SOUTHEAST TEXAS BIRD LISTING

This is a confirmation list of all birds seen and identified along the Upper Texas Coast and in the Pineywoods of Southeast Texas over the past 50 years. With 418 identified species, the Southeast Texas region is arguably the greatest birding spot on the North American Continent. Some migrate through our area, others migrate to our area, and many are residents of our area.

The list was compiled from the following counties:

1) Brazoria 6) Fort Bend
2) Harris 7) Galveston
3) Chambers 8) Jefferson
4) Hardin 9) Tyler
5) Jasper 10) Newton

 

 

 

LEGEND

ABUNDANCE

TIME OF YEAR PRESENT

A = Abundant FA = Fall (Sept-Nov)
C = Common WI = Winter (Dec-Feb)
UC = Uncommon SP = Spring (Mar-May)
R = Rare SU = Summer (Jun-Aug)
VR = Very Rare * = Nests in Our Region
L = Less Than10Sightings on Record

HAB=Preferred Habitat

GL = Grasslands IF = Inland Forests
MW = Marsshy/Wetlands S = Shorelines
OS = Offshore OW = Open Waters(bayous, Creeks,etc)
= Link to Pictures

 

Loon/Grebe

Pelicans

Cormorants/Anhinga

Gulls

Jaegers/Shearwaters/Petrels

Fringatebird/Kittiwake

Boobys/Gannets

Skimmer/Terns

Bitterns/Herons/Egrets
Ibis/Storks Ducks/Geese/Swans/Cranesfa Coots/Gallinules/Rails
Plovers/Sandpipes/Phalaropes Owls Kites/Eagles/Hawks
Falcons/Caracaras Vultures Pheasants/Turkey/Quail
Pigeons/Doves Parakeets Hummingbirds
Cuckoos/Anis Kingfisher Roadrunners
Jays/Crows Nighjars Swifts/Swallows
Woodpeckers/Sapsuckers Flycatchers Larks
Chickadees/Titmice/Nuthatch Wrens/Creepers Gnatcatchers/Kinglets
Mimic Thrushes Thrushes Pipits
Waxwings Shrikes Starling
Vireos Warblers Blackbirds/Grackles/Orioles
Tanagers Sparrows/Finches Finches/Weavers
Carinals/Grosbeaks/Buntings    

 

 

