Birds of The Salton Basin Checklist: Open Water - Salton Sea or Flooded Ag Lands Regulatory Status
Birds of The Salton Basin Checklist: Open Water - Salton Sea or Flooded Ag Lands Regulatory Status
Birds of The Salton Basin Checklist: Open Water - Salton Sea or Flooded Ag Lands Regulatory Status
The checklist below has been grouped according to the habitat type most often used by each species. As noted in the habitats column, most of the
species other than open water obligates, use more than one habitat. For example, the black skimmer will loaf and nest on open mudflats, but needs adjacent
shallow water for foraging and soaking its breast feathers in order to cool its eggs. Several species that would typically be found in natural woodland type habitats
are found in the Salton Basin in suburban or urban settings where trees have been planted in parks, cemeteries or gardens.
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Common Loon Gavia immer uTsa open water
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis californicus cW open water Audubon
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis occidentalis uS*, fW open water
Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii transitionalis fR* open water
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos fW, uS, euS* open water/aerial Audubon BSSC 2003
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis californicus fS, rS* open water Audubon FE, SE
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus albociliatus cP* open water Audubon
Brant Branta bernicla nigricans uTs, rS, rTa open water/marshes
Gadwall Anas strepera strepera fW, rS open water/marshes
American Wigeon Anas americana cW, rS open water/marshes
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos platyrhynchos cW, uS* open water/marshes
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors fTa open water/marshes
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera septentrionalium cW, fS* open water/marshes
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata cW, rS open water/marshes
Northern Pintail Anas acuta cW, rS open water/marshes
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca carolinensis cW, rS open water/marshes
Canvasback Aythya valisineria uW open water
Redhead Aythya americana cP* open water BSSC 2003
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris uW open water
Greater Scaup Aythya marila nearctica uW open water
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis uW, rS open water
1
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata uW open water
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola cW, rS, xS* open water
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula americana uW open water
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cuculatus rW open water
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator uW open water
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis rubida cP* open water/marshes
Osprey Pandion haliaetus carolinensis uP aerial/open water
American Coot Fulica americana americana cR* open water/marshes
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor cT, open water
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus cT open water
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus rTa open water
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla fTp, xS* open water/beach-mudflat
Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan uTs, rTa open water/beach-mudflat
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia uW, rS open water/beach-mudflat
Heermann’s Gull Larus heermanni uS open water/beach-mudflat
Mew Gull Larus canus brachyrhynchus uW open water/beach-mudflat
open water/beach-mudflat/ag
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis cW, uS lands
open water/beach-mudflat/ag
California Gull Larus californicus californicus cW, uS, lrS* lands
open water/beach-mudflat/ag
Herring Gull Larus argentatus smithsonianus fW lands
Thayer’s Gull Larus glaucoides thayeri uW open water/beach-mudflat
Yellow-footed Gull Larus livens cS, rW open water/beach-mudflat
Western Gull Larus occidentalis wymani uW open water/beach-mudflat
Sabine’s Gull Xema sabini u fall open water
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia fS*, rW open water/beach-mudflat
Common Tern Sterna hirundo hirundo cTa, rTs open water/beach-mudflat
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri fS*, uW open water/beach-mudflat
Least Tern Sterna antillarum (subsp.?) uS open water/beach-mudflat FE, SE
open water/beach-mudflats/ag
Black Tern Chlidonias niger surinamensis fT, uS lands Audubon BSSC 2003
Black Skimmer Rynchops niger niger fS* open water/beach-mudflat Audubon, BCC BSSC 2003
Vaux's Swift Chaetura vauxi cTs, uTa open water BSSC 2003
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota tachina cT, fS* open water/riparian
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota pyrrhonota cT open water/riparian
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster cT, lrS* open water/riparian
2
Beaches-Mudflats
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialus squatarola cT, fW, uS beach-mudflat/ag lands
Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus nivosus cS*, uW beach-mudflat Audubon, BCC BSSC 2003
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus cT, uW, rS beach-mudflat
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus vociferus cR* beach-mudflat/ag lands
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus mexicanus cR* beach-mudflat/ag lands
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana cR* beach-mudflat
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca fW, rS beach-mudflat/ag lands
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes uW beach-mudflat/ag lands
Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus inornatus fP beach-mudflat/ag lands
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia fW beach-mudflat/marshes
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus cT, rS beach-mudflat/ag lands BCC
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americana cW, luS beach-mudflat/ag lands Audubon, BCC
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa fedoa fW, uS beach-mudflat BCC
