Bird Checklists of the United States
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge
![small state map showing location](images/dotmingo.gif)
Puxico, Missouri
Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, located in the bootheel section of southeastern Missouri, was established in 1944 primarily as a resting and feeding area for migrating and wintering waterfowl. The refuge's 21,676 acres lie in an ancient channel of the Mississippi River and embrace a wide variety of habitat types. About 16,000 acres are bottomlands, bounded east and west by limestone bluffs and steep hills. Much of the refuge is timbered, with oaks being the dominant species. Water levels are manipulated to produce natural waterfowl foods, resulting in wide seasonal variations in the size of flooded areas. To supplement natural foods about 700 acres of bottomland are farmed in corn, milo and soybeans each year. Pastures, upland forest and abandoned fields in various stages of succession provide other types of wildlife habitat. The diversity of habitats supports a large variety and number of birds.
This bird list contains 246 species which have been recorded on the refuge. Another 35 birds, listed under Accidentals, have been reported but are not normally expected to be present.
# - Endangered species
* - indicates species known to breed on or near Mingo
Sp - March-May
S - June-August
F - September-November
W - December-February
a - abundant: common species that is very numerous
c - common: certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u - uncommon: present but not certain to be seen
r - rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years
LOONS Sp S F W ___ Common Loon r - - r
GREBES Sp S F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe c r c c ___ Horned Grebe r - r - ___ Eared Grebe r - r -
PELICANS, CORMORANTS Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican r - u - ___ Double-crested Cormorant r - r -
BITTERNS, HERONS Sp S F W ___ American Bittern c r r - ___ Least Bittern r r r - ___ Great Blue Heron* c c c u ___ Great Egret u u u - ___ Snowy Egret r r - - ___ Little Blue Heron* c c c - ___ Cattle Egret* c u c - ___ Green Heron* c a c r ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron* r r u - ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron* c c u - ___ White Ibis u r u -
SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS Sp S F W ___ Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan) - - - r ___ Trumpeter Swan - - - r ___ Greater White-fronted Goose r - u r ___ Snow Goose u - u u ___ Canada Goose* a u a a ___ Wood Duck* c c a c ___ Green-winged Teal c - c u ___ American Black Duck u - u u ___ Mallard a r a a ___ Northern Pintail c - c c ___ Blue-winged Teal a - c u ___ Northern Shoveler c - c u ___ Gadwall c - a u ___ American Wigeon c - c u ___ Canvasback r - r r ___ Redhead r - r r ___ Ring-necked Duck c - c c ___ Lesser Scaup u - u u ___ Common Goldeneye r - r r ___ Bufflehead r - r r ___ Hooded Merganser* u u u c ___ Common Merganser r - r r ___ Red-breasted Merganser r - r - ___ Ruddy Duck - - r r
VULTURES Sp S F W ___ Black Vulture* u u u r ___ Turkey Vulture* c c c u
HAWKS, EAGLES Sp S F W ___ Osprey r - r - ___ Mississippi Kite* r u - - ___ Bald Eagle# u r c c ___ Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) u - c c ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk* r r r r ___ Cooper's Hawk* u u u u ___ Northern Goshawk - - r r ___ Red-shouldered Hawk* c c c c ___ Broad-winged Hawk r r r r ___ Red-tailed Hawk* c c c c ___ Rough-legged Hawk r - r u ___ Golden Eagle r - r r
FALCONS Sp S F W ___ American Kestrel* u u u c ___ Peregrine Falcon# r - r r
GALLINACEOUS BIRDS Sp S F W ___ Wild Turkey* c c c c ___ Northern Bobwhite* u u u u
RAILS, CRANES Sp S F W ___ Yellow Rail r r - - ___ King Rail r r - - ___ Virginia Rail u - u - ___ Sora c - c - ___ Purple Gallinule - r - - ___ Common Moorhen r - - - ___ American Coot c r a c
