U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Alligator River

National Wildlife Refuge

Bird List
Artwork:

Michal Skakuj (MS) and

Pat Moore (PJM) Cover: Brown-headed Nuthatch

Sedge Wren & Marsh Wren

Northern Flicker

MS
Alligator

River

National

Wildlife

Refuge

This blue goose,

designed by

J. N. “Ding”

Darling, has

become a symbol

of the

National

Wildlife

Refuge

System.

Birds of Alligator River National

Wildlife Refuge

Alligator River National Wildlife

Refuge provides a variety of habitat

for over 250 species of birds. The

diversity of refuge habitat includes

high and low pocosin (pond pine

bogs), fresh and brackish water

marshes, hardwood swamps, Atlantic

white cedar swamps, and managed

farming areas. The Refuge is of

importance as a major breeding area

for many species of songbirds. Truly

impressive are the breeding

populations of Prairie Warblers,

Prothonotary Warblers, and Common

Yellowthroats. The Refuge is of special

significance as the last major

stronghold of the Southeastern Coastal

Plain population of Black-throated

Green Warblers. Observant birders will

notice that several species of

“common” songbirds are relatively

scarce (completely absent in some

cases) as breeders in this coastal

location—species like Wood Thrush,

Red-eyed Vireo, American Redstart,

and Summer Tanager. This biologically

fascinating area may still hold

ornithological secrets—it was

recently discovered that Black-billed

Cuckoos over-summer (and

presumably breed) in the Refuge some

years, and that Northern Saw-whet

Owls sometimes overwinter in

numbers. The Refuge has several

colonies of the endangered Red-cockaded

Woodpeckers, although these are rather

inaccessible.

This bird list covers birds found within

the Refuge’s 152,000 acres, as well as

the 45,000+ acre Dare County Range

found within the Refuge’s borders and

waters immediately adjacent.

Although much of the Refuge can be

difficult to access, especially during

wet weather, accessible areas are an

unexplored adventure for the

enthusiastic birder. At any season, the

Refuge can be an excellent

complement to a birding excursion on

Red-cockaded

Woodpecker

Northern Harrier

MS

Not intended to be

the blue goose or

the Snow Goose,

but named for its

bright blue color as

a logo.

MS

Note
Sp - Spring March-May

S - Summer June-August

F - Fall September-November

W - Winter December-February

C Common (easily seen in suitable

habitat)

F Fairly common (seen most of the

time in suitable habitat)

U uncommon (usually 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)

A Accidental (extremely rare; birds

that are completely outside of

normal range)

* breeds or has bred on the Refuge

the nearby Outer Banks (Cape

Hatteras National Seashore, Pea

Island National Wildlife Refuge).

During late fall and winter, the

5,100-acre farming area attracts an

impressive variety of waterfowl and

raptors, and several rarities—such as

Swainson’s Hawk and Ash-throated

Flycatcher—have been found here. At

any season, you might see Northern

Bobwhites, and maybe a King Rail.

Please pay attention to refuge

regulations and signs marking

closed areas.

When and Where

In addition to walking trails, there are

15 miles of paddling trails which offer

access to Refuge habitats. Creef Cut

Wildlife Trail includes an observation

platform which overlooks a moist soil

management unit and a boardwalk

over a freshwater marsh. Waterfowl

(during the winter months), raptors,

and woodpeckers are common at this

location. Sandy Ridge Wildlife Trail

offers access to Milltail Creek wetland

areas and wanders through Atlantic

white cedar stands, areas with wood

duck boxes, and Prothonotary Warbler

nesting areas. Swainson’s Warblers

have also been heard here.

