TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE
BIRDS
OF
BENTSEN-RIO GRANDE VALLEY
S T A T E
P A R K
WORLD BIRDING CENTER
A FIELD CHECKLIST
2005
Cover: Illustration of Mississippi Kite by Rob Fleming.
INTRODUCTION
B
entsen-Rio Grande Valley State Park consists of 570 acres
of subtropical resaca woodlands and drier thorny brush
lands that once characterized the entirety of the Lower Rio
Grande Valley but which is now limited to scattered fragments.
The park supports about 370 species of birds, many of which are
subtropical species typical of eastern Mexico and not found north
of the border beyond extreme southern Texas. Some of the
characteristic species of the region include Black-bellied WhistlingDuck, Gray Hawk, Hook-billed Kite, Plain Chachalaca, Whitetipped Dove, Groove-billed Ani, Golden-fronted Woodpecker,
Couch’s Kingbird, Great Kiskadee, Green Jay, Olive Sparrow, and
Altamira Oriole. Additionally Bentsen has become well known for
consistently producing extremely rare visitors from Mexico, often
the first records for these species north of the border.
The natural habitats of the Park have been created by the
evolution of the Rio Grande over time as it has carved out and then
abandoned channels and nourished the lands along it with lifegiving floods. Presently the river has been controlled by numerous
dams throughout its watershed, and vegetation communities in
the park have been gradually drying out and becoming more arid.
The transition of Bentsen from traditional state park to headquarters of the World Birding Center has resulted in tripling the size
of the protected area with the incorporation of donated land and
a cooperative relationship between the Texas Parks and Wildlife
Department and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This checklist, compiled by John Arvin, is based on observations
by numerous individuals, and includes those species which have
been observed within or passing over the park. Nomenclature and
organization for this checklist follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North
American Birds, 7th edition, 1998 as currently supplemented.
Because we will be updating this checklist as additional
observations are made, we ask that you report details of new or
unusual sightings. Reports may be sent to the World Birding
Center, 2800 S. Bentsen Palms Dr., Mission, Texas 78572 or may
be left at the park headquarters.
1
Please help us protect the natural avian communities in
our parks by refraining from using playback tapes of
bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes disrupts normal
avian activity patterns, essential territorial behavior and
may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation.
LEGEND
C – common; seen daily in some numbers
U – uncommon; usually seen daily in proper habitat and season
but only one or a few individuals
R – rare; seen only once or twice a year and may not occur every
year
X – extremely rare; only one or two records exist.
* – has nested in the park
• – a species found north of the Mexican border entirely in
extreme southern Texas or one which can be found there
more reliably than in other areas.
Sp
Su
F
W
–
–
–
–
Spring (March-May)
Summer (June-August)
Fall (September-November)
Winter (December-February)
