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Birds at Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
BIRDS
OF
BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE VALLEY
S T A T E
P A R K
WORLD BIRDING CENTER
A FIELD CHECKLIST
2014
Cover: Illustration of Mississippi Kite by Rob Fleming.
INTRODUCTION
B
entsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park consists of 797 acres
of subtropical resaca woodlands and drier thorny brushlands
that once characterized the entirety of the Lower Rio Grande
Valley but which is now limited to scattered fragments. The park
supports about 358 species of birds, many of which are subtropical species typical of eastern Mexico and not found north of
the border beyond extreme southern Texas. Some of the characteristic species of the region include Black-bellied Whistling-Duck,
Gray Hawk, Hook-billed Kite, Plain Chachalaca, White-tipped Dove,
Groove-billed Ani, Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Couch’s Kingbird,
Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Olive Sparrow and Altamira Oriole.
Additionally Bentsen has become well known for consistently
producing extremely rare visitors from Mexico, often the first
records for these species north of the border.
The natural habitats of the park have been created by the
evolution of the Rio Grande over time as it has carved out and
then abandoned channels and nourished the lands along it with
life-giving floods. Presently the river has been controlled by numerous dams throughout its watershed, and vegetation communities
in the park have been gradually drying out and becoming more
arid. The transition of Bentsen from traditional state park to
headquarters of the World Birding Center has resulted in tripling
the size of the protected area with the incorporation of donated
land and a cooperative relationship between the Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This checklist, compiled by John Arvin, is based on observations
by numerous individuals, and includes those species which have
been observed within or passing over the park. Nomenclature and
organization for this checklist follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North
American Birds, 7th edition, 1998 as currently supplemented.
Because we will be updating this checklist as additional
observations are made, we ask that you report details of new or
unusual sightings. Reports may be sent to Bentsen-RGV State Park,
World Birding Center, 2800 South Bentsen Palm Drive, Mission,
Texas 78572 or may be left at the park headquarters.
1
Please help us protect the natural avian communities
in our parks by refraining from using playback tapes of
bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes disrupts normal avian
activity patterns and essential territorial behavior, and may
lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation.
LEGEND
C – common; seen daily in some numbers
U – uncommon; usually seen daily in proper habitat and season
but only one or a few individuals
R – rare; seen only once or twice a year and may not occur
every year
X – extremely rare; only one or two records exist
* – has nested in the park
• – a species found north of the Mexican border entirely in
