U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Birds of Aransas National Wildlife Refuge

The Aransas NWR lies along the central flyway, a major migration route. Each spring and fall millions of waterfowl, shorebirds and songbirds pass through the Refuge. The uniqueness of this location has resulted in an astounding 405 documented species. Spring and fall are the premier times to visit, however in all seasons Aransas NWR truly is a birder’s paradise.

Whooping cranes are the Refuge’s most famous migrants, arriving in late October and departing by mid-April. Planning your trip around these dates will maximize your chances of seeing these birds.

Bird List Introduction and Key South Texas birds do not recognize traditional calendar seasons. The seasonal designations for species, intended as general guidelines, are treated as follows on the checklist:

Spring March–May Summer June–July Fall August–November Winter December–February

Explanation of Symbols 1 An introduced/exotic species. 2 Denotes a regularly nesting species on, or in close proximity to, the Refuge. It does not necessarily indicate that a certain species nests every year. 3 Denotes a species which has nested at Aransas in past years (but not currently). 4 Denotes possible nester due to presence of suitable habitat and Aransas lies within species breeding range. 5 Federal/State endangered or threatened species. 6 Extirpated

Abundance C Common; suitable habitat is available; should be seen during appropriate season. U Uncommon; present, in moderate numbers; not seen on every visit. O Occasional; present, only a few times per season; also includes those species which do not occur each year, while in some years may be fairly common.

R Rare; observed only every 1 to 5 years; records for species at Aransas are sporadic and few. N No record

Habitat (Hbt) The following codes are used to describe a species’ general habitat preference. However, birds are not restricted to the habitats listed for them.

Q - Aquatic B - Brushland F - Forest, Woodland G - Grassland M - Marsh The Aransas checklist follows the order of the 7th edition (1998) AOU checklist through the 49th Supplement to the AOU Checklist (July 2008).

Sp S F W Hbt Ducks, Geese, and Swans ___Black-bellied Whistling-Duck2

U C U O M,Q ___Fulvous Whistling-Duck2

O O O R M,Q ___Greater White-fronted Goose O N U C M,Q,G ___Snow Goose U N U C M,Q,G ___Ross’s Goose O N R O M,Q,G ___Brant N N N R M,Q ___Barnacle Goose1 N N N R M,Q ___Canada Goose O R C C M,Q,G ___Tundra Swan N N R R M,Q ___Wood Duck3 O O O O M,Q,G,F ___Gadwall3 C R U C M,Q ___American Wigeon C R C C M,Q ___American Black Duck R N R R M,Q ___Mallard3 O R O O M,Q ___Mottled Duck2 C C C C M,Q ___Blue-winged Teal3 C O C C M,Q ___Cinnamon Teal O N O O M,Q ___Northern Shoveler C R U C M,Q ___Northern Pintail C O C C M,Q ___Green-winged Teal U R U C M,Q ___Canvasback U R O U M,Q ___Redhead U R U C M,Q ___Ring-necked Duck O R O O M,Q ___Greater Scaup R N N R Q ___Lesser Scaup C R U C M,Q ___Harlequin Duck N N N R Q

Sp S F W Hbt ___Surf Scoter R R N R Q ___White-winged Scoter N N R R Q ___Black Scoter N N N R Q ___Long-tailed Duck N N R R Q ___Bufflehead C N O C Q ___Common Goldeneye O R O U Q ___Hooded Merganser O N O U M,Q ___Common Merganser R N R R Q ___Red-breasted Merganser U N O C Q ___Masked Duck R N R R M,Q ___Ruddy Duck C R O C Q Grouse and Turkeys ___Attwater’s Greater Prairie-Chicken6

G ___Wild Turkey2 O O O O F,B New World Quail ___Northern Bobwhite2

C C C C G,B Loons ___Red-throated Loon R N N N Q ___Common Loon U N R U Q Grebes ___Least Grebe2 O O O O M,Q ___Pied-billed Grebe2 C O U C M,Q ___Horned Grebe N N R O M,Q ___Red-necked Grebe N N N R Q ___Eared Grebe U N U C Q ___Western Grebe R N N R Q Flamingos ___Greater Flamingo R N R R M,Q Shearwaters ___Sooty Shearwater R N N N Q Tropicbirds ___White-tailed Tropicbird N R R N Q Boobies and Gannets ___Masked Booby N R N N Q ___Brown Booby N R N N Q ___Northern Gannet R R N R Q Pelicans ___American White Pelican3

