Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

Wildlife Sanctuary · United States

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Photo © Thomas Asprey

Photo © Thomas Asprey — CC BY-SA 4.0 — Source: Wikimedia Commons

Where the Rio Grande emerges from its desert canyon in central New Mexico, a narrow ribbon of riparian woodland defies the arid landscape that surrounds it. This wildlife sanctuary, spanning nearly 87,000 acres of cold desert scrubland punctuated by cottonwood bosques and shallow wetland basins, exists in a climate that receives minimal precipitation year-round—a harsh, dry environment where water itself becomes the organizing principle of all life. The refuge's ecological character pivots entirely on its position along a major continental migration corridor: the river and its associated marshes create an oasis of extraordinary biological significance, drawing waterfowl, shorebirds, and raptors across thousands of miles. In the drier uplands, small mammals navigate creosote and saltbush, while birds of prey patrol the skies above sparse grasslands. The wetland complexes host breeding populations of marsh birds and wading birds, their calls filling the cool desert air during seasons when water levels permit. This convergence of river, desert, and sky creates a living crossroads where survival depends on movement and timing.

For wildlife photographers and birders, the refuge demands early arrival and patience measured in hours rather than minutes. Winter and early spring transform the sanctuary into a theater of migration, when vast numbers of waterfowl and shorebirds congregate in the shallow pools, often backlit by low-angle morning sun that reveals every contour and plumage detail. The classic viewing strategy involves slow drives along refuge roads before dawn, when light is soft and animals are active, supplemented by walks to observation points where the distant treeline becomes a survey platform for scanning flocks and identifying raptors at range. Access to the main loop road is reliable and well-maintained, making this an accessible destination for travelers of varying mobility levels. The desert light here cuts with particular clarity—the dry climate ensures minimal atmospheric haze—rewarding those who time their visit to coincide with the peaks of seasonal movement and who understand that in this landscape, water is not merely a feature but the central fact around which all observation must pivot.

