Bird List
Each spring and fall for thousands of years, the Mississippi River corridor has served as an important migration route for millions of birds. Waterfowl provide spectacular seasonally flights with thousands of mallards, pintail, wigeon, blue-winged and green winged teal, scaup, shoveler, gadwall, canvasback, Canada geese, and snow geese commonly seen on the refuges of the Mark Twain Complex. Refuge wetlands also provide important mudflat and shallow water habitat where herons, egrets, and shorebirds can feed and rest. Marshy areas provide habitat for species such as rails and bitterns.
Refuge forests and grasslands are home to many songbirds that spend the winter in Central and South America and then migrate north for the summer breeding season. Some of these "neotropical migrants" use refuge lands as stopover areas for resting and feeding during their journeys north and south. Others stay to nest and raise their young.
Some of the largest wintering concentrations of bald eagles in the contiguous 48 states are found along the river. Over 500 of these majestic birds have been counted on and near Complex lands as they gather to feed in open water areas. The eagles usually begin to arrive in October and stay until early spring. Some adult eagle pairs remain throughout the year to nest and raise young near the river.
The following list contains more than 290 species that have been observed on the Complex refuges. Those species marked with an asterisk (*) have nested on Complex lands. Birds found on one refuge and not on others are identified by the first letter of the refuge following the bird name.
Mark Twain NWR Complex Bird Checklist |
Legend:
S = Spring (March - May)
s = Summer (June - August)
F = Fall (September - November)
W = Winter (December - February)
(G) = Found only on Great River NWR
(T) = Found only on Two Rivers NWR
(P) = Found only on Port Louisa NWR
(M) = Found only on Middle Mississippi NWR
a = Abundant - Very numerous
c = Common - Certain to be seen in suitable habitat
u = Uncommon - Present, but not certain to be seen
o = Occasional - Seen only a few times during a season
r = Rare - Seen only at intervals of 2 to 4 years
* = Species that nests on Complex lands
(En) = Endangered
(Th) = Threatened
|
| Common Name |
S |
s |
F |
W |
| Grebes |
| Pied-billed Grebe * |
c |
u |
c |
u |
| Horned Grebe |
o |
|
o |
o |
| Eared Grebe |
r |
|
|
|
| Western Grebe |
|
|
o |
|
| Cormorants |
| Double-crested Cormorant * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Pelicans |
| American White Pelican |
c |
u |
c |
|
| Ducks, Swans, Geese |
| Ruddy Duck |
c |
r |
o |
r |
| Tundra Swan |
r |
|
r |
|
| Trumpeter Swan |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Greater White-fronted Goose |
u |
|
u |
o |
| Snow Goose |
c |
|
c |
c |
| Ross's Goose |
|
|
|
r |
| Canada Goose * |
a |
a |
a |
c |
| Wood Duck * |
a |
c |
a |
r |
| American Wigeon |
a |
|
a |
r |
| Gadwall |
c |
r |
c |
r |
| Green-winged Teal |
a |
|
a |
r |
| Mallard * |
a |
a |
a |
c |
| American Black Duck |
u |
|
u |
o |
| Northern Pintail |
a |
|
a |
r |
| Blue-winged Teal * |
a |
|
a |
|
| Northern Shoveler |
a |
|
a |
r |
| Canvasback |
c |
|
c |
o |
| Redhead |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Ring-necked Duck |
a |
|
a |
o |
| Greater Scaup |
o |
|
o |
r |
| Lesser Scaup |
a |
|
a |
o |
| Common Goldeneye |
a |
|
c |
a |
| Bufflehead |
u |
|
o |
r |
| Hooded Merganser * |
c |
u |
c |
r |
| Red-breasted Merganser |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Common Merganser |
a |
|
a |
a |
| Herons, Egrets, Bitterns |
| Little Blue Heron |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Snowy Egret * |
r |
r |
|
|
| Great Blue Heron * |
c |
c |
c |
u |
| Great Egret * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Cattle Egret * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Green Heron * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Yellow-crowned Night Heron * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Black-crowned Night Heron |
o |
u |
o |
|
| Least Bittern * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| American Bittern * |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Ibis |
| Glossy Ibis (G) |
|
r |
|
|
| White-faced Ibis (G) |
r |
|
