U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

North Louisiana

Refuges Complex

Bird List

Prothonotary Warbler
D’Arbonne National Wildlife

Refuge, established in 1975, is a

17,421-acre tract that was set

aside to preserve bottomland

hardwood forests. This refuge also

contains permanent open water, a

portion of Bayou D’Arbonne,

grass/shrub habitat, and upland

pines. The Upper Ouachita

National Wildlife Refuge was

established in 1978 and

encompasses nearly 43,000 acres,

including the Mollicy Unit. The

original refuge consists of

bottomland hardwoods, whereas

the 16,000-acre Mollicy tract was

an agricultural area, much of

which has been restored to

bottomland hardwoods.

Charles Heck

dickcissel
This blue goose,

designed by

J. N. “Ding”

Darling, has

become a symbol

of the

National

Wildlife

Refuge

System.

Black Bayou Lake NWR,

established in 1997, is 4,500

acres which include a 1,600-

acre cypress lake, a 3-acre

demonstration prairie and an

arboretum. Five hundred acres

of wetland habitat (shallow

lake) are available to waterfowl

and wading birds at Handy

Brake NWR.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers can be

seen in the upland pine stands on

D’Arbonne NWR throughout the year.

Birders interested in observing

waterfowl will want to visit all refuges

during the winter, but particularly in

January. Bald Eagles may also be seen

at Upper Ouachita and D’Arbonne

refuges throughout the winter.

Backwater flooding limits access to

many areas during the flooding season.

However, there are several boat ramps

on or adjacent to the refuges. Some

areas are closed to public entry.

This list contains 239 species of birds

that have been observed by refuge

personnel and local birders. Avian

survey data were also used to

contribute information. Please report

observations of birds not currently on

this list. Contact: Refuge Manager,

11372 Hwy 143

Farmerville, LA 71241

(phone 318-726-4222).

How to use this checklist

This bird list conforms to the

nomenclature and arrangement

established by the American

Ornithologists’ Union (2006). Symbols

used in this brochure represent the

following:

Seasonal Appearance

Sp Spring (March-May)

S Summer (June-August)

F Fall (September-November)

W Winter (December-February) cover photo:

Charles Heck

Charles Heck Robert Rickett

eagle

purple gallinule
SP S F W

Seasonal Abundance

a- Abundant (a common species which is very

numerous)

c- Common (certain to be seen 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)

* Known or suspected to have nested on refuge

Waterfowl

___Greater White-fronted Goose c c

___Snow Goose u c

___Ross’s Goose o u

___Canada Goose o o

___Black-bellied Whistling Duck r r

___*Wood Duck a c c a

___Gadwall c c c

___American Wigeon c u c

___American Black Duck o o

___Mallard a r a a

___*Mottled Duck o o o o

___Blue-winged Teal c c u

___Northern Shoveler u c c

___Northern Pintail c c c

___Green-winged Teal c c a

___Canvasback u u

___Redhead o o

___Ring-necked Duck c c c

___Greater Scaup r

___Lesser Scaup u u c

___Bufflehead o o o

___*Hooded Merganser u u u

___Common Merganser o o o

___Red-breasted Merganser o o

___Ruddy Duck o u u

Gallinaceous Birds (Quail, Turkey and Allies)

