Enchanted Rock

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF ENCHANTED ROCK S TAT E N AT U R A L A R E A A FIELD CHECKLIST 2018 Cover: Illustration of Greater Roadrunner by Rob Fleming. INTRODUCTION E nchanted Rock State Natural Area, in Llano and Gillespie Counties, is one of the gems of the Texas State Parks system. The park is located in the geological region known as the Llano Uplift or the Central Mineral Region of the Texas Hill Country. The area has vast exposures of ancient rock and is one of the most geologically interesting in Texas. Biologically, the park is similar to the Edwards Plateau but there are also affinities with the northern plateau of Mexico and the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The oak-hickory woodlands which develop on the soils derived from granite are distinctly allied with the Cross Timbers and woodlands of eastern Texas. Interestingly, many of the ferns found at Enchanted Rock are distributed across northern Mexico and Trans-Pecos Texas and are at their extreme eastern limit at Enchanted Rock. Conspicuous by their absence are Texas Oaks and Ashe Juniper which are otherwise common on nearby limestone soils. In general, park habitats are varied and include oak-hickory woodlands and savannahs, seemingly bare rock surfaces colonized by lichens and mosses, vernal pools and meadows, and open mesquite-cedar elm woodlands. Along Sandy Creek, there is a gallery woodland of oak, elm, hickory and white buckeye. Birdlife in the park is varied and interesting. Resident birds include Northern Cardinal, Eastern Bluebird, Carolina and Bewick’s Wrens, Canyon Towhee, Goldenfronted and Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, Carolina Chickadee and Black-crested Titmouse. In the spring and fall, several species of wood warblers rest and feed in the gallery woodlands around the day-use area. Rock Wrens can often be seen flitting about in the rocks near the trail to the summit of Enchanted Rock. On the lower slope of Enchanted Rock, Black-throated Sparrows may be seen. This grassy are is also good for wintering sparrows such as Harris’s, Lincoln’s, Vesper, and Whitecrowned. Some resident sparrows which are easily observed are Rufous-crowned and Field. In the summer, Bell’s Vireos may be heard singing from the mesquite trees along the road to the camping area. In spring or fall, a hawk migration seen from the summit of Enchanted Rock is a thrilling experience. Also noteworthy are the flight patters of vultures over Buzzard’s Roost. Moss Pond is a good spot to see migrating and wintering ducks and possibly shorebirds, as well as the resident Belted Kingfishers. This checklist is based on the work done by Kay and Ernest Mueller of Kerrville. This edition has been updated by Sherry Wilson. The organization and nomenclature of the birds listed here follow the American Ornithological Society Check-list of 1 North American Birds, 7th edition as currently supplemented. Because we will be updating this checklist as additional observations are made, we solicit your help and ask that you report new or unusual sightings or observations. Reports may be sent to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 or may be left at the park headquarters for forwarding. 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 essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. LEGEND Seasons Sp = spring (March – May) S = summer (June – August) F = fall (September – November) W = winter (December – February) Abundance A = abundant — should be seen on 75% or more of trips in proper habitat and season C = common — should be seen on 50% or more of trips in proper habitat and season U = uncommon — should be seen on 25% or more of trips in proper habitat and season O = occasional — should be seen on 10% or more of trips in proper habitat and season R = rare — not seen annually but expected to occur again X = accidental — only one or two records in the past ten years I = irregular — absent some years, but may be numerous in others * = breeding species — known to breed in park or breeding strongly suspected 2 CHECKLIST Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F Black-bellied Whistling-Duck............................... X Greater White-fronted Goose................................ O O Gadwall................................................................ C C American Wigeon................................................. C C Mallard................................................................ U U Blue-winged Teal.................................................. C C Northern Shoveler................................................ U U Northern Pintail.................................................... U U Green-winged Teal................................................ C C Canvasback.......................................................... O O Ring-necked Duck................................................ U U Lesser Scaup........................................................ C C Northern Bobwhite............................................... C C* C Wild Turkey.......................................................... C C* C Pied-billed Grebe................................................. C R C Rock Pigeon......................................................... C C C Eurasian Collared-Dove........................................ R R R Inca Dove............................................................. U U* U Common Ground-Dove......................................... U U U White-winged Dove............................................... A A A Mourning Dove.................................................... A A* A Yellow-billed Cuckoo............................................ C C* U Greater Roadrunner............................................. U U* U Common Nighthawk............................................. C C* C Common Poorwill................................................ U U* U Chuck-will’s-widow.............................................. U U* U Chimney Swift....................................................... U U* U Ruby-throated Hummingbird................................ O U Black-chinned Hummingbird............................... A A* A Rufous Hummingbird........................................... R O American Coot...................................................... U U Sandhill Crane...................................................... U U 3 W O C C U C U U C O U C C C C C R U U A A U O R U Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F W Killdeer................................................................ C C* C C Baird’s Sandpiper................................................. R R Greater Yellowlegs................................................ R R Spotted Sandpiper................................................ C C C Western Sandpiper............................................... O O Least Sandpiper.................................................... U U Pectoral Sandpiper............................................... O O Long-billed Dowitcher.......................................... O O Wilson’s Snipe...................................................... U U U Anhinga................................................................ X Great Blue Heron................................................. C C C C Great Egret........................................................... U U U Snowy Egret.......................................................... U U U Cattle Egret........................................................... U U U Green Heron........................................................ O O O Black Vulture........................................................ C C* C C Turkey Vulture...................................................... A A* A A Osprey.................................................................. R R R Mississippi Kite..................................................... U U Northern Harrier.................................................. U U U Sharp-shinned Hawk............................................ U R U U Cooper’s Hawk..................................................... U R U U Red-shouldered Hawk.......................................... U U U U Broad-winged Hawk............................................. O O Swainson’s Hawk.................................................. U U Red-tailed Hawk................................................... C C C C Rough-legged Hawk............................................. X Eastern Screech-Owl............................................ U U* U U Great Horned Owl................................................ U U* U U Barred Owl........................................................... U U* U U Short-eared Owl................................................... R R Belted Kingfisher.................................................. C U C C Red-headed Woodpecker..................................... R R R R Golden-fronted Woodpecker................................ A A* A A 4 Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F W Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...................................... U U U Ladder-backed Woodpecker................................. A A* A A Downy Woodpecker............................................. O O O O Northern Flicker................................................... R R R Crested Caracara.................................................. U U U U American Kestrel.................................................. C C C Merlin.................................................................. X X X Peregrine Falcon.................................................. R R R Olive-sided Flycatcher.......................................... O O Eastern Wood-Pewee............................................ U U* U Acadian Flycatcher............................................... O O Least Flycatcher.................................................... O O Willow Flycatcher................................................. O O Eastern Phoebe.................................................... C C* C C Vermilion Flycatcher............................................. U U* U O Ash-throated Flycatcher........................................ C C* U Great Crested Flycatcher....................................... U U* U Brown-crested Flycatcher..................................... X Western Kingbird.................................................. C U* C Eastern Kingbird................................................... U U Scissor-tailed Flycatcher....................................... A A* A Loggerhead Shrike............................................... C R C C White-eyed Vireo.................................................. C C* C Bell’s Vireo........................................................... C C* C Hutton’s Vireo....................................................... U U U Black-capped Vireo.............................................. R R Yellow-throated Vireo........................................... U U* U Blue-headed Vireo................................................ O O Red-eyed Vireo..................................................... U U* U Blue Jay................................................................ O O O Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay........................................ C C* C C American Crow..................................................... U U R Common Raven.................................................... C C C C Horned Lark......................................................... R 5 Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F W Purple Martin....................................................... C C U Northern Rough-winged Swallow.......................... C U U Bank Swallow....................................................... R Cliff Swallow......................................................... A A* A Barn Swallow....................................................... C C* C Carolina Chickadee.............................................. A A* A A Black-crested Titmouse........................................ A A* A A Verdin.................................................................. U U* U U Bushtit.................................................................. O O* O O Red-breasted Nuthatch......................................... I I I Brown Creeper..................................................... U U U Rock Wren........................................................... C C* C C Canyon Wren........................................................ U U* U U Winter Wren......................................................... R R Marsh Wren.......................................................... R R R Carolina Wren...................................................... C C* C C Bewick’s Wren...................................................... A A* A A Cactus Wren......................................................... U U U U House Wren.......................................................... O O R Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.......................................... C U* C O Golden-crowned Kinglet....................................... O O O Ruby-crowned Kinglet.......................................... C C C Eastern Bluebird.................................................. C C* C C Western Bluebird.................................................. X Swainson’s Thrush................................................ O Hermit Thrush...................................................... C C C American Robin................................................... I O I I Gray Catbird......................................................... R R Curve-billed Thrasher........................................... U U U U Northern Mockingbird......................................... A A* A A Sage Thrasher...................................................... R R R Brown Thrasher................................................... O O U European Starling................................................. U U* U U Cedar Waxwing..................................................... I I I 6 Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F W House Sparrow..................................................... A A* A A American Pipit...................................................... O O O Purple Finch......................................................... R R R House Finch......................................................... C C* C C Pine Siskin........................................................... I I I Lesser Goldfinch................................................... C C* U U American Goldfinch.............................................. C C C Green-tailed Towhee............................................. O Spotted Towhee.................................................... C C C Canyon Towhee.................................................... C C* C C Cassin’s Sparrow.................................................. R R R Rufous-crowned Sparrow..................................... C C* C C Chipping Sparrow................................................. A U* A A Clay-colored Sparrow........................................... R Field Sparrow....................................................... C C* C C Vesper Sparrow.................................................... C C A Lark Sparrow....................................................... A A* A U Black-throated Sparrow....................................... U U* U U Savannah Sparrow................................................ U U U Grasshopper Sparrow........................................... O O O O Fox Sparrow......................................................... U U U Song Sparrow....................................................... U U U Lincoln’s Sparrow................................................. C C C Swamp Sparrow................................................... R White-throated Sparrow....................................... U U U Harris’s Sparrow.................................................. U U U White-crowned Sparrow....................................... C C C Dark-eyed Junco.................................................. C C C Yellow-breasted Chat............................................ U U* Red-winged Blackbird.......................................... U R U U Eastern Meadowlark............................................. U O U U Western Meadowlark............................................ C C C Brewer’s Blackbird............................................... U U U Common Grackle................................................. U U U U 7 Sp ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ S F Great-tailed Grackle............................................. U U U Brown-headed Cowbird........................................ U U* U Bronzed Cowbird................................................. X Orchard Oriole..................................................... C C* C Bullock’s Oriole................................................... O O Baltimore Oriole.................................................. O O Scott’s Oriole........................................................ U U U Louisiana Waterthrush.......................................... O R Northern Waterthrush........................................... O O Black-and-white Warbler...................................... U U O Orange-crowned Warbler..................................... U U Nashville Warbler................................................. U U Mourning Warbler................................................ O O Common Yellowthroat.......................................... U O Hooded Warbler................................................... X American Redstart................................................ O O Northern Parula................................................... O O Yellow Warbler..................................................... U U Black-throated Blue Warbler................................ R R Golden-cheeked Warbler...................................... R Magnolia Warbler................................................. O O Yellow-rumped Warbler....................................... C C Black-throated Green Warbler.............................. O O Wilson’s Warbler.................................................. U U Summer Tanager.................................................. C C* C Northern Cardinal................................................ A A* A Pyrrhuloxia.......................................................... U U* U Rose-breasted Grosbeak....................................... R Blue Grosbeak...................................................... U U* U Indigo Bunting..................................................... O O Painted Bunting.................................................... C C* C Dickcissel............................................................. U U* U 8 W U O O U A A U citation Mueller, Kay and Ernest. January 2018. Birds of Enchanted Rock State Natural Area: A Field Checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife, Austin, Texas. 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. 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