2
CHECKLIST
W
Sp
S
F
U
X
C
U
R
C
C
R
U
R
C
R
C
U
C
R
R
C
U
U
R
X
U
C
R
C
R
U
R
C
R
C
U
R
R
X
U
X
R
U
R
C
U
R
C
C
R
U
R
C
R
C
U
C
R
R
C
U
U
R
X
U
CHACHALACAS & GUANS
___*•Plain Chachalaca .................................... C
C
C
C
NEW WORLD QUAIL
___ Northern Bobwhite ................................ U
U
U
U
DUCKS & GEESE
___*•Black-bellied Whistling-Duck ...............
___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck ........................
___ Greater White-fronted Goose ..............
___ Snow Goose ............................................
___ Wood Duck ..............................................
___ Gadwall ....................................................
___ American Wigeon ...................................
___ Mallard .....................................................
___ “Mexican Duck” ......................................
___ Mottled Duck ..........................................
___* Blue-winged Teal ...................................
___ Cinnamon Teal .......................................
___ Northern Shoveler .................................
___ Northern Pintail .....................................
___ Green-winged Teal .................................
___ Canvasback .............................................
___ Redhead ...................................................
___ Ring-necked Duck ..................................
___ Lesser Scaup ...........................................
___ Bufflehead ...............................................
___ Hooded Merganser ................................
___ Masked Duck ...........................................
___* Ruddy Duck .............................................
3
U
U
U
W
Sp
S
F
GREBES
___*•Least Grebe ............................................. U
___ Pied-billed Grebe ................................... C
U
C
U
C
U
C
PELICANS
___ American White Pelican ....................... C
C
CORMORANTS
___*•Neotropic Cormorant ............................ U
___ Double-crested Cormorant ...................
U
C
U
U
U
ANHINGAS
___* Anhinga ................................................... U
C
U
U
C
FRIGATEBIRDS
___ Magnificent Frigatebird .........................
HERONS
___ American Bittern ....................................
___* Least Bittern ...........................................
___ Great Blue Heron ...................................
___ Great Egret ..............................................
___ Snowy Egret ............................................
___ Little Blue Heron ...................................
___ Tricolored Heron ...................................
___ Reddish Egret .........................................
___ Cattle Egret .............................................
___* Green Heron ...........................................
___ Black-crowned Night-Heron .................
___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ...............
X
R
C
C
C
R
U
C
R
U
R
IBIS & SPOONBILLS
___ White Ibis ................................................
___ White-faced Ibis ...................................... U
___ Roseate Spoonbill ..................................
4
R
C
C
C
C
C
U
R
C
C
U
U
R
C
U
C
C
U
U
R
C
C
R
U
R
U
R
C
C
C
C
U
C
C
U
R
R
U
R
W
Sp
S
F
STORKS
___ Jabiru ........................................................
X
___ Wood Stork .............................................
U
U
NEW WORLD VULTURES
___ Black Vulture .......................................... U
U
U
U
___ Turkey Vulture ....................................... C
C
C
C
C
R
C
___*•Hook-billed Kite ..................................... R
R
R
___ Swallow-tailed Kite ................................
R
OSPREYS
___ Osprey ...................................................... C
HAWKS, KITES, & EAGLES
___* White-tailed Kite .................................... C
C
___ Snail Kite .................................................
X
R
R
C
C
___ Mississippi Kite .......................................
C
C
___ Northern Harrier .................................... U
U
U
___ Sharp-shinned Hawk ............................. U
C
C
___* Cooper’s Hawk ....................................... U
C
R
C
___*•Gray Hawk .............................................. U
U
U
U
___*•Harris’s Hawk ......................................... C
C
C
___ Roadside Hawk ....................................... X
____ Red-shouldered Hawk ........................... U
C
X
U
U
___ Broad-winged Hawk .............................. X
C
___ Short-tailed Hawk ..................................
X
X
X
___ Swainson’s Hawk ................................... X
C
R
C
___• White-tailed Hawk ................................. U
U
R
___ Zone-tailed Hawk ................................... R
R
R
___ Red-tailed Hawk ..................................... C
U
___ Ferruginous Hawk ................................. R
5
C
R
R
W
Sp
S
F
___ Collared Forest-Falcon .......................... X
___• Crested Caracara .................................... U
U
U
U
___
___
American Kestrel .................................... C
Merlin ....................................................... R
C
R
C
R
___
Peregrine Falcon .................................... R
R
R
___* King Rail .................................................. R
___ Virginia Rail ............................................ R
R
R
___
___
Sora .......................................................... C
Purple Gallinule .....................................
C
R
___* Common Moorhen ................................. C
___* American Coot ........................................ U
C
U
CRANES
___ Sandhill Crane ........................................ U
U
U
PLOVERS
___ American Golden-Plover .......................
___ Semipalmated Plover ............................
___ Killdeer .................................................... C
R
R
C
R
C
STILTS & AVOCETS
___* Black-necked Stilt ................................... C
___ American Avocet .................................... U
C
U
C
C
U
JACANAS
___ Northern Jacana .....................................
X
X
X
SANDPIPERS
___ Greater Yellowlegs ................................ U
___ Lesser Yellowlegs ................................... C
___ Solitary Sandpiper ................................. R
C
C
U
FALCONS & CARACARAS
RAILS
6
R
R
R
C
R
C
C
C
U
C
C
U
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
___
Spotted Sandpiper .................................
Upland Sandpiper ..................................
Long-billed Curlew ................................
Hudsonian Godwit .................................
Semipalmated Sandpiper .....................
Western Sandpiper ................................
Least Sandpiper ......................................
White-rumped Sandpiper .....................
Baird’s Sandpiper ..................................
Pectoral Sandpiper ................................
Stilt Sandpiper ........................................
Long-billed Dowitcher ...........................
Wilson’s Snipe ........................................
Wilson’s Phalarope ................................
