Bird Species

This list consists of the most common as well as some of the rarest, but most sought out, species of desert birds in the Lake Havasu City area.

Even a few endangered species are listed here. There are more than 355 species of desert birds identified in the local area. Consult the Mohave County Field Checklist for the complete list.

American Avocets along the shoreline, one of many desert birds in the Lake Havasu City area.
Credit: John West Images

Desert birds list key

Abundant: A very numerous species.
Common: Certain to be seen in suitable habitats.
Uncommon: Present, not certain to be seen.
Occasional: Seen few times during a season.
Rare: Seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years.
Accidental: Fewer than 3 records; vagrants outside their usual range.
* Confirmed nester.
** Possible nester.
¹ Threatened or endangered species.

Bird Species in and around Lake Havasu

SpeciesSpringSummerFallWinter
Ducks, Geese & Swans
Canadian Goose Uncommon - Uncommon Uncommon
American Wigeon Uncommon Accidental Common Uncommon
Mallard* Common Common Common Common
Ring-necked Duck Common - Common Common
Greater Scaup Common - Uncommon Common
Surf Scoter Occasional - Occasional Occasional
Common Goldeneye Common - Common Common
Common Merganser Common - Uncommon Common
Ruddy Duck Common Uncommon Common Common
New World Quail
Gambel's Quail* Common Common Common Common
Loons
Pacific Loon Occasional Accidental Occasional Occasional
Common Loon Uncommon - Occasional Uncommon
Grebes
Pied-billed Grebe* Common Common Common Common
Horned Grebe Occasional - Occasional Uncommon
Western Grebe* Common Common Common Common
Clark's Greb Common Common Common Common
Storks
Wood Stork (historical) Common Common Common Common
Cormorant
Double-crested Cormorant* Common Common Common Common
Pelican
Brown Pelican Accidental Rare Rare Rare
Herons, Bitterns & Allies
Least Bittern* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Occasional
Great Blue Heron* Common Common Common Common
Great Egret* Common Common Common Common
Snowy Egret* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Common
Green Heron* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Ibis & Spoonbills
White-faced Ibis Occasional Rare Occasional Rare
Roseate Spoonbill (historical) - - Accidental -
Vultures
Turkey Vulture* Common Common Common Uncommon
California Condor¹ - - - Accidental
Hawks, Eagles & Allies
Osprey Rare Rare Rare Occasional
Bald Eagle* Rare Rare Rare Uncommon
Red-tailed Hawk* Common Common Common Common
Cooper's Hawk* Uncommon Occasional Uncommon Uncommon
Golden Eagle Accidental Accidental - Accidental
Rails, Gallinules & Coots
Black Rail* Uncommon Uncommon Occasional Occasional
Clapper Rail*¹ Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Virginia Rail* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Common Gallinule* Common Common Common Uncommon
American Coot* Common Common Abundant Abundant
Stilts & Avocets
Black-necked Stilt Accidental Accidental Occasional -
American Avocet Accidental Accidental Occasional Accidental
Sandpipers, Phalaropes & Allies
Least Sandpiper Accidental Accidental Occasional Accidental
Gulls, Terns & Skimmers
Ring-billed Gull Common Rare Common Common
Caspian Tern Occasional Rare Occasional Rare
California Gull Rare - Rare Rare
Common Tern - - Occasional -
Pigeons & Doves
White-winged Dove* Common Common Accidental Accidental
Mourning Dove* Common Common Common Uncommon
Cuckoos & Roadrunners
Yellow-billed Cuckoo* Accidental Uncommon Occasional -
Greater Roadrunner* Common Common Common Common
Owls
Western Screech Owl* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Great Horned Owl Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Goatsuckers
Lesser Nighthawk* Common Common Common -
Common Poorhill Uncommon Uncommon Rare Rare
Swifts
Vaux's Swift Rare - Rare -
White-throated Swift Common Common Common Common
Hummingbirds
Black-chinned Hummingbird* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon -
Anna's Hummingbird* Common Occasional Common Common
Costa's Hummingbird* Common Occasional Occasional Common
Woodpeckers
Gila Woodpecker* Common Common Common Common
Ladder-backed Woodpecker* Common Common Common Common
Northern FlickeRare Common - Common Common
Falcons & Allies
American Kestrel* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Peregrine Falcon* Occasional Occasional Rare Rare
Flycatchers
Western Wood-Pewee Common Rare Rare -
Willow Flycatcher*¹ Occasional Occasional Rare -
Black Phoebe* Common Common Common Common
Ash-throated Flycatcher* Common Common Uncommon Uncommon
Phainapepla* Abundant Accidental Occasional Abundant
Vireos
Bell's Vireo* Common Common Occasional -
Warbling Vireo Common ? Occasional
Crows & Jays
Western Scrub-Jay** Occasional Rare Occasional Occasional
Common Raven* Common Common Common Common
Swallows
Violet-green Swallow* Common Uncommon Occasional Occasional
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Common Common Common Common
Cliff Swallow* Common Common Occasional Accidental
Verdins
Verdin* Common Common Common Common
Wrens
Rock Wren* Common Common Common Common
Canyon Wren* Common Common Common Common
Marsh Wren* Common Common Common Common
Bewick's Wren* Common Common Common Common
Gnatcatchers
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Occasional - Occasional Occasional
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher* Common Common Common Common
Kinglets
Golden-crowned Kinglet Rare - Accidental Occasional
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Abundant - Abundant Abundant
Mockingbirds & Thrashers
Northern Mockingbird* Common Common Common Common
Crissal Thrasher* Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon Uncommon
Pipits
American Pipit Occasional - Occasional Uncommon
Wood Warblers
Orange-crowned Warbler Common Accidental Common Common
Lucy's Warbler* Common Common Uncommon -
Common Yellowthroat* Common Abundant Uncommon Uncommon
Yellow Warbler* Common Common Occasional Rare
Yellow-rumped Warbler Abundant - Abundant -
Wilson's Warbler Common Accidental Uncommon Accidental
Yellow-breasted Chat* Common Abundant Accidental -
Towhees, Sparrows & Allies
Abert's Towhee* Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant
Brewer's Sparrow Common Rare Common Uncommon
Black-throated Sparrow* Common Common Common Common
Song Sparrow* Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant
Lincoln's Sparrow Common - Common Common
White-crowned Sparrow Common - Common Common
Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Buntings
Summer Tanager* Common Common Uncommon Accidental
Northern Cardinal* Rare Rare Rare Rare
Black-headed Grosbeak Common Uncommon Common -
Blue Grosbeak* Common Common Common -
Lazuli Bunting Common Accidental Common -
Blackbirds
Red-winged Blackbird* Common Common Common Common
Great-tailed Grackle* Abundant Abundant Abundant Abundant
Brown-headed Cowbird* Common Common Rare Rare
Finches & Allies
House Finch* Abundant Common Common Common
Lesser Goldfinch* Common Common Common Uncommon

For a complete bird list, go to the Bill Williams National Wildlife Refuge website or the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge website.

Birding in Lake Havasu City

  • Birding

    The area in and around Lake Havasu City is rich in opportunities for birdwatchers, with more than 355 species identified in the local area and where 80 percent of the state's plant…

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