Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Green River, Wyoming
Seedskadee Refuge lies in the heart of the Great Basin country at about 6,300 feet above sea level. The summers are short and the winters long and severe. Temperatures range from 95 degrees F. To -50 degrees F. Vegetation in the area is typical high plains desert with sagebrush covered benchlands and few trees. The river bottoms are grass covered with stands of cottonwood, willow and other brush.
The area is an historical breeding ground for many species of waterfowl, and provides habitat for a large nesting population of various raptors including Golden Eagles. Fontenelle Reservoir, eight miles north of the refuge, and Flaming Gorge Reservoir, 40 miles south of the refuge, provide staging areas for thousands of waterfowl and other birds during migration periods.
The following list contains 227 species of birds compiled over the years by the refuge staff, the Wyoming Game and Fish Commission, and visiting ornithologists who have studied the area since the early 1900's. The list is in accordance with the Fifth A.O.U. Checklist as amended. New names are used with the former name in parentheses.
ENJOY YOURSELF! Your visit today can be the beginning of a very satisfying learning experience. We sincerely hope your adventures are successful and rewarding.
Sp - March-May
S - June-August
F - September-November
W - December-February
a - abundant: common species, 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 during a season
r - rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years
For additional information contact:
LOONS Sp S F W ___ Common Loon o - o -
GREBES Sp S F W ___ Horned Grebe o - o - ___ Eared Grebe c o c - ___ Western Grebe c c c - ___ Pied-billed Grebe* c c c -
PELICANS, CORMORANTS Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican o - o - ___ Double-crested Cormorant o u - -
HERONS, BITTERNS, IBISES Sp S F W ___ Great Blue Heron* c c c r ___ Great Egret - o - - ___ Snowy Egret o u u - ___ Green Heron o o o - ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron u u o - ___ American Bittern* o u o - ___ White-faced Ibis c o o -
SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS Sp S F W ___ Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan) c - c - ___ Trumpeter Swan - - - r ___ Canada Goose* c c c c ___ White-fronted Goose o - o - ___ Snow Goose o - o - ___ Mallard* a a a a ___ Gadwall* c c c u ___ Northern Pintail* a c c c ___ Green-winged Teal* c c c u ___ Blue-winged Teal* c c c - ___ Cinnamon Teal* c c c - ___ American Wigeon* c c c u ___ Northern Shoveler* a c c - ___ Wood Duck r - r - ___ Redhead c o c - ___ Ring-necked Duck* c o c - ___ Canvasback c - c - ___ Greater Scaup u - u - ___ Lesser Scaup* c o c - ___ Common Goldeneye* c c c a ___ Barrow's Goldeneye - - u u ___ Bufflehead o - o c ___ Ruddy Duck* c c c - ___ Hooded Merganser r - r - ___ Common Merganser* c c c c ___ Red-breasted Merganser o - o -
VULTURES, HAWKS, EAGLES, FALCONS Sp S F W ___ Turkey Vulture - o o - ___ Northern Goshawk* u o u c ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk* u u u - ___ Cooper's Hawk u u u - ___ Red-tailed Hawk* c c c o ___ Swainson's Hawk* o c o - ___ Rough-legged Hawk* c o c c ___ Ferruginous Hawk* u o o u ___ Golden Eagle* c c c c ___ Bald Eagle u r u c ___ Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk)* c c c o ___ Osprey u - u - ___ Prairie Falcon* c u u c ___ Peregrine Falcon* r r r - ___ Merlin* u u u - ___ American Kestrel* c c c -
GROUSE Sp S F W ___ Sage Grouse* c c c c
CRANES Sp S F W ___ Sandhill Crane u o u -
RAILS, COOTS Sp S F W ___ Virginia Rail r - r - ___ Sora* u u u - ___ Common Gallinule r - r - ___ American Coot* c c c -
SHOREBIRDS, GULLS, TERNS Sp S F W ___ Snowy Plover r r - - ___ Killdeer* c c c - ___ Mountain Plover* r r r - ___ Black-bellied Plover o o - - ___ Common Snipe c u c - ___ Spotted Sandpiper* c c c - ___ Solitary Sandpiper u u u - ___ Willet* c u u - ___ Greater Yellowlegs u u u - ___ Lesser Yellowlegs u u u - ___ Pectoral Sandpiper o o - - ___ White-rumped Sandpiper o o - - ___ Baird's Sandpiper o o - - ___ Least Sandpiper o o - - ___ Long-billed Dowitcher c - c - ___ Stilt Sandpiper o o c - ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper o o - - ___ Western Sandpiper o o - - ___ Marbled Godwit c o - - ___ American Avocet* u u u - ___ Black-necked Stilt* u u u - ___ Wilson's Phalarope* c c c - ___ Herring Gull o o o o ___ California Gull u - u u ___ Ring-billed Gull c - c o ___ Franklin's Gull c o c - ___ Bonaparte's Gull u - u - ___ Forster's Tern u o u - ___ Black Tern u o u - ___ Caspian Tern u - u -
DOVES Sp S F W ___ Rock Dove o o o o ___ Mourning Dove* c c c -
CUCKOOS Sp S F W ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo* u u u -
OWLS Sp S F W ___ Barn Owl* o o o - ___ Western Sreech-Owl* o o o o ___ Great Horned Owl* c c c c ___ Snowy Owl - - - r ___ Burrowing Owl r r r - ___ Long-eared Owl o o o o ___ Short-eared Owl o o o o ___ Northern Saw-whet Owl* - - - r
GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W ___ Common Poorwill* o o - - ___ Common Nighthawk* - c - - ___ White-throated Swift* u u - - ___ Broad-tailed Hummingbird* u u u - ___ Rufous Hummingbird u u u -
