![]() | Ray Roberts Lake Birds |
![brochure Ray Roberts Lake - Birds]()
TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
BIRDS
OF
RAY ROBERTS LAKE
S T A T E
P A R K
A FIELD CHECKLIST
2010
Cover: Illustration of Double-crested Cormorant by Rob Fleming.
INTRODUCTION
S
ituated along the shores of a 30,000-acre reservoir, Ray Roberts
Lake State Park Complex consists of two state park units
(Isle du Bois and Johnson Branch), six satellite parks (Jordan
Unit, Pond Creek, Pecan Creek, Buck Creek, Sanger, and Elm Fork),
wildlife management areas, wetlands, waterfowl sanctuaries and
the 20-mile Ray Roberts Lake/Lake Lewisville Greenbelt Corridor.
The lake was created to provide water to the Cities of Dallas and
Denton. Ray Roberts Lake, authorized by the Rivers and Harbors
Act of 1965, takes in portions of three counties: Denton, Cooke, and
Grayson. Originally known as the Aubrey Reservoir, the lake was
named in 1980 for former Congressman Ray Roberts (1913-1992)
of Denton. The lake is a 29.350-acre Corps of Engineers impoundment on the Elm Fork of the Trinity River. The lake is surrounded
by two state park units (Isle du Bois and Johnson Branch), six satellite parks, as well as wildlife management areas, wetlands, and
waterfowl sanctuaries. All the parks are open. Jordan Unit contains
477 acres; Pond Creek – 20 acres; Pecan Creek – 48 acres; Buck
Creek – 11 acres; Sanger – 20 acres; and Elm Fork – 290 acres.
The park is located in the Eastern Cross Timbers, a narrow
strip of wooded terrain bordering the Blackland Prairies of NorthCentral Texas. Geologically, the region is part of the Woodbine
Formation, an Upper Cretaceous deposit consisting mostly of sandstone, with localized layers of shales and clay. A partial plant list
includes sumac holly, milkweed, prickly pear, honeysuckle, sunflower,
rough leaf dogwood, eastern red cedar, persimmon, bullnettle,
blackjack oak, post oak, bluestem grass, grass burr, Bermuda grass,
switch grass, Indian grass, Johnson grass, Texas wintergrass, black
hickory, black walnut, red bud, honey locust, honey mesquite, greenbrier, Spanish needles, chinaberry, snailseed, bois d’arc, red mulberry, pokeweed, buckwheat, knotweed, hawthorne, wild plum,
blackberry, toothache tree, eastern cottonwood, black willow, western soapberry, gum elastic, ground cherry, horse nettle, winged elm,
American elm, ivy treevine, and mustang grape.
You can contribute to this checklist by reporting new and
unusual sightings or changes in status. You may leave your sightings
1
at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resources
Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School
Road, Austin, Texas 78744. Nomenclature and organization for this
checklist follow the 7th edition of the American Ornithologists
Union Check-list of North American Birds, as currently amended.
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
A – Abundant – should be seen on 75% or more of trips in proper
habitat and season. Often encountered in large numbers.
C – Common – should be seen on 50% or more of trips in proper
habitat and season. Can sometimes be encountered in large
numbers.
U – Uncommon – should be seen on 25% or more of trips in
proper habitat and season. Usually not encountered in more
than moderate numbers.
O – Occasional – should be seen on 10% or more of trips in
proper habitat and season. Usually not encountered in more
than small numbers.
R – Rare – not seen annually, but expected to occur again. Usually no more than one or two individuals are encountered.
X – Accidental – only one or two records in any decade.
I – Irregular – absent some years, but may be numerous in
others.
Sp
S
F
W
–
–
–
–
spring (March – May)
summer (June – July)
fall (August – November)
winter (December – February)
2
CHECKLIST
Sp
F
W
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Greater White-fronted Goose.................. O
O
Snow Goose................................................ O
O
Canada Goose............................................
U
Wood Duck ............................................... U
U
U
Gadwall........................................................ C
C
American Wigeon...................................... C
R
C
Mallard ..................................................... C
A
Blue-winged Teal....................................... A
A
Cinnamon Teal........................................... U
Northern Shoveler..................................... A
R
C
Northern Pintail........................................ U
C
Green-winged Teal..................................... C
C
Canvasback................................................. U
C
Redhead....................................................... U
A
Ring-necked Duck...................................... C
C
Greater Scaup............................................. R
Lesser Scaup............................................... U
U
Bufflehead................................................... U
C
Common Goldeneye.................................. U
U
Hooded Merganser.................................... O
U
O
R
O
U
A
C
A
R
C
C
A
C
U
A
O
C
C
U
U
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Common Merganser..................................
Red-breasted Merganser........................... O
U
Wild Turkey ............................................. O
O
O
Northern Bobwhite ................................ U
U
U
Common Loon............................................ U
U
Pied-billed Grebe .................................... C
O
U
Horned Grebe............................................. U
R
O
U
O
U
U
C
U
3
S
Sp
F
W
___
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___
___
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___
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___
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___
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Red-necked Grebe......................................
