PO Box 9021, Wilmington, DE 19809, USA
E-mail: font@focusonnature.com
Phone: Toll-free in USA 1-800-721-9986
 or 302/529-1876

 

Birds of TEXAS 

and some in 
nearby NEW MEXICO 


From Quails to Becard
Noting those during
Focus On Nature Tours
with an (*)

thru 2011

during the months of January, 
March, April, May, & December

PHOTO AT UPPER RIGHT: a male BLACK-CHINNED HUMMINGBIRD
   

Part 1 of a List of Texas Birds compiled by Armas Hill, 
with some photos 


IN TEXAS, MORE SPECIES OF BIRDS HAVE BEEN FOUND THAN IN ANY OTHER U.S. STATE.

As many as 390 species of birds have cumulatively been seen during FONT tours in Texas and nearby New Mexico.

  
 Link:
Part 2 of this List of Texas Birds, Flycatchers to Buntings
 

Codes:

c:  central - including areas of Austin, the Edwards Plateau (or "Hill Country") & Fort Clark Springs
e:   east - along the Gulf Coast, including the areas of Rockport & Aransas 
n:  north - including the Texan Panhandle
s:   south - the southern Rio Grande Valley, as far upriver as San Ignacio
w:  west -  including Big Bend National Park, the Davis Mtns area, & lakes near I-10 
nm: in nearby New Mexico
mx: seen across the Rio Grande in Mexico
(mex):      a mostly "Mexican species" that occurs in Texas 
                (some of these birds are also common further south in the tropics)

(win)  - occurs mostly in the winter
(thru)  - occurs throughout the state


(USe):          endemic to the United States 
(USqe):        quasi (or nearly) endemic to the United States
(USeb):        endemic-breeder in the United States 
(USneb):      near-endemic breeder in the United States
(NAi):           species introduced into North America
(USri):          re-introduced species into the United States
(USr):           rare in the United States 
(TXr):           rare in Texas
(NMr):          rare in New Mexico


(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
      (t1): critical   (t2): endangered   (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally

(ph);  species with a photograph in the FONT website 


Links:

Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours in Texas

A Complete List & a Photo Gallery of North American Birds, north of Mexico, in 6 parts:
List #1: Grouse to Anhinga    List #2: Condor to Shorebirds    List #3: Jaegers to Cuckoos  
List #4: Owls to Flycatchers    List #5  Shrikes to Pipits    List #6: Olive Warbler to Buntings  

A List of Texas Mammals (with some photos)
A List of Texas Butterflies  (with some photos)

A List of Texas Dragonflies & Damselflies (with some photos)

A List of Texas Amphibians & Reptiles (with some photos)

Plants of the Desert & Some Nearby Habitats (with some photos)

Notes regarding some Texas Plant-Life

Directory of Photos in this Website

 

Bird-List:

       GALLINACEOUS BIRDS

  1. Scaled Quail  (*)  ______ c,w  nm
    Callipepla squamata pallida

         The populations of the Scaled Quail, in much of its range, has declined rather dramatically in recent years.
    The reasons are not known for sure, but are probably due to changes in land-use practices and the loss of preferred habitat.    

  2. Gambel's Quail  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Callipepla g. gambelii
  3. Northern Bobwhite  (nt) (*)  ______ e,s
    Colinus virginianus
  4. Montezuma Quail  (*)  ______ w  (has historically been called the Harlequin, or "Mearn's", Quail) 
    Cyrtonyx montezumae mearnsi

         The plumage of the male Montezuma Quail is certainly one of the most strikingly patterned of Texas birds.
    The legs and feet of the species are strong and so well adapted to scratch and dig in the hard, rocky ground that is characteristic in the bird's preferred habitat.  

  5. Plain Chachalaca  (ph) (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Ortalis vetula



    Plain Chachalaca
     (photo by Dick Tipton)

  6. "Attwater's" Greater Prairie Chicken (t1) (*)  ______  e
    Tympanuchus cupido attwateri 

         As of 2003, the population of the race of the Greater Prairie Chicken in the Coastal Prairies region of Texas, known as the "Attwater's Prairie Chicken", fell to less than 70 birds.
    Conservation initiatives have been underway, for hopefully the number to increase by the releasing of captive-raised birds into the wild.    
  7. Lesser Prairie Chicken  (t3) (USe) (ph)  ______  n
    Tympanuchus pallidicinctus

    The Lesser Prairie Population population in Texas (and elsewhere) is declining, and the species seems to be imperiled. 
    It is well known that the males display in the spring at leks on their breeding grounds, but not as well known is that they also do, to a lesser extent, in October and November, due to a slightly elevated testosterone level that occurs in the fall.      

