Bird List
About the Refuge
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in south-central Kansas within the transition zone of the Great Plains. In this zone, the relatively lush vegetation of the eastern prairie blends with the more arid grasslands of the western prairie. The blend of varied plant communities and the presence of the Big and Little Salt Marshes, major water features on the Refuge, attract birds common to both eastern and western North America. Over 300 species of birds have been observed in the marshes, grasslands, farmlands, and low sandhills of Quivira NWR.

Seasonal Highlights
Fall Flights and Winter Visitors:  From September to December, up to 500,000 geese and ducks pass through Quivira NWR on their way to wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast and in Mexico. Other migratory birds, such as sandhill cranes and shorebirds, can also be seen. Endangered whooping cranes may make a brief visit as they move along the Central Flyway. Both bald and golden eagles winter on Quivira NWR from November until March.

Spring Staging:  During March and April, Quivira NWR becomes a staging area for over 200,000 ducks and geese. Shorebirds, American white pelicans, gulls, and other migrants can also be seen. The majority of these birds stopover on their way to traditional nesting grounds in the prairie potholes of the north-central United States and Canada.

Spring and Summer Residents: Snowy plovers, American avocets, black-necked stilts, and white-faced ibis are some of the more common nesting species found on the Refuge. A colony of endangered interior least terns use the salt flats on the north end of Quivira NWR as nesting habitat. Swainson's hawks and Mississippi kites are common during the summer months, while northern harriers, American kestrels, and red-tailed hawks are commonly seen throughout the year. Look for ring-necked pheasants and bobwhite quail in the grasslands and grain fields. Wild turkey can be seen along the edge of tree groves and shelter belts where they often look for food and shelter.

Watching Wildlife:  Spring and fall are the best seasons to visit Quivira NWR since wildlife, especially waterfowl, is abundant and more easily viewed during these times. Try to schedule your visit early or late in the day when wildlife is most active and more frequently seen. Take a drive through the Refuge and along its boundaries; the best viewing is along the scenic tour route and the Wildlife Drive. See the Refuge general information leaflet for a map and more information.

  
SEASONS
 
Sp Spring
(March - May)
Su Summer
(June - August)
F Fall
(September - November)
W Winter
(December - February)

Abundance
a - abundant;
a common species
which is numerous
c -common;
a species certain to be
seen in suitable habitat
r - rare;
a species seen at
intervals of 2 to 5 years
o - occasional;
a species seen only a
few times during a season
 


u - uncommon;
species which is present but not certain to be seen
* - Nesting Species
Italicized name - endangered speicies in the United States

About the Checklist:
The list of 311 birds follows the format of the Seventh A. O. U. Checklist (1998). Accidental species appear at the end of the checklist. Since most birds are migratory, their seasonal occurrence and relative abundance are coded as noted above.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seeks to afford persons with disabilities full accessibility or reasonable accommodation. Contact Refuge staff for information or to address accessibility needs. For the hearing impaired, use your State Relay System for the Deaf.

  
 
Sp
Su
F
W
    
Sp
Su
F
W
    
Sp
Su
F
W
Loons
  Sandpipers
  Creepers
Common Loon
o
r
o
r
  
Greater Yellowlegs
c
c
c
o
  
Brown Creeper
-
-
o
o
Grebes
 
Lesser Yellowlegs
a
c
a
r
   Wrens
*Pied-billed Grebe
c
c
c
o
  
Solitary Sandpiper
u
u
u
-
  
Carolina Wren
o
-
-
o
Horned Grebe
u
-
u
o
  
Willet
u
u
u
-
  
*Bewick's Wren
o
o
-
-
*Eared Grebe
c
u
c
r
  
Spotted Sandpiper
c
c
u
-
  
*House Wren
c
c
u
-
Western Grebe
r
r
o
o
  
*Upland Sandpiper
c
u
u
-
  
Sedge Wren
o
-
o
-
Pelicans
 
Whimbrel
o
o
o
-
  
Marsh Wren
u
-
u
u
American White Pelican
a
a
a
o
  
Long-billed Curlew
o
o
o
-
   Kinglets
Cormorants
 
Hudsonian Godwit
u
r
-
-
  
Golden-crwoned Kinglet
o
-
-
o
Neotropic Cormorant
o
o
-
-
  
Marbled Godwit
u
u
u
-
  
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
u
-
u
o
*Double-crested Cormorant
a
c
a
u
  
Ruddy Turnstone
o
o
o
-
   Gnatcatchers
Herons
 
Red Knot
o
o
o
-
  
*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
u
u
r
-
*American Bittern
u
u
u
o
  
