CHECKLIST OF BIRDS
Bull Shoals-White River State Park, nestled in the
Ozark Mountains of north central Arkansas, encompasses
662 acres on the southeast shore of Bull Shoals Lake
and the White River. This area provides excellent
habitat for spring and fall migrants as well as summer
and winter residents. This checklist covers a 15 mile
diameter circle with the center being Bull Shoals-White
River State Park. Within that area you will find excellent
Ozark habitat types including old and new growth
deciduous forests, cedar glades, river and lake, thickets,
bluffs, and park-like and residential areas.
Many birds are found only in certain habitats. We
suggest you consult a field guide or ask the park interpreter
to help you find a bird’s appropriate habitat. Field guides
may be purchased at the state park visitor center or trout
dock. If you observe birds not on the list or not documented
in the park, report your sighting at the visitor center.
The identity of a bird can usually be determined by
its coloration. Look closely for stripes on the head
and breast, for eye rings, wing bars and for color along
the edge and at the tip of the tail. Also, you’ll want
to note the length and shape of the bill and the shape
of the tail. Consult your field guide for specific fieldmark information.
The following symbols have been used to
indicate the frequency of sighting the species
included here:
C = Common (frequently observed on most
field trips). Ex. blue jay & American crow,
year-round.
F = Fairly Common (definitely expected and
occasionally observed). Ex. great horned
owl, year-round, gray catbird, in summer.
U = Uncommon (expected, but not ordinarily
observed). Ex. Cooper's hawk, in spring.
R = Rare (not expected and sighting is a
surprise). Ex. brown thrasher, in winter.
* = Documented in the park, on the lower end
of Bull Shoals Lake, or in the north central
Arkansas area.
Sp = Spring (March-May)
S = Summer (June-July)
F = Fall (August-November)
W = Winter (December-February)
Seasons occasionally overlap, thus, some birds
may arrive earlier and/or stay later than the
months indicated.
SPECIES
SP
S
F
W
F
F
F
R
U
R
U
R
R
•
•
R
•
•
F
F
F
R
F
R
U
F
F
F
R
U
R
U
C
U
R
U
U
F
R
U
C
R
•
R
R
F
R
U
C
U
R
U
U
F
R
U
C
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
F
U
F
F
F
U
F
U
F
F
•
•
•
F
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
U
F
U
F
F
F
U
F
U
F
F
•
U
U
U
U
F
U
R
U
F
F
R
U
F
R
F
U
F
U
R
R
U
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
U
U
F
•
F
U
F
U
R
R
U
R
U
F
R
F
F
C
U
U
R
U
F
C
U
U
R
F
U
C
C
R
R
•
R
•
C
C
U
U
U
F
U
U
F
R
F
U
U
U
LOONS to CORMORANTS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Common Loon*
Pied-billed Grebe*
Horned Grebe*
Eared Grebe*
American White Pelican*
Brown Pelican*
Double-crested Cormorant*
Great Blue Heron*
Great Egret*
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron*
Cattle Egret*
Green-backed Heron*
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron*
Greater White-fronted Goose*
Snow Goose*
Canada Goose*
Wood Duck*
Green-winged Teal*
Mallard*
Northern Pintail*
Blue-winged Teal*
Northern Shoveler*
Gadwall*
American Wigeon*
DIVING DUCKS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Canvasback
Redhead*
Ring-necked Duck*
Greater Scaup
Lesser Scaup*
Common Goldeneye*
Bufflehead*
Hooded Merganser*
Common Merganser*
Red-breasted Merganser
Ruddy Duck*
VULTURES to FALCONS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Black Vulture*
Turkey Vulture*
Osprey*
Bald Eagle*
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk*
Cooper’s Hawk*
S
F
W
