Checklist: Birds of Sherwood Island State Park
A list of 284 species was compiled in the mid-1990s by Robert Winkler, with contributions from Richard Soffer, Frank Mantlik and Charles Barnard Jr. The list published in 1996 is available here
Additions since 1996 (shown in red): Ross’s Goose, Yellow Rail, Marbled Godwit, Black Skimmer, Cave Swallow, Dicksissel, Clay-colored Sparrow, Smith’s Longspur, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle, Western Meadowlark and Yellow-throated Warbler – all Very Rare. And also: Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, common in Fall.
Note: Robert Winkler’s birding experiences at Sherwood Island are recorded in his book Going Wild and in essays available at his website.
code key
| Family |
Species |
N |
Spring |
Summer |
Fall |
Winter |
| Loons |
Red-throated Loon |
|
FC |
|
FC |
UC |
|
Common Loon |
|
FC |
R |
FC |
UC |
| Grebes |
Pied-billed Grebe |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Horned Grebe |
|
C |
|
C |
FC |
|
Red-necked Grebe |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Eared Grebe |
|
|
|
|
VR |
| Gannets |
Northern Gannet |
|
R |
|
R |
|
| Pelicans |
American White Pelican |
|
|
VR |
|
|
| Cormorants & Darters |
Great Cormorant |
|
FC |
|
FC |
FC |
|
Double-crested Cormorant |
|
C |
C |
C |
R |
| Bitterns & Herons |
American Bittern |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Least Bittern |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Great Blue Heron |
|
UC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Great Egret |
|
FC |
FC |
C |
VR |
|
Snowy Egret |
|
C |
FC |
C |
|
|
Little Blue Heron |
|
UC |
UC |
UC |
|
|
Tricolored Heron |
|
R |
R |
R |
|
|
Cattle Egret |
|
UC |
R |
R |
|
|
Green Heron |
|
UC |
FC |
FC |
|
|
Black-crowned Night-Heron |
|
FC |
FC |
FC |
R |
|
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron |
|
VR |
VR |
|
|
| Ibis |
Glossy Ibis |
|
UC |
UC |
R |
|
| Swans, Geese, Ducks |
Tundra Swan |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Mute Swan |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Greater White-fronted Goose |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Snow Goose |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Ross’s Goose |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Brant |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Canada Goose |
N |
C |
C |
C |
C |
|
Wood Duck |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Green-winged Teal |
|
FC |
|
FC |
R |
|
American Black Duck |
N |
C |
FC |
C |
C |
|
Mallard |
N |
C |
FC |
C |
C |
|
Northern Pintail |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Blue-winged Teal |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Northern Shoveler |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Gadwall |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Eurasian Wigeon |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
American Wigeon |
|
FC |
|
C |
FC |
|
Canvasback |
|
FC |
|
FC |
UC |
|
Redhead |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Ring-necked Duck |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Greater Scaup |
|
UC |
|
UC |
UC |
|
Lesser Scaup |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
King Eider |
|
VR |
|
|
VR |
|
Long-tailed Duck |
|
C |
|
C |
C |
|
Black Scoter |
|
VR |
|
VR |
VR |
|
Surf Scoter |
|
UC |
|
UC |
UC |
|
White-winged Scoter |
|
FC |
|
FC |
FC |
|
Common Goldeneye |
|
C |
|
C |
C |
|
Barrow’s Goldeneye |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Bufflehead |
|
C |
|
C |
FC |
|
Hooded Merganser |
|
FC |
R |
FC |
UC |
|
Common Merganser |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Red-breasted Merganser |
|
C |
|
C |
C |
|
Ruddy Duck |
|
VR |
|
VR |
VR |
| Kites, Eagles, Hawks |
Black Vulture |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Turkey Vulture |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Osprey |
N |
UC |
R |
C |
|
|
Bald Eagle |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Northern Harrier |
|
UC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Sharp-shinned Hawk |
|
UC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Cooper’s Hawk |
|
R |
|
UC |
|
|
Northern Goshawk |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Red-shouldered Hawk |