C O C C Q ___Brown Pelican3 5 C C C C Q

Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Cormorants Caracaras and Falcons ___White-rumped Sandpiper

Cormorant4 ___Neotropic ___Crested Caracara2 C C C C G,B U N R N Q,M U U U U M,Q ___American Kestrel C N C C B,G ___Baird’s Sandpiper U N R N Q,M

Cormorant4 ___Double-crested ___Merlin U N U O B,G ___Pectoral Sandpiper C O C C M,Q Falcon2 5 ___Aplomado U R U R Q,M Darters U U U U B,G ___Dunlin C R U C Q,M ___Anhinga4 U O O O M Falcon5 ___Peregrine O R O O G,Q,B ___Stilt Sandpiper U R U R Q,M Frigatebirds ___Prairie Falcon R N R R G ___Buff-breasted Sandpiper ___Magnificent Frigatebird Rails, Gallinules and Coots O R O N G O U U R Q ___Yellow Rail R N R R M,G ___Short-billed Dowitcher Herons and Bitterns Rail2 ___Black R R R R M,G U O O O Q,M

Bittern4 ___American U R U U M,Q Rail2 ___Clapper U U U U M ___Long-billed Dowitcher Bittern3 ___Least U U U R M,Q Rail2 ___King O O O U M U O C C Q,M

___Great Blue Heron2C C C C M,Q ___Virginia Rail O R O O M ___Wilson’s Snipe U R U U Q,M Egret2 ___Great C C C C M,Q ___Sora3 C R O U M ___American Woodcock Egret2 ___Snowy C C C C M,Q Gallinule2 ___Purple U U O R M,Q R N R R Q,M

___Little Blue Heron2 C U C U M,Q Moorhen2 ___Common ___Wilson’s Phalarope Heron2 ___Tricolored C C C C M,Q C U U C M,Q U R O N Q,M

Egret2 5 ___Reddish U U U U M,Q Coot2 ___American C O C C Q,M ___Red-necked Phalarope Egret2 ___Cattle C C C O M,Q,G Cranes R N R R Q,M Heron2 ___Green U U U O M,Q ___Sandhill Crane U R C C G,M,Q Gulls, Terns and Skimmers

Night-Heron2 ___Black-crowned Crane5 ___Whooping U R U U M,G,Q ___Bonaparte’s Gull U N R C Q,M U U U U M,Q Plovers ___Little Gull R N N N Q,M

Night-Heron2 ___Yellow-crowned ___Black-bellied Plover Gull2 ___Laughing C C C C Q,M U O U R M,Q C O C C Q,M ___Franklin’s Gull U N O R Q,M Ibises and Spoonbills ___American Golden-Plover ___Ring-billed Gull U R U C Q,M

Ibis2 ___White C C C C M,Q O N R N G,Q ___Herring Gull U R U U Q,M ___Glossy Ibis U U N R M,Q Plover2 ___Snowy U O U U Q ___Lesser Black-backed Gull

Ibis2 5 ___White-faced U U U U M,Q Plover2 ___Wilson’s U U U R M,G,Q R N N R Q,M ___Roseate Spoonbill2 C U C C M,Q ___Semipalmated Plover ___Glaucous Gull R N N N Q,M Storks U R U O Q,M ___Great Black-backed Gull

Stork5 ___Wood R U U R M,Q Plover5 ___Piping U R U U Q,M N N N R Q,M New World Vultures ___Killdeer2 C C C C M,G,Q Tern5 ___Sooty N R R N Q

Vulture2 ___Black C C C C F,G,B ___Mountain Plover R N R N G Tern2 ___Least U U U N Q,M Vulture2 ___Turkey C C C C F,G,B Oystercatchers Tern2 ___Gull-billed C U U O Q,M

Hawks, Kites, Eagles and Allies Oystercatcher2 ___American Tern2 ___Caspian C C C C Q,M ___Osprey U R C C M,Q U U U U Q ___Black Tern U U U N Q,M

Kite5 ___Swallow-tailed Stilts and Avocets Tern5 ___Roseate R N N N Q O N N N F,G,B Stilt2 ___Black-necked ___Common Tern O R O O Q,M

Kite2 ___White-tailed U O U U G,B C U C O Q,M Tern2 ___Forster’s C C C C Q,M ___Snail Kite R N N N Q Avocet3 ___American U O U C Q,M Tern2 ___Royal U U U U Q,M ___Mississippi Kite O N O N G,B Sandpipers, Phalaropes and Allies Tern2 ___Sandwich C U U O Q,M