extreme southern Texas or one which can be found there
more reliably than in other areas
Sp
Su
F
W
–
–
–
–
Spring (March-May)
Summer (June-August)
Fall (September-November)
Winter (December-February)
2
CHECKLIST
W
Sp
Su
F
DUCKS & GEESE
___*•Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
R
U
U
R
___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck
X
R
R
R
___ Greater White-fronted Goose U
U
___ Snow Goose
U U
___ Ross’s Goose R
___ Muscovy Duck (feral)
U
U
U
U
___ Wood Duck
R R
___ Gadwall
C C
___ American Wigeon
C C
___ Mallard
R R
___* “Mexican Duck”
U
U
U
U
___* Mottled Duck
U
U
U
U
___* Blue-winged Teal
C
C
R
C
___ Cinnamon Teal
R
R R
___ Northern Shoveler
C
C C
___ Northern Pintail
U U
___ Green-winged Teal C
U
C
___ Canvasback
R R
___ Redhead
R R
___ Ring-necked Duck C
U
C
___ Greater Scaup R
___ Lesser Scaup
U
U U
___ Bufflehead
R R
___ Hooded Merganser
R R
___ Masked Duck
X
X
X
X
___* Ruddy Duck
U
U
R
U
CHACHALACAS & GUANS
___*•Plain Chachalaca
C
3
C
C
C
W
Sp
Su
F
NEW WORLD QUAIL
___* Northern Bobwhite
U
U
U
U
PARTRIDGES & TURKEYS
___ Wild Turkey
X
X
X
X
GREBES
___*•Least Grebe
U
U
U
U
___ Pied-billed Grebe
C
U
U
C
___ Eared Grebe
R
X X
STORKS
___ Jabiru
X
___ Wood Stork
U
U
FRIGATEBIRDS
___ Magnificent Frigatebird X
CORMORANTS
___*•Neotropic Cormorant
U
___ Double-crested Cormorant C
U
U
C
U
U
ANHINGAS
___* Anhinga
U
C
C
C
PELICANS
___ American White Pelican U
U
___ Brown Pelican X
U
HERONS
___ American Bittern
R
R R
___* Least Bittern
R
R
___ Bare-throated Tiger-Heron X
___ Great Blue Heron C
C
U
C
___ Great Egret
C
C
C
C
___ Snowy Egret
U
U
U
U
___ Little Blue Heron R
U
U
U
___ Tricolored Heron
U
U
U
U
4
W
Sp
Su
F
___ Reddish Egret X
___ Cattle Egret
C
C
___* Green Heron
R
C
___* Black-crowned Night-Heron
U
U
___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
R
U
X
C
C
R
U
X
C
C
U
R
IBIS & SPOONBILLS
___ White Ibis
R
R
___ White-faced Ibis
U
U U
___ Roseate Spoonbill
R
R
NEW WORLD VULTURES
___ Black Vulture
U
___ Turkey Vulture
C
U
C
U
C
U
C
OSPREYS
___ Osprey
C
C
R
C
HAWKS, KITES, & EAGLES
___*•Hook-billed Kite
R
R
R
R
___ Swallow-tailed Kite R R
___* White-tailed Kite
C
C
U
C
___ Snail Kite X
___ Mississippi Kite C C
___ Bald Eagle X
___ Northern Harrier
U
U U
___ Sharp-shinned Hawk
U
C C
___* Cooper’s Hawk
C
C
R
C
___*•Harris’s Hawk
U
U
U
U
___ Roadside Hawk
X X
___ Red-shouldered Hawk
U
U U
___ Broad-winged Hawk
X
C
R
C
___*•Gray Hawk
U
U
U
U
___ Short-tailed Hawk X
X
X
___ Swainson’s Hawk
X
C
U
C
5
W
Sp
Su
F
___•White-tailed Hawk
U
U
R
U
___ Zone-tailed Hawk
R
R R
___ Red-tailed Hawk
C
U U
___ Ferruginous Hawk
R R
RAILS
___* King Rail
R
___ Virginia Rail
R
___ Sora
C
___ Purple Gallinule
___* Common Gallinule
U
___* American Coot
C
R
R
R
R R
C C
R
R
X
U
R
U
C C
CRANES
___ Sandhill Crane
U
U U
STILTS & AVOCETS
___* Black-necked Stilt
U
U
U
U
___ American Avocet
U
U U
PLOVERS
___ Black-bellied Plover X
___ American Golden-Plover R
___ Semipalmated Plover R R
___* Killdeer
C
C
C
C
JACANAS
___ Northern Jacana X
X
X
SANDPIPERS
___ Spotted Sandpiper
U
C
R
C
___ Solitary Sandpiper
R
U U
___ Greater Yellowlegs
U
C C
___ Lesser Yellowlegs
C
C C
___ Upland Sandpiper C C
___ Whimbrel X
6
W
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
