North American Birds - Inyo County
Subregional editors, Tom and Jo Heindel
View in pdf or Word 2003
GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING INYO COUNTY SIGHTINGS TO NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS
The attached list of Inyo County Birds, in the new 2010 taxonomic order, is being posted in an effort to inform observers of the species found in Inyo County. Those casual or rare enough to require a description are underlined and those on the California Bird Records Committee Review List are underlined and bold. Those species underlined fall into the following categories; vagrants, casual species recorded fewer than seven years per decade for each season(s) in which they occur, very rare species that are not recorded every year but are presumed to occur here, rare species that have similar look-alike species that are more expected (e.g., Greater Scaup), species experiencing a decline in numbers in the county (e.g., Cassin’s Kingbird), species that have a history of being misidentified (e.g., Gray Vireo), hybrids, and rare species present in very small numbers.
Few species require lengthy descriptions, but the more rare the species or the more unexpected the species due to date, location, or number seen, the more detailed and convincing the description needs to be. When species not underlined are found out of season and/or out of known geographic distribution, they do require a description. Jon L. Dunn wrote up a Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler because he found it at Furnace Creek Ranch in Death Valley in late June. Steve N.G. Howell wrote a short description and a sketch of a Barn Swallow because he found it in the Owens Valley in late December. Both observers did so without being asked. Why? Because they recognized how unexpected the event was. If they can write up common species seen at uncommon times in unexpected locations so can the rest of us. We will send requests for more information on species not underlined that are reported away from known locations, outside known temporal limits, or in numbers that are near or exceed the highest count.
Minimally, we need date, location, distance between bird and birder, amount of time viewing the bird(s), whether through binoculars or a telescope, and a description of the relevant aspects of plumage, structure, vocalizations and behavior. Often it takes two to three sentences for a totally convincing write-up; occasionally, as many paragraphs might be necessary. And remember that a picture is worth a thousand words!
Numerous sightings of Inyo County birds, posted on the Internet without any descriptions, are not included in the Inyo County Seasonal Report to North American Birds or the county database. Other posts contained adequate descriptions and/or photographs and are included in both the report and the database.
The seasons are Spring – 1 March to 31 May, Summer – 1 June to 31 July, Fall – 1 August to 30 November, Winter – 1 December to 28 February. We must have reports by the tenth day following the end of each season and the species need to be in taxonomic order to facilitate collating all the reports. Please send them to < tjheindel@gmail.com >.
