U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

HavasuNational Wildlife RefugeBirds

Birding atHavasu National Wildlife Refuge

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 37,515 acres adjacent to the Colorado River. Topock Marsh, Topock Gorge, and the Havasu Wilderness constitute the three major portions of the refuge. Habitat varies from cattail-bulrush back waters and shrubby riparian lowlands to steep cactus-strewn cliffs and mountains. Due to the southerly location of the refuge it is primarily a wintering area and stopover point for migrating birds.

The 318 species are listed in accordance with the 7th edition (1998) A.O.U. checklist and its supplements through July 2011.

If you should find an unlisted or rare species during your visit, please contact the Refuge staff and provide a description. The refuge birds do not recognize traditional calendar seasons, therefore, season designations for species are intended as general guidelines.

Summer status indicated for many non-breeding species of shorebirds, terns, flycatchers, vireos, swallows, warblers, tanagers, and grosbeaks actually refers to fall migration, which begins in July and August for these groups.

As landscapes change due to human activities and natural processes, species populations and distributions must change as well. Over time, species may become locally absent (extirpated), restored, newly arrived, endangered, or even extinct. Some have always been rare on the Lower Colorado River. On Havasu NWR, extirpated species include Harris’s hawk, gilded flicker, and northern cardinal.

Great horned owl© Zen Mocarski / AZFD

We manage habitat to help recover declining species including many of the waterfowl as well as riparian forest birds such as the yellow-billed cuckoo and summer tanager.

How to use your checklist

Symbols used in this list are defined as follows:

Occurrence Sp - Spring - period of spring migration (depending on species) from mid-February to early June. S - Summer - June to August. F - Fall - period of fall migration (depending on species) from mid-July to November. W - Winter - December to February.

Abundance A - Abundant. A very numerous species. C - Common. Certain to be seen in suitable habitats. U - Uncommon. Present, not certain to be seen. O - Occasional. Seen few times during a season. R - Rare. Seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years. X - Accidental. Fewer than 3 records; vagrants outside their usual range.

* Confirmed nester.** Occasional nester.

Italicized bird names indicate threatened or endangered species.

Sp S F W

Ducks, Geese and Swans___Fulvous Whistling-Duck X___Greater White-fronted Goose R U O___Snow Goose (white morph) O C C___Snow Goose (blue morph) O O___Ross’s Goose O O___Brant X___Cackling Goose O O___Canada Goose U C C___Trumpeter Swan X___Tundra Swan R O O___Wood Duck O R O O___*Gadwall U O C C___Eurasian Wigeon X X___American Wigeon U O C C ___Mallard C U C C ___Northern Mallard C U C C ___Mexican Duck X___Blue-winged Teal U R U U___Cinnamon Teal C O A O___Northern Shoveler O R C C___Northern Pintail C O A C___Green-winged Teal O R C A___Canvasback O U U___*Redhead C O C U___Ring-necked Duck U R C C___Greater Scaup R R R___Lesser Scaup C O C U___White-winged Scoter R R___Long-tailed Duck X___Bufflehead C C C___Common Goldeneye U U U___Barrow’s Goldeneye R R___Hooded Merganser O U U___Common Merganser U R U U___Red-breasted Merganser U R U R___*Ruddy Duck C O C CNew World Quail___*Gambel’s Quail A A A ALoons___Red-throated Loon X___Pacific Loon R X R R___Common Loon U R U UGrebes___*Pied-billed Grebe C C C C___Horned Grebe R R R___Red-necked Grebe X___Eared Grebe C O C C___*Western Grebe C C C C___*Clark’s Grebe C C C C

Sp S F W

Storm-Petrels___Black Storm-Petrel X___Least Storm-Petrel XBoobies___Blue-footed Booby ___Brown Booby Cormorants

X

XX

___Neotropic Cormorant ___*Double-crested Cormorant

A

C

X A

RA

Pelicans___American White Pelican C O C U___Brown Pelican X XHerons, Bitterns and Allies___American Bittern O O O___*Least Bittern C C C U___*Great Blue Heron C C C C___*Great Egret ___*Snowy Egret ___Tricolored Heron

C C X

C C

C C R

CC

___Cattle Egret ___*Green Heron

R U

R C

R U

RO

___*Black-crowned Night-Heron Ibises and Spoonbills___White-faced Ibis

U

U

C

U

C

C

U

U___Roseate Spoonbill Vultures

X

___Turkey Vulture Hawks, Kites, Eagles and Allies___Osprey ___White-tailed Kite

C

O R

C

R

C

U

O

UR

___Mississippi Kite ___**Bald Eagle ___Northern Harrier

O U

XR X

O C

UC

___Sharp-shinned Hawk ___*Cooper’s Hawk ___Northern Goshawk

U U

R

U C X

CC

___Red-shouldered Hawk X R R___Swainson’s Hawk R___Zone-tailed Hawk R R___*Red-tailed Hawk C C C C___Ferruginous Hawk ___Rough–legged Hawk ___Golden Eagle Falcons

