Skip to navigation, or go to main content.

WINGS Birding Tours – Bird List

Texas: The Rio Grande Valley in Spring

Cumulative Checklist

with Gavin Bieber as leader

  • Column A = number of tours out of three on which this species has been recorded
  • Column B = number of days this species was seen on the 2009 tour
  • Column C = maximum daily count for this species on the 2009 tour
  • Column D = H = heard only, N = Nest, X = Seen during 2009 tour
A B C D
3 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck 8 100 Dendrocygna autumnalis
2 Fulvous Whistling-Duck 3 10 Dendrocygna bicolor
1 Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
3 Muscovy Duck 1 5 Cairina moschata
3 Gadwall 2 2 Anas strepera
2 American Wigeon Anas americana
2 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
3 Mottled Duck 6 12 Anas fulvigula
3 Blue-winged Teal 4 36 Anas discors
1 Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
3 Northern Shoveler 4 16 Anas clypeata
2 Northern Pintail Anas acuta
2 Green-winged Teal 1 20 Anas crecca
1 Canvasback Aythya valisineria
2 Redhead Aythya americana
1 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
1 Greater Scaup Aythya marila
3 Lesser Scaup 1 1 Aythya affinis
1 Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
2 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
2 Masked Duck 1 2 Nomonyx dominicus
3 Ruddy Duck 4 10 Oxyura jamaicensis
3 Plain Chachalaca 4 40 Ortalis vetula
1 Scaled Quail 1 2 Callipepla squamata
2 Northern Bobwhite 3 8 Colinus virginianus
1 Common Loon Gavia immer
3 Least Grebe 5 40 N Tachybaptus dominicus
3 Pied-billed Grebe 6 6 Podilymbus podiceps
2 Eared Grebe 1 2 Podiceps nigricollis
2 Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
3 American White Pelican 1 20 Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
3 Brown Pelican 4 45 Pelecanus occidentalis
3 Neotropic Cormorant 5 50 N Phalacrocorax brasilianus
3 Double-crested Cormorant 5 10 N Phalacrocorax auritus
3 Anhinga 3 2 Anhinga anhinga
2 Least Bittern 3 1 Ixobrychus exilis
3 Great Blue Heron 7 20 Ardea herodias
3 Great Egret 8 25 Ardea alba
3 Snowy Egret 8 30 Egretta thula
3 Little Blue Heron 4 2 Egretta caerulea
3 Tricolored Heron 6 15 Egretta tricolor
3 Reddish Egret 3 40 Egretta rufescens
3 Cattle Egret 7 300 Bubulcus ibis
3 Green Heron 7 4 Butorides virescens
3 Black-crowned Night-Heron 2 10 Nycticorax nycticorax
3 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 3 1 Nyctanassa violacea
3 White Ibis 5 72 Eudocimus albus
1 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
3 White-faced Ibis 3 20 Plegadis chihi
3 Roseate Spoonbill 4 10 Platalea ajaja
3 Black Vulture 6 10 Coragyps atratus
3 Turkey Vulture 8 180 Cathartes aura
3 Osprey 2 4 Pandion haliaetus
1 Hook-billed Kite Chondrohierax uncinatus
2 Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus
3 White-tailed Kite 3 1 Elanus leucurus
3 Mississippi Kite 3 10 Ictinia mississippiensis
3 Northern Harrier 2 1 Circus cyaneus
2 Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
3 Cooper's Hawk 1 1 Accipiter cooperii
3 Harris's Hawk 7 5 Parabuteo unicinctus
3 Gray Hawk 1 1 N Buteo nitidus
2 Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
3 Broad-winged Hawk 4 80 Buteo platypterus
3 Swainson's Hawk 6 30 Buteo swainsoni
3 White-tailed Hawk 3 3 Buteo albicaudatus
