In about 1989, my future wife sparked my interest in birds by pointing out
a Northern Cardinal in Michigan. Since then I've been a birdwatcher (very amateur,
let me be quick to point out). For me, life is enriched when I notice the variety
of birds, and when I can identify the songs and calls they make.
Primarily I use Peterson's Field Guide to Western Birds (3rd edition, 1990),
and the birds listed below are grouped as they are in that book.
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Index (you can click on a link to jump directly
to that group)
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Swimmers (Ducks and duck-like birds)
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Aerialists (Seabirds, gulls, etc.)
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Long-legged waders (herons, cranes, etc.)
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Smaller waders (plovers, sandpipers, etc.)
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Fowl-like birds (grouse, quail, etc.)
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Birds of prey (hawks, eagles, owls, etc.)
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Nonpasserine land birds
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Passerine (perching) birds (includes most songbirds)
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Legend
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Birds sighted in southeast metro Denver.
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Birds sighted in Colorado, outside metro Denver.
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Birds sighted elsewhere in the U.S.
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Swimmers (Ducks and duck-like birds)
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Type of bird
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Where sighted
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Double-crested Cormorant
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Garland Park; Cherry Creek Reservoir
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Canada Goose
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Common
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Mallard
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Common
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American Wigeon
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Garland Park
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| Bufflehead |
South Platte River (November) |
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Common Merganser
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Arkansas River near Nathrop
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Aerialists (Seabirds, gulls, etc.)
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American White Pelican
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Cherry Creek Reservoir
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Gull (not sure of species)
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Common
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Long-legged waders (herons, cranes, etc.)
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Great Blue Heron
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Common
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Black-Crowned Night Heron
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Common
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Sandhill Crane
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Flying over northwest Elbert County. Also between Cardwell and Boulder
MT
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Smaller waders (plovers, sandpipers, etc.)
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American Avocet
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Once at Garland Park
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Killdeer
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Common
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Fowl-like birds (grouse, quail, etc.)
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Ring-necked Pheasant
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Western Kansas
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Birds of prey (hawks, eagles, owls, etc.)
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Hawk (not sure of species)
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Southeast Metro Area
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Bald Eagle
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Cherry Creek Reservoir; also along I-90 in western MT
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| Osprey |
Silverthorne CO |
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Great Horned Owl
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Southeast Metro Area
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Nonpasserine land birds
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Type of bird
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Where sighted
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Belted Kingfisher
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Cherry Creek
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Mourning Dove
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Common
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Rock Dove (Domestic Pigeon)
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Common
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Greater Roadrunner
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Near Sanderson TX
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Common Nighthawk
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Infrequently in neighborhood; Pawnee Nat'l Grasslands; Colorado plains
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Rufous Hummingbird
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Crawford CO
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Red-headed Woodpecker
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CO and KS high plains
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Downy Woodpecker
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Common
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Northern Flicker (Red-shafted)
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Common
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Northern Flicker (Yellow-shafted)
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Lake Scott State Park KS
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Index and legend
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Passerine (perching) birds (includes most songbirds)
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Type of bird
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Where sighted
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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
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Waco TX
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Western Kingbird
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Mira Vista Golf Course, Platte River in SW Littleton, High Plains
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White-throated Swift
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Black Canyon of the Gunnison CO
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Violet-Green Swallow
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Grand Lake CO
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Barn Swallow
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Cherry Creek; common on golf courses
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American Crow
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Common
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Blue Jay
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Common
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Steller's Jay
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Various higher elevations in Colorado; Lolo Pass ID & MT
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Pinyon Jay
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Castlewood Canyon State Park CO
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Gray Jay
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Various higher elevations in Colorado
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Black-billed Magpie
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Common
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Black-capped Chickadee
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Common
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White-breasted Nuthatch
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Near Grand Lake CO
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
Occasionally in neighborhood |
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Brown Creeper
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Once in neighborhood
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House Wren
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Early summers in neighborhood
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Northern Mockingbird
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Waco TX
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American Robin
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Common
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Mountain Bluebird
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Near Kenosha Pass & Jefferson CO
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Loggerhead Shrike
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Comanche Nat'l Grasslands south of La Junta CO
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European Starling
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Common
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Yellow Warbler
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Along Cherry Creek & Highline Canal
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Brewer's Blackbird
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Common
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Common Grackle
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Common
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Great-tailed Grackle
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Waco TX
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Red-winged Blackbird (not sure which form)
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Common
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| Yellow-headed Blackbird |
Mira Vista Golf Course |
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Western Meadowlark
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Southeast Metro Area
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Bullocks Oriole (?)
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Twice in neighborhood
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Western Tanager
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Great Sand Dunes Nat'l Monument CO
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Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon form (?)
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Infrequently in neighborhood
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Northern Cardinal
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Waco TX and Grand Rapids MI
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House Finch
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Common
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American Goldfinch
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Infrequently in neighborhood and near Cherry Creek Reservoir
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House Sparrow
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Common
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Lark Bunting
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Pawnee Nat'l Grasslands; Colorado plains
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Index and legend
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