Fish & Wildlife ServiceFish & Wildlife ServiceU.S. Fish & Wildlife ServiceMissisquoi National Wildlife Refuge29 Tabor RoadSwanton, VT 05488802/868 4781www.fws.gov/northeast/missisquoi

Federal Relay Servicefor the deaf and hard-of-hearing1 800/877 8339

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service1 800/344 WILDhttp://www.fws.gov

August 2008

Wood Duck drakeSteve Maslowski/USFWS

MissisquoiNational Wildlife RefugeBirds

such as Northern flying squirrels,screech owls and pileatedwoodpeckers occasionally use thenesting boxes as well. The installationof nesting platforms and tripods onthe refuge to supplement naturalnesting sites for osprey have provensuccessful as osprey numbers continueto rise on the refuge.

The refuge provides habitat for over200 species of birds.

MissisquoiNational WildlifeRefuge

This checklist includes more than 200species of birds and is based onobservations by refuge personnel andvisiting ornithologists. If you shouldfind an unlisted species, please let usknow at refuge headquarters. Weappreciate your help in updating ourrecords.

Several trails are located on the refugeand provide good opportunities forbird observation. Insect repellent maybe useful during the warmer months.

Most of the refuge is accessible onlyby boat. Public boat ramps on therefuge are located at Louie’s Landingand Mac’s Bend. Visitors are advisedto consult the general refuge leafletfor the boat ramp access and traillocations. Birders, whether on foot orin boats, need to observe refuge signsand cooperate with efforts to minimizedisturbances to all wildlife whileengaged in birding activities.

How to use yourchecklist

The bird checklist was designed to beinformative and simple to use. The listis arranged in the order established bythe American Ornithological Union.Symbols which appear in this checklistrepresent the following:

Welcome The Missisquoi National WildlifeRefuge, established in 1943, is on theeastern shore of lake Champlain nearthe Canadian border in northwesternVermont. The refuge headquarters istwo miles north of Swanton onRoute 78. Several diverse habitatsmake up the 6,729 acre refuge. Theflood plain, sloughs and marshes ofthe Missisquoi River delta providemajor nesting grounds for migratorywaterfowl. Beds of wild rice (oftencalled “duck candy), stands ofarrowhead, bulrush and wild celeryalong with frogs and fish provideplentiful sources of food. In additionto 5,000 acres of natural marsh, therefuge includes 1,200 acres ofmanaged wetlands formed by threediked impoundments. These poolsoffer additional sources of food, coverand nesting habitat for waterfowl.

Upland forested areas contain amixture of hardwood species includingwhite and red oak, white ash, whitepine, American beech, hickory andbutternut. By far, the majority offorested communities on the refugeare comprised of flood tolerant speciessuch as swamp white oak, silver andred maple, cottonwood, and green ash.The refuge also maintains areas ofearly successional hardwoods such asalders, birch and poplar for migratorysong birds and American woodcock.Shad island, at the mouth of the riverdelta, is home to the largest great blueheron rookery in Vermont. The refugeprovides nesting grounds for ninety-five percent of Vermont black terns.Artificial nesting box structuresdistributed in suitable habitatsthroughout the refuge supplementnatural tree cavities and augmentproductivity of cavity nesting speciessuch as wood ducks, goldeneye andhooded mergansers. Other species

This goose, designed byJ.N. “Ding” Darling, hasbecome a symbol of theNational Wildlife RefugeSystem.

___ Red-breasted Merganser_______ r r___ Ruddy Duck__________________ o o

Gallinaceous Birds___•Gray Partridge _______________ r r r r___•Ruffed Grouse ________________ u u u u___•Wild Turkey__________________ u u u u

Loons___ Common Loon________________ o o o

Grebes___•Pied-billed Grebe _____________ u c u___ Horned Grebe ________________ o o o___ Red-necked Grebe ____________ o o

Cormorants___•Double-crested Cormorant _____ c c c

Bitterns, Herons and Egrets___•American Bittern _____________ c c o___•Least Bittern______________ r u___•Great Blue Heron _____________ c c c r___ Great Egret __________________ o o o___ Green Heron _________________ u c o___ Black-crowned Night-Heron ___ o c o

