Fort Collins Yard Birds Resource, 92 Species

The following records and summary information are based on limited observations (typically in early morning) at Fort Collins Yard, a few blocks north of the CSU campus. This urban area has a lot of trees and the Poudre River riparian corridor is just a couple of miles to the north and east. The back yard habitat includes grass, garden, trees, shrubby areas, and grape vine. Feeders include a large caged feeder with millet and black oil sunflower, a small feeder with safflower seed, a tube feeder with thistle seed, and a hummingbird feeder (in Spring, Summer and Fall.) A water bath is provided, heated in winter, and includes a dripper device in Spring, Summer and Fall.

Arrival Date = earliest date of species sighting
Departure Date = latest date of species sighting

Copyright 2001 Joseph A. LaFleur/DBA Better Birdwatching CD-ROMs. All Rights Reserved.

CORMORANTS
Double-crested Cormorant
4-2-00, 20 flyover in V formation

HERONS
Great Blue Heron
Spring 98 flyover
Black-crowned Night-Heron
8-6-98 calling from top of tree across the street at night, squawky call.

VULTURES
Turkey Vulture
4-5-00, 3, one flew below tree level right through the yard!

WATERFOWL
Snow Goose
11-14-97, flock flyover
Canada Goose
Occasionally flyover year round.
Wood Duck
4-5-95, 2, flyover
Gadwall
8-7-98, 2 pair flew over.
Mallard
Typically seen flying over in late March to early April.
4-4-95, 2 flyover
3-25-00, 1F flyover
3-26, 2, flyover
3-29, 2, flyover

HAWKS and EAGLES
Osprey
4-8-99, 1, flyover
Bald Eagle
2-26-97, flyover
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Typically seen in late August to late September (probably migrating birds), also possible in Winter.
8-24-94, 1, (chased into the trees by noisy Blue Jays).
9-7-96, 2
9-20-97, 1
12-11-97, 1

FALCONS
American Kestrel
10-12-99, 1, flyover, calling
4-2-00, 1, flyover, calling
4-3-00, 1, flyover, calling

CRANES
Sandhill Crane
3-26-97, 2 flyover

PLOVERS
Killdeer
Flyover and call in Spring and Fall migrations
9-21-94, 1, flyover and call
4-13-99, flyover and call, 1
8-2-00, 1, calling, flyover

GULLS
Franklin's Gull
Flyover and call from late March to early April and in mid-September.
9-15-94, 1 flyover
3-26-95, 1 flyover
4-10-00, 30 flyover and calling
Ring-biIled Gull
Occassionally seen flying over in Spring and Fall, more frequently in Fall.

PIGEONS and DOVES
Rock Dove
Occasionally seen flying over
11-10 and 11, 2 at feeders
3-25, 4
3-31, 4 at feeders
Mourning Dove
Seen and heard from early March to late September. Breeds in area and some overwinter in Fort Collins area.
Arrival dates: 3-7-95, 3-7-00
Departure Date: 9-20-94
4-9-99, 1, cooing
5-7-99, courtship display
4-8-00, 1, cooing

OWLS
Eastern Screech-Owl
Typically heard calling in evenings (occasionally in mornings) in mid-July to mid-September , occassionally calls in March.
7-30 and 7-31-96, calling
9-9-96, AM calling
9-12-96, AM calling, mobbed by Blue Jays and magpies
9-14-96, calling at 6:45 AM
9-16-96, AM calling and mobbed
9-17 and 9-22-96, calling
3-2-97, calling
9-6 to 9-13-97, calling
8-7-98 2 At about 9 PM, calling
7-13-00, 1, calling at 9 PM
Great Horned Owl
Typically heard calling in evenings in late August to mid-September, occasionally in January.
8-26-94, 1 hooting at around 9 PM
9-13-94, hooting at 8:10 PM
8-20-97, hoot
1-7-99, hoot at 9:30 PM

GOATSUCKERS
Common Nighthawk
Typically seen and heard flying over in early May to early June, and also in late August.
Arrival Date: 5-9
Departure Date: 8-29
5-9 to 5-11-95, calling, flyover
5-30-00, calling, flyover
6-5-00, calling, flyover
8-29, flock of at least 20 flyover at 5:30 PM

