Bird Checklists of the United States
Souris River Loop National Wildlife Refuges
Des Lacs NWR — Kenmare, North Dakota
J. Clark Salyer NWR — Upham, North Dakota
Upper Souris NWR — Foxholm, North Dakota
Welcome
The national wildlife refuges along the Souris River in North Dakota — Des Lacs (19,554 acres), J. Clark Salyer (58,700 acres) and Upper Souris (32,092 acres) — were all established in 1935. Important habitats found on these refuges include restored marshes, remnant tracts of native grass, lowland meadow, impounded lakes, wooded sandhills, river bottoms and brush covered coulees.
While waterfowl, pelicans, tundra swans, grouse and cranes are spectacular, a variety of other species of interest may be found. Birders come from all over the country looking for Sprague's pipits, and Baird's and LeConte's sparrows. In addition, as many as six species of grebes may be found. Species found on these refuges since 1935 total 308, of which 30 are accidentals and one is extirpated. About 169 species are known to have nested on these refuges, and 150 of these species nest regularly.
Acknowledgments
Thanks to Gordon Berkey and Ron Martin for their contribution in compiling this list. Observers are encouraged to contact Gordon at PO Box 46, Upham, ND 58789, or Ron at 16900 125th St. SE, Sawyer, ND 58781, for further information and to share observations.
Accessibility Information
Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is available to all individuals regardless of physical or mental ability. For visitors using TTY, contact the North Dakota Relay Service at 1 800 / 366 6888. For more information or to address accessibility needs, please contact the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Equal Opportunity, 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240, or the staff from any of the three refuges.
Checklist
Seasons of Occurence:
Sp - Spring (March-May)
S - Summer (June-July)
F - Fall (August-November)
W - Winter (December-February)
Abundance Categories:
The following abundance categories indicate the peak daily and seasonal totals of birds that may be seen by an active, experienced observer spending at least 8 hours per week sampling all types of habitat on a refuge.
a - abundant: > 125 per day, > 600 per season
c - common: 25-125 per day, 125-600 per season
f - fairly Common: 5-25 per day, 25-125 per season
u - uncommon: 1-5 per day, 5-25 per season
r - rare: 1-5 per season
o - occasional: small numbers seen at intervals of 2-10 years
• - nested: species which have nested
(i) - irregular: inducates a species which is irregular; the abundance category
indicates the numbers expected in peak years.
(1) - extirpated as a breeding species
(2) - last observed 1956
LOONS Sp S F W ___ Common Loon r o r -
GREBES Sp S F W ___ Pied-billed Grebe• f f f - ___ Horned Grebe• f r u - ___ Red-necked Grebe• o o o - ___ Eared Grebe• a a a - ___ Western Grebe• c c c - ___ Clark's Grebe r r r -
PELICANS, CORMORANTS Sp S F W ___ American White Pelican c c c -
BITTERNS, HERONS, AND EGRETS Sp S F W ___ American Bittern• u u u - ___ Least Bittern o o o ___ Great Blue Heron• f f f - ___ Great Egret o o o - ___ Snowy Egret o o o - ___ Little Blue Heron• o o o - ___ Cattle Egret•(i) f f f - ___ Black-crowned Night-Heron• f f f -
IBISES AND SPOONBILLS Sp S F W ___ White-faced Ibis o o o -
NEW WORLD VULTURES Sp S F W ___ Turkey Vulture r - r -
SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS Sp S F W ___ Greater White-fronted Goose f - f - ___ Snow Goose a o a o ___ Ross' Goose u - u - ___ Canada Goose• a c a o ___ Trumpeter Swan (1) - o o - ___ Tundra Swan c a o - ___ Wood Duck• f f f - ___ Gadwall• a c a - ___ American Wigeon• c u c - ___ American Black Duck• o o r - ___ Mallard• a c a o ___ Blue-winged Teal• a c a - ___ Cinnamon Teal o o - - ___ Northern Shoveler• a c a - ___ Northern Pintail• a c a o ___ Green-winged Teal• f u c o ___ Canvasback• c f c - ___ Redhead• c f a - ___ Ring-necked Duck• f r f - ___ Greater Scaup r - r - ___ Lesser Scaup• a u a o ___ Surf Scoter - - r - ___ White-winged Scoter - - r - ___ Black Scoter - - o - ___ Long-tailed Duck (formerly Oldsquaw) - - r - ___ Bufflehead c r c - ___ Common Goldeneye• c - c - ___ Hooded Merganser• f f f - ___ Common Merganser c - f - ___ Red-breasted Merganser o - o - ___ Ruddy Duck• a c a -
OSPREY, KITES, HAWKS, AND EAGLES Sp S F W ___ Osprey r - r - ___ Bald Eagle f o f r ___ Northern Harrier• c f c o ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk• f f f r ___ Cooper's Hawk• u u u - ___ Northern Goshawk o - r r ___ Broad-winged Hawk• u o u - ___ Swainson's Hawk• f u f - ___ Red-tailed Hawk• c f c o ___ Ferruginous Hawk• r o r - ___ Rough-legged Hawk u - u r ___ Golden Eagle r - r r
FALCONS AND CARACARAS Sp S F W ___ American Kestrel• f u f - ___ Merlin r - u u ___ Gyrfalcon - - o o ___ Peregrine Falcon r o r o ___ Prairie Falcon o - r r
GALLINACEOUS BIRDS Sp S F W ___ Gray Partridge• u u u u ___ Ring-necked Pheasant• f f f f ___ Ruffed Grouse• ___ Sharp-tailed Grouse• u u u u ___ Greater Prairie-Chicken (extirpated)(2) f f f f ___ Wild Turkey• u u u u
RAILS Sp S F W ___ Yellow Rail• r O r - ___ Virginia Rail• u u u - ___ Sora• c c c - ___ American Coot• a a a -
CRANES Sp S F W ___ Sandhill Crane• a r a - ___ Whooping Crane o - o -
PLOVERS Sp S F W ___ Black-bellied Plover f - f - ___ American Golden-Plover f - f - ___ Semipalmated Plover u u u - ___ Piping Plover• o o o - ___ Killdeer• c c c -
STILTS AND AVOCETS Sp S F W ___ American Avocet• c f c -
SANDPIPERS AND PHALAROPES Sp S F W ___ Greater Yellowlegs f f f - ___ Lesser Yellowlegs c c c - ___ Solitary Sandpiper u u u - ___ Willet• f f f - ___ Spotted Sandpiper• f f f - ___ Upland Sandpiper• f f u - ___ Hudsonian Godwit u o o - ___ Marbled Godwit• f f f - ___ Ruddy Turnstone r o o - ___ Red Knot o o o - ___ Sanderling u u u - ___ Semipalmated Sandpiper a c a - ___ Western Sandpiper o o o - ___ Least Sandpiper c f c - ___ White-rumped Sandpiper a f o - ___ Baird's Sandpiper c f c - ___ Pectoral Sandpiper c f c - ___ Dunlin u - o - ___ Stilt Sandpiper f c c - ___ Buff-breasted Sandpiper o - o - ___ Short-billed Dowitcher f f f - ___ Long-billed Dowitcher c c a - ___ Common Snipe• f u c - ___ Wilson's Phalarope• c a a - ___ Red-necked Phalarope a a a -
SKUAS, JAEGERS, GULLS, AND TERNS Sp S F W ___ Franklin's Gull• a a a - ___ Bonaparte's Gull r r u - ___ Ring-billed Gull• a c a - ___ California Gull• u r u - ___ Herring Gull u - u - ___ Common Tern• f r f - ___ Forster's Tern• f f f - ___ Black Tern• a c a -
PIGEONS AND DOVES Sp S F W ___ Rock Dove• u u u u ___ Mourning Dove• c c a o
CUCKOOS AND ANIS Sp S F W ___ Black-billed Cuckoo• u u r - ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo o - - -
TYPICAL OWLS Sp S F W ___ Eastern Screech-Owl• r r r r ___ Great Horned Owl• f f f f ___ Snowy Owl r - r r ___ Burrowing Owl• o o o - ___ Long-eared Owl•(i) u u r o ___ Short-eared Owl•(i) u u u r ___ Boreal Owl - - - o ___ Northern Saw-whet Owl o - o o
