Chincoteague

National Wildlife

Refuge

Wildlife Loop

Patuxent

Research Refuge

Birds

Fish & Wildlife Service
I n t r o d u c t i o n Patuxent Research Refuge was

established by President Roosevelt in

1936 as the nation’s first and only

National Wildlife Refuge devoted to

support wildlife research. Pa t u x e n t ’ s

mission is “to help protect and

c o n s e rve the nation’s wildlife and

habitat through research on critical

environmental problems and issues.”

Its 12,750 acres of forests, meadows

and wetlands provide habitat for

many species of wildlife within the

suburban corridor between

Washington, D.C. and Baltimore,

M a ry l a n d .

This bird list includes 270 species that

have been observed on the Pa t u x e n t

Research Refuge. Species names and

order of listing are in accordance with

the Seventh Edition of the American

O rnithologists’ Union Checklist of

North American Birds.

The Patuxent Research Refuge offers

rewarding opportunities for bird

o b s e rvation throughout the year. Late

April through mid-May is the best

time to observe migrating warblers.

Wa t e rfowl numbers are highest on the

refuge during winter, but the greatest

variety of waterfowl species are

present in mid-March and midO c t o b e r.

S e a s o n

s p = Spring (March–May)

S = Summer (June–Au g u s t )

F = Fall (September–November)

W= Winter (December–Fe b ru a ry )

Relative Abundance

a = abundant (a species that is numerous)

c = common (a species that is frequently seen or heard in

suitable habitat)

u = uncommon (present, but not certain to be seen)

o = occasional (seen only a few times during a season)

r = rare (rarely seen or heard)

x = a few documented observ a t i o n s

• = c o n f i rmed or probable nesting on the Refuge

Italics indicate threatened/endangered species.