W
Sp
U
C
C
C
R
U
U
C
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
C
U
C
U
U
U
U
GULLS & TERNS
___ Laughing Gull .........................................
___ Franklin’s Gull ........................................
___ Ring-billed Gull ...................................... U
___ Gull-billed Tern ......................................
___ Caspian Tern ........................................... U
___ Forster’s Tern ......................................... U
___ Least Tern ................................................
___ Black Tern ...............................................
___ Black Skimmer .......................................
PIGEONS & DOVES
___ Rock Pigeon ............................................
___*•Red-billed Pigeon ...................................
___* White-winged Dove ...............................
___* Mourning Dove ......................................
___* Inca Dove ................................................
7
U
R
C
C
U
C
U
U
U
U
R
U
S
C
C
C
U
U
C
U
U
U
U
U
U
U
R
U
C
U
U
U
U
R
R
U
R
C
C
C
F
U
R
C
C
C
U
R
U
U
C
C
W
Sp
S
F
___* Common Ground-Dove ......................... C
C
C
C
___ Ruddy Ground-Dove ..............................
___*•White-tipped Dove ................................. C
X
C
C
C
___ Black-billed Cuckoo ...............................
___* Yellow-billed Cuckoo ............................
R
C
C
___* Greater Roadrunner .............................. U
___*•Groove-billed Ani ................................... R
U
U
U
C
U
C
U
U
U
___
Ruddy Quail-Dove .................................. X
CUCKOOS & ANIS
X
BARN OWLS
___* Barn Owl ................................................. U
TYPICAL OWLS
___* Eastern Screech-Owl .............................. C
C
C
C
___* Great Horned Owl ................................. U
___• Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl ........................ R
U
R
U
R
U
R
___* Elf Owl .....................................................
___ Burrowing Owl ....................................... R
U
U
___
___
Mottled Owl ............................................ X
Long-eared Owl ...................................... R
___
___
Stygian Owl ............................................. X
Short-eared Owl ..................................... R
R
NIGHTJARS
___* Lesser Nighthawk ...................................
C
U
___
Common Nighthawk ............................. X
C
C
R
___*•Common Pauraque ................................ C
C
C
C
___
Common Poorwill ..................................
R
___
Chuck-wills-widow .................................
C
R
___
Whip-poor-will ........................................
U
U
8
W
SWIFTS
___ Chimney Swift ........................................
HUMMINGBIRDS
___• Buff-bellied Hummingbird .................... R
___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird ...............
___ Black-chinned Hummingbird ............... X
___ Rufous Hummingbird ............................ R
Sp
S
F
C
R
R
R
U
R
R
R
C
X
R
R
TROGONS
___ Elegant Trogon .......................................
X
KINGFISHERS
___*•Ringed Kingfisher .................................. U
___ Belted Kingfisher ................................... U
___*•Green Kingfisher .................................... U
WOODPECKERS
___*•Golden-fronted Woodpecker ...............
___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ......................
___ Red-naped Sapsucker ............................
___ Ladder-backed Woodpecker .................
___ Northern Flicker .....................................
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS
___*•N. Beardless-Tyrannulet ........................
___ Olive-sided Flycatcher ...........................
___ Eastern Wood-Pewee .............................
___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher .....................
___ Acadian Flycatcher .................................
___ Alder Flycatcher .....................................
___ Willow Flycatcher ..................................
___ Least Flycatcher ......................................
___ Eastern Phoebe ......................................
9
C
R
X
C
R
U
C
U
C
C
U
U
U
U
C
C
C
U
C
C
C
R
U
U
C
U
U
U
U
U
C
C
U
U
U
U
C
U
C
U
C
W
Sp
S
F
___
Say’s Phoebe ........................................... R
___
Vermilion Flycatcher ............................. U
___
Dusky-capped Flycatcher ...................... X
___
Ash-throated Flycatcher ........................
R
___
Great Crested Flycatcher ......................
C
___* Brown-crested Flycatcher .....................
C
C
___*•Great Kiskadee ....................................... C
C
C
C
___
X
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher ....................
R
U
U
C
___*•Couch’s Kingbird .................................... R
C
C
C
___• Tropical Kingbird ................................... R
R
R
R
___* Western Kingbird ...................................
C
C
___
C
Eastern Kingbird ....................................
___* Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ........................ R
C
C
C
C
AFFINITIES UNCERTAIN
___• Rose-throated Becard ............................ X
___
Masked Tityra .........................................