|
R |
|
UC |
R |
|
Broad-winged Hawk |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Red-tailed Hawk |
|
FC |
|
FC |
FC |
|
Rough-legged Hawk |
|
|
|
R |
R |
|
Golden Eagle |
|
|
|
VR |
|
| Falcons |
American Kestrel |
|
UC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Merlin |
|
R |
|
UC |
R |
|
Peregrine Falcon |
|
R |
|
R |
|
| Grouse, Turkeys, Quail |
Ring-necked Pheasant |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Wild Turkey |
|
VR |
|
|
|
| Rails, Gallinules, Coots |
Clapper Rail |
N |
UC |
R |
UC |
R |
|
Yellow Rail |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
King Rail |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Virginia Rail |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Sora |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Common Moorhen |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
American Coot |
|
|
|
R |
R |
| Cranes |
Sandhill Crane |
|
|
|
|
VR |
| Plovers |
Black-bellied Plover |
|
FC |
|
C |
UC |
|
American Golden-Plover |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Semipalmated Plover |
|
FC |
|
C |
|
|
Piping Plover |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Killdeer |
N |
FC |
FC |
C |
UC |
| Oystercatchers |
American Oystercatcher |
|
R |
R |
R |
|
| Stilts & Avocets |
American Avocet |
|
|
|
VR |
|
| Sandpipers & Phalaropes |
Greater Yellowlegs |
|
C |
|
C |
R |
|
Lesser Yellowlegs |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
|
Solitary Sandpiper |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Willet |
|
R |
|
UC |
|
|
Spotted Sandpiper |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Upland Sandpiper |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Whimbrel |
|
|
|
R |
|
|
Hudsonian Godwit |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Marbled Godwit |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Ruddy Turnstone |
|
UC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Red Knot |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Sanderling |
|
R |
|
UC |
R |
|
Semipalmated Sandpiper |
|
FC |
|
C |
|
|
Western Sandpiper |
|
|
|
R |
|
|
Least Sandpiper |
|
FC |
|
C |
|
|
White-rumped Sandpiper |
|
|
|
R |
|
|
Baird’s Sandpiper |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Pectoral Sandpiper |
|
R |
|
FC |
|
|
Purple Sandpiper |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Dunlin |
|
FC |
|
C |
FC |
|
Stilt Sandpiper |
|
|
|
R |
|
|
Buff-breasted Sandpiper |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Ruff |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Short-billed Dowitcher |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
|
Common Snipe |
|
FC |
|
UC |
R |
|
American Woodcock |
N |
UC |
R |
UC |
R |
|
Wilson’s Phalarope |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
| Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers |
Laughing Gull |
|
UC |
FC |
C |
|
|
Bonaparte’s Gull |
|
UC |
|
UC |
UC |
|
Ring-billed Gull |
|
C |
FC |
C |
C |
|
Herring Gull |
|
C |
C |
C |
C |
|
Iceland Gull |
|
VR |
|
|
VR |
|
Lesser Black-backed Gull |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Glaucous Gull |
|
VR |
|
|
VR |
|
Great Black-backed Gull |
|
FC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Caspian Tern |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Common Tern |
|
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
|
Forster’s Tern |
|
|
|
UC |
|
|
Least Tern |
|
FC |
FC |
UC |
|
|
Black Tern |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Black Skimmer |
|
|
VR |
|
|
| Pigeons & Doves |
Rock Dove |
N |
UC |
FC |
UC |
UC |
|
Mourning Dove |
N |
C |
C |
FC |
FC |
| Parrots |
Monk Parakeet |
|
FC |
FC |
FC |
UC |
| Cuckoo |
Black-billed Cuckoo |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Yellow-billed Cuckoo |
|
R |
|
R |
|
| Barn Owl |
Barn Owl |
|
VR |
|
|
|
| Typical Owls |
Eastern Screech-Owl |
|
R |
R |
R |
R |
|
Great Horned Owl |
N |
R |
R |
R |
R |
|
Snowy Owl |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Barred Owl |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Long-eared Owl |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Short-eared Owl |
|
R |
|
R |
R |
|
Northern Saw-whet Owl |
|
|
|
|
VR |
| Goatsuckers |
Common Nighthawk |
