A Big Year is the ultimate listing challenge for a competitive birder. The goal is to identify (by sight or sound) as many birds as possible in a given area during a calendar year. Big Years can be done in a county, state, or country.
This year my goal was to identify as many species as I could in the state of Colorado. At the beginning of the year I was hoping to find 400 species, which seemed like an almost impossible feat. With the number of rare birds I have seen so far this year it now seems possible. The current record for a Big Year in Colorado is 412, a record set in 2010 by Cole Wild. He wrote a great book about his adventures which I have read several times. To break his record, an extraordinarily high number of rare birds would need to be found in Colorado.
A side goal of mine this year has been to photograph all the birds I have seen. Although some birds, especially nocturnal ones, have been hard to photograph I have done my best to get pictures of as many as possible. I took every picture this year with my Nikon P1000.
The table below shows my list so far. The birds with an icon in the photo column have pictures. Click on the icon to see the picture.
Note: The date is the first time I observed each bird. A lot of the birds were photographed on different dates than I first observed them. For example, the first time I saw a Robin was January 1 but I didn’t photograph it until April 25.
# Common Name Date County Photo 405 Western Screech-Owl 12/14 Pueblo X 404 Gyrfalcon 12/12 Larimer 403 Bay-breasted Warbler 11/21 El Paso 402 American Woodcock 11/12 Prowers 401 Black-legged Kittiwake 11/11 Larimer 400 Bohemian Waxwing 11/8 Arapahoe 399 Magnificent Frigatebird 11/8 Arapahoe 398 Purple Finch 10/26 Broomfield 397 Parasitic Jaeger 10/24 Pueblo 396 Black Scoter 10/24 Arapahoe 395 Ruddy Ground Dove 10/20 San Miguel 394 Sedge Wren 10/17 Broomfield 393 Sprague's Pipit 10/11 Yuma 392 LeConte's Sparrow 10/4 Logan X 391 White-throated Sparrow 9/26 Washington 390 Nelson's Sparrow 9/25 Arapahoe 389 Red Phalarope 9/18 Morgan 388 Reddish Egret 9/18 Morgan 387 Nashville Warbler 9/13 Prowers 386 Blue-headed Vireo 9/13 Kiowa 385 Little Gull 9/12 Douglas 384 Common Black Hawk 9/11 Teller 383 Sabine's Gull 9/10 Morgan 382 Common Tern 9/10 Morgan 381 Mourning Warbler 9/10 Larimer X 380 Red Knot 9/9 Larimer 379 Philadelphia Vireo 9/5 Adams 378 Townsend's Warbler 8/29 Washington 377 Black-throated Green-Warbler 8/29 Washington 376 Cassin's Vireo 8/28 Adams 375 Dusky Grouse 8/26 Jefferson 374 Ruddy Turnstone 8/24 Morgan 373 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 8/21 Morgan 372 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 8/16 Kiowa 371 Cave Swallow 8/16 Bent 370 Least Bittern 8/9 Bent X 369 Black-bellied Plover 7/25 Washington 368 Eastern Towhee 7/25 Logan 367 Long-tailed Jaeger 7/20 Morgan 366 Black Tern 7/20 Morgan 365 Gunnison Sage-Grouse 7/18 Gunnison 364 Pinyon Jay 7/18 Chaffee 363 Great Egret 7/16 Adams 362 Rufous Hummingbird 7/16 Jefferson 361 Calliope Hummingbird 7/16 Jefferson 360 Solitary