X
X
SHRIKES
___
Loggerhead Shrike ................................. C
U
R
C
___* White-eyed Vireo ................................... U
U
U
U
___
Bell’s Vireo ..............................................
R
R
___
Blue-headed Vireo ................................. U
R
U
___
Yellow-throated Vireo ...........................
R
R
___
Warbling Vireo .......................................
U
U
___
Philadelphia Vireo .................................
R
X
___
Red-eyed Vireo .......................................
U
___• Yellow-green Vireo ................................
R
VIREOS
10
U
R
W
Sp
S
F
___*•Green Jay ................................................. C
___• Tamaulipas Crow ...................................
C
C
X
C
___ Chihuahuan Raven ................................ R
R
JAYS & CROWS
R
LARKS
___* Horned Lark ............................................ R
R
R
R
SWALLOWS
___ Purple Martin ..........................................
C
U
C
___ Tree Swallow .......................................... R
___ N. Rough-winged Swallow .................... R
U
U
U
U
U
___* Bank Swallow .........................................
___* Cliff Swallow ...........................................
C
U
C
U
C
U
___* Cave Swallow ......................................... U
___* Barn Swallow ......................................... R
C
C
C
C
C
C
___* Black-crested Titmouse ......................... U
U
U
U
VERDINS
___* Verdin ...................................................... R
R
R
R
TITMICE
NUTHATCHES
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch .......................... R
R
CREEPERS
___ Brown Creeper ....................................... X
WRENS
___* Cactus Wren ............................................ R
R
R
R
___ Carolina Wren ........................................ R
___* Bewick’s Wren ........................................ C
R
C
R
R
C
___ Winter Wren ........................................... R
11
R
___
___
W
Sp
Marsh Wren ............................................ U
Sedge Wren ............................................. R
U
R
S
U
R
KINGLETS
___ Golden-crowned Kinglet ....................... R
___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ........................... C
GNATCATCHERS
___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ........................... C
THRUSHES
___ Eastern Bluebird ....................................
___ Veery ........................................................
___ Gray-cheeked Thrush ............................
___ Swainson’s Thrush .................................
___ Hermit Thrush ........................................
___ Wood Thrush ..........................................
___*•Clay-colored Robin ................................
___ White-throated Robin ............................
___ American Robin ......................................
___ Varied Thrush .........................................
THRASHERS & MOCKINGBIRDS
___ Gray Catbird ...........................................
___ Northern Mockingbird ..........................
___*•Long-billed Thrasher .............................
___* Curve-billed Thrasher ...........................
U
R
C
C
C
U
R
R
U
U
U
U
X
U
X
F
U
R
U
U
U
X
U
R
C
C
U
R
C
C
U
C
C
U
R
C
C
U
STARLINGS
___ European Starling .................................. R
R
R
R
PIPITS
___ American Pipit ........................................ U
___ Sprague’s Pipit ........................................ R
U
R
12
U
R
W
Sp
WAXWINGS
___ Cedar Waxwing ...................................... U
U
WOOD WARBLERS
___ Blue-winged Warbler .............................
___ Golden-winged Warbler ........................
___ Tennessee Warbler ................................
___ Orange-crowned Warbler .....................
___ Nashville Warbler ..................................
___ Northern Parula .....................................
___*•Tropical Parula .......................................
___ Yellow Warbler ......................................
___ Chestnut-sided Warbler ........................
___ Magnolia Warbler ..................................
___ Yellow-rumped Warbler .......................
___ Black-throated Gray Warbler ...............
___ Black-throated Green Warbler ............
___ Townsend’s Warbler .............................
___ Blackburnian Warbler ...........................
___ Yellow-throated Warbler ......................
___ Pine Warbler ...........................................
___ Bay-breasted Warbler ............................
___ Cerulean Warbler ..................................
___ Black-and-white Warbler ......................
___ American Redstart .................................
___ Prothonotary Warbler ...........................
___ Worm-eating Warbler ............................
___ Ovenbird .................................................
___ Northern Waterthrush ..........................
___ Louisiana Waterthrush ..........................
___ Kentucky Warbler ..................................
13
C
R
R
R
X
C
R
U
R
R
R
U
C
C
U
R
C
R
R
U
S
R
F
C
C
U
R
C
U
R
U
R
R
R
R
U
R
X
R
R
R
R
C
R
X
R
U
U
U
R
U
R
U
U
U
W
Sp
Mourning Warbler .................................