r |
|
| Vultures |
| Turkey Vulture * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Osprey |
| Osprey |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Hawks, Eagles, Kites |
| Mississippi Kite |
o |
o |
|
|
| Bald Eagle (Th) * |
c |
c |
c |
a |
| Northern Harrier |
u |
r |
u |
u |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk |
u |
|
u |
u |
| Cooper's Hawk * |
u |
u |
u |
u |
| Northern Goshawk |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Red-shouldered Hawk * |
o |
o |
o |
r |
| Broad-winged Hawk |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Red-tailed Hawk * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Rough-legged Hawk |
u |
|
u |
u |
| Golden Eagle |
|
|
r |
r |
| Falcons |
| American Kestrel * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Merlin |
r |
|
r |
|
| Peregrine Falcon |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Pheasants, Grouse, Quail, Turkeys |
| Ring-necked Pheasant (P) * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Wild Turkey * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Northern Bobwhite * |
u |
u |
u |
u |
| Rails, Coots |
| King Rail * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Virginia Rail * |
o |
o |
r |
|
| Sora * |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Yellow Rail (G) * |
r |
|
|
|
| Common Moorhen * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| American Coot * |
a |
u |
a |
r |
| Sandhill Crane |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Sandpipers |
| American Woodcock * |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Common Snipe * |
u |
r |
u |
o |
| Upland Sandpiper |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Greater Yellowlegs |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Lesser Yellowlegs |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Red Knot (T) |
|
o |
o |
|
| Solitary Sandpiper |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Spotted Sandpiper * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Willet |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Short-billed Dowitcher |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Long-billed Dowitcher |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Sanderling (P) |
|
|
r |
|
| Semipalmated Sandpiper |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Western Sandpiper |
|
r |
r |
|
| Least Sandpiper |
c |
c |
c |
|
| White-rumped Sandpiper (T) |
o |
|
|
|
| Baird's Sandpiper (P & G) |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Pectoral Sandpiper |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Dunlin |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Stilt Sandpiper |
r |
o |
o |
|
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
|
o |
o |
|
| Wilson's Phalarope |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Red-necked Phalarope |
r |
|
r |
|
| Avocets, Stilts |
| American Avocet |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Plovers |
| American Golden Plover |
o |
|
o |
|
| Black-bellied Plover |
o |
|
o |
|
| Semipalmated Plover |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Killdeer * |
c |
c |
c |
r |
| Piping Plover (En) |
r |
r |
|
|
| Gulls, Terns |
| Ring-billed Gull |
a |
u |
a |
c |
| Glaucous Gull |
r |
|
|
r |
| Thayer's Gull |
r |
|
|
r |
| Herring Gull |
a |
r |
a |
a |
| Bonaparte's Gull |
u |
|
u |
r |
| Franklin's Gull |
o |
|
o |
r |
| Black Tern |
u |
r |
o |
|
| Caspian Tern |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Common Tern |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Forster's Tern |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Least Tern (En) |
|
r |
o |
|
| Loons |
| Common Loon |
o |
|
o |
r |
| Pigeons, Doves |
| Rock Dove |
o |
o |
o |
o |
| Mourning Dove * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Cuckoos |
| Black-billed Cuckoo |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo * |
u |
c |
u |
|
| Owls |
| Barn Owl (G) * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Eastern Screech Owl * |
u |
u |
u |
u |
| Great Horned Owl * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Barred Owl * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Long-eared Owl |
|
|
r |
r |
| Short-eared Owl |
r |
|
r |
o |
| Nightjars |
| Common Nighthawk * |
