Red-winged blackbird NPS Photo / Scott Sharaga
Birds of the Big Thicket
This bird checklist shows the abundance, seasons, and habitat of each bird known to inhabit the Big Thicket region.► Download a printable copy of the bird checklist
Guide to Checklist Symbols
Abundance
The occurrence of some species varies significantly from north to south within the preserve area, and the occurrences shown assume that all areas of the preserve were visited.
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.R – Rare: Seen at intervals of 2 to 5 per year.* Nests in the preserve or vicinity.
Seasons
Some species may be present for only a short period within the indicated season.
SP – SpringSU – SummerFA – FallWI – Winter
Habitats
AE – AerialF – Mixed hardwood forestsGR – GrasslandM – Marshes, wet edgesO – Open areasPI – Upland pineS – ShorelinesTH – ThicketsOW – Open water (oxbows, bayous, swamps, streams, reservoirs)
Swans, Geese, and Ducks
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Greater white-fronted goose
U
OW, GR
Snow goose
R
AE, O
Canada goose
R
AE, O
Wood duck* C
C
C
C
OW
Gadwall
U
OW
American wigeon
U/C
OW
Mallard
R
R
OW
Mottled duck*
R
R
R
R
OW, S
Blue-winged teal
R
R
R
OW, S
Northern shoveler
R
R
C
OW
Green-winged teal
U/C
OW
Canvasback
C
OW
Redhead
C
C
U
OW
Ring-necked duck
U/C
OW
Lesser scaup
C
OW
Bufflehead
R
OW
Hooded merganser
C
OW
Ruddy duck
R
C
OW
Pheasants, Turkeys, and Quail
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Northern bobwhite*
R
R
R
R
TH
Grebes
Storks
Cormorants
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Double-crested cormorant*
C
R
A
OW
Anhinga
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Anhinga*
U/C
C
U/C
U/C
OW
Pelicans
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
American white pelican
U
R
U
C
OW
Bitterns and Herons
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
American bittern
R
R
R
S
Least bittern*
R
M
Great blue heron* C
C
C
C
S
Great egret* C
C
C
C
S
Snowy egret*
C
C
C
C
S
Little blue heron*
C
C
U/C
U/C
S
Tricolored heron*
R
R
R
R
S
Cattle egret
C
C
C
O, S
Green heron*
C
C
U/C
M, S
Black-crowned night heron
U/C
S
Yellow-crowned night heron
C
C
U/C
S
Ibises
Vultures
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Black vulture*
A
A
A
A
AE, O
Turkey vulture* A
A
A
A
AE, O
Kites, Eagles, and Hawks
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Osprey
U
U
C
S
American swallow-tailed kite*
U/C
U/C
AE, OW
White-tailed kite
R
O, GR
Mississippi kite
R
R
R
AE
Bald eagle
R
C
AE, OW
Northern harrier
C
GR
Sharp-shinned hawk
U
U
U
F, PI
Cooper's hawk*
R
R
R
U
F, PI
Red-shouldered hawk*
C
C
C
C
AE, F
Broad-winged hawk
U
U
U
AE, PI
Swainson's hawk
C
U
U
GR, O
Red-tailed hawk
U
R
U
C
AE, O
Falcons
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
American kestrel
R
U
C
O
Merlin
R
F, PI
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Plovers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
American golden-plover
R
M
Killdeer*
C
C
C
A
O, S
Sandpipers and Phalaropes
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Spotted sandpiper
U
S
Greater yellowlegs
C
R
U
C
M, GR
Upland sandpiper
R
R
GR
Wilson's snipe
R
R
U
M, TH
American woodcock
R
R
U
F, PI
Gulls and Terns
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Bonaparte's gull
R
OW
Franklin's gull
R
R
OW
Northern pintail
U
OW, M
Ring-billed gull
R
OW
Herring gull
R
OW
Caspian tern
U
OW
Black tern
U
U
OW
Forster's tern
U
U
U
C
OW
Pigeons and Doves
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Rock pigeon
C
C
C
C
O
Eurasian collared-dove
U
U
U
U
O
White-winged dove
U
U
U
U
O
Mourning dove*
A
A
A
A
O, TH
Inca dove*
R
R
R
R
O
Cuckoos
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Yellow-billed cuckoo*
C
C
C
PI, F
Roadrunners
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Greater roadrunner*
U
U
U
U
TH
Owls
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Eastern screech owl*
C
C
C
C
PI, F
Great horned owl*
U
U
U
U
PI, O
Barred owl*
C
C
C
C
F
Goatsuckers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Common nighthawk*
U
U
U
AE, O
Chuck-will's widow*
R
R
R
AE, O
Swifts
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Chimney swift*
A
A
A
AE
Hummingbirds
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Ruby-throated hummingbird*
C
C
F, TH
Rufous hummingbird
R
R
F, TH
Kingfishers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Belted kingfisher*
C
U
C
C
OW
Woodpeckers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Red-headed woodpecker*
C
C
C
C
O, F
Red-bellied woodpecker* A
A
A
A
PI, F
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
R
R
A
