List of Birds of Arizona

List of Birds of Arizona

Mathew Louis

INCOMPLETE

KEY

P  Pima County

S  Santa Cruz County

C  Cochise County

‡  Escape

RI.  Reintroduced

I.  Introduced

○  Established in southeastern Arizona

△  Arizona outside of PSC, southeastern Arizona

N  Nesting

e  Erroneous entry

~  Also recorded outside s.e. Arizona

---  Subspecies indistinguishable in field from related taxon

X  Hybridization record/Intergradation record

н  Hypothetical record

†  Extirpated 

+ Introduced

*  Important Rarity (Accidental, Casual) and Review Species

spec.  specimen

Res.  Resident, Non-breeding Resident

( )  Year of most recent occurrence if <2005, either for the state or for a particular county

( )  Year of last occurrence in a given county (PSC) if <2005

[v]  identified by vocalization alone

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573 RECOGNIZED SPECIES

September 30, 2025

[Two possible species splits may affect and augment the total figure.  They are the nominate subspecies of Anas crecca Green-winged Teal and the nominate subspecies of Buteo lineatus Red-shouldered Hawk.  Total reflects the Empidonax difficilis Western Flycatcher complex as two separate species.]

1  First of Four Pages:  Casuariidae to Charadriidae

1--143

 Casuariidae, Anatidae, Numididae, Odontophoridae, Phasianidae, Gaviidae, Diomedeidae, Hydrobatidae, Procellariidae, Podicipedidae, Phaethontidae, Ciconiidae, Threskiornithidae, Ardeidae, Pelecanidae, Fregatidae, Sulidae, Phalacrocoracidae, Anhingidae, Cathartidae, Pandionidae, Accipitridae, Rallidae, Gruidae, Haematopodidae, Burhinidae, Recurvirostridae, Jacanidae, Charadriidae

2  Second of Four Pages:  Scolopacidae to Psittaculidae

Scolopacidae, Laridae, Stercorariidae, Columbidae, Cuculidae, Tytonidae, Strigidae, Caprimulgidae, Apodidae, Trochilidae, Trogonidae, Alcedinidae, Picidae, Falconidae, Cacatuidae, Psittacidae, Psittaculidae

3  Third of Four Pages:  Tyrannidae to Motacillidae

Tyrannidae, Tityridae, Laniidae, Vireonidae, Corvidae, Bombycillidae, Ptiliogonatidae, Paridae, Remizidae, Alaudidae, Pycnonotidae, Hirundinidae, Aegithalidae, Regulidae, Troglodytidae, Polioptilidae, Sittidae, Certhiidae, Mimidae, Sturnidae, Turdidae, Muscicapidae, Cinclidae, Passeridae, Ploceidae, Estrildidae, Viduidae, Peucedramidae, Motacillidae 

4   Fourth of Four Pages:  Fringillidae to Thraupidae

Fringillidae, Calcariidae, Emberizidae, Passerculidae, Icteriidae, Icteridae, Parulidae, Cardinalidae, Thraupidae 

FAMILY CASUARIIDAE

[‡△  Dromaius novaehollandiae  Emu]

FAMILY ANATIDAE

[‡△ Dendrocygna viduata  White-faced Whistling Duck]

1  ○  Dendrocygna autumnalis  Black-bellied Whistling Duck  [=fallalis]  Summer N:SC~  Summer:P

2  ○  Dendrocygna bicolor  Fulvous Whistling Duck  Rare*:P S(1990)~

3  ○  Anser caerulescens  Snow Goose  Rare:PSC~   Hybrid X A. rossii △

4  ○  Anser rossii  Ross' Goose  Rare:PSC~  Hybrid X A. caerulescens △

5  ○  Anser albifrons frontalis  Greater White-fronted Goose  Rare:PSC~

e  Anser albifrons gambeli  ascribed to subspecies based on P spec. of A. a. frontalis

[‡  Anser anser  Graylag Goose  PC~  domestic]

[‡  Anser cygnoides  Swan Goose  PC~  domestic]

6  ○  Branta bernicla nigricans  Brant  Rare*:PC~

7  ○  Branta hutchinsii  Cackling Goose  Rare:C~

  ○  Branta hutchinsii minima  Rare:SC~

  ○  Branta hutchinsii taverneri  Rare:P~

  ○  Branta hutchinsii leucopareia  Rare:P~

8  ○  Branta canadensis parvipes  Canada Goose  Rare:PSC~  N:△

  △  Branta canadensis occidentalis

  △  Branta canadensis maxima

  ○  Branta canadensis moffitti  Rare: PSC~

[‡△  Cygnus atratus  Black Swan]

