Birds seen (and heard only) in northern Great Plains 17 June - 1 July 1996.
Bradley J. Bergstrom
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abundance Code* Locality Codes**
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gaviidae (loons)
Common Loon 2 NM, M1, M2
Podicipedidae (grebes)
Pied-billed Grebe 4 EN,NM,M3,WN,BI
Eared Grebe 4 WN
Horned Grebe 1 WN
Red-necked Grebe 2 NM
Western Grebe 5 WN,BI
Clark's Grebe 1 BI
Pelecanidae (pelicans)
American White Pelican 5 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,BI
Phalacrocoracidae (cormorants)
Double-crested Cormorant 3 EN,NM,M1,EW,BI
Ardeidae (herons)
Great Blue Heron 2 EN,NM,M1,M2,WN,BI
Great Egret 1 NM (3 mi from Manitoba)
Black-crowned Night-Heron 2/3 NM,M3,BI
Anatidae (ducks, geese)
Canada Goose 4 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,BI
Wood Duck 2 NM
Green-winged Teal 3 M1,WN,BI
Blue-winged Teal 5 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,BI
Mallard 5/6 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,BI
Northern Pintail 4 EN,NM,M3,BI
Northern Shoveler 5 EN,NM,M3,WN,BI
Gadwall 5 EN,NM,M3,WN,EW,BI
American Wigeon 3 WN,BI
Canvasback 3 NM,WN,BI
Redhead 2 M3,BI
Ring-necked Duck 2 NM
Ruddy Duck 4 M3,WN,BI
Bufflehead 2 M2
Common Goldeneye 2 M2
Common Merganser 2/3 M1
Hooded Merganser 2 NM
Lesser Scaup 3/4 NM,M1,M2,M3,EW
Ciconiidae (New World vultures, storks)
Turkey Vulture 4 NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,SD,BI
Falconiformes (hawks, falcons)
Bald Eagle 1 M2
Northern Harrier 3 EN,NM,M3,WN,EM,BI
Sharp-shinned Hawk 2 M2
Broad-winged Hawk 1 M2
Red-tailed Hawk 3 All 10 localities
Swainson's Hawk 3 M3,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Ferruginous Hawk 1 WN
American Kestrel 2/3 EN,M1,M2,M3,EM,EW,SD
Merlin 1 EW
Peregrine Falcon 1 M2
Prairie Falcon 2 EM,EW
Galliformes (upland game birds)
Ring-necked Pheasant 2 WN,BI
Ruffed Grouse 2 M1
Sharp-tailed Grouse 3 M3,WN,EW
Spruce Grouse 1 hen+chicks M2
Wild Turkey 2 BI
Rallidae (rails, coots)
Sora 3 M3,WN,BI
Virginia Rail 2 BI
(Yellow Rail) 3 M3
American Coot 4 WN,NM,M2,M3,WN,EM,BI
Charadriiformes (shorebirds)
Piping Plover 3 WN
Killdeer 5 All 10 localities
American Avocet 4 EN,M3,WN,BI
Greater Yellowlegs 2 BI
Solitary Sandpiper 2 M2
Spotted Sandpiper 2 WN,BI
Stilt Sandpiper 2 BI
Upland Sandpiper 3/4 M3,WN,EM
Willet 3 M3,WN,BI
Marbled Godwit 2 EN,WN
Common Snipe 3 NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,EW,BI
Wilson's Phalarope 4 EN,NM,M1,M3,WN,EW,BI
Laridae (gulls, terns)
Franklin's Gull 3 EN,BI
Ring-billed Gull 4 NM,M1,M2,SD,BI
Black Tern 5 WN,NM,M3,WN,BI
Common Tern 1 WN
Forster's Tern 2 EN,BI
Columbidae (doves)
Rock Dove 4 EN,NM,M3,WN,EW,SD,BI
Mourning Dove 6 All 10 localities
Tytonidae (owls)
Burrowing Owl 1 EM
Caprimulgidae (goatsuckers)
Common Nighthawk 3 M1,M2,WN,EM,EW,SD
(Poorwill) 3 EW,SD
Apodiformes (swifts, hummingbirds)
Chimney Swift 3 EN
White-throated Swift 4 EM,EW,SD
Ruby-throated Hummingbird 2 EN,M1,M2
Alcedinidae (kingfishers)
(Belted Kingfisher) 1 M1
Picidae (woodpeckers)
(Downy Woodpecker) 2 WN,SD
Hairy Woodpecker 2 EN,M1,SD
Northern Three-toed Woodpecker 1 M1
Pileated Woodpecker 2 M1,M2
Black-backed Woodpecker 1 M2
Northern Flicker 4 EN,NM,M1,M2,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 2 EN,M1
Tyrannidae (flycatchers)
Great-Crested Flycatcher 1 NM
Least Flycatcher 4 NM,M1,M2,M3,WN
Olive-sided Flycatcher 1 M2
Alder Flycatcher 2 M1,M2