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpes interpes uTs, rTa beach-mudflat
Red Knot Calidris canutus roselaari fTs, rTa beach-mudflat BCC
Sanderling Calidris alba uT, rW beach-mudflat
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri cT, fW, rS beach-mudflat
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla cW, rS beach-mudflat
Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii uTa beach-mudflat
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos uTa beach-mudflat
Dunlin Calidris alpina pacifica uW beach-mudflat
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus lcTs, luW beach-mudflat Audubon
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus caurinus cT beach-mudflat
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus cW, rS beach-mudflat
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica vanrossemi fS* beach-mudflat/ag lands Audubon, BCC BSSC 2003
Least Tern Sterna antillarum subsp.? uS beach-mudflat/open water
Large-billed Savanah beaches-wet edge scrub
Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis rostratus lfW, xS* (around Sea) BSSC 2003
3
Marshes
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps podiceps cR* marshes
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus uW, xS+ marshes
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis hesperis fS*, rW marshes Audubon BSSC 2003
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias wardi marshes/beach-mudflat
Great Egret Ardea alba egretta cP* marshes/beach-mudflat
Snowy Egret Egretta thula candidissima cP* marshes/beach-mudflat
Green Heron Butorides virescens anthonyi fP* marshes
Black-crowned Night-
Heron Nycticorax nycticorax hoactli cP* marshes
Wood Stork Mycteria americana ecTp, lrTp marshes/beach-mudflat Audubon BSSC 2003
Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor lrS* marshes Audubon BSSC 2003
Greater White-fronted
Goose Anser albifrons frontalis uT, rW marshes/ag lands
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens caerulescens cW marshes/ag lands Audubon
Ross's Goose Chen rossii cW marshes/ag lands Audubon
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii rW marshes/ag lands
Canada Goose Branta canadensis cW marshes/ag lands
Lesser Canada Goose Branta canadensis parvipes uW marshes/ag lands
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus hudonius cW, rS marshes/ag lands BSSC 2003
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis coturniculus rS* marshes Audubon, BCC ST, FE
Yuma Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris yumanensis uR* marshes Audubon ST, FE
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola limicola fR* marshes
Sora Porzana carolinensis cW, marshes
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus cachinnans fR* marshes
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago delicata uW marshes
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria cinnamomea uTa marshes/ag lands
Black Phoebe Sayornis nigricans semiatra cW, uS* marshes/riparian/urban
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris aestuarinus cR* marshes
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris plesius fW marshes
Common Yellowthroat Geothylpis trichas occidentalis cP* marshes/riparian
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana ericrypta rW marsh/riparian scrub
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus sonoriensis cR* marshes/ag lands
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus fS*, uW cattail freshwater marshes BSSC 2003
4
Riparian/Riparian Shrub-Scrub
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
White-tailed Kite Elanus Leucurus majusculus fW riparian/ag lands
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus velox uW riparian/shrubland
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperi uW riparian/shrubland
Harris's Hawk Parabuteo unicinctus superior efR* riparian/shrubland/ag lands BSSC 2003
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus anatum uS, rW riparian/aerial/all others BCC SE
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina pallescens cR* riparian scrub/suburban
Western Screech-Owl Otus kennicottii yumanensis lrR* riparian/desert woodland
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus pallescens uR* riparian/desert /ag lands
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon uW riparian
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus canescens fW riparian/urban
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus collaris uW riparian/urban
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi cooperi uTs riparian BSSC 2003
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus veliei fT riparian
Western Wood Pewee Contopus sordidulus saturatus cT riparian
Willow Flycatcher
(northwestern) Empidonax traillii brewsteri cT, desert and riparian scrub/urban SE
Hammond's Flycatcher Empidonax hammondii fTs, rTa riparian/urban
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe rW riparian
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus flammeus leuS*, rW riparian Audubon BSSC 2003
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens uT, rW riparian
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus swainsonii cT riparian scrub/urban
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea obscura cW riparian
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura lucida cR* riparian/desert scrub
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata lutescens cW riparian scrub
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata orestera fW riparian scrub
Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla ridgwayi cT, riparian scrub/suburban
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia morcomi cT, rW riparian/suburban woodland
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum palmarum uW riparian scrub
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens auricollis rS* riparian BSSC 2003
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra cooperi uTas riparian BSSC 2003
riparian scrub/marshes/urban-
Abert's Towhee Pipilo aberti aberti cR* suburban
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca schistacea rW riparian scrub/suburban
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia fallax cR* riparian/marshes with salt cedar