[‡△  Cygnus olor  Mute Swan]

9  ○  Cygnus buccinator  Trumpeter Swan  Rare*:PS C(1998)~

10  ○  Cygnus columbianus  Tundra Swan  Rare:PSC~

[‡  Alopochen aegyptiacus  Egyptian Goose  C (c1947, Brandt, Arizona and Its Bird Life)  ‡~]

[‡△  Tadorna tadorna  Common Shelduck]

[‡  Cairina moschata  Muscovy Duck  PC S(2001)  domestic]

[‡△   Callonetta leucophrys  Ringed Teal]

[‡  Aix galericulata  Mandarin Duck  C  ‡~]

11  ○  Aix sponsa  Wood Duck  Rare:PSC~  N:△  Hybrid X Anas platyrhynchos △

[‡△  Lophonetta specularioides  Crested Duck]

12  △  Sibirionetta formosa  Baikal Teal  Rare*  [e:S]

13  ○  Spatula querquedula  Garganey  Rare*:P (1992)   н:C (1991)

14  ○  Spatula discors  Blue-winged Teal  Rare:PSC~  N:△  Hybrid X S. cyanoptera septentrionalium PSC~; S. clypeata P~

15  ○  Spatula cyanoptera septentrionalium  Cinnamon Teal  N:P~  Non-breeding Res:SC~  Hybrid X S. clypeata PC~; S. discors PSC~

16  ○  Spatula clypeata  Northern Shoveler  N:P~  Wintering:SC  Hybrid X S. discors P~; S. cyanoptera septentrionalium PC~

17  ○  Mareca strepera  Gadwall  N:S~  Wintering:PC~

18  ○  Mareca penelope  Eurasian Wigeon  Rare:PSC~  Hybrid X M. americana PSC~

19  ○  Mareca americana  American Wigeon  Wintering:PSC~  N:△  Hybrid X M. penelope PSC~

20  ○  Anas platyrhynchos  Mallard  N:PS~  Non-breeding Res.:C  Hybrid X A. diazi PSC~; X Aix sponsa △

21  ○  Anas diazi  Mexican Duck  [=platyrhynchos diazi]  N:PC~  Non-breeding Res.:S~  Hybrid X A. platyrhynchos PSC~

        e  Anas fulvigula  Mottled Duck  erroneously conflated with this species

22  ○  Anas acuta Northern Pintail  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

23  △  Anas crecca  Green-winged Teal  Rare*    This may possibly represent a species split.

○  Anas crecca carolinensis  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

[н△  Anas rubripes  American Black Duck  (1990)]

[‡  Anas bahamensis  White-cheeked Pintail  P  ‡~]

[‡△  Netta rufina  Red-crested Pochard]

24  ○  Aythya valisineria  Canvasback  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

25  ○  Aythya americana Redhead  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

26  ○  Aythya collaris  Ring-necked Duck  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

27  △  Aythya fuligula  Tufted Duck  Rare* (1997)  н:P

28  ○  Aythya marila mariloides  Greater Scaup  Rare:PSC~

29  ○  Aythya affinis  Lesser Scaup  Wintering:PSC~  N:△?

30  ○  Histrionicus histrionicus  Rare*:P (1995)

31  ○  Melanitta perspicillata  Surf Scoter  Rare:PSC~

32  ○  Melanitta deglandi  White-winged Scoter  [=fusca deglandi]  Rare:PC~

33  ○  Melanitta americana  Black Scoter  [=nigra americana]  Rare:P~

34  ○  Clangula hyemalis  Long-tailed Duck  Rare:PSC~

35  ○  Bucephala albeola  Bufflehead  Wintering:PSC~

36  ○  Bucephala clangula americana  Common Goldeneye  Rare:PSC~

37  ○  Bucephala islandica  Barrow's Goldeneye  Rare:P(1973) C(1982)~

38  ○  Lophodytes cucullatus  Hooded Merganser  Rare:PSC~

39  ○  Mergus merganser americanus  Common Merganser  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

