Quivira

National Wildlife 

Refuge

Quivira National Wildlife Refuge 

1434 NE 80th Street 

Stafford, KS 67578-9532

620 / 486 2393

Quivira@fws.gov

http://quivira.fws.gov

For State transfer relay service

TTY / Voice: 711

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

http:// www.fws.gov

For Refuge Information

1 800 / 344 WILD

November 2011

Bird List

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

BirdListB.indd 2-3 9/19/2011 3:25:04 PM
This goose, 

designed by J.N. 

“Ding” Darling, 

is the symbol 

of the National 

Wildlife Refuge 

System.

About the Refuge Quivira National Wildlife Refuge 

(NWR) is located in south-central 

Kansas within the transition zone of the 

Great Plains. In this zone, the relatively 

lush vegetation of the eastern prairie 

blends with the more arid grasslands of 

the western prairie. The blend of varied 

plant communities and the presence of 

the Big and Little Salt Marshes, major 

water features on the Refuge, attract 

birds common to both eastern and 

western North America. Over 300 

species of birds have been observed in 

the marshes, grasslands, farmlands, 

and low sandhills of Quivira NWR. 

Seasonal From September to December, up to 

Highlights 800,000 Canada geese and ducks pass 

Fall Flights and through Quivira NWR on their way to 

Winter Visitors wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast 

and in Mexico. Other migratory birds, 

such as sandhill cranes and shorebirds, 

can also be seen. Endangered whooping 

cranes may make a brief visit as they 

move along the Central Flyway. Both 

bald and golden eagles winter on 

Quivira NWR from November 

until March. 

Spring Staging During March and April, Quivira NWR 

becomes a staging area for over 

200,000 ducks and geese. Shorebirds, 

American white pelicans, gulls, and 

other migrants can also be seen. The 

majority of these birds stop here on 

their way to traditional nesting grounds 

in the prairie pothole region of the 

north-central United States and 

Canada. 

Spring and Snowy plovers, American avocets, 

Summer black-necked stilts, and white-faced ibis 

Residents are some of the more common nesting 

species found on the Refuge. A colony 

of endangered interior least terns use 

the salt flats on the north end of the 

Quivira NWR as nesting habitat. 

Swainson’s hawks and Mississippi kites 

are common during the summer 

months, while northern harriers, 

American kestrels, and red-tailed 

hawks are commonly seen throughout 

the year. Look for ring-necked 

pheasants and bobwhite quail in the 

grasslands and grain fields. Wild turkey 

can be seen along the edge of the tree 

groves and shelter belts where they 

often look for food and shelter. 

Watching Wildlife Spring and fall are the best seasons 

to visit Quivira NWR since wildlife, 

especially waterfowl, is abundant and 

more easily viewed during these times. 

Try to schedule your visit early or late 

in the day when wildlife is most active 

and more frequently seen. Take a drive 

through the Refuge and along its 

boundaries; the best viewing is along 

the scenic tour route and the Wildlife 

Drive. See the Refuge general 

information leaflet for a map and 

more information. 

About the This list of 344 birds follows the format

Checklist of the American Ornithological Union’s 

Seventh Edition Check-list, including 

changes through the 51st Supplement. 

Since most birds are migratory, their 

seasonal occurrence and relative 

abundance are coded as follows: 

Seasons Sp Spring (March – May)

S Summer (June – August)

F Fall (September – November)

W Winter (December – February) 

Seasonal c common – a species certain to

Abundance be seen in suitable habitat

u uncommon – a species which is 

present, but not certain to be seen

o occasional – a species seen only 

a few times during the season

r rare – a species seen at intervals 

of 2 to 5 years

• 	 birds that nest on the Refuge

Other Codes Bird names in italics indicate 

endangered species in the United 

States. A list of accidental birds, 

species which are out of normal range 

and not to be expected on the Refuge, 

is provided at the end of the bird list.

