Tyler

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF T Y L E R S T A T E A FIELD CHECKLIST P A R K 2022 INTRODUCTION T yler State Park sits 7 miles due north of the city of Tyler in northeast Texas. It is one of the original Civilian Conservation Corps parks built from 1939 to 1941. The park is 985 acres surrounding a 64acre spring-fed lake. There are 11 miles of multi-use hiking/biking trails, a 2-mile trail around the lake, and two interpretive trails. The trails take visitors through a variety of habitat types. The park sits on the edge of two major Texas ecoregions, the East Texas Pineywoods and the Post Oak Savannah to the west, creating a diverse area of plant and animal life. Upland Shortleaf pine forest are home to Pine Warbler, Brown-headed Nuthatch, and seven species of woodpecker. Loblolly pines on the steep dissected hill sides, bottomland hardwood forests, and beaver ponds create prime habitat for migrating warblers, vireos, and orioles. Active habitat restoration in the Post Oak Savannah attract winter sparrows, towhees, and American Woodcock. The savannah abounds with colorful spring and summer wildflowers and equally colorful Indigo and Painted Buntings, Summer Tanager, and Yellow-breasted Chat. Winter on the savannah brings an abundance of sparrows and an occasional American Woodcock. This checklist was compiled by Boyd Sanders of Tyler State Park based observations by numerous individuals, in particular members of the Tyler Audubon Society. The organization and nomenclature of the birds listed here follow the American Ornithological Society Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition as currently supplemented. You can contribute to this checklist by reporting new and unusual sighting or changes in status. You may leave your sightings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resource Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. 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 and essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. 1 LEGEND Abundance c – Common (Present, easy to find) f – Fairly common (Present, should see or hear) u – Uncommon (Present, harder to find) r – Rare (Present, hard to find, or may not occur every year) x – Accidental (not usually present, lost, result of an event) Seasons W – Winter (December, January, February) Sp – Spring (March, April, May) S – Summer ( June, July, August) F – Fall (September, October, November) Cover: Illustration of Downy Woodpecker by Rob Fleming. 2 CHECKLIST W Sp S ____ Black-bellied Whistling Duck .............................. R R F ____ Snow Goose........................................................... R R ____ Ross’s Goose.......................................................... R R ____ Greater White-fronted Goose................................ R R ____ Cackling Goose..................................................... R R ____ Canada Goose....................................................... R R ____ Wood Duck............................................................ U U ____ Blue-winged Teal.................................................. R R R U U ____ Northern Shoveler................................................ U U ____ Gadwall................................................................. U U ____ American Wigeon.................................................. U U ____ Mallard.................................................................. U R ____ Mottled Duck ........................................................ R R R U ____ Northern Pintail................................................... R R ____ Green-winged Teal ............................................... R R ____ Canvasback........................................................... R R ____ Redhead................................................................ R R ____ Ring-necked Duck ............................................... U U ____ Greater Scaup....................................................... R R ____ Lesser Scaup.......................................................... R R ____ Bufflehead............................................................. R R ____ Common Goldeneye............................................. R R ____ Hooded Merganser................................................ R R ____ Common Merganser............................................. X ____ Red-breasted Merganser....................................... R ____ Ruddy Duck.......................................................... U U 3 W Sp S F ____ Northern Bobwhite............................................... X X X X ____ Common Loon...................................................... R R R ____ Pied-billed Grebe.................................................. C C C ____ Horned Grebe........................................................ R ____ Eared Grebe........................................................... R ____ Wood Stork............................................................ X X ____ Neotropic Cormorant............................................ U U U ____ Double-crested Cormorant................................... U U U U ____ Anhinga................................................................. R R ____ American White Pelican....................................... R R ____ American Bittern.................................................. X ____ Least Bittern.......................................................... X X ____ Great Blue Heron.................................................. U U U U ____ Great Egret............................................................ U U U U ____ Snowy Egret.......................................................... R R ____ Little Blue Heron................................................... U U ____ Tricolored Heron................................................... X X ____ Cattle Egret........................................................... U U ____ Green Heron.......................................................... C C ____ Black-crowned Night-Heron................................. R R ____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron............................... R R ____ White Ibis.............................................................. R R ____ White-faced Ibis.................................................... R ____ Black Vulture........................................................ C C C C ____ Turkey Vulture...................................................... C C C C ____ Osprey.................................................................... R R R ____ Mississippi Kite...................................................... 4 C C W Sp S F ____ Northern Harrier.................................................. R R ____ Sharp-shinned Hawk............................................ U U U ____ Cooper’s Hawk....................................................... U U U U ____ Bald Eagle............................................................. U U U U ____ Red-shouldered Hawk........................................... C C C C ____ Broad-winged Hawk............................................. U U ____ Swainson’s Hawk.................................................. R R ____ Red-tailed Hawk................................................... C C C ____ Common Gallinule............................................... R R ____ American Coot...................................................... R R R R ____ Killdeer.................................................................. U U U U ____ Stilt Sandpiper...................................................... R R ____ White-rumped Sandpiper..................................... R R C ____ American Woodcock............................................. U U ____ Wilson’s Snipe....................................................... X ____ Spotted Sandpiper................................................. U U ____ Solitary Sandpiper................................................ R R ____ Lesser Yellowlegs................................................... R R ____ Greater Yellowlegs................................................. R ____ Franklin’s Gull...................................................... R R ____ Ring-billed Gull ................................................... U U ____ Forster’s Tern........................................................ R R ____ Rock Pigeon.......................................................... R R R R ____ Eurasian Collared-Dove....................................... R R R R ____ Inca Dove.............................................................. R R R R ____ Mourning Dove..................................................... C C C C ____ Greater Roadrunner............................................. R R R R 5 W Sp S F ____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo............................................ C C ____ Black-billed Cuckoo.............................................. R ____ Barn Owl............................................................... X X X X ____ Eastern Screech-Owl............................................. C C C C ____ Great Horned Owl................................................. C C C C ____ Barred Owl............................................................ U U U U ____ Common Nighthawk............................................ C C ____ Chuck-will’s-widow............................................... U U ____ Eastern Whip-poor-will........................................ U ____ Chimney Swift....................................................... C C U ____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird.............................. C C U ____ Belted Kingfisher................................................... U U U U ____ Red-headed Woodpecker...................................... U U U U ____ Red-bellied Woodpecker....................................... C C C C ____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...................................... C U C ____ Downy Woodpecker............................................... C C C C ____ Hairy Woodpecker................................................. U U U U ____ Northern Flicker................................................... U U U U ____ Pileated Woodpecker............................................. U U U U ____ American Kestrel................................................... U U U U ____ Merlin.................................................................... R R ____ Peregrine Falcon................................................... R ____ Olive-sided Flycatcher.......................................... U U ____ Eastern Wood-Pewee............................................. C C U ____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher...................................... C C U ____ Acadian Flycatcher............................................... U U ____ Alder Flycatcher.................................................... U R 6 W Sp S F ____ Willow Flycatcher................................................. U R ____ Least Flycatcher.................................................... U U ____ Eastern Phoebe..................................................... C C C C ____ Great Crested Flycatcher....................................... C C U ____ Eastern Kingbird................................................... C C U ____ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher....................................... U U U ____ Loggerhead Shrike................................................ R R R R ____ White-eyed Vireo................................................... C C U ____ Bell’s Vireo............................................................. X X ____ Yellow-throated Vireo........................................... C C ____ Blue-headed Vireo................................................. U U U ____ Philadelphia Vireo................................................ U R ____ Warbling Vireo...................................................... U R ____ Red-eyed Vireo...................................................... C C U ____ Blue Jay................................................................. C C C C ____ American Crow..................................................... C C C C ____ Fish Crow.............................................................. R R R R U ____ Horned Lark.......................................................... R ____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow........................ U U ____ Purple Martin....................................................... U C C ____ Tree Swallow......................................................... U R U ____ Bank Swallow........................................................ U R U ____ Barn Swallow........................................................ C C R ____ Cliff Swallow......................................................... R R R ____ Cave Swallow........................................................ X ____ Carolina Chickadee.............................................. C C C C ____ Tufted Titmouse.................................................... C C C C 7 R W Sp S F ____ Red-breasted Nuthatch......................................... U R R ____ White-breasted Nuthatch...................................... C C C C ____ Brown-headed Nuthatch...................................... C C C C ____ Brown Creeper...................................................... C R U ____ House Wren........................................................... C U U ____ Winter Wren.......................................................... U R R ____ Sedge Wren............................................................ R R ____ Marsh Wren........................................................... U R R ____ Carolina Wren....................................................... C C ____ Bewick’s Wren....................................................... R R R ____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher......................................... C ____ Golden-crowned Kinglet....................................... U R U ____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet.......................................... C R C ____ Eastern Bluebird................................................... C C ____ Veery...................................................................... R ____ Gray-cheeked Thrush........................................... U R ____ Swainson’s Thrush............................................... U R C C C C R C ____ Hermit Thrush...................................................... U U ____ Wood Thrush........................................................ U U R ____ American Robin.................................................... C C C C ____ Gray Catbird.......................................................... U U U ____ Brown Thrasher.................................................... U U U U ____ Northern Mockingbird.......................................... C C C C ____ European Starling................................................ R R R R ____ American Pipit...................................................... R R ____ Cedar Waxwing..................................................... C C C ____ Ovenbird................................................................ U U 8 W Sp S F ____ Worm-eating Warbler........................................... R R ____ Louisiana Waterthrush......................................... U ____ Northern Waterthrush.......................................... R R ____ Golden-winged Warbler........................................ R R ____ Blue-winged Warbler............................................ U R ____ Black-and-White Warbler..................................... C ____ Prothonotary Warbler.......................................... R R ____ Swainson’s Warbler............................................... R ____ Tennessee Warbler................................................ C U ____ Orange-crowned Warbler..................................... U U U ____ Nashville Warbler................................................. C C ____ Mourning Warbler ............................................... R R ____ Kentucky Warbler................................................. U U R ____ Common Yellowthroat.......................................... U C C U ____ Hooded Warbler.................................................... C C U ____ American Redstart................................................ C C U ____ Cerulean Warbler ................................................. R R ____ Northern Parula................................................... C ____ Magnolia Warbler................................................. C U ____ Bay-breasted Warbler........................................... U R ____ Blackburnian Warbler.......................................... U R ____ Yellow Warbler...................................................... U U ____ Chestnut-sided Warbler........................................ U U ____ Blackpoll Warbler................................................. X ____ Black-throated Blue Warbler................................ X ____ Palm Warbler........................................................ R R ____ Prairie Warbler..................................................... R R 9 U C R C R U R U W Sp S F ____ Black-throated Green Warbler............................. C C ____ Canada Warbler.................................................... U U ____ Wilson’s Warbler................................................... U U ____ Grasshopper Sparrow........................................... R R R R ____ Henslow’s Sparrow................................................ X ____ LeConte’s Sparrow................................................ R ____ Nelson’s Sparrow.................................................. X X ____ Chipping Sparrow................................................. C U ____ Clay-colored Sparrow........................................... R R ____ Field Sparrow........................................................ U U U ____ Lark Sparrow........................................................ U U U C U ____ Fox Sparrow.......................................................... C C ____ Dark-eyed Junco................................................... C C C ____ White-crowned Sparrow....................................... R R ____ Harris’s Sparrow................................................... R R ____ White-throated Sparrow....................................... C C C ____ Vesper Sparrow...................................................... U ____ Savannah Sparrow............................................... U ____ Song Sparrow........................................................ C C C ____ Lincoln’s Sparrow................................................. U U U ____ Swamp Sparrow.................................................... C U U ____ Spotted Towhee..................................................... U R R ____ Eastern Towhee..................................................... U U U ____ Yellow-breasted Chat............................................ U U U ____ Summer Tanager.................................................. C C U ____ Scarlet Tanager..................................................... R ____ Northern Cardinal................................................ C C 10 C C W Sp S F ____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak....................................... U R ____ Blue Grosbeak....................................................... U U R ____ Indigo Bunting..................................................... C C C ____ Painted Bunting.................................................... U U ____ Dickcissel.............................................................. U U ____ Yellow-headed Blackbird...................................... X X ____ Eastern Meadowlark............................................. U U U R U ____ Western Meadowlark............................................ X ____ Orchard Oriole...................................................... U U U ____ Baltimore Oriole................................................... U U ____ Red-Winged Blackbird.......................................... C C U C ____ Brown-headed Cowbird........................................ R C C U ____ Rusty Blackbird.................................................... X ____ Brewer’s Blackbird................................................ R ____ Common Grackle.................................................. C C C C ____ Great-tailed Grackle............................................. X X X X ____ House Finch.......................................................... U U U U ____ Purple Finch......................................................... U R R ____ Pine Siskin............................................................ U U U ____ American Goldfinch.............................................. C C C ____ House Sparrow...................................................... R R 11 R R citation Sanders, Boyd. March 2022. Birds of Tyler State Park: a field checklist. Natural Resource 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. 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. 12 Natural Resource Program Texas Parks and Wildlife Department 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2022 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4508–0039C (3/22)