  8. Wild Turkey  (ph) (*)  ______ e,c,w  nm
    Meleagris galloparo
  9. Common Pheasant  (NAi) (*)  ______ nm
    Phasianus colchicus


         WATERFOWL

  10. Black-bellied Whistling Duck  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c  (mex)
    Dendrocygna autumnalis

    As recently as the 1960s, Black-bellied Whistling Ducks were found in Texas only in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and north in Coastal prairies almost to Corpus Christi. The species is now found throughout much of the southern part of the state, and locally as far north as the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  




    Black-bellied Whistling Duck
         (photo by Howard Eskin)
  11. Fulvous Whistling Duck  ______
    Dendrocygna bicolor
  12. Greater White-fronted Goose  (*)  ______ e
    Anser albifrons
  13. Snow Goose  (ph) (*)  _______ e
    Chen     (has been Anser) caerulescens
  14. Ross's Goose  ______
    Chen     (has been Anser) rossi
  15. Canada Goose  (*)  ______ e
    Brant canadensis
  16. Cackling Goose  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Brant hutchunsii
  17. Trumpeter Swan  (nt) (ph)  ______ 
    Cygnus buccinator

         The Trumpeter Swan was once a regular visitor to the eastern two-thirds of Texas until the late 1800s. Now, due to the reintroduction programs in the Midwest, the species has been reappearing in Texas.    
  18. Tundra Swan  ______
     Cygnus columbianus
  19. Muscovy Duck  (ph) (*)  ______ s (mex)
    Cairina moschata    

         The Muscovy Duck is widespread throughout the Neotropics. Prior to 1984, it was not found in Texas. A small population has since become established along the Rio Grande River in Starr and Zapata Counties. 

  20. Wood Duck  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Aix sponsa
  21. Gadwall  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Anas strepera
  22. American Wigeon  (ph) (*)  ______ w  mx
    Anas americana

  23. Eurasian Wigeon  (ph)  ______
    Anas penelope

    The Eurasian Wigeon has occurred in Texas most frequently in the western part of the state. Most of the individuals found in Texas have been alternate-plumaged males.
  24. American Black Duck  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Anas rubripes
  25. Mallard  (ph) (*)  ______ 
    Anas platyrhynchos 
  26. Mexican Duck  (*)   ______ w  mx  (has been considered conspecific with the Mallard)
    Anas platyrhynchos diazi
  27. Mottled Duck  (*)  ______ e,s  mx 
    Anas fulvigula 

         The Mottled Duck is a common resident in Texas along the Coastal Prairies and locally inland to the north-central and northeast portions of the state. 

  28. Blue-winged Teal  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Anas discolors



    Blue-winged Teal
         (photo by Marie Gardner) 

  29. Cinnamon Teal  (*)  ______ s
    Anas cyanoptera
  30. Northern Shoveler  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm,mx
    Anas clypeata
  31. Northern Pintail  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Anas acita

  32. White-cheeked Pintail  (USr) (TXr)  ______
    Anas bahamensis

  33. Garganey  (USr) (TXr)  ______
    Anas querquedula

    The Garganey has occurred in Texas just a few times (4). The records have been alternate-plumaged males found during spring migration.  

  34. Green-winged Teal  (ph) (*)  ______ w  (was conspecific with the Eurasian Teal)
    Anas carolinensis


    A male Green-winged Teal
         (photo by Howard Eskin)

  35. Lesser Scaup  (ph) (*)  ______
    Aythya affinis
  36. Greater Scaup  ______
    Aythya marila 

  37. Ring-necked Duck  (ph) (*)  ______ nm
    Aythya collaris      (monotypic)
  38. Canvasback  (*)  ______
    Aythya valisineria
  39. Redhead  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Aythya americana



    A female Redhead
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
     
  40. King Eider  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Somateria spectabilis

         A subadult male King Eider, in worn plumage, was in Texas in Brazoria County, at Quintana, from April 30 to May 7, 1998. It was captured for rehabilitation. 

  41. Harlequin Duck  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Histrionicus histrionicus 
  42. Surf Scoter  (ph)  ______
    Melanitta perspicillata
  43. White-winged Scoter  ______
    Melanitta fusca
  44. American Scoter  (ph)  ______  (was called Black Scoter when it was conspecific with the Eurasian species, Melanitta niger) 
    Melanitta americana
  45. Long-tailed Duck  (ph)  ______
    Clangula hyemalis
  46. Bufflehead  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Bucephala albeola
  47. Common Goldeneye  (*)  ______
    Bucephala clangula
  48. Barrow's Goldeneye  (TXr)  ______
    Bucephala islandica

  49. Hooded Merganser  (ph) (*)  ______
    Lophodytes cucullatus
  50. Red-breasted Merganser  (ph) (*)  ______
    Mergus serrator 
  51. Common Merganser  (ph) ______
    Mergus merganser

  52. Masked Duck  (USr) (TXr)  ______
    Nomonyx dominicus 

         Coincidence or not, the occurrence of the Masked Duck in Texas over the years has been highly cyclical. 
    For whatever reason, if for a reason at all, there have been "invasions" about every 20 to 30 years since the 1890s, with only a few scattered records during the intervening periods. The most recent invasion was from 1992 to 1996.       

  53. Ruddy Duck  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Oxyura j. jamaicensis



    A female Ruddy Duck
         (photo by Kim Steininger)


    LOONS
     
  54. Common Loon  (*)  ______
    Gavia immer
  55. Red-throated Loon  (ph)  ______
     Gavia stellata

  56. Pacific Loon  (ph)  ______
     Gavia pacifica

  57. Yellow-billed Loon  (TXr)  ______
     Gavia adamsii

    There have only been a few records in Texas (5) of the Yellow-billed Loon. Two of them were at Balmorhea Lake in Reeves County in the western part of the state. . 


