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Birds at Mustang Island State Park (SP) in Texas. Published by Texas Parks & Wildlife.
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TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
BIRDS
OF
MUSTANG ISLAND
S T A T E P A R K
a n d V I C I N I T Y
A FIELD CHECKLIST
2020
Cover: Illustration of Piping Plover by Clemente Guzman III.
INTRODUCTION
M
ustang Island State Park covers 3954 acres of Mustang Island, a
subtropical barrier island separating Corpus Christi Bay from the
northwestern the Gulf of Mexico. The only State Park south of
Galveston located directly on the Gulf, this park provides an opportunity to view
habitats typical of the Texas Coastal Bend. These habitats include: open Gulf
waters and 5.5 miles of beach; barrier island dunes and grasslands, estuarine
wetlands (bayside waters, marshes, and tidal flats). For more information
about the ecology of Mustang Island see Down to Earth at Mustang Island
by Jay A. Raney and William A. White (2002. Bureau of Economic Geology).
The geographic area covered in this checklist includes all of Mustang Island,
which is some 18 miles in length. This includes the city of Port Aransas, which
has certain micro-habitats which are prime birding spots. These include the
Leonabelle Turnbull Birding Facility, a boardwalk into a pristine marsh
habitat, as well as Scott and Joan Holt Paradise Pond, which features an observation boardwalk into a wooded freshwater pond. The latter is a valuable
migrant trap, which produces a host of neotropical migrant songbirds. Also
included in the checklist area is the extreme northern tip of Padre Island,
which is seven miles south of the park. The Packery Channel County Park,
and adjacent neighborhoods provide an opportunity to view many Trans-Gulf
migrants as they stop briefly in the oak mottes there, or in the vegetated lawns
of the residential areas on the island.
Located at the northern edge of the Tamaulipan biotic province, the park is
most suitable for year-round observations of coastal waterbirds. Resident
herons, egrets, ibises, gulls, and terns from nearby rookeries and nesting
colonies are easily seen feeding or resting on the island’s wetlands. With its
relatively wild winter climate, this area is prime wintering grounds for many
waterfowl and shorebird species. Large populations of loons, grebes, pelicans,
cormorants, and ducks (especially Northern Pintails, American Wigeons,
Redheads and Lesser Scaup) spend the winter in adjacent Corpus Christi Bay,
the Gulf or on freshwater island ponds. During winter months, bayside tidal
flats teem with shorebirds, ranging from oystercatchers, plovers, and curlews
to sandpipers and godwits. More pelagic species can sometimes be observed
along the Gulf beach or from the Port Aransas or Packery Channel jetties.
Northern Gannets or jaegers are the most often encountered in winter and
Magnificent Frigatebird or, on rare occasions, a Masked Booby in summer.
Birds of prey also find the island a good wintering spot. Short-eared Owls
nave been found hunting over open grasslands.. The telephone poles down
the center of the island make good perches for the occasional Peregrine
Falcon and frequently for Ospreys, White-tailed Hawks, and Red-tailed Hawks.
1
Situated on the central Texas coast, Mustang Island is an excellent location
for observing migrating birds which tend to concentrate along the coastline.
On some days, the island acts as a “highway” for streams of migrating waterbirds and passerines. One then has only to sit and match birds moving by!
The beach and bayside trails show such dramatic increases in waterbirds that
it is not uncommon to see large flocks of waterfowl, waders, shorebirds, or
tern species traveling north during the spring and south during the fall. The
same phenomenon is demonstrated by hummingbirds and passerines such
as swallows.
Migrants are especially numerous and identifiable during passage of cold
fronts, when inclement weather forces birds of all species down. Those that
land in dunes and grasslands generally survive, while large kills occur in the
Gulf, as evidenced by dead birds occasionally washed up along the beaches.
During such “fall-outs,” birding can be hectic but extremely rewarding. It is
spectacular indeed to see a small bush containing Scarlet Tanagers, Baltimore
Orioles, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Indigo and Painted Buntings! And of
course, there is always the chance for some unexpected rarity such as a Cape
May Warbler, Western Tanager or Bobolink.
