Birds of the LRGV

 

            by Keith Hackland

 

The list for 2006 is available here: Please note that this list is in Acrobat format and you will need Acrobat Reader installed on your computer to read it.

 

This is the latest checklist of Lower Rio Grande Valley bird species (as of January 18, 2005). The list contains 507 species, and four sub-species, 511 in all.

The checklist was updated by Martin Hagne with expert information and assistance from John Arvin of the World Birding Center (Mission, Texas). The list is based on Checklist of Lower Rio Grande Valley Birds by Brad McKinney (3rd Edition 2002, published by Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, Texas). That publication should be consulted for detailed information on seasonal occurrence by area in the LRGV, and for an interesting write up of Rare Bird Sightings, and useful additional information. Also heavily consulted was an excellent book The Texas Ornithological Society Handbook of Texas Birds by Mark W. Lockwood & Brush Freeman(2004, published by Texas A&M University Press), which is highly recommended as a reference.

            The four county Lower Rio Grande Valley has 506 bird species officially accepted by the Records Committee of the Texas Ornithological Society as of February 2005. Compare this to the whole state of Floridas 477 species, and Louisianas 450 species. An additional one reported species is waiting to be accepted by the committee, making a possible 507 species for the area. Additional varieties listed here which are subspecies, and not counted in the 507 number, are Mexican Duck, Mangrove Warbler, Audubons Yellow-rumped Warbler, and Fuertes Orchard Oriole, which increases the list to 511 birds.

Sub-species or Varieties endemic to the Tamaulipan Biotic area (LRGV and Northern Mexico) found in the LRGV, but not listed here, include Texas Red-shouldered Hawk, Zapata Carolina Wren, and Brownsville Common Yellowthroat.

 

           

Occurrence codes

A = Abundant

C = Common

U = Uncommon

O = Occasional

R = Rare

X = Accidental

 

Limited area in the LRGV

p = Pelagic

c = Coast

m = Mid

w = West

Blank = found throughout the LRGV (excluding pelagic)

 

Other codes

S = Specialty bird species of the LRGV area usually seen. The specialty grouping includes bird species restricted to the LRGV and can usually be seen, plus others which also occur elsewhere in Texas or Southwestern U.S. or along the Gulf Coast of U.S. and can be seen there but are also easily seen or are particularly numerous in the LRGV.

 

R = Rare specialty bird species whose occurrence is restricted to the LRGV area, but are not usually seen.

 

* = Not yet accepted by the Texas Ornithological Society Records Committee because it is a very recent record.

 

-- = subspecies or varieties not included in the species count of 507

 

Names are listed in the order English common name, Mexico name, and Scientific name. Mexico names are in Spanish and follow The Birds of Mexico and Adjacent Areas, Ernest Preston Edwards, 1998, and if not available there are taken from A Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Northern Central America, Steve N.G. Howell and Sophie Webb, 1995. Note that non-English names in use have not been standardized. The result is that there are often several non-English names (mainly of Spanish or Indian origin) in use, each often preferred locally or regionally. French, Portuguese and German names are also available in some books.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                                                         Specialty & Rarity

                                                                                                                                                         |

                                                                                                                                                         |             Occurrence

                                                                                                                                                         |             |            

                                                                                                                                                         |             |             Limited area

                                                                                                                                                         |             |             |

            Loons; Somorgujos; Gaviidae                                                                                                            

Pacific Loon, Somorgujo Pacifico, Gavia pacifica                                                                        X           c               

Common Loon, Somorgujo Comn, G. immer                                                                                  U           c

Yellow-billed Loon, Colimbo Piquiamarillo, G. adamsii                                                             X           c

            Grebes; Zambullidores; Podicipedidae                                                                

Least Grebe, Zambullidor Menor, Tachybaptus dominicus                                            S          U           m,w

Pied-billed Grebe, Zambullidor Piquipinto, Podilymbus podiceps                                           C          

Horned Grebe, Zambullidor Cornudo, Podiceps auritus                                                              X           c,w