Sanderling
c
o
c
-
   Thrushes, Bluebirds
*Least Bittern
o
u
o
-
  
Semipalmated Sandpiper
a
c
a
-
  
*Eastern Bluebird
u
u
u
o
*Great Blue Heron
c
c
c
u
  
Western Sandpiper
c
c
c
-
  
Mountain Bluebird
-
-
-
r
*Snowy Egret
c
c
c
-
  
Least Sandpiper
a
c
a
-
  
Townsend's Solitaire
r
-
-
o
*Little Blue Heron
c
c
u
-
  
White-rumped Sandpiper
a
a
o
-
  
Swainson's Thrush
o
-
o
-
Tricolored Heron
r
r
-
-
  
Baird's Sandpiper
a
c
a
-
  
Wood Thrush
r
-
-
-
*Cattle Egret
a
a
c
-
  
Pectoral Sandpiper
c
c
c
-
  
*American Robin
c
c
c
u
*Green Heron
u
u
o
-
  
Dunlin
u
o
u
r
   Thrashers
*Black-crowned Night Heron
c
c
c
-
  
Stilt Sandpiper
a
c
a
-
  
*Gray Catbird
c
u
o
*Yellow-Crowned Night Heron
u
u
u
-
  
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
o
r
o
-
  
*Northern Mockingbird
u
u
u
o
Ibises
 
Ruff
r
r
-
-
  
*Brown Thrasher
c
c
o
r
White Ibis
r
r
r
-
  
Short-billed Dowitcher
u
u
o
-
   Starlings
Glossy Ibis
r
r
r
-
  
Long-billed Dowitcher
c
c
c
-
  
*European Starling
c
c
c
c
*White-faced Ibis
c
c
c
-
  
Common Snipe
u
o
u
-
   Pipits
Vultures
 
American Woodcock
r
-
r
-
  
American Pipit
u
-
u
-
Turkey Vulture
c
u
u
-
   Phalaropes
  Waxwings
Whistling Ducks
 
*Wilson's Phalarope
a
c
a
-
  
Cedar Waxing
r
o
o
o
Black-bellied Whistling Duck
-
r
-
-
  
Red-necked Phalarope
o
r
o
-
   Warblers
Geese
 
Red Phalarope
r
-
r
-
  
Tennessee Warbler
r
-
-
-
Greater White-fronted Goose
c
r
a
a
   Jaegers
 
Orange-crowned Warbler
u
-
u
-
Ross' Goose
o
-
u
u
  
Parasitic Jaeger
-
r
r
-
  
Nashville Warbler
o
-
o
-
*Canada Goose
c
c
a
a
   Gulls
 
Yellow Warbler
u
r
-
-
Brant
r
-
r
r
  

Laughing Gull
r
o
-
-
  
Yellow-rumped Warbler
u
r
u
-
Swans
 
Franklin's Gull
a
u
a
-
  
Palm Warbler
o
-
-
-
Trumpeter Swan
-
-
r
r
  
Bonaparte's Gull
r
r
o
o
  
Blackpoll Warbler
r
-
-
-
Tundra Swan
o
-
o
r
  
Ring-billed Gull
c
u
c
u
  
Black-and-white Warbler
r
-
r
-
Ducks
 
Herring Gull
o
-
o
o
  
American Redstart
o
-
o
-
*Wood Duck
c
u
o
o
  
Sabine's Gull
-
r
r
-
  
Northern Waterthrush
o
-
-
-
*Gadwall
a
u
c
c
   Terns
 
*Common Yellowthroat
c
c
u
o
*American Wigeon
a
u
c
c
  
Caspian Tern
r
o
r
-
  
Wilson's Warbler
o
-
o
-
American Black Duck
r
-
r
r
  
Common Tern
o
o
o
-
  
*Yellow-breasted Chat
o
r
r
-
*Mallard
a
c
a
a
  
*Forester's Tern
c
c
u
-
   Towhees, Sparrows
Mottled Duck
r
r
-
-
  
*Least Tern
u
u
o
 
Spotted Towhee
u
-
c
u
*Blue-winged Teal
a
c
a
-
  
*Black Tern
c
c
u
-
  
American Tree Sparrow
u
-
c
a
*Cinnamon Teal
u
o
o
o
   Pigeons, Doves
 
Chipping Sparrow
c
r
c
-
*Northern Shoveler
a
u
a
c
  
*Rock Dove
u
u
u
u
  
Clay-colored Sparrow
c
-
o
-
*Northern Pintail
a
u
c
a
  
*Mourning Dove
a
a
a
o
  
*Field Sparrow
c
u
u
u
*Green-winged Teal
a
o
a
c
  
Cuckoos
 
Vesper Sparrow
u
r
o
r
*CanvasBack
c
o
c
c