U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

St. Marks

National Wildlife Refuge

Bird List
St. Marks National Wildlife

Refuge is on the shores of

Apalachee Bay, in

northwestern Florida, about 20

miles south of Tallahassee.

Established in 1931, the refuge

contains about 66,000 acres of

salt and brackish marshes,

hardwood swamps, pine

flatwoods, and pine-oak

uplands; parts of which are in

Taylor, Jefferson, and Wakulla

Counties. An additional 31,700

acres of water in Apalachee

Bay are included as part of the

refuge through a Presidential

Proclamation. St. Marks

Refuge provides an extensive

wintering habitat

for waterfowl and

is one of the

earliest such

areas acquired by

the Government.

 USFWS

Barred Owl
The seasons bring about marked

changes in both species and

abundance of birdlife. Best

opportunities for observing the

greatest variety and

number of birds are

during the fall and

spring. Waterfowl

are most easily seen

on the refuge from

mid-November

through late

December. Shore

birds are most

common during late

spring and early fall.

This list is in accordance with the

A.O.U. Checklist as amended. Enjoy

your visit!

Sp-Spring - March-May

S-Summer - June-August

F-Fall - September-November

W-Winter - December-February

* Nest on Refuge

a-abundant a common species

which is very

numerous

c-common certain to be 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 seen at intervals of 2

to 5 years

This folder lists 274 species of birds

that are considered part of the

refuge’s fauna. The following are

additional species that are of such

accidental or rare occurrence on the

refuge that they have been recorded

St. Marks

National

Wildlife

Refuge

Symbols used in

this list are

defined as

follows

USFWS

Wood ducks

This blue goose,

designed by

“Ding Darling,”

has become a

symbol of the

Refuge System.
SP S F W

only one or a few times and are

generally considered out of their

normal range:

Eared Grebe Cave Swallow

Cory’s Shearwater Horned Lark

American Flamingo White-breasted Nuthatch

Brant Sprague’s Pipit

Mottled Duck Bell’s Vireo

White-winged Scoter Warbling Vireo

White-tailed Kite Connecticut Warbler

Short-tailed Hawk Canada Warbler

Rough-legged Hawk Clay-colored Sparrow

Hudsonian Godwit Lark Bunting

Buff-breasted Sandpiper LeConte’s Sparrow

Baird’s Sandpiper Fox Sparrow

Bridled Tern Lapland Longspur

Sooty Tern Yellow-headed Blackbird

Inca Dove Pine Siskin

Budgerigar Evening Grosbeak

Short-eared Owl

If you observe any accidental or discontinued birds,

please notify a refuge employee.

Loons

_____Red-throated Loon r

_____Common Loon c u c

Grebes

_____Pied-billed Grebe* c c a a

_____Horned Grebe c r u c

_____Red-necked Grebe r r

Pelicans and their Allies

_____Northern Gannet o o o

_____American White Pelican u r u u

_____Brown Pelican cccc

_____Double-crested Cormorant aaaa

_____Anhinga* cccc

_____Magnificent Frigatebird r

Herons, Egrets and their Allies

_____American Bittern o o o

_____Least Bittern* c c u r

_____Great Blue Heron* cccc

_____Great Egret* aaaa

_____Snowy Egret* aaaa

_____Little Blue Heron* aaaa

_____Tricolored Heron* aaaa
SP S F W

_____Reddish Egret o u u o

_____Cattle Egret* cccr

_____Green Heron* c c u u

_____Black-crowned Night-Heron* c u u c

_____Yellow-crowned Night-Heron* u u r r

Ibises, Spoonbill, Stork

_____Glossy Ibis uuuc

_____White Ibis* a a c c

_____Roseate Spoonbill r r r

_____Wood Stork uuur

Waterfowl

_____Fulvous Whistling-Duck r r r

_____Tundra Swan r r

_____Greater White-fronted Goose r r

_____Snow Goose u o

_____Canada Goose r r r

_____Wood Duck* c c a a

_____Green-winged Teal c c c

_____American Black Duck u u u

_____Mallard u u c

_____Northern Pintail c c c

_____Blue-winged Teal c u c c

_____Cinnamon Teal r r

_____Northern Shoveler c r c c

_____Gadwall c c c

_____Eurasian Wigeon r r

_____American Wigeon c r c c

_____Canvasback u u u

_____Redhead u r a a

_____Ring-necked Duck c c c

_____Greater Scaup u o c c

_____Lesser Scaup c o c c

_____Oldsquaw r r

_____Black Scoter r r r

_____Surf Scoter r r r

_____Common Goldeneye u u u

_____Bufflehead u c c

_____Hooded Merganser c c

_____Common Merganser r r

_____Red-breasted Merganser c r c c

_____Ruddy Duck u r u u

Vultures, Hawks and Allies

_____Black Vulture* u u c c

_____Turkey Vulture* cccc

_____Osprey* c c u o

_____Swallow-tailed Kite* u u

_____Mississippi Kite* u u

_____Bald Eagle* u o u c

_____Northern Harrier c r c c
SP S F W

_____Sharp-shinned Hawk r u u

_____Cooper’s Hawk r u o

_____Red-shouldered Hawk* cccc

_____Broad-winged Hawk* u u u

_____Red-tailed Hawk* u u c c

_____Golden Eagle r r

_____American Kestrel u u u

_____Merlin o o o

_____Peregrine Falcon r o o

Gallinaceous birds (Quail, Turkey and Allies)