40  ○  Mergus serrator  Red-breasted Merganser  Rare:PSC~

41  ○  Oxyura jamaicensis  Ruddy Duck  N:PC~  Non-breeding Res.:S~

[н△  Nomonyx dominicus  Masked Duck  (1977)]

FAMILY NUMIDIDAE

[‡  Numida meleagris galeata  Helmeted Guineafowl  PC  ‡~]

FAMILY ODONTOPHORIDAE

42  ‡  Colinus virginianus  Northern Bobwhite  P~ S[v]

     ○  Colinus virginianus ridgwayi  N:P  RI. (formerly †)

43  ○  Callipepla squamata pallida  Scaled Quail  N:PSC~  fulvipectus

44  △+  Callipepla californica  California Quail  I.:△

45  ○  Callipepla gambelii  Gambel's Quail  N:PSC~

[‡  Callipepla douglasii bensoni  Elegant Quail  C (1998)]

46  ○  Cyrtonyx montezumae mearnsi  Montezuma Quail  N:PSC~

FAMILY PHASIANIDAE

47   ‡  Meleagris gallopavo  Wild Turkey  P  ‡~

  ○  Meleagris gallopavo merriami  N:C~  Non-breeding Res.:PS

  ○  Meleagris gallopavo mexicana  N:C

48  △  Dendragapus obscurus  Dusky Grouse  [н:C (1982)]  N:△

e△  Tympanuchus phasianellus  

[н△  Centrocercus minimus  Gunnison Sage Grouse  (c2000), attributed to former distribution in state]

[н△  Centrocercus urophasianus

[н△  Lagopus leucurus

[‡  Gallus gallus  Red Junglefowl  domestic  PC~]

[‡  Lophura sp.

49  ○+  Phasianus colchicus bianchii  Ring-necked Pheasant  I. N:△  I.:PSC~

    ‡  Phasianus colchicus torquatus  PSC~ 

[‡  Chrysolophus pictus  Golden Pheasant

[‡△  Chrysolophous amherstiae

[‡  Pavo cristatus  Common Peafowl  C P(1979; (Fisk, Peacocks of Baboquivari, p. 22))    

50  ○+  Alectoris chukar (cypriotes)  Chukar   N:△  ‡PS C (1983)

[△  Alectoris rufa

[Perdix perdix

[△  Coturnix japonica

FAMILY GAVIIDAE

51  ○  Gavia stellata  Red-throated Loon  Rare:PSC~

52  ○  Gavia pacifica  Pacific Loon  Rare:PSC~

53  ○  Gavia immer  Common Loon  Rare:PSC~

54  △  Gavia adamsii  Yellow-billed Loon  Rare*

FAMILY DIOMEDEIDAE

55  △  Phoebastria immutabilis  Laysan Albatross  Rare* (1981; spec. 1988)

FAMILY HYDROBATIDAE

56  ○  Hydrobates leucorhous  Leach's Storm-Petrel  sight records of individuals, construed with H. socorroensis and H. cheimomnestes  ?~

[н  Hydrobates socorroensis  Townsend's Storm-Petrel  construed with H. leucorhous, H. cheimomnestes, based on sight record of same individual]

[н  Hydrobates cheimomnestes  Ainley's Storm-Petrel  construed with H. leucorhous, H. socorroensis, based on sight record of same individual]

57  ○  Hydrobates tethys  Wedge-rumped Storm-Petrel  Rare*~

58  ○  Hydrobates melania  Black Storm-Petrel  Rare*~

59  ○  Hydrobates microsoma  Least Storm-Petrel  Rare*~

FAMILY PROCELLARIIDAE

60  ○  Pterodroma externa  Juan Fernandez Petrel  Rare*:P

61  △  Pterodroma sandwichensis  Hawaiian Petrel  [=phaeopygia sandwichensis]  spec.

