U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Atchafalaya

National Wildlife

Refuge Bird List

photo: Walton Clifton
Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge

(including Sherburne WMA)

Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge

is one of more than 540 national

wildlife refuges, managing over 94

million acres of land. The refuge is

adjacent to the Sherburne Wildlife

Management Area. Public use is

managed through a cooperative

agreement with the Louisiana

Department of Wildlife and Fisheries

as Sherburne Wildlife Management

Area. P.O. Box 127, Krotz Springs,

LA 70750, 337/566 2251.

Located in St. Martin and Iberville

Parishes, the refuge is 30 miles west

of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 1 mile

east of Krotz Springs, Louisiana and

just east of the Atchafalaya River. To

access from Interstate 10, take the

Whiskey Bay Exit onto highway 975

(gravel road) nine miles north to the

management area headquarters.

From Highway 190, exit at the east

toe of the Atchafalaya River Levee on

Hwy 975. Head south for 2.5 miles to

the management area headquarters.

Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge

was established by Congress on

October 26, 1984 (Public Law 98-396)

with money from the Land and Water

Conservation Fund. The U.S. Fish and

Wildlife Service purchased 15,220

acres in 1986 from the Iberville Land

Company. The refuge’s name

originated from its location within the

Atchafalaya River Basin, the largest

bottomland swamp in the USA.

The climate is mild with subtropical

weather throughout the year. Average

rainfall is approximately 54 inches.

The refuge manages for any and all

threatened and endangered wildlife

and plants that inhabit the refuge

including the American Bald Eagle

and Louisiana Black Bear. Secondary

management is for waterfowl and

other migratory birds, all other

indigenous wildlife, and to provide

wildlife oriented recreation,

education, and demonstration.

Walter Clifton

prothonotary warbler

Walter Clifton

eastern kingbird

Walter Clifton

wood duck

USFWS

great egret
Opportunities exist for birdwatching on the refuge. The refuge

was identified as a Globally

Important Bird Area by the

American Bird Conservancy. The

bottomland hardwood forests and

the mix of bayous, oxbow lakes,

sloughs, and swamps create a

diversity of habitats important to a

wide range of bird species.

Neotropical migrants abound during

the fall and spring migrations, and

many species nest on the refuge. The

refuge supports a number of small

wading bird rookeries. Each winter,

several thousand waterfowl make

their home on the refuge. Wood

Ducks are common summer nesters.

The Swallow-tailed Kite nests on the

refuge.

The following bird list contains 206

species, representing observations

by refuge and state WMA personnel,

local birders, researchers, and

volunteers.

Sightings of unlisted species should be

reported to:

Refuge Manager,

Southeast Louisiana Refuges

61389 Highway 434

Lacombe, Louisiana 70445

Seasons

SP-Spring March-May

S-Summer June-July

F-Fall August-November

W-Winter December-February

Habitat where found (H)

W - Open water

S - Swamp

F - Field

M - Marsh/Mud flat

A - Aerial/flyover

f - forest

s - scrub-shrub

E - forest Edge

Nancy Camel©

little blue heron

Walter Clifton

tufted titmouse

Walter Clifton

yellow-crowned

night heron

Walter Clifton

belted kingfisher

Donna Bush©

swallow-tailed kite
a-abundant - Many individuals per day in appropriate

habitat and season (>100/day)

c-common - Certain to be seen in suitable habitat

(10-100/day)

u-uncommon - Usually present in suitable habitat (<10/day)

r-rare - Seen only a few times during a season

(<1/day)