|
R |
|
C |
|
|
Whip-poor-will |
|
VR |
|
|
|
| Swifts |
Chimney Swift |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
| Hummingbirds |
Ruby-throated Hummingbird |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
| Kingfishers |
Belted Kingfisher |
N |
UC |
UC |
FC |
UC |
| Woodpeckers |
Red-headed Woodpecker |
|
VR |
|
VR |
VR |
|
Red-bellied Woodpecker |
|
UC |
R |
FC |
UC |
|
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Downy Woodpecker |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Hairy Woodpecker |
|
UC |
R |
UC |
UC |
|
Northern Flicker |
N |
C |
FC |
C |
UC |
|
Pileated Woodpecker |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
| Tyrant Flycatchers |
Olive-sided Flycatcher |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Eastern Wood-Pewee |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Acadian Flycatcher |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Alder Flycatcher |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Willow Flycatcher |
N |
FC |
FC |
UC |
|
|
Least Flycatcher |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Eastern Phoebe |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Great Crested Flycatcher |
|
UC |
R |
UC |
|
|
Western Kingbird |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Eastern Kingbird |
N |
FC |
UC |
UC |
|
| Larks |
Horned Lark |
|
UC |
|
FC |
UC |
| Swallows |
Purple Martin |
|
UC |
R |
R |
|
|
Tree Swallow |
N |
C |
UC |
C |
|
|
Northern Rough-winged Swallow |
N |
FC |
UC |
FC |
|
|
Bank Swallow |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
|
Cliff Swallow |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Cave Swallow |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Barn Swallow |
N |
C |
C |
C |
|
| Jays & Crows |
Blue Jay |
N |
C |
FC |
C |
FC |
|
American Crow |
N |
C |
C |
C |
C |
|
Fish Crow |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
UC |
| Chickadees & Titmice |
Black-capped Chickadee |
N |
C |
FC |
C |
FC |
|
Tufted Titmouse |
N |
C |
FC |
FC |
UC |
| Nuthatches |
Red-breasted Nuthatch |
|
UC |
|
FC |
UC |
|
White-breasted Nuthatch |
N |
FC |
UC |
FC |
UC |
| Creepers |
Brown Creeper |
|
UC |
|
UC |
UC |
| Wrens |
Carolina Wren |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
UC |
|
House Wren |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
|
Winter Wren |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Marsh Wren |
N |
UC |
R |
UC |
R |
| Kinglets & Thrushes |
Golden-crowned Kinglet |
|
FC |
|
C |
FC |
|
Ruby-crowned Kinglet |
|
FC |
|
C |
R |
|
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Northern Wheatear |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Eastern Bluebird |
N |
UC |
UC |
UC |
|
|
Veery |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Gray-cheeked Thrush |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Swainson’s Thrush |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Hermit Thrush |
|
FC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Wood Thrush |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
American Robin |
N |
C |
C |
FC |
R |
| Thrashers |
Gray Catbird |
N |
C |
C |
C |
R |
|
Northern Mockingbird |
N |
FC |
FC |
C |
FC |
|
Brown Thrasher |
N |
UC |
UC |
UC |
R |
| Pipits |
American Pipit |
|
UC |
|
FC |
R |
| Waxwings |
Cedar Waxwing |
N |
C |
UC |
FC |
UC |
| Shrikes |
Northern Shrike |
|
|
|
VR |
|
| Starlings |
European Starling |
N |
C |
C |
C |
C |
| Vireos |
White-eyed Vireo |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Blue-headed Vireo |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Yellow-throated Vireo |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Warbling Vireo |
N |
C |
FC |
UC |
|
|
Philadelphia Vireo |
|
|
|
R |
|
|
Red-eyed Vireo |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
| Wood-warblers |
Blue-winged Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Golden-winged Warbler |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Tennessee Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Orange-crowned Warbler |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Nashville Warbler |
|
FC |
|
UC |
|
|
Northern Parula |
|
C |
|
FC |
|
|
Yellow Warbler |
N |
C |
C |
FC |
|
|