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Red-shouldered Hawk*
Broad-winged Hawk*
Red-tailed Hawk*
Golden Eagle*
American Kestrel*
Merlin*
Peregrine Falcon*
U
F
F
R
U
•
R
U
F
F
•
U
•
•
U
F
F
R
U
R
R
F
•
F
R
F
R
•
_____
_____
_____
_____
Wild Turkey*
Northern Bobwhite*
Virginia Rail*
American Coot*
U
F
R
U
U
F
•
•
U
U
R
F
U
U
•
U
R
U
U
C
R
U
F
F
R
C
R
F
U
F
U
U
U
R
•
•
•
C
•
•
R
•
•
U
•
R
•
•
•
R
R
R
R
R
U
C
R
U
F
F
R
F
R
U
F
F
R
F
U
R
•
•
•
F
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
R
•
R
U
•
U
U
C
R
R
R
F
F
R
•
R
•
•
•
R
U
U
R
F
R
U
R
F
F
•
U
C
R
•
•
•
•
U
C
R
F
U
F
F
U
R
R
U
C
R
F
U
F
F
U
•
•
U
C
R
F
U
F
F
U
R
R
U
F
•
•
U
F
F
U
R
R
SHOREBIRDS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Black-bellied Plover*
Lesser Golden-Plover
Semipalmated Plover*
Killdeer*
American Avocet*
Greater Yellowlegs*
Lesser Yellowlegs*
Solitary Sandpiper
Willet*
Spotted Sandpiper*
Sanderling*
Semipalmated Sandpiper*
Western Sandpiper*
Least Sandpiper*
White-rumped Sandpiper*
Pectoral Sandpiper*
Common Snipe*
American Woodcock
Franklin’s Gull*
Bonaparte’s Gull*
Ring-billed Gull*
Herring Gull*
Caspian Tern*
Common Tern
Forster’s Tern*
Black Tern*
DOVES to OWLS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Rock Dove*
Mourning Dove*
Black-billed Cuckoo*
Yellow-billed Cuckoo*
Greater Roadrunner*
Eastern Screech-Owl*
Great Horned Owl*
Barred Owl*
Long-eared Owl
Short-eared Owl
SP
S
F
W
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
U
C
C
F
C
C
C
C
F
C
F
C
F
F
C
C
F
C
C
C
C
•
F
U
C
F
F
F
F
F
C
C
C
C
F
C
F
C
F
•
•
•
•
•
F
U
C
F
C
F
C
F
Olive-sided Flycatcher*
U
Eastern Wood Pewee*
C
Acadian Flycatcher*
F
Alder Flycatcher
U
Willow Flycatcher*
R
Least Flycatcher*
F
Empidonax Sp.*
F
Eastern Phoebe*
C
Vermilion Flycatcher*
R
Great Crested Flycatcher*
C
Eastern Kingbird*
C
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher*
U
Horned Lark*
U
Purple Martin*
C
Tree Swallow*
F
Northern Rough-winged Swallow*C
Bank Swallow*
U
Cliff Swallow*
C
Barn Swallow*
C
R
C
F
R
R
•
U
C
•
C
C
U
U
C
U
C
•
C
C
U
C
F
•
•
U
F
F
R
F
F
U
U
C
U
C
U
F
C
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
U
R
•
•
•
F
•
•
•
•
•
•
C
C
F
C
C
U
C
F
C
U
U
F
U
R
C
C
F
C
C
•
C
•
C
R
U
•
•
•
C
C
F
C
C
U
C
F
C
U
U
F
U
U
C
C
R
C
C
U
C
F
C
R
R
F
R
•
F
F
C
•
•
C
F
F
C
F
U
•
Common Nighthawk*
Chuck-will’s-widow*
Whip-poor-will*
Chimney Swift*
Ruby-throated Hummingbird*
Belted Kingfisher*
Red-headed Woodpecker*
Red-bellied Woodpecker*
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker*
Downy Woodpecker*
Hairy Woodpecker*
Northern Flicker*
Pileated Woodpecker*
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
JAY to WRENS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Blue Jay*
American Crow*
Fish Crow*
Carolina Chickadee*
Tufted Titmouse*
Red-breasted Nuthatch*
White-breasted Nuthatch*
Brown Creeper*
Carolina Wren*
Bewick’s Wren*
House Wren*
Winter Wren*
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
KINGLETS to STARLING
_____ Golden-crowned Kinglet*
_____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet*
_____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher*
SPECIES
SP
S
F
W
C
R
F
F
F
C
C
F
C
F
U
F
U
C
C
•
•
•
•
C
C
F
C
F
•
U
U
C
C
•
U
U
F
F
C
F
C
F
U
F
U
C
C
•
•
•
U
•
C
•
C
R
R
F
U
C
C
U
U
F
F
U
C
U
R
C
U
C
C
F
F
F
C
F
U
C
F
F
U
U
F
C
F
F
U
U
F
U
C
C
R
U
C
U
C
U
•
F
F
•
C
U
•
•
•
•
C
R
•
•
•
•
•
C
U
F
•
•
U
F
U
F
U
U
F
•
C
C
•
•
C
U
F
U
U
U
F
R
F
U
R
U
U
U
F
U
U
U
C
U
R
F
F
U
R
•
R
F
U
F
U
R
U
R
F
F
•
U
F
U
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
F
•
•
•
U
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
KINGLETS to STARLING Cont.