    PELAGIC BIRDS  
  58. Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross  (t2) (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Thalassache chlororhynchos

  59. Black-capped Petrel  (t2) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Pterodroma hasitata 

    The Black-capped Petrel is common in the Gulf Stream off the southeast United States. It is rare in the Gulf of Mexico.
    A bird in July 1997 off Port O'Connor, in Calhoun County, was the second documented record in Texas waters. 
  60. Stejneger's Petrel  (t3) (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Pterodroma longirostris

  61. White-chinned Petrel  (t3) (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Procellaria longirostris

    The White-chinned Petrel is a bird of the oceans of the Southern Hemisphere. An individual that was found on the beach in Galveston County, Texas, on February 27, 1986, was the first record for the species in North America.   
  62. Cory's Shearwater  (ph)  ______
     Calonectris diomedea

  63. Great Shearwater  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Puffinus gravis

  64. Sooty Shearwater  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Puffinus griseus

  65. Manx Shearwater  (TXr)  ______
     Puffinus puffinus

  66. Audubon's Shearwater  (ph)  ______
     Puffinus iherminieri

  67. Wilson's Storm Petrel  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Oceanites oceanicus

  68. Leach's Storm Petrel  (TXr)  ______
     Oceanodroma leucprhoa

  69. Band-rumped Storm Petrel  ______  (has also been called Madeiran or Harcourt's Storm Petrel)
     Oceanodroma castro  


    GREBES

  70. Least Grebe  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Tachybaptus dominicus

         The Least Grebe is widespread throughout the Neotropics. The northern extent of its range is in Texas, where it prefers small ponds with abundant emergent vegetation.  

  71. Pied-billed Grebe  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Podilymbis p. podiceps
  72. Black-necked Grebe  (ph) (*)  ______ w  (in North America has been called the Eared Grebe)
    Podiceps nigricollis californicus



    The Black-necked, also known as the Eared, Grebe
     (photo by Howard Eskin)

  73. Red-necked Grebe  (ph) (TXr)  ______
    Podiceps grisegena 
  74. Western Grebe  (ph) (*)  ______ w  (this & the Clark's Grebe formerly conspecific)
    Aechmophorus occidentalis



    Western Grebe
  75. Clark's Grebe  (*)  ______ w  (this & the Western Grebe were formerly conspecific) 
    Aechmophorus clarkii


         IBISES & SPOONBILLS
  76. American White Ibis  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Eudocimus albus
  77. White-faced Ibis  (ph) (*)  ______ s,w  nm
    Plegadis chihi
  78. Glossy Ibis  (ph) (*)   ______  e
    Plegadis falcinellus
  79. Roseate Spoonbill  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Ajaia ajaja






    Two photographs of Roseate Spoonbills,
    an adult     (above), and a chick on the nest (below)


         STORKS & FLAMINGO
  80. Wood Stork  (ph)   ______
    Mycteria americana

     Wood Storks     occur in Texas as postbreeding wanderers from breeding populations in Florida and Mexico. The highest numbers in Texas are between late June and early November.   

  81. Jabiru  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Jabiru mycteria

         The Jabiru has occurred in Texas on only a few occasions. It normally occurs in southern Mexico (rarely) and further south in Central & South America. 
    The vagrants in Texas have been postbreeding wanderers that reached the state between late July and late October.  

  82. American Flamingo  (USr) (TXr) (ph) ______
    Phoenicopterus ruber


         BITTERNS, HERONS, EGRETS
  83. American Bittern  (ph) (*)  ______  e
    Botaurus lentiginosus
  84. Least Bittern  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Ixobrychus exilis



    Least Bittern
         (photo by Doris Potter)

  85. Great Blue Heron  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Ardea herodias 
  86. Great Egret  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  mx
    Casmerodius     (has been Ardea) alba egretta
  87. Snowy Egret  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  mx
    Egretta thula brewsteri



    A Snowy Egret in breeding plumage, with red lores
         (photo by Howard Eskin)  
  88. Little Blue Heron  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Egretta caerulea
  89. Tricolored Heron  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s  (a former name was Louisiana Heron)
    Egretta tricolor



    Tricolored Heron
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
      
  90. Reddish Egret  (ph) (*)  ______ e  (2 morphs: white & dark) 
    Egretta rufescens 
  91. Western Cattle Egret  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  mx
    Bubulcus ibis
  92. Green Heron  (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Butorides virescens anthonyi
  93. Black-crowned Night Heron  (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Nycticorax nycticorax hoactii
  94. Yellow-crowned Night Heron  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Nyctanassa violacea


         TROPICBIRD, FRIGATEBIRD, PELICANS, BOOBIES & GANNET
  95. Red-billed Tropicbird  (ph) ______
     Phaethon aethereus

  96. Magnificent Frigatebird  (ph)  ______  
     Fregata magnificens 

    The only breeding population of the Magnificent Frigatebird in the United States is in Florida. 
    The bird is an uncommon postbreeding wanderer to Texas. A few non-breeding birds can be found as early as April along the Gulf Coast, but most arrive in the late summer and early fall.   

  97. American White Pelican  (ph) (*)  ______ s,w  
    Pelecanus erythrorhynchos



    An American White Pelican photographed during a FONT tour
  98. Brown Pelican  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  (rare in west TX)
    Pelecanus occidentalis carolinensis

         The Brown Pelican population in Texas dipped so low that there were less than 20 individuals in the state in 1970s. It rebounded, thankfully, due to conservation efforts and the banning of the pesticide DDT.  
  99. Masked Booby  (USr) (TXr)  ______
    Sula dactylatra
  100. Blue-footed Booby  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Sula nebouxii

         There was a famous occurrence of a Blue-footed Booby in Texas at Lake Lyndon B. Johnson in Burner/Llano Counties in 1993/94. The bird stayed there for more than a year, during which time it molted into adult plumage. It has been the only occurrence of the species in Texas. 
    The Blue-footed Booby is normally to the west of Texas in the area of the Gulf of California, and elsewhere in the Pacific from Mexico south to Ecuador.      

