Waterfowl___ Snow Goose___ Greater White-fronted Goose*___ Brant*___ Cackling Goose___ Canada Goose___ Wood Duck___ Blue-winged Teal___ Cinnamon Teal___ Green-winged Teal___ Northern Shoveler___ Gadwall___ American Widgeon___ Mallard___ Northern Pintail___ Canvasback*___ Redhead___ Ring-necked Duck___ Greater Scaup*___ Lesser Scaup___ Bufflehead___ Common Goldeneye___ Hooded Merganser___ Common Merganser___ Red-breasted Merganser*___ Ruddy Duck

Loons & Grebes___ Pied-billed Grebe___ Horned Grebe*___ Eared Grebe*___ Western Grebe*___ Common Loon*Cormorants & Pelicans___ Double-crested Cormorant___ American White Pelican

Herons, Ibis, & Allies___ American Bittern*___ Great Blue Heron___ Great Egret___ Snowy Egret___ Cattle Egret*___ Green Heron*___ Black-crowned Night Heron___ White-faced Ibis*

Vultures, Eagles, & Hawks___ Turkey Vulture___ Osprey___ Northern Harrier___ Sharp-shinned Hawk___ Cooper’s Hawk___ Bald Eagle___ Broad-winged Hawk*___ Swainson’s Hawk___ Red-tailed Hawk___ Rough-legged Hawk___ Ferruginous Hawk

Rails & Gallinules___ Virginia Rail___ Sora___ American Coot

Shorebirds___ Black-necked Stilt___ American Avocet___ Killdeer___ Baird’s Sandpiper___ Least Sandpiper___ Pectoral Sandpiper___ Semipalmated Sandpiper___ Wilson’s Snipe___ Wilson’s Phalarope___ Red-necked Phalarope*___ Spotted Sandpiper___ Solitary Sandpiper___ Greater Yellowlegs___ Lesser Yellowlegs

Gulls & Terns___ Franklin’s Gull*___ Ring-billed Gull___ California Gull*___ Caspian Tern*Pigeons & Doves___ Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon)___ Eurasian Collard-Dove___ White-winged Dove*___ Mourning Dove

Owls___ Great Horned Owl___ Burrowing Owl___ Short-eared Owl*

Swifts___ Chimney Swift

Hummingbirds___ Black-chinned Hummingbird___ Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Kingfishers___ Belted Kingfisher

Woodpeckers___ Red-headed Woodpecker*___ Downy Woodpecker___ Hairy Woodpecker___ Northern Flicker

Falcons & Caracaras___ American Kestrel___ Merlin___ Peregrine Falcon___ Prairie Falcon

Shrikes___ Loggerhead Shrike*___ Northern Shrike

Tyrant Flycatchers: Pewees, Kingbirds, & Allies___ Olive-sided Flycatcher___ Western Wood-Pewee___ Willow Flycatcher*___ Least Flycatcher*___ Gray Flycatcher*___ Dusky Flycatcher___ Cordilleran Flycatcher*___ Eastern Phoebe*___ Say’s Phoebe___ Ash-throated Flycatcher___ Cassin’s Kingbird*___ Western Kingbird___ Eastern Kingbird

Vireos___ Cassin’s Vireo___ Plumbeous Vireo___ Warbling Vireo___ Red-eyed Vireo*

Jays, Magpies, Crows, & Ravens___ Blue Jay___ Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay*___ Black-billed Magpie___ American Crow___ Common Raven

Larks___ Horned Lark

Martins & Swallows___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow___ Tree Swallow___ Violet-green Swallow___ Bank Swallow___ Barn Swallow___ Cliff SwallowChickadees___ Black-capped Chickadee

Long-tailed Tits___ Bushtit

Nuthatches & Treecreepers___ Red-breasted Nuthatch*___ White-breasted Nuthatch___ Brown Creeper

Wrens___ Rock Wren___ House Wren___ Marsh Wren

Gnatcatchers___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

THIS CHECKLIST INCLUDES THE 203 BIRD SPECIES that have been recorded at Bluff Lake Nature Center to date. This total makes Bluff Lake one of the best publicly accessible birdwatching sites in Denver County. Some species are abundant year-round; others have only been seen once. Many more might be added to the list by the intrepid birdwatcher — will you see the 204th species?

Use this checklist along with your binoculars and a field guide to identify birds at Bluff Lake. Rarity codes tell how likely it is for a species to be present in a given season. Habitat codes tell where each species is likely to be seen. As you walk, make note of a bird’s behavior, shape, coloration, and voice. Sketch or take photographs. Use a combination of your observations and the information in a field guide to identify the birds that you discover here.

