KUFS Birds

Phenological Checklist of Birds

There are 255 bird species that have been recorded on KU Field Station lands from 1948 to the present. Of those, 104 species are confirmed breeders and are denoted with an asterisk "*". Twenty additional species are listed as probable breeders OR former breeders only and are denoted with an asterisk in parentheses (*).

Some species only occur as summer residents (30%) and are absent in the winter (e.g., flycatchers, vireos, and swallows). Others are winter residents (15%) and are for the most part absent in summer (e.g., most sparrows and waterfowl). Some species are permanent residents and are present year round (15%) (e.g., most woodpeckers, owls, chickadees, etc.). Many of the species on the list are present as spring and fall migrants or visitants (40%) (e.g., sandpipers, warblers, and thrushes).

The checklist contains the following notations for abundance:

Accidental - extremely rare, not to be expected; extralimital in occurrence.

R = Rare - few records, erratic in occurrence due either to very little suitable habitat or very low population densities.

O = Occasional - irregular either during the seasons indicated or in annual frequency; present in low densities and records infrequent.

U = Uncommon - present during the seasons indicated in low densities; regularly occurring but only in the appropriate habitat.

C = Common - present in moderate to high densities during the seasons indicated and to be expected on almost any visit to the field.

Abundance information is presented for each of four standard seasons of the year. A "blank" indicates that there are no records at the indicated time of the year. The four seasons are defined by the months of the year in the following key:

Spring (Sp) = March - May
Summer (Su) = June - August
Fall (F) = September - November
W inter (W) = December - February.

This checklist is based on field records of H. Fitch, R. Boyd, C. Cink, R. Johnston, M. Robbins, and G. Pittman and covers the period from 1948 -2010. The list was compiled by Galen Pittman (KUFS Station Manager/Biologist), with the aid of the aforementioned records and over 25 years of field surveys conducted by the compiler from 1985 to present. For more information on birds at the Field Station, contact Galen L. Pittman.

The taxonomic sequence and nomenclature used in this list follow the Checklist of North American Birds, 7th edition, American Ornithologists' Union, 1998, updated through the 51st supplement, 2010 (The Auk 127(3):726-744, 2010).

Species Sp
Su
F W

DUCKS and GEESE

Greater White-fronted Goose
O

U

O

Snow Goose
C

C

C

Ross's Goose
O

O

O

Cackling Goose
O

O

O

Canada Goose*
U

U

U

U

Wood Duck (*)
U

O

U

O

Gadwall
U

U

O

American Wigeon
O

O

O

American Black Duck

R

Mallard*
U

U

U

U

Blue-winged Teal (*)
U

O

U

Northern Shoveler
O

O

O

Northern Pintail
O

O

O

Green-winged Teal
U

U

O

Canvasback

R

R

Redhead
O

O

O

Ring-necked Duck
U

U

U

Greater Scaup
R

Lesser Scaup
U

U

O

Bufflehead
O

O

Common Goldeneye
O

O

O

Hooded Merganser
O

R

O

O

Red-breasted Merganser
O

Ruddy Duck
R

R

QUAIL

Northern Bobwhite*
O

O

O

O

PHEASANTS, GROUSE, and TURKEYS

Ring-necked Pheasant (*)
R

R

R

R

Ruffed Grouse (*)
R

R

R

R

Wild Turkey
U

U

U

U

LOONS

Common Loon
R

GREBES

Pied-billed Grebe
O

O

O

CORMORANTS

Double-crested Cormorant
O

U

PELICANS

American White Pelican
O

R

O

HERONS

American Bittern
R

R

Least Bittern (*)

