BIRDS

OF

BELL COUNTY

TEXAS

This illustration of the Black-capped vireo was prepared by Clarence Rechenthin.

Twin Lakes Audubon Society

July 1994

Birding in Bell County

Bell County is divided by the Balcones Escarpment into two major vegetational regions, the Blackland Prairies in the east and the Cross Timbers and Prairies in the west. Dense stands of mature Ashe Juniper in mixed juniper/oak woodlands and disturbed areas of upland scrub in the western part of the county provide habitat for endangered Golden-cheeked Warblers and Black-capped vireos. Species preferring cultivated areas and a more mesic habitat are common in the eastern part of the county. Those associated with more arid conditions and ranchlands are more likely to be found in west Bell County. Excellent birding may be found in the wooded floodplains of the Leon and Lampasas Rivers, Salado creek, and the Little River. Belton Lake and Stillhouse Hollow Lake provide seasonal habitat for Bald Eagle, Osprey, cormorants, gulls, terns, and numbers species of ducks. Specific locations that have provided many new records include Temple Lions Park, the gravel pit Lake on Shallowford Road, the ponds on Belton Sand and Gravel Road and the Pack Park area in Salado.

History of the Bell County Checklist

A checklist of the Birds of Bell County was first compiled in 1972 by Marjorie Williams assisted by Ralph Clearman and Bob Burleson. This original checklist was updated in 1978 by Harold Beaty and included in his self-published and distributed "Flora and Fauna of Central and West Bell County." In 1984 Beaty produced a separate checklist incorporating the most recent changes in avian nomenclature. In 1989, a revision of Beaty's 1984 work was compiled by Stan Casto and Corky Johnson, under the auspices of the Twin Lakes Audubon Society. In 1992 Johnson and Casto updated the 1989 checklist and included a more thorough treatment of west Bell County birds, based primarily on the work of Joye Johnson in that area. Other major contributors of field records include Mark Lockwood, Jane Kerr, Tom Robbins, Grant Critchfield, John Cornelius, Bob Burleson, Lilla Barnes, Valerie Morrill, and other members of the Twin Lakes Audubon Society.

Checklist Symbols

Abundance

C...COMMON. To be expected most of the time in the proper habitat (SHOULD SEE).

U...UNCOMMON. Usually present in the proper habitat but not expected to be seen on every trip; includes many of the more common migrants (MAY SEE).

O...OCCASIONAL. Seen only a few times during a season: includes less common migrants (POSSIBLE).

R...RARE. Few records; not expected every season or year (PROBABLY WON"T SEE).

