U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

CibolaNational Wildlife Refuge

Birds

Welcome to Birding at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge is located along the lower Colorado River 20 miles south of Blythe, California. Approximately two-thirds of the refuge is in Arizona and one-third is in California. It encompasses 18,555 acres and shares it’s southern boundary with Imperial NWR. The refuge was established in 1964 to mitigate the loss of fish and wildlife habitat involved in the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation’s water salvage and channelization projects along the Colorado River.

The main portion of the refuge is alluvial river bottom with dense growths of salt cedar, mesquite, and arrowweed along with several hundred acres of revegetated cottonwood and willow habitat. Through this flows the Colorado River, in both a dredged channel and a portion of its original channel. The refuge also contains ~1,000 acres of farmland and 785 acres of desert foothills and ridges.

Although there are birds to be observed year-round, the spring and fall months, with their seasonal migration, offer the greatest variety of species.

Nesting birds include the great egret, great blue heron, black-crowned night-heron, least bittern, Ridgway’s rail, white-winged dove as well as common yellowthroat, phainopepla, northern mockingbird, Lucy’s warbler, and other song birds.

The endangered Ridgway’s rail, the only freshwater form of clapper rail, is found in suitable marshes throughout the refuge. Cibola NWR is important as a wintering ground for the western (or Great Basin) subspecies of Canada goose and for Sandhill Cranes. Many ducks, primarily pintail, wigeon, and mallard, also spend a portion of the winter here.

Where to Look

Did You Find a Rare Bird?

This list of 287 species is in accordance with the seventh addition of the American Ornithologists’ Union Checklist of North American Birds, 7th edition (1998) and its supplements through July 2016. Those species marked with an asterisk (*) have nested on the refuge. Species that occur as accidental (marked with an “X”) may occur more regularly in areas surrounding the refuge, but most are true geographic rarities. Seasons and occurrences for bird sightings on the refuge are coded below. Note that seasons vary from species to species; fall migration for some, such as shorebirds and flycatchers, is much earlier (mid-July to mid-September) compared to fall migration for other species, such as most waterfowl and sparrows (September to November).

Sp—Spring—period of spring migration (depending on species) from mid-February to early JuneS—Summer—June to AugustF—Fall—period of fall migration (depending on species) from mid-July to NovemberW—Winter—December to February

A—Abundant: a common and numerous speciesC—Common: certain to be seen in suitable habitatU—Uncommon: present, but not certain to be seenO—Occasional: seen only a few times during a seasonR—Rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 yearsX—Accidental: has been seen only once or twice* Has nested on the refuge+ Exotic or introduced speciesItalicized bird names indicate threatened or endangered species.

How to use your checklistSeasons

Abundance

Common Name Sp S F W

Ducks, Geese, and Swans___Fulvous Whistling-Duck X X___Greater White-fronted Goose U U___Snow Goose C C___Ross’s Goose U U___Brant X___Canada Goose O A A___Tundra Swan O O___Wood Duck U U___Gadwall U C C___Eurasian Wigeon O___American Wigeon U C A___*Mallard C U C A___Blue-winged Teal O O___*Cinnamon Teal C O C O___Northern Shoveler C O C C___Northern Pintail C O C A___Green-winged Teal U U A A___Canvasback U U U___Redhead U O C O___Ring-necked Duck U C C___Greater Scaup R___Lesser Scaup U C U___Bufflehead O C C___Common Goldeneye R U___Barrow’s Goldeneye X___Hooded Merganser O O O___Common Merganser U U U___Red-breasted Merganser O R O O___*Ruddy Duck C O C UNew World Quail___*Gambel’s Quail A A A AGrebes___*Pied-billed Grebe C C C C___Eared Grebe C C O___*Western Grebe C C C C___*Clark’s Grebe C C C CPigeons and Doves___Rock Pigeon O O O O___Band-tailed Pigeon X___Eurasian Collared-Dove C C C C___Common Ground-Dove O O O O___*White-winged Dove C A___*Mourning Dove C A C UCuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis___*Yellow-billed Cuckoo U___*Greater Roadrunner C C C C