Loons/Grebe

    FA WI SU SP HAB
  Loon, Common U A C R OS,S
  Loon, Pacific VR VR VR VR OS,S
  Loon, Red-throated R   VR R OS,S
  Grebe, Eared C C R R OS,S
  Grebe, Horned UC UC   VR OS,S
  Grebe, Least VR VR   VR OS,S,OW
  Grebe, Pied-billed* C C VR C OS,S,OW
  Grebe, Red-necked L - Last Sighting 1987 OS,S
Grebe, Western VR VR VR VR OS,S
Pelican
FA WI SU SP HAB
Pelican, American White A A UC A OS,S,OW,MW
Pelican, Brown* A A A A OS,S,OW,MW
Cormorants/Anhinga
FA WI SU SP HAB
Cormorant, Double- crested* C C R C OS,S,OW,MW
Cormorant, Olivaveous C C C C OS,S,OW,MW
Anhinga* A UC A A S,MW,OW
Gulls
FA WI SU SP HAB
Gull, California R R OS,MW,S,OW
Gull, Franklins's* C VR VR OS,MW,S
Gull, Glaucous VR VR VR OS,MW,S
Gull, Great Black-backed VR VR VR OS,MW,S
Gull, Herring C C UC C OS,MW,S
Gull, Laughing* A A A A OS,MW,S,OS
Gull, Lesser Blacked-backed VR VR VR OS,MW,S
Gull, Little L - Last Sighting 1986 OS,MW,S
Gull, Ring-billed A A UC A OS,MW,S,OW
Gull, Thayer's L - Last Sighting 1986
Jaegers/Searwaters/Petrels
FA WI SU SP HAB
Jaeger, Long-tailed L - Last Sighting 1977 OS,S
Jaeger, Parasitic R R R   OS,S
Jaeger, Pomarine R VR R OS,S
Storm-Petrel, Wilson's L - Last Sighting 1961 OS,S
Shearwater, Audubon's L - Last Sighting 1993  OS,S
Shearwater, Cory's L - Last Sighting 1980 OS,S
Shearwater, Greater L - Last Sighting 1980 OS,S
Shearwater, Scoty L - Last Sighting 1986 OS,S
Frigatebirds/Kittiwake
FA WI SU SP HAB
Frigatebird, Magnificent VR   C VR OS,S
Kittiwale, Black-legged VR VR   OS,S
Boobys/Gannets
FA WI SU SP HAB
Boody, Brown L - Last Sighting 1996 OS,S
Boody, Masked R   R R OS,S
Gannet, Northern UC UC   OS,S
Skimmer/Terns
FA WI SU SP HAB
Skimmer, Black A A A A OS,S
Tern, Black VR VR C UC OS,S
Tern, Bridled L - Last Sighting 1993 OS,S
Tern, Caspian* UC UC UC UC OS,S,OW
Tern, Common A R VR C OS,S,OW
Tern, Forster's* A A A A OS,S
Tern, Gull-billed* UC UC UC UC OS,S
Tern, Least*   C C OS,S
Tern, Royal* A A A A OS,S,OW
Tern, Sooty   VR VR OS,S
Tern, Sandwich* C R C C OS,S
Bittens/Herons/Egrets
FA WI SU SP HAB
Bittern, American C C VR C S,MW,OW
Bittern, Least* UC VR C UC MW,OW
Heron, Great Blue* A A A A S,MW,OW,GL
Heron, Little Blue* C C C C S,MW,OW,GL
Heron, Tricolored* C C C C OW,MW,S
Heron, Green-backed* C R C C OW,MW,S
Heron, Yellow-crowned Night* UC UC UC UC OW,MW.S,GL
Heron, Black-crowned Night* UC UC UC UC OW,MW.S,GL
Egret, Cattle* A A A A GL,MW,S,OW
Egret, Great* A A A A GL,MW,S,OW
Egret, Reddish* C C C C S.MW
Egret, Snowy* A A A A S,GL,OW,MW
Ibis/Storks
FA WI SU SP HAB
Ibis,Glossy VR   R R MW,GL,OW
Ibis, White* UC UC C C MW,GL,OW
Ibis, White-faced* UC UC C C MW,GL,OW
Wood Stork UC VR VR VR MW,GL,OW
Roseate Spoonbill* UC UC UC UC MW,S,OW
Ducks/Geese/Swans/Cranes
FA WI SU SP HAB
American Wigeon UC C VR VR OS,OW,MW
Bufflehead C C VR OS,OW,MW
Canvasback C C VR VR OS,OW,MW
Gadwall A A VR UC OS,OW,MW
Mallard UC UC R VR OS,OW,MW
Northern Pintail C C VR C OS,OW,MW
Northern Shoveler* A A A R OS,OW,MW
OldSquaw VR VR VR   OS,OW,MW
Redhead UC UC UC VR OS,OW,MW
Duck, American Black VR VR   OS,OW,MW
Duck, Black-bellied Whistling* UC UC UC C OS,OW,MW
Duck, Fulvous Whistling* A R C A OS,OW,MW
Duck, Masked* VR VR VR VR OS,OW,MW
Duck, Mottled* C C C C OS,OW,MW
Duck, Ring-necked UC UC UC UC OS,OW,MW
Duck, Ruddy* C C C UC OS,OW,MW
Duck, Wood* UC UC UC UC OS,OW,MW
