Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Crystal River, Florida
Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1943, primarily to benefit waterfowl. Peak wintering waterfowl populations number in the thousands for ducks and coots. Other birds present include: herons, egrets, rails, raptors, and songbirds; many of which nest on the refuge.
The objective of the Fish and Wildlife Service is to wisely manage and maintain the refuge's natural resources.
This checklist contains 234 species observed since 1951 by refuge personnel and visiting ornithologists. Another 21 species are of accidental occurrence and listed separately on the last page. The list was adopted in accordance with the July, 1982 American Ornithologists' Union (A.O.U.) update.
Seasonal appearance
Sp - Spring - March to May
S - Summer - June to August
F - Fall - September to November
W - Winter - December to February
Seasonal abundance
a - abundant: a common species which is very numerous
c - common: certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon: present but not certain to be seen
o - occasional: seen only a few times a season
r - rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years
* - nests on refuge
These additional 21 species are of accidental occurrence, in most instances substantiated by only one or two records.
Species LOONS (Order Gaviiformes) Sp S F W ___ Common Loon u - c c
GREBES (Order Podicipediformes) Sp S F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe* c c c c ___ Horned Grebe - - - u
PELICANS (Order Pelecaniformes) Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican c - c c ___ Brown Pelican c c c c
CORMORANTS (Order Pelecaniformes) Sp S F W ___ Double-crested Cormorant* a a a a ___ Anhinga* c c c c ___ Magnificent Frigatebird u u u u
HERONS (Order Ciconiiformes) Sp S F W ___ American Bittern u u u u ___ Least Bittern* u u u u ___ Great Blue Heron* a a a a ___ Great Egret* a a a a ___ Snowy Egret* a a c c ___ Little Blue Heron* c c c c ___ Tricolored (Louisiana) Heron* a a c c ___ Cattle Egret* c c c c ___ Green Heron* c c c c ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron* a a c c ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron* c c c c
IBISES (Order Anseriformes) Sp S F W ___ White Ibis* a a a a ___ Wood Stork u c u u
WATERFOWL (Order Anseriformes) Sp S F W ___ Tundra (Whistling) Swan - - r r ___ Greater White-Fronted Goose - - r r ___ Snow Goose r - r r ___ Wood Duck c c c c ___ Green-winged Teal a - a a ___ American Black Duck c - c a ___ Mottled Duck r r r r ___ Mallard a - a a ___ Northern Pintail a - a a ___ Blue-winged Teal a u a a ___ Northern Shoveler u - u u ___ Gadwall c - c c ___ American Wigeon a - a a ___ Canvasback c - c c ___ Redhead c - c c ___ Ring-necked Duck c - c c ___ Greater Scaup r - r r ___ Lesser Scaup a - a a ___ Common Goldeneye o - o o ___ Bufflehead u - u u ___ Hooded Merganser a - u a ___ Common Merganser o - r o ___ Red-breasted Merganser a - a a ___ Ruddy Duck o - o o
VULTURES (Order Falconiformes) Sp S F W ___ Black Vulture* c - c c ___ Turkey Vulture* a a a a
HAWKS (Order Falconiformes) Sp S F W ___ Osprey* c c c c ___ American Swallow-tailed Kite* u u o o ___ Bald Eagle* u o u u ___ Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) c - c c ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk u - u u ___ Cooper's Hawk u u u u ___ Red-shouldered Hawk* c c c c ___ Broad-winged Hawk o o o r ___ Short-tailed Hawk - - - u ___ Red-tailed Hawk* u u u u
FALCONS (Order Falconiformes) Sp S F W ___ American Kestrel* c c c c ___ Merlin - - - r ___ Peregrine Falcon - - - o
TURKEY, QUAIL (Order Galliformes) Sp S F W ___ Wild Turkey* u u u u ___ Northern Bobwhite* a a a a
RAILS (Order Gruiformes) Sp S F W ___ Yellow Rail - - - u ___ Black Rail* u u - - ___ Clapper Rail* c c c c ___ King Rail u u u u ___ Virginia Rail c - c c ___ Sora c - c c ___ Purple Gallinule u u u u ___ Common Moorhen* c c c c ___ American Coot a o a a ___ Limpkin* u u u u
