Pee Dee

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Bird List photo: Dr. William C. Alexander Welcome to Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge! The refuge, located in the southern Piedmont of North Carolina, consists of 8,443 acres of pine and hardwood covered rolling hills sloping gently to the broad bottomland hardwood forest of Brown Creek and the floodplains of the Pee Dee River. The river flows through the refuge for nearly five miles between Anson and Richmond counties. Headquarters is located on US Highway 52, seven miles north of Wadesboro, NC. Near the current refuge was the once famous “Lockhart Gaddy Wild Goose Refuge.” Mr. Gaddy was an avid goose hunter of the Pee Dee River valley, but in 1934 he decided he would rather provide food, shelter and sanctuary for these magnificent, migratory, Southern James Bay Canada Geese. By the early 1950’s, his flock had grown to about 10,000. His refuge was closed to the public after Mr. Gaddy’s death. In the early 1960’s, the numbers of waterfowl in south central NC began to decline. The lands bordering the Pee Dee River and Brown Creek had great potential for waterfowl habitat development. In October 1963, with local and state support, the Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge was established to provide habitat for migrating waterfowl. It is currently the only National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina’s Piedmont region. In 2001, Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge was designated an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society by qualifying under winter waterfowl abundance of over 10,000 birds. Pee Dee NWR consists of a variety of habitats supporting a wide diversity of birds and other wildlife. Brown Creek’s floodplain contains a regionally significant bottomland hardwood forest, including nearly 3,000 acres. This mature hardwood community is the best example of its kind in the southern Piedmont of NC (NC Natural Heritage Program). There are also about 1,200 acres of upland pine forest and a 4,300 acre mosaic of crop land, old fields, moist-soil units and mixed pine-hardwood forests that intermingle with creeks, pristine ponds and the Pee Dee River. The refuge provides interesting birding throughout the year. Waterfowl abound in flooded farm fields and raptors are also abundant in the winter. Brushy fields provide prime sparrow habitat. Though not in the heart of a migration path, considerable numbers of migrating songbirds pass through the refuge in both Spring and Fall. There are a number of interesting breeding species such as Blue Grosbeak, Hooded Warbler, Woodthrush, and Summer Tanager. The refuge formerly was home to the endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker. The last of this species on the refuge was a male that died in the winter of 2000. Suitable habitat remains and hopefully, Red- cockadeds may again be seen in the future . Bald Eagles from several nearby nest sites are frequently seen soaring over the refuge. There are many good birding sites on the refuge. The Wildlife Drive behind headquarters is a good start. You can access two nature trails from the drive. Other good spots include the Gaddy’s Covered Bridge Trail and Arrowhead Lake. Keep in mind that some areas are closed seasonally. The refuge is also closed to public entry during gun hunts for deer. Consult the current refuge general brochure and hunting regulations for maps and closure information. For further information contact: Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Route 1, Box 92 Highway 52 North Wadesboro, North Carolina 28170 704/694 4424 The checklist includes 188 species found with varying regularity on the refuge, 18 accidentals reported only once or twice and 92 breeding/probable breeding species. The list is a work-in-progress. The refuge staff welcomes information on any sightings of “O”, “R”, or accidental species or any species not included in either list. Seasonal Appearance: Spring (Sp)..............................................................March-May Summer (S)............................................................June-August Fall (F)...................................................September-November Winter (W)...............................................December-February Seasonal Abundance (A) Abundant A common species that should be seen in numbers on each visit (C) Common - Always present and certain to be seen in suitable habitat (U) Uncommon - Generally present but not certain to be seen on each visit (O) Occasional - Seen only a few times during the season (R) Rare - Not present every year Accidental— Has been seen no more than once or twice (listed separately) *— Known or suspected to have nested on refuge or known to nest locally. Birding Ethics Birders on the refuge are expected to adhere to the Code of Birding Ethics set forth by the American Birding Association to promote the welfare of birds and their environment:
Support the protection of important bird habitat
Avoid stressing birds or exposing them to danger. Exercise restraint and caution during observation, photography, sound recording or filming.
Limit the use of recordings and other methods of attracting birds, and never use such methods in heavily birded areas, or for attracting any species that is Threatened, Endangered or of Special Concern, or is rare in the local area.
Keep well back from nests and nesting colonies, roosts, display areas, and important feeding sites. In such sensitive areas, if there is a need for extended observation, photography, filming or recording, use a blind or hide and take advantage of natural cover.
Use artificial light sparingly for filming or photography, especially for close-ups.
Before advertising the presence of a rare bird, evaluate the potential for disturbance to the bird, its surroundings and other people in the area, and proceed only if access can be controlled, disturbance minimized and permission has been obtained from the landowners. The sites of rare nesting birds should be divulged only to the proper conservation authorities at the refuge headquarters.
Stay on roads, trails and paths where they exist. Otherwise keep habitat disturbance to a minimum.
Do not enter private property without the owner’s explicit permission.
Follow all laws, rules and regulations governing the use of roads and public areas.