BirdListB.indd 4-5 9/19/2011 3:25:04 PM
 

 

Common Bird Name Sp S F W Common Bird Name Sp S F W Common Bird Name Sp S F W

Ducks, Swans, and Geese

 Greater White-fronted Goose c r c c

 Snow Goose c r c c

 Ross’s Goose u u u

 Cackling Goose c r c c

	 •Canada Goose c c c c

 Trumpeter Swan o o o

 Tundra Swan o o o

	 •Wood Duck c c c o

	 •Gadwall c u c o

	 •American Wigeon c u c o

 American Black Duck r r r r

	 •Mallard c c c c

 Mottled Duck r r r

	 •Blue-winged Teal c c c

	 •Cinnamon Teal u r o r

	 •Northern Shoveler c u c u

	 •Northern Pintail c u c c

	 •Green-winged Teal c o c u

	 •Canvasback c o c u

	 •Redhead c o c u

 Ring-necked Duck c o c u

 Greater Scaup o o o

	 •Lesser Scaup c o c u

 Long-tailed Duck r r r 

 Bufflehead u c c

 Common Goldeneye c c c

	 •Hooded Merganser u r u u

 Common Merganser u r c

 Red-breasted Merganser r o r

	 •Ruddy Duck c u c u

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys

	 •Northern Bobwhite u u u u

 Ring-necked Pheasant (introduced) c c c

	 •Greater Prairie-Chicken r r r r

	 •Wild Turkey c c c c

Loons

 Common Loon o r o r

Grebes

	 •Pied-billed Grebe c c c o

 Horned Grebe u u o

	 •Eared Grebe c o c r

 Western Grebe o r o r

Cormorants

 Neotropic Cormorant o o r

	 •	Double-crested Cormorant 	 c	 c	 c	 o

Pelicans

__ American White Pelican c c c o

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

__ •	American Bittern u	 u	 u	 o

__ •	Least Bittern o	 u	 o	

__ •Great Blue Heron c c c u

__ •	Great Egret c	 c	 c	

__ •	Snowy Egret c	 c	 c	

__ •	Little Blue Heron u	 u	 o	

__ Tricolored Heron r r 

__ •	Cattle Egret c	 c	 c	

__ •	Green Heron u	 u	 o	

__ •	Black-crowned Night-Heron 	 c	 c	 c	 r

__ •Yellow-crowned Night-Heron u u o

Ibises and Spoonbills

__ White Ibis r r 

__ Glossy Ibis r r r

__ •	White-faced Ibis c	 c	 c	 r

New World Vultures

__ Turkey Vulture u u u

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

__ Osprey o r o

__ •	Mississippi Kite u	 u	 o	

__ •	Bald Eagle u	 u	 u	 c

__ •	Northern Harrier c	 o	 c	 c

__ Sharp-shinned Hawk u o u

__ •	Cooper’s Hawk u	 o	 u	 u

__ Northern Goshawk r r

__ Red-shouldered Hawk r

__ Broad-winged Hawk r

__ •	Swainson’s Hawk c	 c	 o	

__ •Red-tailed Hawk c c c c

__ Ferruginous Hawk o r o

__ Rough-legged Hawk u r u

__ Golden Eagle o o o

Caracaras and Falcons 

__ •	American Kestrel c	 u	 c	 u

__ Merlin o r u u

__ Peregrine Falcon o o o o

__ Prairie Falcon r r o o

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

__ •	Black Rail u	 u	 r	

__ •	King Rail u	 u	 r	 r

__ •	Virginia Rail c	 c	 u	 o

__ •	Sora c	 u	 c	

__ •	Common Moorhen u	 u	 o	

__ •	American Coot c	 c	 c	 u

Cranes

__ Sandhill Crane c c o

__ Whooping Crane o o r

Lapwings and Plovers

__ Black-bellied Plover u u u r

__ American Golden-Plover u o u

__ •Snowy Plover c c c

__ Semipalmated Plover c u c

__ Piping Plover u o o

__ •Killdeer c c c o

__ Mountain Plover r r

Stilts and Avocets

__ •Black-necked Stilt c c u

__ •American Avocet c c c

Sandpipers and Phalaropes

__ Spotted Sandpiper c u c

__ Solitary Sandpiper u u o

__ Greater Yellowlegs c c c o

__ Willet u u u

__ Lesser Yellowlegs c c c r

__ •	Upland Sandpiper c	 o	 o	

__ Whimbrel o o o

__ Long-billed Curlew o o o

__ Hudsonian Godwit u r u

__ Marbled Godwit u u u

__ Ruddy Turnstone o o o

__ Red Knot r r r

__ Sanderling o o o

__ Semipalmated Sandpiper c c c

__ Western Sandpiper c c c

__ Least Sandpiper c c c

__ White-rumped Sandpiper c c u

__ Baird’s Sandpiper c c c

__ Pectoral Sandpiper u u u

__ Dunlin u o u r

__ Stilt Sandpiper c c c

__ Buff-breasted Sandpiper o r u

__ Ruff r r 

__ Short-billed Dowitcher u u o

(continued on next page)

BirdListB.indd 6-8 9/19/2011 3:25:04 PM