_____Wild Turkey* uuuu

_____Northern Bobwhite* uuuu

Rails, Gallinules, Coots and Cranes

_____Yellow Rail r r r

_____Black Rail* o o o

_____Clapper Rail* cccc

_____King Rail* uuuu

_____Virginia Rail u u u

_____Sora c c u

_____Purple Gallinule* u c u r

_____Common Moorhen* c a a u

_____American Coot a o a a

_____Limpkin rrrr

_____Sandhill Crane r r

Shorebirds

_____Black-bellied Plover c u c c

_____American Golden-Plover r r

_____Wilson’s Plover* uuuu

_____Semipalmated Plover c u c c

_____Piping Plover r r r

_____Killdeer* c r c u

_____American Oystercatcher* uuuu

_____Black-necked Stilt* o o o

_____American Avocet o o o

_____Greater Yellowlegs c u c u

_____Lesser Yellowlegs uuuu

_____Solitary Sandpiper o o o

_____Willet* c c a a

_____Spotted Sandpiper uuuo

_____Upland Sandpiper r r r

_____Whimbrel uuuu

_____Long-billed Curlew r r

_____Marbled Godwit o r o r

_____Ruddy Turnstone c u c u

_____Red Knot o r o

_____Sanderling uuuu

_____Semipalmated Sandpiper c u c

_____Western Sandpiper c c a u
SP S F W

_____Least Sandpiper cccc

_____White-rumped Sandpiper o r

_____Pectoral Sandpiper o o

_____Dunlin a r c a

_____Stilt Sandpiper o o

_____Short-billed Dowitcher c c a a

_____Long-billed Dowitcher r r r

_____Common Snipe u c u

_____American Woodcock u u u

_____Wilson’s Phalarope r r

_____Laughing Gull* c a c o

_____Bonaparte’s Gull o o o

_____Ring-billed Gull a o a a

_____Herring Gull c o c c

_____Great Black-backed Gull r r

_____Gull-billed Tern r r r

_____Caspian Tern rrrr

_____Royal Tern oooo

_____Sandwich Tern o o o

_____Common Tern u u u

_____Forster’s Tern cccc

_____Least Tern* c u u

_____Black Tern o u o

_____Black Skimmer oooo

Pigeons, Doves

_____Rock Dove rrrr

_____Eurasian Collared Dove oooo

_____White-winged Dove o

_____Mourning Dove* u u c u

_____Common Ground-Dove* uuuu

Cuckoos

_____Black-billed Cuckoo r r r

_____Yellow-billed Cuckoo* c c c

_____Groove-billed Ani r r

Owls

_____Common Barn Owl* rrrr

_____Eastern Screech-Owl* uuuu

_____Great Horned Owl* uuuu

_____Barred Owl* uuuu

Nightjars

_____Common Nighthawk* c c c

_____Chuck-will’s-widow* c c u

_____Whip-poor-will o o r
SP S F W

Swifts, Hummingbirds

_____Chimney Swift* u u u

_____Ruby-throated

_____Hummingbird* u o u

Kingfishers

_____Belted Kingfisher* cccc

Woodpeckers

_____Red-headed Woodpecker* oooo

_____Red-bellied Woodpecker* cccc

_____Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u u u

_____Downy Woodpecker* uuuu

_____Hairy Woodpecker* oooo

_____Red-cockaded Woodpecker* uuuu

_____Northern Flicker* c u c c

_____Pileated Woodpecker* uuuu

Flycatchers

_____Eastern Wood-Pewee* u u u

_____Acadian Flycatcher* c c u

_____Eastern Phoebe u c c

_____Vermilion Flycatcher r o o

_____Great Crested Flycatcher* c c o

_____Western Kingbird r o

_____Eastern Kingbird* c c c

_____Gray Kingbird* c c u

_____Scissor-tailed Flycatcher r r

Martins and Swallows

_____Purple Martin* c c u u

_____Tree Swallow a u a a

_____Northern Rough-winged

 Swallow c u u r

_____Bank Swallow o o o

_____Cliff Swallow r

_____Barn Swallow cccr

Jays and Crows

_____Blue Jay* cccc

_____American Crow* cccc

_____Fish Crow* cccu

Chickadees and Titmice

_____Carolina Chickadee* cccc

_____Tufted Titmouse* cccc

Nuthatches

_____Red-breasted Nuthatch r

_____Brown-headed Nuthatch* uuuu
SP S F W

Creepers

_____Brown Creeper r r r

Wrens

_____Carolina Wren* cccc

_____House Wren u c u

_____Winter Wren u u u

_____Sedge Wren u c c

_____Marsh Wren* cccc

Kinglets and Gnatcatchers

_____Golden-crowned Kinglet u u u

_____Ruby-crowned Kinglet c c c

_____Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* cccu

Bluebirds, Thrushes and Robin