Chestnut-sided Warbler |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Magnolia Warbler |
|
C |
|
FC |
|
|
Cape May Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Black-throated Blue Warbler |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Yellow-rumped Warbler |
|
C |
|
C |
R |
|
Black-throated Green Warbler |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Blackburnian Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Yellow-throated Warbler |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Pine Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Prairie Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Palm Warbler |
|
FC |
|
FC |
R |
|
Bay-breasted Warbler |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Blackpoll Warbler |
|
FC |
|
UC |
|
|
Black-and-white Warbler |
|
C |
|
FC |
|
|
American Redstart |
|
C |
|
C |
|
|
Worm-eating Warbler |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Ovenbird |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Northern Waterthrush |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Connecticut Warbler |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Mourning Warbler |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Common Yellowthroat |
N |
C |
C |
C |
R |
|
Hooded Warbler |
|
R |
|
R |
|
|
Wilson’s Warbler |
|
FC |
|
UC |
|
|
Canada Warbler |
|
FC |
|
FC |
|
|
Yellow-breasted Chat |
|
R |
|
R |
VR |
| Tanagers |
Scarlet Tanager |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
| Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings |
Northern Cardinal |
N |
FC |
FC |
FC |
FC |
|
Rose-breasted Grosbeak |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Blue Grosbeak |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Indigo Bunting |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Dickcissel |
|
|
|
VR |
|
| Towhees, Sparrows, Longspurs |
Eastern Towhee |
|
FC |
R |
FC |
R |
|
American Tree Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
FC |
FC |
|
Chipping Sparrow |
N |
C |
FC |
UC |
|
|
Clay-colored Sparrow |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Field Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Vesper Sparrow |
|
R |
|
UC |
|
|
Lark Sparrow |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Savannah Sparrow |
|
C |
R |
C |
UC |
|
Le Conte’s Sparrow |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Saltmarsh Sparrow |
N |
FC |
UC |
FC |
|
|
Nelson’s Sparrow |
|
|
|
C |
|
|
Seaside Sparrow |
|
R |
R |
R |
|
|
Fox Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
Song Sparrow |
N |
C |
C |
C |
FC |
|
Lincoln’s Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
UC |
|
|
Swamp Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
C |
R |
|
White-throated Sparrow |
|
C |
|
C |
FC |
|
White-crowned Sparrow |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
|
Dark-eyed Junco |
|
FC |
|
C |
FC |
|
Lapland Longspur |
|
|
|
R |
R |
|
Smith’s Longspur |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Snow Bunting |
|
|
|
FC |
FC |
| Blackbirds & Orioles |
Bobolink |
|
UC |
|
FC |
|
|
Red-winged Blackbird |
N |
C |
C |
FC |
R |
|
Eastern Meadowlark |
|
UC |
R |
FC |
R |
|
Western Meadowlark
|
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Yellow-headed Blackbird |
|
|
|
VR |
|
|
Rusty Blackbird |
|
VR |
|
VR |
|
|
Common Grackle |
N |
C |
C |
UC |
R |
|
Boat-tailed Grackle |
|
VR |
|
|
|
|
Brown-headed Cowbird |
N |
C |
FC |
UC |
R |
|
Orchard Oriole |
N |
FC |
FC |
R |
|
|
Baltimore Oriole |
N |
C |
C |
UC |
|
| Finches |
Purple Finch |
|
UC |
|
UC |
R |
|
House Finch |
N |
C |
C |
C |
FC |
|
Red Crossbill |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
White-winged Crossbill |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Common Redpoll |
|
|
|
|
VR |
|
Pine Siskin |
|
|
|
UC |
R |
|
American Goldfinch |
N |
FC |
FC |
C |
UC |
|
Evening Grosbeak |
|
|
|
VR |
|
| Old World Sparrows |
House Sparrow |
N |
C |
C |
C |
UC |
| Code key: |
Top of page |
C: Common, nearly always seen
FC: Fairly common, usually seen
UC: Uncommon, sometimes seen |
R: Rare, infrequently seen,
but expected in proper season
VR: Very rare, very infrequently seen; some years
absent; includes accidentals. N: Nesting. |
Data from “Checklist:
Birds of Sherwood Island State Park” (c) 1996
by Robert Winkler |