O

Great Blue Heron
C

C

O

R

Great Egret
O

O

O

Little Blue Heron

O

O

Cattle Egret
R

Green Heron*
U

U

U

Black-crowned Night Heron
R

IBISES

White-faced Ibis
R

VULTURES

Turkey Vulture*
C

C

C

R

HAWKS, KITES, and EAGLES

Osprey
O

O

White-tailed Kite
A C C I D E N T A L

Mississippi Kite
A C C I D E N T A L

Bald Eagle
O

O

O

Northern Harrier (*)
O

O

U

U

Sharp-shinned Hawk
O

U

O

Cooper's Hawk*
O

O

U

O

Northern Goshawk

R

R

Red-shouldered Hawk*
O

O

O

O

Broad-winged Hawk*
O

O

O

Swainson's Hawk (*)
O

O

O

Red-tailed Hawk*
C

C

C

C

Rough-legged Hawk

O

O

Golden Eagle

R

FALCONS

American Kestrel*
U

U

U

O

Merlin

O

Peregrine Falcon

O

Prairie Falcon
R

R

RAILS, GALLINULES, and CRANES

Yellow Rail
R

Virginia Rail
R

R

Sora
O

O

Common Moorhen
R

American Coot
O

O

Sandhill Crane
R

R

R

PLOVERS

Killdeer*
U

C

U

U

SANDPIPERS

Spotted Sandpiper (*)
O

O

O

Solitary Sandpiper
O

O

O

Greater Yellowlegs
O

R

Lesser Yellowlegs
O

R

O

Upland Sandpiper
O

O

O

Semipalmated Sandpiper
O

Western Sandpiper
O

Least Sandpiper
O

R

White-rumped Sandpiper
O

Pectoral Sandpiper
O

R

Wilson's Snipe
U

U

American Woodcock*
C

R

R

O

Wilson's Phalarope
O

GULLS and TERNS

Bonaparte's Gull
O

Franklin's Gull
U

C

Ring-billed Gull
O

O

O

O

Caspian Tern
R

R

Black Tern
O

O

Forster's Tern
O

R

O

PIGEONS and DOVES

Rock Pigeon*
O

O

O

O

Mourning Dove*
C

C

C

O

CUCKOOS

Yellow-billed Cuckoo*
U

U

O

Black-billed Cuckoo (*)
O

R

O

BARN OWLS

Barn Owl
R

R

TYPICAL OWLS

Eastern Screech-Owl*
U

U

U

U

Great Horned Owl* C C C C

Barred Owl* C C C C

Long-eared Owl (*) O O O O

Short-eared Owl O O

Northern Saw-whet Owl R

GOATSUCKERS

Common Nighthawk O O O

Chuck-will's-widow* U U
R

Whip-poor-will* C C O

SWIFTS

Chimney Swift* O O U

HUMMINGBIRDS

Ruby-throated Hummingbird*
U

U

C

Black-chinned Hummingbird R

KINGFISHERS

Belted Kingfisher O O O O

WOODPECKERS

Red-headed Woodpecker* U U C C

Red-bellied Woodpecker* C C C C

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker O O O

Downy Woodpecker* C C C C

Hairy Woodpecker* U U U U

Northern Flicker* C U C C

Pileated Woodpecker* O O O O

FLYCATCHERS

Olive-sided Flycatcher
O

O

O

Eastern Wood-Pewee*
U

U

U

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
R

R

O

Acadian Flycatcher (*)
O

O

Alder Flycatcher
U

R

U

Willow Flycatcher
O

O

Least Flycatcher
C

R

C

Eastern Phoebe*
C

C

C

Great-Crested Flycatcher*
C

C

U

Western Kingbird
O

O

Eastern Kingbird*
C

C

C

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
O

O

O

SHRIKES

Loggerhead Shrike*
O

O

O

O

