Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Zimmerman, Minnesota
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge offers good birding opportunities throughout the spring, summer, and fall on The Prairie's Edge Wildlife Drive, and the Mahnomen and Blue Hill Hiking Trails. There are a variety of habitats here to enjoy, including woodland, oak savanna, grassland, and wetland.
Along the Wildlife Drive you will see most of these habitats and their associated birds. In its many wetlands, migrating waterfowl are plentiful in the spring and fall, shorebirds frequent the pool edges, and resident wetland birds remain through the seasons. Migrating songbirds and resident woodland edge species can be observed in the scattered patches of trees along the Drive and on its Woodland Trail. In addition, fields of native prairie grasses and forbs (wildflowers) provide habitat and viewing opportunities for grassland birds.
The habitats along the Mahnomen and Blue Hill Hiking Trails are predominantly upland, but also provide limited opportunity to view wetland species. Upland birds seen on these trails range from grassland birds such as the eastern meadowlark, and grasshopper and savanna sparrows, to the deeper forest birds such as the ovenbird and yellow-throated vireo. The Blue Hill Trail also offers elevational differences as it rises about 200 feet above its flat surroundings. The elevation appears to attract spring migrants to this forested knoll.
You are invited to share the Refuge with the birds. Please respect their needs and their habitat. Take only memories; leave only footprints.
Symbols used in this brochure are as follows:
Season
S - Spring March-May
s - Summer June-July
F - Fall August-November
W - Winter December-February
Note: Shorebird "fall" migration starts in the summer period as defined
here.
Status
c - common: certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon: present, but not always seen
o - occasional: usually present, but seldom seen
r - rare: seen at irregular intervals
* - birds which currently nest on the Refuge.
Taxonomic Divisions
----------- Dashed lines indicate Order divisions.
_______ Solid lines indicate Family divisions.
LOONS S s F W ___ Common Loon* c c o -
GREBES S s F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe* c c c - ___ Horned Grebe r - u - ___ Eared Grebe r - - - ___ Red-necked Grebe o - r -
PELICANS, CORMORANTS S s F W ___ American White Pelican o o o - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Double-crested Cormorant c c c -
BITTERNS, HERONS S s F W ___ American Bittern* o o o - ___ Least Bittern* o o - - ___ Great Blue Heron c c c - ___ Great Egret u u u - ___ Green Heron* c c c - ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron u u - -
SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS S s F W ___ Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan) u - u - ___ Trumpeter Swan* u u u - ___ Snow Goose o o u - ___ Canada Goose* c c c r ___ Wood Duck* c c c o ___ Green-winged Teal* c o c o ___ American Black Duck u o u - ___ Mallard* c c c o ___ Northern Pintail c o c - ___ Blue-winged Teal* c c c - ___ Northern Shoveler u o u - ___ Gadwall u - c - ___ American Wigeon c r c - ___ Canvasback r r r - ___ Redhead o r u - ___ Ring-necked Duck* c u c - ___ Greater Scaup u - u - ___ Lesser Scaup c o c - ___ Common Goldeneye c - u - ___ Bufflehead c - u - ___ Hooded Merganser* c c c - ___ Common Merganser c - o - ___ Red-breasted Merganser u - - - ___ Ruddy Duck o o o -
VULTURES S s F W ___ Turkey Vulture u u u - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HAWKS, EAGLES S s F W ___ Osprey u u u - ___ Bald Eagle* c c c o ___ Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk)* c c c o ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk u o u - ___ Cooper's Hawk* u u u - ___ Northern Goshawk - - o o ___ Red-shouldered Hawk* o o o - ___ Broad-winged Hawk* o o o - ___ Red-tailed Hawk* c c c u ___ Rough-legged Hawk u - u u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FALCONS S s F W ___ American Kestrel* c c c o ___ Merlin o - o - ___ Peregrine Falcon o o o -
PHEASANT, GROUSE S s F W ___ Ring-necked Pheasant* u u u u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Ruffed Grouse* c c c c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Wild Turkey u u u u
RAILS S s F W ___ Virginia Rail* u u u - ___ Sora* u u u - ___ Common Moorhen r r r - ___ American Coot* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CRANES S s F W ___ Sandhill Crane* c c c -
