Currently there are 159 species on the checklist, representing species confirmed to occur in the Granite Mountains as residents, migrants, or vagrants. Resident (R) = present all year, breeds in the Granites (or area);Summer Resident (SR) = present in summer (spring-fall) and breeds in the Granites; Winter Resident (WR) = consistent presence in winter; Non-breeding Migrant (M) = present seasonally (inconsistent or for short duration), does not breed in Granites; Vagrant (V) = accidental, very unusual, presence is not predictable, or historic records only. (!) = non-native to area; (*) = direct evidence has been observed for nesting/breeding in the Granites. A pdf version of this checklist can be downloaded here: GMBird Checklist. We also have a booklet titled “Common Birds of the Sweeney Granite Mountains Desert Research Center”, available at the reserve. If you are interested in obtaining one please contact a staff member.
To learn more about the species, click on the double arrow to the right of the common name (⇒); this will take you to the Cornell University All About Birds website. Photos linked to the species name are courtesy and copyright of © Mark Chappell (UC Riverside).
| Checklist for Birds of the Granite Mountains (last updated Nov. 2012) | |||
| UPLAND GAME BIRDS | |||
| R | ! | Chukar ⇒ | Alectoris chukar |
| R | Mountain Quail ⇒ | Oreortyx pictus | |
| R | * | Gambel’s Quail ⇒ | Callipepla gambelii |
| DIURNAL RAPTORS | |||
| SR | Turkey Vulture ⇒ | Cathartes aura | |
| M | Osprey ⇒ | Pandion haliaetus | |
| M | Northern Harrier ⇒ | Circus hudsonius | |
| WR | Sharp-shinned Hawk ⇒ | Accipiter striatus | |
| R | Cooper’s Hawk ⇒ | Accipiter cooperii | |
| M | Swainson’s Hawk ⇒ | Buteo swainsoni | |
| SR | * | Zone-tailed Hawk ⇒ | Buteo albonotatus |
| R | * | Red-tailed Hawk ⇒ | Buteo jamaicensis |
| WR | Ferruginous Hawk ⇒ | Buteo regalis | |
| WR | Rough-legged Hawk ⇒ | Buteo lagopus | |
| R | * | Golden Eagle ⇒ | Aquila chrysaetos |
| R | * | American Kestrel ⇒ | Falco sparverius |
| M | Peregrine Falcon ⇒ | Falco peregrinus | |
| R | Prairie Falcon ⇒ | Falco mexicanus | |
| PIGEONS & DOVES | |||
| R | ! | Rock Pigeon ⇒ | Columba livia |
| V | Band-tailed Pigeon ⇒ | Patagioenas fasciata | |
| SR | White-winged Dove ⇒ | Zenaida asiatica | |
| R | * | Mourning Dove ⇒ | Zenaida macroura |
| R | ! | Eurasion Collared Dove ⇒ | Streptopelia decaocto |
| CUCKOOS & RELATIVES | |||
| R | * | Greater Roadrunner ⇒ | Geococcyx californianus |
| OWLS | |||
| R | Barn Owl ⇒ | Tyto alba | |
| R | * | Western Screech-Owl ⇒ | Megascops kennicottii |
| R | * | Great Horned Owl ⇒ | Bubo virginianus |
| R | Burrowing Owl ⇒ | Athene cunicularia | |
| R | Long-eared Owl ⇒ | Asio otus | |
| V | Northern Saw-whet Owl ⇒ | Aegolius acadicus | |
| GOATSUCKERS | |||
| SR | Lesser Nighthawk ⇒ | Chordeiles acutipennis | |
| R | Common Poorwill ⇒ | Phalaenoptilus nuttallii | |
| HUMMINGBIRDS & SWIFTS | |||
| M | Vaux’s Swift ⇒ | Chaetura vauxi | |
| R | * | White-throated Swift ⇒ | Aeronautes saxatalis |
| M | Black-chinned Hummingbird ⇒ | Archilochus alexandri | |
| SR | Anna’s Hummingbird ⇒ | Calypte anna | |
| SR | * | Costa’s Hummingbird ⇒ | Calypte costae |
| M | Calliope Hummingbird ⇒ | Stellula calliope | |
| V | Broad-tailed Hummingbird ⇒ | Selasphorus platycercus | |
| M | Rufous Hummingbird ⇒ | Selasphorus rufus | |
| WOODPECKERS | |||
| V | Lewis’s Woodpecker ⇒ | Melanerpes lewis | |
| V | Acorn Woodpecker ⇒ | Melanerpes formicivorus | |