3 Red-tailed Hawk 3 2 Buteo jamaicensis
3 Crested Caracara 6 16 Caracara cheriway
2 American Kestrel Falco sparverius
2 Merlin 1 1 Falco columbarius
3 Aplomado Falcon 1 2 Falco femoralis
3 Peregrine Falcon 2 2 Falco peregrinus
3 Clapper Rail 1 2 Rallus longirostris
1 King Rail 1 1 Rallus elegans
1 Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
3 Sora 3 10 Porzana carolina
2 Purple Gallinule 1 1 Porphyrio martinica
3 Common Moorhen 6 8 Gallinula chloropus
3 American Coot 7 300 Fulica americana
3 Black-bellied Plover 4 45 Pluvialis squatarola
3 American Golden-Plover 2 3 Pluvialis dominica
3 Wilson's Plover 2 5 Charadrius wilsonia
3 Semipalmated Plover 4 6 Charadrius semipalmatus
3 Piping Plover 1 12 Charadrius melodus
3 Killdeer 7 10 Charadrius vociferus
3 American Oystercatcher 1 2 Haematopus palliatus
3 Black-necked Stilt 6 50 N Himantopus mexicanus
3 American Avocet 4 150 Recurvirostra americana
3 Spotted Sandpiper 6 4 Actitis macularius
3 Solitary Sandpiper 1 3 Tringa solitaria
3 Greater Yellowlegs 2 3 Tringa melanoleuca
3 Willet 4 60 N Tringa semipalmatus
3 Lesser Yellowlegs 5 14 Tringa flavipes
3 Upland Sandpiper 2 8 Bartramia longicauda
2 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
3 Long-billed Curlew 2 2 Numenius americanus
1 Hudsonian Godwit 1 4 Limosa haemastica
3 Marbled Godwit 2 6 Limosa fedoa
3 Ruddy Turnstone 3 30 Arenaria interpres
3 Sanderling 3 250 Calidris alba
3 Semipalmated Sandpiper 4 14 Calidris pusilla
3 Western Sandpiper 3 150 Calidris mauri
3 Least Sandpiper 6 400 Calidris minutilla
1 Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
3 Pectoral Sandpiper 4 30 Calidris melanotos
3 Dunlin 3 300 Calidris alpina
2 Stilt Sandpiper 4 8 Calidris himantopus
2 Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1 9 Tryngites subruficollis
3 Short-billed Dowitcher 2 200 Limnodromus griseus
3 Long-billed Dowitcher 4 150 Limnodromus scolopaceus
2 Wilson's Phalarope 4 35 Phalaropus tricolor
3 Laughing Gull 8 450 Leucophaeus atricilla
3 Franklin's Gull 3 8 Leucophaeus pipixcan
3 Ring-billed Gull 2 30 Larus delawarensis
3 Herring Gull 2 3 Larus argentatus
1 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
3 Least Tern 5 100 Sternula antillarum
3 Gull-billed Tern 5 8 Geochelidon nilotica
3 Caspian Tern 4 10 Hydroprogne caspia
2 Common Tern 1 6 Sterna hirundo
3 Forster's Tern 2 110 Sterna forsteri
3 Royal Tern 3 225 Thalasseus maxima
3 Sandwich Tern 2 80 Thalasseus sandvicensis
3 Black Skimmer 2 200 Rynchops niger
3 Rock Pigeon 8 45 Columba livia
3 Red-billed Pigeon 1 8 Patagioenas flavirostris
3 Eurasian Collared-Dove 5 6 Streptopelia decaocto
3 White-winged Dove 8 68 Zenaida asiatica
3 Mourning Dove 8 40 Zenaida macroura
3 Inca Dove 7 15 Columbina inca
3 Common Ground-Dove 6 5 Columbina passerina
3 White-tipped Dove 6 28 N Leptotila verreauxi
3 Green Parakeet 2 55 Aratinga holochlora
2 Red-crowned Parrot 1 18 Amazona viridigenalis
1 Lilac-crowned Parrot Amazona finschii
1 Black-billed Cuckoo 1 1 Coccyzus erythropthalmus
1 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
3 Greater Roadrunner 4 6 Geococcyx californianus
1 Groove-billed Ani 1 2 Crotophaga sulcirostris
1 Barn Owl Tyto alba
2 Eastern Screech-Owl 1 2 Megascops asio
1 Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