Loons 

___ Common Loon _______________ u u

G r e b e s

___•Pied-billed Grebe _____________ c r c o

___ Horned Grebe________________ r r

___ Red–necked Grebe____________ x

C o r m o r a n t s

___ Double-crested Cormorant_____ o r o r

A n h i n g a

___ Anhinga _____________________ x

Bitterns – Herons – Egrets

___ American Bittern _____________ o x o x

___•Least Bittern ________________ r r

___•Great Blue Heron_____________ c c c c

___ Great Egret__________________ u c c

___ Snowy Egret_________________ r r r

___ Little Blue Heron_____________ r u u

___ Cattle Egret _________________ r r

___•Green Heron_________________ c c c x

___ Black-crowned Night-Heron____ r r r

___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron___ r r

I b i s e s

___ White Ibis ___________________ x x

___ Glossy Ibis___________________ r r r

s p S F W

Male Hooded Merganser

This goose, designed by

J.N. “Ding” Darling, has

become a symbol of the

National Wildlife Refuge

System.
s p S F W s p S F W

Gallinaceous Birds

___•Wild Turkey _________________ u u u u

___•Northern Bobwhite ___________ r r r r

Rails 

___ Virginia Rail _________________ r r

___ Sora ________________________ o o

___ Common Moorhen ____________ r r

___ American Coot _______________ u u o

C r a n e s

___ Sandhill Crane _______________ r r

Plovers 

___ Semipalmated Plover__________ x x x

___•Killdeer _____________________ c c c u

Sandpipers – Phalaropes 

___ Greater Yellowlegs____________ u o u x

___ Lesser Yellowlegs_____________ u o u x

___ Solitary Sandpiper____________ c u c

___ Spotted Sandpiper ____________ u u u

___ Upland Sandpiper ____________ x

___ Semipalmated Sandpiper ______ r r

___ Least Sandpiper______________ r o o

___ Pectoral Sandpiper____________ x o u

___ Western Sandpiper____________ x

___ Common Snipe _______________ c c u

___•American Woodcock___________ u u u o

Gulls – Te r n s

___ Laughing Gull________________ a a a o

___ Bonaparte’s Gull______________ o x o o

___ California Gull _______________ x

___ Ring-billed Gull ______________ a u a a

___ Herring Gull _________________ a u a a

___ Thayer’s Gull ________________ x

New World Vu l t u r e s

___•Black Vulture ________________ u u u u

___•Turkey Vulture _______________ c c c c

Swans – Geese – Ducks

___ Snow Goose__________________ x x x

___•Canada Goose ________________ a a a a

___ Mute Swan __________________ x x x

___ Tundra Swan_________________ r r x

___•Wood Duck __________________ c c c r

___ Gadwall _____________________ u u o

___ American Wigeon_____________ u u r

___•American Black Duck _________ u o u u

___•Mallard _____________________ c c c c

___ Blue-winged Teal _____________ u r u

___ Northern Shoveler____________ r r r

___ Northern Pintail______________ u u r

___ Green-winged Teal____________ u u u

___ Canvasback__________________ r r

___ Redhead_____________________ r r r

___•Ring-necked Duck ____________ a x c a

___ Lesser Scaup_________________ u u o

___ Bufflehead___________________ u u r

___ Oldsquaw____________________ x

___ Common Goldeneye___________ u u o

___•Hooded Merganser ___________ c u c c

___ Common Merganser __________ r r r

___ Red-breasted Merganser ______ r r r

___ Ruddy Duck _________________ u u o/u

Osprey – Kites – Hawks – Eagles

___ Osprey ______________________ u r u

___•Bald Eagle___________________ u u u u

___ Northern Harrier_____________ o o r

___ Sharp-shinned Hawk__________ c c u

___•Cooper’s Hawk_______________ u o u u

___ Northern Goshawk____________ x x x

___•Red-shouldered Hawk_________ c c c c

___•Broad-winged Hawk __________ u r u

___•Red-tailed Hawk______________ c u c c

___ Rough-legged Hawk __________ x

___ Golden Eagle_________________ x x x

Falcons – Caracaras

___•American Kestrel _____________ u u u u

___ Merlin ______________________ r r x

___ Peregrine Falcon _____________ r x r x

Chickadee
Swifts 

___•Chimney Swift _______________ c c a

Hummingbirds 

___•Ruby-throated Hummingbird___ c c c

K i n g f i s h e r s

___•Belted Kingfisher_____________ c u c u

Wo o d p e c k e r s

___ Red-headed Woodpecker_______ o r o o

___•Red-bellied Woodpecker _______ c c c c

___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker_______ u u u

___•Downy Woodpecker ___________ c c c c

___•Hairy Woodpecker ____________ u u u u

___•Northern Flicker _____________ c u c c

___•Pileated Woodpecker__________ u u u u

Tyrant Flycatchers

___ Olive-sided Flycatcher_________ x r

___•Eastern Wood-Pewee__________ c c c

___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher ______ r u u

___•Acadian Flycatcher ___________ c c u

___ Alder Flycatcher _____________ r o o

___ Willow Flycatcher ____________ o o o

___ Least Flycatcher _____________ o u u

___•Eastern Phoebe ______________ c c c o

___•Great Crested Flycatcher______ c c c

___•Eastern Kingbird_____________ c c u

S h r i k e

___ Northern Shrike______________ x

Vi r e o s

___•White-eyed Vireo _____________ c c c

___ Blue-headed Vireo ____________ u x u

___•Yellow-throated Vireo _________ c c c

___ Warbling Vireo _______________ o x o

___ Philadelphia Vireo ____________ x o

___•Red-eyed Vireo_______________ a a a

Crows – Jays – Magpies

___•Blue Jay_____________________ c c c c

___•American Crow_______________ a a a a

___•Fish Crow ___________________ c o c a

___ Iceland Gull__________________ o

___ Lesser Black-backed Gull______ o

___ Glaucous Gull ________________ o

___ Great Black-backed Gull _______ u u u

___ Black Tern___________________ x

___ Caspian Tern_________________ o r o

___ Common Tern ________________ x x

___ Forster’s Tern________________ x x

___ Least Tern___________________ x x x

Pigeons – Doves

___ Rock Dove___________________ u u u u

___•Mourning Dove_______________ c c c c

Cuckoos – Anis

___ Black-billed Cuckoo___________ o r o

___•Yellow-billed Cuckoo __________ c c c

Barn Owls

___ Barn Owl ____________________ x x

Typical Owls

