Tahoe Bird List
Ducks, Geese, and Swans (Anatidae)
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Ross’s Goose Chen rossii
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Gadwall Anas strepera
American Wigeon Anas americana
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
New World Quail (Odontophoridae)
Mountain Quail Oreortyx pictus
California Quail Callipepla californica
Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail (Phasianidae)
Sooty Grouse Dendragapus fuliginosus
Loons (Gaviidae)
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
Common Loon Gavia immer
Grebes (Podicipedidae)
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
Clark’s Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii
Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Pelicans (Pelecanidae)
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Bitterns, Herons, and Allies (Ardeidae)
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Ibises and Spoonbills (Threskiornithidae)
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
New World Vultures (Cathartidae)
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Ospreys (Pandionidae)
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies (Accipitridae)
White-tailed Kite Elanus leucurus
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots (Rallidae)
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Sora Porzana carolina
American Coot Fulica americana
Cranes (Gruidae)
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
Stilts and Avocets (Recurvirostridae)
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
Lapwings and Plovers (Charadriidae)
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies (Scolopacidae)
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria*
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Willet Tringa semipalmata
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
Sanderling Calidris alba
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata
Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers (Laridae)
Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini
Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Franklin’s Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
Heermann’s Gull Larus heermanni
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
California Gull Larus californicus
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Thayer’s Gull Larus thayeri
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri
Pigeons and Doves (Columbidae)
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Band-tailed Pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Barn Owls (Tytonidae)
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Typical Owls (Strigidae)
Flammulated Owl Psiloscops flammeolus
Western Screech-Owl Megascops kennicottii
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Northern Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium gnoma
Burrowing Owl Athene cunicularia
Spotted Owl Strix occidentalis
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
Goatsuckers (Caprimulgidae)
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Common Poorwill Phalaenoptilus nuttallii
Swifts (Apodidae)
Vaux’s Swift Chaetura vauxi
Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)
Anna’s Hummingbird Calypte anna
Broad-tailed Hummingbird Selasphorus platycercus
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
Calliope Hummingbird Selasphorus calliope
Kingfishers (Alcedinidae)
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
Woodpeckers and Allies (Picidae)
Lewis’s Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis
Williamson’s Sapsucker Sphyrapicus thyroideus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius*
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis
Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
White-headed Woodpecker Picoides albolarvatus
Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
Caracaras and Falcons (Falconidae)
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Merlin Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus
Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Hammond’s Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii
Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii
Dusky Flycatcher Empidonax oberholseri
Pacific-slope Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans
Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
Western Flycatcher Tyrannus verticalis
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus*
Shrikes (Laniidae)
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor
Vireos (Vireonidae)
Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus
Cassin’s Vireo Vireo cassinii
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
Jays and Crows (Corvidae)
Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Steller’s Jay Cyanocitta stelleri
Western Scrub-Jay Aphelocoma californica
Clark’s Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana
Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Common Raven Corvus corax
Larks (Alaudidae)
Alaudidae – Larks
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Swallows (Hirundinidae)
Purple Martin Progne subis*
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Chickadees and Titmice (Paridae)
Mountain Chickadee Poecile gambeli
Bushtits (Aegithalidae)
Bushtit Psaltriparus minimus
Nuthatches (Sittidae)
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea
Creepers (Certhiidae)
Brown Creeper Certhia americana
Wrens (Troglodytidae)
Troglodytidae – Wrens
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
Canyon Wren Catherpes mexicanus
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Pacific Wren Troglodytes pacificus
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
Bewick’s Wren Thryomanes bewickii
Gnatcatchers and Gnatwrens (Polioptilidae)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
Dippers (Cinclidae)
American Dipper Cinclus mexicanus
Kinglets (Regulidae)
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
Thrushes (Turdidae)
Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides
Townsend’s Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
American Robin Turdus migratorius
Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius
Mockingbirds and Thrashers (Mimidae)
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus*
Starlings (Sturnidae)
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Wagtails and Pipits (Motacillidae)
American Pipit Anthus rubescens
Waxwings (Bombycillidae)
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Wood-Warblers (Parulidae)
Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata
Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
MacGillivray’s Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica*
Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata
Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens
Townsend’s Warbler Setophaga townsendi
Hermit Warbler Setophaga occidentalis
Wilson’s Warbler Cardellina pusilla
Emberizids (Emberizidae)
Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
Brewer’s Sparrow Spizella breweri
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
Sagebrush Sparrow Artemisiospiza nevadensis*
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Cardinals, Piranga Tanagers and Allies (Cardinalidae)
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea*
Blackbirds (Icteridae)
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus**
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Bullock’s Oriole Icterus bullockii
Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies (Fringillidae)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus
Cassin’s Finch Haemorhous cassinii
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
Lesser Goldfinch Spinus psaltria
American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)
House Sparrow Passer domesticus
*rare bird – personal sighting
**successfully nested one summer
Note: the above list draws heavily on species occurrence graphs developed by Will Richardson of TINS (Tahoe Institute for Natural Science), as well as personal experience
List updated April 9, 2014 from ABA checklist v7.5