Possible List of Amphibians, Reptiles, Birds and Mammals

on the

Lewis Center For Educational Research, Mojave River Campus
June, 2000

This list represents all of the native or introduced amphibian, reptile,  bird and mammal species  known to exist in the Western Mojave Desert of California.  Introduced species are marked with "I", harvest species with "HA" and vagrant species or species with an extremely limited distribution with a *.  The term "introduced", as used here, represents both accidental and intentional introductions.  Subspecies are only included if they have special management status, as subspecies.  Common names with a * in front (ie.* Coyote), represent organisms that have been positively identified on the campus.

(6/28/00)

CLASS:  AMPHIBIA (Amphibians)

CAUDATA (Salamanders)

         AMBYSTOMATIDAE (Mole Salamanders and relatives)
         

         DICAMPTODONTIDAE (Giant and Olympic Salamanders)
   

         RHYACOTRITONIDAE
         

        SALAMANDRIDAE (Newts)

 

        PLETHODONTIDAE (Lungless Salamanders)

 

ANURA SALIENTIA (Frogs and Toads)

 

       ASCAPHIDAE (Tailed Frogs)

PELOBATIDAE (Spadefoot Toads)

          BUFONIDAE (True Toads)

          HYLIDAE (Treefrogs and relatives)     

          RANIDAE (True Frogs)

  

CLASS:  REPTILIA (Reptiles)

TESTUDINES (Turtles)

          KINOSTERNIDAE (Musk and Mud Turtles)

          EMYDIDAE (Box and Water Turtles)    
         
        TESTUDINIDAE (True Land Tortoises)

 

SQUAMATA (Lizards and Snakes)

          EUBLEPHARIDAE (Eyelid Geckos)

          IGUANIDAE (Iguanids)

          PHRYNOSOMATIDAE (3)

          CROTOPHYTIDAE (2)

          XANTUSIIDAE (Night Lizards)

          SCINCIDAE (Skinks)         

          TEIIDAE (Whiptails and relatives)

          ANGUIDAE (Alligator Lizards and relatives)

          LEPTOTYPHLOPIDAE (Slender Blind Snakes)

 

COLUBRIDAE (Colubrids)  

    VIPERIDAE (Vipers)

(2) Some herpetologists still use Iguanidae for Phyrnosomatidae and Crotophytidae.

CLASS:  AVES (Birds)

 

GAVIIFORMES (Loons)

           GAVIIDAE (Loons)
         

PODICIPEDIFORMES (Grebes)

           PODICIPEDIDAE (Grebes)


           Least Grebe   Tachybaptus dominicus *
           Pied-billed Grebe   Podilymbus podiceps
           Horned Grebe   Podiceps auritus
           Red-necked Grebe   Podiceps grisegena
           Eared Grebe   Podiceps nigricollis
           Western Grebe   Aechmophorus occidentalis
           Clark's Grebe   Aechmophorus clarkii

 PROCELLARIIFORMES (Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Petrels, and relatives)

       

DIOMEDEIDAE (Albatrosses)

 

        PROCELLARIIDAE (Shearwaters, Fulmars)
          

        HYDROBATIDAE (Storm Petrels)
         

 PELECANIFORMES (Tropicbirds, Pelicans, and relatives)

 

           PHAETHONTIDAE (Tropicbirds)
          

           SULIDAE (Boobies and Gannets)
          

           PELECANIDAE (Pelicans)
          

PHALACROCORACIDAE (Cormorants)

       ANHINGIDAE (Darters)

FREGATIDAE (Frigatebirds)
          

 CICONIIFORMES (Herons, Storks, Ibises, and relatives)

 

      ARDEIDAE (Herons and Bitterns)

     

THRESKIORNITHIDAE (Ibises and Spoonbills)
          

      CICONIIDAE (Storks and Wood Ibises)
        

      CATHARTIDAE (New World Vultures)     

 ANSERIFORMES (Screamers, Ducks, and relatives)

          

ANATIDAE (Swans, Geese, and Ducks)
       
           Wood Duck Aix sponsa HA
           Gadwall Anas strepera HA
           Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope HA
           American Wigeon Anas americana HA
           American Black Duck Anas rubripes *, HA
           Mallard Anas platyrhynchos HA
           Blue-winged Teal Anas discors HA
           Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera HA
           Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata HA
           Northern Pintail Anas acuta HA
           Green-winged Teal Anas crecca HA
           Canvasback Aythya valisineria HA
           Redhead Aythya americana HA
           Common Pochard Aythya ferina *, HA
           Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris HA
           Bufflehead Bucephala albeola HA
           Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula HA
           Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica HA
           Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus HA
           Common Merganser Mergus merganser HA
           Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator HA
           Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis HA

 FALCONIFORMES (Vultures, Hawks, and Falcons)