Season

Sp Spring March to May

S Summer June to August

F Fall September to November

W Winter December to February

Resources

National Audubon Society Wildlife Sanctuaries

National Audubon Society Watchlist

Checklist of Texas Wildlife

Texas Birding Resources

Wildlife Habitat in a Houston Backyard

Texas Parks and Wildlife Kid's Page

Checklist of Birds

Season

_______________________________________Sp S F W

Loons and Grebes

Pacific Loon........................................................... R

Common Loon....................................................... O R O

Pied-billed Grebe.................................................... U O C C

Eared Grebe............................................................ O O O

Pelicans and Cormorants

White Pelican.......................................................... O R O R

Brown Pelican......................................................... R

Double-crested Cormorant...................................... U R C C

Olivaceous Cormorant............................................ R O O

Great Blue Heron................................................... C C C C

Great Egret............................................................ O C C O

Snowy Egret.......................................................... U U O

Little Blue Heron................................................... U C U

Tricolored Heron................................................... R

Cattle Egret........................................................... C C O R

Green-backed Heron.............................................. C C O R

Black-crowned Night Heron.................................. R R

Yellow-crowned Night Heron............................... U U U

White-faced Ibis...................................................... O R

Roseate Spoonbill................................................... R R

Geese and Ducks

Black-bellied Whistling Duck................................. O O O

Tundra Swan......................................................... R

Greater White-fronted Goose................................ O O R

Snow Goose.......................................................... O O R

Canada Goose....................................................... O O R

Ross' Goose.......................................................... R

Wood Duck........................................................... U U U U

Green-winged Teal................................................ O U U

Mallard................................................................. U U U

Northern Pintail..................................................... U U U

Blue-winged Teal.................................................. U O U U

Cinnamon Teal...................................................... O O R

Northern Shoveler................................................. U C C

Gadwall................................................................. O U U

American Widgeon.................................................. O C C

Canvasback........................................................... O O

Redhead................................................................ O O

Ring-necked Duck................................................. O O

Greater Scaup........................................................ R

Lesser Scaup......................................................... U U

Common Goldeneye.............................................. R R

Buffelhead............................................................. O U

Common Merganser.............................................. R

Hooded Merganser................................................ O U

Red-breasted Merganser........................................ R R

Ruddy Duck.......................................................... U U U

Vultures and Hawks

Black Vulture........................................................ C C C C

Turkey Vulture...................................................... C C C C

Northern Harrier.................................................... U R C C

Osprey................................................................... O R O R

White-tailed Kite.................................................... R R

Mississippi Kite...................................................... O O R

Bald Eagle.............................................................. R R U

Golden Eagle.......................................................... R

Sharp-skinned Hawk............................................... R O R

Cooper's Hawk....................................................... O O O

Harris' Hawk.......................................................... R R

Red-shouldered Hawk............................................ U U U U

Broad-winged Hawk.............................................. O O

Swainson's Hawk.................................................. O O O

Red-tailed Hawk..................................................... U U C C

Ferruginous Hawk.................................................. R R

Rough-legged Hawk............................................... R

Caracaras and Falcons

Crested Caracara.................................................... O O O O

American Kestrel.................................................... U C C

Merlin..................................................................... R O

Peregrine Falcon..................................................... R R

Prairie Falcon.......................................................... R

Quails and Turkeys

Wild Turkey............................................................ U U U U

Northern Bobwhite.................................................. U U U U

Rails and Cranes

Virginia Rail............................................................ O

Sora........................................................................ O R O O

Purple Gallinule....................................................... R R R

Common Moorhen................................................... O R

American Coot......................................................... C O C C

Sandhill Crane.......................................................... O O O

Whooping Crane...................................................... R

Plovers

Black-bellied Plover................................................. O O

Lesser Golden Plover............................................... O

Snowy Plover.......................................................... R

Semipalmated Plover............................................... R

Piping Plover........................................................... R

Killdeer................................................................... C C C C

