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Birds Around Las Vegas
Wildlife Around Las Vegas

The diversity of birds around Las Vegas is amazing. One might think that the Nevada desert, being a wasteland, would be barren and devoid of life -- but the birds alone prove that this is not true. There are, in fact, so many species that I've had to break them into orders and families to keep the number of photos per page manageable. This page lists the Orders of birds that can be expected around Las Vegas and serves as a table of contents to the families and species. Arrangement of the birds follows the AOU 2011 checklist, which is a considerable rearrangement over previous checklists.

Photo Order Species Around Las Vegas
Anseriformes - ducks, geese, and swans Anseriformes
Ducks, Geese,
and Swans

Anatidae:

  • Geese: Greater White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Canada Goose, Feral Domestic Geese.
  • Swans: Tundra Swan, Mute Swan
  • Ducks: Gadwall, American Wigeon, Mallard, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked Duck, Bufflehead, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Ruddy Duck, Blue-winged Teal, Lesser Scaup, Wood Duck, Common Goldeneye, Feral Domestic Ducks, Indian Runner Duck.
Galliformes - Pheasant, Grouse, Turkey, Quail Galliformes
Pheasant, Grouse,
Turkey, Quail

Odontophoridae (Quail): Gambel's Quail.

Phasianidae:

  • Pheasants: Non-native species: Chukar, Ring-necked Pheasant, Indian Peafowl (Peacock), Himalayan Snowcock.
  • Grouse: Greater Sage-Grouse, Dusky Grouse, Sooty Grouse.
  • Turkey: Wild Turkey.
Gaviiformes - Loons Gaviiformes
Loons

Gaviidae (Loons): Common Loon, Yellow-billed Loon.

Podicipediformes, Eared Grebe Podicipediformes
Grebes
Podicipedidae (Grebes): Pied-billed Grebe, Eared Grebe, Western Grebe, Clark's Grebe, Horned Grebe.
Phoenicopteriformes (Flamingo)

Phoenicopteriformes
(Flamingo)

Phoenicopteridae (Flamingos): No local species.

Flamingos: American Flamingo.

Procellariiformes (Seabirds) Procellariiformes
(Seabirds)

Diomedeidae (Albatross): No local species.

Procellariidae (Shearwaters): Audubon's Shearwater.

Hydrobatidae (Storm Petrels): White-vented Storm-Petrel.

Sphenisciformes (Penguins) Sphenisciformes
(Penguins)

Spheniscidae (Penguins): No local species.

Penguins: Galapagos Penguin

Phaethontiformes (Tropicbirds) Phaethontiformes
(Tropicbirds)

Phaethontidae (Tropicbirds): No local species.

Tropicbirds: Red-billed Tropicbird.

Ciconiiformes (Storks) Ciconiiformes
(Storks)

Ciconiidae (Storks): No local species.

Storks: Wood Stork.

Pelecaniformes - Pelicans, Cormorants Suliformes
(Cormorant, Frigatebird, Boobies and Anhinga)

Fregatidae (Frigatebird): No local species. Magnificent Frigatebird.

Sulidae (Boobies): No local species. Blue-footed Booby.

Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants): Double-crested Cormorant, Brant's Cormorant, Pelagic Cormorant.

Anhingidae (Anhinga): No local species. Anhinga.

Ciconiiformes (in part) - Bitterns, Herons, Egrets, Ibis

Pelecaniformes
Pelicans, Herons,
Ibis, and Spoonbill

Pelecanidae (Pelicans): American White Pelican, Brown Pelican.

Ardeidae (Herons): American Bittern, Least Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Cattle Egret, Green Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron.

Threskiornithidae (Ibis): White-faced Ibis, White Ibis.

Threskiornithidae (Spoonbill): No local species. Roseate Spoonbill.

red-tailed hawk Accipitriformes
Osprey, Hawks,
and Eagles

Cathartidae (New World Vultures): California Condor, Turkey Vulture, Black Vulture.

Pandionidae (Osprey): Osprey.

