Resaca de la Palma

BIRDS OF RESACA DE LA PALMA S T A T E P A R K A FIELD CHECKLIST 2022 INTRODUCTION R esaca de la Palma State Park is a 1,200-acre park and World Birding Center site located to the northwest of Brownsville, Texas. The flora and fauna in the park are sustained by a resaca. The resaca, or dry riverbed, was formed by the flooding of the Rio Grande; when seasonal rains fill the resacas, wildlife come to the water, creating an opportunity for people to view wildlife and enjoy the natural world. Park staff can control the water level in the resaca to support a variety of wildlife throughout the year. The resaca also supports a variety of habitats that are vital for the survival of the wildlife. White-tipped Doves and Green Jays call from within the hackberry forest and migrating warblers forage for insects on the hackberry’s large leaves. In the Ebony forest, Groove-billed Anis quietly watch the visitors, and Whiteeyed Vireos and Long-billed Thrashers use the dense vegetation for nesting. Olive Sparrows and Northern Mockingbirds sing as they forage through the thorn-scrub. In the revegetated grasslands one will find White-tailed Kites, Mississippi Kites and other raptors searching for prey. Northern Bobwhites call from the grass, where they nest and raise young. In the resaca itself, Least Grebes, Green Herons, Black-bellied Whistling-Ducks and other water birds forage through the water and mud. In one visit to the resaca, a birder could easily see Belted, Ringed and Green Kingfishers. The trail system, over 8 miles, winds through these different habitats. Although vehicular traffic is not permitted past the Visitor Center, visitors can access the trail system from a tram that circles a 2.7-mile loop through the park for easy wildlife viewing. This checklist includes 284 bird species that can be found in Resaca de la Palma State Park. Previous versions of this checklist were compiled by John C. Arvin, modified by Katherine S. Miller, natural resource specialist at Resaca de la Palma, and edited by Sherry Wilson. The current version was edited by State Park staff using eBird reports. While some birds live here year-round, others use the dense habitat to rest during their migration or are seasonal residents. For this reason, the checklist shows the bird species’ abundance by season to aid birders in planning their trips to Resaca de la Palma. Track Resaca’s recent sightings on Ebird.org. The nomenclature and taxonomic organization follow the American Ornithologist’s Union Check-list of North American Birds, 7th Edition (1998) as currently supplemented. The checklist will be updated with further observations, so please report your sightings by utilizing the e-bird kiosk in our visitor center, where birders can record and view sightings and the location within the park on a user-friendly computer. Please note that playing any audio recording of bird songs in an effort to attract the birds is prohibited. This disrupts the birds from their daily 1 activities and can cause nest failure. For your safety and for the preservation of the wildlife, stay on designated trails at all times. We appreciate your cooperation and hope you have a pleasant visit to our park. LEGEND Seasons Sp = Spring: March, April and May Su = Summer: June, July and August F = Fall: September, October and November W = Winter: December, January and February Abundance A = Abundant: always present and observed, large numbers in proper habitats and seasons. C = Common: numbers vary but always found in proper habitat and season. U = Uncommon: present in proper habitat and season, but not common and may be overlooked. R = Rare: seldom recorded, may not be recorded every year. X = Few to no records. CHECKLIST Sp Su F W ___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck..................................... U ___ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck............................. C C C U ___ Greater White-fronted Goose.............................. U U ___ Snow Goose......................................................... U ___ Ross’s Goose........................................................ X ___ Muscovy Duck..................................................... X X ___ Gadwall............................................................... X X U U ___ American Wigeon................................................ X X U U ___ Mallard................................................................ R ___ Mottled Duck....................................................... C C C C 2  Sp Su F W ___ Blue-winged Teal................................................ C X C C ___ Cinnamon Teal................................................... X U ___ Northern Shoveler............................................... X X U U ___ Northern Pintail.................................................. X U ___ Green-winged Teal.............................................. U U ___ Canvasback......................................................... R ___ Redhead............................................................... U U ___ Ring-necked Duck.............................................. U U ___ Lesser Scaup........................................................ U ___ Bufflehead........................................................... U ___ Hooded Merganser.............................................. X X ___ Ruddy Duck......................................................... R X X R ___ Plain Chachalaca................................................ A A A A ___ Northern Bobwhite............................................. U U U ___ Rio Grande Turkey.............................................. C C C C ___ Least Grebe.......................................................... C C C C ___ Pied-billed Grebe................................................. C C C C ___ Eared Grebe......................................................... X ___ Rock Pigeon........................................................ U U U U ___ Eurasian Collared-Dove...................................... R R R X ___ Inca Dove............................................................ A A A A ___ Common Ground Dove....................................... C C C C ___ White-tipped Dove............................................... A A A A ___ White-winged Dove............................................. A A C C ___ Mourning Dove................................................... A A A C ___ Black-billed Cuckoo............................................ X ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo........................................... A A C ___ Greater Roadrunner........................................... U U U U ___ Groove-billed Ani................................................ A A R ___ Lesser Nighthawk................................................ R X R R ___ Common Nighthawk........................................... C C 3  Sp Su F W ___ Common Pauraque............................................ C C C C ___ Chuck-will’s-widow............................................. X ___ Eastern Whip-poor-will....................................... X ___ Chimney Swift..................................................... C C C ___ Buff-bellied Hummingbird................................. C C C R ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird............................ R R X ___ Black-chinned Hummingbird............................ X ___ Rufus Hummingbird.......................................... X ___ Sora..................................................................... X R ___ Purple Gallinule................................................. X X X ___ Common Gallinule............................................. U R U U ___ American Coot..................................................... C R U C ___ Sandhill Crane.................................................... R R ___ Black-necked Stilt............................................... C R X R ___ American Avocet.................................................. R X ___ Black-bellied Plover............................................ U U ___ American Golden-plover..................................... X ___ Semipalmated Plover.......................................... X ___ Killdeer................................................................ U U U U ___ Upland Sandpiper............................................... X ___ Long-billed Curlew.............................................. X X X ___ Stilt Sandpiper.................................................... R ___ Sanderling........................................................... X ___ Baird’s Sandpiper................................................ X ___ Least Sandpiper................................................... R X R ___ Pectoral Sandpiper............................................. R ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper................................... X X ___ Western Sandpiper.............................................. R X ___ Short-billed Dowitcher....................................... X X ___ Long-billed Dowitcher........................................ R R ___ Wilson’s Snipe..................................................... X 4  Sp ___ Spotted Sandpiper............................................... ___ Solitary Sandpiper.............................................. ___ Lesser Yellowlegs................................................. ___ Willet................................................................... ___ Greater Yellowlegs............................................... ___ Wilson’s Phalarope............................................. ___ Laughing Gull..................................................... ___ Franklin’s Gull.................................................... ___ Ring-billed Gull.................................................. ___ Least Tern............................................................ ___ Gull-billed Tern................................................... ___ Caspian Tern....................................................... ___ Forster’s Tern....................................................... ___ Royal Tern........................................................... ___ Black Skimmer................................................... ___ Wood Stork.......................................................... ___ Neotropic Cormorant.......................................... ___ Double-crested Cormorant................................. ___ Anhinga............................................................... ___ American White Pelican..................................... ___ Brown Pelican .................................................... ___ Least Bittern........................................................ ___ Great Blue Heron................................................ ___ Great Egret ......................................................... ___ Snowy Egret......................................................... ___ Little Blue Heron................................................. ___ Tricolored Heron................................................. ___ Reddish Egret...................................................... ___ Cattle Egret.......................................................... ___ Green Heron........................................................ ___ Black-crowned Night Heron............................... 5 Su F W R X R R U U X U R X X R X R R R R X X C C U U R X X X X X X X X X X X X X X R U U X C C C C C C C R R U U U U U X X R X C C C C C C C C C C C C U U U U U U U R U U C C U U U R R U  Sp Su F W ___ Yellow-crowned Night Heron.............................. U C C U ___ White Ibis............................................................ C C U U ___ White-faced Ibis.................................................. U X R R ___ Roseate Spoonbill............................................... U U U U ___ Magnificent Frigatebird...................................... X X ___ Black Vulture....................................................... C C C C ___ Turkey Vulture.................................................... A A A A ___ Osprey.................................................................. U R R U ___ Swallow-tailed Kite............................................. R X ___ Hook-billed Kite.................................................. X ___ White-tailed Kite................................................. C C C C ___ Mississippi Kite.................................................... R X ___ Northern Harrier................................................. U U U ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk.......................................... U U U ___ Cooper’s Hawk..................................................... U X U U ___ Harris’s Hawk...................................................... U U C C ___ Gray Hawk........................................................... X X U U ___ Red-shouldered Hawk......................................... C C A ___ Broad-winged Hawk............................................ U R ___ Swainson’s Hawk................................................. U R X ___ White-tailed Hawk.............................................. U U U U ___ Zone-tailed Hawk................................................ X ___ Red-tailed Hawk.................................................. U R C C ___ Barn Owl............................................................. X X ___ Eastern Screech-Owl........................................... R X X R ___ Great Horned Owl............................................... X R X ___ Ringed Kingfisher............................................... U U U U ___ Belted Kingfisher................................................. C X C C ___ Green Kingfisher................................................. U U U U ___ Golden-fronted Woodpecker............................... A A A A ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker.................................... X R R 6  Sp Su F W ___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker................................ C C C A ___ Crested Caracara................................................. C C C C ___ American Kestrel................................................. U X U U ___ Merlin.................................................................. R R R ___ Aplomado Falcon................................................ X ___ Peregrine Falcon................................................. R R ___ Red-crowned Parrot............................................ R R X ___ Red-lored Parrot ................................................ X ___ Green Parakeet.................................................... X X ___ Northern Beardless-Tyrannulet.......................... X ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher......................................... R X ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee........................................... A A ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.................................... X X ___ Acadian Flycatcher.............................................. X X ___ Alder Flycatcher.................................................. X ___ Willow Flycatcher................................................ X R ___ Least Flycatcher.................................................. X R R ___ Hammond’s Flycatcher....................................... X ___ Dusky-capped Flycatcher.................................... X X ___ Black Phoebe....................................................... X ___ Eastern Phoebe .................................................. A A ___ Vermillion Flycatcher......................................... R R ___ Ash-throated Flycatcher...................................... R R ___ Great-crested Flycatcher..................................... R C ___ Brown-crested Flycatcher................................... A A X ___ Great Kiskadee.................................................... A A A A ___ Piratic Flycatcher................................................ X ___ Tropical Kingbird................................................ U U U U ___ Couch’s Kingbird................................................. C C C C ___ Western Kingbird................................................ R X ___ Eastern Kingbird................................................. C R 7  Sp Su F W ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher..................................... C C C R ___ Loggerheaded Shrike.......................................... R X R R ___ White-eyed Vireo................................................. C C C C ___ Yellow-throated Vireo.......................................... R X ___ Blue-headed Vireo............................................... R C C ___ Warbling Vireo.................................................... R ___ Philadelphia Vireo.............................................. R X ___ Red-eyed Vireo..................................................... R X ___ Yellow-green Vireo.............................................. U U ___ Green Jay............................................................. A A A A ___ Chihuahuan Raven............................................. X X R ___ Purple Martin...................................................... U U X X ___ Tree Swallow....................................................... C U U ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow...................... C U U X ___ Bank Swallow...................................................... X X X ___ Barn Swallow...................................................... C U C U ___ Cliff Swallow....................................................... X X X ___ Cave Swallow....................................................... U U C U ___ Black-crested Titmouse....................................... C C C C ___ Horned Lark........................................................ X R X X ___ Verdin.................................................................. U U U U ___ Carolina Wren .................................................... C C C C ___ Bewick’s Wren .................................................... U U U U ___ House Wren......................................................... U C C ___ Sedge Wren ......................................................... X ___ Marsh Wren ........................................................ X X ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher........................................ C C A ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet........................................ C C A ___ Golden-Crowned Kinglet..................................... X ___ Eastern Bluebird................................................. X ___ Swainson’s Thrush.............................................. R 8  Sp Su F W ___ Hermit Thrush ................................................... X R ___ Clay-colored Thrush .......................................... R X R R ___ American Robin.................................................. X ___ Gray Catbird........................................................ U U U ___ Curve-billed Thrasher......................................... R R R U ___ Long-billed Thrasher.......................................... C C C C ___ Northern Mockingbird........................................ A A A A ___ Cedar Waxwing................................................... X X X ___ European Starling.............................................. R X ___ House Sparrow.................................................... R R R ___ American Pipit.................................................... X X ___ Sprague’s Pipit.................................................... X ___ Cassin’s Finch...................................................... X ___ American Goldfinch ........................................... X R ___ Lesser Goldfinch.................................................. X U R ___ Olive Sparrow...................................................... A A C A ___ Chipping Sparrow............................................... X X ___ Cassin’s Sparrow................................................. X X X ___ Vesper Sparrow.................................................... X ___ Lark Sparrow....................................................... R U R R ___ Lark Bunting....................................................... X X ___ Savannah Sparrow............................................. R R R ___ Grasshopper Sparrow.......................................... X X X ___ Lincoln’s Sparrow............................................... U U U ___ Swamp Sparrow.................................................. U X ___ White-crowned Sparrow..................................... X ___ Yellow-breasted Chat........................................... X X ___ Red-winged Blackbird......................................... A C C C ___ Eastern Meadowlark........................................... R X R R ___ Western Meadowlark........................................... X X ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird.................................... X 9  Sp Su F ___ Brewer’s Blackbird.............................................. X X ___ Great-tailed Grackle............................................ A A A ___ Bronzed Cowbird................................................. C A X ___ Brown-headed Cowbird...................................... U U R ___ Orchard Oriole.................................................... R U R ___ Hooded Oriole..................................................... R R R ___ Altamira Oriole................................................... A A A ___ Baltimore Oriole................................................. U U ___ Bullock’s Oriole................................................... X X ___ Blue-winged Warbler.......................................... X ___ Golden-winged Warbler...................................... R ___ Tennessee Warbler.............................................. R R ___ Orange-crowned Warbler.................................... C C ___ Nashville-Warbler............................................... U U ___ Northern Parula................................................. R R ___ Tropical Parula................................................... R ___ Yellow Warbler.................................................... U C ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler...................................... U X ___ Blackpoll Warbler............................................... X ___ Magnolia Warbler............................................... U R ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler...................................... C U ___ Black-throated Gray Warbler.............................. U U ___ Townsend’s Warbler............................................ X ___ Black-throated Green Warbler............................ R U ___ Blackburnian Warbler........................................ C X ___ Yellow-throated Warbler..................................... C C ___ Pine Warbler....................................................... R ___ Prairie Warbler.................................................... X ___ Bay-breasted Warbler.......................................... X ___ Cerulean Warbler................................................ X ___ Black-and-white Warbler.................................... C X C 10 W A X R X A A U X U C U U A X C  Sp Su F W ___ American Redstart.............................................. U R ___ Prothonotary Warbler......................................... X ___ Worm-eating warbler.......................................... X X ___ Swainson’s Warbler............................................. X ___ Ovenbird.............................................................. R R R ___ Northern Waterthrush........................................ X R X ___ Louisiana Waterthrush ...................................... R ___ Kentucky Warbler................................................ X X ___ Mourning Warbler.............................................. X ___ Common Yellowthroat........................................ U U U U ___ Hooded Warbler................................................... X X ___ Wilson’s Warbler................................................. R U U ___ Canada Warbler.................................................. X X ___ Summer Tanager................................................ R R X ___ Scarlet Tanager................................................... R ___ Western Tanager................................................. X ___ Northern Cardinal ............................................. A A A A ___ Pyrrhuloxia......................................................... X X X X ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak...................................... X X ___ Black-headed Grosbeak...................................... X R ___ Blue Grosbeak..................................................... R R X ___ Indigo Bunting.................................................... U U U ___ Painted Bunting ................................................. U R X ___ Dickcissel............................................................. X X X 11 citation Arvin, John C. and Katherine S. Miller. March 2022. Birds of Resaca de la Palma 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. 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