Palmetto

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF PALMETTO S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2020 INTRODUCTION P almetto State Park is situated along the San Marcos River in Gonzales County, nestled in the Post Oak Savannah vegetation area of east-central Texas. The park is noted for its diverse flora and fauna, and is especially well known as one of central Texas’ premier birding spots. The park and immediate environs contain some of the westernmost nesting distribution for many eastern species, such as the Pileated Woodpecker, Kentucky Warbler and Prothonotary Warbler. Also reaching their westernmost distribution here are Flying Squirrels, the Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad, and numerous plants, mostly wetland species. Several plant communities occur within the park, including bottomland hardwoods of hackberry, ash, elm and oak along the river, wet grasslands and a spartina marsh with occasional palmetto-filled swales, an oxbow lake, and several lagoons fed by an artesian well. Short hiking trails provide access to most habitat types within the park. This checklist includes those species which have been sighted within the park or the immediate area of the park, such as along Park Road 11, the village of Ottine, the privately owned Salt Lake, or on the grounds of the Texas Rehabilitation Center and Elks Hospital. Some species that are included were seen during the annual Palmetto State Park Christmas Bird Count, which extends from the park entrance in a 15-mile radius. Throughout the years, many individuals have contributed information adding to our knowledge of the avifauna of this area. The compiler of this checklist edition is especially grateful to Rose Ann Rowlett, Ray Chancellor, Fred S. Webster, Jr., Ed Kutac, Jack Sunder, Charles Alexander, Willie Sekula, Greg Lasley, Pat Hartigan and Brush Freeman for the information they have provided. You can contribute to our knowledge of the birdlife of this area by reporting any unusual observations to the Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744; or leave them at the park headquarters for forwarding. Nomenclature and organization of this checklist follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition, as currently supplemented. 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 normal avian activity patterns, disrupts essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. LEGEND A — Abundant: Present in such numbers and with such general distribution in proper habitat that many may be found in a given day. C — Common: Always present and in such numbers that one may expect to find several in a day. U — Uncommon: Normally present in habitat but one cannot be sure of finding one in a day. The bird referred to by the phrase “it should be there, but we might miss it” is “uncommon.” R — Rare: Definitely not expected. On the average it occurs only a few times a season or not at all. It is always a surprise to see one. O — Occasional: Occasionally seen. Occurs only once or twice a year on the average. V — Vagrant: Occurs only once every ten years on the average. # — Known to occur in the areas near the park but not recorded within the park checklist area to our knowledge. These species should be watched for, as they undoubtedly pass through or over the park on occasion. SP — March – May S — June – August F — September – November W — December – February 2 CHECKLIST SP S F ___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck....................... R R W DUCKS & GEESE ___ Snow Goose ................................................. R R O ___ Ross’s Goose................................................ # ___ Greater White-fronted Goose........................ # ___ Canada Goose............................................... R R R ___ Wood Duck.................................................. U U U ___ Blue-winged Teal.......................................... U U R ___ Northern Shoveler ....................................... R R U ___ Gadwall........................................................ R R U ___ American Wigeon ........................................ R R U U ___ Mallard........................................................ U ___ Northern Pintail ........................................... R R U ___ Green-winged Teal........................................ U U C ___ Canvasback ................................................. R R U ___ Redhead....................................................... R R U ___ Ring-necked Duck ....................................... R R U ___ Greater Scaup .............................................. # ___ Lesser Scaup ............................................... U U R ___ Bufflehead.................................................... R ___ Common Goldeneye..................................... R ___ Hooded Merganser ...................................... R ___ Red-breasted Merganser ............................. O O ___ Ruddy Duck................................................. O O 3 R  SP S F W GROUSE, QUAIL & THEIR ALLIES ___ Northern Bobwhite ...................................... R R R R ___ Wild Turkey ................................................. R R R R ___ Least Grebe ................................................. R R R R ___ Pied-billed Grebe ........................................ U R U U GREBES ___ Horned Grebe.............................................. # ___ Eared Grebe................................................. R R R ___ Rock Pigeon ................................................ U U U U ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove................................ U U U U ___ Inca Dove .................................................... U U U U ___ Common Ground-Dove ................................ U U U U ___ White-winged Dove ...................................... C C C C ___ Mourning Dove ........................................... C C C A ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo.................................... U U R ___ Black-billed Cuckoo .................................... R R ___ Greater Roadrunner .................................... U ___ Groove-billed Ani......................................... # PIGEONS & DOVES CUCKOOS U U NIGHTJARS ___ Common Nighthawk .................................... C ___ Common Pauraque ...................................... V C U ___ Common Poorwill ....................................... V ___ Chuck-will’s-widow ..................................... C ___ Eastern Whip-poor-will................................. R R C SWIFTS ___ Chimney Swift............................................... 