  101. Brown Booby  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Sula leucogaster
  102. Red-footed Booby  (USr) (TXr)  ______
    Sula sula
  103. Northern Gannet  (ph)  ______
    Morus bassanus  


         CORMORANTS & ANHINGA
  104. Neotropic Cormorant  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  (mex)
    Phalacrocorax brasilianus mexicanus
  105. Double-crested Cormorant  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Phalacocorax a. auritus
  106. Anhinga  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Anhinga anhinga leucogaster


         RAPTORS (including VULTURES)
  107. Black Vulture  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  mx
    Coragyps atratus
  108. Turkey Vulture  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm,mx
    Cathartes aura
  109. Northern Crested Caracara  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c  (mex)
    Caracara cheriwayi



    Northern Crested Caracara
         (photo by Howard Eskin)

  110. American Kestrel  (ph) (*)  ______ c,w
    Falco s. sparverius



    American Kestrel
         (photo by Howard Eskin)

  111. Merlin  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Falco c. columbarius



    A Merlin in flight
  112. Aplomado Falcon (NAri) (NAr) (ph) (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Falco femoralis

    Prior to about 1920, the Aplomado Falcon was a summer resident across the brush country of the Trans-Pecos and South Texas.

    A reintroduction project, that began in 1989, has returned this falcon of the grasslands to some of its former haunts. Birds released at the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge, in Cameron County, were part of the program. 

  113. Peregrine Falcon  (ph) (*)  ______ e  
    Falco peregrinus



    A Peregrine Falcon in flight
         (photo by Kim Steininger) 

  114. Prairie Falcon  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Falco mexicanus
  115. Gyrfalcon  (TXr)  ______
     Falco rusticollis

    A Gyrfalcon, that faithfully roosted on a water tower in Lubbock from January 22 to April 7, 2002, was the first to be documented in Texas. That record is apparently the southernmost in North America.    

  116. Collared Forest Falcon  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Micrastur semitorquatus

  117. Osprey  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Pandion haliaetus carolinensis

  118. Hook-billed Kite  (TXr) (*)  ______ s
    Chondrohierax uncinatus

         The northern edge of the range of the Hook-billed Kite just reaches Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 
    This raptor feeds primarily on land snails, using the extended hook on the tip of their bill to extract the snail from its shell.   
  119. Swallow-tailed Kite  (ph)  ______
     Elanoides forticatus

    The Swallow-tailed Kite was a common nesting species in eastern Texas until the early 1900s. By 1915, that breeding population had all but disappeared, but during recent decades the species has been found with increasing frequency during the summer in the southeastern quadrant of the state and as migrants elsewhere,    

  120. White-tailed Kite  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Elanus leucurus
  121. Mississippi Kite  (*)  ______ s
    Ictinia mississippiensis

  122. Snail Kite  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Rostrhamus sociabilis

  123. Bald Eagle  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Haliaeetus leucocephalus 
  124. Northern Harrier  (ph) (*)  ______ s,w  (has been considered conspecific with the Hen Harrier of Eurasia)
    Circus hudsonius



    A female Northern Harrier
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
  125. Sharp-shinned Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ 
    Accipiter striatus
  126. Cooper's Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ w  
    Accipiter cooperi

  127. Northern Goshawk  (TXr)  ______
    Accipiter gentilis
  128. Crane Hawk  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Geranospiza caerulescens 

    There has only been one record of the Crane Hawk in the United States. It was an adult that spent almost 4 months at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Hidalgo County, during the winter of 1987-88.  

  129. Gray Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ w  (best merged with the Gray-lined Hawk of southern Central America and South America)
    Buteo nitida plagiatus
  130. Common Black Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Buteogallus a. anthracinus

  131. Harris's Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c,w   (also called Bay-winged Hawk)
    Parabuteo unicinctus harrisi
  132. Broad-winged Hawk  (NMr) (*)  ______ nm
    Buteo p. platypterus
  133. Red-shouldered Hawk  (*)  ______ c
    Buteo lineatus
  134. Swainson's Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm
    Buteo swainsoni      (monotypic, but with light & dark morphs)

  135. White-tailed Hawk  (*)  ______ e,s
    Buteo albicaudatus

         The White-tailed Hawk is widespread throughout the American tropics. Within the United States, it is only found in Texas. 

    The species is well known for preying on small animals fleeing grassland fires, and it responds to smoke indicating the presence of a fire from more than 10 miles away.   
  136. Zone-tailed Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Buteo albonotatus
  137. Red-tailed Hawk  (ph) (*)  ______ e,c,w  nm
    Buteo jamaicensis calurus

  138. Short-tailed Hawk  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Buteo brachyurus
  139. Ferruginous Hawk  (nt) (ph)  ______
     Buteo regalis

  140. Rough-legged Hawk  (ph)  ______
     Buteo lagopus

  141. Roadside Hawk  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Buteo magnirostris 
  142. Golden Eagle  (*)  ______ w  nm
    Aquila chrysaetos canadensis

  143. Yellow Rail  ______
     Coturnicops noveboracensis


    RAILS & ALLIES

  144. Black Rail  (*)   ______ e
    Laterallus jamaicensis
  145. Clapper Rail  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Rallus longirostris
  146. King Rail  (*)  ______ s
    Rallus elegans