MacGillivray’s Warbler ..........................
Common Yellowthroat ......................... C
Hooded Warbler.....................................
Wilson’s Warbler .................................... R
Canada Warbler .....................................
Yellow-breasted Chat ............................
U
R
C
R
U
U
U
TANAGERS
___ Summer Tanager .................................... R
___ Scarlet Tanager ......................................
___ Western Tanager .................................... R
U
R
___
___
___*
___
___
___
___*
EMBERIZID FINCHES
___*•White-collared Seedeater ......................
___ Yellow-faced Grassquit .........................
___*•Olive Sparrow .........................................
___ Green-tailed Towhee .............................
___ Spotted Towhee .....................................
___ Cassin’s Sparrow ....................................
___ Chipping Sparrow ..................................
___ Clay-colored Sparrow ............................
___ Field Sparrow .........................................
___ Vesper Sparrow ......................................
___ Lark Sparrow ..........................................
___ Black-throated Sparrow ........................
___ Savannah Sparrow ................................
___ Grasshopper Sparrow ...........................
___ Song Sparrow .........................................
___ Lincoln’s Sparrow ..................................
___ Swamp Sparrow .....................................
___ White-throated Sparrow .......................
14
U
R
R
U
R
U
U
R
C
R
X
C
R
R
U
S
F
R
U
R
C
U
U
U
U
X
X
U
U
U
U
U
R
R
U
U
U
U
R
U
C
R
C
R
U
C
R
W
Sp
S
___ White-crowned Sparrow ....................... R
F
R
___ Dark-eyed Junco ..................................... X
CARDINAL GROSBEAKS
___ Crimson-collared Grosbeak ..................
X
___* Northern Cardinal ................................. U
___ Pyrrhuloxia ............................................. R
U
___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak .......................
___ Black-headed Grosbeak ........................ X
R
___• Blue Bunting ........................................... R
___ Blue Grosbeak ........................................
U
U
U
R
R
U
R
U
___ Lazuli Bunting ........................................ R
___ Indigo Bunting ....................................... U
U
___ Varied Bunting ....................................... X
___ Painted Bunting .....................................
X
U
X
U
X
U
___ Dickcissal ................................................. X
C
U
C
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
R
C
C
BLACKBIRDS & ORIOLES
___* Red-winged Blackbird ...........................
___ Eastern Meadownlark ...........................
___ Western Meadowlark ............................
___ Yellow-headed Blackbird ......................
___* Great-tailed Grackle ...............................
___* Bronzed Cowbird ...................................
___* Brown-headed Cowbird ........................
___* Orchard Oriole .......................................
___* Hooded Oriole ........................................
___ Bullock’s Oriole ......................................
___*•Altamira Oriole .......................................
___*•Audubon’s Oriole ...................................
___ Baltimore Oriole ....................................
15
C
R
C
X
C
R
C
U
X
R
U
R
C
C
C
U
R
R
U
U
U
R
C
C
U
R
R
U
W
OLD WORLD FINCHES
___ Red Crossbill ...........................................
___ Pine Siskin .............................................. R
___ Lesser Goldfinch .................................... U
___ American Goldfinch ............................... U
OLD WORLD SPARROWS
___ House Sparrow ....................................... U
Sp
S
F
U
U
R
U
U
U
U
X
CITATION
Arvin, John C. July 2004. Birds of Bentsen-Rio Grande Valley State
Park: a field checklist. Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and
Wildlife Department.
In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame
and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This fund may
be used for nongame wildlife and endangered species
research and conservation, habitat acquisition and development and dissemination of information pertaining to nongame management. Money for this fund is obtained through
private donations and sale of nongame wildlife art prints and
stamps. This fund now gives Texans a unique opportunity to
help support this state’s valuable and sensitive nongame
resources. Your individual contributions and purchases of
nongame art prints and stamps will help determine the level
of nongame conservation activities in Texas. For more
information call toll-free (1-800-792-1112) or contact:
Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Texas
Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School
Road, Austin, Texas 78744.
16
Natural Resources Program
Texas Parks and Wildlife
4200 Smith School Road
Austin, Texas 78744
© 2005 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department PWD BK P4502-058B (11/05)
In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the
Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.