CRANES (Order Gruiformes) Sp S F W ___ Sandhill Crane r r - -
PLOVERS (Order Charadriiformes) Sp S F W ___ Black-bellied Plover o - o u ___ Snowy Plover - - - o ___ Wilson's Plover u u c c ___ Semipalmated Plover o - o c ___ Piping Plover - - - o ___ Killdeer* c c c c
SANDPIPERS (Order Charadriiformes) Sp S F W ___ Greater Yellowlegs c - c c ___ Lesser Yellowlegs r - r - ___ Solitary Sandpiper o - o - ___ Willet c c c c ___ Spotted Sandpiper c - c c ___ Whimbrel r - r - ___ Marbled Godwit - - r - ___ Ruddy Turnstone o - o u ___ Red Knot r - r - ___ Sanderling - - - u ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper o - o c ___ Western Sandpiper - - - r ___ Least Sandpiper c - c c ___ Pectoral Sandpiper r - r - ___ Dunlin - - - c ___ Stilt Sandpiper - - u - ___ Short-billed Dowitcher c - c c ___ Long-billed Dowitcher u - u u ___ Common Snipe c - c c ___ American Woodcock - - - r
GULLS, TERNS (Order Charadriiformes) Sp S F W ___ Laughing Gull u u u c ___ Bonaparte's Gull - - - c ___ Ring-billed Gull c - c c ___ Herring Gull c - c c ___ Caspian Tern o - o o ___ Royal Tern c - c c ___ Sandwich Tern u o o o ___ Common Tern o - - c ___ Forster's Tern u - u c ___ Least Tern c c c u ___ Black Tern o u o - ___ Black Skimmer o o o o
DOVES (Order Columbiformes) Sp S F W ___ Mourning Dove* c c c c ___ Common Ground-Dove* c c c c
PARROTS (Order Psittaciformes) Sp S F W ___ Budgerigar r r - -
CUCKOOS (Order Cuculiformes) Sp S F W ___ Black-billed Cuckoo r - r - ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo o c o -
OWLS (Order Strigiformes) Sp S F W ___ Barn Owl r r r r ___ Eastern Screech-Owl* c c c c ___ Great Horned Owl* u u u u ___ Barred Owl* c c c c ___ Short-eared Owl - - - u
GOATSUCKERS (Order Caprimulgiformes) Sp S F W ___ Common Nighthawk* c c c - ___ Chuck-will's-widow* c c c c ___ Whip-poor-will - - - u
SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS (Order Apodiformes) Sp S F W ___ Chimney Swift o o o - ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird* u u u u
KINGFISHERS (Order Coraciiformes) Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher* c c c c
WOODPECKERS (Order Piciformes) Sp S F W ___ Red-headed Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u u u u ___ Downy Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Hairy Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Northern Flicker* c c c c ___ Pileated Woodpecker* u u u u
FLYCATCHERS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee u u u - ___ Acadian Flycatcher - u - - ___ Eastern Phoebe - - - c ___ Great Crested Flycatcher* c c c - ___ Eastern Kingbird* c c c r ___ Gray Kingbird* c c c -
SWALLOWS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Purple Martin* c c c - ___ Tree Swallow c - c a ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u o u - ___ Barn Swallow o - o -
JAYS, CROWS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Blue Jay* c c c c ___ American Crow* c c c a ___ Fish Crow* c c c c
CHICKADEES, TITMICE (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Carolina Chickadee* c c c c ___ Tufted Titmouse* c c c c
NUTHATCHES (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ White-breasted Nuthatch* u u u u ___ Brown-headed Nuthatch* c c c c
CREEPERS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Brown Creeper - - - u
WRENS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Carolina Wren* c c c c ___ House Wren o - o c ___ Winter Wren o - o u ___ Sedge Wren u - u u ___ Marsh Wren* c c c c
KINGLETS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet u - u u ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet - - - u ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* u u u u
