Longhorn Cavern

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF INKS LAKE AND LONGHORN CAVERN S T A T E P A R K S A FIELD CHECKLIST 2015 INTRODUCTION I nks Lake State Park is situated in Burnet County along the east side of Inks Lake on a stretch of the Colorado River between Buchanan Dam and Wirtz Dam. The state park consists of 1,200 acres and contains about three miles of shoreline. The woodlands in the upland areas of the park are dominated by Plateau live oak, Ashe juniper, cedar elm, and post oak. Along the shoreline sycamore, willows, and box elders can be found. In general, the park is characterized by a mosaic of shrublands typical of the Edwards Plateau with abundant Texas persimmon interspersed with areas that are more open grassland with scattered mesquite and other shrubs. Just south of Inks Lake State Park, the Federal Fish Hatchery can be reached from Park Road 4. There is a small picnic area along the river bank and the hatchery ponds attract a great many ducks in the winter. Check the visitor center for their checklist. Continuing south along Park Road 4 another two miles, you will reach Longhorn Cavern State Park. The woodland there is more typical of the Hill Country with a mixed oaks and junipers. Here there are many large Plateau live oaks with smaller numbers of Texas oak and other hardwoods. There are many areas along the edges of openings in the woodland where a brushy understory is present. The limestone of Longhorn Cavern on the backbone ridge contrasts sharply with the gneiss and granite bedrock of the remainder of the checklist area. Notice particularly the absence of Texas oak on nonlimestone derived soils. This has an effect on the types of birds present as well and a good example of this is the presence of Golden-cheeked Warblers at Longhorn Cavern State Park. This checklist includes all species known to occur within Inks Lake State Park. Checklist nomenclature and organization follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds (7th Edition, 1998 as currently supplemented). This checklist was compiled by Ursula Kramer and updated by Sherry Bixler, and is based in part on previous editions of the checklist and volunteer efforts within the park. Because we are interested in maintaining and revising this checklist, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department asks visitors to help by sharing new and unusual sightings and/or comments on the status of the park’s birdlife. Please report any new sightings to the park interpreter. 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 = spring (March – May) S = summer (June – July) F = fall (August – November) W = winter (December – February) Abundance A = Abundant, always present and observed, expect large numbers in proper habitat and season C = Common, always encountered in proper habitat and season, numbers may vary from low to high U = Uncommon, usually present in proper habitat and season but may be overlooked, never common or abundant R = Rare, seldom recorded, not expected each season as designated, may not be recorded each year X = Accidental, may be observed only once in ten years or more, not expected 2 CHECKLIST Sp S F W ___ Greater White-fronted Goose...................... R R ___ Snow Goose................................................ X ___ Canada Goose............................................. U R U C U ___ Gadwall ..................................................... U U U ___ American Wigeon....................................... U U U ___ Wood Duck................................................. C C ___ Mallard ...................................................... R R C C ___ Blue-winged Teal........................................ R R U U ___ Northern Shoveler...................................... R R U U ___ Green-winged Teal...................................... C C C ___ Canvasback................................................. U U U ___ Redhead..................................................... U U U ___ Ring-necked Duck...................................... R R R ___ Lesser Scaup............................................... C C C ___ Long-tailed Duck........................................ R ___ Common Goldeneye.................................... R ___ Bufflehead.................................................. C C C ___ Hooded Merganser..................................... R R U ___ Red-breasted Merganser ........................... R ___ Ruddy Duck................................................ U R U C ___ Northern Bobwhite..................................... R R R R ___ Wild Turkey................................................ U U U U U U ___ Common Loon............................................ U ___ Least Grebe................................................. X 3 X  Sp S F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe........................................ C U C C ___ Eared Grebe............................................... U ___ Western Grebe ........................................... ___ Neotropic Cormorant.................................. U R U ___ Double-crested Cormorant......................... A U U A U ___ Anhinga...................................................... X X X ___ American White Pelican.............................. U R U U ___ Great Blue Heron........................................ C C C C ___ Great Egret................................................. U U U R ___ Snowy Egret................................................ U C U ___ Green Heron............................................... C C C R ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron....................... U U U R ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron...................... U U U ___ White Ibis................................................... X ___ White-faced Ibis.......................................... R R ___ Roseate Spoonbill....................................... X ___ Black Vulture.............................................. A A A A ___ Turkey Vulture............................................ A A A U ___ Osprey ....................................................... U U U ___ Mississippi Kite........................................... U U ___ Bald Eagle.................................................. U U ___ Northern Harrier........................................ U U U ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk.................................. U U U U U C C ___ Cooper’s Hawk........................................... U U ___ Swainson’s Hawk........................................ R R ___ Red-tailed Hawk ....................................... C C 4  Sp S F ___ Golden Eagle.............................................. W X ___ Sora ........................................................... U R R A A R R C C ___ Greater Yellowlegs...................................... U U U ___ Lesser Yellowlegs........................................ U U ___ Spotted Sandpiper...................................... U U ___ Upland Sandpiper....................................... U U ___ Western Sandpiper...................................... U U ___ Least Sandpiper.......................................... U U ___ American Coot............................................ A U ___ Sandhill Crane............................................ R ___ Killdeer ...................................................... C C U U ___ White-rumped Sandpiper ........................... R ___ Baird’s Sandpiper....................................... U U ___ Pectoral Sandpiper..................................... U U ___ Stilt Sandpiper............................................ U U ___ Long-billed Dowitcher................................ U U ___ Wilson’s Snipe............................................ U U ___ Wilson’s Phalarope..................................... U U ___ Franklin’s Gull............................................ U U ___ Bonaparte’s Gull......................................... U U U ___ Ring-billed Gull ......................................... C C C ___ Herring Gull............................................... R R R U ___ Forster’s Tern............................................. C R U C ___ Rock Pigeon............................................... U U U U ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove ............................. U U U U ___ Inca Dove................................................... U U U U 5  Sp S F W ___ Common Ground-Dove ............................. R R R R ___ White-winged Dove..................................... A A A A A ___ Mourning Dove........................................... A A A ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo.................................. U U U ___ Greater Roadrunner................................... U U U U ___ Barn Owl.................................................... U U U U ___ Eastern Screech-Owl .................................. U U U U ___ Great Horned Owl....................................... U U U U ___ Barred Owl................................................. R R R R ___ Common Nighthawk................................... U U ___ Chuck-wills-Widow..................................... U U ___ Common Poorwill....................................... R R ___ Chimney Swift............................................. U U ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird...................... U U U ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird..................... C C ___ Rufous Hummingbird................................. X X C R R ___ Ringed Kingfisher....................................... R ___ Belted Kingfisher........................................ U U U U ___ Green Kingfisher......................................... R R R R ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker ..................... U U U U U U ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ...................... U ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker ...................... C U U U ___ Downy Woodpecker.................................... R R R R ___ Hairy Woodpecker...................................... X ___ Northern Flicker......................................... R R R ___ American Kestrel........................................ U U U 6  Sp S F W ___ Merlin ....................................................... R R R ___ Peregrine Falcon........................................ R R R ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher ............................... U ___ Acadian Flycatcher...................................... R U R R ___ Willow Flycatcher....................................... U U ___ Least Flycatcher.......................................... U U ___ Eastern Phoebe........................................... C C C C ___ Vermilion Flycatcher................................... R R R R ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher ......................... U U U ___ Great-Crested Flycatcher ...................... U U U ___ Western Kingbird .................................... C C ___ Eastern Kingbird ..................................... U ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher .......................... C C C ___ Loggerhead Shrike...................................... U R U ___ White-eyed Vireo......................................... C C U ___ Bell’s Vireo................................................. C C ___ Blue-headed Vireo...................................... U R R ___ Red-eyed Vireo........................................... C C ___ Blue Jay...................................................... U U U U ___ Western Scrub-Jay....................................... U U U U ___ American Crow........................................... R R R R ___ Common Raven.......................................... U U U U ___ Purple Martin............................................. C C R ___ Tree Swallow............................................. R U ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow................ U U ___ Bank Swallow............................................. U R 7  Sp S F ___ Cliff Swallow............................................... C C U ___ Cave Swallow.............................................. C C U ___ Barn Swallow.............................................. C C U ___ Black-crested Titmouse ............................ C C C C ___ Carolina Chickadee ................................... C C C C ___ Verdin ........................................................ R R R R ___ Bushtit........................................................ R R R R ___ Brown Creeper........................................... W U R ___ Rock Wren.................................................. R R R R ___ Canyon Wren.............................................. U U U U ___ House Wren................................................ U ___ Winter Wren............................................... R ___ Marsh Wren................................................ R ___ Carolina Wren............................................. C C C C ___ Bewick’s Wren............................................ C C C C ___ Cactus Wren................................................ U U U U ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ............................. ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ............................ U R U ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ............................. C U C ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet ........................... ___ Eastern Bluebird......................................... U R C U U U U ___ Wood Thrush.............................................. X X ___ Hermit Thrush............................................ U U U R R ___ American Robin.......................................... R R ___ Gray Catbird............................................... R R ___ Brown Thrasher......................................... U U 8 U  Sp S F W ___ Northern Mockingbird ............................. C C C C ___ European Starling....................................... C C C C ___ American Pipit............................................ C U C ___ Cedar Waxwing........................................... A U A ___ Ovenbird.................................................... R R ___ Louisiana Waterthrush................................ R R ___ Northern Waterthrush................................. R R ___ Black-and-white Warbler............................ U R U ___ Prothonotary Warbler................................. R R ___ Orange-crowned Warbler........................... U ___ Nashville Warbler........................................ C U ___ Tennessee Warbler...................................... R R ___ Mourning Warbler...................................... R R ___ Common Yellowthroat ........................... U U ___ American Redstart...................................... U U ___ Northern Parula.......................................... U U C R U ___ Magnolia Warbler....................................... R ___ Blackburnian Warbler................................ R ___ Yellow Warbler........................................... U U ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler............................... R ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler.............................. U ___ Yellow-throated Warbler............................. R U R R ___ Black-throated Green Warbler.................... U U ___ Canada Warbler.......................................... R R ___ Wilson’s Warbler......................................... U U ___ Yellow-breasted Chat.................................. R 9 R R C  Sp S F W U C U U U R R ___ Rufous-crownd Sparrow............................. C C C C ___ Chipping Sparrow....................................... C U C C ___ Field Sparrow............................................. U R U A C C ___ Spotted Towhee.......................................... U ___ Canyon Towhee........................................... U ___ Cassin’s Sparrow......................................... R ___ Vesper Sparrow.......................................... U ___ Lark Sparrow.............................................. C C C A ___ Black-throated Sparrow.............................. U U U U R R ___ Lark Bunting............................................... R ___ Savannah Sparrow...................................... U ___ Grasshopper Sparrow................................. U R C C U U ___ Le Conte’s Sparrow..................................... U ___ Fox Sparrow............................................... U ___ Song Sparrow............................................. U U C ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow....................................... C C C ___ Swamp Sparrow.......................................... R R U ___ White-throated Sparrow.............................. R R ___ White-crowned Sparrow............................. C C A ___ Harris’s Sparrow......................................... U U ___ Dark-eyed Junco......................................... U U U A A R R ___ Summer Tanager........................................ C C ___ Northern Cardinal....................................... A A ___ Pyrrhuloxia................................................. R ___ Black-headed Grosbeak.............................. X ___ Blue Grosbeak............................................ U U 10 U  Sp S ___ Lazuli Bunting............................................. R ___ Indigo Bunting............................................ U F W R U U ___ Painted Bunting.......................................... C A U ___ Dickcissel................................................... U R U ___ Eastern Meadowlark................................... U U C C U C C ___ Western Meadowlark.................................. U ___ Brown-headed Cowbird.............................. C C C ___ Bronzed Cowbird........................................ R R R ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird............................ U U ___ Red-winged Blackbird................................ C C C A ___ Great-tailed Grackle.................................... U U U C ___ Rusty Blackbird.......................................... X ___ Orchard Oriole........................................... C X C U ___ Bullock’s Oriole.......................................... U U ___ Baltimore Oriole......................................... U U ___ Scott’s Oriole.............................................. R R R R ___ House Finch............................................... C C C C C C U C U A C C ___ Pine Siskin.................................................. U ___ Lesser Goldfinch......................................... U U ___ American Goldfinch.................................... A ___ House Sparrow........................................... C 11 C CITATION Ursula Kramer and Sherry Bixler. April 2015. Birds of Inks Lake State Park: a seasonal checklist. Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife. Cover: Illustration of Lark Sparrow by Clemente Guzman III. 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 (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD 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 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2015 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4507-015C (4/15) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.