Sandpiper 7/16 Adams 359 Least Tern 7/11 Bent 358 Hepatic Tanager 7/11 Las Animas 357 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 7/11 Huerfano 356 Yellow-billed Cuckoo 7/04 Logan 355 White-tailed Ptarmigan 7/02 Larimer 354 Golden-crowned Kinglet 7/02 Larimer 353 Juniper Titmouse 6/27 Mesa 352 Scott's Oriole 6/27 Mesa 351 Chukar 6/27 Mesa 350 Eastern Meadowlark 6/19 Boulder 349 Indigo Bunting 6/19 Boulder 348 Sage Thrasher 6/13 Jackson 347 Fox Sparrow 6/13 Jackson 346 Laughing Gull 6/13 Jackson X 345 Band-tailed Pigeon 6/13 Clear Creek 344 Gambel's Quail 6/09 Mesa 343 Gray Vireo 6/09 Mesa 342 Purple Martin 6/09 Mesa 341 Black-throated Sparrow 6/09 Mesa 340 Lucy's Warbler 6/09 Mesa 339 Lesser Nighthawk 6/08 Montrose X 338 Common Nighthawk 6/08 Montrose 337 Black Swift 6/08 Ouray 336 Gray Flycatcher 6/08 La Plata 335 Acorn Woodpecker 6/08 La Plata 334 Surf Scoter 6/08 La Plata 333 Lewis's Woodpecker 6/08 La Plata 332 Wood Thrush 6/08 La Plata 331 Green-tailed Towhee 6/07 Mineral 330 Grasshopper Sparrow 5/31 Yuma 329 Cassin's Sparrow 5/27 El Paso 328 Eastern Wood-Pewee 5/27 Pueblo 327 Scarlet Tanager 5/26 Jefferson 326 Hammond's Flycatcher 5/25 Pueblo 325 Plumbeous Vireo 5/25 Pueblo 324 Grace's Warbler 5/25 Pueblo 323 American Bittern 5/25 Arapahoe 322 Bank Swallow 5/25 Arapahoe 321 Dickcissel 5/23 Sedgwick 320 Upland Sandpiper 5/23 Logan 319 Bell's Vireo 5/23 Logan 318 Great Crested Flycatcher 5/23 Logan 317 Cordilleran Flycatcher 5/21 Larimer 316 Lesser Goldfinch 5/21 Larimer 315 Bobolink 5/21 Boulder 314 Magnolia Warbler 5/21 Boulder 313 Williamson's Sapsucker 5/17 Jefferson 312 Red-naped Sapsucker 5/17 Jefferson 311 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 5/17 Jefferson 310 Evening Grosbeak 5/17 Jefferson 309 Stilt Sandpiper 5/16 Kiowa 308 Sanderling 5/16 Kiowa 307 White-rumped Sandpiper 5/16 Kiowa 306 Short-billed Dowitcher 5/16 Kiowa 305 Red-necked Phalarope 5/16 Kiowa 304 Western Wood-Pewee 5/16 Bent 303 Willow Flycatcher 5/16 Bent 302 Veery 5/16 Bent 301 Eared Grebe 5/15 Arapahoe 300 Clark's Grebe 5/15 Arapahoe 299 Black-chinned Hummingbird 5/14 Larimer 298 Blackburnian Warbler 5/14 Larimer 297 Prothonotary Warbler 5/12 Jefferson 296 Blue-winged Warbler 5/12 Fremont 295 Western Tanager 5/12 Fremont 294 Kentucky Warbler 5/12 Chaffee 293 Yellow-breasted Chat 5/10 Kiowa 292 Dusky Flycatcher 5/10 Prowers 291 Olive-sided Flycatcher 5/10 Prowers 290 Pine Warbler 5/10 Prowers 289 Greater Roadrunner 5/10 Otero X 288 Rufous-crowned Sparrow 5/10 Otero 287 Black-headed Grosbeak 5/10 Otero 286 Blue Grosbeak 5/10 Otero 285 Virginia Rail 5/09 Las Animas 284 Black Rail 5/09 Las Animas X 283 Green Heron 5/09 Baca 282 Red-eyed Vireo 5/09 Baca 281 Orchard Oriole 5/09 Baca 280 MacGillivray's Warbler 5/09 Baca 279 Painted Bunting 5/09 Baca 278 Brewer's Sparrow 5/09 Bent 277 Long-billed Curlew 5/09 Kiowa 276 Worm-eating Warbler 5/09 Kiowa 275 Tennessee Warbler 5/09 Kiowa 274 Blackpoll Warbler 5/09 Kiowa 273 Common Poorwill 5/08 Fremont X 272 Mexican Whip-poor-will 5/08 Fremont X 271 Flammulated Owl 5/08 