We are providing this information so observers know what is expected in order to turn a personal sighting into a county record that will stand the test of time. We cannot respond to observer’s requests that we let them know which of their sightings need descriptions since we often have over fifty observers submitting reports. We ask that you send us all you have when you submit your sightings!
Thanks to all who have met and exceeded our requests in archiving a reliable database for Inyo County.
INYO COUNTY BIRD LIST 2010 TAXON
FULVOUS WHISTLING-DUCK
GREATER WHITE-FRONTED GOOSE
SNOW GOOSE (BLUE PHASE)
SNOW GOOSE (WHITE PHASE)
ROSS'S GOOSE
BRANT
CACKLING GOOSE
CANADA GOOSE
TRUMPETER SWAN
TUNDRA SWAN
WOOD DUCK
GADWALL
EURASIAN WIGEON
AMERICAN WIGEON
MALLARD
BLUE-WINGED TEAL
CINNAMON TEAL
BLUE-WINGED X CINNAMON TEAL
NORTHERN SHOVELER
NORTHERN PINTAIL
GARGANEY
GREEN-WINGED (AMERICAN) TEAL
GREEN-WINGED (EURASIAN) TEAL
CANVASBACK
REDHEAD
RING-NECKED DUCK
GREATER SCAUP
LESSER SCAUP
SURF SCOTER
WHITE-WINGED SCOTER
AMERICAN SCOTER
LONG-TAILED DUCK
BUFFLEHEAD
COMMON GOLDENEYE
BARROW'S GOLDENEYE
HOODED MERGANSER
COMMON MERGANSER
RED-BREASTED MERGANSER
RUDDY DUCK
MOUNTAIN QUAIL
CALIFORNIA QUAIL
GAMBEL'S QUAIL
CHUKAR
RING-NECKED PHEASANT
GREATER SAGE-GROUSE
WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN
SOOTY GROUSE
RED-THROATED LOON
PACIFIC LOON
COMMON LOON
PIED-BILLED GREBE
HORNED GREBE
RED-NECKED GREBE
EARED GREBE
WESTERN GREBE
CLARK'S GREBE
WOOD STORK
MAGNIFICENT FRIGATEBIRD
DOUBLE-CRESTED CORMORANT
AMERICAN WHITE PELICAN
BROWN PELICAN
AMERICAN BITTERN
LEAST BITTERN
GREAT BLUE HERON
GREAT EGRET
SNOWY EGRET
LITTLE BLUE HERON
REDDISH EGRET
CATTLE EGRET
GREEN HERON
BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON
GLOSSY IBIS
WHITE-FACED IBIS
TURKEY VULTURE
OSPREY
WHITE-TAILED KITE
MISSISSIPPI KITE
BALD EAGLE
NORTHERN HARRIER
SHARP-SHINNED HAWK
COOPER'S HAWK
NORTHERN GOSHAWK
RED-SHOULDERED HAWK
BROAD-WINGED HAWK
SWAINSON'S HAWK
ZONE-TAILED HAWK
RED-TAILED HAWK
FERRUGINOUS HAWK
ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK
GOLDEN EAGLE
CRESTED CARACARA
AMERICAN KESTREL
MERLIN
PEREGRINE FALCON
PRAIRIE FALCON
VIRGINIA RAIL
SORA
PURPLE GALLINULE
COMMON MOORHEN
AMERICAN COOT
SANDHILL CRANE
BLACK-BELLIED PLOVER
AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER
PACIFIC GOLDEN-PLOVER
SNOWY PLOVER
SEMIPALMATED PLOVER
KILLDEER
MOUNTAIN PLOVER
BLACK-NECKED STILT
AMERICAN AVOCET
SPOTTED SANDPIPER
SOLITARY SANDPIPER
GREATER YELLOWLEGS
WILLET
LESSER YELLOWLEGS
UPLAND SANDPIPER
WHIMBREL
LONG-BILLED CURLEW
MARBLED GODWIT
RUDDY TURNSTONE
BLACK TURNSTONE
RED KNOT
SANDERLING
SEMIPALMATED SANDPIPER
WESTERN SANDPIPER
LITTLE STINT
LEAST SANDPIPER
BAIRD'S SANDPIPER
PECTORAL SANDPIPER
DUNLIN
STILT SANDPIPER
BUFF-BREASTED SANDPIPER
RUFF
SHORT-BILLED DOWITCHER
LONG-BILLED DOWITCHER
WILSON’S SNIPE
WILSON'S PHALAROPE
RED-NECKED PHALAROPE
RED PHALAROPE
SABINE'S GULL
BONAPARTE'S GULL
FRANKLIN'S GULL
HEERMANN'S GULL
MEW GULL
RING-BILLED GULL
WESTERN GULL
CALIFORNIA GULL
HERRING GULL
THAYER’S GULL
LESSER BLACK-BACKED GULL
GLAUCOUS-WINGED GULL
GLAUCOUS GULL
LEAST TERN
CASPIAN TERN
BLACK TERN