Goldeneye, Common UC UC R   OS,OW,MW
Goldeneye, Barrow's L- Last Sighting 1993 OS,OW.MW
Merganser, Hoodded UC UC R   OS,OW,MW
Merganser, Red-breasted R C C   OS,OW,MW
Merganser, Common L- Last Sighting 1986 OS,OW,MW
Scaup, Greater UC UC R   OS,OW,MW
Scaup, Lesser A A R VR OS,OW,MW
Scooter, Black R R R   OS,OW,MW
Scooter, Surf VR UC UC OS,OW,MW
Scooter, White-winged R R R   OS,OW,MW
Teal, Blue-winged* A C A UC OS,OW,MW
Teal, Cinnamon UC UC UC   OS,OW,MW
Teal, Green-winged C C C VR GL,MW
Brant L- Last Sighting 1995 GL,MW
Goose, Canada* C C VR VR GL,MW
Goose, Greater White-fronted C A R R GL,MW
Goose, Ross' R C R R GL,MW
Goose, Snow UC A UC VR GL,MW
Swan, Tundra VR VR   GL,MW
Crane, Sandhill VR UC R   GL,MW
Crane, Whooping L-Last sighting 1997 GL,MW
Coots/Gallinules/Rails
FA WI SU SP HAB
American Coot* C C C C MW,OW
Common Moorhen C C C C MW,OW
Purple Gallinule VR VR VR C MW,OW
Rail, Black VR R VR R MW
Rail, Clapper* C C C C MW
Rail, King* UC UC C UC MW
Rail, Virginia UC UC C   MW,OW
Sora C UC A VR MW
Limpkin L-Last Sighted 1938 MW
Plovers/Sandpipers/Phalaropes
FA WI SU SP HAB
Curlew, Eskimo L- Last Sighted 1981 GL,S
Curlew, Long-billed A C C UC MW,GL,S
Dowitcher, Long-billed A A R A MW,GL
Godwit, Marbled UC UC C VR MW,GL
Godwit, Hudsonian VR NP C VR MW,GL
Phalarope, Red L- Last Sighting 1984 MW
Phalarope, Red-necked L- Last Sighting 1988 MW
Phalarope, Wilson's R VR UC VR MW,OW
Plover, Black-bellied A A A A GL,MW,S
Plover, Lessor Golden R VR R A GL,MW
Plover, Mountain L- Last Sighting 1992 GL,MW
Plover, Piping C R C R MW,S
Plover, Semipalmated C C C UC MW,S
Plover, Snowy R R UC R MW,S
Plover, Wilson's UC R C C MW,S
Sandpiper, Baird's VR   R VR MW,S
Sandpiper, Buff-breasted R   UC R MW,GL
Sandpiper, Curlew L-Last Sighting 1997 MW,S
Sandpiper, Least C C C VR MW,S
Sandpiper, Pectoral C VR C VR MW,S
Sandpiper, Purple VR VR   MW,S
Sandpiper, Semipalmated UC   C VR MW,S
Sandpiper, Solitary UC VR C VR MW,S,OW
Sandpiper, Spotted C C R C MW,S,OW
Sandpiper, Stilt R VR UC R MW,S,OW
Sandpiper, Upland R   C VR
Sandpiper, Western A A A UC MW,S
Sandpiper, White-rumped VR   UC R MW,S
Turnstone, Ruddy A C A UC MW,S
Yellowlegs, Greater A A A UC MW,S,OW
Yellowlegs, Lesser A C A UC MW,S,OW
American Avocet* C C C R MW,S,OW
American Oystercatcher* UC UC UC UC MW,S
American Woodcock* VR UC VR VR MW,S,OW,IF
Dunlin C C C VR MW,S
Killdeer* A A A A GL,MW,S,OW
Red Knot UC R C VR MW,S
Ruff VR   VR   MW,GL,S
Sanderling C C C C MW,S
Snipe, Common C A R A MW,S
Stilt, Black-necked* A C A A MW,S
Willet* A A A A MW,S,OS,GL
Owls
FA WI SU SP HAB
Owl, Barn* C C UC UC IF,GL
Owl, Barred* C C C C IF,GL
Owl, Burrowing VR VR VR VR S.GL.MW
Owl, Eastern Screech* A A A A IF,GL
Owl, Great Horned* C C C C IF,GL
Owl, Long-eared VR VR   IF,GL
Owl, Short-eared R C C   S,MW
Kites/Eagles/Hawks
FA WI SU SP HAB
Osprey* UC UC VR UC S,MW,OW
Kite, American Swallow-tailed* VR   VR VR S,MW,OW,IF
Kite, Black-shouldered* C C C C S,MW,OW,IF
Kite, Mississippi* VR VR UC UC OW,IF
Eagle, Bald* VR C UC VR S,MW,GL
Eagle, Golden VR VR   S,MW,GL
Broad-winged Hawk C VR C R GL
Copper's Hawk C VR C UC
Ferruginous Hawk VR R VR   GL,MW
Harris' Hawk VR VR VR   GL
Northern Harrier* UC C C R GL,MW
Red-shouldered Hawk* C C C C IF,GL
Red-tailed Hawk C A A R GL.MW
Rough-legged Hawk VR VR VR   GL
