Date: 1/1/26 6:37 am From: Doug Jenness (via aznmbirds Mailing List) <aznmbirds...> Subject: [AZNMbirds] Pinal County birds 2025
Jan. 1, 2026
For the past 15 years I've been keeping track of the number of bird species
reported annually from Pinal County, AZ, particularly noting species new to
the county and those that are rare. This year 320 species were reported.
The highest was 329 in 2023. Four species were new additions to the county
list: CURLEW SANDPIPER (Maricopa dairy), GLAUCOUS GULL (San Carlos Lake),
BLACK SCOTER (Casa Grande) and PACIFIC LOON (Saddlebrooke Ranch). The first
three are on the Arizona Bird Committee’s review list and are being
reviewed by the committee. If all are accepted by the ABC, it will bring
the county total to *443* species. The total number reported for the
15-year period is 422 species, which is 95% of the species documented in
the county. Most outstanding this year was the Curlew Sandpiper, which if
accepted will be only the second record for the state.
Other highpoints included—
· Second county record for Eastern Kingbird;
· Third records for Pygmy Nuthatch, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, and
Iceland Gull, the latter if accepted by the ABC;
· Fifth records for Red Knot, Lesser Black-backed Gull, and Cape
May Warbler, all of which are review species and are being reviewed by the
ABC;
· Sixth record for American Bittern;
· A Streak-backed Oriole at Santa Cruz Flats was the first for the
county in 6 years, and the first for The Flats;
· An Orchard Oriole, casual in the county, was at a private yard in
Saddlebrooke for 4 months.
Two Mississippi Kites, photographed in July at the Daybreak Pecan Farm at
the Santa Cruz Flats, suggest possible breeding. One was photographed at
the same location in 2024.
All-time eBird high numbers for several species reported from specific
locations and dates this year included White-winged Scoter (3), Inca Dove
(45), Common Ground Dove (18), Stilt Sandpiper (22), Mountain Chickadee
(3), Violet Green Swallow (400), Western Flycatcher (14), Warbling Vireo
(84), Gray Vireo (18), Inca Dove (45). Townsend’s Warbler (15), Common
Yellowthroat (38), Black-headed Grosbeak (6), White crowned Sparrow
(2,000), Sagebrush Sparrow (32), Horned Lark (2,500), Brewer’s Sparrow
(500), and Vesper Sparrow (500).