u |
c |
c |
|
| Chuck-will's-widow |
o |
r |
|
|
| Whip-poor-will * |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Swifts |
| Chimney Swift * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Hummingbirds |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird * |
c |
c |
o |
|
| Kingfishers |
| Belted Kingfisher * |
c |
c |
c |
o |
| Woodpeckers |
| Red-Headed Woodpecker * |
a |
a |
a |
o |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
u |
r |
u |
r |
| Downy Woodpecker * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Hairy Woodpecker * |
u |
u |
u |
u |
| Northern Flicker * |
c |
c |
c |
u |
| Pileated Woodpecker * |
u |
u |
u |
u |
| Tyrant Flycatchers |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Eastern Wood Pewee * |
u |
c |
u |
|
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Acadian Flycatcher * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Alder Flycatcher |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Willow Flycatcher |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Least Flycatcher |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Eastern Phoebe * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Great Crested Flycatcher * |
u |
c |
u |
|
| Eastern Kingbird * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Crows, Jays |
| Blue Jay * |
a |
a |
a |
c |
| American Crow * |
a |
a |
a |
a |
| Fish Crow |
o |
|
|
|
| Vireos |
| Bell's Vireo |
o |
o |
r |
|
| White-eyed Vireo * |
o |
o |
r |
|
| Blue-headed Vireo |
u |
r |
u |
|
| Yellow-throated Vireo * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Philadelphia Vireo |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Red-eyed Vireo * |
c |
u |
c |
|
| Warbling Vireo * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Shrikes |
| Loggerhead Shrike * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Waxwings |
| Cedar Waxwing * |
c |
u |
c |
u |
| Thrushes |
| Eastern Bluebird * |
u |
u |
u |
o |
| Veery |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Gray-cheeked Thrush |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Swainson's Thrush |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Hermit Thrush |
u |
|
u |
r |
| Wood Thrush |
o |
o |
o |
|
| American Robin * |
a |
a |
a |
o |
| Mockingbirds, Thrashers |
| Gray Catbird * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Northern Mockingbird * |
o |
o |
o |
r |
| Brown Thrasher * |
c |
c |
c |
r |
| Starlings |
| European Starling * |
a |
a |
a |
a |
| Nuthatches |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
o |
|
u |
o |
| White-breasted Nuthatch * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Creepers |
| Brown Creeper * |
u |
o |
u |
u |
| Wrens |
| Sedge Wren * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Marsh Wren * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Carolina Wren * |
u |
u |
u |
o |
| Winter Wren |
u |
|
u |
o |
| House Wren * |
c |
a |
c |
|
| Gnatcatchers |
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Swallows |
| Tree Swallow * |
c |
a |
a |
|
| Purple Martin * |
u |
u |
o |
|
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow * |
c |
a |
c |
|
| Bank Swallow |
u |
c |
u |
|
| Barn Swallow * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Cliff Swallow * |
u |
c |
u |
|
| Kinglets |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
c |
|
c |
r |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet |
c |
|
c |
o |
| Chickadees, Titmice |
| Black-capped Chickadee * |
a |
a |
a |
a |
| Carolina Chickadee (T & G)* |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Tufted Titmouse * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Larks |
| Horned Lark * |
c |
c |
c |
u |
| Old World Sparrows |
| House Sparrow * |
a |
a |
a |
a |
| Eurasian Tree Sparrow (T) * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Pipits |
| American Pipit |
r |
|
r |
|
| Siskins, Crossbills, and Allies |
| House Finch * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Pine Siskin |
o |
|
o |
o |
| American Goldfinch * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Purple Finch |
u |
|
u |
u |
| Evening Grosbeak |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Warblers |