  147. Virginia Rail  (ph)  ______
    Rallus limicola
  148. Sora  (*)  ______ e,w
    Porzana carolina

  149. Paint-billed Crake  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Neocrex erythrops

  150. Spotted Rail  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Pardirallus maculatus

  151. Purple Gallinule  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Porphyrio martinica



    A Purple Gallinule photographed during a FONT tour
         (photo by Marie Gardner)

  152. Common Gallinule  (ph) (*) ______ e,s
    Gallinula galeata (formerly chloropus) 
  153. American Coot  (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Fulica a. americana


         CRANES
  154. Sandhill Crane  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Grus canadensis
  155. Whooping Crane (t2) (*)   ______ e
    Grus americana  

         Whooping Cranes     were once widespread along the Texas Gulf Coast. Now, the entire natural population winters in a small section of the central Texas coast, in and near the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. 
    It has been that way for decades, but now the number of birds is greater that it was in the mid-20th Century. During the winter of 1941-42, after a century of shooting, egg-collecting, and habitat destruction (including the drainage of Gulf Coast marshes to create rice fields) there were only 15 Whooping Cranes spending the winter at Aransas. At that time, that was the entire population of the species in the wild.   


    SHOREBIRDS    
  156. Double-striped Thick-knee  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Burhinus bistriatus

  157. Grey (or Black-bellied) Plover  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s  
    Pluvialis squatarola cynosurae



    Black-bellied Plover
         (photo by Howard Eskin)
  158. American Golden Plover  (ph)  ______
    Pluvialis dominica
  159. Snowy Plover  (ph) (*)  ______ w  (was conspecific with the Kentish Plover of Eurasia)
    Charadrius nivosus
  160. Wilson's Plover  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s  
    Charadrius wilsonia

         Although the Wilson's Plover is often thought of as a strictly coastal breeder in Texas, it has also been found nesting well inland. It has been documented as breeding on saline ponds as far inland as eastern Brooks County in south Texas.   

  161. Semipalmated Plover  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Charadrius semipalmatus



    Semipalmated Plover
         (photo by Howard Eskin)
     
  162. Piping Plover  (t3) (ph) (*)  ______ s  
    Charadrius melodus



    Piping Plover
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
  163. Killdeer  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm,mx
    Charadrius v. vociferus

  164. Mountain Plover (t3) (USneb) (ph)   ______
     Charadrius montanus

    The Mountain Plover population has seriously declined across the species' range. It is now classified as "vulnerable" by Birdlife International. Unlike other species in the Charadrius genus, it is a grassland species, virtually never in wetlands.    

  165. Collared Plover  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Charadrius collaris

    The first Collared Plover in the United States was found in Uvalde, Texas, about 90 miles west of San Antonio. It was at a fish hatchery there in May 1992. The species occurs throughout Central & South America.

  166. American Oystercatcher  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Haematopus palliatus



    American Oystercatcher
         (photo by Howard Eskin) 

  167. Black-necked Stilt  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w (has been considered by some as conspecific with the nearly-cosmopolitan Black-winged Stilt, Himantopus himantopus)
     Himantopus mexicanus 



    Black-necked Stilt
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
  168. American Avocet  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Recurvirostra americana



    American Avocet
     (photo by Howard Eskin)

  169. Northern Jacana  (ph) (*)  ______  s
    Jacana spinosa

         Ornithological literature from the late 1800s suggest that the Northern Jacana was a rare resident in Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. 
    During the 1970s, there was a small population in Brazoria County, at Maner Lake. Since then, the species has been a very rare visitor in Texas.      

  170. Greater Yellowlegs  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Tringa melanoleuca
  171. Lesser Yellowlegs  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Tringa flavipes
  172. Solitary Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Tringa solitaria cinnamomea




    Solitary Sandpiper
         (photo by Kim Steininger)
     
  173. Willet  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Tringa     (formerly Catoptrophorus) s. semipalmatus 
  174. Spotted Redshank  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Tringa erythropus
  175. Wandering Tattler  (TXr)  ______
     Heteroscelus incanus 

    The Wandering Tattler has been known to occur in Texas once. In the spring of 1992, there was one in Galveston.

  176. Spotted Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Actitis macularia
  177. Upland Sandpiper  (*)  ______
    Bartramia longicauda
  178. Whimbrel  (*)   ______ e
    Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus
  179. Long-billed Curlew (nt) (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Numenius americanus parvus

  180. Eskimo Curlew  ______  (now assumed to be extinct)
    Numenius borealis

    The last documented record of the Eskimo Curlew in Texas was in 1962, in the Galveston area. There were about 20 accepted records in that area from 1959 to 1962. 
    Eskimo Curlews were formerly regular migrants in Texas in the spring, with records occurring from March 8 to April 23.  