SWIFTS
Chimney Swift
Seen and heard consistently (1-13 individuals) flying over and calling mid-May to early October. Nest in Old Town area.
Arrival Date: 5-16
Departure Date: 10-4
High counts:
8-26-98, 7 flyover and calling
8-27-98, 7 flyover and calling
9-11-98, 13 flyover and calling

HUMMINGBIRDS
Broad-tailed Hummingbird
Typically seen and heard briefly at feeder area mid-May to late August. Some people in Fort Collins see them throughout Spring, Summer, and Fall.
Arrival Date: 5-18
Departure Date: 8-27
7-30 and 7-31-96, 1M heard
7-30-99, 1M heard
5-18-00, 1M heard
6-6-00, 1M heard
8-27, female/imm. first one Iıve actually seen in the yard.

WOODPECKERS
Downy Woodpecker
Consistently seen and heard year round.
4-2-00, 2, territorial calling
4-4-00, territorial drilling, excavating nest holes
Hairy Woodpecker
Unusual, seen in mid-March.
3-11-95
3-20-95, 2
Yellow-shafted Northern Flicker
10-22-99, 1, Northern Flicker hybrid, yellow shafts, gray face and red moustache of red-shafted race.
Red-shafted Northern Flicker
Consistently seen year round.
2-25-00, territorial calling and drumming
High count: 1-10-00, family of 4

FLYCATCHERS
8-23-97 , * Empidonax Flycatcher, probably Dusky or Least
Western Wood-Pewee
Seen and sometimes heard late May to early June and also late August to mid-September
Arrival Date: 5-24
Departure Date: 9-11
8-19-98, 1, foraging in neighbors yard.
8-22-99, 1, sang once
8-24-99, 1, sang once
5-24-00, 1, singing
6-2-00, 1, singing
Willow Flycatcher
Unusual, seen in mid-May
Arrival Date: 5-9
Departure Date: 5-19
5-9-95
5-10-95
5-12-95
5-19-95, 2
Cordilleran Flycatcher
8-22-99, sang twice
Western Kingbird
Seen and sometimes heard mid-August to mid-September
Arrival Date: 8-20
Departure Date: 9-12
8-27-96, 1
8-20-97, 1
8-20-98, 1, calling
8-21-98, 1
9-12-98, 1
8-30-00, 1, calling

VIREOS
Warbling Vireo
Unusual, seen and heard in mid-May and late August.
Arrival Date: 5-19
Departure Date: 8-31
5-19-99
5-10-00, 1, calling
8-31-00, 1, calling

JAYS, MAGPIES and CROWS
Blue Jay
Consistently seen and heard year round
7-29-99, feeding fledged young
High counts:
5-7-98, 6
1-10-00, 5
3-27-00, 4
4-5-00, 4
Pinyon Jay
Spring 98, 1 heard calling
Black-billed Magpie
Seen and heard consistently year round
3-14-95, nest building
American Crow
Seen and heard consistently year round
3-24-98, nest building
3-27-00, gathering twings for nest
4-5-00, courtship behavior
4-6-00, courtship behavior, carrying twigs
High counts:
12-17-98, flock of 30
2-23-99, flock of 30
3-29-00, flock of 22

SWALLOWS
Tree Swallow
8-13-99, fly overhead
Barn Swallow
Seen and occasionally heard flying over, early August to late September
Arrival Date: 8-7
Departure Date: 9-21

CHICKADEE
Black-capped Chickadee
Consistently seen and heard year round
4-2-99, F food begging
10-4-99, 4 seen
12-29-99, 4, 1 singing
1-7-00, several singing
1-14-00, singing
10-19-00, one sang the two-note ³Phee-bee² territorial whistle a few times
11-14-00, one briefly sang the two-note Phee-Bee song
Mountain Chickadee
Unusual, seen in late November and also in early February to late March.
Arrival Date: 2-8
Departure Date: 11-25
11-25-96, 1
3-22 to 3-24-97
2-8-99, 1
2-24-99, 1

