The Sea of Cortez: the Searcher, March 8-19, 2008
BIRD LIST *Unusual or otherwise noteworthy sightings are asterisked
Anseriformes – Screamers, Swans, Geese, and Ducks
Anatidae – Ducks, Geese, and Swans
Brant Branta bernicla
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca *1 male, near mouth of San Ignacio Lagoon
Black Scoter Melanitta nigra
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Galliformes – Gallinaceous Birds
Odontophoridae – New World Quail
California Quail Callipepla californica
Gaviiformes – Loons
Gaviidae – Loons
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
Common Loon Gavia immer
Podicipediformes – Grebes
Podicipedidae – Grebes
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Procellariiformes – Tube-nosed Swimmers
Diomedeidae – Albatrosses
Laysan Albatross Phoebastria immutabilis
Black-footed Albatross Phoebastria nigripes
Procellariidae – Shearwaters and Petrels
Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis
Pink-footed Shearwater Puffinus creatopus
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Short-tailed Shearwater Puffinus tenuirostris
Black-vented Shearwater Puffinus opisthomelas
Hydrobatidae – Storm-Petrels
Black Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma melania
Pelecaniformes – Totipalmate Birds
Phaethontidae – Tropicbirds
Red-billed Tropicbird Phaethon aethereus
Sulidae – Boobies and Gannets
Blue-footed Booby Sula nebouxii – *
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster – *
Pelecanidae – Pelicans
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants
Brandt’s Cormorant Phalacrocorax penicillatus
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Fregatidae – Frigatebirds
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens
Ciconiiformes – Herons, Ibises, Storks, American Vultures, and Allies
Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns, and Allies
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor – *
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea – *
Threskiornithidae – Ibises and Spoonbills
White Ibis Eudocimus albus – *
Cathartidae – New World Vultures
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Falconiformes – Diurnal Birds of Prey
Accipitridae – Hawks, Kites, Eagles, and Allies
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Falconidae – Caracaras and Falcons
Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway – *PV
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Charadriiformes – Shorebirds, Gulls, Auks, and Allies
Charadriidae – Lapwings and Plovers
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
Haematopodidae – Oystercatchers
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus – *
Black Oystercatcher Haematopus bachmani
Scolopacidae – Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and Allies
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Wandering Tattler Tringa incana
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
Black Turnstone Arenaria melanocephala
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Laridae – Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia
Heermann’s Gull Larus heermanni
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
California Gull Larus californicus
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Yellow-footed Gull Larus livens
Western Gull Larus occidentalis
Glaucous-winged Gull Larus glaucescens *possible 1st or 2nd-year bird over Los Isoltes
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea *2 standing on kelp mat off Magdelena Bay were probably this species
Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus
Elegant Tern Thalasseus elegans
Stercorariidae – Skuas
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus *in the southern Sea of Cortez
Alcidae – Auks, Murres, and Puffins
Xantus’s Murrelet Synthliboramphus hypoleucus
Craveri’s Murrelet Synthliboramphus craveri
Cassin’s Auklet Ptychoramphus aleuticus
Rhinoceros Auklet Cerorhinca monocerata *1 off San Benitos Island
Columbiformes – Pigeons, and Doves
Columbidae – Pigeons and Doves
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina
Apodiformes – Swifts, and Hummingbirds
Apodidae – Swifts
White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis
Trochilidae – Hummingbirds
Xantus’s Hummingbird Hylocharis xantusii – *P
Costa’s Hummingbird Calypte costae
Coraciiformes – Rollers, Motmots, Kingfishers, and Allies
Alcedinidae – Kingfishers
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon
Piciformes – Puffbirds, Jacamars, Toucans, Woodpeckers, and Allies
Picidae – Woodpeckers and Allies
Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis
Ladder-backed Woodpecker Picoides scalaris
Passeriformes – Passerine Birds
Tyrannidae – Tyrant Flycatchers
Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii
Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
Laniidae – Shrikes
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Corvidae – Crows and Jays
Common Raven Corvus corax
Alaudidae – Larks
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Hirundinidae – Swallows
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Remizidae – Penduline Tits and Verdins
Verdin Auriparus flaviceps
Troglodytidae – Wrens
Cactus Wren Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus
Sylviidae – Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
California Gnatcatcher Polioptila californica
Turdidae – Thrushes
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus *1, Santa Catalina
Mimidae – Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Gray Thrasher Toxostoma cinereum
Ptilogonatidae – Silky-flycatchers
Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens
Parulidae – Wood-Warblers
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia * “Magnolia Warbler”
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas *incl both the N. Am form and “Beldings”
Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
Emberizidae – Emberizids
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis *incl Large-billed SS, San Benitos Is.
Cardinalidae – Cardinals, Saltators, and Allies
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Icteridae – Blackbirds
Brewer’s Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus
Bullock’s Oriole Icterus bullockii
Fringillidae – Fringilline and Cardueline Finches and Allies
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus * incl 1 on San Benitos, where local race is extinct
Passeridae – Old World Sparrows
House Sparrow Passer domesticus – I