New World Vultures___ Turkey Vulture _______________ u c u

Osprey, Kites, Hawks and Eagles___•Osprey ______________________ c c c___ Bald Eagle ___________________ o o r___•Northern Harrier _____________ c c c

Sp S F W

Bald Eagle

Seasonal appearanceSp Spring March – MayS Summer June – AugustF Fall September – NovemberW Winter December – February

Seasonal abundanceRelative abundance indicates how likely you are to see orhear a bird in its favored habitat.

a abundant a common species which is very numerousc common certain to be seen in suitable habitatu uncommon present, but not certain to be seeno occasional seen only a few times during the seasonr rare seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years

• Birds known or suspected to have nested on the refugeor known to nest locally.Italics indicate Federally threatened/endangeredspecies.

Swans, Geese and Ducks___ Snow Goose __________________ u u___•Canada Goose ________________ o u c r___ Brant _______________________ r r___•Wood Duck___________________ a a a___ Gadwall _____________________ o o c___ American Wigeon _____________ o o c___•American Black Duck _________ c c c r___•Mallard______________________ a a a r___•Blue-winged Teal _____________ c c o___ Northern Shoveler ____________ c o c___ Northern Pintail ______________ c o c___•Green-winged Teal ____________ c o c___ Canvasback __________________ o c___ Redhead _____________________ o___ Ring-necked Duck ____________ c o c___ Greater Scaup ________________ u u___ Lesser Scaup_________________ c c___ Surf Scoter __________________ r r___ White-winged Scoter __________ o___ Black Scoter _________________ o___ Long-tailed Duck _____________ o___ Bufflehead ___________________ u o___•Common Goldeneye ___________ c c c o___•Hooded Merganser____________ c c c___ Common Merganser___________ c o c o

Sp S F W

Sandpipers and Phalaropes___ Greater Yellowlegs ____________ c c___ Lesser Yellowlegs _____________ o o___ Solitary Sandpiper ____________ o o___•Spotted Sandpiper ____________ o c o___ Hudsonian Godwit ____________ r___ Ruddy Turnstone _____________ r___ Sanderling ___________________ o___ Semipalmated Sandpiper_______ o___ Least Sandpiper ______________ o___ White-rumped Sandpiper ______ o o___ Pectoral Sandpiper ____________ o___ Dunlin_______________________ o___ Stilt Sandpiper _______________ r___ Short-billed Dowitcher_________ r___•Wilson’s Snipe ________________ c c c___•American Woodcock ___________ c c c

Skuas, Jaegers, Gulls and Terns___ Bonaparte’s Gull ______________ r r r___ Ring-billed Gull_______________ c c c o___ Herring Gull _________________ u u u___ Great Black-backed Gull _______ u u u o___ Common Tern ________________ c o c___•Black Tern ___________________ c c

Pigeons and Doves___•Rock Dove __________________ c c c c___•Mourning Dove _______________ c c c c

Cuckoos and Anis___ Black-billed Cuckoo ___________ u u u___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo___________ u u u

Typical Owls___•Eastern Screech-Owl __________ o o o o___•Great Horned Owl ____________ c c c u___ Snowy Owl ___________________ r r r___ Northern Hawk Owl___________ r r r___•Barred Owl __________________ u u u u___ Short-eared Owl ______________ o o o___ Northern Saw-whet Owl _______ o o o o

Sp S F W

Peregrine Falcon

___ Sharp-shinned Hawk __________ o o o___ Cooper’s Hawk _______________ o o o___ Northern Goshawk ____________ o o o o___•Red-shouldered Hawk _________ o o o___ Broad-winged Hawk___________ r r___•Red-tailed Hawk______________ c c c o___ Rough-legged Hawk___________ u r o o

Falcons and Caracaras___•American Kestrel _____________ c c o___ Merlin_______________________ r r r___ Peregrine Falcon______________ o r o

Rails___•Virginia Rail _________________ o c c___•Sora ________________________ o o o___•Common Moorhen ____________ c c o___ American Coot _______________ o r c