SHOREBIRDS Sp S F W ___ American Golden-Plover (Lesser Gol-Pl.) r - - - ___ Semipalmated Plover r r r - ___ Killdeer* c c c u ___ Greater Yellowlegs u u u - ___ Lesser Yellowlegs c c c - ___ Solitary Sandpiper c c r - ___ Spotted Sandpiper* u c r - ___ Upland Sandpiper r - r - ___ Sanderling r - r - ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper u u r - ___ Least Sandpiper u u u - ___ White-rumped Sandpiper r - - - ___ Western Sandpiper r - r - ___ Baird's Sandpiper - - r - ___ Pectoral Sandpiper* c c c - ___ Dunlin u - u - ___ Stilt Sandpiper u r u - ___ Dowitcher Spp. u - u - ___ Common Snipe c r c r ___ American Woodcock c r c r ___ Wilson's Phalarope u - u -
GULLS, TERNS Sp S F W ___ Ring-billed Gull u - - u ___ Herring Gull u - - u ___ Common Tern u - - - ___ Forster's Tern u - - - ___ Black Tern u r r -
DOVES Sp S F W ___ Rock Dove* u u u u ___ Mourning Dove* a a a c
CUCKOOS Sp S F W ___ Black-billed Cuckoo* u u - - ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo* a a u -
OWLS Sp S F W ___ Barn Owl* r r r r ___ Eastern Screech-Owl* u u u u ___ Great Horned Owl* u u u u ___ Barred Owl* c c c c ___ Short-eared Owl r - r r ___ Long-eared Owl r - - r ___ Northern Saw-whet Owl - - - r
GOATSUCKERS Sp S F W ___ Common Nighthawk* u u - - ___ Chuck-will's-widow* c c - - ___ Whip-poor-will* c c - -
SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W ___ Chimney Swift* c c - - ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird* c c - -
KINGFISHERS Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher* c c u u
WOODPECKERS Sp S F W ___ Red-headed Woodpecker* c c a a ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker* c c c c ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker u - - u ___ Downy Woodpecker* c c c c ___ Hairy Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Pileated Woodpecker* u u u u ___ Northern Flicker (Common Flicker)* c c c a
FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher* u u - - ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee* c c - - ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher r - r - ___ Acadian Flycatcher* c c - - ___ Alder Flycatcher u - - - ___ Willow Flycatcher u - - - ___ Least Flycatcher u - - - ___ Eastern Phoebe* c c r r ___ Great Crested Flycatcher* c c - - ___ Eastern Kingbird* c c - -
LARKS Sp S F W ___ Horned Lark* c u u c
SWALLOWS Sp S F W ___ Purple Martin* u u - - ___ Tree Swallow* a a u - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u u - - ___ Bank Swallow* u u - - ___ Cliff Swallow* r r - - ___ Barn Swallow* c c - -
JAYS, CROWS Sp S F W ___ Blue Jay* c c c c ___ American Crow* c c c a ___ Fish Crow* u u u r
CHICKADEES Sp S F W ___ Black-capped Chickadee - - - u ___ Carolina Chickadee* c c c c ___ Tufted Titmouse* c c c c
NUTHATCHES Sp S F W ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch - - - r ___ White-breasted Nuthatch* u u c c
CREEPERS Sp S F W ___ Brown Creeper u - u u
WRENS Sp S F W ___ Carolina Wren* c c c c ___ Bewick'a Wren* r r r r ___ House Wren* c c c - ___ Winter Wren - - c c ___ Sedge Wren* r r r r ___ Marsh Wren u - r r
KINGLETS, THRUSHES Sp S F W ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet u - c c ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet u - u r ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher* a a u - ___ Eastern Bluebird* u u u u ___ Veery r - r - ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush u - u - ___ Swainson's Thrush u - u - ___ Hermit Thrush c - c u ___ Wood Thrush* c c c - ___ American Robin* c c c c
THRASHERS Sp S F W ___ Gray Catbird* c c c - ___ Northern Mockingbird* c c c c ___ Brown Thrasher* c c c u
WAXWINGS Sp S F W ___ Cedar Waxwing u - u u
SHRIKES Sp S F W ___ Loggerhead Shrike* u u u u
STARLINGS Sp S F W ___ European Starling* a c a a
VIREOS Sp S F W ___ White-eyed Vireo* c c - - ___ Bell's Vireo* u u - - ___ Solitary Vireo u - u - ___ Yellow-throated Vireo* c c u - ___ Warbling Vireo* c c u - ___ Philadelphia Vireo r - r - ___ Red-eyed Vireo* c c u -