62  ○  Ardenna pacifica  Wedge-tailed Shearwater  Rare*:P

63  △  Ardenna grisea  Sooty Shearwater  Rare*

64  △  Puffinus opisthomelas  Black-vented Shearwater  (1997 sight record)

FAMILY PODICIPEDIDAE

65  ○  Tachybaptus dominicus bangsi  Least Grebe  Rare N*:P  Rare:PS C(1999)

66  ○  Podilymbus podiceps  Pied-billed Grebe  N:PSC~

67  ○  Podiceps auritus  Horned Grebe  Rare:PSC

68  ○  Podiceps grisegena  Red-necked Grebe  Rare:C~

69  ○  Podiceps nigricollis californicus  Eared Grebe  N:C~  Wintering:PS

70  ○  Aechmophorus occidentalis  Western Grebe  Migratory:PSC~  N:△

71  ○  Aechmophorus clarkii  Clark's Grebe  Migratory:PSC~  N:△

FAMILY PHAETHONTIDAE

72  △  Phaethon lepturus  White-tailed Tropicbird

73  ○  Phaethon aethereus  Red-billed Tropicbird

FAMILY CICONIIDAE

74  ○  Mycteria americana  Wood Stork  Rare

FAMILY THRESKIORNITHIDAE

[△   Threskiornis aethiopica  Sacred Ibis  Escape:  1995, ?]

75  ○  Eudocimus albus  White Ibis  Rare*P~

[н  Eudocimus ruber  Scarlet Ibis  н:P (1890)]

76  ○  Plegadis falcinellus  Glossy Ibis  Rare*:P

77  ○  Plegadis chihi  White-faced Ibis  Migratory:PSC  N:△

78  ○  Platalea ajaja  Roseate Spoonbill  Rare:PSC~

FAMILY ARDEIDAE

79  ○  Botaurus lentiginosus  American Bittern  Wintering:PC  N:△

80  ○  Ixobrychus exilis  Least Bittern  N:S~  Rare Nesting:  P  Rare:C

81  ○  Ardea herodias  Great Blue Heron  N:PSC~

82  ○  Ardea alba egretta  Great Egret  N:△

83  ○  Egretta thula brewsteri  Snowy Egret  N:△

84  ○  Egretta caerulea  Little Blue Heron

85  ○  Egretta tricolor ruficollis  Tricolored Heron

86  ○  Egretta rufescens  Reddish Egret

87  ○  Bubulcus ibis  Cattle Egret  N:△

88  ○  Butorides virescens anthonyi  Green Heron  [=striatus anthonyi]  N:PSC~

89  ○  Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli  Black-crowned Night-Heron  N:PC~

90  ○  Nyctanassa violacea bancrofti  Yellow-crowned Night-Heron  Rare*:

FAMILY PELECANIDAE

91  ○  Pelecanus erythrorhynchos  American White Pelican

92  ○  Pelecanus occidentalis californicus  Brown Pelican

FAMILY FREGATIDAE

93  ○  Fregata magnificens  Magnificent Frigatebird

FAMILY SULIDAE

94  ○  Sula nebouxii  Blue-footed Booby

95  △  Sula leucogaster  Brown Booby

FAMILY PHALACROCORACIDAE

96  ○  Nannopterum auritum  Double-crested Cormorant  Migratory:PSC~  N:△

    ○  Nannopterum auritum albociliatum  Migratory:P

97  ○  Nannopterum brasilianum mexicanum  Neotropic Cormorant  [=olivaceus mexicanus]  PSC~

FAMILY ANHINGIDAE

98   ○  Anhinga anhinga  Anhinga  1893 spec. (spec. not extant)    Old World sp.

FAMILY CATHARTIDAE

99  ○  Cathartes aura  Turkey Vulture  N:PSC~

100  ○  Coragyps atratus  Black Vulture  N:S~  PC

[н△  Sarcoramphus papa  King Vulture  (1865)] 

101  †○  Gymnogyps californianus  California Condor  Intr.  N:△ 

e△  Vultur gryphus  Andean Condor  conflated with Gymnogyps californianus  (Bonaparte, American Ornithology, 4:17)

FAMILY PANDIONIDAE

102  ○  Pandion haliaetus carolinensis  Osprey  Migratory:PSC~  N:△

FAMILY ACCIPITRIDAE

103  ○  Elanus leucurus majusculus  White-tailed Kite  N:PS~

104  ○  Elanoides forficatus  Swallow-tailed Kite  Rare*:S  ~ (1980, 2023)

105  ○  Aquila chrysaetos canadensis  Golden Eagle   N:PSC~

106  ○  Circus hudsonius   Northern Harrier  [=cyaneus hudsonius]  N:△

107  ○  Accipiter striatus velox  Sharp-shinned Hawk  N:PSC~

     ○  Accipiter striatus suttoni  N:C

108  ○  Accipiter cooperii  Cooper's Hawk  N:PSC~

109  ○ Accipiter gentilis atricapillus  American Goshawk  N:PSC~

○  Accipiter gentilis apache  N:C

110  ○  Haliaeetus leucocephalus  Bald Eagle  N:△

111  ○  Ictinia mississippiensis  Mississippi Kite  N:C~

112  ○  Buteogallus anthracinus  Common Black Hawk  [=micronyx]  N:PSC~

[н  Buteogallus urubitinga ridgwayi  Great Black Hawk  н:C (1987)]

113  ○  Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi  Harris' Hawk  N:PC~  S

114  ○  Geranoaetus albicaudatus hypospodius  White-tailed Hawk  Rare*:?  N:△?