 

           ACCIPITRIDAE (Hawks, Old World Vultures, and Harriers)
          
           White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
           Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

           FALCONIDAE (Caracaras and Falcons)

 

GALLIFORMES (Megapodes, Curassows, Pheasants, and relatives)

           PHASIANIDAE (Quails, Pheasants, and relatives)
          

           ODONTOPHORIDAE  (New World Quail)

 GRUIFORMES (Cranes, Rails, and relatives)

           RALLIDAE (Rails, Gallinules, and Coots)
           Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis *
           Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
                    California Black Rail  L. j. coturniculus
           Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
                    California Clapper Rail  R. l. obsoletus
                    Light-footed Clapper Rail  R. l. levipes      
           Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
           Sora Porzana carolina
           American Coot Fulica americana HA

           GRUIDAE (Cranes)
          

 CHARADRIIFORMES (Shorebirds, Gulls, and relatives)

           CHARADRIIDAE (Plovers and relatives)
          
           Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia *
           Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
         

           HAEMATOPODIDAE (Oystercatchers)
          

           RECURVIROSTRIDAE (Avocets and Stilts)
         

           SCOLOPACIDAE (Sandpipers and relatives)
          

           LARIDAE (Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Skimmers)
          

 COLUMBIFORMES (Pigeons and Doves)

          COLUMBIDAE (Pigeons and Doves)

PSITTACIFORMES (Parrots and relatives)

           PSITTACIDAE (Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots)
          

CUCULIFORMES (Cuckoos and relatives)

           CUCULIDAE (Typical Cuckoos)

STRIGIFORMES (Owls)

           TYTONIDAE (Barn Owls)        

 

           STRIGIDAE (Typical Owls)

CAPRIMULGIFORMES (Goatsuckers and relatives)

           CAPRIMULGIDAE (Goatsuckers)         

APODIFORMES (Swifts and Hummingbirds)

 

          APODIDAE (Swifts)


           Black Swift Cypseloides niger
           White-collared Swift Streptoprocne zonaris *
           Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
           Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi
           White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis

           TROCHILIDAE (Hummingbirds)


           Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris *
           Xantus' Hummingbird Hylocharis xantusii *
           Violet-crowned Hummingbird Amazilia violiceps *
           Blue-throated Hummingbird Lampornis clemenciae *
           Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris *

CORACIIFORMES (Kingfishers and relatives)

           ALCEDINIDAE (Kingfishers)


           Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

 

PICIFORMES (Woodpeckers and relatives)

 

           PICIDAE (Woodpeckers and Wrynecks)
          
           Williamson's Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus
           Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
           Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
           Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber

PASSERIFORMES (Perching Birds)

           TYRANNIDAE (Tyrant Flycatchers)


           Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus borealis cooperi
           Greater Pewee Contopus pertinax *
           Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
           Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens *
           Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris *
           Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum *
           Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
                   Southwestern Willow Flycatcher  E. t. extimus
           Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
           Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii
           Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii
           Dusky Flycatcher Empidonax oberholseri
           Pacific-Slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis
           Cordilleran Flycatcher Empidonax occidentalis

         

           LANIIDAE (Shrikes)    

           VIREONIDAE (Typical Vireos)


           White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus *
           Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
                   Arizona Bell's Vireo  V. b. arizonae
                   Least Bell's Vireo  V. b. pusillus
           Gray Vireo Vireo vicinior
           Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons *
           Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeous
           Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii
           Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius *
           Hutton's Vireo Vireo huttoni
           Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
           Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus *
           Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
           Yellow-green Vireo Vireo flavoviridis *

           CORVIDAE (Jays, Magpies, and Crows)

           ALAUDIDAE (Larks)    

           HIRUNDINIDAE (Swallows)
          
           Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
           Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
           Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
           Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon  pyrrhonota
           Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

         

PARIDAE (Titmice)


           Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
           Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli
           Chestnut-backed Chickadee Poecile rufescens
           Plain Oak Titmouse Baeolophus inornatus
           Juniper Titmouse Baeolophus ridgwayi

           REMIZIDAE (Verdin)

       

           AEGITHALIDAE (Bushtit)


           Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus

           SITTIDAE (Nuthatches)


           Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
           White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
           Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea

           CERTHIIDAE (Creepers)


           Brown Creeper Certhia americana

 

           TROGLODYTIDAE (Wrens)   

        

           CINCLIDAE (Dippers)

American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus

 

           REGULIDAE


           Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
           Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

          

SYLVIIDAE


           Lanceolated Warbler Locustella lanceolata *
           Dusky Warbler Phylloscopus fuscatus *
           Arctic Warbler Phylloscopus borealis *
           Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
           California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica
                   California Coastal Gnatcatcher  P. c. californica

          

TURDIDAE


           Red-flanked Bluetail Tarsiger cyanurus *
           Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe *

          