1 Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl Glaucidium brasilianum
3 Elf Owl 1 2 Micrathene whitneyi
3 Lesser Nighthawk 3 10 Chordeiles acutipennis
1 Common Nighthawk 3 3 Chordeiles minor
3 Common Pauraque 2 3 Nyctidromus albicollis
2 Chuck-will's-widow 1 1 H Caprimulgus carolinensis
3 Chimney Swift 5 30 Chaetura pelagica
3 Buff-bellied Hummingbird 7 8 N Amazilia yucatanensis
3 Ruby-throated Hummingbird 6 4 Archilochus colubris
3 Black-chinned Hummingbird 3 1 Archilochus alexandri
3 Ringed Kingfisher 1 3 Megaceryle torquata
2 Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
3 Green Kingfisher 2 2 N Chloroceryle americana
3 Golden-fronted Woodpecker 8 16 Melanerpes aurifrons
1 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
3 Ladder-backed Woodpecker 6 6 Picoides scalaris
3 No. Beardless-Tyrannulet 2 4 Camptostoma imberbe
1 Acadian Flycatcher 1 1 Empidonax virescens
3 Black Phoebe 1 1 Sayornis nigricans
3 Vermilion Flycatcher 2 2 Pyrocephalus rubinus
3 Ash-throated Flycatcher 2 3 Myiarchus cinerascens
2 Great Crested Flycatcher 1 1 Myiarchus crinitus
3 Brown-crested Flycatcher 6 10 Myiarchus tyrannulus
3 Great Kiskadee 7 12 N Pitangus sulphuratus
3 Tropical Kingbird 1 3 Tyrannus melancholicus
3 Couch's Kingbird 6 20 Tyrannus couchii
3 Western Kingbird 6 12 Tyrannus verticalis
2 Eastern Kingbird 1 2 Tyrannus tyrannus
3 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 7 30 Tyrannus forficatus
3 Loggerhead Shrike 2 1 Lanius ludovicianus
3 White-eyed Vireo 6 6 Vireo griseus
1 Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
1 Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
3 Blue-headed Vireo 3 3 Vireo solitarius
3 Warbling Vireo 2 6 Vireo gilvus
1 Philadelphia Vireo 1 1 Vireo philadelphicus
2 Red-eyed Vireo 3 4 Vireo olivaceus
3 Green Jay 7 20 Cyanocorax yncas
2 Brown Jay Cyanocorax morio
1 Tamaulipas Crow Corvus imparatus
3 Chihuahuan Raven 4 6 Corvus cryptoleucus
1 Horned Lark 2 1 Eremophila alpestris
3 Purple Martin 6 20 Progne subis
2 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow 5 16 Stelgidopteryx serripennis
3 Bank Swallow 4 20 Riparia riparia
3 Cliff Swallow 7 200 N Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
3 Cave Swallow 4 25 N Petrochelidon fulva
3 Barn Swallow 8 100 Hirundo rustica
3 Black-crested Titmouse 5 8 Baeolophus atricristatus
3 Verdin 1 4 Auriparus flaviceps
3 Cactus Wren 1 4 Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus
3 Carolina Wren 5 6 Thryothorus ludovicianus
2 Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii
3 House Wren 2 3 Troglodytes aedon
2 Sedge Wren 1 1 Cistothorus platensis
3 Marsh Wren 2 3 Cistothorus palustris
2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
3 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 1 1 Polioptila caerulea
2 Black-tailed Gnatcatcher Polioptila melanura
2 Gray-cheeked Thrush 4 1 Catharus minimus
2 Swainson's Thrush 5 2 Catharus ustulatus
2 Wood Thrush 1 1 Hylocichla mustelina
3 Clay-colored Robin 2 3 Turdus grayi
3 Gray Catbird 6 5 Dumetella carolinensis
3 Northern Mockingbird 8 20 Mimus polyglottos
1 Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
3 Long-billed Thrasher 5 9 Toxostoma longirostre
3 Curve-billed Thrasher 1 6 Toxostoma curvirostre
3 European Starling 5 50 Sturnus vulgaris