Eagle3 5 ___Bald R R R R G,B,Q ___Spotted Sandpiper Skimmer2 ___Black U U U U Q,M ___Northern Harrier C N C C M,G,B U O U U Q,M Jaegers ___Sharp-shinned Hawk ___Solitary Sandpiper ___Pomarine Jaeger N R N N Q U R U U F,B U R O R Q,M ___Parasitic Jaeger R R N N Q ___Cooper’s Hawk O R U U F,B,G ___Greater Yellowlegs Pigeons and Doves ___Harris’s Hawk R N R R G,B C U C C Q,M Pigeon1 ___Rock R R R R F,B ___Red-shouldered Hawk ___Willet2 C C C C Q,M ___Band-tailed Pigeon U R U C F,B ___Lesser Yellowlegs C U C C Q,M N N R R F ___Broad-winged Hawk ___Upland Sandpiper U R U N G Collared-Dove1 4 ___Eurasian U N O R F,B ___Whimbrel U R O R Q,M,G R R R R B,G ___Swainson’s Hawk U N O R G,B ___Long-billed Curlew Dove4 ___White-winged

Hawk2 5 ___White-tailed C U C C M,Q,G U N U U B,G C C C C G,B ___Hudsonian Godwit Dove2 ___Mourning C C C C B,G,F ___Zone-tailed Hawk5 N N N R G,B O R R N Q,G Dove2 ___Inca U U U U F,B ___Red-tailed Hawk U U U C B,G,F ___Marbled Godwit C O U C Q,M Ground-Dove3 ___Common ___Ferruginous Hawk ___Ruddy Turnstone U O U U Q O O O O B,F,G R N R R G,B ___Red Knot R R R R Q,M Cuckoos, Roadrunners & Allies ___Rough-legged Hawk ___Sanderling C O C C Q,M Cuckoo2 ___Yellow-billed R N R R G, B ___Semipalmated Sandpiper C U U N F,B ___Golden Eagle R N R R G,B U N C R Q,M ___Black-billed Cuckoo

___Western Sandpiper O N R N F,B C O C C Q,M Roadrunner3 ___Greater ___Least Sandpiper C O C C Q,M R R R R G,B

___Groove-billed Ani R O U O F,B

Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Barn Owls Tyrant Flycatchers Verdins ___Barn Owl2 O R O O F,B,G ___Acadian Flycatcher ___Verdin R R R R B Typical Owls U N O N F,B Nuthatches ___Eastern Screech-Owl ___Alder Flycatcher O N O N F,B ___Red-breasted Nuthatch

R R R R F,B ___Willow Flycatcher N N R R F ___Great Horned Owl2 O N U N F,B Creepers

U U U U F,B ___Least Flycatcher U N O R F,B ___Brown Creeper N N R R F ___Burrowing Owl N N R R G ___Gray Flycatcher N N N R B Wrens ___Barred Owl N N R R F ___Eastern Phoebe U N C C F,B ___Cactus Wren N N R N B ___Short-eared Owl O N O U G ___Say’s Phoebe R N R R C,Q ___Rock Wren N N R N B Goatsuckers ___Vermilion Flycatcher4 ___Carolina Wren2 C C C C F,B ___Lesser Nighthawk4R R N R G,B R R R R B,Q ___Bewick’s Wren2 O O O O B,F ___Common Nighthawk2 ___Ash-throated Flycatcher ___House Wren U N U C F,B

C C C R B,G R O R N B,G,F ___Winter Wren O N R O F,B ___Common Pauraque2 ___Great Crested Flycatcher ___Sedge Wren C N C C B,G,M

U U O U F,B C N U N F,B ___Marsh Wren2 C N U U M ___Common Poorwill R N R N B,G ___Brown-crested Flycatcher2 Kinglets ___Chuck-will’s-widow U U U R F,B ___Golden-crowned Kinglet

U N O N F,B ___Great Kiskadee2 O O O O B O N O U F,B ___Whip-poor-will U N O N F,B ___Couch’s Kingbird O N O O B,G ___Ruby-crowned Kinglet Swifts ___Western Kingbird O N O N B,G C N C C F,B ___Chimney Swift4 C R U N B,G ___Eastern Kingbird2C R C R B,G Gnatcatchers ___White-throated Swift ___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher2 ___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher3