Northern Shrike
R

R

R

VIREOS

White-eyed Vireo (*)
O

O

O

Bell's Vireo*
U

U

O

Yellow-throated Vireo*
O

O

O

Blue-headed Vireo
U

U

Warbling Vireo*
U

O

O

Philadelphia Vireo
O

R

O

Red-eyed Vireo*
C

C

U

JAYS and CROWS

Blue Jay*
C

C

C

C

American Crow*
C

C

C

C

Fish Crow
R

LARKS

Horned Lark (*)
O

O

O

O

SWALLOWS

Purple Martin*
U

C

O

Tree Swallow
O

O

Northern Rough-winged Swallow*
U

O

O

Bank Swallow
O

O

Cliff Swallow
O

O

O

Barn Swallow*
C

C

U

CHICKADEES and TITMICE

Black-capped Chickadee*
C

C

C

C

Tufted Titmouse*
C

C

C

C

NUTHATCHES

Red-breasted Nuthatch

O

O

White-breasted Nuthatch*
C

C

C

C

CREEPERS

Brown Creeper O U U

WRENS

Carolina Wren* C C C C

House Wren* U U U

Winter Wren O O

Sedge Wren* O O O R

Marsh Wren
O

O

R

GNATCATCHERS

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*
C

U

U

KINGLETS

Golden-crowned Kinglet
R

O

O

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
U

C

O

THRUSHES

Eastern Bluebird*
C

C

C

U

Townsend's Solitaire
A C C I D E N T A L

Veery
R

R

Gray-cheeked Thrush
O

O

Swainson's Thrush
C

U

Hermit Thrush
O

O

O

Wood Thrush*
U

U

O

American Robin*
C

C

C

C

THRASHERS

Gray Catbird* C U U

Northern Mockingbird* U U U O

Brown Thrasher * C C U

STARLINGS

European Starling* U O C C

PIPITS

American Pipit
O

WAXWINGS

Cedar Waxwing (*)
U

O

U

U

LONGSPURS

Lapland Longspur
R

R

Smith's Longspur
R

R

WARBLERS

Blue-winged Warbler

R

Golden-winged Warbler
O

R

Tennessee Warbler
C

U

Orange-crowned Warbler
U

U

Nashville Warbler
C

O

U

Northern Parula*
U

U

U

Yellow Warbler*
C

O

O

Chestnut-sided Warbler
U

R

O

Magnolia Warbler
O

R

O

Cape May Warbler
R

Black-throated Blue Warbler

R

Yellow-rumped Warbler
C

C

O

Black-throated Green Warbler
U

R

O

Blackburnian Warbler
O

O

Yellow-throated Warbler

R

Pine Warbler

R

Palm Warbler
O

O

Bay-breasted Warbler

R

R

Blackpoll Warbler
U

R

Cerulean Warbler
R

Black-and-white Warbler (*)
U

O

O

American Redstart
U

R

O

Prothonotary Warbler*
O

O

Worm-eating Warbler
R

Ovenbird*
O

O

O

Northern Waterthrush
O

R

Louisiana Waterthrush*
U

U

Kentucky Warbler*
U

U

Mourning Warbler
U

R

O

Common Yellowthroat*
C

C

O

Hooded Warbler
R

Wilson's Warbler
U

O

U

Canada Warbler
O

O

O

Yellow-breasted Chat*
U

O

SPARROWS

Spotted Towhee
U

U

O

Eastern Towhee*
U

U

U

American Tree Sparrow
U

U

C

Chipping Sparrow*
U

U

U

Clay-colored Sparrow
U

U

Field Sparrow*
C

C

U

O

Vesper Sparrow
O

U

Lark Sparrow*
U

O

Savannah Sparrow
U

U

R

Grasshopper Sparrow*
U

U

O

Henslow's Sparrow*
O

O

LeConte's Sparrow
U

U