Fremont X 270 Cassin's Kingbird 5/08 Fremont 269 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 5/08 Denver 268 Golden-winged Warbler 5/07 Jefferson 267 Field Sparrow 5/06 Cheyenne 266 Wilson's Warbler 5/06 Cheyenne 265 Mississippi Kite 5/06 Prowers 264 Cape May Warbler 5/06 Bent 263 Northern Parula 5/06 Bent 262 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5/06 Bent 261 Gray Catbird 5/06 Kiowa 260 Baltimore Oriole 5/06 Kiowa 259 Red-headed Woodpecker 5/06 Bent 258 Least Flycatcher 5/06 Bent 257 Eastern Kingbird 5/06 Bent 256 Warbling Vireo 5/06 Bent 255 Gray-cheeked Thrush 5/06 Bent 254 Swainson's Thrush 5/06 Bent 253 Clay-colored Sparrow 5/06 Bent 252 Lark Bunting 5/06 Bent 251 Ovenbird 5/06 Bent 250 Northern Waterthrush 5/06 Bent 249 Common Yellowthroat 5/06 Bent 248 American Redstart 5/06 Bent 247 Summer Tanager 5/06 Bent 246 Broad-winged Hawk 5/04 Arapahoe 245 Black-throated Blue Warbler 5/02 Jefferson 244 Boreal Owl 5/01 Jackson X 243 Chestnut-sided Warbler 5/01 Boulder 242 Lazuli Bunting 5/01 Boulder 241 Palm Warbler 5/01 Arapahoe 240 Black-and-white Warbler 4/30 Jefferson 239 Black-throated Gray Warbler 4/30 Jefferson 238 Ash-throated Flycatcher 4/29 Pueblo 237 Virginia's Warbler 4/29 Pueblo 236 Yellow Warbler 4/29 Pueblo 235 Broad-tailed Hummingbird 4/29 Pueblo 234 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 4/29 Pueblo 233 Northern Mockingbird 4/29 Pueblo 232 Hooded Warbler 4/28 Jefferson 231 Whimbrel 4/28 Weld 230 Spotted Sandpiper 4/28 Weld 229 Semipalmated Plover 4/25 Kiowa 228 Pectoral Sandpiper 4/25 Kiowa 227 Western Sandpiper 4/25 Kiowa 226 Chimney Swift 4/25 Prowers 225 Western Kingbird 4/25 Crowley 224 Lark Sparrow 4/25 Crowley 223 White-eyed Vireo 4/25 Pueblo 222 Yellow-throated Warbler 4/25 Pueblo 221 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 4/25 Pueblo 220 Brown Thrasher 4/25 Pueblo 219 Lincoln's Sparrow 4/25 Pueblo 218 Bullock's Oriole 4/25 Pueblo 217 American Golden-Plover 4/23 Weld 216 Caspian Tern 4/23 Larimer 215 Louisiana Waterthrush 4/23 Larimer 214 Willet 4/22 Arapahoe 213 Forster's Tern 4/22 Arapahoe 212 Yellow-throated Vireo 4/21 Jefferson 211 White-throated Swift 4/21 Jefferson 210 Canyon Wren 4/21 Jefferson 209 Sora 4/21 Denver 208 Snowy Egret 4/21 Denver 207 House Wren 4/21 Denver 206 Glossy Ibis 4/18 El Paso 205 Osprey 4/18 Otero 204 Hermit Thrush 4/18 Prowers 203 Orange-crowned Warbler 4/18 Prowers 202 Snowy Plover 4/18 Kiowa 201 Piping Plover 4/18 Kiowa 200 Marbled Godwit 4/18 Kiowa 199 Baird's Sandpiper 4/18 Kiowa 198 Semipalmated Sandpiper 4/18 Kiowa 197 Long-billed Dowitcher 4/18 Kiowa 196 Wilson's Phalarope 4/18 Kiowa 195 Burrowing Owl 4/18 Kiowa 194 Least Sandpiper 4/16 Arapahoe 193 White-faced Ibis 4/16 Arapahoe 192 Violet-green Swallow 4/16 Arapahoe 191 Cliff Swallow 4/16 Arapahoe 190 Rock Wren 4/16 Arapahoe 189 American Pipit 4/16 Arapahoe 188 Chipping Sparrow 4/16 Arapahoe 187 Savannah Sparrow 4/16 Arapahoe 186 Brown-headed Cowbird 4/15 Weld 185 Black-necked Stilt 4/15 Weld 184 Greater Yellowlegs 4/15 Weld 183 Peregrine Falcon 