One should remember that the status of a species depends on the presence
of suitable habitat. Because of the limited habitat types found within the park
(either wetlands or grasslands), some species are not normally expected
here, although they may be abundant on the mainland or in wooded habitats
elsewhere on the island only a few miles away.
This checklist was compiled by Mel Cooksey of Corpus Christi. This edition
of the checklist is based in part on the previous edition compiled by Tony
Amos of Port Aransas. Checklist nomenclature and organization follows the
American Ornithologist’s Union Check-list of North American Birds (1998,
7th edition, 49th supplement, August 2008).
Because we will be updating this checklist as additional observations are
made, we ask that you report details of new or unusual sightings. Bird sightings can be mailed to the Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744.
Please help 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, disrupts
essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank
you for your cooperation.
2
LEGEND
Seasons
Sp – spring (March – May)
S – summer (June – August)
F – fall (September – November)
W – winter (December – February)
Note: Many species have an early fall migration, and may appear in our area
as migrants during the summer season. For purposes of separating these
species from those which are summer residents, we will indicate an \ in
front of the abundance status. For instance, Least Sandpiper is designated
as \C for summer indicating that it is a common species during that period.
Though Least Sandpiper is not a breeding bird, and would be rare in midsummer, its numbers increase noticeably in late July and August as migrants
and winter residents arrive.