115  ○  Buteo plagiatus  Gray Hawk  [=nitida plagiata]  N:PSC~

116  △  Buteo lineatus  Red-shouldered Hawk  Rare    This may possibly represent a species split.

     ○  Buteo lineatus elegans  Rare:P  N:△

117  ○  Buteo platypterus  Broad-winged Hawk

118  ○  Buteo brachyurus fuliginosus Short-tailed Hawk  N:C

119  ○  Buteo swainsoni  Swainson's Hawk  N:PC~

120  ○ Buteo albonotatus  Zone-tailed Hawk  N:PSC~

121  ○ Buteo jamaicensis fuertesi  Red-tailed Hawk  N:PSC~

    ○  Buteo jamaicensis calurus  N:PSC~

    ○  Buteo jamaicensis harlani

○  Buteo jamaicensis kriderii

    △  Buteo jamaicensis borealis  Wintering:△

122  ○  Buteo lagopus  Rough-legged Hawk  Wintering:P

123  ○  Buteo regalis  Ferruginous Hawk  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

FAMILY RALLIDAE

124  ○  Rallus obsoletus yumanensis  Ridgway's Rail  [=longirostris yumanensis]  Rare:P  N:~

125  ○  Rallus limicola  Virginia Rail  N:PC~  Wintering:S

126  ○  Porzana carolina  Sora  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

127  ○  Gallinula galeata cachinnans  Common Gallinule  [=chloropus cachinnans]  N:PC~  Resident:S

e  Gallinula chloropus  Common Moorhen  conflated in P record with G. galeata cachinnans

128  ○  Fulica americana  American Coot  N:PSC~

129  ○  Porphyrio martinicus  Purple Gallinule  Rare:  P

130  ○  Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus  Black Rail  Rare*:P (1972)~  N:△

FAMILY GRUIDAE

131  ○  Antigone canadensis  Sandhill Crane  Wintering:PSC~  N:△

        ○ Antigone canadensis tabida

132  ○  Grus grus  Common Crane  Rare*:C~

[Grus americana  Whooping Crane  H:C (1989)]

FAMILY BURHINIDAE

[△  Burhinus bistriatus  Double-striped Thick-knee  (1989)]

FAMILY HAEMATOPODIDAE

[△  Haematopus bachmani  AZ (1972)]

FAMILY RECURVIROSTRIDAE

133  ○  Himantopus mexicanus  Black-necked Stilt  N:PC~  Migratory:S 

134  ○  Recurvirostra americana  American Avocet  N:PC~  Migratory:S

FAMILY JACANIDAE

135  ○  Jacana spinosa gymnostoma  Northern Jacana  Rare*:P

FAMILY CHARADRIIDAE

136  ○  Pluvialis squatarola  Black-bellied Plover

137  ○  Pluvialis dominica  American Golden-Plover  н:C (1986) ?

138  ○  Pluvialis fulva  Pacific Golden-Plover  Rare*:C

139  ○  Charadrius vociferus  Killdeer  N:PSC~

140  ○  Charadrius semipalmatus  Semipalmated Plover  Migratory:P

141  △  Charadrius mongolus  Lesser Sand-Plover  Rare*

142  ○  Charadrius montanus  Mountain Plover  Wintering:P  N:△

143  ○  Charadrius nivosus  Snowy Plover  [=alexandrinus] N:C~

Above image is of a Neotropic Cormorant Nannopterum brasilianum mexicanum (pinioned right wing).  Pima County, Arizona. 2022.  Mathew Louis.

2023

The region defined as southeastern Arizona includes all of Cochise, Pima, and Santa Cruz counties.  The other counties of Arizona include Apache, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Navajo, Maricopa, Mohave, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma counties.  Arizona is bordered by California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in the United States and by Baja California and Sonora in México.