Eared Grebe, Zambullidor Orejudo, P. nigricollis                                                                           U

Western Grebe, Achichilique Occidental, Aechmophorus occidentalis                                    R           c

             Albatrosses; Albatros; Diomedeidae

Yellow-nosed Albatross, Thalassarche chlororhynchos                                                             X           c

            Shearwaters and Petrels; Pardelas y Paos; Procellariidae                        

Cory's Shearwater, Pardela de Cory, Calonectris diomedea                                                         R           p

Greater Shearwater, ......................., Puffinus gravis                                                                           X           p

Sooty Shearwater, Pardela Gris, Puffinus griseus                                                                           X           c

Manx Shearwater, ....................., Puffinus puffinus                                                                            X           p

Audubon's Shearwater, Pardela Chica, P. Iherminieri                                                                    R           p

            Storm-Petrels; Paios; Hydrobatidae                                                                   

Leach's Storm-Petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa                                                                              X           p

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, O. castro                                                                                                 R           p

            Tropicbirds; Rabijuncos; Phaethontidae

Red-billed Tropicbird, Rabijunco Piquirrojo, Phaethon aethereus                                         X           p

            Boobies and Gannets; Sulas; Sulidae

Masked Booby, Sula Enmascarada, Sula dactylatra                                                                     R           p

Brown Booby, Sula Cuellioscura, S. leucogaster                                                                           X           c

Northern Gannet, Bobo Norteo, Morus bassanus                                                                         U           p,c

            Pelicans; Alcatraces; Pelecanidae

American White Pelican, Alcatraz Blanco, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos                                   U

Brown Pelican, Alcatraz Pardo, P. occidentalis                                                                               C           c,m

            Cormorants; Sargentos; Phalacrocoracidae

Neotropic Cormorant, Corvejn, Phalacrocorax brasilianus                                      S          U

Double-crested Cormorant, Cormorn Orejudo, P. auritus                                                          C

             Darters; Huizotes; Anhingidae

Anhinga, Huizote, Anhinga anhinga                                                                                                 U

             Frigatebirds; Fragatas; Fregatidae

Magnificent Frigatebird, Fragata Comn, Fregata magnificens                                                O           p,c,m

             Bitterns, Herons, & Allies; Garzas y Pedretes; Ardeidae

American Bittern, Torcomn, Botaurus lentiginosus                                                                   O           c,m

Least Bittern, Garcita, Ixobrychus exilis                                                                                            U

Great Blue Heron, Garzn Cenizo, Ardea herodias                                                                        C

Great Egret, Garzn Blanco, A. albus                                                                                                  C

Snowy Egret, Garza Nvea, Egretta thula                                                                                          C

Little Blue Heron, Garza Aul, E. caerula                                                                                            U

Tricolored Heron, Garza Flaca, E. tricolor                                                                                         C                            

Reddish Egret, Garza Melenuda, E. rufescens                                                                     S          C           c

Cattle Egret, Garza Ganadera, Bubulcus ibis                                                                                     C

Green Heron, Garcita Oscura, Butorides virescens                                                                          C

Black-crowned Night-Heron, Pedrete Gris, Nycticorax nycticorax                                            C

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Pedrete Enmascarado, Nyctanassa violacea                           U

             Ibises and Spoonbills; Ibis; Threskiornithidae

White Ibis, Isis Blanco, Eudocimus albus                                                                                        U           c

Glossy Ibis, Ibis Morito, Plegadis falcinellus                                                                                X           c

White-faced Ibis, Atotola, P. chihi                                                                                                                    C               c, m

Roseate Spoonbill, Esptula, Platalea ajaja                                                                                   U           c, m

             Storks; Cigueas; Ciconiidae

Jabiru, Jabir, Jabiru mycteria                                                                                                            X           c, m

Wood Stork, Ciguea Americana, Mycteria Americana                                                                U

             New World Vultures; Zopilotes; Cathartidae

Black Vulture, Zopilote Comn, Coragyps atratus                                                                      C

Turkey Vulture, Aura Comn, Cathartes aura                                                                                A