o-occasional - Only seen every few years

Grebes

___Pied-billed Grebe r c c W

Cormorants

___Double-crested Cormorant c o c c W

Anhingas

___Anhinga u c u r W

Herons & Bitterns

___Great Blue Heron c c c c S

___Great Egret a a c c S

___Snowy Egret c c c u S

___Little Blue Heron* c c c o S

___Tricolored Heron* c a r S

___Cattle Egret a a a r F

___Green Heron u u u S

___Black-crowned Night-Heron* u u u r M

___Yellow-crowned Night-Heron a a S

Ibises

___White Ibis a a c c M

___Roseate Spoonbill o o o o M

Storks

___Wood Stork* u c M

American Vultures

___Black Vulture c c c c A

___Turkey Vulture c u c c A

Waterfowl

___Greater White-fronted Goose o r o o W

___Snow (Blue) Goose o r o u W

___Wood Duck c c c a S

___Gadwall u r u W

___American Wigeon u u c W

___Mallard c c c W

___Blue-winged Teal u o u u W

SP S F W H
___Northern Shoveler u u c W

___Northern Pintail u u c W

___Green-winged Teal r o o W

___Canvasback r r u W

___Redhead r r u W

___Ring-necked Duck u u c W

___Lesser Scaup c c c W

___Bufflehead r r u W

___Hooded Merganser u r u c W

___Red-breasted Merganser o o o W

___Ruddy Duck c c c W

Hawks

___Osprey u r u r W

___Swallow-tailed Kite* u u u A

___Mississippi Kite* a a c A

___Bald Eagle* r r r W

___Northern Harrier* u u u F

___Sharp-shinned Hawk* u u u f

___Cooper’s Hawk* u u u f

___Red-shouldered Hawk c c c c S

___Broad-winged Hawk c u c f

___Red-tailed Hawk c o c c F

Falcons

___American Kestrel* c c c F

___Merlin o o r F

___Peregrine Falcon* r r o F

Turkeys

___Wild Turkey c c c c F

Rails

___King Rail c u c c S

___Virginia Rail u u u M

___Sora u u c M

___Purple Gallinule u u r S

___Common Moorhen (Gallinule) u u r M

___American Coot c c c W

Plovers

___Black-bellied Plover r r M

___Semipalmated Plover o o M

___Killdeer c c c c F

Stilts

___Black-necked Stilt c c c u M

Sandpipers

___Greater Yellowlegs c c M

___Lesser Yellowlegs u u u M

___Solitary Sandpiper* u r u S

SP S F W H
___Spotted Sandpiper u u u S

___Semipalmated Sandpiper* u u M

___Western Sandpiper r r r r M

___Least Sandpiper* u u c M

___Pectoral Sandpiper* u u r M

___Dunlin* u u r M

___Stilt Sandpiper* r r r M

___Wilson’s Snipe u u c M

___American Woodcock u u c c s

___Long-billed Dowitcher r r r M

Doves

___Rock Dove u A

___Eurasian Collared-dove o A

___Mourning Dove c c c c F

Cuckoos

___Black-billed Cuckoo r r r s

___Yellow-billed Cuckoo* c c c s

Barn Owls

___Barn Owl o o o o F

Owls

___Eastern Screech-Owl u u u u f

___Great Horned Owl u u u u F

___Barred Owl c c c c S

Nightjars

___Common Nighthawk c u c A

___Chuck-will’s-widow* u u f

___Whip-poor-will* o o o f

Swifts

___Chimney Swift c c c A

Hummingbirds

___Ruby-throated Hummingbird* c c c E

___Rufous Hummingbird u E

Kingfishers

___Belted Kingfisher c r c c W

Woodpeckers

___Red-headedWoodpecker* u u u r f

___Red-bellied Woodpecker c c c c f

___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u c c f

___Downy Woodpecker c c c c f

___Hairy Woodpecker u u u u f

___Northern Flicker c r c c E

___Pileated Woodpecker c c c c f

SP S F W H
Flycatchers

___Olive-sided Flycatcher o o f

___Eastern Wood-Pewee* u u f

___Yellow-bellied Flycatcher r s

___Acadian Flycatcher c c c f

___Alder Flycatcher u S

___Least Flycatcher u s

___Eastern Phoebe c c c s

___Vermilion Flycatche r r r r E

___Great Crested Flycatcher u u u E

___Eastern Kingbird* r r r E

___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher o F

Vireos

___White-eyed Vireo* a a a r E

___Yellow-throated Vireo u u r E

___Blue-headed Vireo u u c f

___Warbling Vireo o o o f

___Philadelphia Vireo r u f

___Red-eyed Vireo a a a f

Jays and Crows

___Blue Jay c c c c f

___American Crow a a a a F

___Fish Crow c c c c F

Swallows

___Purple Martin c c o A

___Tree Swallow c c c A

___Northern Rough-winged Swallow* c u c A

___Bank Swallow u u A

___Cliff Swallow u u u A

___Barn Swallow c u c A

Titmice