X

O

O

X

O

XRU

___*American Kestrel C U C C___Merlin O O___Peregrine Falcon ___Prairie Falcon

R R

R

R R

RR

Rails, Gallinules and Coots___Black Rail U O O O___*Yuma Clapper Rail ___*Virginia Rail

U U

U U

U U

UU

Sp S F WRails, Gallinules and Coots (continued)___Sora C O C U___*Common Gallinule C C C U___*American Coot C C A ACranes___Sandhill Crane O OPlovers___Black-bellied Plover O O O___Snowy Plover ___Semipalmated Plover ___*Killdeer

O U C

O C

OUC C

___Mountain Plover XStilts and Avocets___Black-necked Stilt U O C R___American Avocet U O C RSandpipers, Phalaropes and Allies___Spotted Sandpiper ___Solitary Sandpiper ___Greater Yellowlegs ___Willet

C R U O

U U U O

C UC O

U

U

___Lesser Yellowlegs ___Whimbrel

U R

O

OR

___Long-billed Curlew ___Marbled Godwit

U O

U O

UC

___Ruddy Turnstone ___Red Knot

X X

___Sanderling ___Semipalmated Sandpiper ___Western Sandpiper ___Least Sandpiper ___Baird’s Sandpiper ___Pectoral Sandpiper ___Dunlin

R

U U

R

O O

R

RXC C UOO

RC

R___Short-billed Dowitcher X R___Long-billed Dowitcher ___Wilson’s Snipe ___Wilson’s Phalarope ___Red-necked Phalarope ___Red Phalarope Gulls, Terns and Skimmers

U U U U R

R

C U

C U CUR

UU

___Sabine’s Gull R___Bonaparte’s Gull ___Little Gull

R

RX

___Laughing Gull ___Franklin’s Gull

U

X R

___Ring-billed Gull ___California Gull

C U

U R

C U

CO

___Herring Gull ___Least Tern

X

R R

___Caspian Tern U U U R

Sp S F W

Gulls, Terns and Skimmers (continued)___Black Tern U U C___Common Tern O U U___Forster’s Tern U C U RJaegers___Pomarine Jaeger ___Parasitic Jaeger ___Long-tailed Jaeger

XRX

Pigeons and Doves____Eurasian Collared-Dove U U U U___*White-winged Dove ___*Mourning Dove

C C

C A

UC U

___**Inca Dove R R R R___Common Ground-Dove R R R RCuckoos and Roadrunners___**Yellow-billed Cuckoo U___*Greater Roadrunner C C C CBarn Owls___*Barn Owl O O O OTypical Owls___*Western Screech-Owl U U U U___*Great Horned Owl C C C C___**Elf Owl R R___*Burrowing Owl U U U U___*Long-eared Owl R R___Short-eared Owl XGoatsuckers___*Lesser Nighthawk C C C___Common Nighthawk X___*Common Poorwill U U USwifts___Vaux’s Swift O O___White-throated Swift U U U UHummingbirds___*Black-chinned Hummingbird C C___*Anna’s Hummingbird C C C C___*Costa’s Hummingbird C O U____Calliope Hummingbird X___Rufous Hummingbird O X OKingfishers___Belted Kingfisher U C C___Green Kingfisher XWoodpeckers___Lewis’s Woodpecker X X X X___*Gila Woodpecker U U U U___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker X X X___Red-naped Sapsucker O U U___Red-breasted Sapsucker X___*Ladder-backed Woodpecker C C C C___Northern Flicker ___“Red-shafted” U C C ___“Yellow-shafted” R R

Sp S F W

Tyrant Flycatchers___Olive-sided Flycatcher ___Greater Pewee

O

O X

___Western Wood-Pewee C U C___*Willow Flycatcher ___Hammond’s Flycatcher ___Gray Flycatcher ___Dusky Flycatcher ___Pacific-slope Flycatcher ___**Black Phoebe

U C O R C C

U

U O

UO O RC C

RO

RC

___Eastern Phoebe R R___*Say’s Phoebe ___**Vermilion Flycatcher ___Dusky-capped Flycatcher ___*Ash-throated Flycatcher ___*Brown-crested Flycatcher ___**Tropical Kingbird ___Cassin’s Kingbird ___*Western Kingbird ___Eastern Kingbird Shrikes

C O

C U

X C

U O

C UX

C X

C O

O

XX U

CUXR

X

___*Loggerhead Shrike ___Northern Shrike

C

C

C

CX

Vireos___White-eyed Vireo ___*Bell’s Vireo

U

U

XU X

___Gray Vireo ___Plumbeous Vireo

XO U R

___Cassin’s Vireo U U R___Warbling Vireo Crows and Jays___Pinyon Jay ___Steller’s Jay ___Western Scrub-Jay ___Clark’s Nutcracker