             Flamingos; Flamencos; Phoenicopteridae

Greater Flamingo, Flamenco Comn,Phoenicopterus ruber                                                       X           c

               Ducks, Geese, & Swans; Patos y Ansares; Anatidae

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Pijije, Dendrocyna autumnalis                                  S          C

Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Chiquiote, D. bicolor                                                              S          U           c,m

Greater White-fronted Goose, Ganso Manchado, Anser albifrons                                             U

Snow Goose, Ganso Real, Chen caerulescens                                                                                  U           c,m

Ross' Goose, Ganso de Ross, C. rossii                                                                                               O           c, m          

Canada Goose, Ganso Canadiense, Branta Canadensis                                                               U

Brant, Ganso de Collar, B. bernicla                                                                                                     X           m

Trumpeter Swan, Cygnus buccinator                                                                                                 X           w

Tundra Swan, C. columbianus                                                                                                              X           c

Muscovy Duck, Pato Real, Cairina mochata                                                                     R         O           w

Wood Duck, Pato Arcoiris, Aix sponsa                                                                                               O           m,q

Gadwall, Pato Pinto, Anas strepera                                                                                                    C

Eurasian Wigeon, Pato Silbn, A. Penelope                                                                                      X

American Wigeon, Pato Chalcun, A. Americana                                                                            C

Mallard, Pato de Collar, A. platyrhynchos                                                                                        O           w

--"Mexican Duck", Pato Mexicano, A. platyrhynchos novimexicanus                        R         w

Mottled Duck, Pato Tejano, A. fulvigula                                                                              S          C

Blue-winged Teal, Cerceta Aliazul, A. discors                                                                                 C

Cinnamon Teal, Cerceta Caf, A. cyanoptera                                                                                    O

Northern Shoveler, Pato Cucharn, A. clypeata                                                                               C

White-cheeked Pintail, A. bahamensis                                                                                               X           c                                 

Northern Pintail, Pato Golondrino, A. acuta                                                                                    C

Green-winged Teal, Cerceta Comn, A. crecca                                                                                 C

Canvasback, Pato Coacoxtle, Aythya valisineria                                                                           C

Redhead, Pato Cabecirrojo, A. Americana                                                                                         C

Ring-necked Duck, Pato Piquianillado, A. collaris                                                                       U

Greater Scaup, Pato Boludo, A. marila                                                                                               R           c,m

Lesser Scaup, Pato Bola, A. affinis                                                                                                                    C

Harlequin Duck, Histrionicus histrionicus                                                                                     X           c

Surf Scoter, Negreta de Marejada, Melanitta perspicillata                                                          X           c,w

White-winged Scoter, Melanitta fusca                                                                                              X           c

Long-tailed Duck, Clangula hyemalis                                                                                               X           c

Bufflehead, Pato Crestiblanco, Bucephala albeola                                                                       C

Common Goldeneye, B. clangula                                                                                                                     R               c

Hooded Merganser, Mergo de Caperuza, Lophodytes cucullatus                                              R

Common Merganser, Mergo Comn, Mergus merganser                                                             X           w

Red-breasted Merganser, Mergo Copetn, M. serrator                                                                 O

Masked Duck, Pato Enmascarado, Nomonyx dominicus                                                  R         R           c,m

Ruddy Duck, Pato Tepalcate, Oxyura jamaicensis                                                                         C

              Hawks, Kites, Eagles, & Allies; Gavilanes; Accipitridae

Osprey, Gaviln Pescador, Pandion haliaetus                                                                                U

Hook-billed Kite, Milano Pintado, Chondrohierax uncinatus                                    S          U           m,w

Swallow-tailed Kite, Milano Tijereta, Elanoides forficatus                                                        R           c,m

White-tailed Kite, Milano Coliblanco, Elanus leucurus                                                S          U          

Snail Kite, Milano Caracolero, Rostrhamus sociabilis                                                                 X           m

Mississippi Kite, Milano Migratorio, Ictinia mississippiensis                                                 U