Hueco Tanks

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF HUECO TANKS STATE PARK AND HISTORIC SITE A FIELD CHECKLIST 2002 TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE BIRDS OF HUECO TANKS STATE PARK AND HISTORIC SITE A FIELD CHECKLIST 2002 Cover: Illustration of Cliff Swallows by Clemente Guzman. INTRODUCTION O n first inspection, Hueco Tanks State Historic Site may appear to be a poor spot to study birds; however, the birder who takes a closer look will find that the site supports an amazingly diverse avifauna. The core of the site is a line of syenite (a granite-like rock) outcrops dissected by numerous canyons and washes. The entire site is surrounded by Chihuahuan Desert Scrub vegetation dominated by creosote bush. In favorable sites, the desert harbors a remnant grassland-yucca association, and after the mid and late summer rains the entire desert may be carpeted with a lush growth of seasonal grasses and wildflowers. On hilly slopes and in certain canyons numerous small trees and shrubs are found. Among these are hackberry, Texas mulberry, Mexican buckeye, Gregg acacia, juniper and numerous Arizona oaks. Several small stock ponds, or tanks, are scattered throughout the site. A few are dry much of the year, but most contain some water during the winter. In addition, there are several seasonal and permanent springs, seeps and huecos or tinajas, located among the rocks. The combination of trees, water and sheltering rocks act as a powerful magnet drawing birds to the site. In a desert environment water means life; nowhere is this better illustrated than at Hueco Tanks. Besides concentrating the regular birds of the area, the trees and seasonal ponds on the site stand out as a beacon to migrants looking for a resting place. This oasis effect has made the site one of the best traps for migrant avifauna in West Texas, as evidenced by the number of rare birds found here. A total of 222 species have been documented as occurring on the site. Because we will be updating this checklist as additional observations are made, we ask that you report details of new or unusual sightings on Bird Sighting Report forms available at the site headquarters. Reports may be sent to the Natural 1 Resources Program, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744 or may be left at site headquarters for forwarding. Nomenclature and organization for this checklist follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds (7th edition, 1998) as currently supplemented. This checklist has been compiled by Barry R. Zimmer of El Paso. The compiler gratefully acknowledges the cooperation of the many dedicated contributors who assisted in the preparation of this checklist. Please help 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, disrupts essential territorial behavior and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation. 2 LEGEND Sp – S – F – W– Seasons Spring (March – May) Summer (June – August) Fall (September – November) Winter (December – February) Abundance A = abundant – should be seen on every trip in proper habitat and season C = common – should be seen on 3 out 4 trips in proper habitat and season FC = fairly common – should be seen on 2 out 4 trips in proper habitat and season U = uncommon – should be seen on 1 out 4 trips in proper habitat and season R = rare – should be seen on 1 out 10 trips in proper habitat and season Ca = casual – 3 to 5 records in last 5 years X = accidental – only one or two records in the past 5 years I = irregular – absent some years, but may be numerous in others / = when preceding summer status, indicates that the bird’s presence in summer is due to early southbound migrants * = confirmed breeding # = suspected breeding 3 CHECKLIST Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F Pied-billed Grebe............................................. Ca Ca Eared Grebe...................................................... X X Western Grebe................................................. X Great Blue Heron............................................ X X Cattle Egret....................................................... X Green Heron ................................................... X X *Turkey Vulture............................................... A A C Tundra Swan.................................................... Wood Duck....................................................... X Gadwall............................................................. R R American Wigeon............................................ R R Mallard............................................................... R R Mallard (Mexican race)................................... R R Blue-winged Teal............................................. R R Cinnamon Teal................................................. R R Northern Shoveler........................................... R R Northern Pintail............................................... R R Green-winged Teal.......................................... R R Canvasback....................................................... Ca Ca Redhead............................................................. Ca Ca Ring-necked Duck............................................ Ca R Lesser Scaup..................................................... Ca Ca Bufflehead......................................................... Ca Ca Common Goldeneye....................................... Hooded Merganser.......................................... X Ruddy Duck...................................................... Ca Ca Northern Harrier............................................. U FC Sharp-shinned Hawk....................................... U FC Cooper’s Hawk................................................. U FC Northern Goshawk.......................................... #Swainson’s Hawk........................................... U U U *Red-tailed Hawk............................................. C C C 4 W Ca X X X X X R R R R Ca R R R Ca Ca R Ca Ca X X Ca FC U U X C  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F Ferruginous Hawk........................................... Golden Eagle.................................................... U R U American Kestrel............................................. FC FC Merlin................................................................. R R Peregrine Falcon.............................................. X *Prairie Falcon................................................. U R U *Scaled Quail.................................................... FC FC FC #Gambel’s Quail............................................... U U U Sora.................................................................... U U Common Moorhen.......................................... Ca Ca American Coot................................................. R R Sandhill Crane................................................. R Killdeer.............................................................. U R U Solitary Sandpiper........................................... U U Spotted Sandpiper........................................... R R Least Sandpiper............................................... R R Common Snipe................................................ U U Rock Dove......................................................... Ca Ca Ca Band-tailed Pigeon.......................................... X X White-winged Dove......................................... FC FC U *Mourning Dove.............................................. A A C #Inca Dove........................................................ R R R Common Ground-Dove................................... X Yellow-billed Cuckoo...................................... Ca Ca *Greater Roadrunner...................................... U U U *Barn Owl......................................................... R R R Flammulated Owl............................................ X Ca Western Screech-Owl...................................... X *Great Horned Owl......................................... FC FC FC *Burrowing Owl............................................... R R R Long-eared Owl................................................ Ca R Short-eared Owl............................................... *Lesser Nighthawk........................................... FC FC U Common Nighthawk....................................... R R 5 W Ca U FC Ca U FC U Ca Ca R Ca R X R Ca X Ca U R U R FC R X  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F #Common Poorwill......................................... FC FC U *White-throated Swift..................................... C C FC *Black-chinned Hummingbird....................... C C FC Calliope Hummingbird................................... /R R Broad-tailed Hummingbird............................ U /R U Rufous Hummingbird..................................... /U FC Belted Kingfisher............................................. R R Acorn Woodpecker.......................................... Ca Yellow-bellied Sapsucker............................... R Red-naped Sapsucker...................................... R U *Ladder-backed Woodpecker......................... C C C Northern (Red-shafted) Flicker..................... U X FC Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker................ Ca Olive-sided Flycatcher..................................... U /R U Western Wood-Pewee..................................... C /U C Willow Flycatcher............................................ U FC Least Flycatcher............................................... Ca R Hammond’s Flycatcher................................... R U Dusky Flycatcher............................................. FC FC Gray Flycatcher................................................ U U Cordilleran Flycatcher.................................... U U #Black Phoebe................................................. U R U Eastern Phoebe................................................ R R *Say’s Phoebe................................................... C C C Vermilion Flycatcher....................................... X X X *Ash-throated Flycatcher................................ C C U Brown-crested Flycatcher............................... X X *Cassin’s Kingbird........................................... U X U *Western Kingbird........................................... C C FC Eastern Kingbird.............................................. X *Loggerhead Shrike......................................... FC U FC Northern Shrike............................................... Bell’s Vireo....................................................... X Plumbeous Vireo............................................. FC FC 6 W X FC R Ca R C FC Ca U Ca C X C X  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F Cassin’s Vireo................................................... R U Warbling Vireo................................................. U /U FC Red-eyed Vireo................................................. X X Steller’s Jay....................................................... iR Western Scrub-Jay........................................... iU iFC Chihuahuan Raven.......................................... R R R Horned Lark..................................................... Ca R Tree Swallow.................................................... U U Violet-green Swallow...................................... U R N. Rough-winged Swallow............................. U U Bank Swallow................................................... U U *Cliff Swallow.................................................. A A FC *Barn Swallow................................................. A A C Mountain Chickadee....................................... iU Juniper Titmouse............................................. X *Verdin.............................................................. C C C Bushtit............................................................... Red-breasted Nuthatch................................... iU White-breasted Nuthatch................................ iR Brown Creeper................................................ iR *Cactus Wren.................................................... FC FC FC *Rock Wren....................................................... A A A *Canyon Wren.................................................. A A A Bewick’s Wren................................................. U U House Wren...................................................... FC FC Winter Wren..................................................... Marsh Wren...................................................... R R Golden-crowned Kinglet................................. iR Ruby-crowned Kinglet.................................... FC C Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.................................... U R #Black-tailed Gnatcatcher.............................. R R R Eastern Bluebird.............................................. Western Bluebird............................................ Mountain Bluebird.......................................... 7 W iR iU R FC iU X C X iR iR iR FC A C U U X R iR C R iR iFC iU  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ Townsend’s Solitaire....................................... iR Hermit Thrush.................................................. U American Robin............................................... iU Gray Catbird..................................................... *Northern Mockingbird.................................. A A Sage Thrasher.................................................. R Brown Thrasher............................................... Ca *Curve-billed Thrasher................................... U R *Crissal Thrasher............................................. FC FC European Starling............................................ Ca Ca American Pipit................................................. R Cedar Waxwing................................................ iR Phainopepla...................................................... R Ca Olive Warbler................................................... Tennessee Warbler.......................................... Ca Orange-crowned Warbler............................... FC Nashville Warbler.......................................... R Virginia’s Warbler........................................... U Lucy’s Warbler................................................. X Northern Parula............................................... X Yellow Warbler................................................ FC Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler.......... C Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler................ U Black-throated Gray Warbler........................ R Townsend’s Warbler....................................... U Black-throated Green Warbler...................... Blackpoll Warbler............................................ Black-and-white Warbler................................ R American Redstart........................................... R Northern Waterthrush.................................... U Louisiana Waterthrush................................... MacGillivray’s Warbler................................... FC Common Yellowthroat................................... U Hooded Warbler.............................................. X 8 F W iU FC iU X FC iFC Ca U FC Ca R iR U X Ca FC R FC iU U iU X FC C R R FC X X R R U X FC U U iU Ca U FC Ca R iR U U Ca  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F Wilson’s Warbler............................................. A A Yellow-breasted Chat...................................... R R Hepatic Tanager............................................... Ca Summer Tanager............................................. R R X Western Tanager............................................. U /U FC Green-tailed Towhee....................................... FC FC Spotted Towhee............................................... U FC *Canyon Towhee............................................. FC FC FC #Cassin’s Sparrow........................................... FC FC U *Rufous-crowned Sparrow............................. U U U American Tree Sparrow................................. Chipping Sparrow........................................... C /R C Clay-colored Sparrow..................................... R C Brewer’s Sparrow............................................ C C Field Sparrow................................................... Black-chinned Sparrow................................... R R Vesper Sparrow............................................... U FC Lark Sparrow.................................................... U FC *Black-throated Sparrow................................ A A A Sage Sparrow................................................... Ca R Lark Bunting..................................................... FC /U FC Savannah Sparrow.......................................... U U Grasshopper Sparrow..................................... X X Fox Sparrow..................................................... Ca Song Sparrow................................................... U U Lincoln’s Sparrow............................................ FC FC Swamp Sparrow............................................... R White-throated Sparrow................................. R Golden-crowned Sparrow.............................. Ca Ca White-crowned Sparrow................................. C A Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco............................. FC FC Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco................... R R Dark-eyed (Gray-headed) Junco.................... U U Chestnut-collared Longspur........................... 9 W U FC FC R U X FC X C Ca U U A U U U X Ca U U R R Ca A C R FC R  Sp S ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ F *Pyrrhuloxia..................................................... FC U FC Rose-breasted Grosbeak................................. Ca Black-headed Grosbeak.................................. U U *Blue Grosbeak................................................ FC FC FC Lazuli Bunting.................................................. U FC Indigo Bunting................................................. R R Painted Bunting............................................... X R Dickcissel........................................................... iU Red-winged Blackbird..................................... U X U #Eastern Meadowlark..................................... U U U #Western Meadowlark.................................... U R U Yellow-headed Blackbird............................... R X R Rusty Blackbird................................................ Brewer’s Blackbird.......................................... Ca Ca Great-tailed Grackle........................................ Ca Ca *Brown-headed Cowbird................................ FC FC Bullock’s Oriole............................................... U U *Scott’s Oriole.................................................. FC FC U Cassin’s Finch................................................... Ca Ca House Finch...................................................... A A A Pine Siskin........................................................ iFC X iFC *Lesser Goldfinch............................................ U R U Lawrence’s Goldfinch..................................... X American Goldfinch........................................ R R Evening Grosbeak........................................... X *House Sparrow............................................... C C C 10 W C U R U Ca X Ca Ca R Ca A iFC U X R X C CITATION Zimmer, Barry R., Compiler. May 2002. Birds of Hueco Tanks State Historic Site: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. 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 (1-800-7921112) or contact: Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744. 11 NOTES 12 NOTES 12 Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2002 Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. PWD BK P4501-095A (6/02) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries. Natural Resources Program Texas Parks and Wildlife 4200 Smith School Road Austin, Texas 78744 © 2002 Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. PWD BK P4501-095A (6/02) In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.