Common Name Sp S F W

Goatsuckers___*Lesser Nighthawk C C C___Common Poorwill O O OSwifts___Vaux’s Swift U U___White-throated Swift U O O OHummingbirds___*Black-chinned Hummingbird U C C C___*Anna’s Hummingbird O O O C___*Costa’s Hummingbird C C___Broad-tailed Hummingbird X___Rufous Hummingbird URails, Gallinules, and Coots___*Ridgway’s Rail C C C U___Virginia Rail O O O___*Sora C C C C___*Common Moorhen C C C C___*American Coot A A A ACranes___Sandhill Crane O CStilts and Avocets___*Black-necked Stilt C U C U___American Avocet U R U RPlovers___Black-bellied Plover R___Snowy Plover O O R___Semipalmated Plover O O___*Killdeer A A C CSandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies___Long-billed Curlew U U U U___Marbled Godwit O O O___Ruddy Turnstone X___Stilt Sandpiper U U U___Sanderling O O___Dunlin O O O___Least Sandpiper C U C C___Pectoral Sandpiper O R___Western Sandpiper C C C___Long-billed Dowitcher U U C C___Wilson’s Snipe U U C___Spotted Sandpiper U U C C___Solitary Sandpiper O O O___Greater Yellowlegs U O U U___Willet U O U___Lesser Yellowlegs O U U___Wilson’s Phalarope R O O O___Red-necked Phalarope R O O___Red Phalarope X

Common Name Sp S F W

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers___Sabine’s Gull X___Bonaparte’s Gull O O___Laughing Gull X___Franklin’s Gull X X___Heerman’s Gull X X___Ring-billed Gull C O C C___California Gull R O___Herring Gull X___Glaucous-winged Gull X___Least Tern X___Caspian Tern U U U___Black Tern O O O___Common Tern O___Forster’s Tern C O C R___Black Skimmer XLoons___Common Loon XStorks___Wood Stork X XBoobies___Brown Booby XCormorants___Neotropic Cormorant X___*Double-crested Cormorant C C C CPelicans___American White Pelican U O U U___Brown Pelican X

Ridgway Rail, Taylor Lake. / Brenda Zaun

Common Name Sp S F W

Herons, Bitterns, and Egrets___American Bittern R O___*Least Bittern C C U O___*Great Blue Heron C C C C___*Great Egret C C C C___*Snowy Egret C C C C___Little Blue Heron X___Cattle Egret C C C C___*Green Heron C C C C___*Black-crowned Night-Heron C C C CIbises and Spoonbills___*White-faced Ibis C C C C___Roseate Spoonbill XVultures___Turkey Vulture C C C UHawks, Kites, and Eagles___Osprey C O U O___White-tailed Kite O O O___Mississippi Kite X___Bald Eagle O O O___Northern Harrier C U C___Sharp-shinned Hawk U U U___Cooper’s Hawk U U C___Harris’s Hawk R R R R___Red-shouldered Hawk U U___Broad-winged Hawk X___Swainson’s Hawk U___*Red-tailed Hawk C C C C___Rough-legged Hawk R___Ferruginous Hawk X___Golden Eagle U O OBarn Owls___*Barn Owl C C C CTypical Owls___*Western Screech-Owl O O O O___*Great Horned Owl C C C C___Elf Owl U U U___*Burrowing Owl C C C C___Short-eared Owl XKingfishers___Belted Kingfisher U U C CWoodpeckers___Lewis’s Woodpecker X X___*Gila Woodpecker U U U U___Red-naped Sapsucker O O O___Red-breasted Sapsucker R R___*Ladder-backed Woodpecker C C C C___Northern Flicker C C C___Gilded Flicker O O O O

Common Name Sp S F W

Caracaras and Falcons___Crested Caracara X___*American Kestrel C C C C___Merlin O O___Peregrine Falcon R R R O___Prairie Falcon O R OTyrant Flycatchers___Olive-sided Flycatcher O O___Greater Pewee X___Western Wood-Pewee C U C___Southwest Willow Flycatcher R U R___Hammond’s Flycatcher R R___Gray Flycatcher R R R___Dusky Flycatcher X___Pacific-slope Flycatcher C C___*Black Phoebe C U C C___*Say’s Phoebe C C C C___*Vermilion Flycatcher C U C C___Dusky-capped Flycatcher X___*Ash-throated Flycatcher C C C R___Brown-crested Flycatcher O U___Tropical Kingbird X___Cassin’s Kingbird R___Thick-billed Kingbird X___*Western Kingbird C C UShrikes___*Loggerhead Shrike U C C CVireos___*Bell’s Vireo O O O___Gray Vireo X___Hutton’s Vireo X X___Cassin’s Vireo U U R___Plumbeous Vireo U U R___Warbling Vireo C U C___Red-eyed Vireo X XCrows and Jays___Steller’s Jay X X___Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay X X X___American Crow U U___Common Raven O O O OLarks___Horned Lark O C CSwallows___Purple Martin X X___Tree Swallow C U A A___Violet-green Swallow O O___*No. Rough-winged Swallow C C C O___Bank Swallow O O O___*Cliff Swallow A A C___Barn Swallow C C C