NUTHATCHES
Red-breasted Nuthatch
One or two seen and heard year round, irregular, possible breeding in area in year 2000. Year 2000 was good for this species Spring, Summer and Fall. Typically seen and heard more in Spring and Fall.
9-13-98, 2
8-31 and 9-1-99, 2, calling
9-8-99, 3, calling, Two of them were poking their heads into a Downy Woodpecker cavity hole, calling excitedly to each other.
9-29-99, 3
9-30-99, 2
10-4-99, 2
10-11-99, 2
12-6-99, 1, calling
1-3-00, 1, calling
1-6 and 1-7-00, 1, calling
1-17-00, 1, calling
2-4-00, 2
2-28-00, 2
3-24-00, 1, calling
5-15-00, 1, calling
6-1-00, calling
6-8-00, 1, calling
7-18-00, 1, calling
7-29-00, 1, calling
1 or 2 seen and heard consistently in BY from 08-02 to 10-24-00, possible breeding in area
1 heard consistently from 10-28 to 11-6-00, BY
3 or 4 heard calling on 8-24, 10-12 and 10-19-00
White-breasted Nuthatch
Unusual, seen in early October to late November.
10-7-97, 1
11-30-00, 1, calling
Pygmy Nuthatch
Rare
9-26-00 and 10-02-00, 2 calling, in a row of many large landscaped trees that look like Ponderosa Pine, Austrain Pines.

CREEPERS
Brown Creeper
Seen and more often heard from late July to late February.
Arrival Date: 7-29
Departure Date: 2-28
High counts:
8-21-96, 2
1-5-99, 3
11-4-99, 2
1-15-00, 2
11-28-00, 2
11-30-00, 2 or 3

WRENS
Rock Wren
Unusual migrant in mid-May
5-12-95, 1
5-9-99, 1
House Wren
Unusual migrant in mid-May and late August.
5-16-99, 1
8-27, 1

KINGLETS
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Unusual migrant in early May and moreso in mid-September to mid-October.
Arrival Date: 5-2
Departure Date: 10-19
5-2-96, 1
10-12-99, 1
9-11-00, 1
10-18-00, 1
10-19-00, 1

THRUSHES
Townsend's Solitaire
Seen and more often heard from early October to late April.
Arrival Date: 10-7
Departure Date: 4-22
4-22-99, 1, calling
9-23-00, 1, calling
11-5-00, 2, calling
Swainson's Thrush
Unusual migrant in late September to mid-October.
9-28-99, 1
10-19-99, 1
American Robin
Consistently seen and heard in Spring, Summer and Fall. One or two overwinter.
8-14-99, fledged young
10-13-99, 12, flyover
3-1-00, 2, 1 singing
3-25-00, 3, 1 singing
3-29-00, defending territories
4-12-00, 5
9-19-00, a couple were singing

CATBIRDS
Gray Catbird
5-25-99, 1, calling

STARLINGS
European Starling
Flocks seen consistently year round.

WAXWINGS
Cedar Waxwing
Unusual and irregular, more often seen and heard in Fall, Winter and Spring. Seen consistently in Summer of 1997.
5-24 to 7-13-97, seen and heard in yard regularly, in May feeding on Apple Tree blossoms.
9-11-98, 3
9-27-99, 1
9-28-99, 3
9-30-99, 8
10-21-99, 8
11-2-99, 12
11-5-99, 2
1-10-00, 1
1-12-00, 3
3-1-00, 1
3-7-00, 2
3-28-00, 3, calling
10-3-00, flock of about 30, calling
10-4-00, 5, calling.
11-27-00, 2