  181. Marbled Godwit  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Limosa fedoa
  182. Hudsonian Godwit  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Limosa haemastica

         The Hudsonian Godwit has an elliptical migration route that brings it through Texas during its journey northward, and along the Atlantic seaboard (or even offshore) in the fall.
    As a result, late summer and fall records of the species in Texas are very rare.    
  183. Surfbird  (TXr)  ______
     Aphriza virgata
     
  184. Ruddy Turnstone  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s  
    Arenaria interpres morinella



    Ruddy Turnstone
         (photo by Howard Eskin)

  185. Red Knot  (ph) (*)  ______ s  
    Calidris canutus rufa

  186. Sanderling  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Calidris alba rubida
  187. Semipalmated Sandpiper  (*)   ______ e
    Calidris pusilla
  188. Western Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Calidris mauri
  189. Least Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Calidris minutilla
  190. White-rumped Sandpiper  (ph) (*)   ______ c
    Calidris fuscicollis
  191. Baird's Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ s,w
    Calidris bairdii
  192. Pectoral Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Calidris melanotos     
  193. Purple Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Calidris maritima
  194. Dunlin  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Calidris alpina
  195. Stilt Sandpiper  (ph) (*)  _______ e,s,w
    Calidris     (was Micropalama) himantopus
  196. Red-necked Stint  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Calidris ruficollis
  197. Sharp-tailed Sandpiper  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Calidris acuminata
  198. Curlew Sandpiper  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Calidris ferruginea
  199. Buff-breasted Sandpiper  (nt) (ph) ______ 
     Tryngites subruficollis
  200. Ruff / Reeve  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Philomachus pugnax 

  201. Short-billed Dowitcher  (ph) (*)   ______ e
    Limnodromus scolopaceus
  202. Long-billed Dowitcher  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Limnodromus scolopaceus
  203. Wilson's Snipe  (ph) (*)  ______
    Gallinago delicata
  204. American Woodcock  (ph)  ______
     Scolopax minor

  205. Wilson's Phalarope  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Phalaropus tricolor

  206. Red-necked Phalarope  (ph)  ______
     Phalaropus lobatus

  207. Red Phalarope  (ph)  ______
     Phalaropus fulicarius


    JAEGERS, GULLS, TERNS, SKIMMER
  208. Pomarine Jaeger  (ph)  ______
     Stercorarius pomarinus

  209. Parasitic Jaeger  (ph)  ______
     Stercorarius parasiticus

  210. Long-tailed Jaeger  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Stercorarius longicaudus

  211. Laughing Gull  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Leucophaeus     (formerly Larus) atricilla
  212. Franklin's Gull  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Leucophaeus     (formerly Larus) pipixcan
  213. Little Gull  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Hydrocoloeus (formerly Larus) minutus

  214. Bonaparte's Gull  (ph) (*) ______ e
    Chroicocephalus     (formerly Larus) philadelphius
  215. Black-headed Gull  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Chroicocephalus     (formerly Larus) ridibundus
  216. Heermann's Gull  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Larus heermanni

  217. Ring-billed Gull  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Larus delawarensis
  218. California Gull  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Larus californicus
  219. "American" Herring Gull  (*)  ______ e
    Larus argentatus smithsonianus

  220. Glaucous Gull  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Larus hyperboreus

  221. Black-tailed Gull  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Larus crassirostris

    The Black-tailed Gull is an Asian species that has been found in North America with increasing frequency since the early 1990s. An individual was at Brownsville, in Cameron County, intermittently from mid-February to mid-March in 1999.  
  222. Mew Gull  (TXr)  ______
     Larus canus

  223. Thayer's Gull  (TXr)  ______
     Larus thayeri

  224. Iceland Gull  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Larus glaucoides

  225. Lesser Black-backed Gull  (ph)  ______
     Larus fuscus

    The Lesser Black-backed Gull was once considered a very rare visitor in Texas, but that is no longer so. It is now found annually in the state, with most sightings along the coast.  
  226. Slaty-backed Gull  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Larus schistisagus

    Although some predicted that the normally-Asiatic Slaty-backed Gull would eventually be found in Texas, it was surprisingly first found in the state at its southernmost tip - a subadult in Brownsville, in Cameron County, in February 1992. 
  227. Yellow-footed Gull  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Larus livens

  228. Western Gull  (TXr)  ______
     Larus occidentalis

  229. Great Black-backed Gull  (TXr)  (ph)  ______
     Larus marinus

  230. Kelp Gull  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______   
     Larus dominicanus

    The Kelp Gull is normally found in the Southern Hemisphere. But since the 1990s, it has occurred several times along the Gulf of Mexico, as well as in the Caribbean and elsewhere in North America.
    One at South Padre Island, in Kleberg County, in May 1996 was the 3rd accepted record for Texas.    
  231. Sabine's Gull  (ph)  ______    
    Xema sabini

  232. Black-legged Kittiwake  (ph)  ______
     Rissa tridactyla

  233. Gull-billed Tern  (*)  ______ e,s
    Gelochelidon     (formerly Sterna) nilotica
  234. Caspian Tern  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Hydroprogne     (formerly Sterna) caspia
  235. Royal Tern  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) m. maxima
  236. Sandwich Tern  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s
    Thalasseus     (formerly Sterna) sandvicensis acuflavida
  237. Elegant Tern  (TXr)  ______
     Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) elegans

  238. Common Tern  (*)  ______ s
    Sterna h. hirundo
  239. Forster's Tern  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w
    Sterna forsteri

  240. Roseate Tern  (nt) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Sterna dougallii

  241. Arctic Tern  (TXr)  ______
     Sterna paradisaea

  242. Least Tern  (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Sternula     (formerly Sterna) antillarum
  243. Bridled Tern  (ph)  ______
    Onychopion     (formerly Sterna) anaethetus

    The Bridled Tern was found in the 1990s to be of regular occurrence in Texas, often found well offshore in the Gulf of Mexico with Sooty Terns. They often found foraging along floating lines of sargassum or feeding with other pelagic species over schools of tuna and other fish near the surface of the water. 
    One of the first Bridled Terns documented in Texas was offshore from Port Aransas in September 1988.   
  244. Sooty Tern  (ph)  ______
    Onychopion     (formerly Sterna) fuscata 

  245. Black Tern  (ph)  ______
     Chlidonias niger
  246. Brown Noddy  (TXr)  ______
     Anous stolidus  

         The Brown Noddy is a bird of tropical waters. It is extremely rare in Texas. 