Mountain Plover...................................................... O R

Black-necked Stilt.................................................... R

American Avocet..................................................... O O O O

Sandpipers and Phalaropes

Greater Yellowlegs.................................................. O O O

Lesser Yellowlegs.................................................... U R U U

Solitary Sandpiper.................................................... R R R

Willet....................................................................... R

Spotted Sandpiper.................................................... R R R

Upland Sandpiper.................................................... U O U

Long-billed Curlew.................................................. O R O R

Sanderling............................................................... R R R

Semipalmated Sandpiper......................................... O R

Western Sandpiper.................................................. O

Least Sandpiper...................................................... U R U

White-rumped Sandpiper........................................ O

Baird's Sandpiper................................................... O O

Pectoral Sandpiper.................................................. O O O

Stilt Sandpiper......................................................... O

Buff-breasted Sandpiper........................................... O O

Long-billed Dowitcher............................................. R R R

Common Snipe........................................................ U U U

American Woodcock............................................... U

Wilson's Phalarope.................................................. O R O

Gulls and Terns

Franklin's Gull......................................................... C O O

Bonaparte's Gull...................................................... R R O

Ring-billed Gull........................................................ O C C

Herring Gull............................................................. O O

Forster's Tern.......................................................... O O O

Least Tern............................................................... R R

Black Tern............................................................... O O O

Pigeons and Doves

Rock Dove............................................................. C C C C

White-winged Dove................................................ O O O O

Mourning Dove...................................................... C C C C

Inca Dove............................................................... U U U U

Common Ground Dove........................................... R R R R

Cuckoos and Roadrunners

Black-billed Cuckoo................................................ R R

Yellow-billed Cuckoo.............................................. C C O

Greater Roadrunner................................................. U U U U

Owls

Common Barn Owl.................................................. O O O O

Eastern Screech Owl................................................ C C C C

Great Horned Owl................................................... C C C C

Burrowing Owl........................................................ R R

Barred Owl.............................................................. O O O O

Short-eared Owl...................................................... R O

Long-eared Owl....................................................... R R

Nighthawks

Common Nighthawk................................................ C C

Common Poorwill................................................... O R

Chuck-will's-widow................................................ U C

Swifts and Hummingbirds

Chimney Swift......................................................... C C O

Ruby-throated Hummingbird................................... U U

Black-chinned Hummingbird.................................... C C

Rufous Hummingbird............................................... R R

Kingfishers

Belted Kingfisher..................................................... C C C C

Green Kingfisher...................................................... R

Woodpeckers

Red-headed Woodpecker......................................... U U U U

Golden-fronted Woodpecker................................... O O O O

Red-bellied Woodpecker.......................................... C C C C

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker......................................... O O U

Ladder-backed Woodpecker.................................... U U U U

Downy Woodpecker................................................ C C C C

Hairy Woodpecker................................................... O O

Northern Flicker....................................................... U C

Pileated Woodpecker............................................. R

Flycatchers

Eastern Wood Peewee............................................ O O O O

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher....................................... R

Acadian Flycatcher................................................. U U U

Willow Flycatcher.................................................. R

Least Flycatcher..................................................... O O

Empidonax sp.........................................................

Eastern Phoebe....................................................... C O O C

Say's Phoebe.......................................................... R R

Vermillion Flycatcher.............................................. R R

Ash-throated Flycatcher.......................................... R R

Great-crested Flycatcher......................................... C C O

Eastern Kingbird..................................................... U U

Western Kingbird.................................................... C C O

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher.......................................... C C C

Larks

Horned Lark........................................................... U U O O

Martins and Swallows

Purple Martin.......................................................... C C R

Tree Swallow.......................................................... R R

Northern Rough-winged Swallow............................ O O O

Bank Swallow.......................................................... O O

Cliff Swallow........................................................... C C O

Barn Swallow.......................................................... C C U

Jays and Crows

Blue Jay................................................................... C C C C

Scrub Jay................................................................. U U U U

American Crow........................................................ C C C C

Chihuahuan Raven................................................... R

Chickadees and Gnatcatchers

Carolina Chickadee.................................................. C C C C

Tufted Titmouse...................................................... C C C C

Nuthatches

Red-breasted Nuthatch............................................ R R R

White-breasted Nuthatch......................................... O O O O

Creepers and Wrens

Brown Creeper........................................................ R U

Cactus Wren.......................................................... R

Rock Wren............................................................ R R

Canyon Wren........................................................ U U U U

Carolina Wren....................................................... C C C C

Bewick's Wren...................................................... C C C C

House Wren............................................................ R O O

Winter Wren........................................................... R

Marsh Wren........................................................... R

Kinglets and Gnatcatchers

Golden-crowned Kinglet......................................... R U

Ruby-crowned Kinglet............................................ R C C

Bleu-gray Gnatcatcher............................................ O O O O

Bluebirds and Thrushes

Eastern Bluebird..................................................... C C C C

Veery...................................................................... R

Gray-cheeked Thrush.............................................. R

Swainson's Thrush.................................................. O

Hermit Thrush......................................................... U R U

Wood Thrush.......................................................... R

American Robin....................................................... U U U C

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Gray Catbird............................................................ O R

Northern Mockingbird............................................. C C C C

Sage Thrasher.......................................................... R

Brown Thrasher....................................................... O U U

Curve-billed Thrasher.............................................. R

Pipits and Waxwings

American Pipit......................................................... U U U

Sprague's Pipit......................................................... R

Cedar Waxwing....................................................... C R O C

Shrikes and Starlings

Loggerhead Shrike.................................................. C C C C

European Starling.................................................... C C C C

Vireos

White-eyed Vireo.................................................... O C C R

Bell's Vireo............................................................. O U U R