| V | Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ⇒ | Sphyrapicus varius | |
| M | Red-naped Sapsucker ⇒ | Sphyrapicus nuchalis | |
| M | Red-breasted Sapsucker ⇒ | Sphyrapicus ruber | |
| R | * | Ladder-backed Woodpecker ⇒ | Picoides scalaris |
| WR | Northern Flicker ⇒ | Colaptes auratus | |
| TYRANT FLYCATCHERS | |||
| M | Olive-sided Flycatcher ⇒ | Contopus cooperi | |
| M | Western Wood-Pewee ⇒ | Contopus sordidulus | |
| M | Willow Flycatcher ⇒ | Empidonax traillii | |
| M | Hammond’s Flycatcher ⇒ | Empidonax hammondii | |
| M | Gray Flycatcher ⇒ | Empidonax wrightii | |
| M | Dusky Flycatcher ⇒ | Empidonax oberholseri | |
| M | Pacific-slope Flycatcher ⇒ | Empidonax difficilis | |
| R | Black Phoebe ⇒ | Sayornis nigricans | |
| R | * | Say’s Phoebe ⇒ | Sayornis saya |
| V | Vermilion Flycatcher ⇒ | Pyrocephalus rubinus | |
| SR | * | Ash-throated Flycatcher ⇒ | Myiarchus cinerascens |
| SR | * | Cassin’s Kingbird ⇒ | Tyrannus vociferans |
| SR | Western Kingbird ⇒ | Tyrannus verticalis | |
| SHRIKES & VIREOS | |||
| R | * | Loggerhead Shrike ⇒ | Lanius ludovicianus |
| SR | Gray Vireo ⇒ | Vireo vicinior | |
| M | Plumbeous Vireo ⇒ | Vireo plumbeus | |
| M | Cassin’s Vireo ⇒ | Vireo cassinii | |
| M | Warbling Vireo ⇒ | Vireo gilvus | |
| V | Philadelphia Vireo ⇒ | Vireo philadelphicus | |
| JAYS, CROWS, & RAVENS | |||
| WR | Steller’s Jay ⇒ | Cyanocitta stelleri | |
| R | * | Woodhouse Scrub-Jay ⇒ | Aphelocoma californica |
| R | Pinyon Jay ⇒ | Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus | |
| V | Clark’s Nutcracker ⇒ | Nucifraga columbiana | |
| R | * | Common Raven ⇒ | Corvus corax |
| LARKS & SWALLOWS | |||
| R | Horned Lark ⇒ | Eremophila alpestris | |
| SR | * | Violet-green Swallow ⇒ | Tachycineta thalassina |
| M | Barn Swallow ⇒ | Hirundo rustica | |
| CHICKADEES & RELATIVES | |||
| R | Mountain Chickadee ⇒ | Poecile gambeli | |
| R | * | Juniper Titmouse ⇒ | Baeolophus ridgwayi |
| R | * | Verdin ⇒ | Auriparus flaviceps |
| R | Bushtit ⇒ | Psaltriparus minimus | |
| WR | Red-breasted Nuthatch ⇒ | Sitta canadensis | |
| WRENS | |||
| R | * | Cactus Wren ⇒ | Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus |
| R | * | Rock Wren ⇒ | Salpinctes obsoletus |
| R | * | Canyon Wren ⇒ | Catherpes mexicanus |
| R | * | Bewick’s Wren ⇒ | Thryomanes bewickii |
| M | House Wren ⇒ | Troglodytes aedon | |
| OLD WORLD WARBLERS & GNATCATHERS | |||
| WR | Golden-crowned Kinglet ⇒ | Regulus satrapa | |
| WR | Ruby-crowned Kinglet ⇒ | Regulus calendula | |
| SR | * | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ⇒ | Polioptila caerulea |
| R | * | Black-tailed Gnatcatcher ⇒ | Polioptila melanura |
| M | Western Bluebird ⇒ | Sialia mexicana | |
| M | Townsend’s Solitaire ⇒ | Myadestes townsendi | |
| M | Swainson’s Thrush ⇒ | Catharus ustulatus | |
| M | Hermit Thrush ⇒ | Catharus guttatus | |
| M | American Robin ⇒ | Turdus migratorius | |
| V | Varied Thrush ⇒ | Ixoreus naevius | |
| THRASHERS & MOCKINGBIRDS | |||
| R | * | Northern Mockingbird ⇒ | Mimus polyglottos |
| M | Sage Thrasher ⇒ | Oreoscoptes montanus | |
| SR | * | Bendire’s Thrasher ⇒ | Toxostoma bendirei |
| R | * | Crissal Thrasher ⇒ | Toxostoma crissale |
| R | * | Le Conte’s Thrasher ⇒ | Toxostoma lecontei |
| STARLINGS | |||
| R | ! | European Starling ⇒ | Sturnus vulgaris |
| PIPITS | |||
| M | American Pipit ⇒ | Anthus rubescens | |
| WAXWINGS | |||
| M | Cedar Waxwing ⇒ | Bombycilla cedrorum | |