_____Eastern Bluebird* u r u u

_____Veery o u

_____Gray-cheeked Thrush o u

_____Swainson’s Thrush o u

_____Hermit Thrush o u u

_____Wood Thrush o u

_____American Robin a c a

Thrashers

_____Gray Catbird c a c

_____Northern Mockingbird* cccc

_____Brown Thrasher* c c a c

Pipits

_____American Pipit u u u

Waxwings

_____Cedar Waxwing u u u

Starling

_____Starling* uuuc

Shrike

_____Loggerhead Shrike* uuuu

Vireos

_____White-eyed Vireo* cccu

_____Plumbeous Vireo u u u

_____Yellow-throated Vireo* u u u

_____Red-eyed Vireo* c u c

Warblers

_____Blue-winged Warbler r r r

_____Golden-winged Warbler r r
SP S F W

_____Tennessee Warbler r u

_____Orange-crowned Warbler u u u

_____Northern Parula* c c u

_____Yellow Warbler o c c

_____Chestnut-sided Warbler r o

_____Magnolia Warbler r u

_____Cape May Warbler u

_____Black-throated Blue Warbler r r

_____Yellow-rumped Warbler a a a

_____Black-throated Green Warbler r r

_____Blackburnian Warbler r r

_____Yellow-throated Warbler* c c u o

_____Pine Warbler* cccc

_____Prairie Warbler cccr

_____Palm Warbler c c r

_____Blackpoll Warbler u

_____Cerulean Warbler r r

_____Black-and-white Warbler uuuu

_____American Redstart o r o

_____Prothonotary Warbler* c c u

_____Worm-eating Warbler r r r

_____Swainson’s Warbler* r r r

_____Ovenbird r r

_____Northern Waterthrush r r r

_____Louisiana Waterthrush r r r

_____Kentucky Warbler* u u r

_____Common Yellowthroat* cccc

_____Hooded Warbler* u u u

_____Yellow-breasted Chat* c c r r

Tanagers

_____Summer Tanager* c c c

_____Scarlet Tanager r o

New World Finches

_____Northern Cardinal* cccc

_____Rose-breasted Grosbeak r o

_____Blue Grosbeak* u u u

_____Indigo Bunting* c u c

_____Painted Bunting r r

_____Dickcissel r r

Sparrows

_____Eastern Towhee* aaaa

_____Bachman’s Sparrow* uuuu

_____Chipping Sparrow u u u

_____Field Sparrow u u u

_____Vesper Sparrow u u u

_____Savannah Sparrow u u u

_____Henslow’s Sparrow r

_____Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed

 Sparrow u u u
_____Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow u u u

_____Song Sparrow c c c

_____Swamp Sparrow c c c

_____White-throated Sparrow c c c

_____White-crowned Sparrow r

_____Dark-eyed Junco r o o

_____Grasshopper Sparrow r r

_____Seaside Sparrow u u u

_____Lark Sparrow r

Blackbirds, Grackles, Cowbirds and Orioles

_____Bobolink c u

_____Red-winged Blackbird* aaaa

_____Eastern Meadowlark* c u c c

_____Rusty Blackbird u u u

_____Boat-tailed Grackle* aaaa

_____Common Grackle* cccc

_____Shiny Cowbird r r

_____Brown-headed Cowbird c u u u

_____Orchard Oriole* c u o

_____Baltimore Oriole r u

Old World Finches

_____Purple Finch r r u

_____American Goldfinch c c c

Weaver Finches

_____House Sparrow rrrr

SP S F W

Sighting Notes

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Date

Time

Weather

No. of species

Route or area

Route or area

Observers

Remarks
SP S F W

St. Marks

National Wildlife Refuge

P. O. Box 68

St. Marks, Florida 32355

850/925 6121

R4RW_FL.SMK@mail.gov

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov/r4eao

October 1998

Ethics for Birdwatching

Take care not to disturb nesting birds, exposing eggs and

young to extreme temperatures and predation.

Disturb wintering wildlife as little as possible,

particularly during critical feeding and resting periods.

They need all of their energy reserves to withstand the

stresses of harsh weather and migration.

Do not litter! Many birds die when they become

entangled in fishing lines, 6-pack rings and other trash,

or when they mistake garbage for food.

For further information, contact:

Refuge Manager

St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge

P. O. Box 68

St. Marks, Florida 32355

850/925 6121