riparian scrub/urban-
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys gambelii cW suburban/ag lands
Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea salicaria fS* riparian/salt cedar
5
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater obscurus cP* riparian/marshes
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis salicamans uW riparian/suburban woodland
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Gambel's Quail Callipepla gambelii gambelii cR* shrubland
Greater Roadrunner Geococcyx californianus fR* desert scrub, shrubland
desert scrub/shrubland/open
Lesser Nighthawk Chordeiles acutipennis texensis cS* water
Ladder-backed
Woodpecker Picoides scalaris cactophilus uR* desert scrub/urban
Gray Flycatcher Empidonax wrightii uT, rW desert scrub/shrubland
Western Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis difficilis fT shrubland/urban
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya quiescens uR* desert scrub/ag lands
Say’s Phoebe Sayornis saya saya cW desert scrub/ag lands
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis cS* ag lands
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus gambelii fR* desert scrub/ag lands BCC BSSC 2003
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides fP* desert scrub/ag lands
Common Raven Corvus corax clarionensis fR* desert scrub
open desert or non-vegetated
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris leucansiptila fR* ag lands
open desert or non-vegetated
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris actia rR* ag lands
open desert or non-vegetated
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris leucolaema fW ag lands
open desert or non-vegetated
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris ammophila fW ag lands
Verdin Auriparus flaviceps acaciarum cR* desert scrub/saltcedar/urban
Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
Cactus Wren anthonyi fR* desert scrub/saltcedar/urban
rocky outcrops; concrete sided
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus obsoletus rW ditches
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii charienturus uW, rS+ shrubland/riparian/suburban
House Wren Troglodytes aedon parkmanii fW scrub/riparian/suburban
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula calendula cW mixed woodland-shrub
Western Bluebird Sialia mexicana occidentalis uW desert scrub/mesquite
6
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
dense woodland in suburban
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus ustulatus fTs, areas
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus guttatus uW shrubland/suburban
American Robin Turdus migratorius propinquus ifW, xS* suburban/urban
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos polyglottos cR* suburban/urban/desert scrub
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus uTs, rW scrub
Crissal Thrasher Toxostoma crissale coloradense uR* mesquite thickets Audubon, BCC
Phainopepla Phainopepla nitens lepida uP* mesquite thickets
Lucy's Warbler Vermivora luciae leuS* mesquite thickets
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata cW all woodland and scrub habitats
Black-throated Gray
Warbler Dendroica nigrescens fT woodlands
Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi fT woodlands
dense scrub with moist soil or
MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei tolmiei uT leaf litter
Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla chryseola cT woodlands/shrublands
Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla pileolata uT woodlands/shrublands
Brewer's Sparrow Spizella breweri breweri cW desert scrub/fallow ag fields
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus confinis uW desert scrub/fallow ag fields
Sage Sparrow Amphispiza belli nevadensis fW desert scrub BCC
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii lincolnii fW dense shrubs along ditches
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla rW desert scrub/suburban
mesquite thickets/suburban
Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria psaltria uR* woodlands
Ag lands/Fallow Ag
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ibis cR* ag lands/marshes
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi fS*, cW ag lands/marshes Audubon
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura meridionalis cT, uW aerial/ag lands
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis calurus cW,rS* aerial/ag lands
Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis uW aerial/ag lands
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus sanctijohannis rW aerial/ag lands
American Kestrel Falco sparverius sparverius cP* ag lands/urban
Merlin Falco columbarius columbarius rW ag lands
7
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus fW ag lands
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus luR* ag lands
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis canadensis luW ag lands Audubon BSSC 2003
Greater Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis tabida lrW ag lands Audubon ST
Mountain Plover Charadrius montanus fW ag lands Audubon, BCC BSSC 2003
Burrowing Owl Athene cunnicularia hypugea cR* ag lands Audubon, BCC BSSC 2003
White-throated Swift Aeronautes saxatalis saxatalis uW aerial/ag lands
aerial over open water or ag
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor cT, fW lands
aerial over open water or ag
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina thalassina fT lands
Northern Rough-winged aerial over open water or ag
Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis psammochrous cT, uW lands
aerial over open water or ag
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia riparia fT lands ST
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides ifW ag lands
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris cR* ag lands/suburban/urban
American Pipit Anthus rubescens pacificus cW ag lands/beaches-mudflats
Sprague’s Pipit Anthus spragueii uW ag lands
McCown's Longspur Calcarius mccownii rW ag lands
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus alascensis uW ag lands
Chestnut-collared
Longspur Calcarius ornatus rW ag lands
Savannah Sparrow (Grt.