FLYCATCHERS to SWALLOWS
GULLS to TERNS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
SPECIES
NIGHTJARS to WOODPECKERS
TURKEY to COOT
GEESE and DABBLING DUCKS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
SP
VULTURES to FALCONS Cont.
HERONS and EGRETS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
SPECIES
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Eastern Bluebird*
Veery*
Gray-cheeked Thrush*
Swainson’s Thrush*
Hermit Thrush*
Wood Thrush*
American Robin*
Gray Catbird*
Northern Mockingbird*
Brown Thrasher*
Water Pipit
Cedar Waxwing*
Loggerhead Shrike*
European Starling*
VIREOS and WARBLERS
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
White-eyed Vireo*
Bell’s Vireo*
Solitary Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo*
Warbling Vireo*
Philadelphia Vireo*
Red-eyed Vireo*
Blue-winged Warbler*
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler*
Orange-crowned Warbler*
Nashville Warbler*
Northern Parula*
Yellow Warbler*
Chestnut-sided Warbler*
Magnolia Warbler*
Yellow-rumped Warbler*
Black-throated Green Warbler*
Blackburnian Warbler*
Yellow-throated Warbler*
Pine Warbler*
Prairie Warbler*
Bay-breasted Warbler*
Blackpoll Warbler*
Cerulean Warbler*
Black-and-white Warbler*
American Redstart*
Prothonotary Warbler*
Worm-eating Warbler*
Swainson’s Warbler*
Ovenbird*
Northern Waterthrush*
Louisiana Waterthrush*
Kentucky Warbler*
Connecticut Warbler*
Mourning Warbler*
Common Yellowthroat*
Hooded Warbler*
SPECIES
SP
S
F
W
VIREOS and WARBLERS Cont.
_____ Wilson’s Warbler*
_____ Canada Warbler*
_____ Yellow-breasted Chat*
Summer Tanager*
Scarlet Tanager*
Northern Cardinal*
Rose-breasted Grosbeak*
Black-headed Grosbeak*
Blue Grosbeak*
Indigo Bunting*
Painted Bunting*
Dickcissel*
Rufous-sided Towhee*
American Tree Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow*
Field Sparrow*
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow*
Savannah Sparrow*
Grasshopper Sparrow*
Henslow’s Sparrow
Le Conte’s Sparrow
Fox Sparrow*
Song Sparrow*
Lincoln’s Sparrow*
Swamp Sparrow*
White-throated Sparrow*
White-crowned Sparrow*
Harris’s Sparrow*
Dark-eyed Junco*
Lapland Longspur
Bobolink*
F
U
C
•
R
F
U
R
U
•
•
•
C
U
C
F
R
F
C
U
F
F
U
C
C
U
U
U
U
R
R
U
F
U
F
C
U
R
C
•
U
C
U
C
•
•
F
C
U
F
U
•
C
C
•
U
•
U
•
•
•
•
•
•
R
•
•
•
•
•
C
U
C
U
•
F
C
U
F
F
R
C
C
U
U
U
•
•
R
U
F
U
F
C
U
R
C
R
R
•
•
C
•
R
•
•
•
•
F
U
R
C
R
•
U
•
R
R
F
F
R
F
C
U
R
C
R
•
C
F
•
•
•
C
C
C
U
•
•
•
•
•
C
F
F
R
U
R
F
F
F
U
•
F
U
R
U
C
C
F
R
U
R
C
F
•
•
R
F
U
R
U
C
BLACKBIRDS to HOUSE SPARROW
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
Red-winged Blackbird*
Eastern Meadowlark*
Western Meadowlark
Rusty Blackbird*
Brewer’s Blackbird*
Common Grackle*
Brown-headed Cowbird*
Orchard Oriole*
Northern Oriole*
Pine Grosbeak
Purple Finch*
House Finch*
Red Crossbill
Pine Siskin*
American Goldfinch*
SP
S
F
W
BLACKBIRDS to HOUSE SPARROW Cont.