Abundance
C – common – should be seen on 75 percent or more of trips in
proper habitat and season
F – fairly common – should be seen on 50 percent or more of trips
in proper habitat and season
U – uncommon – should be seen on 25 percent or more of trips in
proper habitat and season
R – rare – may be seen on 10 percent or more of trips in proper
habitat and season
X – accidental – only one or two records in the past ten years
I – irregular – absent some years, but may be numerous in others
3
CHECKLIST
SP
S
F
W
___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck...................... U
U
U
U
___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck............................... U
R
U
U
___ Greater White-fronted Goose....................... F
U
U
___ Snow Goose................................................. F F
U
___ Ross’s Goose............................................... U
___ Brant........................................................... X
___ Canada Goose.............................................. R R
R
___ Wood Duck................................................. R R
___ Blue-winged Teal......................................... C
F
C
C
___ Cinnamon Teal............................................ U U
___ Northern Shoveler....................................... C
U
F
C
___ Gadwall....................................................... C C
C
___ American Wigeon........................................ C
F
C
___ Mallard....................................................... R R
___ Mottled Duck.............................................. C
C
C
C
___ Northern Pintail........................................... C
F
C
___ Green-winged Teal....................................... C
R
C
C
___ Canvasback................................................. R U
___ Redhead...................................................... C
U
F
C
___ Ring-necked Duck....................................... F F
F
___ Greater Scaup.............................................. U
R
R
U
___ Lesser Scaup............................................... C
R
F
C
___ Surf Scoter.................................................. X
___ White-winged Scoter.................................... X
___ Black Scoter................................................ X
___ Long-tailed Duck......................................... X
___ Bufflehead................................................... C
F
C
___ Common Goldeneye.................................... R R
U
___ Hooded Merganser...................................... F F
F
___ Red-breasted Merganser............................. C
U
C
___ Ruddy Duck................................................ C
U
U
C
___ Northern Bobwhite...................................... U
___ Wild Turkey................................................. X
4
U
X
U
U
SP
S
F
W
___ Least Grebe................................................. U
U
U
U
___ Pied-billed Grebe........................................ C
F
C
C
___ Horned Grebe............................................. R
___ Eared Grebe................................................ F
U
C
___ Western Grebe.............................................
X
___ Rock Pigeon................................................ C
C
C
C
___ Eurasian Collared-Dove............................... U
U
U
U
___ White-winged Dove...................................... C
C
C
C
___ Mourning Dove........................................... C
C
C
C
___ Inca Dove.................................................... F
F
F
F
___ Common Ground-Dove................................ R R
___ Groove-billed Ani........................................ U U
R
___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo................................... C
R
C
___ Black-billed Cuckoo.................................... U U
___ Lesser Nighthawk........................................ R R
___ Common Nighthawk.................................... C
C
C
___ Common Pauraque...................................... R
R
___ Common Poorwill....................................... X
___ Chuck-will’s-widow..................................... F F
___ Eastern Whip-poor-will................................ R R
___ Chimney Swift.............................................. C
U
C
___ Mexican Violetear........................................ X
___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird....................... C
F
C
R
___ Black-chinned Hummingbird...................... C
F
F
U
___ Anna’s Hummingbird................................... R
___ Broad-tailed Hummingbird.........................
R
___ Rufous Hummingbird.................................. R R
R
___ Allen’s Hummingbird................................... R
___ Calliope Hummingbird................................
X
___ Broad-billed Hummingbird......................... X
___ Buff-bellied Hummingbird........................... U
U
U
U
___ King Rail...................................................... U
___ Clapper Rail................................................ F
5
R
F
U
F
U
F
SP
S
F
W
___ Virginia Rail................................................. F
U
C
___ Sora............................................................ F
R
F
C
___ Common Gallinule....................................... F
F
F
C
___ American Coot............................................. C
C
C
C
___ Purple Gallinule.......................................... U
U
U
R
___ Black Rail....................................................
R
___ Sandhill Crane............................................. F
U
F
___ Whooping Crane.......................................... R
___ Black-necked Stilt....................................... C
___ American Avocet.......................................... C
___ American Oystercatcher.............................. F
C
U
F
C
F
F
C
C
F
___ Black-bellied Plover.................................... C
U
C
C
___ American Golden-Plover.............................. F
R
___ Snowy Plover............................................... U
U
U
U
___ Wilson’s Plover............................................ C
C
U
___ Semipalmated Plover................................... F
U
U
F
___ Piping Plover............................................... C
/U
F
C
___ Killdeer....................................................... C
C
C
C