THRUSHES (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Eastern Bluebird* u u u u ___ Veery u - u - ___ Gray-cheecked Thrush o - o - ___ Swainson's Thrush o - o - ___ Hermit Thrush - - - u ___ Wood Thrush c - c - ___ American Robin c - c a
THRASHERS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Gray Catbird c - c c ___ Northern Mockingbird* c c c c ___ Brown Thrasher* c c c c
PIPITS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Water Pipit - - - u
WAXWINGS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Cedar Waxwing u - u u
SHRIKES (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Loggerhead Shrike* c c c c
STARLINGS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ European Starling* c c c c
VIREOS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ White-eyed Vireo* c - c c ___ Solitary Vireo c c c c ___ Yellow-throated Vireo* o - o - ___ Red-eyed Vireo* c c c -
WARBLERS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Orange-crowned Warbler u - u u ___ Northern Parula c c c u ___ Yellow Warbler u u u - ___ Magnolia Warbler u - u - ___ Cape May Warbler u - u - ___ Black-throated Blue Warbler u - u - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler c - c a ___ Black-throated Green Warbler u - u - ___ Yellow-throated Warbler* c c c c ___ Pine Warbler* c c c c ___ Prairie Warbler* c c c c ___ Palm Warbler c - c c ___ Blackpoll Warbler u - u - ___ Black-and-white Warbler o - o o ___ American Redstart u - u - ___ Prothonotary Warbler - u - - ___ Worm-eating Warbler u - u - ___ Ovenbird c - c c ___ Northern Waterthrush u - u - ___ Louisiana Waterthrush u - u - ___ Connecticut Warbler u - u - ___ Common Yellowthroat* c c c c ___ Hooded Warbler c c c - ___ Yellow-breasted Chat u - u -
TANAGERS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Summer Tanager* u c - - ___ Scarlet Tanager u - u -
CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Northern Cardinal* a a a a ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak r - r - ___ Blue Grosbeak c u - - ___ Indigo Bunting u - u - ___ Painted Bunting r r r -
SPARROWS (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Rufous-sided Towhee* c c c c ___ Bachman's Sparrow r r r r ___ Chipping Sparrow r - r u ___ Field Sparrow u - u u ___ Vesper Sparrow - - - c ___ Savannah Sparrow c - c a ___ Grasshopper Sparrow - - - u ___ Henslow's Sparrow - - - u ___ Le Conte's Sparrow - - - u ___ Sharp-tailed Sparrow - - - u ___ Seaside Sparrow* c c c c ___ Song Sparrow c - c c ___ Swamp Sparrow c - c c ___ White-throated Sparrow a - a a ___ Dark-eyed Junco o - - u
BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ Bobolink o - o - ___ Red-winged Blackbird* a a a a ___ Eastern Meadowlark* c c c c ___ Rusty Blackbird - - - c ___ Boat-tailed Grackle* a a a a ___ Common Grackle* u u u u ___ Brown-headed Cowbird - - - o ___ Northern Oriole o u o -
FINCHES (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ American Goldfinch - - - c
WEAVER FINCH (Order Passeriformes) Sp S F W ___ House Sparrow r r r r
Sooty Shearwater Black-necked Stilt Brown Booby American Avocet Northern Gannet Buff-breasted Sandpiper Reddish Egret Sooty Tern Scarlet Ibis White-winged Dove Glossy Ibis Western Kingbird Roseate Spoonbill Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Fluvous Whistling-Duck Bank Swallow Canada Goose Scrub Jay American Oystercatcher Bewick's Wren Red-necked Phalarope
Refuge Manager
Chassahowitzka NWR
1502 S. Kings Bay Drive
Crystal River, Florida 34429
Telephone: 904/563-2088
This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983. Birds of Chassahowitzka National
Wildlife Refuge, Florida. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1983. Birds of Chassahowitzka National
Wildlife Refuge, Florida. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.
Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govchassaho.htm
(Version 18JUL00).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r4/chassaho.htm
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