GOATSUCKERS, SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W ___ Common Nighthawk• u r u - ___ Common Poorwill• o o o - ___ Whip-poor-will o o - -
SWIFTS Sp S F W ___ Chimney Swift o - o -
KINGFISHERS, WOODPECKERS Sp S F W ___ Ruby-throated Hummingbird• r r r -
KINGFISHERS Sp S F W ___ Belted Kingfisher• u u u o
WOODPECKERS Sp S F W ___ Red-headed Woodpecker• r o r - ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker• u u u - ___ Downy Woodpecker• u u u u ___ Hairy Woodpecker• u u u u ___ Northern Flicker• f f f o
TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W ___ Olive-sided Flycatcher r r r - ___ Western Wood-Pewee o o o - ___ Eastern Wood-Pewee• f f f - ___ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher o - o - ___ Alder Flycatcher u r r - ___ Willow Flycatcher• f f f - ___ Least Flycatcher• c c c - ___ Eastern Phoebe• r r r - ___ Say's Phoebe• r r r - ___ Great Crested Flycatcher• f f u - ___ Western Kingbird• c c c - ___ Eastern Kingbird• c c c -
SHRIKES Sp S F W ___ Northern Shrike r r r o ___ Loggerhead Shrike• u - u u
VIREOS Sp S F W ___ Yellow-throated Vireo• u u u - ___ Blue-headed Vireo u - u - ___ Warbling Vireo• f f f - ___ Philadelphia Vireo• r o r - ___ Red-eyed Vireo• c c c -
CROWS, JAYS, AND MAGPIES Sp S F W ___ Blue Jay• f u f u ___ Black-billed Magpie• a f a u ___ American Crow• a f a o ___ Common Raven• r r o o
LARKS Sp S F W ___ Horned Lark• a f a f
SWALLOWS Sp S F W ___ Purple Martin• f f f - ___ Tree Swallow• c f u - ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow• f f r - ___ Bank Swallow• a c a - ___ Cliff Swallow• a a a - ___ Barn Swallow• a c a -
TITMICE AND CHICKADEES Sp S F W ___ Black-capped Chickadee• f f f f
NUTHATCHES Sp S F W ___ Red-breasted Nuthatch•(i) u r u r ___ White-breasted Nuthatch• u u u u
CREEPERS Sp S F W ___ Brown Creeper u - u r
WRENS Sp S F W ___ Rock Wren• r r r - ___ House Wren• c c c - ___ Winter Wren - - o - ___ Sedge Wren•(i) c c c - ___ Marsh Wren• c c c -
KINGLETS Sp S F W ___ Golden-crowned Kinglet f - f r ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet f - f -
THRUSHES Sp S F W ___ Eastern Bluebird• u u u - ___ Mountain Bluebird• u u u - ___ Townsend's Solitaire o - o o ___ Veery• f f u - ___ Gray-cheeked Thrush f - r - ___ Swainson's Thrush c - f - ___ Hermit Thrush u - u - ___ American Robin• a c a r
MIMIC THRUSHES Sp S F W ___ Gray Catbird• f f f - ___ Northern Mockingbird o o o - ___ Brown Thrasher• f f f -
STARLINGS Sp S F W ___ European Starling• c f a u
WAGTAILS AND PIPITS Sp S F W ___ American Pipit u - f - ___ Sprague's Pipit• f f u -
WAXWINGS Sp S F W ___ Bohemian Waxwing(i) c - c c ___ Cedar Waxwing• f c c u
WOOD WARBLERS Sp S F W ___ Tennessee Warbler c r f - ___ Orange-crowned Warbler• f r c - ___ Nashville Warbler u - u - ___ Northern Parula o - o - ___ Yellow Warbler• c c c - ___ Chestnut-sided Warbler o - r - ___ Magnolia Warbler u - u - ___ Cape May Warbler o - o - ___ Black-throated Blue Warbler o - o - ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler a o a - ___ Black-throated Green Warbler o - o - ___ Blackburnian Warbler o - r - ___ Palm Warbler u - u - ___ Bay-breasted Warbler o - r - ___ Blackpoll Warbler c - f - ___ Black-and-white Warbler• f u f - ___ American Redstart• f u f - ___ Ovenbird• f f u - ___ Northern Waterthrush• f r u - ___ Connecticut Warbler r o o - ___ Mourning Warbler u o r - ___ Macgillivray's Warbler o - o - ___ Common Yellowthroat• c c c - ___ Wilson's Warbler u - f - ___ Canada Warbler r - r - ___ Yellow-breasted Chat• r r o -