COMMON TERN
ARCTIC TERN
FORSTER'S TERN
PARASITIC JAEGER
LONG-TAILED JAEGER
ROCK PIGEON
BAND-TAILED PIGEON
ORIENTAL TURTLE-DOVE
EURASIAN COLLARED-DOVE
WHITE-WINGED DOVE
MOURNING DOVE
INCA DOVE
COMMON GROUND-DOVE
RUDDY GROUND-DOVE
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO
GREATER ROADRUNNER
BARN OWL
FLAMMULATED OWL
WESTERN SCREECH-OWL
GREAT HORNED OWL
NORTHERN PYGMY-OWL
BURROWING OWL
LONG-EARED OWL
SHORT-EARED OWL
NORTHERN SAW-WHET
LESSER NIGHTHAWK
COMMON NIGHTHAWK
COMMON POORWILL
BLACK SWIFT
CHIMNEY SWIFT
VAUX'S SWIFT
WHITE-THROATED SWIFT
BROAD-BILLED HUMMINGBIRD
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD
BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
ANNA'S HUMMINGBIRD
COSTA'S HUMMINGBIRD
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD
BROAD-TAILED HUMMINGBIRD
RUFOUS HUMMINGBIRD
BELTED KINGFISHER
LEWIS'S WOODPECKER
ACORN WOODPECKER
WILLIAMSON'S SAPSUCKER
YELLOW-BELLIED SAPSUCKER
RED-NAPED SAPSUCKER
RED-BREASTED SAPSUCKER
LADDER-BACKED WOODPECKER
NUTTALL'S WOODPECKER
DOWNY WOODPECKER
HAIRY WOODPECKER
WHITE-HEADED WOODPECKER
NORTHERN (YELLOW-SHAFTED) FLICKER
NORTHERN (RED-SHAFTED) FLICKER
NORTHERN (RED-SHAFTED X YELLOW-SHAFTED) FLICKER
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER
WESTERN WOOD-PEWEE
WILLOW FLYCATCHER
LEAST FLYCATCHER
HAMMOND'S FLYCATCHER
GRAY FLYCATCHER
DUSKY FLYCATCHER
PACIFIC-SLOPE FLYCATCHER
CORDILLERAN FLYCATCHER
WESTERN FLYCATCHER
BLACK PHOEBE
EASTERN PHOEBE
SAY'S PHOEBE
VERMILION FLYCATCHER
DUSKY-CAPPED FLYCATCHER
ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER
BROWN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER
TROPICAL KINGBIRD
CASSIN'S KINGBIRD
THICK-BILLED KINGBIRD
WESTERN KINGBIRD
EASTERN KINGBIRD
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE
NORTHERN SHRIKE
WHITE-EYED VIREO
BELL'S VIREO
GRAY VIREO
YELLOW-THROATED VIREO
PLUMBEOUS VIREO
CASSIN'S VIREO
BLUE-HEADED VIREO
HUTTON'S VIREO
WARBLING VIREO
PHILADELPHIA VIREO
RED-EYED VIREO
PINYON JAY
STELLER'S JAY
BLUE JAY
WESTERN SCRUB-JAY
CLARK'S NUTCRACKER
BLACK-BILLED MAGPIE
AMERICAN CROW
COMMON RAVEN
HORNED LARK
PURPLE MARTIN
TREE SWALLOW
VIOLET-GREEN SWALLOW
NORTHERN ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW
BANK SWALLOW
CLIFF SWALLOW
BARN SWALLOW
MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE
OAK TITMOUSE
JUNIPER TITMOUSE
VERDIN
BUSHTIT
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH
WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH
PYGMY NUTHATCH
BROWN CREEPER
CACTUS WREN
ROCK WREN
CANYON WREN
BEWICK'S WREN
HOUSE WREN
PACIFIC WREN
SEDGE WREN
MARSH WREN
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER
BLACK-TAILED GNATCATCHER
AMERICAN DIPPER
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET
WRENTIT
WESTERN BLUEBIRD
MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE
VEERY
SWAINSON'S THRUSH
HERMIT THRUSH
WOOD THRUSH
RUFOUS-BACKED ROBIN
AMERICAN ROBIN
VARIED THRUSH
GRAY CATBIRD
NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
SAGE THRASHER
BROWN THRASHER
BENDIRE'S THRASHER
CALIFORNIA THRASHER
CRISSAL THRASHER
LE CONTE'S THRASHER
EUROPEAN STARLING
WHITE WAGTAIL
RED-THROATED PIPIT
AMERICAN PIPIT
SPRAGUE'S PIPIT