    Its flight is strong and swift, resembling that of a Common Nighthawk, and its call is somewhat similar to that of a crow. 
    The species is long-lived, and recaptured birds from banding have been found to be 23 to 25 years of age,
  247. Black Noddy  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Anous minitus   

  248. Black Skimmer  (ph) (*)  ______ s
    Rynchops niger



    Black Skimmer
     (photo by Howard Eskin)


    PIGEONS & DOVES

  249. Common (or Feral) Pigeon (NAi) (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm
    Columba livia
  250. Band-tailed Pigeon  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) fasciata 
  251. Red-billed Pigeon  (USr)  ______
     Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) flavirostris

         The Red-billed Pigeon is widespread in Central America and common in northeastern Mexico. The species barely enters the United States along the Rio Grande in South Texas. Its presence in Texas is continually under threat due to changes in their preferred riparian habitats.  
  252. White-crowned Pigeon  (TXr)  ______
     Patagioenas     (formerly Columba) leucocephala

  253. Eurasian Collared Dove (NAi) (*)  ______ e,s,w  nm
    Streptopelia decaocto
  254. White-winged Dove  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c,w  nm,mx
    Zenaida asiatica
  255. Mourning Dove  (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm
    Zenaida macroura
  256. Inca Dove  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,w
    Columbina     (or said by some to be Scardafella) inca  (monotypic)
  257. Common Ground Dove  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c  (mex)
    Columbina passerina pallescens

  258. Ruddy Ground Dove  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Columbina talpacoti

    The Ruddy Ground Dove has appeared in Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley and in the Trans-Pecos.  

  259. White-tipped Dove  (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Leptotila verreauxi

  260. Ruddy Quail Dove  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Geotrygon montana

    A Ruddy Quail Dove was at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Park, in Hidalgo County, from March 2 to 6, 1996. 


    PARAKEETS & PARROTS

  261. Monk Parakeet  (NAi) (*)  ______  c
    Myiopsitta monachus
  262. Green Parakeet  (NAr) (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Aratinga holochlora
  263. Red-crowned Amazon (or Parrot) (t2) (NAr) (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Amazona viridigenalis


         CUCKOOS & ALLIES
  264. Yellow-billed Cuckoo  (*)  ______ e,s
    Coccyzus americanus

  265. Black-billed Cuckoo  ______
     Coccyzus erythroptha    lmus

  266. Mangrove Cuckoo  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Coccycus minor

  267. Dark-billed Cuckoo  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Coccycus melacoryphus  
  268. Greater Roadrunner  (ph) (*)  ______ s,w
    Geococcyx californianus      (monotypic)
  269. Groove-billed Ani  (ph) (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Crotophaga suicirostris


         OWLS
  270. Barn Owl  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Tyto alba pratincola



    A Barn Owl photographed during a FONT tour 
     (photo by Andy Smith)
  271. Flammulated Owl  ______
    Megascops     (formerly Otus) flammeolus
  272. Western Screech Owl  (ph) (*)  ______ w
    Megascops     (formerly Otus) kennicottii suttoni
  273. Eastern Screech Owl  (ph) (*)  ______ c
    Megascops     (formerly Otus) asio
  274. Great Horned Owl  (ph) (*)  ______ c,w  nm
    Bubo virginanus pallescens

  275. Snowy Owl  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Bubo scandiacus

  276. Northern Pygmy Owl  ______
     Glaucidium gnoma

  277. Ferruginous Pygmy Owl  (USr) (ph)  ______
     Glaucidium brasilianum   

    In Texas, the Ferruginous Pygmy Owl is a resident of the oak mottes of the Coastal Sand Plain. It was formerly more widespread in the Lower Rio Grande Valley, but the conversion of native woodlands to agriculture has nearly eliminated the species.   

  278. Elf Owl  (*)  ______ w
    Micrathene w. whitneyi

  279. Burrowing Owl  (ph)  ______
     Athene cunicularia

  280. Mottled Owl  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Ciccaba virgata

  281. Barred Owl  (ph) (*)  _____ e
    Strix  varia
  282. Spotted Owl  (ph)  ______
     Strix occidentalis

  283. Northern Long-eared Owl  (ph)  ______
     Asio otus

  284. Stygian Owl  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Asio stygius

    One of the most unexpected bird to be documented in Texas has been the Stygian Owl. With both of the Texas records, observers were fortunate to see the birds at their day roosts.
    The second bird in Texas was at the Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park, Hidalgo County, in late December 1996.  