TANAGERS to BOBOLINK
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
SPECIES
C
F
R
U
R
C
C
C
F
•
F
U
R
U
C
_____ Evening Grosbeak*
_____ House Sparrow*
U
C
•
C
U
C
U
C
HABITAT
LOOK WHERE THEY LIVE
A habitat is an area that provides the necessities of food,
water, shelter and the space to live. From park-like areas
to mature deciduous forests, every bird has its own
particular home. We suggest you consult a field guide or
ask the park interpreter for a bird’s appropriate habitat.
To assist you we have included a map showing eight
habitats found in the park and a few of the birds that are
likely to be seen in them.
DECIDUOUS HARDWOODS
BRUSHY AREA
BLUFF/CEDAR GLADES
LAKESHORE
RIVERSIDE CAMPSITE
EDGE EFFECT
PARK-LIKE
DAM AREA
RARE OR ACCIDENTAL SPECIES
The possible rare or accidental bird species
that could appear in the North Central
Arkansas region are too numerous to include
in this checklist. If you would like a copy of a
list for these 55 rare or accidental species;
inquire at the park office. None of these
species have been recorded in this area, and if
one is observed, it should be reported to the
park office. Once recorded, a specie would be
added the field checklist. Thanks.
For specific park records and records concerning accidental species call INTERPRETIVE SERVICES at (870) 431-5521,
write: 129 Bull Shoals Park, Lakeview, Ar 72642, or email: [email protected].
Birds of
Bull Shoals-White River
State Park
and North Central
Arkansas
DECIDUOUS HARDWOODS Big Bluff & Lakeside Trails: red-eyed vireo, wood
thrush, sharp-shinned hawk, summer tanager,
pileated woodpecker.
BLUFF & CEDAR GLADES AREAS Big Bluff & River: indigo bunting, blue-gray
gnatcatcher, turkey vulture, yellow-billed cuckoo,
northern rough-winged swallow.
RIVERSIDE CAMPSITE AREA Dock and Riverside: prothonotary warbler,
Kentucky warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, redbellied woodpecker, osprey, green-backed heron.
PARK-LIKE AREA Lakeside Picnic Area and Campground: pine
warbler, orchard oriole, great crested flycatcher,
chipping sparrow, eastern wood pewee, redheaded woodpecker.
BRUSHY AREAS Bird Photo Blind and Scattered: song sparrow, fox
sparrow, gray catbird, Cooper’s hawk.
LAKESHORE Lakeside Trail and Picnic Area: spotted sandpiper,
Canada goose, common loon, ring-necked duck,
little blue heron.
EDGE EFFECT AREAS Power Line and Scattered: brown thrasher, whitethroated sparrow, red-tailed hawk, Carolina
chickadee, downy woodpecker.
DAM AREABelow Bull Shoals Dam: ring-billed gull, common
goldeneye, belted kingfisher, hooded merganser,
bufflehead.
NOTE: List compiled by Duane R. Moren and Philip Hyatt, Botanist for the U.S. Forest Service. REVISED: OCTOBER 1993
References: ARKANSAS BIRDS: THEIR DISTRIBUTION AND ABUNDANCE by Douglas James and Joseph Neal; and BIRDING
IN THE WESTERN ARKANSAS OZARKS by Joseph Neal and Michael Mlodinow.
FIELD CHECKLIST
CERULEAN WARBLER
Dendroica cerulea
Habitat: Moist, tall mature forests
Song: Short, fast, accelerating series of buzzy
notes on one pitch, usually ends with
single
buzz note.
NOTICE: To preserve scenic beauty and ecology,
fences and warning signs have not been installed in some
park locations. Caution and supervision of your
children are required while visiting these areas.
Warblers are common to fairly common migrants
to the Arkansas Ozarks, and several are nesting
residents for the summer.
www.ArkansasStateParks.com