WOOD WARBLERS Sp S F W ___ Blue-winged Warbler u - r - ___ Golden-winged Warbler r - - - ___ Tennessee Warbler u - u - ___ Orange-crowned Warbler u - u r ___ Nashville Warbler c - u - ___ Northern Parula* c c u - ___ Yellow Warbler* u u u - ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler u - u - ___ Magnolia Warbler u - u - ___ Cape May Warbler r - - - ___ Black-throated Blue Warbler u - u - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler c - c r ___ Black-throated Green Warbler c - u - ___ Blackburnian Warbler u r u - ___ Yellow-throated Warbler c u - - ___ Pine Warbler u r - - ___ Prairie Warbler u u - - ___ Palm Warbler u - u - ___ Bay-breasted Warbler u - - - ___ Blackpoll Warbler u - u - ___ Cerulean Warbler u u - - ___ Black-and-white Warbler* u u u - ___ American Redstart* u u u - ___ Prothonotary Warbler* c c u - ___ Worm-eating Warbler u - - - ___ Swainson's Warbler r - - - ___ Ovenbird c u u - ___ Northern Waterthrush c - - - ___ Louisiana Waterthrush* c u u - ___ Kentucky Warbler* c c u - ___ Mourning Warbler u - u - ___ Common Yellowthroat* c c c - ___ Hooded Warbler* u u - - ___ Wilson's Warbler u - u - ___ Canada Warbler u - u - ___ Yellow-breasted Chat* c c u -
TANAGERS Sp S F W ___ Summer Tanager* c c u - ___ Scarlet Tanager* u u u -
GROSBEAKS, BUNTINGS Sp S F W ___ Northern Cardinal* a a a a ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak* c r u - ___ Blue Grosbeak u r - - ___ Indigo Bunting* a a c - ___ Dickcissel* c c - -
TOWHEES, SPARROWS Sp S F W ___ Rufous-sided Towhee* c c c u ___ American Tree Sparrow - - r c ___ Chipping Sparrow* c c u - ___ Field Sparrow* c c u u ___ Vesper Sparrow u - u - ___ Lark Sparrow u r r - ___ Savannah Sparrow c - c - ___ Grasshopper Sparrow u u u - ___ Le Conte's Sparrow* r - - r ___ Fox Sparrow u - u u ___ Song Sparrow* c c c c ___ Lincoln's Sparrow r - - r ___ Swamp Sparrow c - c c ___ White-throated Sparrow c - c a ___ White-crowned Sparrow c - c c ___ Harris' Sparrow - - - r ___ Dark-eyed Junco u - u a ___ Lapland Longspur - - - r
MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES Sp S F W ___ Bobolink r - - - ___ Red-winged Blackbird* a a a a ___ Eastern Meadowlark* c c c c ___ Rusty Blackbird u - u c ___ Brewer's Blackbird r - r u ___ Common Grackle* c c c a ___ Brown-headed Cowbird* c c c u ___ Orchard Oriole* c c - - ___ Baltimore Oriole* u u - -
FINCHES Sp S F W ___ Purple Finch u - u c ___ Pine Siskin - - r r ___ American Goldfinch* c c c c ___ Evening Grosbeak - - - r
OLD WORLD SPARROWS Sp S F W ___ House Sparrow* c c c c
ACCIDENTAL BIRDS Red-necked Grebe Merlin Western Grebe Gyrfalcon Anhinga Ring-necked Pheasant Tricolored Heron Whooping Crane Glossy Ibis Sandhill Crane Roseate Spoonbill Willet Wood Stork American Avocet Fulvous Whistling-Duck Franklin's Gull Mute Swan Least Tern Ross' Goose Caspian Tern Brant Snowy Owl Cinnamon Teal Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Greater Scaup Western Meadowlark Oldsquaw Yellow-headed Blackbird White-winged Scoter Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Black Scoter Red Crossbill Swainson's Hawk White-winged Crossbill Prairie Falcon
Birdwatching is encouraged. Please check at the Refuge office for times and places of entry. PLEASE OBEY POSTED SIGNS. For further information contact:
Refuge Manager Mingo National Wildlife Refuge 24279 State Highway 51 Puxico, Missouri 63960This resource is based on the following source:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Birds of Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Puxico, Missouri. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated.This resource should be cited as:
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. 1994. Birds of Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, Puxico, Missouri. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. http://www.npwrc.usgs.govmingo.htm (Version 22MAY98).
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