TANAGERS Sp S F W ___ Scarlet Tanager o o - - ___ Western Tanager - - o -
GROSBEAKS, BUNTINGS, SPARROWS Sp S F W ___ Spotted Towhee• f f f - ___ Eastern Towhee• f f f - ___ American Tree Sparrow a - a u ___ Chipping Sparrow• c u c - ___ Clay-colored Sparrow• a a a - ___ Field Sparrow• r r r - ___ Vesper Sparrow• c c c - ___ Lark Sparrow• u u u - ___ Lark Bunting•(i) u u u - ___ Savannah Sparrow• a c a - ___ Grasshopper Sparrow•(i) c c c - ___ Baird's Sparrow• f f f - ___ Le Conte's Sparrow• f f f - ___ Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow• f f f - ___ Fox Sparrow r - u - ___ Song Sparrow• c f c o ___ Lincoln's Sparrow f - f - ___ Swamp Sparrow• f r f - ___ White-throated Sparrow a - c o ___ Harris' Sparrow c - c o ___ White-crowned Sparrow c - c o ___ Dark-eyed Junco a o a r ___ McCown's Longspur• o o o - ___ Lapland Longspur a - a u ___ Smith's Longspur r - r - ___ Chestnut-collared Longspur• u u u - ___ Snow Bunting c - a c
CARDINALS, GROSBEAKS, AND ALLIES Sp S F W ___ Rose-breasted Grosbeak• f f f - ___ Black-headed Grosbeak r r o - ___ Lazuli Bunting• r r r - ___ Indigo Bunting• r r r - ___ Dickcissel• o o o -
BLACKBIRDS AND ORIOLES Sp S F W ___ Bobolink• c c f - ___ Red-winged Blackbird• a a a o ___ Western Meadowlark• a a a o ___ Yellow-headed Blackbird• a a a o ___ Rusty Blackbird r - f o ___ Brewer's Blackbird• c f a o ___ Common Grackle• a c a o ___ Brown-headed Cowbird• a a u - ___ Orchard Oriole• f f o - ___ Northern Oriole• f f f -
FINCHES Sp S F W ___ Pine Grosbeak(i) u - u f ___ Purple Finch u - u r ___ House Finch•(i) u u u f ___ Red Crossbill•(i) u o u f ___ White-winged Crossbill(i) o - o o ___ Common Redpoll(i) a - c a ___ Hoary Redpoll o - - o ___ Pine Siskin•(i) c o c f ___ American Goldfinch• c c c u ___ Evening Grosbeak o - o o
Old World Sparrows Sp S F W ___ House Sparrow• f f f f
Birds that are rarely seen on the refuges and are out of their normal range:
___ Pacific Loon ___ Black-legged Kittiwake ___ Brown Pelican ___ Barn Owl ___ Tricolored Heron ___ Barred Owl ___ Green Heron ___ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ___ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ___ Violet-green Swallow ___ White Ibis ___ Sage Thrasher ___ Fulvous Whistling-Duck ___ Townsend's Warbler ___ Eurasian Wigeon ___ Prothonotary Warbler ___ Harlequin Duck ___ Hooded Warbler ___ Red-shouldered Hawk ___ Henslow's Sparrow ___ Black-necked Stilt ___ Golden-crowned Sparrow ___ Whimbrel ___ Bullock's Oriole ___ Long-billed Curlew ___ Lesser Goldfinch ___ American Woodcock ___ Glaucous Gull
For more information about the national wildlife refuges alon the Souris River, contact:
Des Lacs NWR
PO Box 578
Kenmare, ND 58746
701/385-4046
701/385 3214 fax
r6rw_dsl@fws.gov
J. Clark Salyer NWR
PO Box 66
Upham, ND 58789
701/768 2548
701/768 2834 fax
r6rw_jcs@fws.gov
Upper Souris NWR
17705 212th Avenue, NW
Berthold, ND 58718
701/468-5467
701/468 5600 fax
r6rw_usr@fws.gov
North Dakota Relay Service
TTY: 1 800/366 6888
Voice: 1 800/366 6889
This resource is based on the following source:
Berkey, G. 2001. Along the Souris River Loop: Bird List. U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Unpaginated.
This resource should be cited as:
Berkey, G. 2001. Along the Souris River Loop: Bird List. U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online.
http://www.npwrc.usgs.govsourislp.htm
(Version 30DEC2002).
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