Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Eagle Lake, Texas
The 8,000-acre refuge is made up of native prairies, croplands, marshes, ponds, woodlots and riparian areas. A variety of birds use the area for nesting and winter habitat. Along with the APC, other interesting species include White-tailed and Ferruginous Hawks, Crested Caracaras, Le Conte's Sparrows, Sprague's Pipits, Loggerhead Shrikes and most species of waterfowl common to the central flyway. Many additional species can be seen during spring and fall migrations. Due to low population numbers, APCs are typically not seen.
This checklist contains 264 species and was compiled from 919 surveys completed between August 1986 and December 1993. Species are listed in accordance with the sixth edition (1983) A.O.U. Checklist of North American Birds, as amended (1989).
Seasons are:
Sp - March to May
S - June to August
F - September to November
W - December to February
Sighting probabilities are:
v - very high : usually present (>75% probability of being seen)
h - high: often present (>50% probability of being seen)
m - moderate: occasionally present (>25% probability of being seen)
l - low: not expected (<25% probability of being seen)
Thirteen additional species have been seen on the refuge only once or twice and are considered accidental:
GREBES Sp S F W ___ Least Grebe l - m m ___ Pied-billed Grebe* v h v v ___ Horned Grebe - - - m ___ Eared Grebe l - l m
PELICANS Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican - m m m
CORMORANTS Sp S F W ___ Double-crested Cormorant h m h h ___ Olivaceous Cormorant m m l l
DARTERS Sp S F W ___ Anhinga m m m l
BITTERNS & HERONS Sp S F W ___ American Bittern* m l h l ___ Least Bittern* - l l - ___ Great Blue Heron v v v v ___ Great Egret v v v v ___ Snowy Egret+ v v v h ___ Little Blue Heron+ v v h l ___ Tricolored Heron m v v h ___ Cattle Egret+ v v v h ___ Green Heron+ h v h l ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron+ - m h l ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron m m m -
IBISES & SPOONBILLS Sp S F W ___ White Ibis m h v h ___ Glossy Ibis l l m - ___ White-faced Ibis* v v v h ___ Roseate Spoonbill h h h l
STORKS Sp S F W ___ Wood Stork - h h -
SWANS, GEESE & DUCKS Sp S F W ___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck* v h h l ___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck* v v h m ___ Greater White-fronted Goose h m v v ___ Snow Goose v - v v ___ Ross' Goose - - m m ___ Canada Goose h m h v ___ Wood Duck - - m l ___ Green-winged Teal v l v v ___ Mottled Duck* v v v v ___ Mallard m - v v ___ Northern Pintail h - v v ___ Blue-winged Teal+ v h v v ___ Cinnamon Teal h - h h ___ Northern Shoveler v l v v ___ Gadwall h - h v ___ American Wigeon m - h h ___ Canvasback l - l l ___ Redhead - - m l ___ Ring-necked Duck h - m h ___ Greater Scaup l - - - ___ Lesser Scaup h - h h ___ Common Goldeneye l - m - ___ Bufflehead m - l h ___ Hooded Merganser - - m - ___ Ruddy Duck h m h h
AMERICAN VULTURES Sp S F W ___ Black Vulture* v v v v ___ Turkey Vulture* v v v v
KITES, EAGLES, HAWKS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ American Swallow-tailed Kite l - - l ___ White-tailed Kite m l l m ___ Mississippi Kite - - l - ___ Bald Eagle+ l - l h ___ Northern Harrier v - v v ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk l - h h ___ Cooper's Hawk h - h m ___ Red-shouldered Hawk m m m m ___ Broad-winged Hawk m - m - ___ Swainson's Hawk+ h h m l ___ White-tailed Hawk* v v v v ___ Red-tailed Hawk* v v v v ___ Ferruginous Hawk m - m m ___ Rough-legged Hawk - - - l
CARACARAS & FALCONS Sp S F W ___ Crested Caracara* v v v v ___ American Kestrel v m v v ___ Merlin - - m l ___ Peregrine Falcon l - m l ___ Prairie Falcon m - l m
PARTRIDGES, GROUSE, TURKEYS & QUAIL Sp S F W ___ Attwater's Prairie Chicken* l l l l ___ Northern Bobwhite* v v v v
RAILS, GALLINULES & COOTS Sp S F W ___ Yellow Rail - - l - ___ King Rail* h h h m ___ Virginia Rail - - l - ___ Sora l - m - ___ Purple Gallinule+ l m m - ___ Common Moorhen+ h h h l ___ American Coot+ v m v v
CRANES Sp S F W ___ Sandhill Crane h - h v