___ Upland Sandpiper........................................ F
\U
F
___ Whimbrel.................................................... U U
R
___ Long-billed Curlew...................................... C
U
C
C
___ Hudsonian Godwit....................................... U
___ Marbled Godwit........................................... C
\U
C
C
___ Ruddy Turnstone......................................... C
U
C
C
___ Red Knot..................................................... F
R
U
F
___ Surfbird....................................................... X
___ Stilt Sandpiper............................................. F F
F
___ Curlew Sandpiper........................................
X
___ Sanderling................................................... C
F
C
C
___ Dunlin......................................................... U
U
U
C
___ Purple Sandpiper........................................ X X
___ Baird’s Sandpiper........................................ U
\U
U
___ Least Sandpiper........................................... C
\C
C
C
___ White-rumped Sandpiper............................ U
U
___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper.............................. U
\R
R
6
SP
S
F
W
___ Pectoral Sandpiper...................................... F
\F
F
___ Semipalmated Sandpiper............................. C
\F
C
___ Western Sandpiper...................................... C
\C
C
C
___ Short-billed Dowitcher................................ C
\F
C
C
___ Long-billed Dowitcher................................. C
\F
C
C
___ American Woodcock................................... R
___ Wilson’s Snipe............................................. C
F
C
C
___ Wilson’s Phalarope...................................... F
U
F
R
___ Red-necked Phalarope................................ R R
___ Red Phalarope............................................. X
___ Spotted Sandpiper....................................... C
U
C
C
___ Solitary Sandpiper....................................... U
\U
U
R
___ Greater Yellowlegs....................................... C
\R
C
C
___ Willet........................................................... C
C
C
C
___ Lesser Yellowlegs......................................... C
\U
C
C
___ Pomarine Jaeger.......................................... R
R
R
R
___ Parasitic Jaeger........................................... R
R
R
R
___ Long-tailed Jaeger.......................................
X
___ Black-legged Kittiwake................................ R
___ Sabine’s Gull................................................
X
___ Bonaparte’s Gull.......................................... F F
___ Little Gull..................................................... X
___ Laughing Gull.............................................. C
C
C
C
___ Franklin’s Gull............................................. U U
R
___ Heermann’s Gull.......................................... X
___ Mew Gull..................................................... X
___ Ring-billed Gull........................................... C
U
C
C
___ Western Gull................................................
X
___ California Gull............................................. R R
R
___ Herring Gull................................................ C
U
C
C
___ Iceland (Thayer’s) Gull .............................. R R
___ Lesser Black-backed Gull............................ U
R
U
U
___ Slaty-backed Gull......................................... X
___ Glaucous Gull.............................................. R R
___ Great Black-backed Gull..............................
X
7
SP
S
F
___ Brown Noddy..............................................
___ Black Noddy................................................
X
___ Sooty Tern...................................................
R
___ Bridled Tern................................................
X
___ Least Tern.................................................... C
C
___ Gull-billed Tern........................................... U
F
___ Caspian Tern............................................... C
C
___ Black Tern................................................... C
C
___ Common Tern............................................. U
U
___ Forster’s Tern.............................................. C
C
___ Royal Tern................................................... C
C
___ Sandwich Tern............................................. C
C
___ Black Skimmer............................................ C
C
X
R
X
C
U
C
C
U
C
C
U
C
W
U
C
R
C
C
R
C
___ Red-throated Loon...................................... X
___ Pacific Loon................................................ X X
___ Common Loon............................................. F
U
F
___ Wood Stork................................................. R R
___ Magnificent Frigatebird............................... R
U
U
___ Masked Booby.............................................
R
R
___ Brown Booby ............................................ R
R
R
___ Northern Gannet.......................................... F
R
U
R
R
F
___ Anhinga....................................................... U
R
U
___ Neotropic Cormorant.................................. C
C
C
___ Double-crested Cormorant.......................... C C
U
C
C
___ American White Pelican............................... C
___ Brown Pelican............................................. C
C
C
C
C
___ American Bittern......................................... U U
___ Least Bittern................................................ U
U
U
___ Great Blue Heron........................................ C
C
C
___ Great Egret.................................................. C
C
C
___ Snowy Egret................................................. C
C
C
___ Little Blue Heron......................................... U
U
U
U
R
C
C
C
F
8
F
C
SP
S
F
W
___ Tricolored Heron........................................ C
___ Reddish Egret.............................................. C
___ Cattle Egret.................................................. C
___ Green Heron............................................... C
___ Black-crowned Night-Heron........................ F
___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron....................... F
___ White Ibis.................................................... C
___ Glossy Ibis................................................... U
___ White-faced Ibis.......................................... F
___ Roseate Spoonbill........................................ C
C