  285. Short-eared Owl  (ph) (*)  _____ e
    Asio flammens
  286. Northern Saw-whet Owl  (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Aegolius acadicus


    NIGHTHAWKS & NIGHTJARS

  287. Lesser Nighthawk  (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm,mx
    Chordeiles acutipennis
  288. Common Nighthawk  (*)  ______ e,s,c
    Chordeiles minor
  289. Pauraque  (ph) (*)  ______ e
    Nyctidromus albicollis merrilli



    Pauraque
  290. Chuck-will's-widow  (*)   ______ c
    Caprimulgus carolinensis
  291. Eastern Whip-poor-will  ______
     Caprimulgus vociferus  
  292. Common Poorwill  (*)  ______ w  nm
    Phanaenoptilus n. nuttallii


         SWIFTS
  293. White-collared Swift  (USr)  (TXr)  ______
     Streptprocne zonaris

  294. Black Swift  (TXr)  ______
    Cypseloides niger

  295. Chimney Swift  (*)  ______ s,c
    Chaetura pelagica

  296. White-throated Swift  (*) ______ w  nm,mx
    Aeronautes saxatalis


         HUMMINGBIRDS
  297. Green Violetear  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Colibri thalassimus 

  298. Green-breasted Mango  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Anthracothorax prevostii

  299. Broad-billed Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
     Cynanthus latirostris

  300. White-eared Hummingbird  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Hylocharis leucotis

  301. Berylline Hummingbird  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Amazilia beryllina

  302. Buff-bellied Hummingbird  (*)  ______ s  (mex)
    Amazilia yucatanensis

  303. Violet-crowned Hummingbird  (USr) (TXr) (ph)  ______
     Amazilia violiceps  

    A Violet-crowned Hummingbird was in a Texas 2010/11 CBC, at the Davis Mountains.

  304. Blue-throated Mountain-gem (or Hummingbird) (ph) (*) _____ w (mex)
    Lampornis clemenciae
  305. Magnificent Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
     Eugenes fulgens
     
  306. Lucifer Sheartail (or Hummingbird)  (ph) (*) _____ w  (mex)
    Calothorax lucifer      (monotypic)
  307. Ruby-throated Hummingbird  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c
    Archilochus colubris
  308. Black-chinned Hummingbird  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c,w  nm  
    Archilochus alexandri 



    A male Black-chinned Hummingbird
         (photo by Howard Eskin)
      
  309. Anna's Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
    Calypte anna
  310. Costa's Hummingbird  (TXr) (ph)  ______
    Calypte costae
  311. Calliope Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
    Stellula calliope
  312. Broad-tailed Hummingbird  (ph) (*)  ______ w  nm
    Selasphorus platycercus

  313. Rufous Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
     Selaphorus rufus

  314. Allen's Hummingbird  (ph)  ______
     Selasphorus sasin


    TROGON & KINGFISHERS
  315. Elegant Trogon  (TXr)  ______
     Trogon elegans 

  316. Ringed Kingfisher  (ph) (*)  _____ s
    Megaceryle     (formerly Ceryle) torquata
  317. Belted Kingfisher  (ph) (*)  ______ e,w  nm
    Megaceryle     (formerly  Ceryle) alcyon
  318. Green Kingfisher  (ph) (*)  ______ s,c  (mex)
    Chloroceryle americana septentrionalis



    A Green Kingfisher photographed during a FONT tour


    WOODPECKERS
  319. Red-headed Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  _____ e
    Melanerpes erythrocephalus
  320. Acorn Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  ______ w  
    Melanerpes f. formicivorus
  321. Golden-fronted Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  ______ e,s,c,w
    Melanerpes a. aurifrons
  322. Red-bellied Woodpecker  (ph) (*)   ______ c
    Melanerpes carolinus
  323. Lewis's Woodpecker  ______
    Melanerpes lewis
  324. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker  (ph) (*)  ______ 
    Sphyrapicus varius
  325. Red-naped Sapsucker  (ph) (*)  ______ w  
    Sphyrapicus nuchalis

  326. Williamson's Sapsucker  ______
     Sphyrapicus rhyroideus

  327. Red-breasted Sapsucker  (TXr)  ______
     Sphyrapicus ruber 

  328. Ladder-backed Woodpecker  (*)  ______ e,s,c,w  nm
    Picoides scalaris
  329. Downy Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  ______ c
    Picoides pubescens
  330. Hairy Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  ______
     Picoides villosus

  331. Red-cockaded Woodpecker  ( )  ______
     Picoides borealis

    The endangered Red-cockaded Woodpecker is a habitat specialist that requires large tracts of open pine forest with a grassy understory. 
    The species seems to have continued its slow population decline even with careful habitat management.
    The place in Texas with the most is the Sam Houston National Forest in the eastern part of the state.   

  332. Northern Flicker  ______ 
    "Yellow-shafted" Flicker  (*) ______ e
    Colaptes auratus 
    "Red-shafted" Flicker  (*)  ______ w
     Colaptes auratus collaris 
  333. Pileated Woodpecker  (ph) (*)  ______  e
    Dryocopus pileatus
  334. Ivory-billed Woodpecker  ______  (species now presumed to be extinct)
     Campephilus principalis

    The Ivory-billed Woodpecker was formerly a resident in the eastern part of Texas, west to the bottomlands of the Trinity River, and along the Gulf Coast west to the Brazos River.
    The three only well-documente    d records in Texas were in 1885, 1900, and 1904, although there have been 45 other published reports for the state. 


    TITYRA & BECARD
  335. Masked Tityra  (USr) (TXr)  ______
     Tityra semifasciata 

  336. Rose-throated Becard  (USr) (TXr) (*)  ______ s
    Pachyrmphus aglaiae

         Rose-throated Becards     have had a history of sporadic occurrence in Texas in the Lower Rio Grande Valley. They were more regular breeders in the 1970s. Since then, there has not been any successful nesting of the bird in Texas, but there have been attempts that were unsuccessful as well as instances when unmated birds even built the distinctive nest characteristic of the species.     


    A source for much of the information in this list was the "Handbook of Texas Birds", a publication of the Texas Ornithological Society, by Mark W. Lockwood & Brush Freeman, published in 2004. 
    Subsequent information has generally been from internet sources.     

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