60 birds were recorded seen in Colorado in May in our iNaturalist sample; 30 of the top 50 are at their peak this month. The list is ranked by number of research-grade observations.
Top birds in May
Red-winged Blackbird
Canada Goose
Mallard
American Robin
Black-billed Magpie
Bullock's Oriole
Spotted Towhee
Great Blue Heron
Western Tanager
Red-tailed Hawk
American White Pelican
House Finch
All birds seen in Colorado in May
| # | Species | Scientific name | Family | Obs. | Peak in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Red-winged Blackbird | Agelaius phoeniceus | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 1,731 | May (peak) |
| 2 | Canada Goose | Branta canadensis | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 1,431 | Apr (past peak) |
| 3 | Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | Ducks, Geese, and Swans | 1,329 | Apr (past peak) |
| 4 | American Robin | Turdus migratorius | Thrushes | 1,317 | Apr (past peak) |
| 5 | Black-billed Magpie | Pica hudsonia | Crows, Jays, and Magpies | 1,176 | Jun (rising) |
| 6 | Bullock's Oriole | Icterus bullockii | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 959 | May (peak) |
| 7 | Spotted Towhee | Pipilo maculatus | New World Sparrows | 931 | May (peak) |
| 8 | Great Blue Heron | Ardea herodias | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 917 | May (peak) |
| 9 | Western Tanager | Piranga ludoviciana | Cardinals and Allies | 897 | May (peak) |
| 10 | Red-tailed Hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites | 828 | Apr (past peak) |
| 11 | American White Pelican | Pelecanus erythrorhynchos | Pelicans | 818 | Apr (past peak) |
| 12 | House Finch | Haemorhous mexicanus | Finches, Euphonias, and Allies | 770 | May (peak) |
| 13 | Western Kingbird | Tyrannus verticalis | Tyrant Flycatchers | 767 | May (peak) |
| 14 | Double-crested Cormorant | Nannopterum auritum | Cormorants and Shags | 708 | May (peak) |
| 15 | Broad-tailed Hummingbird | Selasphorus platycercus | Hummingbirds | 693 | Jul (rising) |
| 16 | Western Meadowlark | Sturnella neglecta | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 652 | Apr (past peak) |
| 17 | Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | Woodpeckers | 625 | Apr (past peak) |
| 18 | Northern Yellow Warbler | Setophaga aestiva | New World Warblers | 607 | May (peak) |
| 19 | Great Horned Owl | Bubo virginianus | Typical Owls | 598 | May (peak) |
| 20 | Black-headed Grosbeak | Pheucticus melanocephalus | Cardinals and Allies | 579 | May (peak) |
| 21 | Wild Turkey | Meleagris gallopavo | Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies | 575 | Apr (past peak) |
| 22 | Swainson's Hawk | Buteo swainsoni | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites | 570 | Aug (rising) |
| 23 | Northern House Wren | Troglodytes aedon | Wrens | 554 | May (peak) |
| 24 | Killdeer | Charadrius vociferus | Plovers and Lapwings | 538 | May (peak) |
| 25 | Steller's Jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | Crows, Jays, and Magpies | 530 | Sep (rising) |
| 26 | Common Grackle | Quiscalus quiscula | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 492 | May (peak) |
| 27 | Say's Phoebe | Sayornis saya | Tyrant Flycatchers | 485 | Apr (past peak) |
| 28 | Mourning Dove | Zenaida macroura | Pigeons and Doves | 484 | May (peak) |
| 29 | American Goldfinch | Spinus tristis | Finches, Euphonias, and Allies | 484 | May (peak) |
| 30 | Lark Sparrow | Chondestes grammacus | New World Sparrows | 483 | May (peak) |
| 31 | Barn Swallow | Hirundo rustica | Swallows and Martins | 476 | May (peak) |
| 32 | Chipping Sparrow | Spizella passerina | New World Sparrows | 469 | May (peak) |
| 33 | Yellow-rumped Warbler | Setophaga coronata | New World Warblers | 462 | May (peak) |
| 34 | Mountain Bluebird | Sialia currucoides | Thrushes | 454 | Jun (rising) |
| 35 | Blue Jay | Cyanocitta cristata | Crows, Jays, and Magpies | 428 | May (peak) |
| 36 | Bald Eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | Hawks, Eagles, and Kites | 409 | Jan (past peak) |
| 37 | Brown-headed Cowbird | Molothrus ater | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 390 | May (peak) |
| 38 | Tree Swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | Swallows and Martins | 390 | May (peak) |
| 39 | Lazuli Bunting | Passerina amoena | Cardinals and Allies | 388 | May (peak) |
| 40 | Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | Ospreys | 386 | Apr (past peak) |
| 41 | Snowy Egret | Egretta thula | Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns | 376 | May (peak) |
| 42 | Violet-green Swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | Swallows and Martins | 371 | Jul (rising) |
| 43 | Eastern Kingbird | Tyrannus tyrannus | Tyrant Flycatchers | 370 | May (peak) |
| 44 | Spotted Sandpiper | Actitis macularius | Sandpipers and Allies | 368 | May (peak) |
| 45 | Turkey Vulture | Cathartes aura | New World Vultures | 365 | Apr (past peak) |
| 46 | Yellow-headed Blackbird | Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | New World Blackbirds and Orioles | 363 | May (peak) |
| 47 | House Sparrow | Passer domesticus | Old World Sparrows | 357 | Jun (rising) |
| 48 | Western Wood-Pewee | Contopus sordidulus | Tyrant Flycatchers | 352 | May (peak) |
| 49 | Lark Bunting | Calamospiza melanocorys | New World Sparrows | 340 | May (peak) |
| 50 | Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay | Aphelocoma woodhouseii | Crows, Jays, and Magpies | 340 | Aug (rising) |