___Carolina Chickadee* c c c c f

___Tufted Titmouse c c c c f

Nuthatches

___Red-breasted Nuthatch o o f

Creepers

___Brown Creeper u u u f

Wrens

___Carolina Wren a a a a s

___House Wren u u u s

___Winter Wren u u u s

Kinglets

___Golden-crowned Kinglet u c u f

___Ruby-crowned Kinglet a a a s

SP S F W H
Gnatcatchers

___Blue-gray Gnatcatcher c c c u f

Thrushes

___Eastern Bluebird u u u u F

___Veery u u f

___Gray-cheeked Thrush u u f

___Swainson’s Thrush u u f

___Hermit Thrush u c c f

___Wood Thrush* c c c s

___American Robin a a a F

Shrikes

___Loggerhead Shrike* u u u u F

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

___Gray Catbird* c c u s

___Northern Mockingbird c u c c s

___Brown Thrasher* u u u s

Starlings

___European Starling (exotic) c c c a F

Pipits

___American Pipit u u u F

Waxwings

___Cedar Waxing a u a f

Wood Warblers

___Blue-winged Warbler u u s

___Golden-winged Warbler r r s

___Tennessee Warbler c c s

___Orange-crowned Warbler u u c s

___Nashville Warbler u s

___Northern Parula* a a f

___Yellow Warbler u o c s

___Yellow-throated Warbler u u r S

___Chestnut-sided Warbler u u s

___Magnolia Warbler u c s

___Yellow-rumped Warbler a a a s

___Black-throated Green Warbler u c f

___Blackburnian Warbler u r f

___Pine Warbler r u u f

___Prairie Warbler o r s

___Palm Warbler* o u u F

___Bay-breasted Warbler u r f

___Cerulean Warbler* u f

___Black-and-WhiteWarbler u u o f

___American Redstart a a c f

___Prothonotary Warbler* a a r S

___Worm-eating Warbler* u u s

___Swainson’s Warbler* c c r s

SP S F W H
___Ovenbird u u s

___Northern Waterthrush u u S

___Louisiana Waterthrush* u u S

___Kentucky Warbler* c c u s

___Mourning Warbler u s

___Common Yellowthroat c c c c s

___Hooded Warbler c c c s

___Wilson’s Warbler u u r s

___Canada Warbler r u s

___Yellow-breasted Chat* a a c o s

Tanagers

___Summer Tanager c c c f

___Scarlet Tanager u u f

Grosbeaks, Sparrows, Buntings

___Eastern Towhee c c c c s

___Fox Sparrow r r u s

___Song Sparrow u u c s

___Lincoln’s Sparrow r c c s

___Swamp Sparrow c c c M

___White-throated Sparrow a a a E

___White-crowned Sparrow u r u s

___Dark-eyed Junco u r u E

___Northern Cardinal a a a a f

___Rose-breasted Grosbeak u u f

___Blue Grosbeak u r c u s

___Indigo Bunting c c c s

___Painted Bunting* c c u E

___Dickcissel* u r u F

Blackbirds and Orioles

___Bobolink u F

___Red-winged Blackbird a a a a M

___Eastern Meadowlark* c c c c F

___Rusty Blackbird* u r u S

___Common Grackle a a a a F

___Brown-headed Cowbird a a c a F

___Orchard Oriole* u u o s

___Baltimore Oriole* u u f

___Purple Finch u r u f

___House Finch u o u u F

___American Goldfinch c u a F

* Species of concern, due to declining populations

Ethics of Birdwatching

Take care not to disturb nesting birds, exposing eggs and

young to extreme temperatures and predation.

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.

SP S F W H
walter clifton

190

975

P

P

P

P

P

P P

P

P

P

P

Atchafalaya

 River

Whiskey

Bay Pilot

Channel

Little

Alabama

Bayou

Alabama

Bayou Johnson

Bayou

Bayou

Close

Bayou

Stiff

Green Tree

Reservoir

Happytown

Road

Refuge headquarters

Camping

Boat launch

Parking

Area Boundary

Highway

Gravel road

Pipeline

Powerline

Levee

Bayou

Private land

No hunting

No Waterfowl hunting

South Farm Complex

Trail

Legend

P

Irongate Rd.

Alabama Rd.

Main Rd.

Bayou 

Manuel Rd.

Landing 

Rd.

Section 

120 Rd.

Sherbu

Manag

Atchaf

Refuge

Des Ou

Sherburne

To Lafayette

P

P
10

76

P

East

Protection

Levee

Bayou

Black

Dixie

Bayou

South Farm 

Complex

Bayou des 

Glaises

To Baton Rouge

urne Wildlife 

gement Area - LDWF,

falaya National Wildlife 

e - USFWS, and Bayou

urses Area - USACOE

e Complex
Southeast Louisiana Refuges

61389 Highway 434

Lacombe, Louisiana 70445

985/882 2000

southeast.fws.gov

http://atchafalaya.fws.gov

Email: Atchafalaya@fws.gov

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

August 2006