KINGFISHERS Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher* o o o -
WOODPECKERS Sp S F W ___ Northern Flicker (Common Flicker)* c c u r ___ Red-headed Woodpecker* u u - - ___ Lewis' Woodpecker* u u u - ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker* u r u - ___ Hairy Woodpecker* u r u r ___ Downy Woodpecker* u r u r
FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Eastern Kingbird* o o o - ___ Western Kingbird* u u u - ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher* o o - - ___ Say's Phoebe* c c c - ___ Willow Flycatcher c a c - ___ Hammond's Flycatcher* u u - - ___ Dusky Flycatcher u u - - ___ Gray Flycatcher* u u - - ___ Western Flycatcher* u u u - ___ Western Wood-Pewee* u u - - ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher u u u -
LARKS, SWALLOWS Sp S F W ___ Horned Lark* a a a a ___ Violet-green Swallow* c a c - ___ Tree Swallow* c a c - ___ Bank Swallow* c a c - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow o o o - ___ Barn Swallow* c a c - ___ Cliff Swallow* c a c - ___ Purple Martin o o o -
JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS Sp S F W ___ Steller's Jay r r r r ___ Scrub Jay r r r r ___ Black-billed Magpie c c c c ___ Common Raven u - u u ___ American Crow u - u - ___ Pinon Jay r r r r ___ Clark's Nutcracker - - r r
CHICKADEES Sp S F W ___ Black-capped Chickadee* u u u c ___ Mountain Chickadee u u u c ___ Plain Titmouse o o o o ___ Common Bushtit u u u u
NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS, DIPPERS Sp S F W ___ White-breasted Nuthatch u u u u ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch o o u u ___ Pygmy Nuthatch - - r r ___ Brown Creeper o o o o ___ American Dipper* o o o u
WRENS Sp S F W ___ House Wren* c c o - ___ Bewick's Wren* o c o - ___ Marsh Wren* o c o - ___ Canyon Wren* o c o - ___ Rock Wren* o c o -
MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS Sp S F W ___ Northern Mockingbird o o - - ___ Gray Catbird* o o - - ___ Brown Thrasher* o u o - ___ Sage Thrasher* u u u -
THRUSHES, BLUEBIRDS, KINGLETS Sp S F W ___ American Robin* c c c o ___ Hermit Thrush* o o o - ___ Swainson's Thrush* o o o - ___ Veery* o o o - ___ Western Bluebird o - o - ___ Mountain Bluebird* c a c - ___ Townsend's Solitaire o o - - ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet* u - u - ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet* u - u -
PIPITS, WAXWINGS, SHRIKES Sp S F W ___ American Pipit (Water Pipit)* u u u - ___ Bohemian Waxwing - - u c ___ Cedar Waxwing - - u c ___ Northern Shrike - - o o ___ Loggerhead Shrike* u u u u
STARLINGS Sp S F W ___ European Starling* c c c c
VIREOS Sp S F W ___ Solitary Vireo* u u u - ___ Warbling Vireo* u u u -
WOOD WARBLER, WEAVER FINCHES Sp S F W ___ Orange-crowned Warbler* u u u - ___ Yellow Warbler* u u u - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler* o o o - ___ Townsend's Warbler o o o - ___ MacGillivray's Warbler* u u u - ___ Common Yellowthroat* u u u - ___ Yellow-breasted Chat* r - r - ___ Wilson's Warbler u u u - ___ American Redstart u u u - ___ House Sparrow* c c c c
MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES Sp S F W ___ Bobolink o o o - ___ Western Meadowlark* c c c - ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird* c c c - ___ Red-winged Blackbird* c c c - ___ Northern Oriole* u u - - ___ Brewer's Blackbird* c c c - ___ Brown-headed Cowbird* c c c -
TANAGERS Sp S F W ___ Western Tanager* o o o -
GROSBEAKS, FINCHES, SPARROWS, BUNTINGS Sp S F W ___ Black-headed Grosbeak* o o o - ___ Lazuli Bunting* o o - - ___ Evening Grosbeak o - o u ___ Purple Finch - - u u ___ Cassin's Finch* o o o o ___ House Finch* o o o - ___ Rosy Finch - - u c ___ Common Redpoll - - u c ___ Pine Siskin - - - r ___ American Goldfinch* o o o - ___ Green-tailed Towhee* u u u - ___ Rufous-sided Towhee o o - - ___ Lark Bunting o o o - ___ Savannah Sparrow* u u u - ___ Grasshopper Sparrow* u u u - ___ Vesper Sparrow* c c o - ___ Lark Sparrow* u u u - ___ Dark-eyed Junco c - o u ___ American Tree Sparrow u - u c ___ Chipping Sparrow* u u u u ___ Brewer's Sparrow* - u c u ___ Harris' Sparrow c u c - ___ White-crowned Sparrow c u c c ___ White-throated Sparrow u u u - ___ Fox Sparrow* o o - - ___ Lincoln's Sparrow* o o - - ___ Song Sparrow* o o o o ___ McCown's Longspur o o o r ___ Lapland Longspur - - - o ___ Chesnut-collared Longspur o o o r ___ Snow Bunting - - - r
Refuge Manager
Seedskadee National Wildlife Refuge
PO Box 700
Green River, Wyoming 82935
Telephone: 307/875-2187
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1979. Bird of Seedskadee National Wildlife
Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1979. Birds of Seedskadee National Wildlife
Refuge. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND:
Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govseedskad.htm
(Version 22MAY98).
U.S. Department of the Interior |
U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/chekbird/r6/seedskad.htm
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Page Last Modified: Friday, 01-Feb-2013 19:01:45 EST
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