Basin) Passerculus sandwichensis nevadensis cW fallow ag lands
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta neglecta cR* ag lands
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus minusculus cW, luS* ag lands/suburban/urban
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus nelsoni cR* ag lands/orchards/suburban
Quiscalus mexicanus monsoni uR* ag lands/orchards/suburban
Urban/Suburban/orchards
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus elegans fR suburban/ag lands
Feral Pigeon Columba livia cR* urban/suburban/ag lands
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica mearnsi cS* shrubland/urban
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura marginella cR* shrubland/urban
Spotted Dove Streptopelia chinensis lrR+ urban/ag lands
8
Regulatory
Common Name Scientific Name Status Habitat(s) Special Status Status
Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto fR suburban/ag lands
Inca Dove Columbina inca uR* urban
Ruddy Ground Dove Columbina talpacoti eluta fR* urban/suburban
Barn Owl Tyto alba pratincola uR* urban/woodland/ag lands
Black-chinned
Hummingbird Archilochus alexandri fS* urban
Anna's Hummingbird Calypte anna fR* urban
Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae fR* urban
Calliope Hummingbird Selasphorus calliope rTs urban/suburban
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus uT urban
Lewis' Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis rW suburban/orchards
Gila Woodpecker Melanerpes uropygialis uropygialis uR* urban/riparian Audubon, BCC SE
Red-naped Sapsucker Sphyrapicus nuchalis uW suburban
Plumbeous Vireo Vireo plumbeus plumbeus uW, suburban/mesquite
Cassin's Vireo Vireo cassinii cassinii uTs, rTa suburban
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos hesperis uW suburban/urban
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis uW suburban/urban
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi townsendi uW, rTa suburban/riparian
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum iuW orchards/urban
Northern Parula Parula americana uW, urban/suburban
Hermit Warbler Dendroica occidentalis uTs suburban
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia uTsa suburban
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana fT suburban woodlands/orchards
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus curtatus rW suburban/riparian scrub
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina arizonae uW suburban/ag field edges
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus strigatus uT, luS* suburban woodlands/orchards
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis montanus uW suburban/orchards
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis thurberi uW suburban/orchards
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus maculatus cT orchards/suburban woodlands
Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena fT suburban/near water scrub
Bronzed Cowbird Molothrus aeneus loyei lrS* suburban/urban
Hooded Oriole Icterus cuculatus nelsoni uS* palm trees
suburban woodlands near
Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii cS* water
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus frontalis cR* urban/suburban
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus pinus iuW suburban planted with pines
House Sparrow Passer domesticus cR* urban/suburban
9
Status Codes Modifiers
Seasonal Codes
S Summer visitor
T Transient (if unmodified then both spring and fall)
W Winter visitor
R Resident
P Perennial visitor (individuals migrate, but species present all year)
The Birds of the Salton Basin Checklist is a modification of Table 3 found in Patten, M. A., McCaskie, G., and Unitt, P., 2003; Birds of the Salton Sea, Status,
Biogeography, and Ecology, University of California Press. Addition of Anhinga, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher, Hutton’s Vireo and Common Grackle, Guy
McCaskie, personal communication Dec. 2004.
10
Very Rare Transients or Vagrants
13