Great Sand Dunes bird count shows diversity

By NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
Posted 1/25/25

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE — The results of the annual Christmas Bird Count have been compiled, showing a remarkable diversity of species for winter and an unexpected abundance of some species. 

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Great Sand Dunes bird count shows diversity

Posted

GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE — The results of the annual Christmas Bird Count have been compiled, showing a remarkable diversity of species for winter and an unexpected abundance of some species. 

Warmer-than-average winter conditions, combined with the wettest year in park records, may have provided the food and habitat conditions favorable for these birds.  

Volunteers explored multiple ecosystems in the park and preserve, from wetlands west of the dunes to subalpine forests above the dunes. 

They reported 44 total species, with 1,471 individual birds. 

Those are somewhat high numbers for winter, although the park and preserve has over 250 bird species in total, many of which are seasonal.  

Here’s a list of the species documented in this winter’s count: 

Golden Eagle  

Cooper's Hawk  

Northern Goshawk (American) 

Red-tailed Hawk  

Killdeer  

Mourning Dove  

Great Horned Owl  

Short-eared Owl  

Williamson's Sapsucker  

Red-naped Sapsucker  

Hairy Woodpecker  

Northern Flicker  

American Kestrel  

Merlin  

Loggerhead Shrike  

Pinyon Jay  

Steller's Jay (Interior)  

Western Scrub-Jay  

Black-billed Magpie  

Clark's Nutcracker  

American Crow  

Common Raven  

Horned Lark  

Black-capped Chickadee  

Mountain Chickadee  

Bushtit  

Red-breasted Nuthatch  

White-breasted Nuthatch  

Pygmy Nuthatch  

Marsh Wren  

Mountain Bluebird  

Townsend's Solitaire  

American Robin  

European Starling  

Cedar Waxwing  

Dark-eyed Junco  

Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) 

Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon) 

Dark-eyed Junco (Pink-sided) 

Dark-eyed Junco (Gray-headed) 

Song Sparrow  

Spotted Towhee  

Pine Grosbeak  

House Finch  

Cassin's Finch  

Red Crossbill  

Pine Siskin  

Evening Grosbeak