___•Eastern Screech-Owl__________ u u u u

___•Great Horned Owl ____________ c c c c

___•Barred Owl __________________ c c c c

___ Short-eared Owl______________ x x x

___ Northern Saw-whet Owl _______ o o o

N i g h t j a r s

___ Common Nighthawk __________ o o o

___•Chuck-will’s-widow____________ x x

___•Whip-poor-will _______________ c c u

s p S F W s p S F W

Pintail

© Julien Beauregard
Old World Wa r b l e r s

___•Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ________ c c u

T h r u s h e s

___•Eastern Bluebird _____________ c c c u

___ Veery _______________________ u r u

___ Gray-cheeked Thrush _________ o u

___ Bicknell’s Thrush _____________ o o

___ Swainson’s Thrush____________ c c

___ Hermit Thrush _______________ u c u

___•Wood Thrush_________________ c c u

___•American Robin ______________ a c a u

Mimic Thrushes

___•Gray Catbird_________________ c c a o

___•Northern Mockingbird ________ c c c c

___•Brown Thrasher______________ c c u o

S t a r l i n g s

___•European Starling ____________ a a a a

Wagtails – Pipits

___ American Pipit _______________ o o o

Wa x w i n g s

___•Cedar Waxwing_______________ c o c u

Wood Wa r b l e r s

___ Blue-winged Warbler__________ u o o

___ Golden-winged Warbler________ r r r

___ Tennessee Warbler____________ u r u

___ Orange-crowned Warbler ______ r

___ Nashville Warbler_____________ u u

___•Northern Parula______________ a a u

___•Yellow Warbler _______________ c c r

___ Chestnut-sided Warbler _______ u r u

___ Magnolia Warbler_____________ c r c

___ Cape May Warbler____________ o r o

___ Black-throated Blue Warbler ___ c r c

___ Yellow-rumped Warbler________ a a c

___ Black-throated Green Warbler__ c x c

___ Blackburnian Warbler _________ u r u

___•Yellow-throated Warbler _______ x/u x

___•Pine Warbler_________________ c c u

___•Prairie Warbler_______________ c c o

___ Palm Warbler ________________ u u

L a r k s

___ Horned Lark_________________ r r r

Swallows 

___•Purple Martin________________ c c o

___•Tree Swallow_________________ c c c

___•Northern Rough-winged Swallow u u u

___•Bank Swallow ________________ u u r

___ Cliff Swallow_________________ o r

___•Barn Swallow ________________ c c u

Titmice – Chickadees

___•Carolina Chickadee ___________ c c c c

___ Black-capped Chickadee _______ r r r

___•Tufted Titmouse______________ c c c c

N u t h a t c h e s

___ Red-breasted Nuthatch________ u x u u

___•White-breasted Nuthatch ______ c c c c

C r e e p e r s

___•Brown Creeper_______________ u o c u

Wr e n s

___•Carolina Wren________________ c c c c

___•House Wren _________________ u u u x

___ Winter Wren _________________ u c c

___ Marsh Wren _________________ x x

K i n g l e t s

___ Golden-crowned Kinglet _______ c c c

___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet_________ c a u

s p S F W s p S F W

Red -Tailed Hawk
___ Bay-breasted Warbler _________ o x u

___ Blackpoll Warbler_____________ c r c

___•Cerulean Warbler_____________ u o r

___•Black-and-white Warbler_______ u u c

___•American Redstart____________ a a c

___•Prothonotary Warbler _________ u u r

___•Worm-eating Warbler _________ o o o

___•Ovenbird ____________________ a a c

___ Northern Waterthrush ________ u o u

___•Louisiana Waterthrush ________ c c x

___•Kentucky Warbler ____________ u u r

___ Connecticut Warbler __________ o

___ Mourning Warbler ____________ o r o

___•Common Yellowthroat _________ c c c x

___•Hooded Warbler______________ u u u

___ Wilson’s Warbler _____________ o r o

___ Canada Warbler ______________ c o u

___•Yellow-breasted Chat__________ c c o

Ta n a g e r s

___•Summer Tanager _____________ u u r

___•Scarlet Tanager ______________ c c u

Sparrows – To w h e e s

___•Eastern Towhee ______________ c c c u

___ American Tree Sparrow _______ o o u

___•Chipping Sparrow ____________ c c u x

___•Field Sparrow________________ c u c u

___ Vesper Sparrow ______________ r r

___ Savannah Sparrow____________ o o r

___•Grasshopper Sparrow _________ r/u r/u r

___ Henslow’s Sparrow ___________ x

___ Fox Sparrow _________________ u u u

___•Song Sparrow________________ c u c c

___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ____________ r o

___ Swamp Sparrow______________ c c u

___ White-throated Sparrow_______ a x a a

___ White-crowned Sparrow _______ o o r

___ Dark-eyed Junco _____________ a a a

Cardinals – Grosbeaks – Allies

___•Northern Cardinal ____________ c c c c

___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak_______ u u x

___•Blue Grosbeak _______________ c c u

___•Indigo Bunting _______________ a a c

___ Dickcissel____________________ x x x

Blackbirds – Orioles

___ Bobolink_____________________ o r o

___•Red-winged Blackbird_________ a c c u

___•Eastern Meadowlark__________ o o o r

___ Rusty Blackbird ______________ u u o

___•Common Grackle _____________ a c a u

___•Brown-headed Cowbird________ c c c o

___•Orchard Oriole _______________ u u u

___•Baltimore Oriole______________ u o u

F i n c h e s

___ Purple Finch_________________ r o r

___•House Finch _________________ c c c c

___ Common Redpoll _____________ x

___ Pine Siskin___________________ r r r

___•American Goldfinch ___________ c c c c

___ Evening Grosbeak ____________ r r r

___•House Sparrow_______________ u u u u

s p S F W s p S F W

Historical Sightings

Species not recorded in the 1990s.

Blue Jay

Wood Stork

Greater White-fronted Goose

Greater Scaup

White-winged Scoter

Black Scoter

King Rail

Purple Gallinule

Black-bellied Plover

S a n d e r l i n g

W h i t e - rumped Sandpiper

D u n l i n

Short-billed Dowitcher

Long-billed Dowitcher

Red-necked Phalarope

Long-eared Owl

Red-cockaded Wo o d p e c k e r

Loggerhead Shrike

Bewick’s Wr e n

Sedge Wr e n

Bachman’s Sparr o w

Lark Sparr o w

H a rris’s Sparr o w

Lapland Longspur

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Pine Grosbeak

Red Crossbill

White-winged Crossbill