Nelson's Sparrow

O

Fox Sparrow
U

U

O

Song Sparrow
U

U

O

Lincoln's Sparrow
U

U

O

Swamp Sparrow
U

U

O

White-throated Sparrow
U

C

U

Harris's Sparrow
C

C

C

White-crowned Sparrow
U

C

U

Dark-eyed Junco
C

C

C

TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS, and BUNTINGS

Summer Tanager*
U

U

O

Scarlet Tanager*
O

O

O

Western Tanager
A C C I D E N T A L

Northern Cardinal*
C

C

C

C

Rose-breasted Grosbeak*
U

U

U

Black-headed Grosbeak

R

Blue Grosbeak*
O

O

O

Indigo Bunting*
C

C

U

Painted Bunting
R

Dickcissel*
U

C

O

BLACKBIRDS and ORIOLES

Bobolink
O

Red-winged Blackbird*
C

C

C

C

Eastern Meadowlark*
C

C

C

U

Western Meadowlark
O

O

Yellow-headed Blackbird
R

R

Rusty Blackbird
O

O

O

Brewer's Blackbird
O

O

O

Common Grackle*
U

U

U

O

Great-tailed Grackle
O

O

Brown-headed Cowbird*
U

U

O

O

Orchard Oriole*
U

U

Baltimore Oriole*
C

C

O

NORTHERN FINCHES

Purple Finch
O

O

O

House Finch (*)
U

O

U

U

Red Crossbill
R

Pine Siskin
O

O

O

American Goldfinch*
C

C

C

C

Evening Grosbeak
R

R

OLD WORLD SPARROWS

House Sparrow*
O

O

O

O

Contact KUFS | KUFS Home | Contact KBS

Last modified 11 January 2012

Species	Sp	Su	F	W

DUCKS and GEESE
Greater White-fronted Goose	O		U	O
Snow Goose	C		C	C
Ross's Goose	O		O	O
Cackling Goose	O		O	O
Canada Goose*	U	U	U	U
Wood Duck (*)	U	O	U	O
Gadwall	U		U	O
American Wigeon	O		O	O
American Black Duck			R
Mallard*	U	U	U	U
Blue-winged Teal (*)	U	O	U
Northern Shoveler	O		O	O
Northern Pintail	O		O	O
Green-winged Teal	U		U	O
Canvasback			R	R
Redhead	O		O	O
Ring-necked Duck	U		U	U
Greater Scaup	R
Lesser Scaup	U		U	O
Bufflehead	O			O
Common Goldeneye	O		O	O
Hooded Merganser	O	R	O	O
Red-breasted Merganser	O
Ruddy Duck	R		R
QUAIL
Northern Bobwhite*	O	O	O	O
PHEASANTS, GROUSE, and TURKEYS
Ring-necked Pheasant (*)	R	R	R	R
Ruffed Grouse (*)	R	R	R	R
Wild Turkey	U	U	U	U
LOONS
Common Loon	R
GREBES
Pied-billed Grebe	O		O	O
CORMORANTS
Double-crested Cormorant	O		U
PELICANS
American White Pelican	O	R	O
HERONS
American Bittern	R		R
Least Bittern (*)		O
Great Blue Heron	C	C	O	R
Great Egret	O	O	O
Little Blue Heron		O	O
Cattle Egret	R
Green Heron*	U	U	U
Black-crowned Night Heron	R
IBISES
White-faced Ibis			R
VULTURES
Turkey Vulture*	C	C	C	R
HAWKS, KITES, and EAGLES
Osprey	O		O
White-tailed Kite	A C C I D E N T A L
Mississippi Kite	A C C I D E N T A L
Bald Eagle	O		O	O
Northern Harrier (*)	O	O	U	U
Sharp-shinned Hawk	O		U	O
Cooper's Hawk*	O	O	U	O
Northern Goshawk			R	R
Red-shouldered Hawk*	O	O	O	O
Broad-winged Hawk*	O	O	O
Swainson's Hawk (*)	O	O	O
Red-tailed Hawk*	C	C	C	C
Rough-legged Hawk			O	O
Golden Eagle			R
FALCONS
American Kestrel*	U	U	U	O
