Current Birding Opportunities at Quivira National Wildlife Refuge

Whooping Crane Update: Whooping Cranes were sighted at the Refuge on November 4 and are still present. The Refuge is currently closed to hunting.
From September to December, up to 1.5 million Canada Geese, Ducks and Sandhill Cranes pass through Quivira NWR on their way to wintering grounds along the Gulf Coast and in Mexico. Endangered Whooping Cranes may make a brief visit as they move along the Central Flyway as well. Those Whooping Cranes with young may stay only a few days and can stay as long as a few weeks. Both Bald and Golden Eagles winter on Quivira NWR from November until March.

Bald Eagle sitting in tree
Photo by Jim Glynn

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 north-central United States and Canada.



Male pheasants
Photo by Jim Glynn
Salt marsh with ducks flying over
Photo by Jerry Seagraves
Snowy plovers, American avocets, black-necked stilts and white-faced ibis are some of the more common species found on the Refuge during the late spring and summer. 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 Mississppi kites are common during the summer months, while 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.

NOTABLE BIRD SIGHTINGS

SPECIES
Date Last Seen
Location
Whooping Crane (7) November 21, 2009 Little Salt Marsh
Tundra Swan November 21, 2009 Big Salt Marsh
Northern Shrike November 21, 2009 Little Salt Marsh, south end
Golden Eagle (juvenile) November 11, 2009 Big Salt Marsh
Rough-legged Hawk November 21, 2009 Big Salt Marsh
Blue-headed Vireo November 2, 2009 Headquarters area
Mountain Bluebird November 13, 2009 s.w. of Migrants Mile Trail
Mottled Duck November 15 , 2009 Wildlife Drive, east side
Ross' Goose November 21, 2009 Wildlife Drive
Le Conte's Sparrow October 12, 2009 Wildlife Drive, east side
Winter Wren October 12, 2009 Wood lot northwest of LSM
Barred Owl October 24, 2009 Catalpa Grove along Salt Marsh Drive
Rock Wren October 24, 2009 G2 Windmill, corner of Salt Marsh Drive and Rice County Road
Say's Phoebe September 27, 2009 Marsh Road (170) 1 mi. east of Wildlife Drive

 

Featured Bird

A flock of 14 Whooping Cranes (11 Adults and 3 juveniles) visited the Big Salt Marsh area on November 4, 2009.


11-4-09 Whoopers

Photo courtesy Jim Glynn


Approximate Migration Times
Mississippi Kites May 1- Oct 1 Nesting Species
Waterfowl Feb 15 - March
Sept 15- Jan 15

Nesting, Migrants and
Over-Winter

Shorebirds May - June
Aug - Sept		 Some Nesting
Sandhill Cranes
Feb - March
Oct 15 - Dec 15		 Migrants
Bald Eagles Oct 15 - Nov, Dec Depends on Duck Migration
Whooping Cranes

March - April
Oct 15 - Nov 15 		Stay Longer During Fall and Winter

WATERFOWL Numbers as of November 19, 2009
Refuge-wide waterfowl surveys are taken every two weeks. Number will be updated more frequently only if significant change occurs.

Mallard - 2560
Northern Pintail -1200
Blue-winged Teal - 600
Green-winged Teal - 0
American Wigeon - 100
Northern Shoveler - 760
Gadwall - 0
Redhead - 0
Canvasback - 410
Ruddy Duck - 100
Bufflehead - 0
Common Goldeneye - 0
Ring-necked - 0
Hooded Merganser - 0
Snow Goose - 105,000
Ross' Goose - 50,000

Canada/Cackling Goose - 102,000
White-fronted Goose - 118,600
unknown duck - 150

TOTAL DUCKS= 5,880
TOTAL GEESE= 376,200

unknown Swan - 0
Coot - 0
Sandhill Crane - 12,000
White Pelican - 135
Double-crested Cormorant - 2

Bald Eagle = 5 (1 Adult, 4 Juvenile)
Whooping Crane 3 (3 Adult)

General Statement :
Water levels vary per unit; waterfowl concentrations are scattered throughout refuge and in area farm fields.

SHOREBIRD Numbers as of October 20 , 2009 (last survey of season)
Shorebird surveys are taken every two weeks from spring through fall. Numbers will be updated more frequently only if significant change occurs. During winter, any significant shorebird occurrences will be noted in the table above.

 

Black-bellied Plover - 4
Semipalmated Plover - 13
Killdeer -8
American Avocet - 37
Black-necked Stilt - 0
Lesser Yellowlegs - 24
Greater Yellowlegs - 30
yellowlegs, sp. - 7
Least Sandpiper - 503


Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1
peep, sp. - 20
Pectoral Sandpiper - 1
Stilt Sandpiper - 212
Long-billed Dowitcher - 213
dowitcher, sp. - 866
Wilson's Phalarope - 1

TOTAL = 1942

General Statement :
A wide variety of water levels exist throughout; largest concentrations of shorebirds are within, and north of, the Wildlife Drive.

 

For more species from around the world go to the Internet Bird Collection
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Contact Us:
Quivira National Wildlife Refuge
1434 NE 80th Street
Stafford, Kansas 67578
620-486-2393
Quivira@fws.gov

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.

Last updated: November 21, 2009