WOOD-WARBLERS
Orange-crowned Warbler
Regular migrant seen in mid-May and moreso in late August to early October.
Arrival Date: 5-13
Departure Date: 10-4
9-16-98, 1
9-18-98, 2
10-3-98, 2
5-13-99, 1
5-18-99, 1
9-27-99, 1
10-1-99, 1
10-3-99, 1
10-4-99, 1
8-29-00, 1
9-11-00, 1
numbers peaked from 9-23 to 10-8-00.
Virginia's Warbler
Rare.
9-30-99, 1
Yellow Warlber
Regular migrant seen and heard calling, less often singing, mid to late May and also mid-August to early October.
Arrival Date: 5-11
Departure Date: 10-7
5-16-99, 2M, sang briefly
5-17-99, 2, singing
5-18-99, 2
5-25-99, 1, singing
5-26-99, 1, singing
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Rare migrant.
9-21-00, 1, Immature. Yellowish-green crown and back, grayish-white face, throat, breast and belly, whitish eye ring, and prominent whitish-yellow pair of wing bars. It tended to hold its tail up at a level above the body, as described in Kaufmanıs Adavanced Birding. Calls were more liquid, lower-pitched, and softer/less harsh than Wilsonıs Warbler calls. I got a few good looks as it glean foraged in the apple tree for a few minutes before it flew away.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Regular migrant seen and heard calling from late April to mid-May and also mid-September to mid-October.
Arrival Date: 4-29
Departure Date: 10-16
5-6-96, 2
5-16-99, 3 Aud., 2F, 1M
Townsend's Warbler
Rare migrant.
9-15-97, 1F
Black-and-white Warbler
Rare migrant.
5-17-99, seen in Fort Collins by Asbury, a few blocks West of Yard near City Park.
American Redstart
Rare migrant.
Spring 98, sang briefly
MacGillivray's Warbler
Rare migrant.
Spring 98
Common Yellowthroat
Unusual migrant in mid-September.
9-15-94
9-17-94
Wilson's Warbler
Regular migrant seen and heard calling in early May and moreso in late August to mid-October.
Arrival Date: 5-6
Departure Date: 10-19
High counts:
8-27-98, 4
9-30-99, 2|
10-4-99, 2
9-13 and 9-19-00, 2-3, calling,
at least 6 to 8, calling, 9-18-00
numbers peaked from 9-16 to 9-23-00.

TANAGERS
Western Tanager
Unusual migrant seen and heard from early August to early October
Arrival Date: 8-8
Departure Date: 10-6
9-15 to 9-18-94, 1F
10-6-99, 1, calling
8-8-00, 1, calling
September, 2000, 1, calling, young bird, 9-6, 9-7, 9-13, 9-14 (2), 9-15-, 9-18, 9-19, 9-20-, 9-21. This seemed to be the same bird that stayed 9-6 to 9-21, usually this species is seen in the yard for one to a few days, as opposed to 2 weeks with this bird.
2, 9-14-00, appeared to be young birds, male or female but appearing like adult females. As they foraged and flew together they called back and forth with short, mellow soft whistles in addition to the typical, harsh 2 syllable calls, but this call also sounded muddier, not as crisp as the adultıs.