Merlin			O
Peregrine Falcon			O
Prairie Falcon	R		R
RAILS, GALLINULES, and CRANES
Yellow Rail	R
Virginia Rail	R		R
Sora	O		O
Common Moorhen	R
American Coot	O		O
Sandhill Crane	R		R	R
PLOVERS
Killdeer*	U	C	U	U
SANDPIPERS
Spotted Sandpiper (*)	O	O	O
Solitary Sandpiper	O	O	O
Greater Yellowlegs	O		R
Lesser Yellowlegs	O	R	O
Upland Sandpiper	O	O	O
Semipalmated Sandpiper	O
Western Sandpiper	O
Least Sandpiper	O	R
White-rumped Sandpiper	O
Pectoral Sandpiper	O		R
Wilson's Snipe	U		U
American Woodcock*	C	R	R	O
Wilson's Phalarope	O
GULLS and TERNS
Bonaparte's Gull	O
Franklin's Gull	U		C
Ring-billed Gull	O	O	O	O
Caspian Tern	R		R
Black Tern	O	O
Forster's Tern	O	R	O
PIGEONS and DOVES
Rock Pigeon*	O	O	O	O
Mourning Dove*	C	C	C	O
CUCKOOS
Yellow-billed Cuckoo*	U	U	O
Black-billed Cuckoo (*)	O	R	O
BARN OWLS
Barn Owl	R			R
TYPICAL OWLS
Eastern Screech-Owl*	U	U	U	U
Great Horned Owl*	C	C	C	C
Barred Owl*	C	C	C	C
Long-eared Owl (*)	O	O	O	O
Short-eared Owl			O	O
Northern Saw-whet Owl				R
GOATSUCKERS
Common Nighthawk	O	O	O
Chuck-will's-widow*	U	U		R
Whip-poor-will*	C	C	O
SWIFTS
Chimney Swift*	O	O	U
HUMMINGBIRDS
Ruby-throated Hummingbird*	U	U	C
Black-chinned Hummingbird			R
KINGFISHERS
Belted Kingfisher	O	O	O	O
WOODPECKERS
Red-headed Woodpecker*	U	U	C	C
Red-bellied Woodpecker*	C	C	C	C
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	O		O	O
Downy Woodpecker*	C	C	C	C
Hairy Woodpecker*	U	U	U	U
Northern Flicker*	C	U	C	C
Pileated Woodpecker*	O	O	O	O
FLYCATCHERS
Olive-sided Flycatcher	O	O	O
Eastern Wood-Pewee*	U	U	U
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	R	R	O
Acadian Flycatcher (*)	O	O
Alder Flycatcher	U	R	U
Willow Flycatcher	O		O
Least Flycatcher	C	R	C
Eastern Phoebe*	C	C	C
Great-Crested Flycatcher*	C	C	U
Western Kingbird	O	O
Eastern Kingbird*	C	C	C
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	O	O	O
SHRIKES
Loggerhead Shrike*	O	O	O	O
Northern Shrike	R		R	R
VIREOS
White-eyed Vireo (*)	O	O	O
Bell's Vireo*	U	U	O
Yellow-throated Vireo*	O	O	O
Blue-headed Vireo	U		U
Warbling Vireo*	U	O	O
Philadelphia Vireo	O	R	O
Red-eyed Vireo*	C	C	U
JAYS and CROWS
Blue Jay*	C	C	C	C
American Crow*	C	C	C	C
Fish Crow	R
LARKS
Horned Lark (*)	O	O	O	O
SWALLOWS
Purple Martin*	U	C	O
Tree Swallow	O		O
Northern Rough-winged Swallow*	U	O	O
Bank Swallow	O		O
Cliff Swallow	O	O	O
Barn Swallow*	C	C	U
CHICKADEES and TITMICE
Black-capped Chickadee*	C	C	C	C
Tufted Titmouse*	C	C	C	C
NUTHATCHES
Red-breasted Nuthatch			O	O
White-breasted Nuthatch*	C	C	C	C
CREEPERS
Brown Creeper	O		U	U
WRENS
Carolina Wren*	C	C	C	C
House Wren*	U	U	U
Winter Wren			O	O
Sedge Wren*	O	O	O	R
Marsh Wren	O		O	R
GNATCATCHERS
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*	C	U	U
