Caddo Lake

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF CADDO LAKE S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2019 INTRODUCTION C addo Lake State Park is located in Northeast Texas, 14 miles northeast of Marshall on State Highway 43, then east one mile on FM 2198, in Harrison County. The nearest communities are two small towns, Karnack and Uncertain. The park, adjacent to Big Cypress Bayou, consists of 484 acres on the southern shore of the bayou. The state park is part of what was once the South’s largest natural lake ecosystem (now reinforced with a dam). Caddo Lake covers a 26,800-acre maze of channels, meandering bayous, sloughs, and bald cypress thickets draped in Spanish moss. In October 1993, Caddo Lake was designated a Wetland of International Importance by the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty which seeks to conserve wetlands throughout the world. There are currently 38 recognized Ramsar sites in the United States. Topography is irregular, rolling, hilly uplands and flat floodplains and terraces. The climate is warm, moist, humid, and subtropical, with an annual rainfall of approximately 48 inches. The diverse habitats found throughout the park provide an ideal home for a wide variety of plants and animals. The area, especially its wetlands, provides significant and regionally critical habitat for a variety of migratory and resident wildlife. These include waterfowl, raptors, colonial waterbirds, songbirds, and furbearers. This checklist was compiled by Vanessa Neace of Caddo Lake Wildlife Management Area and is based on observations by numerous individuals, in particular members of the Northeast Texas Field Ornithologists. You can contribute to this checklist by reporting new and unusual sightings or changes in status. You may leave your sightings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Nomenclature and organization for this checklist follow the 7th edition of the American Ornithologists Union Check-list of North American Birds as currently supplemented. 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. 1 LEGEND Abundance C – Common U – Uncommon O – Occasional R – Rare T – Transient Suitable habitat is available; should not be missed during appropriate season. Present, but in moderate numbers; not seen on every visit during appropriate season. present, only a few times per season; also includes those species that do not occur each year, while in some years may be fairly common. Records are sporadic and few. Occurs in variable numbers; passing through, usually flying overhead. * – Nests locally Italics – Federal Threatened or Endangered Species ^ – State Listed Threatened or Endangered Species Seasons Sp – Spring (March, April, May) S – Summer (June, July, August) F – Fall (September, October, November) W – Winter (December, January, February) Status (St) P – Permanent M – Migratory Casual: Out of normal range, very seldom seen over several years, but can be expected again: Mottled Duck, Red-breasted Merganser, Common Ground-Dove, Neotropic Cormorant, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Cape May Warbler, Red-cockaded Woodpecker^ Did you find a rare bird? The Visitor Center has an eBird Trail Tracker for you to record your findings and to discover what others have been seeing. So Good Birding! And be sure to let us know if you find an accidental, hypothetical, or unlisted bird. If its really rare, remember a picture is worth a thousand words. 2 CHECKLIST Sp S F W St DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS ____ Greater White-fronted Goose................T T M ____ Snow Goose.......................................... T T M ____ Ross’s Goose........................................ T M ____ Canada Goose*..................................... T T M ____ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck............... O ____ Wood Duck*.........................................C U C C P ____ Gadwall................................................U U U M ____ American Wigeon.................................U U U M ____ Mallard................................................C U C C P/M ____ Blue-winged Teal..................................U U R M ____ Green-winged Teal................................U U U M ____ Northern Shoveler................................O O U M ____ Northern Pintail.................................... R M ____ Canvasback..........................................O O U M ____ Redhead............................................... R O M ____ Ring-necked Duck................................U U C M ____ Greater Scaup.......................................R R R M ____ Lesser Scaup........................................U U C M ____ Bufflehead............................................R R U M ____ Common Goldeneye............................. R M ____ Hooded Merganser............................... U U M ____ Ruddy Duck.........................................U U U M TURKEYS ____ Wild Turkey*........................................O O R R P NEW WORLD QUAIL ____ Northern Bobwhite...............................R R R R P GREBES ____ Pied-billed Grebe.................................U R U C M ____ Horned Grebe...................................... R M ____ Eared Grebe......................................... R M 3 Sp S F W St PIGEONS AND DOVES ____ Rock Pigeon*.......................................U U U U P ____ Eurasian Collard-Dove*........................U U U U P ____ Inca Dove*...........................................U U U U P ____ Mourning Dove*...................................C C C C P/M CUCKOOS AND ROADRUNNERS ____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo*..........................U C U M ____ Black-billed Cuckoo.............................R M ____ Greater Roadrunner*...........................O O O O P GOATSUCKERS ____ Common Nighthawk*...........................U U R M ____ Chuck-will’s-widow*.............................O U M ____ Eastern Whip-poor-will.........................R M SWIFTS ____ Chimney Swift*.....................................U U U M HUMMINGBIRDS ____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird*..............U U U M RAILS, GALLINULES, AND COOTS ____ King Rail...............................................R R R M ____ Virginia Rail.......................................... R R M ____ Sora.....................................................R R R M ____ Purple Gallinule...................................R R M ____ Common Moorhen...............................R R M ____ American Coot......................................C C C M PLOVERS ____ Black-bellied Plover............................. R M ____ Killdeer*...............................................C C U C P/M STILTS AND AVOCETS ____ American Avocet................................... R M SANDPIPERS, PHALAROPES, AND ALLIES ____ Least Sandpiper.................................... R M ____ Pectoral Sandpiper...............................R R M ____ Semipalmated Sandpiper...................... R M 4 Sp S F W St ____ Western Sandpiper............................... R M ____ Long-billed Dowitcher.......................... R M ____ Wilson’s Snipe......................................O U U M ____ American Woodcock*...........................O U U M ____ Spotted Sandpiper................................U O U O M ____ Solitary Sandpiper................................R R M ____ Greater Yellowlegs................................R R M ____ Willet....................................................R M ____ Lesser Yellowlegs..................................R R M GULLS AND TERNS ____ Bonaparte’s Gull................................... R O M ____ Franklin’s Gull...................................... R M ____ Ring-billed Gull....................................U U C M ____ Herring Gull......................................... R M ____ Black Tern............................................R M ____ Forster’s Tern....................................... O U M LOONS ____ Common Loon...................................... R M STORKS ____ Wood Stork.......................................... U U M CORMORANTS ____ Double-crested Cormorant...................U U U M DARTERS ____ Anhinga*..............................................U C U M PELICANS ____ American White Pelican........................R R O M HERONS, EGRETS, AND ALLIES ____ American Bittern.................................. R M ____ Great Blue Heron*................................C C C C P/M ____ Great Egret*.........................................C C C U P/M ____ Snowy Egret .........................................U U U M ____ Little Blue Heron*................................U C U M ____ Tricolored Heron................................. R M 5 Sp S F W St ____ Cattle Egret*.........................................C C C M ____ Green Heron*.......................................U C U M ____ Black-crowned Night-Heron.................U U M ____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron*..............U C U M IBIS AND SPOONBILLS ____ White Ibis*...........................................U C U M ____ White-faced Ibis................................... R M ____ Roseate Spoonbill................................. R R M NEW WORLD VULTURES ____ Turkey Vulture*....................................C C C C P ____ Black Vulture*......................................C C C C P OSPREYS, HAWKS, KITES, EAGLES AND ALLIES ____ Osprey*................................................O C U O M ____ Mississippi Kite*...................................U C U M ____ Bald Eagle*^........................................R R U M ____ Northern Harrier..................................R U U P/M ____ Sharp-shinned Hawk............................O U U M ____ Cooper’s Hawk*...................................O O U U M ____ Red-shouldered Hawk*........................C C C C P ____ Broad-winged Hawk*...........................T U T M ____ Swainson’s Hawk..................................T T M ____ Red-tailed Hawk*.................................C U C C P ____ Golden Eagle........................................ T M BARN OWLS ____ Barn Owl*............................................R R R R P TYPICAL OWLS ____ Eastern Screech-Owl*...........................U U U U P ____ Great Horned Owl*...............................U U U U P ____ Barred Owl*.........................................C C C C P KINGFISHERS ____ Belted Kingfisher*................................U U U U P WOODPECKERS ____ Red-headed Woodpecker*....................U U U U P 6 Sp S F W St ____ Red-bellied Woodpecker*....................C C C C P ____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker......................U U C M ____ Downy Woodpecker*............................C C C C P ____ Hairy Woodpecker*..............................O O U U P/M ____ Northern Flicker...................................U R C C M ____ Pileated Woodpecker*..........................C C C C P CARACARA AND FALCONS ____ American Kestral..................................O U C M ____ Merlin.................................................. R T M ____ Peregrine Falcon^................................T T M TYRANT FLYCATCHERS ____ Olive-sided Flycatcher..........................R R M ____ Eastern Wood-Pewee*..........................U U U M ____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher......................R M ____ Acadian Flycatcher*..............................U U U M ____ Willow Flycatcher.................................R R M ____ Least Flycatcher....................................R R M ____ Eastern Phoebe*...................................U U U C P/M ____ Great Crested Flycatcher*.....................U U U M ____ Eastern Kingbird*................................U U R M ____ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher*......................U U U M SHRIKES ____ Loggerhead Shrike*..............................U U U U P/M VIREOS ____ White-eyed Vireo*.................................C C U M ____ Yellow-throated Vireo*.........................U U U M ____ Blue-headed Vireo................................R R O M ____ Philadelphia Vireo................................R M ____ Warbling Vireo.....................................R R M ____ Red-eyed Vireo*...................................U C U M CROWS AND JAYS ____ Blue Jay*..............................................C C C C P/M ____ American Crow*...................................C C C C P/M 7 Sp S F W St ____ Fish Crow*...........................................C C C U P SWALLOWS ____ Purple Martin*.....................................U U M ____ Tree Swallow........................................T M ____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow..........T T M ____ Bank Swallow....................................... T M ____ Cliff Swallow.........................................T M ____ Barn Swallow*......................................U C U M CHICKADEES AND TITMICE ____ Carolina Chickadee*.............................C C C C P ____ Tufted Titmouse*..................................C C C C P NUTHATCHES ____ Red-breasted Nuthatch.........................R R R M ____ White-breasted Nuthatch*.....................U U U U P ____ Brown-headed Nuthatch*.....................U U U U P CREEPERS ____ Brown Creeper.....................................U U U M WRENS ____ House Wren.......................................... O U M ____ Winter Wren......................................... U U M ____ Sedge Wren.......................................... O O M ____ Marsh Wren..........................................R O M ____ Carolina Wren*.....................................C C C C M ____ Bewick’s Wren......................................R R R M GNATCATCHERS ____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*........................U C U R M KINGLETS ____ Golden-crowned Kinglet.......................O U U M ____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet..........................U U U M THRUSHES ____ Eastern Bluebird*.................................C C C C P ____ Veery....................................................R R M ____ Gray-cheeked Thrush...........................R M 8 Sp S F W St ____ Swainson’s Thrush................................R R M ____ Hermit Thrush......................................U U U M ____ Wood Thrush*......................................U U O M ____ American Robin*..................................U U U C P/M MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS ____ Gray Catbird*.......................................U O U M ____ Northern Mockingbird *.......................C C C C P ____ Brown Thrasher*.................................U U U C P/M STARLINGS ____ European Starling*...............................U U U U P WAXWINGS ____ Cedar Waxwing.....................................U U U M OLD WORLD SPARROWS ____ House Sparrow*...................................U U U U P PIPETS ____ American Pipit...................................... R R M FINCHES AND ALLIES ____ House Finch.........................................R R R P/M ____ Purple Finch.........................................R R M ____ Red Crossbill........................................ R M ____ Pine Siskin........................................... R M ____ American Goldfinch..............................U U C M TOWHEES, SPARROWS, AND ALLIES ____ Spotted Towhee....................................R R M ____ Eastern Towhee....................................U R U U M ____ Bachman’s Sparrow^........................... R P(?) ____ Chipping Sparrow*...............................U U U C P ____ Field Sparrow.......................................U R U C M ____ Vesper Sparrow.................................... O O M ____ Lark Sparrow.......................................R R R M ____ Savannah Sparrow................................U U U M ____ Grasshopper Sparrow........................... R M ____ Henslow’s Sparrow...............................O O O M 9 Sp S F W St ____ LeConte’s Sparrow................................U O U M ____ Fox Sparrow.........................................O U U M ____ Song Sparrow.......................................U U C M ____ Lincoln’s Sparrow.................................O O U M ____ Swamp Sparrow...................................U U C M ____ White-throated Sparrow.......................C C C M ____ Harris’s Sparrow.................................. R M ____ White-crowned Sparrow.......................U U U M ____ Dark-eyed Junco..................................U U C M YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT ____ Yellow-breasted Chat*..........................C U O M BLACKBIRDS ____ Red-winged Blackbird*........................C C C C P ____ Eastern Meadowlark.............................U U U U P/M ____ Yellow-headed Blackbird......................R M ____ Rusty Blackbird.................................... R U M ____ Brewer’s Blackbird............................... R M ____ Common Grackle.................................C U C C P/M ____ Brown-headed Cowbird*......................C U U U P/M ____ Orchard Oriole*...................................U U M ____ Baltimore Oriole..................................U R U M WOOD-WARBLERS ____ Ovenbird..............................................R R M ____ Worm-eating Warbler........................... R M ____ Louisiana Waterthrush*........................U U R M ____ Northern Waterthrush...........................R R M ____ Golden-winged Warbler........................R R M ____ Blue-winged Warbler............................R R M ____ Black-and-white Warbler*....................C U U M ____ Prothonotary Warbler*.........................C C U M ____ Swainson’s Warbler*.............................U O M ____ Tennessee Warbler...............................U R M ____ Orange-crowned Warbler.....................O U U M 10 Sp S F W St ____ Nashville Warbler.................................O U M ____ Kentucky Warbler*...............................U U M ____ Mourning Warbler................................R R M ____ Common Yellowthroat*........................C C U R M ____ Hooded Warbler*.................................U U O M ____ American Redstart*..............................O O O M ____ Northern Parula*..................................C C U M ____ Magnolia Warbler.................................R M ____ Bay-breasted Warbler...........................R R M ____ Cerulean Warbler................................. R M ____ Blackburnian Warbler..........................R M ____ Yellow Warbler.....................................U R O M ____ Chestnut-sided Warbler........................R M ____ Blackpoll Warbler................................R R M ____ Pine Warbler*.......................................C C C C P ____ Yellow-rumped Warbler.......................U U C M ____ Yellow-throated Warbler*.....................C C U M ____ Prairie Warbler*...................................U O M ____ Black-throated Green Warbler..............U O M ____ Canada Warbler....................................R R M ____ Wilson’s Warbler..................................R O M GROSBEAKS AND BUNTINGS ____ Summer Tanager*................................C C U M ____ Scarlet Tanager.....................................R R M ____ Northern Cardinal*...............................C C C C P ____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak.......................R R M ____ Blue Grosbeak*....................................U U R M ____ Indigo Bunting*....................................C C U M ____ Painted Bunting*..................................U U O M ____ Dickcissel.............................................O R R M 11 citation Neace, Vanessa and Northeast Texas Field Ornithologists. May 2019. Birds of Caddo Lake State Park: a field checklist. Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Cover: Illustration of Parula Warbler by Jared Faulk. 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. 12 Natural Resource Program Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2019 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4508–0029K (5/19) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.