Eared Grebe................................................ U
R
C
American White Pelican........................... A
R
A
Neotropic Cormorant................................ R
R
R
Double-crested Cormorant....................... C
U
U
American Bittern....................................... O
O
Least Bittern............................................... O
O
O
Great Blue Heron .................................... A
A
A
Great Egret ............................................... C
C
U
Snowy Egret ............................................ U
U
U
Little Blue Heron .................................... U
U
R
Cattle Egret .............................................. A
C
R
Green Heron ............................................ C
C
C
Black-crowned Night-Heron .................. R
R
R
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ................ O
R
R
White-faced Ibis......................................... U
R
U
Black Vulture ........................................... C
C
C
Turkey Vulture ........................................ A
A
A
Osprey.......................................................... U
U
White-tailed Kite ..................................... R
X
U
U
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Mississippi Kite ....................................... C
C
R
Bald Eagle................................................... U
Northern Harrier....................................... C
X
C
Sharp-shinned Hawk................................. U
C
Cooper’s Hawk........................................... U
R
U
Red-shouldered Hawk ............................ U
U
U
Swainson’s Hawk .................................... C
U
C
Red-tailed Hawk ...................................... C
C
C
Ferruginous Hawk.....................................
4
S
A
R
A
O
X
X
U
A
U
C
U
U
U
U
C
R
Sp
F
W
___
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Rough-legged Hawk...................................
American Kestrel .................................... C
C
Merlin.......................................................... O
O
Peregrine Falcon........................................ R
O
Sora.............................................................. C
U
Common Moorhen..................................... R
R
American Coot ........................................ C
C
C
Sandhill Crane........................................... U
U
Black-bellied Plover................................... O
O
American Golden-Plover........................... R
Snowy Plover .......................................... R
R
Semipalmated Plover................................ O
O
Killdeer ..................................................... C
C
C
American Avocet........................................ U
U
Spotted Sandpiper..................................... C
R
O
Solitary Sandpiper..................................... U
U
Greater Yellowlegs..................................... U
O
U
Willet............................................................ O
O
O
Lesser Yellowlegs....................................... C
O
C
Upland Sandpiper...................................... U
R
U
R
C
R
R
O
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Long-billed Curlew....................................
Hudsonian Godwit.....................................
Ruddy Turnstone.......................................
Sanderling...................................................
Semipalmated Sandpiper.........................
Western Sandpiper....................................
Least Sandpiper..........................................
White-rumped Sandpiper.........................
Baird’s Sandpiper......................................
5
S
O
R
R
R
U
O
C
O
A
O
U
R
C
R
R
U
C
A
C
A
U
C
U
O
R
R
U
Sp
S
F
___ Pectoral Sandpiper.................................... C
O
___ Stilt Sandpiper........................................... U
___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper........................... O
R
C
U
O
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Short-billed Dowitcher.............................. X
Long-billed Dowitcher............................... U
U
Wilson’s Snipe............................................ U
U
Wilson’s Phalarope.................................... C
U
Franklin’s Gull........................................... C
O
C
Bonaparte’s Gull........................................ C
C
Ring-billed Gull.......................................... A
R
C
Herring Gull............................................... O
O
Least Tern....................................................
Black Tern................................................... C
O
C
Caspian Tern............................................... O
R
O
Forester’s Tern........................................... C
O
C
Rock Pigeon ............................................. U
U
U
Mourning Dove ....................................... A
A
A
Inca Dove ................................................. O
O
O
Yellow-billed Cuckoo .............................. C
C
C
Greater Roadrunner ............................... C
C
C
Eastern Screech-Owl ............................... C
C
C
Great Horned Owl .................................. U
U
U
Barred Owl .............................................. U
U
U
Short-eared Owl.........................................
Common Nighthawk .............................. C
C
C
Chuck-will’s-widow ................................. C
U
R
Chimney Swift ......................................... C
C
C
Ruby-throated Hummingbird................... C
C
C
Black-chinned Hummingbird ................ O
O
O
6
W
R
O
A
A
U
R
U
U
A
R
C
C
U
U
R
Sp
S
F
W
U
U
U
U
R
C
U
C
___
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___
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___
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Belted Kingfisher ....................................
Red-headed Woodpecker..........................
Red-bellied Woodpecker ........................
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker..........................
Ladder-backed Woodpecker ..................
Downy Woodpecker ...............................
Hairy Woodpecker.....................................
Northern Flicker........................................
Olive-sided Flycatcher...............................
Eastern Wood-Pewee.................................
Willow Flycatcher......................................
Least Flycatcher..........................................
Eastern Phoebe .......................................
Great Crested Flycatcher .......................
Western Kingbird ....................................
Eastern Kingbird .....................................
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ........................
Loggerhead Shrike ..................................
White-eyed Vireo ....................................
Bell’s Vireo ...............................................
