COLORADO: Lekking Grouse 2007

 

“The April 2007 “Colorado: Lekking Grouse” saw more varied Colorado scenery in just eight days of birding than most Coloradans see in a lifetime.  Stunning snow-covered mountains (many over 14,000 feet), alpine tundra, sagebrush plains, well-watered valleys and cottonwood-lined rivers, yucca grassland, large reservoirs, and the endless flatness of the western Great Plains.  And while the 2007 weather was,at times, less than ideal, we saw just about all of the specialties desired; and the snowy weather one day was actually a great asset, as it helped produce a stunning rosy-finch showing at Crested Butte, with some 400 Brown-capped, 8 Black, and 3 Gray-crowned all together in one mass at our feet (and with a few Evening Grosbeaks thrown in for good measure).

 

But it is of course the displaying grouse and related chickens that form the core of this tour.  And this year we experienced calling in a White-tailed Ptarmigan in the sleet and snow at Loveland Pass so it would land in front of us in the parking lot (!), to the fine groups of lekking Greater Sage-Grouse near Walden, Gunnison Sage-Grouse near Gunnison (please, no sniggering…), Sharp-tailed Grouse near Hayden, Lesser Prairie-Chickens near Elkhart, and, perhaps best of all, the Greater Prairie-Chickens near Wray.  Throw in a point-blank male Dusky Grouse, as well as Chukar and Scaled Quail. And don’t forget the great views of Mountain Plover, Lewis’s Woodpeckers, Pine Grosbeaks, Harris’s Sparrows, McCown’s Longspurs (OK, not-so-great views), and side-by-side Rock and Canyon Wrens.  Honorable mentions go to the Ross’s Geese, Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Ferruginous Hawks, Snowy Plovers, pinkish Franklin’s Gulls, Pinyon Jays, vagrant Carolina Wren, Sage Thrashers, Black-throated Sparrow, and Red Crossbills.”  Paul Lehman.

 

 

Bird List:

Column A = number of tours out of five on which this species has been recorded
Column B = number of days this species was seen on the last tour
Column C = maximum daily count for this species on the last tour
Column D = H = heard only

A                                                                    B              C           D      

 

5

Snow Goose

1

5

 

Chen caerulescens caerulescens

3

Ross's Goose

3

3

 

Chen rossii

1

Cackling Goose

 

 

 

Branta hutchinsii hutchinsii

5

Canada Goose

8

225

 

Branta canadensis

5

Wood Duck

2

2

 

Aix sponsa

5

Gadwall

6

200

 

Anas strepera

1

Eurasian Wigeon

 

 

 

Anas penelope

5

American Wigeon

6

200

 

Anas americana

5

Mallard

8

1000

 

Anas platyrhynchos

5

Blue-winged Teal

3

8

 

Anas discors

5

Cinnamon Teal

4

5

 

Anas cyanoptera

5

Northern Shoveler

6

500

 

Anas clypeata

1

Northern Pintail

2

100

 

Anas acuta

5

Green-winged Teal

7

400

 

Anas crecca carolinensis

4

Canvasback

4

25

 

Aythya valisineria

5

Redhead

4

35

 

Aythya americana

5

Ring-necked Duck

5

50

 

Aythya collaris

1

Greater Scaup

 

 

 

Aythya marila

5

Lesser Scaup

8

150

 

Aythya affinis

5

Bufflehead

3

10

 

Bucephala albeola

4

Common Goldeneye

3

1

 

Bucephala clangula

4

Barrow's Goldeneye

1

3

 

Bucephala islandica

1

Common x Barrow's Goldeneye

 

 

 

 

1

Hooded Merganser

1

3

 

Lophodytes cucullatus

5

Common Merganser

6

20

 

Mergus merganser

4

Red-breasted Merganser

1

1

 

Mergus serrato

5

Ruddy Duck

4

50

 

Oxyura jamaicensis

4

Chukar

1

1

 

Alectoris chukar

5

Ring-necked Pheasant

4

10

 

Phasianus colchicus

5

Greater Sage-Grouse

2

31

 

Centrocercus urophasianus

5

Gunnison Sage-Grouse

1

26

 

Centrocercus minimus

3

White-tailed Ptarmigan

1

1

 

Lagopus leucurus

4

Dusky Grouse

1

1

 

