Birds in Colorado
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in Colorado on the USGS Breeding Bird Survey, ordered by how consistently they appear on survey routes. Monthly presence describes typical seasonal timing modeled from regional patterns, not month-by-month survey counts. The chart below shows when each is present through the year.
Data updated: August 2026Sources & method · Corrections
- American Robin Turdus migratorius
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
- Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer
- Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia
- Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
- Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon
- Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
- Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides
- Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
- Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
- Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
- Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
- Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
- Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina
- Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
- European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Robin Turdus migratorius | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Common Raven Corvus corax | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Northern Flicker (Red-shafted) Colaptes auratus cafer | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Northern House Wren Troglodytes aedon | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| European Starling Sturnus vulgaris | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
The Colorado birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in Colorado.
The complete Birds of Colorado
The state's most-recorded birds, ranked from survey data, with when each is present through the year and a life list to keep.
Want it on paper? See the printable Birds of Colorado.