C
F
U
F
U
C
R
F
C
C
C
C
C
F
F
C
U
C
C
C
C
C
U
F
U
C
U
F
C
___ Black Vulture............................................... R
R
R
R
___ Turkey Vulture............................................. C
C
C
C
___ Osprey......................................................... C
R
F
C
___ White-tailed Kite.......................................... U
R
U
U
___ Swallow-tailed Kite...................................... R
\R
R
___ Mississippi Kite............................................ U U
___ Northern Harrier......................................... C C
C
___ Sharp-shinned Hawk................................... U
F
F
___ Cooper’s Hawk ........................................... U
R
U
F
___ Bald Eagle...................................................
X
___ Harris’s Hawk.............................................. R R
R
___ White-tailed Hawk....................................... C
C
C
C
___ Red-shouldered Hawk................................. R
___ Broad-winged Hawk.................................... U U
___ Swainson’s Hawk......................................... U U
R
___ Red-tailed Hawk.......................................... U
R
U
C
___ Ferruginous Hawk....................................... R R
R
___ Barn Owl..................................................... U
U
U
U
___ Flammulated Owl........................................ X
___ Great Horned Owl....................................... U
U
U
U
___ Burrowing Owl............................................ R
___ Short-eared Owl.......................................... I
___ Belted Kingfisher......................................... F F
___ Green Kingfisher.......................................... X X
9
F
X
SP
S
F
W
___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker............................. U U
___ Red-naped Sapsucker..................................
X
X
___ Red-headed Woodpecker............................ X X
___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker....................... R
R
R
R
___ Downy Woodpecker.................................... R R
R
___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker........................ U
R
U
U
___ Northern Flicker.......................................... R R
U
___ Crested Caracara......................................... F
F
F
___ American Kestrel......................................... C
F
___ Merlin......................................................... U U
___ Aplomado Falcon........................................ R
R
R
___ Peregrine Falcon......................................... F F
F
C
U
R
Passerines
___ Olive-sided Flycatcher................................. U
U
U
___ Western Wood-Pewee..................................
X
___ Eastern Wood-Pewee................................... C
\U
F
___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher............................. F
\U
F
___ Acadian Flycatcher...................................... U U
___ Alder Flycatcher.......................................... F
\U
F
___ Willow Flycatcher........................................ F
\U
F
___ Least Flycatcher........................................... C
\U
C
R
___ Hammond’s Flycatcher................................ X
___ Gray Flycatcher............................................
X
___ Eastern Phoebe........................................... F F
C
___ Say’s Phoebe................................................ X
___ Vermilion Flycatcher.................................... U U
U
___ Ash-throated Flycatcher............................... R R
___ Great Crested Flycatcher.............................. C
\U
C
___ Brown-crested Flycatcher............................ R R
___ Great Kiskadee............................................ U
U
U
U
___ Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher........................... X X
___ Tropical Kingbird........................................ U
U
U
U
___ Couch’s Kingbird......................................... F
F
F
F
___ Western Kingbird......................................... U
U
U
X
10
SP
S
F
W
___ Eastern Kingbird.......................................... C
___ Gray Kingbird.............................................. X
___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.............................. C
___ Fork-tailed Flycatcher.................................. X
\F
C
\F
C
R
___ White-eyed Vireo......................................... F
U
F
___ Bell’s Vireo.................................................. R R
___ Yellow-throated Vireo.................................. U R
___ Cassin’s Vireo..............................................
X
___ Blue-headed Vireo....................................... U U
___ Plumbeous Vireo......................................... X
___ Warbling Vireo............................................ F F
___ Philadelphia Vireo....................................... U U
___ Red-eyed Vireo............................................ F F
___ Yellow-green Vireo...................................... X
X
___ Black-whiskered Vireo................................ X
F
U
___ Loggerhead Shrike...................................... C
U
U
C
___ Blue Jay....................................................... X
___ Tamaulipas Crow.........................................
X
___ Black-crested Titmouse............................... R R
___ Horned Lark................................................ U
U
U
U
___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow................. C
\F
C
___ Purple Martin.............................................. C
C
F
___ Tree Swallow............................................... C C
___ Bank Swallow.............................................. C
U
C
___ Barn Swallow.............................................. C
C
C
___ Cliff Swallow................................................ C
\F
C
___ Cave Swallow............................................... U
\U
U
R
U
U
R
U
___ Golden-crowned Kinglet..............................
R
R
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet................................. U U
C
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch................................ R