TOWHEES and SPARROWS
Green-tailed Towhee
5-11-99, 1
5-13-99, 1
9-28-99, 1
Spotted Towhee
Unusual but regular migrant seen and heard in late March to early April and also in mid-September to early November.
Arrival Date: 3-23
Departure Date: 11-2
9-15 to 9-18-94, 1
9-24-94, 1
3-23-95, 1
4-5-95, 1
10-4-99, 1
9-26-00, 1, calling
10-8-00, 1, calling
10-11-00, 1
11-2-00, 1, calling
American Tree Sparrow
Unusual in migration periods in late March and also late September to late October.
Arrival Date: 5-6
Departure Date: 10-19
9-24-94, flock
10-6-94, flock
3-24 to 3-28-96, flock of 3-7
10-22-96, 2
10-9-97, 1
Chipping Sparrow
Regular migrant seen and heard calling (rarely singing) in early to mid-May and also late August to early September.
Arrival Date: 5-4
Departure Date: 9-5
5-12-95, 5
5-10 to 11-96, 15-20
5-4-99, 6
5-9-99, 6
5-10-99, 25
5-11-99, 2, singing
8-20-99, 6
8-29-00, 1 im.
8-30-00, 4
9-5-00, 2
Clay-colored Sparrow
Rare migrant
5-10-99, 1
Brewer's Sparrow
Unusual migrant seen (and heard singing in Spring) in mid-May and mid-October.
Arrival Date: 5-10
Departure Date: 10-18
5-10-99, 1
5-11-99, 1, singing
5-13-99, 1
5-20-00, 1, singing
10-18-00, 1
Song Sparrow
Unusual migrant seen (and heard in spring) in late April to early May and also in mid-October.
Arrival Date: 5-6
Departure Date: 10-19
10-13-94, 1
4-27-99, 1
4-29, singing
5-1, 1, singing
5-2, 1, singing
10-11, 1
White-throated Sparrow
Rare Fall migrant
10-30-95, 1
10-27-96, 1
10-23-97, 1
White-crowned Sparrow
Regular migrant seen and less often heard singing late April to early May and also mid-October.
Arrival Date: 4-28
Departure Date: 10-18
10-12-94, 4
5-6-96, 1
4-28-97, 1
10-7-97, 1
5-5-97, 1, sing and call
5-6-97, 1, Gambelıs race
10-11-99, 2 Gambelıs race
10-18-99, 1 im.
5-13-00, 1, singing
Dark-eyed Junco, Slate-colored
Regular migrant and Winter visitor seen and heard calling (less often singing in Spring) from mid-October to early April. Less numerous than Oregon race.
Arrival Date: 10-10
Departure Date: 4-5
High counts:
10-19-99, 2
1-31-00, 3
2-28, 4
2-29, 3
4-4, 2
11-6-00, 2
11-14-00, 2
11-27-00, 2
White-winged Dark-eyed Junco
Rare migrant, rarer in late March, more likely in mid-October to late November.
Arrival Date: 10-18 (3-25)
Departure Date: 11-23
3-25-97, 1
10-28-97, 1
10-18 to 10-21-99, 1
10-23-99, 1
10-30-99, 1
11-2-99, 1
11-22 and 11-23-00, 1
Oregon Dark-eyed Junco
Regular migrant and winter visitor, more numerous than other races, seen and heard calling (less often singing in Spring) from mid-September to early April.
Arrival Date: 9-15
Departure Date: 4-6
2-26-99, started singing
High counts:
2-31-98, 12
10-20-99, 7
12-29-99, 7
1-12-00, 6
1-31-00, 9
2-3-00, 7
3-8-00, 6
3-22-00, 6
4-4-00, 6
Gray-headed Dark-eyed Junco
Unusual migrant, rare in early April, more likely seen from early October to early January.
Arrival Date: 10-1
Departure Date: 1-2
11-25-95, 1
11-28-95, 1
1-2-96, 1
10-1 to 10-17-96, 1
10-3-99, 1
4-4-00, 3

GROSBEAKS and BUNTINGS
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Rare Spring migrant
5-10-99, 2M
5-11-99, 2M, singing
Black-headed Grosbeak
Unusual Spring migrant seen and heard from mid to late May, rare migrant in early October.
Arrival Date: 5-10 (10-6)
Departure Date: 5-26
5-10-99, 1M
5-14-99, 1M
5-25-99, 1, singing
5-26-99, 1, singing
10-6-99, 1
Lazuli Bunting
Rare Spring migrant
5-10-95, 1M
5-10-99, 1M
Indigo Bunting
Rare Spring migrant
5-17-99, 1 seen by Asbury about 1 mile W of Yard.