Sp
Su
F
Long-billed Curlew
C
C C
Hudsonian Godwit R
Stilt Sandpiper
C
C C
Baird’s Sandpiper R R
Least Sandpiper
C
C C
White-rumped Sandpiper U
Buff-Breasted Sandpiper U U
Pectoral Sandpiper
U
U U
Semipalmated Sandpiper U U
Western Sandpiper
U
U U
Short-billed Dowitcher R R
Long-billed Dowitcher
U
U U
Wilson’s Snipe
C
C C
Wilson’s Phalarope
R
R R
GULLS & TERNS
___ Laughing Gull U
R
U
___ Franklin’s Gull U U
___ Ring-billed Gull
U
U U
___ Least Tern
R
R
___ Gull-billed Tern U
R
U
___ Caspian Tern
U
U U
___ Black Tern U U
___ Forster’s Tern
U
U
X
U
___ Black Skimmer
R
R
PIGEONS & DOVES
___ Rock Pigeon
U
U
U
___*•Red-billed Pigeon
R
R
___ Eurasian Collared-Dove
U
U
U
___* Inca Dove
C
C
C
___* Common Ground-Dove
C
C
C
___ Ruddy Ground-Dove X
7
U
U
C
C
W
Sp
Su
F
___ Ruddy Quail-Dove X
___*•White-tipped Dove
C
C
C
___* White-winged Dove R
C
C
___* Mourning Dove
C
C
C
C
U
C
CUCKOOS & ANIS
___* Yellow-billed Cuckoo
C
C
___ Black-billed Cuckoo R X
___* Greater Roadrunner
U
U
U
U
___*•Groove-billed Ani R
U
C
C
BARN OWLS
___* Barn Owl
U
U
U
U
TYPICAL OWLS
___* Eastern Screech-Owl
C
C
C
C
___* Great Horned Owl U
U
U
U
___•Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl
X
X
X
X
___* Elf Owl X
C
U
___ Burrowing Owl
R R
___ Mottled Owl X
___ Long-eared Owl R
___ Stygian Owl X
___ Short-eared Owl R
NIGHTJARS
___* Lesser Nighthawk X
C
C
U
___ Common Nighthawk X
C
C
R
___*•Common Pauraque
C
C
C
C
___ Common Poorwill X X
___ Chuck-wills-widow C R
___ Eastern Whip-poor-will U U
SWIFTS
___ Chimney Swift
8
C
R
R
W
Sp
Su
F
HUMMINGBIRDS
___ Green Violetear X
___ Lucifer Hummingbird
X
___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird
R
C
R
C
___ Black-chinned Hummingbird
U
U
U
U
___ Anna’s Hummingbird X
___ Rufous Hummingbird U
R
___ Allen’s Hummingbird
X X
___ Broad-billed Hummingbird
X
___*•Buff-bellied Hummingbird
R
U
U
U
TROGONS
___ Elegant Trogon X
KINGFISHERS
___*•Ringed Kingfisher
U
U
U
U
___ Belted Kingfisher
U
U U
___*•Green Kingfisher
U
U
U
U
WOODPECKERS
___*•Golden-fronted Woodpecker
C
C
C
C
___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker U
R
___ Red-naped Sapsucker X
___* Ladder-backed Woodpecker
C
C
C
C
___ Northern Flicker
R R
FALCONS & CARACARAS
___ Collared Forest-Falcon X
___•Crested Caracara
U
U
U
U
___ American Kestrel
C
C C
___ Merlin
R
R R
___ Aplomado Falcon
X
___ Peregrine Falcon R
U
R
___ Prairie Falcon X
X
9
W
Sp
Su
F
PARROTS & PARAKEETS
___ • Green Parakeet
X
X
X
X
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
___*•N. Beardless-Tyrannulet
U
U
U
U
___ Olive-sided Flycatcher U U
___ Eastern Wood-Pewee C C
___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher U C
___ Acadian Flycatcher U
___ Alder Flycatcher C C
___ Willow Flycatcher U U
___ Least Flycatcher C C
___ Gray Flycatcher X
___ Cordilleran Flycatcher X
___* Black Phoebe
U
U
U
U
___ Eastern Phoebe C
U
C
___ Say’s Phoebe
R R
___ Vermilion Flycatcher
U
U U
___ Dusky-capped Flycatcher X
___ Ash-throated Flycatcher R
___ Great Crested Flycatcher C C
___* Brown-crested Flycatcher
C
C
___*•Great Kiskadee
C
C
C
C
___ Social Flycatcher X
___ Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher X
___ Piratic Flycatcher X
___•Tropical Kingbird
R
R
R
R
___*•Couch’s Kingbird
R