___ Brown Creeper............................................
R
R
11
SP
S
F
W
___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher................................. C
R
C
F
___ House Wren................................................. F F
C
___ Winter Wren................................................ R
___ Sedge Wren................................................. C C
C
___ Marsh Wren................................................. C
R
F
C
___ Carolina Wren............................................. U U
U
___ Bewick’s Wren............................................. R R
___ European Starling........................................ C
C
C
C
___ Gray Catbird................................................ C
R
C
U
___ Curve-billed Thrasher.................................. R R
___ Brown Thrasher.......................................... U U
R
___ Long-billed Thrasher................................... R R
R
___ Sage Thrasher.............................................
X
X
___ Northern Mockingbird................................ C
C
C
C
___ Eastern Bluebird......................................... R R
___ Mountain Bluebird...................................... X
___ Townsend’s Solitaire.................................... X
___ Veery........................................................... F F
___ Gray-cheeked Thrush.................................. U U
___ Swainson’s Thrush....................................... C
R
C
___ Hermit Thrush............................................. U U
F
___ Wood Thrush............................................... F F
___ Aztec Thrush............................................... X X
___ Clay-colored Thrush.................................... X
___ American Robin.......................................... U U
F
___ Cedar Waxwing............................................ I I
I
___ Scaly-breasted Munia.................................. R R
___ House Sparrow............................................ C
C
C
C
___ American Pipit............................................. U U
C
___ Sprague’s Pipit............................................. R
12
SP
S
F
W
___ House Finch................................................ X
___ Pine Siskin.................................................. I I
I
___ Lesser Goldfinch.......................................... R R
___ American Goldfinch..................................... U U
U
___ Smith’s Longspur......................................... X
___ Cassin’s Sparrow......................................... R
R
R
R
___ Grasshopper Sparrow.................................. U U
U
___ Chipping Sparrow........................................ C C
F
___ Clay-colored Sparrow.................................. U U
R
___ Field Sparrow.............................................. U U
U
___ Brewer’s Sparrow........................................
X
X
___ Black-throated Sparrow.............................. X
___ Lark Sparrow.............................................. U U
U
___ Lark Bunting............................................... R
___ American Tree Sparrow............................... X
___ Fox Sparrow................................................ X
___ Dark-eyed Junco.........................................
R
R
___ White-crowned Sparrow.............................. U U
U
___ Harris’s Sparrow......................................... X
___ White-throated Sparrow.............................. U U
U
___ Vesper Sparrow........................................... U U
U
___ LeConte’s Sparrow....................................... U U
U
___ Seaside Sparrow.......................................... R
R
R
R
___ Nelson’s Sparrow......................................... U
U U
___ Savannah Sparrow....................................... C C
C
___ Song Sparrow.............................................. U R
U
___ Lincoln’s Sparrow........................................ C C
C
___ Swamp Sparrow.......................................... C
F
C
___ Green-tailed Towhee.................................... X X
___ Spotted Towhee........................................... R R
R
___ Eastern Towhee........................................... R R
___ Yellow-breasted Chat................................... C C
13
SP
S
F
W
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird............................. U U
___ Bobolink..................................................... R R
___ Western Meadowlark................................... R R
___ Eastern Meadowlark.................................... C
C
C
___ Black-vented Oriole..................................... X
___ Orchard Oriole............................................ C
\F
C
___ Hooded Oriole............................................ U R
___ Bullock’s Oriole.......................................... U U
___ Altamira Oriole............................................ X
___ Baltimore Oriole......................................... C
\U
C
R
R
C
R
___ Red-winged Blackbird................................. C
C
C
C
___ Bronzed Cowbird........................................ R R
___ Brown-headed Cowbird............................... C
U
U
C
___ Rusty Blackbird........................................... X
___ Brewer’s Blackbird...................................... R R
___ Common Grackle........................................ R R
___ Boat-tailed Grackle...................................... R
___ Great-tailed Grackle.................................... C
C
C
C
___ Ovenbird..................................................... F F
___ Worm-eating Warbler.................................. U U
___ Louisiana Waterthrush................................. F
\U
F
___ Northern Waterthrush.................................. C
F
___ Golden- winged Warbler.............................. U U
___ Blue-winged Warbler................................... F
U
___ Black-and-white Warbler............................. C
R
C
___ Prothonotary Warbler.................................. U U
___ Swainson’s Warbler..................................... R R
___ Tennessee Warbler...................................... C C
___ Orange-crowned Warbler............................ U
C
___ Lucy’s Warbler.............................................
X
___ Nashville Warbler........................................ F F
___ MacGillivray’s Warbler................................. R R
___ Mourning Warbler....................................... U
\U
F
___ Kentucky Warbler........................................ F F
___ Common Yellowthroat................................. C C
14
R
U
U
C
R
C
SP
S
F
___ Hooded Warbler.......................................... C
F
___ A