Plovers___ Black-bellied Plover ___________ o___ Semipalmated Plover __________ o o___•Killdeer _____________________ c c c

Sp S F W

Shrikes___ Northern Shrike ______________ u r u u

Vireos___ Yellow-throated Vireo__________ o c o___•Blue-headed Vireo ____________ u u u___•Warbling Vireo _______________ o c o___ Philadelphia Vireo ____________ o o r___•Red-eyed Vireo _______________ c c o

Crows, Jays and Magpies___•Blue Jay _____________________ c c c o___•American Crow _______________ c c c o___•Raven _______________________ o o o o

Larks___ Horned Lark _________________ o o o o

Swallows___•Purple Martin ________________ o c o___•Tree Swallow _________________ c a c___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow u u u___•Bank Swallow ________________ c c o___ Cliff Swallow _________________ o o___•Barn Swallow ________________ c c o

Titmice and Chickadees___•Black-capped Chickadee _______ a c c a___ Boreal Chickadee _____________ r r___ Tufted Titmouse ______________ u u u

Nuthatches___ Red-breasted Nuthatch ________ r r r r___•White-breasted Nuthatch ______ c c c c

Creepers___•Brown Creeper _______________ c u c c

Wrens___•House Wren__________________ o u u___ Winter Wren _________________ r r r___•Marsh Wren__________________ o c o

Kinglets___ Golden-crowned Kinglet _______ o r o___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet _________ u r u r

Sp S F W

Nightjars___ Common Nighthawk __________ o o r___ Whip-poor-will________________ r r r

Swifts___•Chimney Swift________________ o o o

Hummingbirds___•Ruby-throated Hummingbird ___ o c o

Kingfishers___•Belted Kingfisher _____________ u c c

Woodpeckers___•Red-headed Woodpecker _______ r___•Yellow-bellied Sapsucker _______ c c o___•Downy Woodpecker ___________ c c c c___•Hairy Woodpecker ____________ c c c c___•Northern Flicker _____________ c c o___•Pileated Woodpecker __________ u u u u

Tyrant Flycatchers___•Olive-sided Flycatcher _________ o u o___•Eastern Wood-Pewee __________ c c c___•Alder Flycatcher______________ c c o___•Willow Flycatcher_____________ u u o___•Least Flycatcher______________ c c o___•Eastern Phoebe ______________ c c c___•Great Crested Flycatcher ______ c c o___•Eastern Kingbird _____________ c c c

Sp S F W

Olive-sided Flycatcher

___ Magnolia Warbler _____________ r r___ Cape May Warbler ____________ o o___ Black-throated Blue Warbler ___ o o o___ Yellow-rumped Warbler ________ o r o___ Black-throated Green Warbler __ u r u___ Blackburnian Warbler _________ o o o___ Palm Warbler_________________ o o___ Bay-breasted Warbler _________ o o o___ Blackpoll Warbler _____________ u u___ Black-and-white Warbler_______ u u u___•American Redstart ____________ c c o___•Ovenbird ____________________ o o___•Northern Waterthrush_________ o c o___ Louisiana Waterthrush ________ o u___•Common Yellowthroat _________ c c c___ Canada Warbler ______________ o o o

Tanagers___ Scarlet Tanager_______________ r r r

Sparrows and Towhees___ Eastern Towhee ______________ r r___ American Tree Sparrow________ c r o c___•Chipping Sparrow_____________ c c c___•Field Sparrow ________________ o u o___ Vesper Sparrow_______________ o o o___•Savannah Sparrow ____________ c c c___ Grasshopper Sparrow _________ r r___ Fox Sparrow _________________ o o o___•Song Sparrow ________________ c c c___ Lincoln’s Sparrow_____________ r___•Swamp Sparrow ______________ c c c___•White-throated Sparrow _______ c c o___ White-crowned Sparrow _______ o o o o___ Dark-eyed Junco______________ c r o c___ Snow Bunting ________________ o r o c