R N N N B,G C C C R B,G U R U U F,B Hummingbirds ___Fork-tailed Flycatcher Thrushes ___Green Violetear R N N N F,B N R N R B ___Eastern Bluebird R R O O B,G,F ___Buff-bellied Hummingbird2 Shrikes ___Mountain Bluebird

U U U R F,B ___Loggerhead Shrike2 R N N R B,G ___Ruby-throated Hummingbird4 U O C C B,G,Q ___Veery U N R N F

C R C R F,B Vireos ___Gray-cheeked Thrush ___Black-chinned Hummingbird ___White-eyed Vireo2 C C C C F,B O N R N F

R N R N F,B ___Bell’s Vireo O O O R B ___Swainson’s Thrush ___Broad-tailed Hummingbird ___Yellow-throated Vireo U N O N F

R N R N F,B U N R N F ___Hermit Thrush U N O C F,B ___Rufous Hummingbird ___Plumbeous Vireo N N N R F ___Wood Thrush U N R R F,B

N R O N F,B ___Blue-headed VireoU N U U F ___Clay-colored Thrush Kingfishers ___Warbling Vireo U N R N F N N N R F ___Belted Kingfisher4C O C C Q,M ___Philadelphia VireoU N R N F ___American Robin U R O C F,B ___Green Kingfisher R N N R Q,M ___Red-eyed Vireo C R U N F Mockingbirds and Thrashers Woodpeckers and Allies ___Yellow-green Vireo ___Gray Catbird C N C U F,B ___Red-headed Woodpecker R N N N F ___Northern Mockingbird2

R N R R F Crows and Jays C U C C B,G ___Acorn WoodpeckerN N N R F ___Blue Jay R R R R F,B ___Sage Thrasher N N R R B ___Golden-fronted Woodpecker2 ___Green Jay N N N R F ___Brown Thrasher C N C C F,B

O O O O G,B ___American Crow R N R R G,B ___Long-billed Thrasher2

___Red-bellied Woodpecker3 ___Chihuahuan Raven U O O U F,B U U U U F N R N N G ___Curve-billed Thrasher

___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Larks O O O O B U N U U F ___Horned Lark2 U U U U G Starlings

___Red-naped Sapsucker Swallows ___European Starling1 2

N N N R F ___Purple Martin3 U O O R F,B O N R O F.B ___Ladder-backed Woodpecker2 ___Tree Swallow U R U O F,C,B Pipits

U U U U F,B ___Northern Rough-winged Swallow ___American Pipit O N U C G,M,Q ___Downy Woodpecker C R U R F,B,G ___Sprague’s Pipit O N O U G

R R R R F ___Bank Swallow4 U N U N F,B,G Waxwings ___Northern Flicker O N O O F,B ___Cliff Swallow2 C C C N F,B,G ___Cedar Waxwing O N O O F,B ___Pileated Woodpecker ___Cave Swallow3 R R R N B,G Silky-flycatchers

R N R R F ___Barn Swallow2 C U C R F,B,G ___Phainopepla N N N R B,F Tyrant Flycatchers Chickadees and Titmice ___Olive-sided Flycatcher ___Carolina Chickadee

U N U R F,B R R R R F,B ___Eastern Wood-Pewee ___Tufted Titmouse2 O O O O F,B

C N C N F,B ___Black-crested Titmouse ___Yellow-bellied Flycatcher R R R R F,B

O N O N F,B

Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Sp S F W Hbt Wood-Warblers Tanagers Blackbirds and Orioles ___Blue-winged Warbler ___Summer Tanager R R U R F ___Bobolink O N N N G

U N R N F ___Scarlet Tanager U N R N F ___Red-winged Blackbird2

___Golden-winged Warbler ___Western Tanager R N R R F C C C C M,G,Q U N R N F Towhees, Sparrows and Allies ___Eastern Meadowlark2

___Tennessee Warbler C N O R F ___Olive Sparrow R R N R B C C C C G,B ___Orange-crowned Warbler ___Green-tailed Towhee ___Western Meadowlark

U N U C F N N N R B R N R R G ___Nashville Warbler U N U O F ___Spotted Towhee R N R O B,F ___Yellow-headed Blackbird ___Northern Parula C N U R F ___Eastern Towhee U N O U B,F O R R N G,M ___Tropical Parula5 R R R R F ___Cassin’s Sparrow2 U U U R G ___Rusty Blackbird N N R R G ___Yellow Warbler U R U R F ___Botteri’s Sparrow5R N N N G ___Brewer’s Blackbird ___Chestnut-sided Warbler ___American Tree Sparrow O N R U G,B