PLOVERS & LAPWINGS Sp S F W ___ Black-bellied Plover m - - - ___ American Golden Plover m - - - ___ Killdeer* v v v v ___ Mountain Plover l - - -
STILTS & AVOCETS Sp S F W ___ Black-necked Stilt* v v h l ___ American Avocet l l m l
SANDPIPERS & PHALAROPES Sp S F W ___ Greater Yellowlegs v h v h ___ Lesser Yellowlegs h h v m ___ Solitary Sandpiper m m l - ___ Willet l l l - ___ Spotted Sandpiper h m m - ___ Upland Sandpiper v h m - ___ Long-billed Curlew l l m l ___ Hudsonian Godwit m l - - ___ Marbled Godwit l l - - ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper - m m - ___ Western Sandpiper m m h l ___ Least Sandpiper h h v m ___ White-rumped Sandpiper m - - - ___ Pectoral Sandpiper m m m - ___ Dunlin - l - - ___ Stilt Sandpiper m m l - ___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper l - l - ___ Short-billed Dowitcher - l l - ___ Long-billed Dowitcher v h v h ___ Common Snipe h l v h ___ American Woodcock l - l m ___ Wilson's Phalarope h - - -
SKUAS, GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS Sp S F W ___ Franklin's Gull l - - - ___ Ring-billed Gull - - - m ___ Forster's Tern - - l l ___ Black Tern m m - -
PIGEONS & DOVES Sp S F W ___ Rock Dove* m h m l ___ Mourning Dove* v v v v ___ Inca Dove* l l m - ___ Common Ground-Dove* h l h h
CUCKOOS, ROADRUNNERS & ANIS Sp S F W ___ Black-billed Cuckoo - l - l ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo* h v h - ___ Greater Roadrunner* h h h m ___ Groove-billed Ani - - l -
BARN OWLS Sp S F W ___ Barn Owl h h h m
TYPICAL OWLS Sp S F W ___ Eastern Screech-Owl - - l - ___ Great Horned Owl* h h v h ___ Burrowing Owl - - l l ___ Barred Owl* h h h m ___ Short-eared Owl - - - l
GOATSUCKERS Sp S F W ___ Common Nighthawk* h v l - ___ Chuck-will's-widow - - l - ___ Whip-poor-will l l - -
SWIFTS Sp S F W ___ Chimney Swift h - l -
HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird+ m m h -
KINGFISHERS Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher m h h m
WOODPECKERS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Red-headed Woodpecker - - m - ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker* v v v v ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker m - m m ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker - - - l ___ Downy Woodpecker+ m h h h ___ Hairy Woodpecker l - - - ___ Northern Flicker h m v h ___ Pileated Woodpecker - l l -
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher h m m - ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee h h h l ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher - l - - ___ Acadian Flycatcher l m l - ___ Willow Flycatcher m m l - ___ Least Flycatcher m m m - ___ Eastern Phoebe h m v v ___ Say's Phoebe - - l l ___ Vermilion Flycatcher - - l - ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher - - - l ___ Great Crested Flycatcher v m m l ___ Eastern Kingbird* h h h - ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher* v v v -
SWALLOWS Sp S F W ___ Purple Martin+ h m l - ___ Tree Swallow m m h - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow* v h h - ___ Bank Swallow+ m l l - ___ Cliff Swallow* h h m - ___ Barn Swallow* v h v -
JAYS, MAGPIES & CROWS Sp S F W ___ Blue Jay* v v v v ___ American Crow* v v v v
TITMICE Sp S F W ___ Carolina Chickadee* v v v h ___ Tufted Titmouse* v v v h
CREEPERS Sp S F W ___ Brown Creeper l - l -
WRENS Sp S F W ___ Carolina Wren* v v v h ___ Bewick's Wren l - m m ___ House Wren m l h m ___ Winter Wren - - m l ___ Sedge Wren - - m l ___ Marsh Wren - - m m
KINGLETS & GNATCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet m - m m ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet h l v h ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher+ h h v m
SOLITAIRES, THRUSHES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Eastern Bluebird - - m l ___ Veery l - - - ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush l - - - ___ Swainson's Thrush l - l - ___ Hermit Thrush m - h m ___ Wood Thrush l l - l ___ American Robin h - h v
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Gray Catbird m - l l ___ Northern Mockingbird* v v v v ___ Brown Thrasher* v m v h