Sp S F W

Old World Warblers___•Blue-gray Gnatcatcher_________ u c

Thrushes___ Eastern Bluebird _____________ r r r___•Veery _______________________ c c o___ Swainson’s Thrush ____________ r r___•Hermit Thrush _______________ c c c___•Wood Thrush _________________ c c u___•American Robin ______________ c c c

Mimic Thrushes___•Gray Catbird _________________ c c o___ Northern Mockingbird_________ r r___ Brown Thrasher ______________ o o o

Starlings___•European Starling ____________ a c a c

Wagtails and Pipits___ American Pipit _______________ u o u

Waxwings___•Cedar Waxwing_______________ o c c

Wood Warblers___ Tennessee Warbler ____________ r r___ Orange-crowned Warbler ______ r___ Nashville Warbler_____________ o o o___ Northern Parula ______________ r___•Yellow Warbler _______________ c c o___ Chestnut-sided Warbler________ o o

Sp S F W

Barn Swallow

Dark-eyed Junco

Birding Ethics The membership of the AmericanBirding Association believes that allbirders have an obligation at all timesto protect wildlife, the naturalenvironment, and the rights of othersand asks that all birders adhere to thefollowing guidelines of good birdingbehavior.

I. Birders must always act in ways that do not endangerthe welfare of birds or other wildlife.

In keeping with this principle,we will:■ Observe and photograph birds

without knowingly disturbingthem in any significant way.

■ Avoid chasing or repeatedlyflushing birds.

■ Keep an appropriate distancefrom nests and nesting coloniesso as not to disturb the birds orexpose them to danger.

■ Disturb wintering wildlife aslittle as possible, particularlyduring critical feeding andresting periods. They need alltheir energy reserves towithstand the stresses of harshwinter and migration.

II. Birders must always act in ways that do not harm thenatural environment.

In keeping with this principle,we will:■ Stay on existing roads, trails

and pathways wheneverpossible to avoid trampling.

■ Leave all habitat as it wasfound. Many birds die whenthey become entangled indiscarded fishing lines, 6 packrings and other trash, or whenthey mistake garbage for food.Northern Cardinal

Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Allies___•Northern Cardinal ____________ u u u c___•Rose-breasted Grosbeak _______ c c o___ Indigo Bunting _______________ o o o

Blackbirds and Orioles___•Bobolink_____________________ c a o___•Red-winged Blackbird _________ a a c___•Eastern Meadowlark __________ c c o___ Rusty Blackbird ______________ u u u___•Common Grackle _____________ c c o___•Brown-headed Cowbird ________ c c c___•Baltimore Oriole ______________ c c

Finches___ Pine Grosbeak________________ r r___ Purple Finch _________________ o o o o___•House Finch _________________ u c u u___ White-winged Crossbill ________ o r o___ Common Redpoll _____________ r___ Pine Siskin___________________ r r r___•American Goldfinch ___________ c c c o___ Evening Grosbeak ____________ c o o c

Old World Sparrows___•House Sparrow _______________ c c c c

Sp S F W

Baltimore Oriole

Sighting Notes

Date _________________________________

Time _________________________________

Weather _________________________________

_________________________________

No. of species _________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Route of area _________________________________

_________________________________

Observers _________________________________

_________________________________

Remarks _________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

Great BlueHeron

III. Birders must always respect the rights of others.

In keeping with this principle,we will:■ Respect the privacy and

property of others by observing“No Trespassing” signs.

■ Observe all laws and the rulesand regulations that governpublic use of birding areas.

■ Always behave in a manner thatwill enhance the image of thebirding community in the eyesof the public.

IV. Birders in groups should assume special responsibilities.

As group members, we shall:■ Take special care to alleviate

the problems and disturbancesthat are multiplied when morepeople are present.

■ Act in consideration of thegroup’s interest, as well as ourown.

■ Support by our actions theresponsibility of the groupleader(s) for the conduct of thegroup.

As group leaders, we will:■ Assume responsibility for the

conduct of the group.

■ Learn and inform the group ofany special rules, regulations orconduct applicable to the areaor habitat being visited.

■ Limit groups to a size that doesnot threaten the environment orthe peace and tranquility ofothers.

■ Teach others birding ethics byour words and example.

NorthernFlicker

© Cindie Brunner