PLOVERS S s F W ___ Black-bellied Plover - o o - ___ American Golden-Plover - o o - ___ Semipalmated Plover o o o - ___ Killdeer* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SHOREBIRDS, PHALAROPES S s F W ___ Greater Yellowlegs u u c - ___ Lesser Yellowlegs c u c - ___ Solitary Sandpiper u u u - ___ Spotted Sandpiper* c c c - ___ Upland Sandpiper* r r - - ___ Sanderling o o o - ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper o - o - ___ Least Sandpiper u u u - ___ White-rumped Sandpiper o - - - ___ Baird's Sandpiper o o o - ___ Pectoral Sandpiper u u r - ___ Dunlin o o o - ___ Long-billed Dowitcher o - o - ___ Short-billed Dowitcher o o - - ___ Common Snipe* c u c - ___ American Woodcock* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Wilson's Phalarope o - - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GULLS, TERNS S s F W ___ Franklin's Gull o - o - ___ Bonaparte's Gull o - o - ___ Ring-billed Gull u u c - ___ Herring Gull u - u - ___ Caspian Tern u - u - ___ Forster's Tern c u u - ___ Black Tern* c c c -
DOVES S s F W ___ Rock Dove o o o o ___ Mourning Dove* c c c o
CUCKOOS S s F W ___ Black-billed Cuckoo* u u u - ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo o o o -
OWLS S s F W ___ Eastern Screech Owl* o o o o ___ Great Horned Owl* c c c c ___ Snowy Owl - - - r ___ Barred Owl* c c c c ___ Long-eared Owl* o o o - ___ Short-eared Owl r r r - ___ Northern Saw-whet Owl o - o -
GOATSUCKERS S s F W ___ Common Nighthawk u c u - ___ Whip-poor-will* o o - -
SWIFTS S s F W ___ Chimney Swift c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HUMMINGBIRDS S s F W ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird* u u u -
KINGFISHERS S s F W ___ Belted Kingfisher* c c c r
WOODPECKERS S s F W ___ Red-headed Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker* u o u - ___ Downy Woodpecker* c c c c ___ Hairy Woodpecker* c c c c ___ Northern Flicker (Common Flicker)* c c c u ___ Pileated Woodpecker* c c c c
FLYCATCHERS S s F W ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher u o r - ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee* c c - - ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher r - r - ___ Willow Flycatcher* - u - - ___ Alder Flycatcher* u o u - ___ Least Flycatcher* c c u - ___ Eastern Phoebe* c c c - ___ Great Crested Flycatcher* c c u - ___ Eastern Kingbird* c c c - ___ Western Kingbird r r - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- LARKS S s F W ___ Horned Lark* c o o c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SWALLOWS S s F W ___ Purple Martin u u u - ___ Tree Swallow* c c c - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u u u - ___ Bank Swallow* u o u - ___ Cliff Swallow* c c c - ___ Barn Swallow* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS S s F W ___ Blue Jay* c c c c ___ Common Raven r - - r ___ American Crow* c c c c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CHICKADEES S s F W ___ Black-capped Chickadee* c c c c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- NUTHATCHES S s F W ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch u - u o ___ White-breasted Nuthatch* c c c c ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CREEPERS S s F W ___ Brown Creeper u u u u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WRENS S s F W ___ House Wren* c c c - ___ Winter Wren o - o - ___ Sedge Wren* u u u - ___ Marsh Wren* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- KINGLETS, THRUSHES S s F W ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet u - u o ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet u - u - ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* c c o - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Eastern Bluebird* c c c - ___ Veery* u c - - ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush o - o - ___ Swainson's Thrush u - u - ___ Hermit Thrush u - u - ___ Wood Thrush o r - - ___ American Robin* c c c o ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- THRASHERS S s F W ___ Gray Catbird* c c c - ___ Brown Thrasher* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WAXWINGS S s F W ___ Cedar Waxwing* u c c u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SHRIKES S s F W ___ Northern Shrike o - o u ___ Loggerhead Shrike r r r - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- STARLINGS S s F W ___ European Starling* c c c u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- VIREOS S s F