| Blue-winged Warbler |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Golden-winged Warbler |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Tennessee Warbler |
c |
o |
c |
|
| Orange-crowned Warbler |
o |
|
o |
|
| Nashville Warbler |
c |
o |
c |
|
| Northern Parula * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Yellow Warbler * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Chestnut-sided Warbler |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Magnolia Warbler |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Cape May Warbler |
o |
|
o |
|
| Black-throated Blue Warbler |
r |
|
r |
|
| Yellow-rumped Warbler |
a |
|
a |
r |
| Black-throated Green Warbler |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Blackburnian Warbler |
o |
r |
o |
|
| Yellow-throated Warbler * |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Pine Warbler |
r |
|
r |
|
| Palm Warbler |
c |
o |
c |
|
| Bay-breasted Warbler |
o |
r |
u |
|
| Blackpoll Warbler |
u |
|
u |
|
| Cerulean Warbler * |
o |
r |
r |
|
| Black-and-white Warbler |
c |
u |
c |
|
| American Redstart * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Prothonotary Warbler * |
c |
c |
u |
|
| Worm-eating Warbler |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Ovenbird |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Northern Waterthrush |
c |
o |
c |
|
| Louisiana Waterthrush |
o |
r |
r |
|
| Kentucky Warbler * |
o |
r |
r |
|
| Connecticut Warbler (P) |
r |
|
r |
|
| Mourning Warbler |
o |
r |
r |
|
| Common Yellowthroat * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Hooded Warbler |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Wilson's Warbler |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Canada Warbler |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Yellow-breasted Chat * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Buntings, Sparrows, Tanagers |
| Lapland Longspur |
o |
|
o |
o |
| Snow Bunting |
r |
|
o |
o |
| Fox Sparrow |
u |
|
u |
r |
| Song Sparrow * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Lincoln's Sparrow |
o |
r |
o |
r |
| Swamp Sparrow * |
u |
o |
u |
u |
| Harris' Sparrow |
r |
|
r |
r |
| White-crowned Sparrow |
u |
|
u |
o |
| White-throated Sparrow |
a |
|
a |
o |
| Dark-eyed Junco |
a |
|
a |
a |
| Savannah Sparrow * |
u |
o |
u |
|
| Grasshopper Sparrow |
o |
o |
o |
|
| American Tree Sparrow |
a |
|
a |
a |
| Chipping Sparrow * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Clay-colored Sparrow |
r |
|
r |
|
| Field Sparrow * |
u |
u |
u |
r |
| Vesper Sparrow |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Lark Sparrow |
o |
o |
o |
|
| Eastern Towhee * |
u |
u |
u |
r |
| Summer Tanager * |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Scarlet Tanager * |
u |
u |
u |
|
| Dicksissel * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak * |
u |
o |
c |
|
| Northern Cardinal * |
c |
c |
c |
c |
| Indigo Bunting * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Blackbirds, Grackles, Orioles |
| Baltimore Oriole * |
c |
c |
c |
|
| Orchard Oriole * |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (P & G) |
r |
r |
r |
|
| Red-winged Blackbird * |
a |
a |
a |
u |
| Eastern Meadowlark * |
c |
c |
c |
r |
| Western Meadowlark (P) |
c |
c |
c |
r |
| Common Grackle * |
a |
a |
a |
u |
| Great-tailed Grackle (G) |
r |
|
r |
|
| Rusty Blackbird |
u |
|
u |
r |
| Brewer's Blackbird |
r |
|
r |
r |
| Brown-headed Cowbird * |
c |
c |
c |
u |
| Bobolink |
u |
o |
o |
|
| Accidental Species |
| Western Kingbird (P) |
| Trumpeter Swan (P) |
| Black-necked Stilt (G) |
| Marbled Godwit (G) |
| Cinnamon Teal (G) |
| Barrow's Goldeneye (T & G) |
| Swainson's Hawk (P) |
| Ferruginous Hawk (P) |
| Yellow Rail (P & G) |
| Henslow's Sparrow (P) |
| LeConte's Sparrow (P & T) |
| Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (P & G) |
| White-winged Crossbill (P) |
| Common Redpoll (P) |
| Great Black-backed Gull (P) |
| Lesser Black-backed Gull (P) |
| Parasitic Jaeger (T) |
| Surf Scoter (P) |
| Black Scoter |
| White-winged Scoter |
| Barn Owl (P) |
| Purple Gallinule (G) |
| Snowy Owl (G) |
| Blue Grosbeak (P & T) |
| Bewick's Wren (P) |
| Mute Swan (P) |
| Gray Partridge (P) |
| Prairie Falcon (P) |
| Red Crossbill (P) |
| Iceland Gull (P) |
| Ruddy Turnstone (G) |
| Oldsquaw (P) |
| Brant |