C
C
C
___* Western Kingbird U
U
U
___ Eastern Kingbird C C
___* Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
R
C
C
C
10
W
Sp
Su
F
BECARDS, TITYRAS
___ Masked Tityra X
___•Rose-throated Becard
X X
SHRIKES
___ Loggerhead Shrike
U
U
U
U
VIREOS
___* White-eyed Vireo
U
U
U
U
___ Bell’s Vireo
X
R R
___ Yellow-throated Vireo R R
___ Blue-headed Vireo U
R
U
___ Warbling Vireo U U
___ Philadelphia Vireo R X
___ Red-eyed Vireo U U
___•Yellow-green Vireo
R
R
JAYS & CROWS
___*•Green Jay
C
C
C
C
___ Blue Jay X
___•Tamaulipas Crow
X
___ Chihuahuan Raven
R
R R
LARKS
___* Horned Lark
R
R
R
R
SWALLOWS
___ Purple Martin
C
C
___ Tree Swallow
U
U U
___ N. Rough-winged Swallow R
U
U
U
___* Bank Swallow
X
C
C
C
___* Cliff Swallow U
U
U
___* Cave Swallow
C
C
C
U
___* Barn Swallow
R
C
C
C
11
W
Sp
Su
F
TITMICE
___* Black-crested Titmouse
C
C
C
C
VERDINS
___* Verdin
U
U
U
U
NUTHATCHES
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch
R R
CREEPERS
___ Brown Creeper R
WRENS
___ House Wren
C
C C
___ Winter Wren
R R
___ Sedge Wren
R
R R
___ Marsh Wren
U
U U
___ Carolina Wren
R
R
R
R
___* Bewick’s Wren
R
R
R
R
___* Cactus Wren
R
R
R
R
GNATCATCHERS
___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
C
C C
KINGLETS
___ Golden-crowned Kinglet
R R
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet
C
C C
THRUSHES
___ Eastern Bluebird
U
U U
___ Veery R
___ Gray-cheeked Thrush R
___ Swainson’s Thrush U
___ Hermit Thrush
U U
___ Wood Thrush R
___*•Clay-colored Thrush
U
U
U
U
___ White-throated Thrush
X
X X
12
W
___
___
___
___
Sp
Su
Rufous-backed Robin X
American Robin U
X
Varied Thrush X
Aztec Thrush X
F
R
THRASHERS & MOCKINGBIRDS
___ Gray Catbird
R
R R
___* Curve-billed Thrasher
U
U
U
U
___*•Long-billed Thrasher
C
C
C
C
___ Sage Thrasher X
___* Northern Mockingbird
C
C
C
C
STARLINGS
___ European Starling
R
R
R
R
PIPITS
___ American Pipit
U
U U
___ Sprague’s Pipit
R
R R
WAXWINGS
___ Cedar Waxwing U
U
WOOD WARBLERS
___ Ovenbird
R
U U
___ Worm-eating Warbler R R
___ Louisiana Waterthrush U U
___ Northern Waterthrush
X
U U
___ Golden-winged Warbler R
___ Blue-winged Warbler R X
___ Black-and-white Warbler U
C
U
___ Prothonotary Warbler X
___ Tennessee Warbler U R
___ Orange-crowned Warbler
C
C C
___ Nashville Warbler
U
C C
___ MacGillivray’s Warbler R R
13
W
Sp
Su
F
___ Mourning Warbler U U
___ Kentucky Warbler R
___* Common Yellowthroat
C
C
U
C
___ Hooded Warbler R X
___ American Redstart U U
___ Cerulean Warbler R
___ Northern Parula
R
U U
___*•Tropical Parula
R
R
R
R
___ Magnolia Warbler R
___ Bay-breasted Warbler R
___ Blackburnian Warbler R
___ Yellow Warbler
X
C C
___ Chestnut-sided Warbler R
___ Palm Warbler X
___ Pine Warbler
R R
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler C
U
___ Yellow-throated Warbler
R R
___ Black-throated Gray Warbler U
R
___ Townsend’s Warbler
R R
___ Black-throated Green Warbler R
R
R
___ Golden-crowned Warbler X
___ Canada Warbler U U
___ Wilson’s Warbler
R
U U
___ Painted Redstart X
___* Yellow-breasted Chat U U
EMBERIZID FINCHES
___*•White-collared Seedeater
X
X
___ Yellow-faced Grassquit
X
___*•Olive Sparrow
C
C
C
C
___ Green-tailed Towhee
R R
___ Spotted Towhee
X X
14
W
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
Sp
Su