WAGTAILS & PIPITS Sp S F W ___ American Pipit m - h h ___ Sprague's Pipit h - h h
WAXWINGS Sp S F W ___ Cedar Waxwing h - l m
SHRIKES Sp S F W ___ Loggerhead Shrike* v v v v
STARLINGS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ European Starling* h m m m
VIREOS Sp S F W ___ White-eyed Vireo+ v v m l ___ Solitary Vireo h - h l ___ Yellow-throated Vireo l - - - ___ Red-eyed Vireo+ m l l -
WOOD-WARBLERS Sp S F W ___ Blue-winged Warbler l - - - ___ Tennessee Warbler m - l - ___ Orange-crowned Warbler m - h h ___ Nashville Warbler m - h - ___ Northern Parula m - - - ___ Yellow Warbler+ l m l - ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler m - - - ___ Magnolia Warbler m - l l ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler v - h h ___ Black-throated Green Warbler m - l - ___ Blackburnian Warbler l - l - ___ Yellow-throated Warbler m - - - ___ Prairie Warbler - - l - ___ Palm Warbler - - l - ___ Bay-breasted Warbler m - - - ___ Black-and-white Warbler h m m - ___ American Redstart h - l - ___ Prothonotary Warbler l - - - ___ Worm-eating Warbler l - - - ___ Swainson's Warbler l - - - ___ Louisiana Waterthrush l - - - ___ Kentucky Warbler l - - - ___ Mourning Warbler m - - - ___ Common Yellowthroat+ h l m - ___ Hooded Warbler l - - - ___ Wilson's Warbler m - m - ___ Canada Warbler m - l - ___ Yellow-breasted Chat m l m -
TANAGERS Sp S F W ___ Summer Tanager m - - - ___ Scarlet Tanager l - - -
CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Northern Cardinal* v v v v ___ Pyrrhuloxia l - - m ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak l l - - ___ Blue Grosbeak+ m m l - ___ Indigo Bunting+ h l m - ___ Painted Bunting* h v - - ___ Dickcissel* v v m -
SPARROWS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Green-tailed Towhee l - l l ___ Rufous-sided Towhee l - m m ___ Cassin's Sparrow l m - - ___ Chipping Sparrow h - m h ___ Clay-colored Sparrow - - m l ___ Field Sparrow+ h - h h ___ Vesper Sparrow v - v v ___ Lark Sparrow+ h h h h ___ Lark Bunting l - - - ___ Savannah Sparrow v l v v ___ Grasshopper Sparrow+ h - m m ___ Henslow's Sparrow - - l - ___ Le Conte's Sparrow l - m m ___ Fox Sparrow m - m m ___ Song Sparrow h - h h ___ Lincoln's Sparrow h - h h ___ Swamp Sparrow m - h m ___ White-throated Sparrow h l h h ___ White-crowned Sparrow v l h v ___ Harris' Sparrow m - m h ___ Dark-eyed Junco l - l m ___ Lapland Longspur - l - -
BLACKBIRDS & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Red-winged Blackbird* v v v v ___ Eastern Meadowlark* v v v v ___ Western Meadowlark l - m l ___ Rusty Blackbird - - - l ___ Brewer's Blackbird h m m m ___ Great-tailed Grackle* v h m m ___ Common Grackle* v h h h ___ Brown-headed Cowbird* v h v v ___ Orchard Oriole+ l h - - ___ Northern Oriole+ h l m -
FINCHES & ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Pine Siskin - - - l ___ American Goldfinch h - m h
OLD WORLD SPARROWS Sp S F W ___ House Sparrow l m - -
Reddish Egret Red-billed Pigeon Black Swan Black Phoebe Masked Duck Violet-green Swallow Osprey Red-breasted Nuthatch Wild Turkey Black-headed Grosbeak Black Rail Yellow-headed Blackbird Whooping CraneTwenty additional species were noted on past refuge bird lists, but no sightings have been reported since before 1986:
Red-breasted Merganser Western Kingbird Ring-necked Pheasant Horned Lark Wilson's Plover Sage Thrasher Semipalmated Plover Warbling Vireo Ruddy Turnstone Black-throated Gray Warbler Baird's Sandpiper Philadelphia Vireo Bonaparte's Gull Ovenbird White-winged Dove Northern Waterthrush Common Pauraque Bronzed Cowbird Common Poorwill Purple Finch
Refuge Manager
Attwater Prairie Chicken NWR
P.O. Box 519
Eagle Lake, TX 77434-0519
Telephone: 409/234-3021
This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Birds of the Attwater
Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Birds of the Attwater
Prairie Chicken National Wildlife Refuge, Texas. U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND:
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govattwater.htm
(Version 22MAY98).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r2/attwater.htm
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