4 C C C U  SP S F W HUMMINGBIRDS ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird........................ C U C ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird....................... U U U ___ Rufous Hummingbird................................... # ___ Buff-bellied Hummingbird ........................... R R R RAILS, GALLINULES & ALLIES ___ Virginia Rail.................................................. V V ___ Sora ......................................................... O O O ___ Purple Gallinule........................................... R R ___ Common Gallinule........................................ O O R O ___ American Coot ............................................. U U U U U U R CRANES ___ Sandhill Crane.............................................. SHOREBIRDS ___ American Avocet .......................................... R R ___ Killdeer........................................................ C C C ___ Northern Jacana........................................... # ___ Upland Sandpiper......................................... U U ___ Long-billed Curlew....................................... R R ___ Marbled Godwit ........................................... V C ___ Dunlin ......................................................... V ___ Baird’s Sandpiper ........................................ R ___ Least Sandpiper............................................ U U ___ Pectoral Sandpiper ...................................... R R ___ Western Sandpiper ...................................... R R # ___ Long-billed Dowitcher.................................. R # R ___ American Woodcock.................................... R U ___ Wilson’s Snipe ............................................. U U 5 U  SP S F W ___ Spotted Sandpiper ....................................... R R R ___ Solitary Sandpiper........................................ R R # ___ Greater Yellowlegs........................................ R R R ___ Lesser Yellowlegs ......................................... R R O ___ Wilson’s Phalarope....................................... R R GULLS, TERNS & SKIMMERS ___ Bonaparte’s Gull .......................................... # ___ Franklin’s Gull ............................................. U U ___ Ring-billed Gull ........................................... R R R ___ Herring Gull ................................................ O O O ___ Least Tern..................................................... O O ___ Caspian Tern................................................ # ___ Black Tern ................................................... U U ___ Forster’s Tern............................................... # STORKS ___ Wood Stork ................................................. R R CORMORANTS & ANHINGAS ___ Anhinga........................................................ R C R R ___ Neotropic Cormorant .................................. O O O O ___ Double-crested Cormorant .......................... R R U R R R ___ American Bittern ......................................... O O R ___ Least Bittern ................................................ R O ___ Great Blue Heron......................................... U U U U ___ Great Egret................................................... R R R R ___ Snowy Egret.................................................. R # PELICANS ___ American White Pelican ............................... HERONS, IBIS & ALLIES 6  SP S F W ___ Little Blue Heron ......................................... R ___ Tricolored Heron ........................................ R ___ Cattle Egret .................................................. U U U R ___ Green Heron ............................................... U U U R ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron ........................ R R ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ....................... U U U U ___ White Ibis..................................................... # ___ White-faced Ibis .......................................... # ___ Roseate Spoonbill ........................................ # R VULTURES, HAWKS & ALLIES ___ Black Vulture ............................................... C C C C ___ Turkey Vulture ............................................. C C C A ___ Osprey ......................................................... R R O ___ White-tailed Kite .......................................... O O R ___ Mississippi Kite............................................. U U ___ Northern Harrier ......................................... U U U ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk.................................... U U R ___ Cooper’s Hawk ............................................ U U R ___ Bald Eagle.................................................... R ___ Common Black-Hawk .................................. # ___ Harris’s Hawk............................................... # ___ White-tailed Hawk ....................................... V ___ Red-shouldered Hawk ................................. C ___ Broad-winged Hawk .................................... U U ___ Swainson’s Hawk.......................................... U U ___ Zone-tailed Hawk......................................... V O ___ Red-tailed Hawk .......................................... U U U ___ Ferruginous Hawk ....................................... O O R 7 C U C C  SP S F W OWLS ___ Barn Owl ..................................................... R R R R ___ Eastern Screech-Owl.................................... U U U U ___ Great Horned Owl ....................................... U U U U ___ Barred Owl .................................................. C C C C KINGFISHERS ___ Ringed Kingfisher ........................................ V ___ Belted Kingfisher ......................................... U U U U ___ Green Kingfisher........................................... R R R R U U U WOODPECKERS ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ............................. ___ Red-naped Sapsucker .................................. V ___ Red-headed Woodpecker ............................ O O ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker........................ R R R R ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker.............................. C C C C ___ Downy Woodpecker..................................... C C C C ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker ........................ U U U U ___ Hairy Woodpecker........................................ O O ___ Northern Flicker .......................................... U U C ___ Pileated Woodpecker.................................... U U U U ___ Crested Caracara ......................................... U U U U ___ American Kestrel ......................................... U U U FALCONS & CARACARAS ___ Merlin ......................................................... V ___ Prairie Falcon............................................... V TYRANT FLYCATCHERS ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher ................................. U U ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee ................................... U 8 R R  SP S F W ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.............................. U R ___ Acadian Flycatcher....................................... U ___ Alder Flycatcher........................................... R ___ Willow Flycatcher......................................... R ___ Least Flycatcher............................................ U U U ___ Black Phoebe............................................... R ___ Eastern Phoebe ........................................... R R C C C ___ Say’s Phoebe ................................................ R ___ Vermilion Flycatcher .................................... R O R ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher ............................... U U R ___ Great Crested Flycatcher .............................. U U R ___ Brown-crested Flycatcher............................. R ___ Couch’s Kingbird ......................................... R R R ___ Western Kingbird.......................................... U R U ___ Eastern Kingbird........................................... C R U ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher .............................. C C C # U U U C C R SHRIKES ___ Loggerhead Shrike....................................... VIREOS ___ White-eyed Vireo.......................................... C C C ___ Bell’s Vireo................................................... R R R ___ Yellow-throated Vireo .................................. R O ___ Blue-headed Vireo ....................................... U U U ___ Plumbeous Vireo.......................................... V ___ Philadelphia Vireo........................................ R O ___ Warbling Vireo............................................. R O ___ Red-eyed Vireo ............................................ U 9 U R  SP S F W U U U JAYS & CROWS ___ Blue Jay ....................................................... U ___ Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jay................................ V ___ American Crow ............................................ C C A ___ Common Raven............................................ R C R HORNED LARK ___ Horned Lark................................................. R MARTINS & SWALLOWS ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow ................. U R U ___ Purple Martin .............................................. C C U ___ Tree Swallow ............................................... U U O ___ Bank Swallow .............................................. R R # ___ Barn Swallow .............................................. C C C O ___ Cliff Swallow ................................................ C C U ___ Cave Swallow................................................ # CHICKADEES & TITMICE ___ Carolina Chickadee...................................... C C C C ___ Tufted Titmouse............................................ C C C C ___ Black-crested Titmouse................................ U U R R R R R R R R R VERDINS ___ Verdin ......................................................... NUTHATCHES ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch................................. ___ White-breasted Nuthatch.............................. V TREECREEPERS ___ Brown Creeper............................................. 10 R R U  SP S F W ___ House Wren ................................................. U U U ___ Winter Wren ................................................ U R U WRENS ___ Cactus Wren................................................. O ___ Sedge Wren ................................................. R R R ___ Marsh Wren ................................................. R R R ___ Carolina Wren.............................................. A A A A ___ Bewick’s Wren ............................................. C C C C C R C R ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet .............................. U U U ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ................................. C A A ___ Eastern Bluebird ......................................... C A ___ Veery ......................................................... R GNATCATCHERS ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.................................. KINGLETS THRUSHES C C ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush .................................. # ___ Swainson’s Thrush ....................................... U ___ Hermit Thrush.............................................. U U C ___ Wood Thrush................................................ R R V ___ American Robin .......................................... A A A ___ Gray Catbird ................................................ U U O ___ Brown Thrasher........................................... U U U R CATBIRDS, MOCKINGBIRDS & THRASHERS ___ Curve-billed Thrasher .................................. R ___ Long-billed Thrasher.................................... R ___ Sage Thrasher.............................................. # ___ Northern Mockingbird................................. 11 A A A A  SP S F W C C C U U C STARLINGS ___ European Starling......................................... C PIPITS ___ American Pipit.............................................. ___ Sprague’s Pipit.............................................. R WAXWINGS ___ Cedar Waxwing............................................. A C A FINCHES, EUPHONIAS & ALLIES ___ House Finch ................................................ R ___ Purple Finch ................................................ O R ___ Pine Siskin .................................................. U O U ___ Lesser Goldfinch .......................................... R ___ American Goldfinch ..................................... C U A LONGSPURS ___ Chestnut-collared Longspur ......................... R NEW WORLD SPARROWS ___ Grasshopper Sparrow .................................. U U R ___ Chipping Sparrow ........................................ C C R C ___ Clay-colored Sparrow................................... U U O ___ Field Sparrow .............................................. C U U C ___ Lark Sparrow............................................... U U U U ___ Black-throated Sparrow............................... O ___ Lark Bunting................................................ R ___ Fox Sparrow................................................. U U U ___ Dark-eyed Junco ......................................... R R U ___ White-crowned Sparrow .............................. C C C ___ Harris’s Sparrow.......................................... C R C ___ White-throated Sparrow............................... A A A 12  SP S F W ___ Cassin’s Sparrow.......................................... R R R O ___ Vesper Sparrow............................................ C C A ___ LeConte’s Sparrow ....................................... R ___ Savannah Sparrow........................................ C C C ___ Song Sparrow .............................................. U U U ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ........................................ C C C ___ Swamp Sparrow .......................................... R R U ___ Green-tailed Towhee .................................... O ___ Spotted Towhee............................................ U U U ___ Eastern Towhee............................................ R R R YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT ___ Yellow-breasted Chat.................................... U R R BLACKBIRDS ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird ............................. O O ___ Western Meadowlark.................................... R R U ___ Eastern Meadowlark..................................... A A ___ Orchard Oriole ............................................ U ___ Baltimore Oriole ......................................... U U O ___ Red-winged Blackbird ................................. A C C A ___ Brown-headed Cowbird ............................... C U C A A A ___ Rusty Blackbird............................................ R ___ Brewer’s Blackbird ...................................... C ___ Common Grackle ........................................ C C C C ___ Great-tailed Grackle .................................... U U U U WOOD-WARBLERS ___ Ovenbird...................................................... U V ___ Worm-eating Warbler................................... O ___ Louisiana Waterthrush ................................. R 13 R V  SP S F W ___ Northern Waterthrush................................... U R V ___ Golden-winged Warbler................................ R ___ Blue-winged Warbler.................................... R ___ Black-and-white Warbler ............................. U R ___ Prothonotary Warbler................................... U U ___ Swainson’s Warbler...................................... R R ___ Tennessee Warbler....................................... U ___ Orange-crowned Warbler............................. C C U ___ Nashville Warbler ........................................ C C R ___ Mourning Warbler ....................................... U R ___ Kentucky Warbler ........................................ R ___ Common Yellowthroat.................................. U U ___ Hooded Warbler........................................... U ___ American Redstart........................................ U R R R R O U R ___ Cape May Warbler ....................................... V ___ Northern Parula........................................... C C R ___ Magnolia Warbler ........................................ U R ___ Bay-breasted Warbler................................... U ___ Blackburnian Warbler.................................. U ___ Yellow Warbler............................................. C U ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler................................ U ___ Black-throated Blue Warbler ....................... V ___ Palm Warbler............................................... V ___ Pine Warbler................................................ U U C ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler............................... A C A ___ Yellow-throated Warbler............................... R O ___ Black-throated Gray Warbler........................ V 14  SP S F W ___ Black-throated Green Warbler...................... U U O ___ Canada Warbler ........................................... U ___ Wilson’s Warbler.......................................... U U R CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS & ALLIES ___ Hepatic Tanager .......................................... V V ___ Summer Tanager ......................................... U ___ Scarlet Tanager............................................. R O ___ Northern Cardinal........................................ A U A R A A ___ Pyrrhuloxia ................................................. R ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak............................... U R ___ Black-headed Grosbeak............................... R O ___ Blue Grosbeak ............................................. U U R ___ Indigo Bunting ............................................ U U U ___ Painted Bunting............................................ C C U ___ Dickcissel..................................................... U U R A A A OLD WORLD SPARROWS ___ House Sparrow............................................. 15 A citation Rogers, Christopher D. March 2020. Birds of Palmetto State Park: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. 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. Cover: Illustration of Red-shouldered Hawk by Chris Morel. TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TTY) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989 or by email at accessibility@ tpwd.texas.gov. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, TX 78744, or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041. Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2020 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4505-0049B (3/20) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.