HABITAT CODESL - Bluff LakeC - Sand CreekM - Cattail MarshP - Shortgrass PrairieW - Riparian WoodsO - Flying Overhead

SEASON CODESs - SpringS - SummerF - FallW - Winter

RARITY CODESa - Abundant (a common species which is numerous)c - Common (likely to be seen in suitable habitat)u - Uncommon (might be seen in suitable habitat)r - Rare (not always seen in a season)o - Occasional (extraordinary; only one or two records)

Notes and Sketches

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Kinglets___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Thrushes___ Eastern Bluebird*___ Western Bluebird*___ Mountain Bluebird___ Townsend’s Solitaire___ Swainson’s Thrush___ Hermit Thrush___ American Robin

Mimids___ Gray Catbird___ Brown Thrasher___ Sage Thrasher___ Northern Mockingbird

Starlings___ European StarlingPipits___ American Pipit

Waxwings___ Cedar Waxwing

Wood-warblers___ Ovenbird___ Worm-eating Warbler*___ Northern Waterthrush___ Orange-crowned Warbler___ Virginia’s Warbler___ MacGillivray’s Warbler___ Common Yellowthroat___ American Redstart___ Northern Parula*___ Magnolia Warbler*___ Yellow Warbler___ Blackpoll Warbler___ Palm Warbler*___ Yellow-rumped Warbler___ Townsend’s Warbler*___ Wilson’s Warbler

New World Sparrows___ Chipping Sparrow___ Clay-colored Sparrow___ Brewer’s Sparrow___ Lark Sparrow___ Lark Bunting___ American Tree Sparrow___ Dark-eyed Junco___ White-crowned Sparrow___ Harris’s Sparrow*___ White-throated Sparrow*___ Vesper Sparrow___ Savannah Sparrow___ Song Sparrow___ Lincoln’s Sparrow___ Swamp Sparrow___ Green-tailed Towhee___ Spotted Towhee

Old World Sparrows___ House Sparrow

Tanagers, Grosbeaks, & Allies___ Western Tanager___ Black-headed Grosbeak*___ Blue Grosbeak___ Lazuli Bunting

Blackbirds___ Yellow-headed Blackbird___ Western Meadowlark___ Bullock’s Oriole___ Red-winged Blackbird___ Brown-headed Cowbird___ Brewer’s Blackbird___ Common Grackle___ Great-tailed Grackle

Finches, Euphonias, & Allies___ House Finch___ Pine Siskin*___ Lesser Goldfinch___ American Goldfinch

Dippers___ American Dipper*

Yellow-breasted Chat___ Yellow-breasted Chat

Cranes___ Sandhill Crane*

Grouse, Quail, & Allies___ Ring-necked Pheasant*___ Wild Turkey*

Nightjars___ Common Nighthawk*___ Common Poorwill*

CHECKLIST OF THE

BIRDS OFBLUFF LAKE

NATURE CENTER

OBSERVERS:

DATE:

WEATHER:

As a birdwatcher, you provide invaluable information on the habits and distribution of Bluff Lake’s wildlife. We would love to hear

what you have seen! Submit your sightings online at eBird.com or

email to info@blufflake.org.

WELCOME TO BLUFF LAKE NATURE CENTER, an urban wildlife refuge and outdoor classroom located in northeast Denver!

Bluff Lake’s 123 acres, perfectly positioned along Sand Creek, protect a rare crossroads of habitats, providing a sanctuary for birds and birdwatchers alike. Make your way through some of the last shortgrass prairies in the metro area, explore riparian woodlands, look out across one of the most extensive cattail marshes in Denver, and enjoy close views of the lake itself. Birds abound in every habitat, and each season brings special birdwatching opportunities.

www.blufflake.org

3400 Havana WayDenver, CO 80238

Open sunrise to sunset every day

Free to the publicNo dogs - No bikes

Bald Eagles Photo by George Ho

Great Horned Owl Photo by Fred Hernandez III

***48 NEW BIRD SPECIES SPOTTED SINCE 2016

In 2016, Bluff Lake completed a Lake Restoration Project which has resulted in Bluff Lake holding

water year round. This has provided more habitats for waterfowl and overall has diversified

and increased the wildlife who call Bluff Lake home. 48 new species of birds have been seen

at Bluff Lake since 2016. These birds are marked with an asterisk on this list.

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Updated Summer 2020