Nelson’s

Sharp-tailed

Sparrow

& Saltmarsh Sharptailed Sparrow

Barred Owl

American Bittern

Tree Swallows

MS

MS

MS
___Snow Goose O O O

___Canada Goose U O U U

___Brant R

___Tundra Swan U U C

___Wood Duck* F F F F

___Gadwall U U U

___American Wigeon O U U

___American Black Duck* U O U U

___Mallard F O F C

___Blue-winged Teal U F O

___Northern Shoveler F F F

___Northern Pintail O C C

___Green-winged Teal U F C

___Canvasback O O

___Redhead O O

___Ring-necked Duck U U F

___Greater Scaup O O O

___Lesser Scaup U U U

___Surf Scoter O O O

___Black Scoter O O U

___Bufflehead F F F

___Common Goldeneye O

___Hooded Merganser U U F

___Red-breasted Merganser U O U

___Ruddy Duck O U F

___Wild Turkey* U U U U

___Northern Bobwhite* C C C C

___Red-throated Loon O O U

___Common Loon F R U F

___Pied-billed Grebe U R U F

___Horned Grebe O U

___Wilson’s Storm Petrel A A

___Brown Pelican C C C C

___Double-crested Cormorant C U C C

___Anhinga* O O O

___American Bittern U R U U

___Great Blue Heron* C F C C

___Great Egret U F F U

___Snowy Egret U U U O

___Little Blue Heron O U U O

___Tricolored Heron U U U O

___Cattle Egret U U O

SP S F W

Blackpoll Warbler

Palm Warbler

MS

MS
___Green Heron* F C U

___Black-crowned

 Night-Heron O O O O

___Yellow-crowned

 Night-Heron R R R

___White Ibis F F F U

___Glossy Ibis O O O

___Black Vulture O O O O

___Turkey Vulture* C C C C

___Osprey* F F U R

___Swallow-tailed Kite R

___Mississippi Kite O R R

___Bald Eagle* U U U F

___Northern Harrier C R C C

___Sharp-shinned Hawk U F F

___Cooper’s Hawk U R U U

___Northern Goshawk A

___Red-shouldered Hawk* F F F F

___Broad-winged Hawk R

___Swainson’s Hawk A

___Red-tailed Hawk* C U F C

___Rough-legged Hawk R

___Golden Eagle A

___American Kestrel F C C

___Merlin O U O

___Peregrine Falcon O U O

___Yellow Rail R R

___Black Rail* O O O R

___Clapper Rail* F F F F

___King Rail* U U U U

___Virginia Rail* U O U U

___Sora O U O

___Purple Gallinule A

___Common Moorhen R R R R

___American Coot O U U

___Black-bellied Plover R R R R

___Semipalmated Plover O O O R

___Killdeer* C C C C

___Black-necked Stilt A

___Greater Yellowlegs U O U U

___Lesser Yellowlegs O O O O

___Solitary Sandpiper O O

___Spotted Sandpiper U U O

___Semipalmated Sandpiper R R R

___Western Sandpiper R R O O

___Least Sandpiper O O O R

___Dunlin F F F

___Short-billed Dowitcher R R R R

___Long-billed Dowitcher R O U

___Common Snipe F F F

___American Woodcock* U R U F

___Long-tailed Jaeger A

SP S F W
SP S F W

___Laughing Gull C C C O

___Franklin’s Gull A

___Bonaparte’s Gull U U

___Ring-billed Gull F O F C

___Herring Gull F F F F

___Great Black-backed Gull F U F F

___Gull-billed Tern R O R

___Caspian Tern O O U

___Royal Tern F F F O

___Sandwich Tern O U U

___Common Tern U U O

___Forster’s Tern F F F F

___Least Tern O O O

___Bridled Tern A

___Sooty Tern A

___Black Tern O O

___Black Skimmer O O O

___Rock Pigeon* O O O O

___Mourning Dove* C C C C

___Black-billed Cuckoo* O O R

___Yellow-billed Cuckoo* C C F

___Barn Owl R R

___Eastern Screech-Owl* C C C C

___Great Horned Owl* C C C C

___Barred Owl* C C C C

___Long-eared Owl A

___Short-eared Owl O R O U

___Northern Saw-whet Owl R R

___Common Nighthawk R R O

___Chuck-will’s-widow* C C U

___Whip-poor-will* U U U

___Chimney Swift* U U U

___Ruby-throated

 Hummingbird* C C C R

___Belted Kingfisher* F U F F

___Red-headed Woodpecker O O O

___Red-bellied Woodpecker* C C C C

___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker O U U

___Downy Woodpecker* C C C C

___Hairy Woodpecker* C C C C

___Red-cockaded U U U U

 Woodpecker*

___Northern Flicker* C C C C

___Pileated Woodpecker* C C C C

___Eastern Wood-Pewee* F F F

___Acadian Flycatcher* F F F

___Eastern Phoebe F C F

___Ash-throated Flycatcher A

___Great Crested Flycatcher* C C C

___Western Kingbird R R

___Eastern Kingbird* C C C

___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher A
SP S F W

