Birds of Spring

 

Return to Birding Section
by Island Artist
Nancy Richards West

The following birds have been sighted in spring on the Chincoteague
National Wildlife Refuge.

Included are birds that are:
Abundant - a species which is very numerous
Common - certain to be seen or heard in suitable habitat
Uncommon - present, but not certain to be seen
Occasional - seen only a few times during a season
Rare - seen at intervals of two to five years

Listing Order
Birds are listed alphabetically by the base word of the common name (such as Sandpiper) and then by the full common name (such as Baird's Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, etc.).

Birding data is on pages of about 50 birds each.
Please allow a moment or two for the data to download.
The data will appear below on this page.

Database courtesy Assateague.com

 

American Avocet
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? no

American Bittern
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Least Bittern
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Red-winged Blackbird
Spring Sighting Information: abundant
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-headed Blackbird
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Eastern Bluebird
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Bobolink
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Northern Bobwhite
Spring Sighting Information: abundant
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Brant
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Bufflehead
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Indigo Bunting
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Snow Bunting
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Canvasback
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Northern Cardinal
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Gray Catbird
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-breasted Chat
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Carolina Chickadee
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Chuck-will's-widow
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

American Coot
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Double-crested Cormorant
Spring Sighting Information: abundant
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Great Cormorant
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Brown-headed Cowbird
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Red Crossbill
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

American Crow
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Fish Crow
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Black-billed Cuckoo
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Mourning Dove
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Rock Dove
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Long-billed Dowitcher
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Short-billed Dowitcher
Spring Sighting Information: abundant
Nests on or near Refuge? no

American Black Duck
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Ring-necked Duck
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Ruddy Duck
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Wood Duck
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Dunlin
Spring Sighting Information: abundant
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Bald Eagle
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Cattle Egret
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Great Egret
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Snowy Egret
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Peregrine Falcon
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

House Finch
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Purple Finch
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Northern Flicker
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Acadian Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Great Crested Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: common
Nests on or near Refuge? yes

Least Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Olive-sided Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: rare
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Willow Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: uncommon
Nests on or near Refuge? no

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Spring Sighting Information: occasional
Nests on or near Refuge? no

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Table data from:
Birds - Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
(Brochure, December 1997, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Photos in this section are from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, G. Gough, I. Thomas, and B. G. Peterjohn. 1997. The North American Breeding Bird Survey Results and Analysis. Version 96.4. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD