Chen caerulescens IN: res - sea
Gnatcatchers Sylviidae
Gnatcatcher, Blue-gray Polioptila caerulea IN: mig - bre - reg