TIMALIIDAE (Babblers)

Wrentit Chamaea fasciata

 

           MIMIDAE (Mockingbirds and Thrashers)

 

Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis *      

           STURNIDAE (Starlings & Allies)        

 

           MOTACILLIDAE (Wagtails and Pipits)
          

           BOMBYCILLIDAE (Waxwings)
      

          PTILOGONATIDAE (Silky Flycatchers)   

           EMBERIZIDAE (Wood Warblers, Sparrows, Blackbirds, and relatives)


           Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus *
           Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera *
           Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina
           Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
           Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
           Virginia's Warbler Vermivora virginiae
           Lucy's Warbler Vermivora luciae
           Northern Parula Parula americana
           Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
                   California Yellow Warbler  D. p. brewsteri
                   Sonoran Yellow Warbler  D. p. sonorana
           Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
           Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
           Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
           Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
           Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
           Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens
           Golden-cheeked Warbler Dendroica chrysoparia *
           Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
           Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi
           Hermit Warbler Dendroica occidentalis
           Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
           Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica *
           Grace's Warbler Dendroica graciae *
           Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus *
           Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
           Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
           Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea
           Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
           Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea *
           Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
           American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
           Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea *
           Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus *
           Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus
           Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
           Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla *
           Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus *
           Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis *
           Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia *
           MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei
           Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
                   Saltmarsh Common Yellowthroat  G. o. sinuosa
           Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
           Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
           Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
           Red-faced Warbler Cardellina rubrifrons *
           Painted Redstart Myioborus pictus
           Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

           THRAUPIDAE (Tanagers)


           Hepatic Tanager Piranga flava
           Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
           Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea *

           EMBERIZADAE (Emberizines)


           Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
           Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
                   San Clemente Towhee  P. o. clementae
           California Towhee Pipilo crissalis
                    Inyo California Towhee  P. c. eremophilus
           Abert's Towhee Pipilo aberti
           Cassin's Sparrow Aimophila cassinii *
           Rufous-crowned Sparrow Aimophila ruficeps
                   Southern California Rufous-crowned Sparrow   A. r. canescens
           American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
           Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
           Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida

         

  CARDINALIDAE (Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Allies)
          
           Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
           Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus

 

 

           FRINGILLIDAE (Finches)


           Brambling  Fringilla montifringilla *
           Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch   Leucosticte  tephrocotis
           Black Rosy-Finch Leucosticte atrata *
           Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
           Purple Finch  Carpodacus purpureus
           Cassin's Finch  Carpodacus cassinii

           PASSERIDAE (Old World Sparrows)      

           PLOCEIDAE (Weavers & Allies)

           ESTRILDIDAE (Waxbills & Allies)
       

(3)  Listed as Gilded Northern Flicker in CC&R Section 670.5


CLASS:  MAMMALIA (Mammals)

DIDELPHIMORPHIA (Marsupials)

            DIDELPHIDAE ( Opossums)
           

INSECTIVORA (Insectivores)

SORICIDAE (Shrews)
           
Vagrant Shrew Sorex vagrans

            TALPIDAE (Moles)


            Shrew-mole  Neurotrichus gibbsii
            Townsend's Mole Scapanus townsendii
            Coast Mole Scapanus orarius
            Broad-footed Mole Scapanus latimanus
                   

CHIROPTERA (Bats)

            PHYLLOSTOMATIDAE (Leaf-nosed Bats)          

            VESPERTILIONIDAE (Evening Bats)            

           MOLOSSIDAE (Free-tailed Bats)         

LAGOMORPHA (Rabbits, Hares, and Pikas)

           LEPORIDAE (Rabbits and Hares)

RODENTIA (Squirrels, Rats, Mice, and relatives)

 

           SCIURIDAE (Squirrels, Chipmunks, and Marmots)

            GEOMYIDAE (Pocket Gophers)
           

            HETEROMYIDAE (Pocket Mice and Kangaroo Rats)
   

           CASTORIDAE (Beavers)       

           MURIDAE


           Western Harvest Mouse    Reithrodontomys megalotis

Mojave River Vole  M. c. mohavensis

CARNIVORA (Carnivores)

           CANIDAE (Foxes, Wolves, and relatives)     

          URSIDAE (Bears)

 

PROCYONIDAE (Raccoons and relatives)     

          MUSTELIDAE (Weasels and relatives)
          

          MEPHITIDAE (Skunks)

           FELIDAE


          

ARTIODACTYLA (Even-toed Ungulates)

 

           CERVIDAE (Deer, Elk, and relatives)
        

     
          
 

(5)     Some populations were introduced into the Sierra Nevada and Southern California from stock taken from Oregon and Washington.
(6)     Some populations in California were introduced.