F, PI
Downy woodpecker*
A
A
A
A
F, PI
Hairy woodpecker*
U
U
U
U
F, PI
Northern flicker*
C
R
C
C
PI, O
Pileated woodpecker C
C
C
C
F, PI
Flycatchers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Olive-sided flycatcher
U
U
PI, TH, F
Eastern wood pewee*
C
U
C
F, PI
Yellow-bellied flycatcher
R
R
F
Acadian flycatcher*
C
C
C
F
Eastern phoebe
C
C
C
TH, W
Vermilion flycatcher
R
Great crested flycatcher*
C
C
U
PI, F
Eastern kingbird
U
U
U
O
Scissor-tailed flycatcher
R
U
R
O
Shrikes
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Loggerhead shrike*
R
R
R
U
O
Vireos
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
White-eyed vireo*
A
A
A
R
TH
Yellow-throated vireo*
A
A
C
PI, F
Blue-headed vireo
U
U
C
F, PI
Warbling vireo
R
R
R
F
Philadelphia vireo
R
O
Red-eyed vireo*
A
A
A
F, PI
Jays and Crows
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Blue jay*
A
A
A
A
PI, F
American crow*
A
A
A
A
F, PI
Fish crow*
C
C
C
C
S
Swallows
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Purple martin*
A
A
R
AE, O
Tree swallow*
R
R
U
AE, OW
Northern rough-winged swallow
U
U
AE, OW
Bank swallow
U
U
AE, OW
Cliff swallow
R
R
AE, OW
Barn swallow*
U
U
U
AE
Chickadees and Titmice
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Carolina chickadee*
A
A
A
A
PI, F
Tufted titmouse*
A
A
A
A
F, PI
Nuthatches and Creepers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Red-breasted nuthatch
R
R
R
PI
White-breasted nuthatch*
R
R
R
R
F
Brown-headed nuthatch* C
C
C
C
PI
Brown creeper
U
R
U
F, PI
Wrens
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Carolina wren*
A
A
A
A
F, PI
House wren
U
U
U
TH
Winter wren
R
R
R
F, TH
Sedge wren
R
R
U
M, GR
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Blue-gray gnatcatcher*
C
U
C
C
R, PI
Golden-crowned kinglet
U
U
C
F, PI
Ruby-crowned kinglet
C
C
A
F, PI
Thrushes
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Eastern bluebird*
C
C
C
A
O
Veery
R
F, TH
Gray-cheeked thrush
R
R
F, PI
Swainson's thrush
R
R
F, PI
Hermit thrush
R
C
F, PI
Wood thrush*
U
U
U
R
PI, F
American robin* C
U
C
A
O, TH
Mimic Thrushes
Starlings
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
European starling*
U
U
U
U
O
Pipits and Wagtails
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
American pipit
R
M
Waxwings
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Cedar waxwing
U
C
PI, F
Warblers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Ovenbird
U
U
PI, F
Worm-eating warbler*
U
R
U
PI, F
Louisiana waterthrush*
U
U
U
F, S
Northern waterthrush
R
R
TH, S
Black-and-white warbler*
U
C
U
R
PI, F
Blue-winged warbler
R
TH
Prothonotary warbler*
C
C
C
F
Swainson's warbler*
C
C
C
F
Orange-crowned warbler
U
R
C
F, TH
Kentucky warbler* U
C
U
PI, F
Common yellowthroat*
U
U
U
U
TH, S
Hooded warbler
C
A
C
F, TH
American redstart*
U
R
U
R
F
Northern parula warbler*
A
A
R
F, PI
Magnolia warbler
U
R
F, PI
Bay-breasted warbler
R
F, PI
Blackburnian warbler
R
F, TH
Yellow warbler
R
R
R
M, TH
Chestnut-sided warbler
R
F, PI
Blackpoll warbler
R
F, PI
Palm warbler
R
M, TH
Pine warbler*
A
A
A
A
PI
Yellow-rumped Myrtle warbler
A
C
A
TH
Yellow-throated warbler*
C
C
U
F, PI
Prairie warbler*
U
C
R
TH
Black-throated green warbler
R
R
PI
Wilson's warbler
R
R
R
TH
Yellow breasted chat*
C
C
U
TH
Sparrows
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Eastern towhee
U
U
U
TH
Bachman's sparrow*
U
U
R
PI
Chipping sparrow*
C
U
U
A
PI
Field sparrow
C
TH
Vesper sparrow
R
GR
Lark sparrow
R
GR
Savannah sparrow
R
R
GR
Grasshopper sparrow
R
GR
Henslow's sparrow
R
GR
LeConte's sparrow
R
GR
Fox sparrow
U
TH, F
Song sparrow
C
TH, S
Lincoln's sparrow
U
TH
Swamp sparrow
C
S, TH
White-throated sparrow
A
A
PI, TH
White-crowned sparrow
R
R
F, TH
Dark-eyed slate-colored junco
C
PI
Tanagers
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Summer tanager*
C
C
C
PI, F
Scarlet tanager
R
F
Cardinals and Grosbeaks
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Northern cardinal*
A
A
A
A
TH
Rose-breasted grosbeak
R
TH
Blue grosbeak*
U
C
U
TH
Indigo bunting*
C
C
C
TH
Painted bunting*
U
C
U
U
TH
Blackbirds
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Red-winged blackbird*
C
C
C
C
S, O
Eastern meadowlark*
C
C
C
C
GR
Rusty blackbird
R
M
Brewer's blackbird
R
O
Common grackle*
C
C
C
C
O
Great-tailed grackle
U
U
U
U
O
Brown-headed cowbird*
C
C
C
C
O
Orchard oriole*
U
U
U
O, TH
Baltimore oriole
U
U
OW
Finches
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
Purple finch
U
F, PI
House finch
U
U
U
U
Pine siskin
U
PI, F, TH
American goldfinch
C
C
A
PI, F
Evening grosbeak
R
R
PI, F
Weaver Finches
SP
SU
FA
WI
Habitat
House sparrow*
U
U
U
U
O