Dendragapus obscurus obscurus

5

Sharp-tailed "Columbian" Grouse

1

13

 

Tympanuchus phasianellus columbianus

5

Greater Prairie-Chicken

1

33

 

Tympanuchus cupido pinnatus

5

Lesser Prairie-Chicken

1

9

 

Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

5

Wild Turkey

5

20

 

Meleagris gallopavo

5

Scaled Quail

1

12

 

Callipepla squamata

2

Gambel's Quail

 

 

 

Callipepla gambelii

2

Northern Bobwhite

 

 

 

Colinus virginianus

1

Common Loon

 

 

 

Gavia immer

5

Pied-billed Grebe

2

1

 

Podilymbus podiceps

2

Horned grebe

2

6

 

Podiceps auritus

5

Eared Grebe

3

20

 

Podiceps nigricollis

5

Western Grebe

4

75

 

Aechmophorus occidentalis

3

Clark's Grebe

 

 

 

Aechmophorus clarkii

5

American White Pelican

5

80

 

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

5

Double-crested Cormorant

5

75

 

Phalacrocorax auritus

5

Great Blue Heron

7

50

N

Ardea herodias

2

Snowy Egret

 

 

 

Egretta thula

1

Cattle Egret

 

 

 

Bubulcus ibis

2

Black-crowned Night-Heron

1

2

 

Nycticorax nycticorax

2

White-faced Ibis

1

1

 

Plegadis chihi

5

Turkey Vulture

7

10

 

Cathartes aura

5

Osprey

1

2

 

Pandion haliaetus

5

Bald Eagle

4

5

 

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

5

Northern Harrier

5

7

 

Circus cyaneus

5

Sharp-shinned Hawk

3

1

 

Accipiter striatus

5

Cooper's Hawk

1

2

 

Accipiter cooperii

1

Broad-winged Hawk

 

 

 

Buteo platypterus

5

Swainson's Hawk

1

2

 

Buteo swainsoni

5

Red-tailed Hawk

8

8

 

Buteo jamaicensis

5

Ferruginous Hawk

2

1

 

Buteo regalis

5

Rough-legged Hawk

1

1

 

Buteo lagopus

5

Golden Eagle

6

4

 

Aquila chrysaetos

5

American Kestrel

7

20

 

Falco sparverius

1

Merlin

1

1

 

Falco columbarius

2

Peregrine Falcon

 

 

 

Falco peregrinus

5

Prairie Falcon

1

1

 

Falco mexicanus

1

Virginia Rail

 

 

 

Rallus limicola

5

American Coot

8

200

 

Fulica americana

5

Sandhill Crane

4

100

 

Grus canadensis

1

Black-bellied Plover

 

 

 

Pluvialis squatarola

5

Snowy Plover

1

2

 

Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus

1

Semipalmated Plover

 

 

 

Charadrius semipalmatus

5

Killdeer

8

50

 

Charadrius vociferus

5

Mountain Plover

1

2

 

Charadrius montanus

3

Black-necked Stilt

1

1

 

Himantopus mexicanus

5

American Avocet

2

12

 

Recurvirostra americana

3

Greater Yellowlegs

 

 

 

Tringa melanoleuca

3

Lesser Yellowlegs

1

1

 

Tringa flavipes

5

Long-billed Curlew

2

2

 

Numenius americanus

1

Hudsonian Godwit

 

 

 

Limosa haemastica

3

Marbled Godwit

1

12

 

Limosa fedoa

1

Semipalmated Sandpiper

 

 

 

Calidris pusilla

1

Western Sandpiper

 

 

 

Calidris mauri

2

Least Sandpiper

 

 

 

Calidris minutilla

4

Baird's Sandpiper

1

1

 

Calidris bairdii

1

Long-billed Dowitcher

 

 

 

Limnodromus scolopaceus

2

Wilson's Snipe

 

 

 

Gallinago delicate

1

Wilson's Phalarope

 

 

 

Phalaropus tricolor

5

Franklin's Gull

4

20

 

Larus pipixcan

4

Bonaparte's Gull

2

12

 

Larus philadelphia

5

Ring-billed Gull

4

75

 

Larus delawarensis

5

California Gull

3

75

 

Larus californicus

2

Herring Gull

1

1

 

Larus argentatus

5

Rock Pigeon

7

140

 

Columba livia

1

Band-tailed Pigeon

 