U
U
U
O
U
U
U
R
R
C
C
O
O
C
O
C
U
U
U
C
U
C
C
U
U
U
U
A
A
C
C
U
U
R
R
U
U
U
U
R
C
O
A
O
C
U
U
U
U
U
U
A
C
O
R
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Blue-headed Vireo.....................................
Warbling Vireo...........................................
Red-eyed Vireo...........................................
Blue Jay ....................................................
American Crow .......................................
Horned Lark ............................................
Purple Martin ..........................................
Tree Swallow..............................................
Northern Rough-winged Swallow...........
U
U
R
U
U
C
C
C
C
O
O
A
A
U
R
U
U
U
U
U
C
C
O
C
U
U
7
U
C
R
C
C
U
U
R
Sp
F
W
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Bank Swallow............................................. C
U
Cliff Swallow ........................................... A
A
A
Cave Swallow .......................................... O
O
Barn Swallow .......................................... A
C
A
Carolina Chickadee ................................ A
A
A
Tufted Titmouse ...................................... A
A
A
Red-breasted Nuthatch..............................
White-breasted Nuthatch.......................... O
O
O
Brown Creeper........................................... O
O
Rock Wren ................................................
Carolina Wren ......................................... C
C
C
Bewick’s Wren ......................................... U
U
U
House Wren................................................ U
U
Winter Wren............................................... O
Sedge Wren................................................. X
Marsh Wren................................................ O
O
Golden-crowned Kinglet...........................
Ruby-crowned Kinglet............................... C
C
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ............................ C
U
C
Eastern Bluebird ..................................... C
C
C
U
A
A
R
O
U
O
C
U
O
O
X
O
U
A
R
C
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Hermit Thrush...........................................
American Robin ......................................
Gray Catbird...............................................
Northern Mockingbird ...........................
Brown Thrasher ......................................
European Starling ..................................
American Pipit............................................
Cedar Waxwing..........................................
Blue-winged Warbler.................................
8
S
O
C
U
U
O
O
A
A
A
U
U
U
A
A
A
U
U
C
C
X
O
A
A
U
A
C
A
Sp
S
F
___
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___
___
___
___
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___
___
___
___
___
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Tennessee Warbler.................................... U
U
Orange-crowned Warbler.......................... U
U
Nashville Warbler...................................... C
C
Northern Parula......................................... O
Yellow Warbler........................................... C
C
Chestnut-sided Warbler............................ R
Yellow-rumped Warbler............................ C
C
Black-throated Green Warbler................. O
O
Black-and-white Warbler ....................... U
U
American Redstart..................................... U
U
Prothonotary Warbler............................... O
O
Common Yellowthroat.............................. O
O
Wilson’s Warbler........................................ O
Yellow-breasted Chat ............................. O
R
Summer Tanager ..................................... C
C
U
Scarlet Tanager........................................... O
Spotted Towhee......................................... U
C
Eastern Towhee.......................................... U
American Tree Sparrow...........................
Chipping Sparrow..................................... C
C
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Clay-colored Sparrow................................
Field Sparrow ..........................................
Vesper Sparrow..........................................
Lark Sparrow ...........................................
Savannah Sparrow.....................................
Grasshopper Sparrow ............................
Le Conte’s Sparrow...................................
Fox Sparrow................................................
Song Sparrow.............................................
9
O
C
U
U
U
U
C
C
U
C
C
U
U
U
O
U
O
U
O
W
O
C
R
C
U
I
C
C
C
U
A
R
U
U
C
Sp
S
F
W
___
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___
___
___
___
___
___
___
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___
___
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___
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Lincoln’s Sparrow...................................... C
Swamp Sparrow......................................... U
White-throated Sparrow........................... A
Harris’s Sparrow........................................ C
White-crowned Sparrow........................... C
Dark-eyed Junco......................................... U
Northern Cardinal .................................. A
A
Pyrrhuloxia.................................................
X
Blue Grosbeak ......................................... U
U
Indigo Bunting........................................... U
U
Painted Bunting ...................................... C
C
Dickcissel .................................................. C
C
Red-winged Blackbird ............................ C
C
Eastern Meadowlark . ............................. C
C
Western Meadowlark................................
Yellow-headed Blackbird.......................... O
O
Brewer’s Blackbird.................................... O
Common Grackle .................................... A
A
Great-tailed Grackle ............................... A
A
Bronzed Cowbird....................................... X
C
U
A
C
C
O
A
C
O
A
A
C
C
A
U
U
U
U
C
C
U
O
U
A
C
C
C
C
___
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Brown-headed Cowbird .........................
Orchard Oriole ........................................
Baltimore Oriole........................................
House Finch .............................................
Pine Siskin..................................................
Lesser Goldfinch .....................................
American Goldfinch..................................
House Sparrow ........................................
10
C
C
U
U
U
O
O
O
I
R
C
A
A
C
U
O
O
I
R
U
A
U
A
C
C
O
I
R
C
A
CITATION
Lockwood, Mark. January 2010. Birds of Ray Roberts Lake 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.
11
NOTES
12
Natural Resources Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
© 2010 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department
PWD BK P4503-0137U (2/10)
In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas
State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.