___*Wild Turkey u u u u

___*Northern Bobwhite o o o o

Grebes

___*Pied-billed Grebe u u c c

___Horned Grebe r r
 SP S F W

Pelicans, Cormorants & Darters

___American White Pelican o o o o

___*Double-crested Cormorant c c a c

___*Anhinga c c c r

Bitterns, Herons & Egrets

___American Bittern o o u

___Least Bittern r

___*Great Blue Heron c c c c

___*Great Egret a a c u

___*Snowy Egret u c o

___*Little Blue Heron u c o

___Tricolored Heron o o

___*Cattle Egret c c c u

___*Green Heron c c o

___Black-crowned Night-heron u u u

___*Yellow-crowned Night-heron u c u

Ibises, Spoonbills, Storks &

New World Vultures

___*White Ibis o u u

___Roseate Spoonbill r r

___Wood Stork o o

___*Black Vulture c c c c

___*Turkey Vulture c c c c

Hawks, Eagles & Kites

___Osprey o o o

___*Mississippi Kite u c u

___*Bald Eagle u u o u

___Northern Harrier u c c

___Sharp-shinned Hawk u o u u

___*Cooper’s Hawk u u u u

___*Red-shouldered Hawk c c u u

___Broad-winged Hawk o o u

___*Red-tailed Hawk c u u c

___Golden Eagle o o

True Falcons

___*American Kestrel u r u u

___Merlin r r r

___Peregrine Falcon o o o

Rails, Gallinules, Coots & Cranes

___King Rail o o

___Virginia Rail o o

___Sora o o

___*Purple Gallinule o o

___*Common Moorhen o o o o

___*American Coot a c c a
SP S F W

Plovers

___American Golden-Plover o

___Black-bellied Plover o o

___Semipalmated Plover o o

___Piping Plover o o

___*Killdeer c c c c

Avocets & Sandpipers

___*Black-necked Stilt u o u

___Greater Yellowlegs u o u o

___Lesser Yellowlegs u o u

___Solitary Sandpiper u o u

___Spotted Sandpiper o o u

___Upland Sandpiper o o

___Whimbrel r

___Semipalmated Sandpiper c u

___Western Sandpiper c o c

___Least Sandpiper c o u r

___Pectoral Sandpiper c o c

___Stilt Sandpiper r o o

___Short-billed Dowitcher o o u o

___Long-billed Dowitcher o o u o

___Common Snipe u o u

___*American Woodcock u o o u

Gulls, Terns & Skimmers

___Bonaparte’s Gull o o

___Ring-billed Gull o o

___Herring Gull o o

___Caspian Tern o o

___Forster’s Tern o o

___Least Tern o o

___Black Tern o o

Pigeons & Doves

___Rock Dove u u u u

___*Mourning Dove c c c c

Cuckoos

___Black-billed Cuckoo r r

___*Yellow-billed Cuckoo c c c

___*Greater Roadrunner o o o o

Owls

___Barn Owl r r r r

___*Eastern Screech-Owl u u u u

___*Great Horned Owl u u u u

___*Barred Owl c c c c

___Short-eared Owl r
SP S F W

Nightjars

___*Common Nighthawk c c c

___*Chuck-will’s-widow u u u r

___Whip-poor-will u u

Swifts & Hummingbirds

___*Chimney Swift c c c

___*Ruby-throated Hummingbird c c u o

Kingfishers

___*Belted Kingfisher c c c c

Woodpeckers

___*Red-headed Woodpecker u u u u

___*Red-bellied Woodpecker c c c c

___Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u c

___*Downy Woodpecker c c c c

___*Hairy Woodpecker u u u u

___*Red-cockaded Woodpecker c c c c

___*Northern Flicker u u c c

___*Pileated Woodpecker u u u u

Tyrant Flycatchers

___*Eastern Wood-Pewee u c u

___*Acadian Flycatcher c c c

___Eastern Phoebe u r c c

___*Great Crested Flycatcher c u c

___*Eastern Kingbird c c c

___Scissor-tailed Flycatcher o r o

___Vermilion Flycatcher r

Shrikes

___*Loggerhead Shrike c c c c

Vireos

___*White-eyed Vireo c c c r

___*Yellow-throated Vireo u u u

___Blue-headed Vireo u u u

___*Warbling Vireo o o

___Philadelphia Vireo o o

___*Red-eyed Vireo c c u

Jays & Crows

___*Blue Jay c c c c

___*American Crow a a a a

___*Fish Crow c u u u

Larks

___Horned Lark u r u u
SP S F W

Martins & Swallows

___*Purple Martin u u u

___Tree Swallow u c

___*N. Rough-winged Swallow u u u

___Bank Swallow o o

___*Barn Swallow c c c

Chickadees & Titmice

___*Carolina Chickadee a a a a

___*Tufted Titmouse a a a a

Nuthatches

___Red-breasted Nuthatch u u u

___*White-breasted Nuthatch u u u u

___*Brown-headed Nuthatch c c c c

Creepers

