Huntsville

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF HUNTSVILLE S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2006 Cover: Illustration of Pileated Woodpecker by Jared Faulk. INTRODUCTION H untsville State Park, in Walker County, Texas, is situated near the western edge of the southern pine belt. The park’s avifauna is typical of woodland habitats across the southern and southeastern United States. The vegetation of the park is dominated by loblolly pine, with mid and under stories consisting mainly of sweetgum, sassafras, red maple, various oaks and dogwood. Pure hardwood stands are restricted largely to the four creek bottoms found in the park, with the most common trees being black willow, river birch, will and water oak, black gum, green ash, and American and cedar elm. Areas rich in hardwoods offer excellent birding opportunities during spring migration. Wood warblers, thrushes and vireos can be common in the park during in late April and early May. However, the most dynamic season is summer, when the forest is alive with the song’s of the park’s breeding birds. Fourteen species of warblers have been found in the park in summer. A dominate feature of the park is the 210-acre Lake Raven. However, because of narrow configuration and unpredictable visitor use in winter the lake may not attract large numbers of waterfowl. There is also an absence of exposed shoreline. As a result, shorebird habitat does not often exist in the park. However, periodic lowering of the water level in the lake can produce excellent habitat. This checklist includes 230 species, 218 species which have been observed either within the park boundaries or have been observed overhead, and 14 species which are considered hypothetical. The latter are based on well-documented area records. This checklist was compiled by Kelly Bryan and updated by Oscar Carmona. The organization and nomenclature of the birds listed here follow the American Ornithologist’s Union Check-list of 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. 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 essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. LEGEND Seasons Sp S F W – – – – spring (March – May) summer (June – July) fall (August – November) winter (December – February) c – common: more than 10 per day; to be expected in proper habitat. – uncommon: 1 to 10 per day; usually present but may be overlooked. Flocking species may be more abundant, but are not found every day. – occasional: not always present but usually encountered at least once during season indicated, may occur in a narrow time frame within a season or in a very specialized habitat, numbers may vary. – rare: few records: not expected every season or year. – accidental: represented by two of fewer sightings. – irregular and unpredictable: may occur in numbers; some years totally absent. – hypothetical: no verified sightings from within the park, but to be looked for in the season indicated. – has nested in the park, or nesting is suspected. – abundance designations apply only at times of low lake levels. Abundance u o r x i H • * 2 CHECKLIST Sp S F W ___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ................. r r r r ___ Greater White-fronted Goose ................ o ___ Snow Goose ............................................. u o u r ___ Canada Goose .......................................... o ___•Wood Duck ............................................... c o c r c ___ Gadwall ..................................................... o ___ American Wigeon .................................... u o o o c ___ Mallard ...................................................... c ___ Blue-winged Teal ..................................... c u c c r ___ Northern Shoveler .................................. o ___ Northern Pintail ...................................... r o r o r ___ Green-winged Teal .................................. u ___ Canvasback ............................................... o o o u o ___ Redhead .................................................... r ___ Ring-necked Duck .................................... u r o r c ___ Lesser Scaup ............................................. u ___ Bufflehead ................................................ o r u r ___ Common Goldeneye ............................... ___ Hooded Merganser .................................. r r r r c ___ Ruddy Duck .............................................. r r o ___ Wild Turkey .............................................. (Reintroduced) ___•Northern Bobwhite ................................. r ___ Common Loon ......................................... r r r H ___•Pied-billed Grebe ..................................... u ___ Horned Grebe .......................................... H r u H u H r oi r ___ Eared Grebe ............................................. r ___ American White Pelican ......................... oi 3 Sp S ___ Double-crested Cormorant .................... u ___ Neotropic Cormorant ............................. ___•Anhinga ..................................................... o r u ___ American Bittern ..................................... o ___ Least Bittern ............................................. H F W u o r o r o H r ___ Great Blue Heron .................................... u ___ Great Egret ............................................... u u o u u u u ___ Snowy Egret ............................................. r ___ Little Blue Heron ..................................... u o u u u r ___ Tricolored Heron ..................................... r ___ Cattle Egret ............................................... o r o r o ___•Green Heron ............................................ u ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron ................... r u u r ___•Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ................ u ___ White Ibis ................................................. u r u r ___ White-faced Ibis ....................................... ___ Roseate Spoonbill .................................... r r x x ___ Wood Stork .............................................. ___•Black Vulture ........................................... c ri c ri c c ___•Turkey Vulture ......................................... c ___ Osprey ....................................................... o c c o c r ___•Mississippi Kite ........................................ u ___ Bald Eagle ................................................. o o r u o u r u r u ___ Northern Harrier ..................................... r ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk ............................... u ___ Cooper’s Hawk ......................................... o ___•Red-shouldered Hawk ............................ u r u o u o u ___•Broad-winged Hawk ............................... u ___ Zone-tailed Hawk .................................... o u x x 4 Sp S F W ___ Red-tailed Hawk ...................................... o r o o ___•American Kestrel ..................................... u ___ Merlin ........................................................ o o u o u r ___ Peregrine Falcon ..................................... r ___ * Virginia Rail ............................................. H r H ___ Sora ............................................................ o ___ Purple Gallinule ...................................... r o r ___ Common Moorhen .................................. r ___ American Coot ......................................... c r r ___ * American Golden-Plover ........................ H ___ * Semipalmated Plover ............................. o ___ * Killdeer ...................................................... c ___ Black-necked Stilt .................................... r o c r c o c c ___ * American Avocet ..................................... r ___ * Greater Yellowlegs .................................. u r u o ___ * Lesser Yellowlegs .................................... u ___ * Solitary Sandpiper .................................. u u u ___ * Willet ......................................................... ___ * Spotted Sandpiper ................................... u r u ___ Upland Sandpiper ................................... u ___ * Semipalmated Sandpiper ....................... c u c ___ * Western Sandpiper ................................. c ___ * Least Sandpiper ....................................... c c c ___ * White-rumped Sandpiper ....................... H ___ * Baird’s Sandpiper .................................... o o ___ * Pectoral Sandpiper .................................. u ___ * Stilt Sandpiper ......................................... r u r ___ * Long-billed Dowitcher ............................ u ___ * Wilson’s Snipe .......................................... c u c 5 c o u r c c Sp S F W ___ America Woodcock ................................. r r r ___ * Wilson’s Phalarope ................................. H ___ Laughing Gull ........................................... H r r ___ Franklin’s Gull ......................................... oi ___ Bonaparte’s Gull ...................................... r oi r ___ Ring-billed Gull ........................................ o ___ Herring Gull ............................................. H o H o r ___ Caspian Tern ............................................ r ___ Forster’s Tern ........................................... o r r o r o ___ Black Tern ................................................ o ___•Mourning Dove ........................................ u r u o u u ___ Inca Dove .................................................. o ___ Common Ground-Dove .......................... o o ___ Black-billed Cuckoo ................................ o ___•Yellow-billed Cuckoo .............................. c c u ___ Greater Roadrunner ............................... r ___•Eastern Screech-Owl ............................... r r r r r r r ___•Great Horned Owl ................................... o ___•Barred Owl ............................................... u o u o u u u ___•Common Nighthawk ............................... u ___•Chuck-will’s-widow ................................. u u u u o ___ Whip-poor-will ......................................... r ___ Chimney Swift ......................................... u u r u ___•Ruby-throated Hummingbird ................ u ___ Rufous Hummingbird ............................. u ___•Belted Kingfisher ..................................... u ___•Red-headed Woodpecker ....................... u ___•Red-bellied Woodpecker ........................ c ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ....................... c 6 o r u H H u u u u u o c c c c c Sp S F W ___•Downy Woodpecker ............................... c c c c ___•Hairy Woodpecker .................................. u ___ Red-cockaded Woodpecker .................... r r r u r u r ___ Northern Flicker ...................................... c ___•Pileated Woodpecker .............................. c c c c c c ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher ............................ r ___•Eastern Wood-Pewee .............................. c c r u ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher ....................... o ___•Acadian Flycatcher .................................. u u o o ___ “Traill’s” Flycatcher ................................. u ___ Least Flycatcher ....................................... u u u ___ Eastern Phoebe ........................................ u ___ Vermilion Flycatcher .............................. r u r u ___•Great Crested Flycatcher ....................... c ___•Eastern Kingbird ..................................... c c c u c ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ......................... r ___•Loggerhead Shrike .................................. o r r r o o ___•White-eyed Vireo ..................................... c ___ Blue-headed Vireo ................................... u c c u r u ___•Yellow-throated Vireo ............................ c ___ Warbling Vireo ........................................ o c u o ___ Philadelphia Vireo .................................. o ___•Red-eyed Vireo ......................................... c c r u ___•Blue Jay ..................................................... c ___•Common Crow ......................................... c c c c c ___ Purple Martin ........................................... c ___ Tree Swallow ........................................... u c u u ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow ........ c ___ Bank Swallow .......................................... o r c o 7 c c Sp S ___ Cliff Swallow ............................................ u F W u ___ Barn Swallow ........................................... c ___•Carolina Chickadee ................................. c u c c c c ___•Tufted Titmouse ...................................... c ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ........................... oi c c oi c oi ___•White-breasted Nuthatch ....................... u ___•Brown-headed Nuthatch ........................ c u c u c u c ___ Brown Creeper ........................................ u ___•Carolina Wren ......................................... c c o c u c ___ House Wren .............................................. o ___ Winter Wren ............................................ u o o u ___ Sedge Wren .............................................. r ___ Marsh Wren .............................................. r r r r r ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet ........................ ci ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ............................ c ui c ci c c c c c o c u c c o ui ci ___•Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ............................ c ___•Eastern Bluebird ...................................... c ___ Veery ......................................................... o ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush .............................. u ___ Swainson’s Thrush .................................. u ___ Hermit Thrush ......................................... u ___•Wood Thrush ........................................... c ___ American Robin ....................................... ui ___•Gray Catbird ............................................. u ___ Northern Mockingbird ............................ u u r u u u ___ Brown Thrasher ...................................... u ___•European Starling ................................... r r u r u r o u c c ___ * American Pipit ......................................... c ___ Cedar Waxwing ....................................... c 8 Sp S ___ Blue-winged Warbler .............................. u F W r ___ Golden-winged Warbler ......................... o ___ Tennessee Warbler ................................. c ___ Orange-crowned Warbler ....................... u ___ Nashville Warbler .................................... u ___•Northern Parula ....................................... c ___ Yellow Warbler ........................................ u u u c u o ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler .......................... u ___ Magnolia Warbler .................................... c r r ___ Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler ......... c ___ Black-throated Green Warbler .............. u c o ___ Blackburnian Warbler ............................ o ___•Yellow-throated Warbler ....................... u u r o ___•Pine Warbler ............................................ c ___ Palm Warbler ........................................... c c ___ Prairie Warbler ........................................ r ___ Bay-breasted Warbler ............................. u r r ___ Blackpoll Warbler ................................... r ___ Cerulean Warbler .................................... H ___•Black-and-white Warbler ........................ u ___•American Redstart ................................... u u u u o ___•Prothonotary Warbler ............................ u ___ Worm-eating Warbler ............................. u u r o ___•Swainson’s Warbler ................................ o ___ Ovenbird ................................................... u o ___ Northern Waterthrush ............................ u ___•Louisiana Waterthrush ........................... u ___•Kentucky Warbler ................................... u ___ Mourning Warbler ................................... o 9 o u u u o o o r c c H Sp S F W ___•Common Yellowthroat ........................... c u u o ___•Hooded Warbler ...................................... u ___ Wilson’s Warbler ..................................... c u o u ___ Canada Warbler ....................................... u ___•Yellow-breasted Chat .............................. u ___•Summer Tanager ..................................... c ___ Scarlet Tanager ........................................ o u o o c u ___ Western Tanager ..................................... r ___ Eastern Towhee ....................................... r r r r c r c ___ Field Sparrow ........................................... o ___ Vesper Sparrow ....................................... H o H o H ___ Savannah Sparrow .................................. r ___ Le Conte’s Sparrow ................................. H r H r H ___ Fox Sparrow ............................................. r ___ Song Sparrow ........................................... u r u r u ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow .................................... u ___ Swamp Sparrow ...................................... c u u u c ___ White-throated Sparrow ........................ c ___ White-crowned Sparrow ........................ r c r c u c c c ___ Bachman’s Sparrow ................................ r ___•Chipping Sparrow ................................... c ___ Dark-eyed Junco ...................................... c ___•Northern Cardinal ................................... c r u c ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak ......................... u ___ Black-headed Grosbeak .......................... ___ Blue Grosbeak ......................................... o ___•Indigo Bunting ......................................... u ___•Painted Bunting ....................................... c ___ Dickcissel .................................................. r 10 r x u c o o o r Sp S F W ___•Red-winged Blackbird ............................. c u u c ___ Eastern Meadowlark ............................... r ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird ....................... r r r r ___ Rusty Blackbird ....................................... r ___•Common Grackle .................................... ci o ui ci ___ Great-tailed Grackle ................................ r ___•Brown-headed Cowbird ......................... u r u r u r u ___•Orchard Oriole ......................................... u ___ Baltimore Oriole ...................................... u u r o ___ Purple Finch ............................................. oi ___ Pine Siskin ................................................ ci oi ui oi ci ___ American Goldfinch ................................ c ___ Evening Grosbeak ................................... ri c c ri r r ___ House Sparrow ........................................ r r CITATION Carmona, Oscar and Kelly Bryan. June 2006. Birds of Huntsville State Park: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 11 NOTES 12 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. Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2006 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4505-044A (7/06) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.