Willow Flycatcher 2 EN,WN
Cordilleran (Western) Flycatcher 3 SD
Eastern Wood-pewee 2 EN,M1,BI
Western Wood-pewee 3 M2,EM,EW,SD
Eastern Phoebe 2 NM,M1,M2
Say's Phoebe 1 EM
Eastern Kingbird 5 All 10 localities
Western Kingbird 4 EN,M2,M3,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Alaudidae (larks)
Horned Lark 6 WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Hirudinidae (swallows)
Purple Martin 2 M3
Bank Swallow 3 EM,EW,SD,BI
Barn Swallow 5 All 10 localities
Cliff Swallow 6 All 10 localities
Northern Rough-winged Swallow 2 EN
Tree Swallow 4 NM,M1,M3,WN,BI
Violet-green Swallow 3 EM,EW,SD
Corvidae (jays, crows)
Blue Jay 2 EN,NM,M1,M2
Gray Jay 2 M1,M2
Black-billed Magpie 2/3 NM,M1,M2,M3
American Crow 4 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,EM,EW,SD
Common Raven 2 NM,M1,M2
Paridae (chickadees)
Black-capped Chickadee 3 M1,M2,EM,EW,SD
Sittidae (nuthatches)
Red-breasted Nuthatch 4 M1,M2,EM,EW,SD
White-breasted Nuthatch 2 SD
Certhiidae (creepers)
Brown Creeper 2 M1,M2
Troglodytidae (wrens)
House Wren 3 EN,M1,M2,WN,EM,SD
Marsh Wren 5 EN,NM,M3,WN,BI
Sedge Wren 3 EN,M3
Rock Wren 2 EM,EW,SD
Sylviidae (kinglets)
Golden-crowned Kinglet 1 M1
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 2 M2,SD
Muscicapidae (true thrushes)
Eastern Bluebird 3 M3,EM,SD,BI
Mountain Bluebird 3 M3,WN,EM,EW,SD
Townsend's Solitaire 1 SD
Veery 2 NM,M1,M2
Hermit Thrush 2 M1,M2
Swainson's Thrush 2 M2,SD
American Robin 5 All 10 localities
Sturnidae (mimic thrushes, starlings)
Gray Catbird 2 M3
Brown Thrasher 2 EN,SD,BI
Sage Thrasher 2 EW
European Starling 3 EN,M3
Bombycillidae (waxwings)
Cedar Waxwing 4 EN,NM,M1,M2,WN,EM,EW,SD
Laniidae (shrikes)
Loggerhead Shrike 2/3 M3,WN,BI
Vireonidae (vireos)
Philadelphia Vireo 2 M1
Red-eyed Vireo 5 All 10 localities
Solitary Vireo 2 M1,M2
Warbling Vireo 3 M2,M3,EW,SD
Fringillidae
Emberizinae/Parulini (wood warblers)
Black-and-white Warbler 3 NM,M1,M2,WN
Blackburnian Warbler 3 M1,M2
Black-throated Green Warbler 2 M2
Canada Warbler 2 M2,M3
Chestnut-sided Warbler 5 NM,M1,M2
(Connecticut Warbler) 1 M2
MacGillivray's Warbler 2 SD
Magnolia Warbler 2 M2
Mourning Warbler 2 M2
Nashville Warbler 4 NM,M1,M2
Orange-crowned Warbler 1 M3
Palm Warbler 2 M2
Pine Warbler 1 NM
Prairie Warbler 1 SD
(Tennessee Warbler) 1 M1
Virginia's Warbler 1 SD
(Wilson's Warbler) 1 NM
Yellow Warbler 5 All 10 localities
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Audubon's race 4 EM,EW,SD
Myrtle race 3 NM,M1,M2
(Northern Parula) 1 NM
Common Yellowthroat 3 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3,WN,SD,BI
Yellow-breasted Chat 2 SD
American Redstart 4 NM,M1,M2,WN
(Ovenbird) 3 NM,M1,M2,WN,EM,EW,SD
Northern Waterthrush 1 M2
Emberizinae/Thraupini (tanagers)
Scarlet Tanager 2 M1,M3
Western Tanager 3 EW,SD
Emberizinae/Cardinalini
(Black-headed Grosbeak??) 1/2 SD
Rose-breasted Grosbeak 3 EN,M1,M2
Emberizinae/Icterini (blackbirds, orioles)
Western Meadowlark 5 All 10 localities
Common Grackle 3 EN,NM,M2,M3,WN,BI
Bobolink 5 EN,NM,M3,WN,EM,EW,BI
Brewer's Blackbird 5 M3,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Red-winged Blackbird 6 All 10 localities
Rusty Blackbird 1 M2
Yellow-headed Blackbird 6 EN,NM,M3,WN,EM,EW,BI
Brown-headed Cowbird 4 EN,M3,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Baltimore Oriole 2 EN,M3
Bullock's Oriole 1 EW
Orchard Oriole 1 BI
Emberizinae/Emberizini (sparows, buntings, longspurs...)
