Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge Bird List

U.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceMuscatatuckNational Wildlife RefugeBird Checklist

Birds of MuscatatuckMuscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge wasestablished in 1966 to provide habitat formigratory birds and endangered species. This7,724-acre refuge near Seymour is recognized asa “Continentally Important” bird area. A 78-acreparcel near Bloomington, also part of MuscatatuckNWR, is known as the Restle Unit.The mission of Muscatatuck NWR is to restore,preserve, and manage a mix of forest, wetland, andgrassland habitat for fish, wildlife, and people. Watermanagement is an important tool at Muscatatuckand refuge moist soil units, green tree units, andpermanent marshes provide feeding and nestingareas for many kinds of birds.A wide variety of birds can be found year-round atMuscatatuck. Winter attracts a variety of ducks tothe refuge, and birds like tundra swans and baldeagles visit regularly. In spring, wood ducks, Canadageese, and mallards begin nesting while mostother migratory waterfowl depart. In April, greatblue herons nest and great egrets visit the refuge.Migrating warblers pass through in May. Geeseand wood duck broods are common in June. ByAugust, early migrant blue-wing teal arrive to markthe beginning of fall migration. In the fall, ospreyand cormorants appear over the big lakes, sandhillcranes fly over the refuge on their way south, andthe winter songbirds return.Following is a list of 279 species which have beenreported on the refuge. The information is obtainedfrom refuge personnel and other interested birders,such as yourself. Species names and taxonomicorder follow the American Ornithologist’s Union’sChecklist of North American Birds. If you seesomething rare or unusual, please share theinformation with the refuge staff.LegendSp Spring, March-MayS Summer, June-AugustF Fall, September-NovemberW Winter, December-Februaryc Common – Certain to be seen in suitable habitatu Uncommon – May or may not be presentr Rare – Seen at intervals of 2-5 yearsx Very Rare – seen only a few times/decade* Breeds on refuge

Common NameLoonsCommon loonRed-throated loonSpSF WrrxGrebesPied-billed grebe*Horned grebeRed-necked grebeEared grebec urrrcrrcCormorantsDouble crested cormorantccuHerons and BitternsAmerican white pelicanAmerican bitternLeast bittern*Great blue heron*Great egretSnowy egretLittle blue heronTricolored heronCattle egretGreen heron*Black-crowned night heron*Yellow-crowned night heronGlossy IbisWhite-faced ibisWhite ibisxur rc cu ur xr rxxc cr rx xxx xxxurc uurrxxurxVulturesBlack vulture*Turkey vulture*ccccuccSwans, Geese and DucksGreater white-fronted gooseSnow gooseRoss’ gooseuCackling gooseCanada goose*c cMute swanTundra swanTrumpeter swanWood duck*c cGadwallc rAmerican wigeoncAmerican black duckc rMallard*c uBlue-winged teal*c uNorthern shovelercNorthern pintailuGreen-winged tealcCanvasbackuruurrru uc cr ruuc uc uc uc uc cc rc cu ru ru r

Common NameRedheadRing-necked duckGreater scaupLesser scaupWhite-winged scoterLong-tailed duckFulvous whistling duckBuffleheadCommon goldeneyeHooded merganser*Common merganserRed-breasted merganserRuddy duckSp Sucucxxxuuu uuruFucucWuuruHawk and EaglesOspreyMississippi kiteBald eagle*Northern harrierSharp-shinned hawk*Cooper’s hawk*Northern goshawkRed-shouldered hawk*Broad-winged hawkRed-tailed hawk*Rough-legged hawkGolden eaglerxu uu ru uc cxc crc crrru uu cu uc cx xc crc cr rr rFalconsAmerican kestrel*MerlinPeregrine falconu uuuu uu ruUpland Game BirdsRuffed grouseWild turkey*Northern bobwhite*Ruffed grousexcrxxcrxxcrxRails and CootsYellow railKing rail*Virginia rail*Sora rail*Black railCommon gallinule*American coot*xx xu ou cxu uc rxxuuxcuCranesSandhill craneWhooping cranec rxuxcxxu uu ru urru uxcrx

AmericanKestrelDave Menke,USFWS

Common NameShorebirdsBlack-bellied ploverSemipalmated ploverAmerican golden ploverKilldeer*Greater yellowlegsLesser yellowlegsSolitary sandpiperWilletSpotted sandpiper*Upland sandpiperRuddy turnstoneSanderlingSemipalmated sandpiperWestern sandpiperLeast sandpiperWhite-rumped sandpiperBaird’s sandpiperPectoral sandpiperDunlinStilt sandpiperShort-billed dowitcherLong-billed dowitcherWilson’s snipeAmerican woodcock*Wilson’s phalaropeGulls and TernsFranklin’s gullBonaparte’s gullRing-billed gullHerring gullCaspian ternCommon ternForster’s ternLeast ternBlack ternDovesRock pigeon*Mourning dove*CuckoosBlack-billed cuckoo*Yellow-billed cuckoo*OwlsBarn owlEastern screech owl*Great horned owl*Barred owl*Long-eared owlShort-eared owlNorthern saw-whet owlSpSF Wr rr rxc cc cc cc cu rx xx xru ux xu rr rr rc cu uu uu rr rc cc ur rrurr rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrucucu uc crurcucx xu uc cc cxxrccccuuxxruxcrrcuurrc uu urrrx xu uc cc cxx xr r