BOHEMIAN WAXWING
CEDAR WAXWING
PHAINOPEPLA
LAPLAND LONGSPUR
CHESTNUT-COLLARED LONGSPUR
SMITH'S LONGSPUR
MCCOWN'S LONGSPUR
SNOW BUNTING
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER
TENNESSEE WARBLER
ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER
NASHVILLE WARBLER
VIRGINIA'S WARBLER
LUCY'S WARBLER
NORTHERN PARULA
YELLOW WARBLER
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER
MAGNOLIA WARBLER
CAPE MAY WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER
YELLOW-RUMPED (AUDUBON'S) WARBLER
YELLOW-RUMPED (MYRTLE) WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED GRAY WARBLER
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S WARBLER
HERMIT WARBLER
TOWNSEND'S X HERMIT WARBLER HYBRID
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER
YELLOW-THROATED WARBLER
PINE WARBLER
PRAIRIE WARBLER
PALM WARBLER
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER
BLACKPOLL WARBLER
CERULEAN WARBLER
BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER
AMERICAN REDSTART
PROTHONOTARY WARBLER
WORM-EATING WARBLER
OVENBIRD
NORTHERN WATERTHRUSH
LOUISIANA WATERTHRUSH
KENTUCKY WARBLER
CONNECTICUT WARBLER
MOURNING WARBLER
MACGILLIVRAY'S WARBLER
COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
HOODED WARBLER
WILSON'S WARBLER
CANADA WARBLER
RED-FACED WARBLER
PAINTED REDSTART
YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT
GREEN-TAILED TOWHEE
SPOTTED TOWHEE
CALIFORNIA TOWHEE
CASSIN'S SPARROW
AMERICAN TREE SPARROW
CHIPPING SPARROW
CLAY-COLORED SPARROW
BREWER'S SPARROW
FIELD SPARROW
BLACK-CHINNED SPARROW
VESPER SPARROW
LARK SPARROW
BLACK-THROATED SPARROW
SAGE SPARROW
LARK BUNTING
SAVANNAH SPARROW
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW
LE CONTE'S SPARROW
NELSON’S SPARROW
FOX SPARROW
FOX (RED) SPARROW
FOX (SOOTY) SPARROW
FOX (THICK-BILLED) SPARROW
FOX (SLATE-COLORED) SPARROW
SONG SPARROW
LINCOLN'S SPARROW
SWAMP SPARROW
WHITE-THROATED SPARROW
HARRIS'S SPARROW
WHITE-CROWNED (GAMBEL'S) SPARROW
WHITE-CROWNED (MOUNTAIN) SPARROW
GOLDEN-CROWNED SPARROW
DARK-EYED (PINK-SIDED) JUNCO
DARK-EYED (WHITE-WINGED) JUNCO
DARK-EYED (SLATE-COLORED) JUNCO
DARK-EYED (OREGON) JUNCO
DARK-EYED (GRAY-HEADED) JUNCO
HEPATIC TANAGER
SUMMER TANAGER
SCARLET TANAGER
WESTERN TANAGER
NORTHERN CARDINAL
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK
BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK
BLUE GROSBEAK
LAZULI BUNTING
INDIGO BUNTING
INDIGO X LAZULI BUNTING HYBRID
VARIED BUNTING
PAINTED BUNTING
DICKCISSEL
BOBOLINK
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD
TRICOLORED BLACKBIRD
WESTERN MEADOWLARK
YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD
RUSTY BLACKBIRD
BREWER'S BLACKBIRD
COMMON GRACKLE
GREAT-TAILED GRACKLE
BRONZED COWBIRD
BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD
ORCHARD ORIOLE
HOODED ORIOLE
STREAK-BACKED ORIOLE
BULLOCK'S ORIOLE
BALTIMORE ORIOLE
SCOTT'S ORIOLE
GRAY-CROWNED (DAWSON’S) ROSY-FINCH
GRAY-CROWNED (HEPBURN’S) ROSY-FINCH
BLACK ROSY-FINCH
PINE GROSBEAK
PURPLE FINCH
CASSIN'S FINCH
HOUSE FINCH
RED CROSSBILL
PINE SISKIN
LESSER GOLDFINCH
LAWRENCE'S GOLDFINCH
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH
EVENING GROSBEAK
HOUSE SPARROW