F
Cassin’s Sparrow R R
Chipping Sparrow
U
U U
Clay-colored Sparrow R R
Field Sparrow
R R
Vesper Sparrow
U U
Lark Sparrow
U
U
C
U
Black-throated Sparrow R
Lark Bunting X
Savannah Sparrow
C
C C
Grasshopper Sparrow
R
R R
Fox Sparrow X
Song Sparrow X
Lincoln’s Sparrow C
U
C
Swamp Sparrow
R R
White-throated Sparrow R
X
White-crowned Sparrow
R R
Dark-eyed Junco X
CARDINALS & GROSBEAKS
___ Summer Tanager
R
U U
___ Scarlet Tanager R
___ Western Tanager R
X
___ Crimson-collared Grosbeak
X X
___* Northern Cardinal
C
U
U
U
___ Pyrrhuloxia U
R
___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak
R
U U
___ Black-headed Grosbeak X
___•Blue Bunting
R R
___ Blue Grosbeak U
U
U
___ Lazuli Bunting
R R
___ Indigo Bunting
C
U U
___ Varied Bunting
X
X
X
X
15
W
Sp
Su
F
___* Painted Bunting
R
___ Dickcissel
X
U
C
R
U
U
C
BLACKBIRDS & ORIOLES
___* Red-winged Blackbird
C
C
C
C
___ Eastern Meadowlark
R
R
R
R
___ Western Meadowlark
C C
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird
X
R R
___ Brewer’s Blackbird X
X
___* Great-tailed Grackle
C
C
C
C
___* Bronzed Cowbird
R
C
C
R
___* Brown-headed Cowbird
C
C
U
C
___ Black-vented Oriole X
___* Orchard Oriole U
C
U
___* Hooded Oriole R
U
R
___ Bullock’s Oriole R R
___*•Altamira Oriole
U
U
U
U
___*•Audubon’s Oriole
X
X
X
___ Baltimore Oriole
U
R
C
OLD WORLD FINCHES
___ House Finch
X
X
X
X
___ Red Crossbill X
___ Pine Siskin
R R
___* Lesser Goldfinch
U
U
U
U
___ American Goldfinch U
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
___* House Sparrow
U
16
U
U
U
CITATION
Arvin, John C. August 2014. Birds of Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley
State Park: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department.
In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame
and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This fund
may be used for nongame wildlife and endangered species
research and conservation, habitat acquisition and development and dissemination of information pertaining to nongame management. Money for this fund is obtained through
private donations and sale of nongame wildlife art prints and
stamps. This fund now gives Texans a unique opportunity
to help support this state’s valuable and sensitive nongame
resources. Your individual contributions and purchases
of nongame art prints and stamps will help determine
the level of nongame conservation activities in Texas. For
more information call toll-free (1-800-792-1112) or contact:
Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School
Road, Austin, Texas 78744.
TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color,
religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an
accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone
(TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@
tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD,
4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity
and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.
Natural Resources Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
© 2020 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
PWD BK P4502-058B (4/20)
In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the
Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.