Birds of the Pajarito Plateau

Text by Michele Altherr and Hari Viswanathan

Bird Pages: Introduction | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |

Killdeer
White-winged Dove
Mourning Dove
Greater Roadrunner
Long-eared Owl
Great Horned Owl
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Calliope Hummingbird (rare)

	Killdeer Photo taken at VCNP.
	White-winged Dove Common in the summer with obvious white wing patches in flight.
	Mourning Dove One of the most common birds in Los Alamos. When it takes flight, the wings make a whistling noise.
	Greater Roadrunner Fairly common in White Rock. They are often present near feeders not to eat the seed but to ambush other birds.
	Long-eared Owl Photo taken in Walnut Canyon.
	Great Horned Owl Photo taken at Grand Canyon, Arizona.
	Black-chinned Hummingbird Seen in large numbers during the summer if hummingbird feeders and flowers are present.
	Broad-tailed Hummingbird Seen in large numbers during the summer if hummingbird feeders and flowers are present.
	Rufous Hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus 9 - 10 cm. The male Rufous Hummingbird is the only N. American hummer with a total rufous back and copper colored throat. The female is green above with a rufous tinge on her rump and flanks, and much rufous in her tail. Their voice is an abrupt, high-pitched zeee with various thin squealing notes. Its habitat is mountain meadows and forest edges. These miniature birds are able to store up enough energy in fat to successfully migrate hundreds of miles from as far north as Alaska all the way south to Mexico. The first hummingbird to discover a food source defends it. Even after being satiated, it will perch on a nearby branch and intercept intruders in air with its angry buzzing. In a dive, they can beat their wings up to 200 times per second. You can put out a feeder in early spring, and fill it with one part sugar dissolved in 4 parts water (no honey). They consume nectar at 13 licks per second! When empty, rinse your feeder with hot water and little bit of vinegar.
	Calliope Hummingbird (rare) - Female The smallest hummingbird in North America. Can be seen during spring and fall migration. The picture is of the female. Similar to rufous female but smaller, shorter bill, dots on the breast, and a little rust at the base of the breast. The male calliope (below) has smeary magenta stripes on the throat.
	Calliope Hummingbird (rare) - Male