Black-capped Vireo................................................. O U

Solitary Vireo.......................................................... O O O

Yellow-throated Vireo............................................. O O

Warbling Vireo........................................................ O O

Philadelphia Vireo.................................................... O O

Red-eyed Vireo........................................................ O O O

Wood Warblers

Blue-winged Warbler............................................... R R

Golden-winged Warbler........................................... R

Tennessee Warbler................................................... R R

Orange-crowned Warbler......................................... U U U

Nashville Warbler..................................................... U U

Northern Parula........................................................ O O

Yellow Warbler........................................................ U O U

Chestnut-sided Warbler............................................ R

Magnolia Warbler.................................................... U

Yellow-rumped Warbler.......................................... U C C

Black-throated Green Warbler................................. O R

Golden-cheeked Warbler......................................... U U

Yellow-throated Warbler......................................... R R

Blackburnian Warbler.............................................. O O

Prairie Warbler........................................................ R R

Bay-breasted Warbler.............................................. R

Blackpoll Warbler................................................... R R

Black-and-white Warbler......................................... U U U O

American Redstart................................................... O R

Prothonotary Warbler.............................................. R R

Swainson's Warbler................................................. R R

Ovenbird.................................................................. O R

Northern Waterthrush.............................................. O R

Louisiana Waterthrush............................................. R R

Kentucky Warbler................................................... O O O

MacGillivray's Warbler........................................... R

Mourning Warbler................................................... R R

Common Yellowthroat............................................ O

Hooded Warbler...................................................... R R

Wilson's Warbler..................................................... U U

Canada Warbler....................................................... R

Yellow-breasted Chat.............................................. U U

Tanagers and Cardinals

Summer Tanager...................................................... U U

Scarlet Tanager........................................................ R R

Northern Cardinal.................................................... C C C C

Pyrrhuloxia.............................................................. R R

Dickcissels and Towhees

Dickcissel................................................................ C C C

Green-tailed Towhee............................................... R

Rufous-sided Towhee.............................................. U U

Canyon Towhee...................................................... R O R

Sparrows

Cassin's Sparrow..................................................... U U R

Rufous-crowned Sparrow........................................ U U U U

Chipping Sparrow................................................... U U U C

Clay-colored Sparrow............................................. R R

Field Sparrow.......................................................... C C C C

Vesper Sparrow....................................................... C C C

Lark Sparrow........................................................... C C C C

Savannah Sparrow................................................... C C C

Grasshopper Sparrow.............................................. U U U U

Fox Sparrow........................................................... U O U

Song Sparrow......................................................... C U C

Lincoln's Sparrow................................................... U U U

White-throated Sparrow.......................................... C U C

White-crowned Sparrow.......................................... C U C

Harris' Sparrow....................................................... C U C

Swamp Sparrow...................................................... R R

Le Conte's Sparrow................................................. O

Henslow's Sparrow................................................. R R

Juncos and Longspurs

Dark-eyed Junco...................................................... U O C

McCowan's Longspur............................................. R

Lapland Longspur................................................... R

chestnut-collared Longspur..................................... R

Meadowlarks, Blackbirds and Orioles

Bobolink................................................................. R

Red-winged Blackbird............................................. C C C C

Eastern Meadowlark............................................... C C C C

Western Meadowlark............................................... R U U

Yellow-headed Blackbird......................................... O R R

Rusty Blackbird........................................................ R R

Brewer's Blackbird................................................... U

Great-tailed Grackle................................................. C C C C

Common Grackle..................................................... C U U C

Brown-headed Cowbird........................................... C C C C

Shiny Cowbird........................................................ R*

Bronzed Cowbird.................................................... R R

Orchard Oriole........................................................ U U

Northern Oriole...................................................... O O R R

* One individual (Shiny Cowbird) was captured on Fort Hood, June 13, 1992.

Finches and Siskins

Purple Finch............................................................ O O

House Finch............................................................ U U C C

Pine Siskin............................................................... U

Lesser Goldfinch...................................................... O O

American Goldfinch................................................. R U C

Old World Sparrows

House Sparrow........................................................ C C C C

Breeding Populations of Escaped or introduced species:

Zebra Finch

Ring-necked Pheasant

Reported but no confirmed record within the last ten years:

Least Grebe

Wood Stork

American Black Duck

Whimbrel

Hudsonian Godwit

Marbled Godwit

Ruddy Turnstone

Red Knot

Common Tern

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Western Bluebird

Black-throated Sparrow

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