KINGLETS
Golden-crowned Kinglet	R		O	O
Ruby-crowned Kinglet	U		C	O
THRUSHES
Eastern Bluebird*	C	C	C	U
Townsend's Solitaire	A C C I D E N T A L
Veery	R		R
Gray-cheeked Thrush	O		O
Swainson's Thrush	C		U
Hermit Thrush	O		O	O
Wood Thrush*	U	U	O
American Robin*	C	C	C	C
THRASHERS
Gray Catbird*	C	U	U
Northern Mockingbird*	U	U	U	O
Brown Thrasher *	C	C	U
STARLINGS
European Starling*	U	O	C	C
PIPITS
American Pipit	O
WAXWINGS
Cedar Waxwing (*)	U	O	U	U
LONGSPURS
Lapland Longspur	R			R
Smith's Longspur	R		R
WARBLERS
Blue-winged Warbler		R
Golden-winged Warbler	O		R
Tennessee Warbler	C		U
Orange-crowned Warbler	U		U
Nashville Warbler	C	O	U
Northern Parula*	U	U	U
Yellow Warbler*	C	O	O
Chestnut-sided Warbler	U	R	O
Magnolia Warbler	O	R	O
Cape May Warbler	R
Black-throated Blue Warbler			R
Yellow-rumped Warbler	C		C	O
Black-throated Green Warbler	U	R	O
Blackburnian Warbler	O		O
Yellow-throated Warbler		R
Pine Warbler			R
Palm Warbler	O		O
Bay-breasted Warbler		R	R
Blackpoll Warbler	U		R
Cerulean Warbler	R
Black-and-white Warbler (*)	U	O	O
American Redstart	U	R	O
Prothonotary Warbler*	O	O
Worm-eating Warbler	R
Ovenbird*	O	O	O
Northern Waterthrush	O		R
Louisiana Waterthrush*	U	U
Kentucky Warbler*	U	U
Mourning Warbler	U	R	O
Common Yellowthroat*	C	C	O
Hooded Warbler	R
Wilson's Warbler	U	O	U
Canada Warbler	O	O	O
Yellow-breasted Chat*	U	O
SPARROWS
Spotted Towhee	U		U	O
Eastern Towhee*	U	U	U
American Tree Sparrow	U		U	C
Chipping Sparrow*	U	U	U
Clay-colored Sparrow	U		U
Field Sparrow*	C	C	U	O
Vesper Sparrow	O		U
Lark Sparrow*	U	O
Savannah Sparrow	U		U	R
Grasshopper Sparrow*	U	U	O
Henslow's Sparrow*	O	O
LeConte's Sparrow	U		U
Nelson's Sparrow			O
Fox Sparrow	U		U	O
Song Sparrow	U		U	O
Lincoln's Sparrow	U		U	O
Swamp Sparrow	U		U	O
White-throated Sparrow	U		C	U
Harris's Sparrow	C		C	C
White-crowned Sparrow	U		C	U
Dark-eyed Junco	C		C	C
TANAGERS, GROSBEAKS, and BUNTINGS
Summer Tanager*	U	U	O
Scarlet Tanager*	O	O	O
Western Tanager	A C C I D E N T A L
Northern Cardinal*	C	C	C	C
Rose-breasted Grosbeak*	U	U	U
Black-headed Grosbeak		R
Blue Grosbeak*	O	O	O
Indigo Bunting*	C	C	U
Painted Bunting	R
Dickcissel*	U	C	O
BLACKBIRDS and ORIOLES
Bobolink	O
Red-winged Blackbird*	C	C	C	C
Eastern Meadowlark*	C	C	C	U
Western Meadowlark	O		O
Yellow-headed Blackbird	R		R
Rusty Blackbird	O		O	O
Brewer's Blackbird	O		O	O
Common Grackle*	U	U	U	O
Great-tailed Grackle	O	O
Brown-headed Cowbird*	U	U	O	O
Orchard Oriole*	U	U
Baltimore Oriole*	C	C	O
NORTHERN FINCHES
Purple Finch	O		O	O
House Finch (*)	U	O	U	U
Red Crossbill	R
Pine Siskin	O		O	O
American Goldfinch*	C	C	C	C
Evening Grosbeak	R			R
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
House Sparrow*	O	O	O	O