___Brown Creeper u u

Wrens

___*Carolina Wren c c c c

___Bewick’s Wren r r

___House Wren o o o

___Winter Wren o o

___Sedge Wren o o o

Kinglets & Gnatcatchers

___Golden-crowned Kinget u u

___Ruby-crowned Kinglet o c c

___*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher c u o o

Thrushes

___*Eastern Bluebird c c c c

___Veery o o

___Gray-cheeked Thrush o o

___Swainson’s Thrush o o

___Hermit Thrush u c c

___*Wood Thrush c c u

___*American Robin c u a a

Mockingbirds & Thrashers

___*Gray Catbird u u u u

___*Northern Mockingbird a a a a

___*Brown Thrasher c c c c

Starlings

___European Starling c c a a

Pipits

___American Pipit u u u
Waxwings

___Cedar Waxwing c u c

Wood Warblers

___Blue-winged Warbler u u

___Golden-winged Warbler u u

___Tennessee Warbler u u

___Orange-crowned Warbler o u c

___Nashville Warbler o r

___*Northern Parula c c u

___Yellow Warbler u u

___Chestnut-sided Warbler u u

___Magnolia Warbler u u

___Black-throated Blue Warbler r

___Yellow-rumped Warbler u u c

___Black-throated Green Warbler u u

___Blackburnian Warbler u u

___*Yellow-throated Warbler c c u

___*Pine Warbler c c c c

___*Prairie Warbler c u o

___Palm Warbler u u r

___Bay-breasted Warbler u u

___Blackpoll Warbler u u

___Cerulean Warbler r r

___*Black-and-white Warbler u o o

___American Redstart u o

___*Prothonotary Warbler c c u

___*Worm-eating Warbler o o o

___Swainson’s Warbler r r r

___Ovenbird o o

___Northern Waterthrush o o

___*Louisiana Waterthrush u u o

___*Kentucky Warbler c u u

___Mourning Warbler o o

___*Common Yellowthroat c c u u

___*Hooded Warbler c c u

___Wilson’s Warbler o o

___Canada Warbler o o

___*Yellow-breasted Chat u u u

Tanagers

___*Summer Tanager c c u

___Scarlet Tanager o o

Sparrows

___Eastern Towhee c c c c

___*Bachman’s Sparrow o o o o

___*Chipping Sparrow c c c c

___*Field Sparrow c c c c

___Vesper Sparrow o

___Savannah Sparrow u c a

___Grasshopper Sparrow r

SP S F W
SP S F W

___Henslow’s Sparrow o

___Le Conte’s Sparrow o

___Fox Sparrow o u

___Song Sparrow o u c

___Lincoln’s Sparrow o o o

___Swamp Sparrow c u c

___White-throated Sparrow c c a

___White-crowned Sparrow o o u

___Dark-eyed Junco u u c

___Lapland Longspur o

New World Finches

___*Northern Cardinal a a a a

___Rose-breasted Grosbeak u o

___*Blue Grosbeak u u o

___*Indigo Bunting c c u

___*Painted Bunting u u u

___*Dickcissel u u u

Blackbirds

___*Red-winged Blackbird a c c a

___*Eastern Meadowlark c c c c

___Rusty Blackbird o o

___Brewer’s Blackbird c c c

___*Common Grackle c c c c

___*Brown-headed Cowbird c c c c

___*Orchard Oriole u u u

___*Baltimore Oriole u u u

Old World Finches

___Purple Finch o u

___Pine Siskin o u

___American Goldfinch u c c

___Evening Grosbeak r r

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.

Please 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.

Revised by: Keith Ouchley and Gypsy Hanks
Route or area

Sighting Notes

Date______________________________________________

Time_____________________________________________

Weather __________________________________________

No. of species _____________________________________

Route or area _____________________________________

__________________________________________________

Observers_________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Remarks_______________________________________________

___________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

___________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

__________________________________________________

Robert Rickett

hummingbird
North Louisiana Refuges Complex

11372 Highway 143

Farmerville, Louisiana 71241

318/726 4222

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

1 800/344 WILD

http://www.fws.gov/r4eao

February 2008