Common Name Sp S F W

Chickadees___Mountain Chickadee X XVerdins___*Verdin C C C CNuthatches___Red-breasted Nuthatch X___White-breasted Nuthatch XWrens___*Rock Wren U U U U___Canyon Wren X___*Bewick’s Wren C O O O___House Wren O O O___*Marsh Wren A A C C___*Cactus Wren C C U UGnatcatchers___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher O O O___*Black-tailed Gnatcatcher C C C CKinglets___Ruby-crowned Kinglet C C CThrushes___Western Bluebird O O___Mountain Bluebird O O O___Townsend’s Solitaire R O O___Swainson’s Thrush R___Hermit Thrush O U U___American Robin U U OMockingbirds and Thrashers___Curve-billed Thrasher O R O___Brown Thrasher X___Bendire’s Thrasher X X___LeConte’s Thrasher R___*Crissal Thrasher C C C C___Sage Thrasher O O O___*Northern Mockingbird C C C C

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Common Name Sp S F W

Starlings___*European Starling C C C CWaxwings___Cedar Waxwing O O OSilky-Flycatchers___*Phainopepla C C C COld World Sparrows___*House Sparrow C C C C Pipits___American Pipit C C C___Sprague’s Pipit XFinches and Goldfinches___*House Finch C C C C___Purple Finch X___Cassin’s Finch X___Pine Siskin R O O___Lesser Goldfinch C U U U___Lawrence’s Goldfinch X X___American Goldfinch O O OLongspurs___Lapland Longspur X___Chestnut-collared Longspur R___McCown’s Longspur XWood-Warblers___Ovenbird X___Northern Waterthrush X___Orange-crowned Warbler C C C C___*Lucy’s Warbler C C___Nashville Warbler U O U___Virginia’s Warbler R R R___MacGillivray’s Warbler U U U___*Common Yellowthroat C C C C___American Redstart R R R___Yellow Warbler O O O___Blackpoll Warbler X___Yellow-rumped Warbler C C C___Black-throated Gray Warbler U U___Townsend’s Warbler U U___Hermit Warbler O O___Black-throated Green Warbler X___Wilson’s Warbler C O C C___*Yellow-breasted Chat C C CTowhees, Sparrows, and Allies___Green-tailed Towhee O U U___Spotted Towhee O O O___*Abert’s Towhee A A C C___Chipping Sparrow C O C R___Clay-colored Sparrow X X___Brewer’s Sparrow O C O___Black-chinned Sparrow X

Common Name Sp S F W

Towhees, Sparrows, and Allies, continued___Vesper Sparrow U C C___Lark Sparrow O O O___Black-throated Sparrow U U O___Sage Sparrow U U___Lark Bunting X X___Savannah Sparrow C C C___Grasshopper Sparrow X___Fox Sparrow O O___*Song Sparrow C C C C___Lincoln’s Sparrow U U O___White-throated Sparrow X___White-crowned Sparrow C C A___Golden-crowned Sparrow R R R___Dark-eyed Junco U O O ___Slate-colored R ___Oregon U O O ___Pink-sided Junco O O O ___Gray-headed Junco R R RTanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Buntings___*Summer Tanager U U O___Western Tanager U U C___Northern Cardinal X___Black-headed Grosbeak U U C U___*Blue Grosbeak C C C___Lazuli Bunting U U___Indigo Bunting O O O___Painted Bunting X X___Dickcissel XBlackbirds and Orioles___*Red-winged Blackbird A A A C___Western Meadowlark C C C C___*Yellow-headed Blackbird C C C C___Rusty Blackbird X___Brewer’s Blackbird U C U___*Great-tailed Grackle C C C C___Bronzed Cowbird X___*Brown-headed Cowbird A A C U___Hooded Oriole O O O___*Bullock’s Oriole C C U

Cibola National Wildlife Refuge66600 Cibola Lake RoadCibola, AZ 85328928/857-3253928/857-3420 Fax

Visit us on our social media websiteswww.fws.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceSouthwest Regionwww.fws.gov/ southwest/

For information on the National Wildlife Refuge System1 800/344- WILD

Arizona State Relay1 800/367-8939

Sandhill cranes.Ezster Munes / USFWS

May 2017