Accipitridae (Hawks and Eagles):

  • Harriers: Northern Harrier.
  • Accipiters: (Forest Hawks). Cooper's Hawk, Sharp-shinned Hawk.
  • Hawks: (Soaring Hawks). Red-tailed Hawk, Swainson's Hawk, Ferruginous Hawk, Rough-legged Hawk, Zone-tailed Hawk.
  • Eagles: Bald Eagle, Golden Eagle.
Peregrine Falcon Falconiformes
Falcons
Falconidae (Falcons): American Kestrel, Merlin, Peregrine Falcon, Prairie Falcon.
Gruiformes - Rails, Coots, and Cranes Gruiformes
Rails, Coots,
and Cranes

Rallidae (Rails): Clapper Rail, Virginia Rail, Sora.

Rallidae (Coots): Common Gallinule, American Coot.

Aramidae (Limpkin): Limpkin.

Gruidae (Cranes): Sandhill Crane.

Charadriiformes - Shorebirds, Gulls, Terns, Seabirds Charadriiformes
Shorebirds, Gulls,
Terns, and Seabirds

Plovers: Black-bellied Plover, Snowy Plover, Semipalmated Plover, Killdeer.
Stilts and Avocets: Black-necked Stilt, American Avocet.
Sandpipers: Spotted Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, Long-billed Curlew, Western Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper, Long-billed Dowitcher, Wilson's Snipe, Wilson's Phalarope, Red-necked Phalarope.
Gulls: Bonaparte's Gull, Heermann's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, California Gull, Franklin's Gull, Western Gull.
Terns: Caspian Tern, Black Tern, Forster's Tern.
Jaegers: Long-tailed Jaeger, Parasitic Jaeger.

Columbiformes - Pigeons, Doves Columbiformes
Pigeons, Doves
Pigeons: Inca Dove, Mourning Dove, Rock Pigeon, Band-tailed Pigeon, White-winged Dove, Eurasian Collared-Dove.
Lilac-crowned Parrot (Amazona finschi) Psittaciformes
Parakeets, Parrots

Parrots: No native species.

Parrots: Lilac-crowned Parrot.

Cuculiformes - Roadrunners, Cuckoos Cuculiformes
Roadrunners, Cuckoos

Cuckoos: Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Roadrunners: Greater Roadrunner.

Strigiformes - Owls Strigiformes
Owls

Barn Owls: Barn Owl.

Typical Owls: Burrowing Owl, Flammulated Owl, Great Horned Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Western Screech-Owl.

Caprimulgiformes - Nighthawks, Poorwill Caprimulgiformes
Nighthawks, Poorwills

Nighthawks: Lesser Nighthawk, Common Nighthawk.

Poorwills: Common Poorwill.

Apodiformes - Swifts, Hummingbirds Apodiformes
Swifts, Hummingbirds

Swifts: White-throated Swift, Vaux's Swift.

Hummingbirds: Anna's Hummingbird, Costa's Hummingbird, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Rufous Hummingbird, Calliope Hummingbird.

Elegant Trogon Trogoniformes
Trogons and Quetzals

Trogons: No native species.

Trogons: Elegant Trogon.

Coraciiformes - Kingfisher Coraciiformes
Kingfishers
Kingfishers: Belted Kingfisher.
Piciformes - Woodpeckers Piciformes
Woodpeckers
Woodpeckers: Ladder-backed Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Williamson's Sapsucker, Red-naped Sapsucker, Northern Flicker, Lewis's Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Gilded Flicker.
Passeriformes - Songbirds Passeriformes
Songbirds
Songbirds: Flycatchers, Shrikes, Vireos, Jays, Magpies, Crows, Ravens, Larks, Swallows, Chickadees, Titmice, Verdins, Bushtits, Nuthatches, Creepers, Wrens, Dippers, Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, Robins, Bluebirds, Thrushes, Mockingbirds, Thrashers, Starlings, Pipits, Waxwings, Phainopepla, Warblers, Tanagers, Towhees, Sparrows, Juncos, Buntings, Grosbeaks, Blackbirds, Grackles, Orioles, Finches, Siskins, Goldfinches, Grosbeaks, House Sparrow.

Note: All distances, elevations, and other facts are approximate.
copyright; Last updated 240218

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