WhenToBird

Birding spot · Sierra County, New Mexico

Birding at Elephant Butte Lake State Park: What You'll See Each Week

In November, the birds most often reported at Elephant Butte Lake State Park are Ruby-crowned Kinglet (90%), House Finch (74%), and American Coot (73%). It is busiest in spring, when 103 species turn up on at least 1 in 20 checklists, and species counts peak in late April (115 species). 219 species have been reported here across 1,158 complete checklists from 473 birders.

Species by week

0255075100125Jan 1-7: 70 species on 5%+ of 57 checklistsJan 8-14: 66 species on 5%+ of 44 checklistsJan 15-21: 65 species on 5%+ of 29 checklistsJan 22-31: 64 species on 5%+ of 31 checklistsFeb 1-7: 67 species on 5%+ of 27 checklistsFeb 8-14: 53 species on 5%+ of 22 checklistsFeb 15-21: 72 species on 5%+ of 49 checklistsFeb 22-28: 74 species on 5%+ of 37 checklistsMar 1-7: 77 species on 5%+ of 25 checklistsMar 8-14: 90 species on 5%+ of 17 checklistsMar 15-21: 80 species on 5%+ of 30 checklistsMar 22-31: 82 species on 5%+ of 37 checklistsApr 1-7: 71 species on 5%+ of 25 checklistsApr 8-14: 105 species on 5%+ of 34 checklistsApr 15-21: 101 species on 5%+ of 32 checklistsApr 22-30: 115 species on 5%+ of 46 checklistsMay 1-7: 91 species on 5%+ of 32 checklistsMay 8-14: 81 species on 5%+ of 23 checklistsMay 15-21: 93 species on 5%+ of 20 checklistsMay 22-31: low data (9 checklists)Jun 1-7: low data (7 checklists)Jun 8-14: low data (2 checklists)Jun 15-21: low data (5 checklists)Jun 22-30: low data (6 checklists)Jul 1-7: low data (1 checklists)Jul 8-14: low data (3 checklists)Jul 15-21: low data (3 checklists)Jul 22-31: low data (2 checklists)Aug 1-7: low data (3 checklists)Aug 8-14: low data (3 checklists)Aug 15-21: low data (9 checklists)Aug 22-31: low data (5 checklists)Sep 1-7: low data (4 checklists)Sep 8-14: 89 species on 5%+ of 11 checklistsSep 15-21: 90 species on 5%+ of 12 checklistsSep 22-30: 97 species on 5%+ of 19 checklistsOct 1-7: 79 species on 5%+ of 24 checklistsOct 8-14: 71 species on 5%+ of 24 checklistsOct 15-21: 84 species on 5%+ of 36 checklistsOct 22-31: 80 species on 5%+ of 31 checklistsNov 1-7: 89 species on 5%+ of 18 checklistsNov 8-14: 71 species on 5%+ of 34 checklistsNov 15-21: 73 species on 5%+ of 16 checklistsNov 22-30: 80 species on 5%+ of 32 checklistsDec 1-7: 79 species on 5%+ of 27 checklistsDec 8-14: 77 species on 5%+ of 59 checklistsDec 15-21: 75 species on 5%+ of 46 checklistsDec 22-31: 70 species on 5%+ of 90 checklistsJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Number of species reported on at least 5% of complete checklists, by week (4 per month). Grey bars: fewer than 10 checklists, not counted.

In November: what to expect

  1. 1Ruby-crowned Kinglet90%
  2. 2House Finch74%
  3. 3American Coot73%
  4. 4White-crowned Sparrow70%
  5. 5Yellow-rumped Warbler70%
  6. 6American Wigeon64%
  7. 7Northern Flicker63%
  8. 8Pyrrhuloxia63%
  9. 9Spotted Towhee62%
  10. 10Verdin60%
  11. 11Black Phoebe58%
  12. 12Rock Wren56%
  13. 13Curve-billed Thrasher55%
  14. 14Song Sparrow55%
  15. 15Belted Kingfisher49%

Share of complete checklists at this spot that reported the bird in November. The sparkline is the whole year, with this month highlighted.

Season by season

Winter 78 species

  1. American Wigeon85%
  2. Gadwall81%
  3. American Coot78%
  4. Northern Shoveler75%
  5. Ruby-crowned Kinglet74%

Spring 103 species

  1. White-winged Dove92%
  2. House Finch81%
  3. Pyrrhuloxia71%
  4. Yellow-rumped Warbler70%
  5. Northern Rough-winged Swallow68%

Summer 67 species

  1. White-winged Dove98%
  2. Barn Swallow94%
  3. House Finch86%
  4. Northern Mockingbird78%
  5. Yellow-breasted Chat78%

Fall 82 species

  1. Ruby-crowned Kinglet76%
  2. House Finch75%
  3. Curve-billed Thrasher66%
  4. Yellow-rumped Warbler64%
  5. Verdin64%

Specialties

Birds reported far more often here than across New Mexico.

  • Nutting's Flycatcher8.4% of checklists here vs 0.1% statewide: 439.8×
  • Rufous-backed Robin7.1% of checklists here vs 0.1% statewide: 160.0×
  • Mexican Duck36% of checklists here vs 1.6% statewide: 22.6×
  • Pyrrhuloxia70% of checklists here vs 3.1% statewide: 22.5×
  • Phainopepla37% of checklists here vs 2.1% statewide: 17.5×
  • Belted Kingfisher48% of checklists here vs 3.1% statewide: 15.4×
  • Bell's Vireo13% of checklists here vs 0.9% statewide: 15.3×
  • Green Heron11% of checklists here vs 0.7% statewide: 15.2×

Frequency is the share of complete checklists at this location that listed the bird, 2016–2025. Busy places report more of everything, and the weekly chart counts species on at least 5% of checklists so a few stray reports do not inflate it. How to read it.