| SILKY-FLYCATCHERS | |||
| R | * | Phainopepla ⇒ | Phainopepla nitens |
| WOOD-WARBLERS | |||
| M | Orange-crowned Warbler ⇒ | Vermivora celata | |
| M | Nashville Warbler ⇒ | Vermivora ruficapilla | |
| M | Virginia’s Warbler ⇒ | Vermivora virginiae | |
| V | Northern Parula ⇒ | Parula americana | |
| M | Yellow Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica petechia | |
| M | Yellow-rumped Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica coronata | |
| SR | * | Black-throated Gray Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica nigrescens |
| M | Townsend’s Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica townsendi | |
| M | Hermit Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica occidentalis | |
| V | Blackburnian Warbler ⇒ | Dendroica fusca | |
| V | Prothonotary Warbler ⇒ | Protonotaria citrea | |
| M | MacGillivray’s Warbler ⇒ | Oporornis tolmiei | |
| M | Common Yellowthroat ⇒ | Geothlypis trichas | |
| M | Wilson’s Warbler ⇒ | Wilsonia pusilla | |
| V | Painted Redstart ⇒ | Myioborus pictus | |
| M | Yellow-breasted Chat ⇒ | Icteria virens | |
| TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS, & RELATIVES | |||
| V | Hepatic Tanager ⇒ | Piranga flava | |
| M | Summer Tanager ⇒ | Piranga rubra | |
| M | Western Tanager ⇒ | Piranga ludoviciana | |
| V | Rose-breasted Grosbeak ⇒ | Pheucticus ludovicianus | |
| SR | Black-headed Grosbeak ⇒ | Pheucticus melanocephalus | |
| M | Lazuli Bunting ⇒ | Passerina amoena | |
| V | Indigo Bunting ⇒ | Passerina cyanea | |
| SPARROWS, TOWHEES, & RELATIVES | |||
| M | Green-tailed Towhee ⇒ | Pipilo chlorurus | |
| M | Spotted Towhee ⇒ | Pipilo maculatus | |
| M | Rufous-crowned Sparrow ⇒ | Aimophila ruficeps | |
| SR | Chipping Sparrow ⇒ | Spizella passerina | |
| SR | Brewer’s Sparrow ⇒ | Spizella breweri | |
| SR | * | Black-chinned Sparrow ⇒ | Spizella atrogularis |
| M | Lark Sparrow ⇒ | Chondestes grammacus | |
| R | * | Black-throated Sparrow ⇒ | Amphispiza bilineata |
| WR | Sage Sparrow ⇒ | Amphispiza belli | |
| M | Savannah Sparrow ⇒ | Passerculus sandwichensis | |
| V | Grasshopper Sparrow ⇒ | Ammodramus savannarum | |
| M | Fox Sparrow ⇒ | Passerella iliaca | |
| M | Lincoln’s Sparrow ⇒ | Melospiza lincolnii | |
| V | White-throated Sparrow ⇒ | Zonotrichia albicollis | |
| WR | White-crowned Sparrow ⇒ | Zonotrichia leucophrys | |
| M | Golden-crowned Sparrow ⇒ | Zonotrichia atricapilla | |
| WR | Dark-eyed Junco ⇒ | Junco hyemalis | |
| ORIOLES, BLACKBIRDS, & RELATIVES | |||
| V | Red-winged Blackbird ⇒ | Agelaius phoeniceus | |
| M | Western Meadowlark ⇒ | Sturnella neglecta | |
| V | Yellow-headed Blackbird ⇒ | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | |
| V | Brewer’s Blackbird ⇒ | Euphagus cyanocephalus | |
| V | Great-tailed Grackle ⇒ | Quiscalus mexicanus | |
| SR | Brown-headed Cowbird ⇒ | Molothrus ater | |
| SR | Hooded Oriole ⇒ | Icterus cucullatus | |
| SR | Bullock’s Oriole ⇒ | Icterus bullockii | |
| SR | Scott’s Oriole ⇒ | Icterus parisorum | |
| FINCHES & OLD WORLD SPARROWS | |||
| V | Cassin’s Finch ⇒ | Carpodacus cassinii | |
| R | * | House Finch ⇒ | Carpodacus mexicanus |
| WR | Pine Siskin ⇒ | Carduelis pinus | |
| R | * | Lesser Goldfinch ⇒ | Carduelis psaltria |
| M | Lawrence’s Goldfinch ⇒ | Carduelis lawrencei | |
| M | American Goldfinch ⇒ | Carduelis tristis | |
| V | Evening Grosbeak ⇒ | Coccothraustes vespertinus | |
| R | ! | House Sparrow ⇒ | Passer domesticus |