___White-eyed Vireo* C C F O

___Yellow-throated Vireo O R

___Blue-headed Vireo F F F

___Philadelphia Vireo R

___Red-eyed Vireo* F U F

___Blue Jay* F F F F

___American Crow* C C C C

___Fish Crow* C C C F

___Horned Lark R R

___Purple Martin* C C U

___Tree Swallow U O F F

___Northern Rough-winged

Swallow O O

___Bank Swallow R O

___Barn Swallow* C C C

___Carolina Chickadee* C C C C

___Tufted Titmouse* U U U U

___Red-breasted Nuthatch O U O

___White-breasted Nuthatch* O O O O

___Brown-headed Nuthatch* C C C C

___Brown Creeper U U

___Carolina Wren* C C C C

___House Wren* U O C C

___Winter Wren U U U

___Sedge Wren F F F

___Marsh Wren* F F F F

___Golden-crowned Kinglet U C C

___Ruby-crowned Kinglet C C C

___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* C C C R

___Eastern Bluebird* U U U U

___Veery R R

___Gray-cheeked Thrush R R

___Swainson’s Thrush R R

___Hermit Thrush F F F

___Wood Thrush* U U U

___American Robin* C F C C

___Gray Catbird* C C C C

___Northern Mockingbird* F F F F

___Brown Thrasher* U U U U

___European Starling* C C C C

___American Pipit U U

___Cedar Waxwing* C O F F

___Blue-winged Warbler R R

___Orange-crowned Warbler U U U

___Nashville Warbler R

___Northern Parula* F F F

___Yellow Warbler U U U

___Chestnut-sided Warbler R

___Magnolia Warbler R O

___Cape May Warbler O

___Black-throated Blue

 Warbler O U

___Yellow-rumped Warbler C C C
SP S F W

___Black-throated Green

Warbler* C C U

___Blackburnian Warbler R R

___Yellow-throated Warbler* F F U

___Pine Warbler* C C C C

___Prairie Warbler* C C C R

___Palm Warbler U C U

___Bay-breasted Warbler R

___Blackpoll Warbler U U

___Black-and-white Warbler* F F F R

___American Redstart U R F

___Prothonotary Warbler* C C U

___Worm-eating Warbler* C C F

___Swainson’s Warbler* U U O

___Ovenbird* C C U R

___Northern Waterthrush R O

___Kentucky Warbler R R

___Mourning Warbler A

___Common Yellowthroat* C C C F

___Hooded Warbler* F F U

___Wilson’s Warbler R

___Canada Warbler R

___Yellow-breasted Chat* U U U R

___Summer Tanager U O U

___Scarlet Tanager U U

___Eastern Towhee* C C C C

___American Tree Sparrow A

 ___Chipping Sparrow U O U U

___Clay-colored Sparrow R

___Field Sparrow* O O U O

___Vesper Sparrow R R

___Lark Sparrow R

___Savannah Sparrow C C C

___Grasshopper Sparrow O O O

___Henslow’s Sparrow R R R

___Nelson’s Sharp-tailed

 Sparrow O U R

___Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed

 Sparrow O U R

___Seaside Sparrow* O O O R

___Fox Sparrow U U

___Song Sparrow C C C

___Lincoln’s Sparrow R R R

___Swamp Sparrow C C C

___White-throated Sparrow C C C

___White-crowned Sparrow O O

___Dark-eyed Junco O U U

___Snow Bunting R R

___Northern Cardinal* C C C C

___Rose-breasted Grosbeak O U

___Blue Grosbeak* F F F

___Indigo Bunting* C C C
SP S F W

___Painted Bunting R R R

___Dickcissel R R O

___Bobolink O C

___Red-winged Blackbird* C C C C

___Eastern Meadowlark* C C C C

___Yellow-headed Blackbird R R

___Rusty Blackbird O O O

___Brewer’s Blackbird A

___Common Grackle* C C C C

___Boat-tailed Grackle U U U U

___Shiny Cowbird A

___Brown-headed Cowbird* C C C C

___Orchard Oriole* U U R

___Baltimore Oriole O F R

___Purple Finch R R R

___House Finch* F F F F

___Common Redpoll A A

___Pine Siskin O O O

___American Goldfinch* U O U U

___Evening Grosbeak A A

___House Sparrow* U U U U
Field Notes

Please assist the Refuge by reporting sightings

of new species to alligatorriver@fws.gov or by

calling 252/473 1131.
SP S F W

Alligator River

National Wildlife Refuge

P.O. Box 1969

Manteo, North Carolina 27954

http://www.fws.gov/alligatorriver

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

Join us for Wings Over Water

http://www.wingsoverwater.org

September 2006