Birds of the Park

Red-tailed Hawk

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Falconifomes (or Accipitriformes)
Family: Accipitridae
Genus: Buteo
Species: Buteo jamaicensis
Length: 19″
Wing Span: 49″
Weight: 2.4 lb (1,080 g)
The red-tailed hawk can be seen flying high above the Garden of the Gods park, but most commonly observed flying around Gray Rock.

Prairie Falcon

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Falconifomes (or Accipitriformes)
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Species: Falco mexicanus
Length: 16″
Wing Span: 40″
Weight: 1.6 lb (720 g)
The prairie falcons are most commonly observed nesting and flying around North Gateway Rock.

American Kestrel

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Falconifomes (or Accipitriformes)
Family: Falconidae
Genus: Falco
Species: Falco sparverius
Length: 9″
Wing Span: 22″
Weight: 4.1 lb (117 g)
American kestrels are often observed hovering near the foothills trail. They are also commonly spotted around the east side of North Gateway Rock.

Northern Flicker

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Piciformes
Family: Picidae
Genus: Colaptes
Species: Colaptes auratus
Length: 12.5″
Wing Span: 20″
Weight: 4.6 lb (130 g)
Northern flickers are found throughout the park and can often be observed in the Spring Canyon Picnic area or along the Scotsman Trail.

Rock Pigeon

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Columbiformes
Family: Columbidae
Genus: Columba
Species: Columba livia
Length: 12.5″
Wing Span: 28″
Weight: 9 lb (270 g)
Pigeons are often seen perched and flying around Three Graces. They can be observed along the Perkin’s Central Garden Trail.

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Apodiformes
Family: Trochilidae
Genus: Selasphorus
Species: Selasphorus platycercus
Length: 8.5″
Wing Span: 10.5″
Weight: 1.4 oz (40 g)
The most common hummingbird found in the Garden of the Gods is the broad-tailed hummingbird. For the best views, visit the feeders around the Visitor and Nature Center.

White-Throated Swift

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Apodiformes
Family: Apodidae
Genus: Aeronautes
Species: Aeronautes saxatalis
Length: 6.5″
Wing Span: 15″
Weight: 1.1 oz (32 g)
White-throated swifts can be seen (and heard) flying around North and South Gateway Rocks. For a unique observation, look for large migration flocks in the evenings around Babel Tower (north tip of North Gateway Rock) in November.

Violet-Green Swallow

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Hirundinidae
Genus: Tachycineta
Species: Tachycineta thalassina
Length: 5.25″
Wing Span: 13.5″
Weight: 0.49 oz (14 g)
Violet-green swallows can be observed around (and south) of South Gateway Rock.

Common Raven

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Species: Corvus corax
Length: 24″
Wing Span: 53″
Weight: 2.6 lb (1,200 g)
Common ravens are most often seen soaring above the Garden of the Gods, and also on the west side of the park. Look for them along the Chambers/Bretag/Palmer Trail and perched on the rocks west of North Gateway Rock. Ravens are larger and have a more rounded tail than crows.  Ravens will soar through the air while crows are not able to soar.

American Crow

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Corvus
Species: Corvus brachyrhynshos
Length: 17.5″
Wing Span: 39″
Weight: 1 lb (450 g)
American crows are most often observed in groups passing through the park. Look for them along the Mountain Biking Trails. Crows are smaller then ravens and have a more block-style tail.

Black-billed Magpie

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Pica
Species: Pica hudsonia
Length: 19″
Wing Span: 25″
Weight: 6 oz (175 g)
Black-billed magpies are the unofficial mascot of the Garden of the Gods park. Look for them along the Perken’s Central Garden Tail and along the MountainBiking Tails. There is often a nesting pair found around the Garden of the Gods Visitor and Nature Center.

Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Corvidae
Genus: Aphelocoma
Species: Aphelocoma californica
Length: 11.5″
Wing Span: 15.5″
Weight: 3 oz (85 g)
Woodhouse’s Scrub Jay is formerly known as the Western Scrub Jay.  Theses jays are a common sight along the Perkin’s Central Garden Trail.

Western Tanager

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Thraupidae
Genus: Piranga
Species: Piranga ludoviciana
Length: 7.25″
Wing Span: 11.5″
Weight: 0.98 oz (28 g)
Western Tanagers are less commonly seen in the park but can be observed in the northern and western sections. Look for them along the Chambers/Bretag/Palmer Trail.

American Robin

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Turdidae
Genus: Turdus
Species: Turdus migratorius
Length: 10″
Wing Span: 17″
Weight: 2.7 oz (77 g)
American robins can be seen throughout the park. Look for groups along the Perkin’s Central Garden Trail.

Spotted Towhee

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Emberizidae
Genus: Pipilo
Species: Pipilo maculatus
Length: 8.5″
Wing Span: 10.5″
Weight: 1.4 oz (40 g)
Spotted towhees are seen throughout the park digging through gambel oak leaves. If you hear something rustling along the ground in the oak leaves, chances are it is a spotted towhee looking for food. Look for them along the Chambers/Bretag/Palmer Trail.

Mountain Chickadee

Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Ordeo·: Passeriformes
Family: Paridae
Genus: Poecile
Species: poecile gambeli
Length: 5.25″
Wing Span: 8.5″
Weight: 0.39 oz (11 g)
Mountain chickadees can be seen throughout the park with most sightings on the west side. Look for them along the Scotsman/Buckskin Charlie Trail.

Photo credits are Wikimedia Commons (unless otherwise labeled).