Birds in New Mexico
When the state's notable birds are present through the year, with arrival and departure timing.
Species recorded in New Mexico 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
- Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
- Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
- Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
- House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus
- Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya
- Common Raven Corvus corax
- Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
- Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
- Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
- Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
- Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
- Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
- Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
- Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
- Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
- Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
- Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata
- Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto
- Chihuahuan Meadowlark Sturnella lilianae
- House Sparrow Passer domesticus
- Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
- Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata
- Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus
- Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
| Species | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens | 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 Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos | January: abundant | February: abundant | March: abundant | April: abundant | May: abundant | June: abundant | July: abundant | August: abundant | September: abundant | October: abundant | November: abundant | December: abundant |
| House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: scarce | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: scarce | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Scaled Quail Callipepla squamata | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| Chihuahuan Meadowlark Sturnella lilianae | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| House Sparrow Passer domesticus | January: common | February: common | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: common | December: common |
| 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 |
| Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata | January: scarce | February: scarce | March: common | April: common | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: common | October: common | November: scarce | December: scarce |
| 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 |
| Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii | January: absent | February: absent | March: scarce | April: scarce | May: common | June: common | July: common | August: common | September: scarce | October: scarce | November: absent | December: absent |
The New Mexico birds you'll actually see
A printable checklist of the birds most consistently recorded in New Mexico.
The complete Birds of New Mexico
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 New Mexico.