1 American Pipit 1 1 Anthus rubescens
1 Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii
2 Cedar Waxwing 2 18 Bombycilla cedrorum
2 Blue-winged Warbler 1 1 Vermivora pinus
1 Golden-winged Warbler 2 2 Vermivora chrysoptera
3 Tennessee Warbler 5 6 Vermivora peregrina
3 Orange-crowned Warbler 2 1 Vermivora celata
2 Nashville Warbler 5 20 Vermivora ruficapilla
2 Northern Parula 1 1 Parula americana
1 Tropical Parula 1 1 Parula pitiayumi
2 Yellow Warbler 3 3 Dendroica petechia
1 Chestnut-sided Warbler 1 1 Dendroica pensylvanica
1 Magnolia Warbler 2 1 Dendroica magnolia
3 Yellow-rumped Warbler 1 2 Dendroica coronata coronata
3 Black-throated Green Warbler 1 6 Dendroica virens
1 Blackburnian Warbler 2 1 Dendroica fusca
1 Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
1 Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
1 Blackpoll Warbler 3 4 Dendroica striata
2 Black-and-white Warbler 4 3 Mniotilta varia
3 American Redstart 3 1 Setophaga ruticilla
1 Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
2 Worm-eating Warbler 1 1 Helmitheros vermivorum
2 Ovenbird 3 4 Seiurus aurocapilla
2 Northern Waterthrush 2 18 Seiurus noveboracensis
1 Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
3 Kentucky Warbler 1 1 Oporornis formosus
3 Common Yellowthroat 6 14 Geothlypis trichas
1 Gray-crowned Yellowthroat Geothlypis poliocephala
2 Hooded Warbler 2 2 Wilsonia citrina
3 Wilson's Warbler 1 1 Wilsonia pusilla
3 Yellow-breasted Chat 6 10 Icteria virens
3 White-collared Seedeater 1 5 Sporophila torqueola
3 Olive Sparrow 6 4 Arremonops rufivirgatus
3 Cassin's Sparrow 3 6 Aimophila cassinii
2 Botteri's Sparrow 1 1 Aimophila botterii
3 Chipping Sparrow 2 1 Spizella passerina
2 Clay-colored Sparrow 3 26 Spizella pallida
3 Lark Sparrow 4 30 Chondestes grammacus
3 Black-throated Sparrow 1 8 Amphispiza bilineata
3 Savannah Sparrow 5 8 Passerculus sandwichensis
2 Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
3 Lincoln's Sparrow 3 16 Melospiza lincolnii
2 Swamp Sparrow 1 2 Melospiza georgiana
1 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
1 Crimson-collared Grosbeak 3 1 Rhodothraupis celaeno
3 Summer Tanager 5 5 Piranga rubra
3 Scarlet Tanager 1 2 Piranga olivacea
3 Northern Cardinal 8 6 Cardinalis cardinalis
3 Pyrrhuloxia 3 20 Cardinalis sinuatus
3 Rose-breasted Grosbeak 5 3 Pheucticus ludovicianus
2 Blue Grosbeak 2 1 Passerina caerulea
3 Indigo Bunting 6 80 Passerina cyanea
1 Varied Bunting Passerina versicolor
3 Painted Bunting 4 5 Passerina ciris
1 Dickcissel 5 200 Spiza americana
3 Red-winged Blackbird 8 400 Agelaius phoeniceus
3 Dickey's [Audubon's] Oriole 4 10 Icterus graduacauda dickayae
3 Western Meadowlark 3 6 Sturnella neglecta
1 Yellow-headed Blackbird 1 6 Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
3 Brewer's Blackbird 1 16 Euphagus cyanocephalus
3 Great-tailed Grackle 8 250 Quiscalus mexicanus
3 Bronzed Cowbird 8 40 Molothrus aeneus
3 Brown-headed Cowbird 6 100 Molothrus ater
3 Orchard Oriole 2 15 Icterus spurius
3 Hooded Oriole 6 10 N Icterus cucullatus
3 Bullock's Oriole 1 3 Icterus bullockii
3 Altamira Oriole 2 6 N Icterus gularis
2 Audubon's Oriole Icterus graduacauda
2 Baltimore Oriole 4 24 Icterus galbula
3 Lesser Goldfinch 3 20 Spinus psaltria
1 American Goldfinch 1 18 Spinus tristis
3 House Sparrow 8 30 N Passer domesticus