Common NameNighthawks and NightjarsCommon rSF WcrruSwiftsChimney swift*cccHummingbirdsRuby-throated hummingbird*cccKingfishersBelted kingfisher*cccWoodpeckersRed-headed woodpecker*Red-bellied woodpecker*Yellow-bellied sapsuckerDowny woodpecker*Hairy woodpecker*Northern flicker*Pileated woodpecker*u uc cuc cc cc cc cu uc cu uc cc cc cc cFlycatchersOlive-sided flycatcherEastern wood-pewee*Yellow-bellied flycatcherAcadian flycatcher*Alder flycatcherWillow flycatcher*Least flycatcher*Eastern phoebe*Great crested flycatcher*Eastern kingbird*rcucxcuccccrcuccrccccucccrrc cr rc cuc cuc cccrcucccccccuuu uShrikesLoggerhead shrikeNorthern shrikerVireosWhite-eyed vireo*Bell’s vireo*Yellow-throated vireo*Blue-headed vireoWarbling vireo*Philadelphia vireoRed-eyed vireo*Jays, Magpies and CrowsBlue jay*American crow*LarksHorned lark*crurrcc

Common NameSwallowsPurple martin*Tree swallow*Northern rough-winged swallow*Bank swallow*Cliff swallow*Barn swallow*SpSF WucurruucurruucurrucxccxccxcNuthatchesRed-breasted nuthatchWhite-breasted nuthatch*ucrcu uc cCreepersBrown creeper*uru uWrensCarolina wren*Bewick’s wrenHouse wren*Winter wrenSedge wren*Marsh wren*c cx xc cuc cu rc cxuu ucuccc cc cuuccc cc cc uc ucc cuucc uc rc cMimicsGray catbird*Northern mockingbird*Brown thrasher*cccccccccuuStarlingsEuropean starling*ccccPipitsAmerican pipitrurWaxwingsCedar waxwing*cccChickadees and TitmiceCarolina chickadee*Black-capped chickadeeTufted titmouse*Kinglets, Bluebirds and ThrushesGolden-crowned kingletRuby-crowned kingletBlue-gray gnatcatcher*Eastern bluebird*VeeryGray-cheeked thrushSwainson’s thrushHermit thrushWood thrush*American robin*ccxc

Common NameWarblersBlue-winged warbler*Golden-winged warblerTennessee warblerOrange-crowned warblerNashville warblerNorthern parula*Yellow warbler*Chestnut-sided warblerMagnolia warblerCape May warblerBlack-throated blue warblerYellow-rumped warblerBlack-throated green warblerBlackburnian warblerYellow-throated warbler*Pine warbler*Prairie warbler*Palm warblerBay-breasted warblerBlackpoll warblerCerulean warbler*Black-and-white warblerAmerican redstart*Kirtland’s warblerProthonotary warbler*Worm-eating warbler*Ovenbird*Northern waterthrushLouisiana waterthrush*Kentucky warbler*Connecticut warblerMourning warblerCommon yellowthroat*Hooded warbler*Wilson’s warblerCanada warblerYellow-breasted chat*TanagersSummer tanager*Scarlet tanager*SpSF Wc crcrcc uc cucuuccuc cu uc ccucu ucc cxc cr ru uru uc crrc cr rrrc ccrcrcucucuuc ucuuu rucccuccxcrurucrrc rrrrccccccc

Common NameSparrows, Buntings and GrosbeaksEastern towhee*American tree sparrowChipping sparrow*Clay-colored sparrowField sparrow*Lark sparrowVesper sparrowSavannah sparrow*Grasshopper sparrow*Henslow’s sparrow*Le Conte’s sparrowFox sparrowSong sparrow*Lincoln’s sparrowSwamp sparrow*White-throated sparrowWhite-crowned sparrowDark-eyed juncoLapland longspurSnow buntingNorthern cardinal*Rose-breasted grosbeakBlue grosbeak*Indigo bunting*Dickcissel*Blackbirds and OriolesBobolinkRed-winged blackbird*Eastern meadowlark*Rusty blackbirdBrewer’s blackbirdCommon grackle*Brown-headed cowbird*Orchard oriole*Baltimore oriole*Sp Sc cuc cxc cx xu rc rr rr rrcc ccccccc cu ru uc cr uF Wc uc ccxc uxu rc rrrrc cc cc rc cc cc cc crrc cuucrrc cc curc cc cc cc crccurccccFinchesPurple finchHouse finch*Red crossbillWhite-winged crossbillCommon redpollPine siskinAmerican goldfinch*Evening grosbeakuc cuc cu uc cxxxu uc cxOld World SparrowsHouse sparrow*cccuuuuuc

Extremely Rare or AccidentalWestern GrebeRuddy ShellduckBlack ScoterSurf ScoterParadise ShellduckAmerican Swallow-tailed KiteRuffBramblingFish crowVaried ThrushHarris SparrowNelson’s Sharp-tailed SparrowLaughing GullBirdwatching is encouraged.Please obey posted signs.

Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge12985 E. U.S. Highway 50Seymour, IN uge/muscatatuckPeople with hearing impairments can reachMuscatatuck through the Federal Information RelaySystem at 1-800-743-3333U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800-344-WILD (9453)www.fws.govSeptember 2020

the refuge, and birds like tundra swans and bald eagles visit regularly. In spring, wood ducks, Canada geese, and mallards begin nesting while most other migratory waterfowl depart. In April, great blue herons nest and great egrets visit the refuge. Migrating warblers pass through in May. Geese and wood duck broods are common in June. By