Practice common courtesy in contacts with other people. Your exemplary behavior will generate goodwill with birders and non-birders alike. BRD SP S Species appearing with varying regularity Grebes Pied-billed Grebe .......................... C Cormorants Double-crested Cormorant ......... U Darters Anhinga .......................................... O Bitterns and Herons Least Bittern ................................. American Bittern .......................... Green Heron ..................................B Little Blue Heron ......................... Cattle Egret .................................. Great Egret ................................... Great Blue Heron .........................PB New World Vultures Turkey Vulture ..............................PB Black Vulture .................................PB Ducks, Geese and Swans Snow Goose .................................... Canada Goose ................................ Canada Goose (resident) ............. B Tundra Swan .................................. Wood Duck .....................................B Gadwall ........................................... American Wigeon ......................... American Black Duck .................. Mallard ........................................... Mallard (resident) .........................B Blue-winged Teal .......................... Northern Shoveler ....................... Northern Pintail ........................... Green-winged Teal ........................ Canvasback .................................... Redhead ......................................... Ring-necked Duck ........................ Lesser Scaup ................................. Bufflehead ...................................... Common Goldeneye ..................... Red-breasted Merganser ............ Hooded Merganser ....................... Ruddy Duck ................................... Hawks, Kites and Eagles Osprey ............................................ Mississippi Kite ............................. Northern Harrier ......................... Bald Eagle ..................................... U F W C C U U O R R C C O C C O U U C U C C C C C C C C C C R C C U C C U C C A C U O U R C C U C C C C A A O C C C R R A O U R R C O U R O C U C C U C O A C C C C C U C C R C R C C O U R C U C U O C O C U BRD Sharp-shinned Hawk .................... U Cooper’s Hawk ..............................PB Red-shouldered Hawk ................. B Broad-winged Hawk .................... Red-tailed Hawk ...........................B SP U U C O C S U O C R C F W U C O C U C Caracaras and Falcons American Kestrel .......................... U U U U Grouse, Turkeys Wild Turkey ...................................B C C C C New World Quail Northern Bobwhite ......................B C C C C Rails, Gallinules, Coots Sora ................................................. American Coot .............................. C R C C Plovers Killdeer ...........................................B C C C U O O R O C C C C Sandpipers, Phalaropes Lesser Yellowlegs ......................... Solitary Sandpiper........................ Spotted Sandpiper ........................ Upland Sandpiper ......................... Least Sandpiper ............................ Wilson’s Snipe ............................... American Woodcock .....................PB U U C C O U C O O C Skuas, Gulls, Terns Bonaparte’s Gull ........................... Ring-billed Gull ............................. Black Tern ..................................... U R Pigeons and Doves Rock Dove ......................................B Mourning Dove .............................B U A U A U A Cuckoos Black-billed Cuckoo ...................... Yellow-billed Cuckoo .................... B R C C R C Barn Owls Barn Owl ........................................ R R R R Typical Owls Eastern Screech-Owl ................... B Great Horned Owl ........................B Barred Owl ....................................B U C C U C C U C C U C C U R O C U A BRD Goatsuckers Common Nighthawk .................... B Chuck-will’s-widow .......................B Whip-poor-will ...............................B SP S F U C C U C C U Swifts Chimney Swift ...............................B C C C Hummingbirds Ruby-throated Hummingbird ..... B C C C Kingfishers Belted Kingfisher .........................B C C C C Woodpeckers Red-headed Woodpecker ............. B Red-bellied Woodpecker .............. B Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ............. Downy Woodpecker ......................B Hairy Woodpecker ........................B Northern Flicker ..........................B Pileated Woodpecker .................... B C C C C U C C C C C C U C C C C C C U C C C C U C C W Tyrant Flycatchers Eastern Wood-Pewee ................... B Yellow-bellied Flycatcher ............ Acadian Flycatcher ......................B Eastern Phoebe ............................B Great Crested Flycatcher ........... B Eastern Kingbird .........................B C C C C C C C C C C C R C C U U Shrikes Loggerhead Shrike .......................B U U U Vireos White-eyed Vireo ..........................B Yellow-throated Vireo .................. B Blue-headed Vireo ........................PB Red-eyed Vireo .............................B C U U C C U O C C U U C Jays and Crows Blue Jay .........................................B American Crow .............................B Fish Crow ......................................B C A U C A U C A U C A Larks Horned Lark ................................. O O O Swallows Purple Martin ................................B Tree Swallow ................................. Northern Rough-winged Swallow . B C U U C U U U U O BRD Bank Swallow ................................ Cliff Swallow ..................................B Barn Swallow ................................B SP R U C U C C Chickadees and Titmice Carolina Chickadee ......................B Tufted Titmouse ............................B C C C C C C C C Nuthatches White-breasted Nuthatch ............ B Red-breasted Nuthatch ............... Brown-headed Nuthatch ............. B C O C C C O C C O C Creepers Brown Creeper ............................. U U U C U U R U C U O R U Kinglets Golden-crowned Kinglet .............. Ruby-crowned Kinglet ................. C C C C C C Gnatchatchers Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ................ B C C C C Wrens Carolina Wren ...............................B House Wren ...................................B Winter Wren .................................. Sedge Wren ................................... Marsh Wren ................................... C U O S C C F R W Thrushes Eastern Bluebird ..........................B Gray-cheeked Thrush .................. Swainson’s Thrush........................ Hermit Thrush .............................. Wood Thrush .................................B American Robin ............................B C C U U C C C C C U U U U C Mockingbirds, Thrashers Gray Catbird .................................B Northern Mockingbird ................ B Brown Thrasher ............................B C C C C C C C C C R C U Starlings European Starling ........................B A A A A Wagtails and Pipits American Pipit .............................. U U C Waxwings Cedar Waxwing ............................. U U C C C BRD SP Wood-Warblers Blue-winged Warbler ................... R Golden-winged Warbler ............... R Northern Parula ...........................B C Yellow Warbler ..............................PB U Chestnut-sided Warbler .............. R Magnolia Warbler ......................... R Yellow-rumped Warbler ............... A Black-throated Green Warbler .... O Blackburnian Warbler .................. R Black-and-white Warbler ............. B C Black-throated Blue Warbler ...... U Yellow-throated Warbler .............. B C Pine Warbler ..................................B C Palm Warbler ................................. O Prairie Warbler .............................B C Blackpoll Warbler ......................... O Prothonotary Warbler .................. B C American Redstart .......................PB U Worm-eating Warbler .................. PB U Swainson’s Warbler ...................... R Ovenbird .........................................B C Northern Waterthrush ................ O Louisiana Waterthrush ................ B U Kentucky Warbler ........................B U Common Yellowthroat .................. B C Hooded Warbler ............................B C Canada Warbler ............................ U Yellow-breasted Chat ................... B C Tanagers Summer Tanager ..........................B Scarlet Tanager ............................. S F C U C U O A C C C C C U U C U U C C C C U U C U C O C U U C O U U C C U O W A C R R C U C U U C C C O C O U C C C C C C C O C O U C O C C O A C C C O C R U A C U C Emberzids Eastern Towhee ............................B Chipping Sparrow ........................B Field Sparrow ...............................B Vesper Sparrow ............................. Savannah Sparrow ....................... Grasshopper Sparrow .................. Fox Sparrow .................................. Song Sparrow ................................ Lincoln’s Sparrow ......................... Swamp Sparrow ............................ White-throated Sparrow ............. White-crowned Sparrow .............. Dark-eyed Junco ........................... C C O A Cardinals Northern Cardinal ........................B Rose-breasted Grosbeak ............. C U O C C A O A BRD Blue Grosbeak ...............................B Indigo Bunting ..............................B SP C C Blackbirds Bobolink ......................................... Red-winged Blackbird ................. B Eastern Meadowlark ................... B Rusty Blackbird ............................ Common Grackle .......................... Brown-headed Cowbird ...............B Orchard Oriole ..............................B Baltimore Oriole ........................... O C C O C C C O Northern Finches Purple Finch .................................. House Finch ..................................B Pine Siskin ..................................... American Goldfinch ......................B Evening Grosbeak ........................ R C R C R Old World Sparrows House Sparrow .............................B C S C C C C C C C R C C C F C C O C C O C C U O A C O A A R C R C R R C R C R C C Species Whose appearance is considered Accidental Tricolored Heron .......................... X White Ibis ...................................... X Glossy Ibis ..................................... X Wood Stork .................................... X Sandhill Crane ............................... X Greater White-fronted Goose ..... Brant ............................................... X Greater Scaup ............................... Golden Eagle ................................. X Merlin ............................................. Peregrine Falcon ........................... X Purple Gallinule ............................ X X Red-cockaded Woodpecker ......... X X X X Bachman’s Sparrow ..................... American Tree Sparrow .............. Lark Sparrow ................................ Henslow’s Sparrow ...................... LeConte’s sparrow ....................... Smith’s Longspur ......................... For further information contact: Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Route 1, Box 92, HWY 52 North Wadesboro, NC 28170 (704) 694 4424 W X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Sighting Notes Date _____________________________ ______________________________ Time _______________________________ _______________________________ Weather _____________________________ ______________________________ __________________________________ ______________________________ No. of species _______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ Route or area ______________________________ ______________________________ Observers _____________________________ ______________________________ Remarks ______________________________ _____________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ______________________________ M COU OMER Y O N TG NT Y MOND COUNTY RICH 73 Ansonville Ellerbe 742 Pee Dee River 109 Polkton 220 Wadesboro Rockingham 74 Pee Dee 109 742 52 85 Morven NORTH CAROLINA SOUTH CAROLINA 1 This blue goose, designed by J. N. “Ding” Darling, has become a symbol of the National Wildlife Refuge System. RICHMOND COUNTY MARLBORO COUNTY Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge Route 1, Box 92 Highway 52 N. Wadesboro, North Carolina U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 1 800/344 WILD December 2003 The Pee Dee National Wildlife Refuge wishes to dedicate our bird list in memory to Mr. Richard “Dick” Burk of Pinehurst, NC. His life long compassion for birds was revealed in his dedicated commitment and leadership in bird conservation, bird identification and this species list for the refuge. He will always be appreciated and remembered.