Non-Established Exotics

1 Red-lored Parrot 1 1 Amazona autumnalis

Mammals

1 Virginia Opossum X Didelphis virginiana
3 Black-tailed Jackrabbit X Lepus californicus
3 Eastern Cottontail X Sylvilagus floridanus
2 Desert Cottontail X Sylvilagus audubonii
1 Norway Rat X Rattus norvegicus
2 Mexican Ground Squirrel X Spermophilus mexicanus
3 Eastern Fox Squirrel X Sciurus niger
3 Nutria X Myocastor coypus
1 Northern Raccoon Procyon lotor
1 Coyote Canis latrans
2 White-tailed Deer X Odocoileus virginianus
3 Javelina X Pecari tajacu

Mammals:

1 Nilgai X Boselaphus tragocamelus

Amphibians and Reptiles

3 American Alligator X Alligator mississippiensis
3 Red-eared Slider X Trachemys scripta elegans
1 Texas Tortoise X Gopherus berlandieri
1 Diamondback Terrapin X Malaclemys terrapin littoralis
1 Yellow Mud Turtle Kinosternon flavescens
3 Spiny Softshelled Turtle X Apalone spinifera emoryi
3 Green Anole X Anolis carolinensis
3 Brown Anole X Anolis sagrei
1 Reticulate Collared Lizard X Crotaphytus reticulatus
1 Texas Spiny Lizard Sceloporus olivaceus
1 Blue Spiny Lizard X Sceloporus serrifer
3 Texas Spotted Whiptail X Cnemidophorus gularis gularis
2 Laredo Striped Whiptail X Cnemidophorus laredoensis
3 Six-lined Racerunner X Cnemidophorus sexlineatus
1 Green Toad Bufo debilis debilis
1 Green Treefrog Hyla cinerea
2 Bullfrog X Rana catesbeiana
1 Rio Grande Leopard Frog X Rana berlandieri
2 Diamond-backed Watersnake Nerodia rhombifer
1 Western Ribbon Snake Thamnophis proximus orarius
3 Mexican Racer X Coluber constrictor oaxaca

Butterflies

3 Pipevine Swallowtail X Battus philenor
3 Giant Swallowtail X Papilo cresphontes
3 Great Southern White X Ascia monuste
1 Checkered White Pontia protodice
1 White-angled Sulphur Anteos clorinde
2 Little Yellow X Eurema lisa
2 Lyside Sulphur X Kricogonia lyside
1 Dainty Sulphur Nathalis iole
2 Large Orange Sulphur X Phoebis agarithe
1 Orange-barred Sulphur X Phoebis philea
2 Dusky-blue Groundstreak X Calycopis isobeon
2 Gray Hairstreak X Strymon melinus
1 Mallow Scrub-hairstreak X Strymon istapa
2 Reakirt's Blue X Hemiargus isola
1 Ceraunus Blue X Hemiargus ceraunus
1 Fatal Metalmark X Calephelis nemesis
3 Gulf Frittilary X Agraulis vanillae
1 Julia Dryas julia
2 White Peacock X Anartia jatrophae
2 Texan Crescent X Phyciodes texana
1 Pearl Crescent Phycoides tharos
1 Red Admiral Vanessa atalanta
1 Tropical Leafwing X Anaea troglodyta
1 Goatweed Leafwing X Anaea andria
1 Hackberry Emperor Asterocampa celtis
1 Tawny Emperor Asterocampa clyton
2 Carolina Satyr Hermeuptchia sosybius
3 Queen X Danaus gilippus
3 Monarch X Danaus plexippus
1 White-striped Longtail Chiodes catillus
1 Brown Longtail X Urbanus procne
3 Checkered Skipper X Pyrgus communis/albescens
1 Funereal Duskywing Erynnis funeralis
2 Laviana White-Skipper X Heliopetes laviana
1 Turk's-cap White-Skipper X Heliopetes macaira
1 Southern Skipperling X Copaeodes minima
1 Celia's Roadside Skipper X Amblyscirtes celia
1 Eufala Skipper X Lerodea eufala

Butterflies and Skippers

1 Polydamus Swallowtail Battus polydamus
2 Cloudless Sulphur Phoebis sennae
1 Western Pygmy-Blue X Brephidium exilis
1 Common Buckeye Junonia coenia
3 Fiery Skipper X Hylephila phyleus

Odonates

1 Smoky Rubyspot Hataerina titia
2 American Rubyspot X Hataerina americana
1 Common Spreadwing Lestes disjunctus
3 Powdered Dancer X Argia moesta
1 Blue-ringed Dancer X Argia sedula
2 Desert Firetail X Telebasis salva
2 Common Green Darner Anax longipes
1 Prince Baskettail Epitheca princeps
2 Black Setwing X Dythemis nigrescens
2 Pin-tailed Pondhawk X Erythemis plebeja
2 Great Pondhawk X Erythemis vesiculosa
1 Needham's Skimmer Libellula needhami
2 Thornbush Dasher X Micrathyria hagenii
1 Black Saddlebags Tramea lacerta

Damselflies and Dragonflies

3 Rambur's Forktail X Ishnura ramburii
3 Eastern Pondhawk X Erythemis simplicicollis
2 Band-winged Dragonlet Erythrodiplax umbrata
3 Blue Dasher X Pachydiplax longipennis
3 Roseate Skimmer X Orthemis ferruginea
2 Eastern Amberwing X Perithemis tenera
1 Spot-winged Glider X Pantala hymenaea
3 Red Saddlebags X Tramea onusta

Ododnates

2 Familiar Bluet Enallagma civile

Miscellaneous Invertebrates

1 Wandering Glider Pantala flavescens