4/15 Weld 182 Yellow-headed Blackbird 4/15 Weld 181 McCown's Longspur 4/15 Weld 180 Chestnut-collared Longspur 4/15 Weld 179 Vesper Sparrow 4/15 Weld 178 Mountain Plover 4/15 Weld 177 Swainson's Hawk 4/15 Weld 176 Sharp-tailed Grouse 4/15 Weld 175 American Avocet 4/15 Weld 174 Franklin's Gull 4/12 Arapahoe 173 Barn Swallow 4/12 Arapahoe 172 Black Phoebe 4/10 Denver 171 Vermilion Flycatcher 4/10 El Paso 170 Eastern Phoebe 4/08 Jefferson 169 Cattle Egret 4/08 Jefferson 168 Neotropic Cormorant 4/07 El Paso 167 Sagebrush Sparrow 3/28 Jefferson 166 Turkey Vulture 3/28 Denver 165 Tundra Swan 3/25 Summit 164 Greater Sage-Grouse 3/25 Jackson 163 Redhead 3/23 Weld 162 Sandhill Crane 3/23 Weld 161 Blue-winged Teal 3/23 Weld 160 Lesser Yellowlegs 3/23 Weld 159 Cassin's Finch 3/21 Larimer 158 Cinnamon Teal 3/20 Arapahoe 157 Say's Phoebe 3/20 Arapahoe 156 Tree Swallow 3/20 Arapahoe 155 Western Bluebird 3/20 Arapahoe 154 Wilson's Snipe 3/17 Morgan 153 White-winged Dove 3/17 Sedgwick 152 American White Pelican 3/17 Washington 151 Eurasian Wigeon 3/17 Logan 150 Bonaparte's Gull 3/17 Logan 149 Wood Duck 3/17 logan 148 Red-bellied Woodpecker 3/14 Sedgwick 147 Common Grackle 3/14 Sedgwick 146 Northern Cardinal 3/14 Sedgwick 145 Greater Prairie-Chicken 3/14 Washington 144 Double-crested Cormorant 3/07 Jefferson 143 Glaucous-winged Gull 3/01 Larimer 142 Short-eared Owl 2/29 Logan X 141 Northern Bobwhite 2/29 Morgan 140 Wild Turkey 2/29 Morgan 139 Barn Owl 2/29 Morgan 138 Common Redpoll 2/29 Morgan X 137 Pine Siskin 2/29 Morgan 136 Northern Saw-whet Owl 2/22 Jefferson X 135 Mew Gull 2/22 Adams 134 Winter Wren 2/21 Jefferson 133 Eastern Screech-Owl 2/16 Arapahoe 132 Long-eared Owl 2/15 Morgan 131 Cedar Waxwing 2/15 Morgan 130 American Three-toed Woodpecker 2/09 Boulder 129 White-winged Crossbill 2/09 Boulder X 128 Barrow's Goldeneye 2/08 Adams 127 Northern Shrike 2/04 Jefferson 126 Black Rosy-Finch 2/04 Jefferson 125 Northern Goshawk 2/01 Clear Creek 124 Pine Grosbeak 2/01 Clear Creek 123 Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch 2/01 Clear Creek 122 Brown-capped Rosy-Finch 2/01 Clear Creek 121 Glaucous Gull 1/30 Larimer 120 Brewer's Blackbird 1/30 Larimer 119 Great-tailed Grackle 1/30 Larimer 118 Mourning Dove 1/26 Douglas 117 Rusty Blackbird 1/26 Douglas 116 Northern Pintail 1/25 Adams 115 Black-crowned Night-Heron 1/25 Adams 114 American Dipper 1/25 Boulder 113 Harris's Sparrow 1/25 Boulder 112 Carolina Wren 1/25 Arapahoe 111 Golden-crowned Sparrow 1/25 Jefferson 110 Mexican Duck 1/23 Arapahoe 109 Clark's Nutcracker 1/18 Jefferson 108 Canada Jay 1/18 Jefferson 107 Northern Pygmy-Owl 1/18 Douglas X 106 Steller's Jay 1/18 Douglas 105 Pygmy Nuthatch 1/18 Douglas 104 Red Crossbill 1/18 Douglas 103 Hairy Woodpecker 1/11 Pueblo 102 Red-throated Loon 1/11 Pueblo 101 Killdeer 1/11 Pueblo 100 Ruby-crowned Kinglet 1/11 Pueblo 99 Bewick's Wren 1/11 Pueblo 98 Curve-billed Thrasher 1/11 Pueblo 97 Eastern Bluebird 1/11 Pueblo 96 Swamp Sparrow 1/11 Pueblo 95 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1/11 Pueblo 94 Scaled