Sharp-shinned Hawk C C C R IF,GL
Swainson's Hawk* C VR UC R IF,GL
White-tailed Hawk* UC UC UC UC GL
Falcons/Caracaras
FA WI SU SP HAB
American Kestrel A A C VR GL,MW
Merlin R UC R   GL,MW
Falcon, Pergrine UC UC R VR GL,MW
Falcon, Prairie VR VR VR   GL
Crested Caracara* UC UC UC UC GL,MW
Vultures
FA WI SU SP HAB
Black Vulture* C C C C GL,MW
Turkey Vulture* A A A A GL,MW
Pheasants/Turkey/Quail
FA WI SU SP HAB
Ring-necked Pheasant* UC UC UC UC GL
Northern Bobwhite* C C C C GL
Wild Turkey* R R R R GL,IF
Greater Prairie-chicken* VR VR VR VR GL
Pigeons/Doves
FA WI SU SP HAB
Pigeon, Band-tailed L-Last Sighting 1980 GL
Dove, Common Ground* UC UC R R GL
Dove, Inca* A A A A GL
Dove, Morning* A A A A GL
Dove, Rock A A A A CTL--CITY
Dove, Ringed Turtle UC UC UC UC GL
Dove, White-winged C C C C GL
Parakeet
FA WI SU SP HAB
Parakeet, Monk VR VR VR VR GL
Hummingbirds
FA WI SU SP HAB
Allen's VR VR   GL
Anna's VR VR   GL
Black-chinned VR R VR   GL
Broad-billed L-Last Sighting 1993 GL
Broad-tailed VR VR VR   GL
Buff-bellied VR R VR   GL
Calliope L-Last Sighting 1995 GL
Ruby-throated* A VR A UC GL
Rufous R UC R   GL
Cuckoos/Anis
FA WI SU SP HAB
Cuckoo, Black-billed VR   UC VR GL
Cuckoo, Mangrove L-Last Sighting1987 GL
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed* C VR A C GL
Ani, Grooved-billed R UC R   GL
Kingfisher
FA WI SU SP HAB
Kingfisher, Belted* A A A UC OW
Roadrunners
FA WI SU SP HAB
Greater Roadrunner* R R R R GL
Jays/Crows
FA WI SU SP HAB
Jay, Blue* A A A A GL,OW
Crow, American* A A A A GL,OW
Crow, Fish* C C C C S,GL,OW
Raven, Chihuahuan VR   VR   GL
Nightjars
FA WI SU SP HAB
Chuck-will's Widow* C VR C UC GL,IF
Nighthawk, Common* A VR R A IF
Nighthawk, Lesser VR VR R VR IF
Whip-poor-will UC VR UC NP IF
Swifts/Swallows
FA WI SU SP HAB
Swift, Chimney* A VR A A GL,IF
Swallow, Bank* C VR C VR MW,OW
Swallow, Barn* A VR A C MW
Swallow, Cliff* UC   UC VR MW
Swallow, Northern Rough-winged* A R A VR GL
Swallow, Tree* A UC A VR GL
Purple Martin* R   C A GL
Woodpeckers/Sapsuckers
FA WI SU SP HAB
Woodpecker, Downy* A A A A IF
Woodpecker, Hairy* R R R R IF
Woodpecker, Ladder-backed* L- Last Sighting 1979 IF
Woodpecker, Pileated* A A A A IF
Woodpecker, Red-bellied* C C C C IF
Woodpecker, Red-cockaded* VR VR VR VR IF
Woodpecker, Red-headed* UC UC UC UC IF
Flicker, Northern* C C R R IF
Sapsucker, Yellow-bellied* UC A A   IF
Flycatchers
FA WI SU SP HAB
Flycatcher, Acadian* UC   C C GL
Flycatcher, Alder R   R VR GL
Flycatcher, Ash-throated VR VR VR   GL
Flycatcher, Brown-crested L- Last Sighting 1991 GL
Flycatcher, Great Crested* C VR UC C GL
Flycatcher, Least C   R C GL
Flycatcher, Olive-sided C VR UC VR GL
Flycatcher, Scissor-tailed* C VR C C GL
Flycatcher, Sulpher-billed L-Last Sighting 1983 GL
Flycatcher, Vermilion R UC UC VR GL
Flycatcher, Willow C   UC GL
Flycatcher, Yellow-bellied C   UC GL
Kingbird, Cassin's L-Last Sighted 1981 GL
Kingbird, Couch's VR VR VR VR GL
Kingbird, Eastern* C VR C C GL
Kingbird, Gray L-Last Sighted 1974 GL
Kingbird, Western* UC VR VR UC GL
Pewee, Greater L-Last Sighted 1964 GL
Wood-Pewee, Eastern* A VR C C GL
Wood-Pewee Western L-Last Sighted 1984 GL
Phoebe, Black L-Last Sighted 1978 GL
Phoebe, Eastern UC A A NP GL
Phoebe, Say's VR VR VR VR GL
Kisadee, Great L-Last Sighted 1983 GL
Larks
FA WI SU SP HAB