Website fws.gov/refuge/bosque_del_apache

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Aquila chrysaetos

Branta bernicla

Branta hutchinsii

Anser caerulescens

Greater White-fronted Goose

Anser albifrons

Cygnus buccinator

Cygnus columbianus

Spatula cyanoptera

Blue-winged Teal

Spatula discors

Northern Shoveler

Spatula clypeata

Mareca strepera

Eurasian Wigeon

Mareca penelope

American Wigeon

Mareca americana

Anas platyrhynchos

Northern Pintail

Aythya valisineria

Aythya americana

Ring-necked Duck

Aythya collaris

Melanitta perspicillata

Melanitta americana

Long-tailed Duck

Clangula hyemalis

Bucephala albeola

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Red-breasted Merganser

Mergus serrator

Oxyura jamaicensis

Callipepla gambelii

Meleagris gallopavo

Common Pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

Lesser Nighthawk

Chordeiles acutipennis

Common Nighthawk

Chordeiles minor

Black-chinned Hummingbird

Archilochus alexandri

Calliope Hummingbird

Selasphorus calliope

Rufous Hummingbird

Selasphorus rufus

Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Selasphorus platycercus

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Cynanthus latirostris

Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus

Eurasian Collared Dove

Streptopelia decaocto

Common Ground Dove

Columbina passerina

Zenaida macroura

White-winged Dove

Zenaida asiatica

Rufous-necked Wood Rail

Aramides axillaris

Rallus limicola

Porzana carolina

Common Gallinule

Gallinula galeata

Fulica americana

Pied-billed Grebe

Podilymbus podiceps

Red-necked Grebe

Podiceps grisegena

Podiceps auritus

Black-necked Grebe

Podiceps nigricollis

Aechmophorus occidentalis

Aechmophorus clarkii

Black-necked Stilt

Himantopus mexicanus

American Avocet

Recurvirostra americana

Pluvialis squatarola

American Golden Plover

Pluvialis dominica

Charadrius vociferus

Hudsonian Whimbrel

Numenius hudsonicus

Long-billed Curlew

Numenius americanus

Hudsonian Godwit

Limosa haemastica

Long-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus scolopaceus

Gallinago delicata

Wilson's Phalarope

Phalaropus tricolor

Phalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked Phalarope

Phalaropus lobatus

Spotted Sandpiper

Actitis macularius

Solitary Sandpiper

Tringa solitaria

Lesser Yellowlegs

Tringa flavipes

Tringa semipalmata

Greater Yellowlegs

Tringa melanoleuca

Ruddy Turnstone

Arenaria interpres

Stilt Sandpiper

Calidris himantopus

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

Calidris subruficollis

Calidris alpina

Baird's Sandpiper

Calidris bairdii

Least Sandpiper

Calidris minutilla

White-rumped Sandpiper

Calidris fuscicollis

Pectoral Sandpiper

Calidris melanotos

Western Sandpiper

Sternula antillarum

Hydroprogne caspia

Chlidonias niger

Sterna forsteri

Bonaparte's Gull

Chroicocephalus philadelphia

Franklin's Gull

Leucophaeus pipixcan

Ring-billed Gull

Larus delawarensis

Lesser Black-backed Gull

California Gull

Larus californicus

Neotropic Cormorant

Nannopterum brasilianum

Double-crested Cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

American White Ibis

Eudocimus albus

Plegadis falcinellus

White-faced Ibis

American Bittern

Botaurus lentiginosus

Yellow-crowned Night Heron

Nyctanassa violacea

Black-crowned Night Heron

Nycticorax nycticorax

Little Blue Heron

Egretta caerulea

Tricolored Heron

Egretta tricolor

Butorides virescens

Great Blue Heron

American White Pelican

Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Pandion haliaetus

White-tailed Kite

Elanus leucurus

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Accipiter striatus

Northern Harrier

Circus hudsonius

Mississippi Kite

Ictinia mississippiensis

Common Black Hawk

Buteogallus anthracinus

Buteo plagiatus

Broad-winged Hawk

Buteo platypterus

Red-shouldered Hawk

Zone-tailed Hawk

Buteo albonotatus

Swainson's Hawk

Buteo swainsoni

Ferruginous Hawk

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus

Western Screech Owl

Megascops kennicottii

Belted Kingfisher

Megaceryle alcyon

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Red-naped Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Dryobates scalaris

Downy Woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

Hairy Woodpecker

Leuconotopicus villosus

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Crested Caracara

Caracara plancus

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Falco columbarius

Falco mexicanus

Peregrine Falcon

Falco peregrinus

Sayornis phoebe

Sayornis nigricans

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Contopus cooperi

Western Wood Pewee

Contopus sordidulus

Willow Flycatcher

Empidonax traillii

Hammond's Flycatcher

Empidonax hammondii

American Dusky Flycatcher

Empidonax oberholseri

American Grey Flycatcher

Empidonax wrightii

Vermilion Flycatcher

Pyrocephalus rubinus

Couch's Kingbird

Tyrannus couchii

Cassin's Kingbird

Tyrannus vociferans

Western Kingbird

Tyrannus verticalis

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

Vireo olivaceus

Yellow-throated Vireo

Vireo flavifrons

White-eyed Vireo

Loggerhead Shrike

Lanius ludovicianus

Northern Shrike

Lanius borealis

Cyanocitta stelleri

Woodhouse's Scrub Jay

Aphelocoma woodhouseii

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Chihuahuan Raven

Corvus cryptoleucus

Phainopepla nitens

Mountain Chickadee

Poecile gambeli

Auriparus flaviceps

Eremophila alpestris

Riparia riparia

Tachycineta bicolor

Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Hirundo rustica

American Cliff Swallow

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

American Bushtit

Psaltriparus minimus

Salpinctes obsoletus

Cistothorus stellaris

Cistothorus palustris

Thryomanes bewickii

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Blue-grey Gnatcatcher

Polioptila caerulea

Black-tailed Gnatcatcher

Polioptila melanura

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Dumetella carolinensis

Northern Mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Oreoscoptes montanus

Curve-billed Thrasher

Toxostoma curvirostre

Crissal Thrasher

Toxostoma crissale

Common Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Mountain Bluebird

Sialia currucoides

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana

Eastern Bluebird

Townsend's Solitaire

Myadestes townsendi

Catharus guttatus

Turdus migratorius

Passer domesticus

Anthus rubescens

Haemorhous mexicanus

American Goldfinch

Lesser Goldfinch

Spinus psaltria

Black-throated Sparrow

Amphispiza bilineata

Chondestes grammacus

Calamospiza melanocorys

Chipping Sparrow

Spizella passerina

Clay-colored Sparrow

Spizella pallida

Brewer's Sparrow

Spizella breweri

Dark-eyed Junco

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Zonotrichia atricapilla

Harris's Sparrow

Zonotrichia querula

White-throated Sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Sagebrush Sparrow

Artemisiospiza nevadensis

Pooecetes gramineus

Savannah Sparrow

Passerculus sandwichensis

Melospiza melodia

Lincoln's Sparrow

Melospiza lincolnii

Melospiza georgiana

Green-tailed Towhee

Pipilo chlorurus

Pipilo maculatus

Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Yellow-breasted Chat

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus

Western Meadowlark

Sturnella neglecta

Chihuahuan Meadowlark

Sturnella lilianae

Icterus parisorum

Red-winged Blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Brown-headed Cowbird

Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

Quiscalus quiscula

Great-tailed Grackle

Quiscalus mexicanus

Black-and-white Warbler

Mniotilta varia

Orange-crowned Warbler

Leiothlypis celata

Leiothlypis luciae

Virginia's Warbler

Leiothlypis virginiae

Common Yellowthroat

Geothlypis trichas

American Redstart

Setophaga ruticilla

Northern Parula

Setophaga americana

American Yellow Warbler

Setophaga aestiva

Grace's Warbler

Setophaga graciae

Setophaga occidentalis

Black-throated Green Warbler

Setophaga virens

Wilson's Warbler

Cardellina pusilla

Painted Whitestart

Myioborus pictus

Western Tanager

Piranga ludoviciana

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Pheucticus ludovicianus

Black-headed Grosbeak

Pheucticus melanocephalus

Cardinalis sinuatus

Spiza americana

Passerina caerulea

Passerina cyanea

Passerina amoena

Painted Bunting

Passerina ciris

Fulvous Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna bicolor

Callipepla squamata

Montezuma Quail

Cyrtonyx montezumae

Common Poorwill

Phalaenoptilus nuttallii

Chaetura pelagica

White-throated Swift

Aeronautes saxatalis

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

Band-tailed Pigeon

Patagioenas fasciata

Purple Gallinule

Porphyrio martinica

Semipalmated Plover

Charadrius semipalmatus

Upland Sandpiper

Bartramia longicauda

Short-billed Dowitcher

Limnodromus griseus

Calidris canutus

Semipalmated Sandpiper

Calidris pusilla

Black-legged Kittiwake

Rissa tridactyla

American Herring Gull

Larus smithsonianus

Mycteria americana

Roseate Spoonbill

Egretta rufescens

Pelecanus occidentalis

Parabuteo unicinctus

American Barn Owl

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Athene cunicularia

Lewis's Woodpecker

Melanerpes lewis

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

Williamson's Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus thyroideus

Aplomado Falcon

Falco femoralis

Western Flycatcher

Empidonax difficilis

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

Tyrannus forficatus

Eastern Kingbird

Tyrannus tyrannus

Plumbeous Vireo

Cyanocitta cristata

Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus

Bombycilla cedrorum

Juniper Titmouse

Baeolophus ridgwayi

Black-capped Chickadee

Poecile atricapillus

Petrochelidon fulva

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Regulus satrapa

Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus

Catherpes mexicanus

Troglodytes hiemalis

Northern House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

Certhia americana

Toxostoma rufum

Swainson's Thrush

Catharus ustulatus

Haemorhous cassinii

Acanthis flammea

Loxia curvirostra

Lawrence's Goldfinch

Spinus lawrencei

Thick-billed Longspur

Rhynchophanes mccownii

Chestnut-collared Longspur

Calcarius ornatus

Cassin's Sparrow

Peucaea cassinii

Grasshopper Sparrow

Ammodramus savannarum

Black-chinned Sparrow

Spizella atrogularis

Rufous-crowned Sparrow

Aimophila ruficeps

Baltimore Oriole

Icterus galbula

Icterus cucullatus

Icterus spurius

Bronzed Cowbird

Molothrus aeneus

Rusty Blackbird

Euphagus carolinus

Northern Waterthrush

Parkesia noveboracensis

Tennessee Warbler

Leiothlypis peregrina

Nashville Warbler

Leiothlypis ruficapilla

MacGillivray's Warbler

Geothlypis tolmiei

Setophaga citrina

Cape May Warbler

Setophaga tigrina

Chestnut-sided Warbler

Setophaga pensylvanica

Setophaga palmarum

Yellow-throated Warbler

Setophaga dominica

Black-throated Grey Warbler

Setophaga nigrescens

Townsend's Warbler

Setophaga townsendi

Scarlet Tanager

Piranga olivacea

Northern Cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

Eurasian Whimbrel

Numenius phaeopus

Eastern Warbling Vireo

Mangrove Warbler

Setophaga petechia

Desert Cottontail

Sylvilagus audubonii

Common Rock Squirrel

Otospermophilus variegatus

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Cynomys ludovicianus

Ondatra zibethicus

White-throated Woodrat

Neotoma albigula

Hispid Cotton Rat

Sigmodon hispidus

Mephitis mephitis

Long-tailed Weasel

Neogale frenata

American Badger

Northern Raccoon

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

Northern Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

Odocoileus hemionus

Cervus canadensis

North American Beaver

Castor canadensis

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