C

R R

O

C

XR O X

RO

___American Crow R R___*Common Raven C C C CLarks___Horned Lark U U U USwallows___Purple Martin ___Tree Swallow

R A

U

RA A

___Violet-green Swallow ___*No. Rough-winged Swallow ___Bank Swallow

C C O

U C O

U C O

OO

___*Cliff Swallow C C O___Barn Swallow U R C XVerdins___*Verdin C C C C

Sp S F W

Bushtits___Bushtit R RNuthatches___Red-breasted Nuthatch R R___White-breasted Nuthatch XCreeper___Brown Creeper Wrens

R

___*Cactus Wren U U U U___*Rock Wren U O C C___*Canyon Wren ___*Bewick’s Wren

C U

C U

C U

CC

___House Wren U C C___Pacific Wren O O O___*Marsh Wren C C C CGnatcatchers___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher U U U___*Black-tailed Gnatcatcher C C C CKinglets___Golden-crowned Kinglet R R___Ruby-crowned Kinglet Thrushes

C C A

___Western Bluebird O O___Mountain Bluebird O O___Townsend’s Solitaire O O O___Swainson’s Thrush O___Hermit Thrush U U U___Rufous-backed Robin X___American Robin O O O___Varied Thrush R RMockingbirds and Thrashers___*Northern Mockingbird C C C C___Sage Thrasher U U O___Bendire’s Thrasher R R R___Curve-billed Thrasher X X X___*Crissal Thrasher C C C CStarlings___*European Starling Pipits___American Pipit

C

U

U

C

C

C

C___Sprague’s Pipit Waxwings___Bohemian Waxwing

X

X

X

___Cedar Waxwing Silky-flycatchers___*Phainopepla Longspurs___Chestnut–collared Longspur

R

C

X

O

R

U

R

O

C

Sp S F W

Wood-Warblers___Northern Waterthrush X X___Black-and-white Warbler R R R___Orange-crowned Warbler C C C___*Lucy’s Warbler C C___Nashville Warbler U U___Virginia’s Warbler ___MacGillivray’s Warbler ___*Common Yellowthroat

R C C

X

C

RCC U

___American Redstart R R R___Northern Parula X X X___Magnolia Warbler X___*Yellow Warbler C O C R___Blackpoll Warbler X___Yellow-rumped Warbler ___“Myrtle” U U O ___“Audubon’s” C C A___Black-throated Gray Warbler U U___Townsend’s Warbler U U___Hermit Warbler U O___Wilson’s Warbler C C___*Yellow-breasted Chat C C UTowhees, Sparrows, and Allies___Green-tailed Towhee U U U___Spotted Towhee O U O___*Abert’s Towhee C C C C___Cassin’s Sparrow X___Chipping Sparrow U O U U___Clay-colored Sparrow X___Brewer’s Sparrow C C C___Black-chinned Sparrow X___Vesper Sparrow U U U___Lark Sparrow O O O___*Black-throated Sparrow C C C C___Sage Sparrow O U C___Lark Bunting R___Savannah Sparrow C C C___Grasshopper Sparrow X___LeConte’s Sparrow X___Fox Sparrow R R R___*Song Sparrow C C C C___Lincoln’s Sparrow C C C___Swamp Sparrow R O O___White-throated Sparrow R___Harris’s Sparrow X___White-crowned Sparrow C C A___Golden-crowned Sparrow R R O___Dark-eyed Junco ___“Oregon” O U U ___“Slate-colored” O R ___“Gray-headed” R R

Costa’s hummingbird. © John West

Sp S F W

Tanagers___*Summer Tanager ___Western Tanager Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings___Rose–breasted Grosbeak

C C

R

C U

R

CU

X___Black-headed Grosbeak C U C___*Blue Grosbeak C C O___Lazuli Bunting ___*Indigo Bunting ___Dickcissel

U O

U

UO X

Blackbirds___Bobolink X___*Red-winged Blackbird ___Western Meadowlark

C U

A

A C

CC

___*Yellow-headed Blackbird U C C___Rusty Blackbird ___Brewer’s Blackbird

U

C

XC

___*Great-tailed Grackle C C C U___*Brown-headed Cowbird C C O R___Orchard Oriole X___*Hooded Oriole O C O___*Bullock’s Oriole C C U___Baltimore Oriole XFinches and Allies___Purple Finch ___*House Finch

C

C

X C

XC

___Pine Siskin O O O___*Lesser Goldfinch U U U U___Lawrence’s Goldfinch R O O___American Goldfinch O O O___Evening Grosbeak Old World Sparrows___*House Sparrow

U

U

R

U U

Havasu National Wildlife Refuge317 Mesquite AvenueNeedles, California 92363760/326-3853760/326-5745 Fax

Visit us on our social media websitesU.S. Fish and Wildlife Servicewww.fws.gov/southwest/

For Refuge Information1 800/344-9453 (WILD)

For relay service, please dial 711

Loggerhead shrike© John West

February 2012