C N O N F R N N R G,B ___Common Grackle O N N O G,B ___Magnolia Warbler C N O R F ___Chipping Sparrow ___Boat-tailed Grackle2

___Black-throated Blue Warbler U N U C B,F U U U U G,M R N R N F ___Clay-colored Sparrow ___Great-tailed Grackle2

___Yellow-rumped Warbler R N R R B,G U U U U G,M C R C C F.B ___Brewer’s SparrowR N N N B,F ___Shiny Cowbird R N N N G

___Black-throated Gray Warbler ___Field Sparrow U N O U B,G ___Bronzed Cowbird2 U U O O G,B R N R R F,B ___Vesper Sparrow U N O U B,G ___Brown-headed Cowbird2

___Golden-cheeked Warbler5 ___Lark Sparrow U R U U B.G C U C C G,B N R N N F ___Black-throated Sparrow ___Orchard Oriole4 C O U R B,F

___Black-throated Green Warbler N N N R G,B ___Bullock’s Oriole R N N N B,F C N U O F ___Lark Bunting R N N R G ___Baltimore Oriole C N U N B,F

___Townsend’s Warbler ___Savannah Sparrow Finches R N N R F C R C C G ___Purple Finch R N N R F,B

___Blackburnian Warbler ___Grasshopper Sparrow2 ___House Finch R N N R F,B C N R R F U O O U G,B ___Pine Siskin R N N R F,B

___Yellow-throated Warbler ___Henslow’s Sparrow ___Lesser Goldfinch R R R R F,B U R R R F N N N R G ___American Goldfinch

___Pine Warbler R N O U F ___Le Conte’s Sparrow U N O C F,B ___Prairie Warbler R N R R F,B O N R O G,B Old World Sparrows ___Palm Warbler O N U O F,B ___Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow ___House Sparrow1 O O O O F,G ___Bay-breasted Warbler R N N R M

C N R N F ___Seaside Sparrow2 O O O O M If you should find an unlisted or rare ___Blackpoll Warbler R N N N F ___Fox Sparrow N N N R B,M species during your visit, please ___Cerulean Warbler O N N N F ___Song Sparrow U N R U B contact the Refuge staff and provide a ___Black-and-white Warbler ___Lincoln’s SparrowU N O U B,M description. We welcome visitor wildlife

C O C O F,B ___Swamp Sparrow C N O C M.Q.B reports to help augment our records. ___American Redstart ___White-throated Sparrow

R N R R F C N O C B,F For Additional Information ___Prothonotary Warbler ___Harris’s Sparrow N N N R B Aransas and Matagorda Island U R O N F ___White-crowned Sparrow National Wildlife Refuge ___Worm-eating Warbler R N R O B,G P.O. Box 100 U N R R F ___Golden-crowned Sparrow Austwell, TX 77950 ___Swainson’s Warbler2 N N N R B 361/286-3559U U U N F,B ___Dark-eyed Junco R N R R B,F 361/286-3722 FAX ___Ovenbird U N O R F,B Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Buntings 1 800/735-2989 Texas State Relay Service ___Northern Waterthrush ___Crimson-collared Grosbeak www.fws.gov/southwest/refuges/texas/aransas/U N O O F,M,Q R N N R F,B ___Louisiana Waterthrush ___Northern Cardinal2

April 2010 U N O R F,M,Q C C C C F,B ___Kentucky WarblerU N R N F ___Pyrrhuloxia O R R O B ___Connecticut Warbler ___Rose-breasted Grosbeak

R N R N F U N O N F ___Mourning WarblerO N R N F ___Black-headed Grosbeak ___Common Yellowthroat2 R N N R F,B

C C C C M,B ___Blue Grosbeak2 C U U N B ___Hooded Warbler3 C O U N F,B ___Lazuli Bunting R N N N B ___Wilson’s Warbler U N U O F,B ___Indigo Bunting C N U R B ___Canada Warbler U N O N F ___Painted Bunting2 C C O R B ___Red-faced WarblerR N N N F ___Dickcissel2 U U O R G,B ___Painted Redstart R N R N F ___Yellow-breasted Chat2

C R U R F,B