 

 

Patagioenas fasciata

5

Eurasian Collared-Dove

8

20

 

Streptopelia decaocto

2

White-winged Dove

 

 

 

Zenaida asiatica

5

Mourning Dove

6

35

 

Zenaida macroura

1

Inca Dove

 

 

 

Columbina inca

2

Greater Roadrunner

 

 

 

Geococcyx californianus

5

Barn Owl

1

2

 

Tyto alba pratincola

5

Great Horned Owl

3

2

 

Bubo virginianus subarcticus

5

Burrowing Owl

1

5

 

Athene cunicularia hypugaea

4

Long-eared Owl

 

 

 

Asio otus tuftsi

3

Boreal Owl

1

2

H

Aegolius funereus

1

Northern Saw-whet Owl

 

 

 

Aegolius acadicus

1

Common Poorwill

 

 

 

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

5

White-throated Swift

2

14

 

Aeronautes saxatalis

5

Belted Kingfisher

3

2

 

Ceryle alcyon

5

Lewis's Woodpecker

1

2

 

Melanerpes lewis

1

Red-naped Sapsucker

 

 

 

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

2

Red-bellied Woodpecker

 

 

 

Melanerpes carolinus

5

Downy Woodpecker

1

1

 

Picoides pubescens

3

Hairy Woodpecker

 

 

 

Picoides villosus

4

American Three-toed Woodpecker

 

 

 

Picoides tridactylus dorsalis

5

Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker

6

4

 

Colaptes auratus collaris

5

Northern (Yellow-shafted)Flicker

1

1

 

Colaptes auratus luteus

2

Eastern Phoebe

1

1

 

Sayornis phoebe

5

Say's Phoebe

5

6

 

Sayornis saya

1

Vermilion Flycatcher

 

 

 

Pyrocephalus rubinus

1

Western Kingbird

 

 

 

Tyrannus verticalis

4

Loggerhead Shrike

 

 

 

Lanius ludovicianus

2

Gray Jay

1

2

 

Periscoreus canadensis capitalis

5

Steller's Jay

2

2

 

Cyanocitta stelleri macrolopha

3

Blue Jay

2

10

 

Cyanocitta cristata

5

Western Scrub-Jay

4

3

 

Aphelocoma californica suttoni

3

Pinyon Jay

2

25

 

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

4

Clark's Nutcracker

1

20

 

Nucifraga columbiana

5

Black-billed Magpie

6

80

 

Pica hudsonia

5

American Crow

5

50

 

Corvus brachyrhynchos

4

Chihuahuan Raven

 

 

 

Corvus cryptoleucus

5

Common Raven

5

15

 

Corvus corax

5

Horned Lark

6

150

 

Eremophila alpestris

5

Tree Swallow

4

10

 

Tachycineta bicolor

1

Violet-green Swallow

1

8

 

Tachycineta thalassina

4

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

2

4

 

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

4

Barn Swallow

1

3

 

Hirundo rustica

5

Black-capped Chickadee

4

5

 

Poecile atricapilla

5

Mountain Chickadee

3

15

 

Poecile gambeli gambeli

2

Juniper Titmouse

 

 

 

Baeolophus griseus

3

Bushtit

 

 

 

Psaltriparus minimus

4

Red-breasted Nuthatch

2

5

 

Sitta canadensis

2

White-breasted Nuthatch (Eastern)

 

 

 

Sitta carolinensis carolinensis

5

White-breasted Nut. (Mountain)

3

2

 

Sitta carolinensis nelsoni

2

Pygmy Nuthatch

 

 

 

Sitta pygmaea

1

Brown Creeper

1

2

 

Certhia americana

5

Rock Wren

2

12

 

Salpinctes obsoletus

4

Canyon Wren

1

3

 

Catherpes mexicanus

1

Carolina Wren

1

1

 

Thryomanes ludovicianus

4

Bewick's Wren

 

 

 

Thryomanes bewickii

1

House Wren

 

 

 

Troglodytes aedon

3

Marsh Wren

1

1

 

Cistothorus palustris

5

American Dipper

1

1

 

Cinclus mexicanus

5

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

2

1

 

Regulus calendula

2

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

 

 

 

Polioptila nigriceps

4

Eastern Bluebird

1

2

 

Sialia sialis

5

Western Bluebird

1

2

 