BLACKBIRDS and ORIOLES
Red-winged Blackbird
Occasionally seen flying over and unusual in yard, seen from early March to late September.
Arrival Date: 3-8
Departure Date: 9-29
3-8-95, flock flyover
4-6-95, 30 flyover
9-4-98, flyover 20
9-7-98, 6 flyover
5-11-99, 1M, M, first time seen in the yard as opposed to flyover
9-29-99, 30, flyover
Brewer's Blackbird
Seen flying over and occasionally in yard from mid-August to mid-October.
Arrival Date: 8-12
Departure Date: 10-15
8-31-94, flyover of 40
9-7-94, 7 flyover
8-12-96, 60 flyover
9-4 to 9-8-96, 100 flyover
9-9-96, 10 in yard
10-7-96, 6 in yard
10-1-99, 30 flyover
10-13-99, 15, flyover
10-15-99, 15, flyover
Seen in BY from 8-27 to 9-11-00
Common Grackle
Regularly seen and heard from late March to early November.
Arrival Date: 3-24
Departure Date: 11-2
3-25-99, 1, singing
4-14-99, building nests
4-10-00, carrying nest material into large spruce
5-31-00, fledging young
High counts:
4-11-96, 16
9-14-96, 6
10-7-96, 30
4-7-97, 6
9-29-99, 20
9-30-99, 30
10-1-99, 15
10-8-99, 8
10-19-99, 7
3-29-00, 12
4-3-00, 6, first F seen
4-5-00, 9
4-6-00, 10
4-12-00, 20
Brown-headed Cowbird
Rare Spring migrant.
5-17-97, 1
Baltimore Oriole
Rare Spring migrant.
10-18-00, 1F, first heard calling, then seen feeding on an apple in a neighborıs tree.
Bullock's Oriole
Unusual migrant seen and heard in mid-May and also in mid to late August.
Arrival Date: 5-14
Departure Date: 8-28
8-17-98,1, heard chattering
5-18-95, MF
5-14-99, 1
5-15-99, 1, calling
8-28-00, 1, calling

FINCHES
Purple Finch
Rare Spring migrant.
4-26-99, 1F, Pleased to find a Purple Finch, female/imm. at thistle feeder today at 0800 and again from1 to 130 PM. The bird had the distinct white lines above and below eye and dark jaw line, but the dark color spread to the throat area too, and the wings and tail had a tinge of rosy red to them, so I'm wondering if it's an imm. male. It's more of a brown-gray contrasting the white markings, whereas the 2 that were present in late March 1996 were more brownish and not with as stark a white color as this bird. When the squirrel chased it from feeder it fed on Italian Plum blossoms with M and F House Finch.
4-29-99, 1F
5-3-99, 1F
Cassin's Finch
Rare Spring migrant.
4-12-97, 1, female.
House Finch
Consistently seen and heard year round.
2-11-00, started singing
6-4-00, fledging young
Some were singing on 9-19-00
Red Crossbill
Rare and irregular, seen and heard from early September to early October in 1996.
9-3-96, 3, calling
9-9-96, 2
9-12-96, 4
9-19-96, 25
10-1-96, 4
10-4-96, 6
Pine Siskin
Unusual and irregular migrant seen and heard from mid-September to late May.
Arrival Date: 9-18
Departure Date: 5-21
9-18-94, flock
1-26 to 3-2-96, flock
3-14 to 3-18-96, 2-6
3-22 to 3-28-96, 2-4
4-14-96, 3
10-30-97, flock
11-3 to 11-5-97, flock
10-9-98, flock
2-23-99, 2, calling
3-27 to 5-21-99, 1 to 10
American Goldfinch
Irregular resident seen and heard year round.
3-6-95, 1
1-5-99, 20
4-11-99 and 4-12-99, 2
4-13-99, 3 (full yellow plumage, singing for a couple weeks now and getting stronger)
4-14-99, 2
4-21-99, 2
5-2-99, 2 in complete breeding plumage
5-16-99, 2
5-17-99, 3
5-19-99, 1
10-18-99, 1
10-30-99, 2
1-3-00, 2
1-31-00, 1
2-3-00, 1
2-4-00, 2
2-28-00, 1
3-1-00, 7, patch of bright yellow showing on 1 male
3-12-00, 1
3-19 and 3-20-00, 2
3-22-00, 2 (1 male mostly yellow)
3-23-00, 1
3-25-00, 1
3-30-00, 1
3-31-00, 2
4-6-00, 5
4-7 to 4-8-00, 1
8-28-00, 1, calling
8-31-00, 1, calling
Evening Grosbeak
Unusual flyovers.
10-23-99, 10, flyover and call
7-14-00, flock heard

WEAVER FINCHES
House Sparrow
Consistently seen and heard year round.
5-16-99, courtship behavior