Spotted Towhee 4 M3,WN,EM,EW,SD
Baird's Sparrow 2 WN
Brewer's Sparrow 4 EW
Chipping Sparrow 5 All 10 localities
Clay-colored Sparrow 4 EN,M2,M3,WN,EM
Field Sparrow 4 WN,EW,SD,BI
Grasshopper Sparrow 3 WN,EM,EW,SD
Lark Sparrow 4 WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
LeConte's Sparrow 2 NM
Lincoln's Sparrow 2 M2
Savannah Sparrow 4 EN,NM,M3,EM,BI
Sharp-tailed Sparrow 3 EN,NM
Song Sparrow 3 EN,NM,M1,M2,M3
Swamp Sparrow 2 M2
Vesper Sparrow 5 M3,WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
White-throated Sparrow 2 NM,M1,M2
Slate-colored Junco 2 M1,M2
White-winged Junco 3 EM,EW,SD
Chestnut-collared Longspur 4 M3,WN
McCown's Longspur 2 EW
(Indigo Bunting) 1 EN
Lark Bunting 6 WN,EM,EW,SD,BI
Lazuli Bunting 2 WN,EM
Dickcissel 2 BI
Fringillinae/Carduelini (finches, crossbills)
Evening Grosbeak 2 M1,M2
(Purple Finch) 2 EN
Red Crossbill 4/5 EM,EW,SD
White-winged Crossbill 3 M1
Pine Siskin 2/3 M1,M2,SD
American Goldfinch 5 All 10 localities
Passeridae
Motacillinae (pipits, wagtails)
Sprague's Pipit 3 M3,WN
Ploceinae (weavers)
House Sparrow 2 EN,SD
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Abundance Codes: 1 = just one seen (or heard); 2 = 2-8; 3 = 9 to 20 or so;
4 = scores!; 5 = hundreds!!; 6 = thousands!!!
**Locality Codes & Dates:
EN = Northeast North Dakota, esp. from Grand Forks to 20 mi W; 17-20 June
NM = Northwest Minnesota, esp. Agassiz NWR & "Northwest Angle"; 20-21 June
M1 = S. Manitoba: Whiteshell Provincial Forest & Park; 21-22 June
M2 = S. Manitoba: Riding Mountain NP; 23-24 June
M3 = SW Manitoba/SE Saskatchewan prairies; 24-25 June
WN = Western North Dakota, esp. Theo. Roosevelt Nat. Park, Des Lacs National
Wildlife Refuge (NWR), Lostwoods NWR; 26-27 June
EM = [South]east Montana (Wibaux to Alzada), esp. near Baker, Ekalaka
(Medicine Rocks SP), Long Pine Hills; 27-28 June
EW = [North]east Wyoming, esp. Devil's Tower Nat. Mon., Thunder Basin Nat.
Grasslands; 28-29 June
SD = South Dakota, Black Hills; 29-30 June
BI = Missouri Valley area east of Bismark, ND, esp. Lake Oahe & Long Lake
NWR; 1 July
Remarks: 2838 miles driven from 20 June through 1 July. 207 species total.
Virginia's Warbler sighting was 200+ miles out of breeding range; Prairie
Warbler sighting was ca. 600 miles out of breeding range. Surprising and/or
disappointing failures: owls, in general; Black-billed Cuckoo, Black-headed
Grosbeak (visual), Canyon Wren, Golden Eagle, Long-billed Curlew. Life Birds:
McCown's Longspur.
Mammals seen: White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer, Wapiti (elk), Moose, Pronghorn,
Bison, Coyote, Red Fox, Badger, Raccoon, Striped Skunk, bat spp., Snowshoe
Hare, Eastern Cottontail, Nuttall's Cottontail, Beaver, Muskrat, Black-tailed
Prairie Dog, Richardson's Ground Squirrel, Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel,
Least Chipmunk, Red Squirrel, Gray Squirrel, Fox Squirrel.
Return to the Bergstrom Home Page.