Horned Lark*

A A A A S,GL
Chickadees/Titmice/Nuthatch
FA WI SU SP HAB

Carolina Chickadee*

A A A A IF
Tufted Titmouse* A A A A IF
Nuthatch, Brown-headed UC UC UC UC IF
Nuthatch, Red-breasted R R R   IF
Nuthatch, White-breasted* VR R VR VR IF
Wrens/Creepers
FA WI SU SP HAB
Wren, Bewick's VR R R   GL,IF
Wren, Carolina* A A A A GL,IF
Wren, House UC A A   GL,IF
Wren, Marsh* C C A UC GL,IF
Wren, Rock L-Last Sighting 1974 GL,IF
Wren, Sedge C A A VR GL,IF
Wren, Winter UC UC UC   GL,IF
Brown Creeper UC   C C GL,IF
Gnatcatchers/Kinglets
FA WI SU SP HAB
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* A A A UC IF
Gold-crowned Kinglet UC C C   IF
Rudy-crowned Kinglet C A A   IF
Mimic Thrushes
FA WI SU SP HAB
Brown Thrashes A A A UC GL
Curve-billed Thrashes L-Last Sighting 1993 GL
Sage Thrasher ER ER ER   GL,MW
Gray Catbird* A UC A VR GL,IF
Northern Mockingbird* A A A A GL,IF
Thrushes
FA WI SU SI HAB
Gray-cheeked Thrush R   C   GL,IF
Hermit Thrush UC A A   GL,IF
Swainson's Thrush UC R C   GL,IF
Varied Thrush L-Last Sighting1991 GL,IF
Wood Thrush* UC R UC UC GL,IF
American Robin* UC A A C GL,IF
Eastern Bluebird* C C C C GL,IF
Veery VR   UC   GL,IF
Pipits
FA WI SU SP HAB
American Pipit ER R ER   GL,MW
Sprague's Pipit UC UC UV   GL,MW
Water Pipit C C C   GL,MW
Waxwings
FA WI SU SP HAB
Cedar Waxwings R A A   IF
Shrikes
FA WI SU SP HAB
Loggerhead Shrike* A A A A GL
Starling
FA WI SU SP HAB
European Starling* A A A A GL
Vireos