Sialia mexicana

5

Mountain Bluebird

5

18

 

Sialia currucoides

5

Townsend's Solitaire

3

1

 

Myadestes townsendi

5

American Robin

8

125

 

Turdus migratorius

2

Northern Mockingbird

 

 

 

Mimus polyglottos

3

Sage Thrasher

1

3

 

Oreoscoptes montanus

4

Curve-billed Thrasher

 

 

 

Toxostoma curvirostre

5

European Starling

8

150

 

Sturnus vulgaris

3

Cedar Waxwing

1

25

 

Bombycilla cedrorum

4

American Pipit

1

5

 

Anthus rubescens

1

Orange-crowned Warbler

 

 

 

Vermivora celata

4

Yellow-rumped ("Myrtle") Warbler

1

4

 

Dendroica coronata coronata

5

Yellow-rumped ("Audubon's") W.

1

3

 

Dendroica coronata auduboni

1

Wilson's Warbler

 

 

 

Wilsonia pusilla

5

Spotted Towhee

2

10

 

Pipilo maculates montanus

5

Canyon Towhee

1

2

 

Pipilo fuscus

1

Cassin's Sparrow

 

 

 

Aimophila cassinii

1

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

1

1

 

Aimophila ruficeps

1

Brewer's Sparrow

 

 

 

Spizella breweri

1

Chipping Sparrow

 

 

 

Spizella passerina

4

Vesper Sparrow

1

4

 

Pooecetes gramineus

3

Black-throated Sparrow

1

1

 

Amphispiza bilineata

1

Sage Sparrow

 

 

 

Amphispiza belli

1

Lark Bunting

 

 

 

Calamospiza melanocorys

2

Grasshopper Sparrow

 

 

 

Ammodramus savannarum

1

Savannah Sparrow

 

 

 

Passerculus sandwichensis

1

Fox Sparrow

 

 

 

Passerella iliaca

5

Song Sparrow

6

4

 

Melospiza melodia

4

Lincoln's Sparrow

1

1

 

Melospiza lincolnii

2

White-throated Sparrow

 

 

 

Zonotrichia albicollis

3

Harris's Sparrow

1

4

 

Zonotrichia querula

4

White-cr. ("Gambel's") Sparrow

4

25

 

Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii

5

Dark-eyed Junco

 

 

 

Junco hyemalis

5

Dark-eyed ("Gray-headed") Junco

5

15

 

Junco hyemalis caniceps

5

Dark-eyed ("Oregon") Junco

1

1

 

Junco hyemalis shufeldti (=montanus)

4

Dark-eyed ("Pink-sided") Junco

3

4

 

Junco hyemalis mearnsi

5

Dark-eyed ("Slate-colored") Junco

1

8

 

Junco hyemalis hyemalis group

1

McCown's Longspur

1

6

 

Calcarius maccownii

3

Northern Cardinal

1

1

H

Cardinalis cardinalis

5

Red-winged Blackbird

8

500

 

Agelaius phoeniceus

1

Eastern Meadowlark

 

 

 

Sturnella magna lilanae

5

Western Meadowlark

8

70

 

Sturnella neglecta

5

Yellow-headed Blackbird

3

100

 

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

1

Brewer's Blackbird

1

15

 

Euphagus cyanocephalus

5

Common Grackle

6

150

 

Quiscalus quiscula

5

Great-tailed Grackle

4

50

 

Quiscalus mexicanus

5

Brown-headed Cowbird

1

8

 

Molothrus ater

5

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

1

3

 

Leucosticte tephrocotis tephrocotis

5

Black Rosy-Finch

1

8

 

Leucosticte atrata

5

Brown-capped Rosy-Finch

1

300

 

Leucosticte australis

5

Pine Grosbeak

1

3

 

Pinicola enucleator montanus

5

Cassin's Finch

5

25

 

Carpodacus cassinii

5

House Finch

6

12

 

Carpodacus mexicanus

4

Red Crossbill

3

30

 

Loxia curvirostra

5

Pine Siskin

4

150

 

Carduelis pinus vagans

1

Lesser Goldfinch

1

2

 

Carduelis psaltria

5

American Goldfinch

2

8

 

Carduelis tristis

2

Evening Grosbeak

1

3

 

Coccothraustes vespertinus brooksi

5

House Sparrow

8

20

 

Passer domesticus