W ___ Solitary Vireo u - r - ___ Yellow-throated Vireo* u u u - ___ Warbling Vireo* c c - - ___ Philadelphia Vireo o - o - ___ Red-eyed Vireo* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- WOOD WARBLERS S s F W ___ Blue-winged Warbler o - - - ___ Golden-winged Warbler* u u o - ___ Tennessee Warbler c u c - ___ Orange-crowned Warbler u - u - ___ Nashville Warbler c u c - ___ Northern Parula o o o - ___ Yellow Warbler* c c c - ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler* u u u - ___ Magnolia Warbler u - u - ___ Cape May Warbler u - u - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler c r c - ___ Black-throated Green Warbler u - o - ___ Blackburnian Warbler u - u - ___ Pine Warbler r r r - ___ Palm Warbler c - c - ___ Bay-breasted Warbler u - u - ___ Blackpoll Warbler u - u - ___ Cerulean Warbler o o o - ___ Black-and-white Warbler* c r c - ___ American Redstart* c c c - ___ Ovenbird* c c - - ___ Northern Waterthrush u - u - ___ Connecticut Warbler o o o - ___ Mourning Warbler o o o - ___ Common Yellowthroat* c c c - ___ Hooded Warbler r r - - ___ Wilson's Warbler u - u - ___ Canada Warbler o - o - ___ Scarlet Tanager* c c c - ___ Northern Cardinal* u u u u ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak* c c c - ___ Indigo Bunting* c c u - ___ Dickcissel o o - - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ___ Eastern Towhee u u u - ___ American Tree Sparrow u - c c ___ Chipping Sparrow* c c c - ___ Clay-colored Sparrow* u u u - ___ Field Sparrow* c c c - ___ Vesper Sparrow* c c c - ___ Lark Sparrow* u c - - ___ Savannah Sparrow* u u u - ___ Grasshopper Sparrow* u u u - ___ Fox Sparrow u - u - ___ Song Sparrow* c c c - ___ Lincoln's Sparrow u - u - ___ Swamp Sparrow* c c c - ___ White-throated Sparrow c - c - ___ White-crowned Sparrow u - u - ___ Harris' Sparrow u - u - ___ Dark-eyed Junco c - c c ___ Snow Bunting o - o u ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES S s F W ___ Bobolink* u u u - ___ Red-winged Blackbird* c c c o ___ Eastern Meadowlark* c c c - ___ Western Meadowlark* u u u - ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird* u c u - ___ Rusty Blackbird u - u - ___ Brewer's Blackbird* u u u - ___ Common Grackle* c c c r ___ Brown-headed Cowbird* c c c r ___ Orchard Oriole r r r - ___ Baltimore Oriole* c c c - ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- FINCHES S s F W ___ Pine Grosbeak - - - r ___ House Finch* u u u u ___ Purple Finch u - r u ___ Red Crossbill - - r r ___ White-winged Crossbill - - - r ___ Common Redpoll - - - r ___ Hoary Redpoll - - - r ___ Pine Siskin o - u c ___ American Goldfinch* c c c c ___ Evening Grosbeak o - r o ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- OLD WORLD SPARROWS S s F W ___ House Sparrow r r r r
The following birds have been seen at Sherburne NWR but are either no longer present, not normally found in this area, or do not ordinarily stop here during migration.
Western Grebe Snowy Egret Greater White-fronted Goose Swainson's Hawk American Avocet Willet Ruddy Turnstone N. Hawk Owl Great Gray Owl Boreal Owl Bohemian Waxwing Lapland Longspur Prothonotary Warbler Henslow's Sparrow
SIGHTING NOTES
Date:__________________________________________________________________________ Time in Field:_________________________________________________________________ Weather:_______________________________________________________________________ Observers:_____________________________________________________________________ Location(s):___________________________________________________________________For additional information contact:
Refuge Manager
Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge
17076 293rd Ave.
Zimmerman, MN 55398
Telephone: 612/389-3323
Deaf/Hard of hearing individuals may reach the refuge through Minnesota's Relay
Service at 1-800-657-3775 (V/TTY)
This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Birds of Sherburne National Wildlife
Refuge. Friends of Sherburne. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1998. Birds of Sherburne National Wildlife
Refuge. Friends of Sherburne. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND: Northern
Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govsherburn.htm
(Version 11/23/98).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r3/sherburn.htm
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Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 18:49:33 EST
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