Quail 1/11 Pueblo 93 Horned Grebe 1/11 Pueblo 92 Western Grebe 1/11 Pueblo 91 Dunlin 1/11 Pueblo 90 California Gull 1/11 Pueblo 89 Great Black-backed Gull 1/11 Pueblo 88 Loggerhead Shrike 1/11 Pueblo 87 Chihuahuan Raven 1/11 Pueblo 86 Mountain Bluebird 1/11 Pueblo 85 Townsend's Solitaire 1/11 Pueblo 84 Canyon Towhee 1/11 Pueblo 83 American Wigeon 1/09 Jefferson 82 Canvasback 1/09 Jefferson 81 Ring-necked Duck 1/09 Jefferson 80 Greater Scaup 1/09 Jefferson 79 Belted Kingfisher 1/08 Arapahoe 78 Cooper's Hawk 1/07 Boulder 77 Blue Jay 1/07 Boulder 76 Varied Thrush 1/07 Boulder 75 American Goldfinch 1/07 Boulder 74 Spotted Towhee 1/07 Boulder 73 Ring-necked Pheasant 1/04 Logan 72 Rough-legged Hawk 1/04 Logan 71 Marsh Wren 1/04 Logan 70 Prairie Falcon 1/04 Sedgwick 69 Snow Bunting 1/04 Sedgwick 68 Trumpeter Swan 1/04 Logan 67 White-crowned Sparrow 1/04 Logan 66 Great Horned Owl 1/04 Logan 65 Western Meadowlark 1/04 Logan 64 Snow Goose 1/03 Arapahoe 63 Ross's Goose 1/03 Arapahoe 62 Greater White-fronted Goose 1/03 Arapahoe 61 Gadwall 1/03 Arapahoe 60 Red-breasted Merganser 1/03 Arapahoe 59 Red-necked Grebe 1/03 Arapahoe 58 Common Loon 1/03 Arapahoe 57 Yellow-billed Loon 1/03 Arapahoe 56 Horned Lark 1/03 Arapahoe 55 Brant 1/03 Jefferson 54 Sharp-shinned Hawk 1/02 Adams 53 Common Merganser 1/02 Jefferson 52 Long-tailed Duck 1/02 Arapahoe 51 Bufflehead 1/02 Arapahoe 50 Ruddy Duck 1/02 Arapahoe 49 Pied-billed Grebe 1/02 Arapahoe 48 Rock Pigeon 1/02 Arapahoe 47 Great Blue Heron 1/02 Arapahoe 46 Golden Eagle 1/02 Jefferson 45 Cackling Goose 1/02 Douglas 44 Northern Shoveler 1/02 Douglas 43 Green-winged Teal 1/02 Douglas 42 Lesser Scaup 1/02 Douglas 41 White-winged Scoter 1/02 Douglas 40 Hooded Merganser 1/02 Douglas 39 American Coot 1/02 Douglas 38 Pacific Loon 1/02 Douglas 37 Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay 1/02 Jefferson 36 Mountain Chickadee 1/02 Jefferson 35 Bushtit 1/02 Jefferson 34 Mallard 1/02 Jefferson 33 Common Goldeneye 1/02 Jefferson 32 Downy Woodpecker 1/02 Jefferson 31 Pacific Wren 1/02 Jefferson 30 Song Sparrow 1/02 Jefferson 29 Red-winged Blackbird 1/02 Jefferson 28 Bald Eagle 1/01 Larimer 27 Canada Goose 1/01 Larimer 26 Eurasian Collared-Dove 1/01 Larimer 25 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1/01 Larimer 24 Black-capped Chickadee 1/01 Larimer 23 Red-breasted Nuthatch 1/01 Larimer 22 White-breasted Nuthatch 1/01 Larimer 21 Brown Creeper 1/01 Larimer 20 American Robin 1/01 Larimer 19 House Sparrow 1/01 Larimer 18 Dark-eyed Junco 1/01 Larimer 17 Ring-billed Gull 1/01 Larimer 16 Herring Gull 1/01 Larimer 15 Iceland Gull 1/01 Larimer 14 Lesser Black-backed Gull 1/01 Larimer 13 Northern Harrier 1/01 Larimer 12 Red-tailed Hawk 1/01 Larimer 11 Ferruginous Hawk 1/01 Larimer 10 Northern Flicker 1/01 Larimer 9 American Kestrel 1/01 Larimer 8 Merlin 1/01 Larimer 7 Black-billed Magpie 1/01 Larimer 6 American Crow 1/01 Larimer 5 Common Raven 1/01 Larimer 4 European Starling 1/01 Larimer 3 House Finch 1/01 Larimer 2 Lapland Longspur 1/01 Larimer 1 American Tree Sparrow 1/01 Larimer