(8)     Some taxonomists use the species name Felis silvestris, which refers to the Eurasian wild cat.  The domestic cat Felis cattus is not distinguishable from this

Notes:

Amphibians and Reptiles   There are a number of formal lists of amphibians and reptiles that can be used to standardize the nomenclature of these species.  Collins et al. (1978, 1982) and Collins (1990) attempted to provide a standard list of amphibians and reptiles for North America.  Although the Collins (1990) list is quite recent,  many of the naming conventions for vernacular and scientific names are not well accepted by herpetologists, especially in the western United States (e.g., see Stebbins 1985, Jennings 1988).  Jennings (1987) produced a comprehensive list of species and subspecies found in California; however, genera, species, and subspecies are organized alphabetically rather than in a phylogenetic order.  Stebbins (1985), in the most recent update of his field guide to western amphibians and reptiles, organized the species list phylogenetically.  We followed the order set forth by Stebbins (1985) and used Jennings (1987) as an additional source for species found in California.  We prefer and generally used the scientific names from Stebbins (1985) but have also included names from Jennings (1987) where appropriate.  Names and relationships of amphibians and reptiles are currently undergoing many changes as new information accumulates.  As an example, the genus Batrachoseps is currently under intense study and changes in the list of species of this genus may occur in the next several years.  Thus, the nomenclature of these groups is relatively unstable.  We have taken a conservative approach when applying names to these species, and it is clear that a revision of these taxa will be necessary in a relatively short time.

Birds   We based the organization and nomenclature for species of birds and higher taxa on the work of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Committee on Classification and Nomenclature (AOU 1998); names for subspecies are from the Fifth Edition of the AOU Check-list of North American Birds (1957).  A recent list of birds found in California was provided by the California Bird Records Committee (1999).    Our list differs slightly from  CBRC because we include species introduced to California that may or may not have stable populations (Garrett 1997, Jurek 1997).

Mammals   We used Williams (1998) as a basis for the occurrence of mammal species in California (Williams  1998).   With a few exceptions, nomenclatural conventions used were from Jones et al. (1997), a standardized list of mammal species in North America.  Jones et al. (1982, 1997), however, did not organize species within genera in a phylogenetic sequence because, for some genera, a meaningful phylogenetic hierarchy could not be created.    Although Jones' 1997 list is ordered alphabetically, we maintained the ordering of the 1982 list here, as this is the order used in the CWHR Version 7.0 database program.  Where sequences of subspecies occur, they have been arranged alphabetically.

Literature Cited:

American Ornithologists' Union.  1957.  Checklist of North American birds.  Fifth edition.  American Ornithologists' Union, Baltimore, MD.  691 pp.
American Ornithologists' Union.  1998.  The A.O.U. Checklist of North American birds.  Seventh edition.  American Ornithologists' Union, Washington D.C.  829 pp.
California Bird Records Committee.  1999.  California Bird List of the Western Field Ornithologists.
Collins, J.T., J.E. Huheey, J.L. Knight, and H.M. Smith.  1978.  Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles.  Second Edition.
            Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Misc. Publ., Herp. Circ. No. 7.
Collins, J.T., R. Conant, J.E. Huheey, J.L. Knight, E.M. Rundquist, and H.M. Smith.  1982.  Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians
            and reptiles.   Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles, Misc. Publ., Herp. Circ. No. 12.
Collins, J.T.  1990.  Standard common and current scientific names for North American amphibians and reptiles.  Third Edition.  Society for the Study of Amphibians and
            Reptiles, Misc. Publ., Herp. Circ. No. 19.
Jennings, M.R.  1987.  Annotated checklist of the Amphibians and Reptiles of California, second edition.  Southwestern Herpetologists Society, Sp. Publ. No. 3.
Jennings, M.R.  1988.  Jennings' reply [to Joseph T. Collins' The SSAR common names list -- a response to Jennings].  Herpetology 18(3):11-13.
Jones, J.K., Jr., D.C. Carter, H.H. Genoways, R.S. Hoffman, and D.W. Rice.  1982.  Revised checklist of North American mammals north of Mexico.  Occasional Papers,
            Museum, Texas Tech. University, No. 80.
Jones, C., R. S. Hoffman, D.W. Rice, M.D. Engstrom, R.D. Bradley, D.J. Schmidly, C.A. Jones and R.J. Baker. 1997.  Revised Checklist of North American mammals north
            of Mexico.  Occasional Papers, Museum, Texas Tech. University, No. 173.
Jurek, R.M.  1997.  List of established terrestrial vertebrates in California.  Calif. Dept. Fish & Game, Sacramento, CA.
Stebbins, R.C.  1985.  A field guide to western reptiles and amphibians.  Second Edition.  Houghton Miffin Co., Boston, MA. 336 pp.
Williams, D.F.  1998.  Checklist of California mammals.  California State University, Stanislaus.  Turlock, CA.

WebMaster - Matthew Huffine Last updated 28 July2000
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