U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife List Wildlife Abounds Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Hackberry and Look for ducks and geese, especially in the Native (NWR), located 25 miles south of Pelican Lakes during the spring and fall. Watch for Prairie the town of Valentine, Nebraska, is pintail, mallard, ruddy, canvasback, 71,774 acres in size and was established and many more ducks. Take a walk in 1935 as a Refuge and breeding on the nature trail up to the old fire grounds for migratory birds and tower on the west end of Hackberry other wildlife. In fact, most of the Lake for a view of the Sandhills and wildlife present in historical times a look at grassland sparrows. This goose, are still present on the Refuge designed by J.N. today. Numerous wetlands, lakes, Duck Lake Look in the trees around the boat “Ding” Darling, wet meadows, and large expanses of ramp for they are an oasis for has become the native prairie attract a wide variety songbirds. Watch for warblers, blue symbol of the of wildlife. This brochure lists and black-headed grosbeaks, Lazuli National Wildlife 289 species of birds, 41 species of buntings, eastern bluebirds, and Refuge System. mammals, 16 species of reptiles, and many more. six species of amphibians that have been recorded on the Refuge. Check-list Key Sp Spring March – May S Summer June – August May, September, and October offer F Fall September – November good opportunities for observing a W Winter December – February variety of migratory birds. Spring migrants, including waterfowl and c common – present in large warblers, are most numerous in May. numbers, are widespread, and Early fall migrants, including should be seen if you look in the shorebirds and sparrows, are most right habitat. abundant in September. Peak u uncommon – present, but due to waterfowl numbers occur in October. their low numbers, behavior, habitat, or distribution, they are Recommended Please reference the Valentine NWR not easily seen. Birding Areas general information brochure for more o occasional – present in low information and for locations of the numbers, but are not expected to following wildlife observation areas. be seen without a special effort to find them. At least a few are Prairie Chicken Viewing blinds for their spectacular present each year. and Sharp-tailed dances on the booming grounds are r rare – not expected to be seen Grouse provided in April and early May. every year. They occur in low The remainder of the year, the numbers, may also be hard to grouse can be found by roaming identify, and may be unreported the vast grasslands of the Refuge. for several years; includes Try searching the hills southeast of vagrants. Willow Lake. • nesting – bird has been recorded as nesting on the Refuge East Twin Lake This is a great area to view shorebirds during spring and summer. Easy access to the area allows for convenient birding.
North Marsh This is a good location to view grebes Lake during the summer. Eared, western, pied-billed, and maybe even horned Ruddy Duck and Clark’s grebes, can be found here. USFWS Common Bird Name Sp S F W Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys • Northern Bobwhite r r r r Gray Partridge r r r r • Ring-necked Pheasant c c c c • Sharp-tailed Grouse c c c c • Greater Prairie-Chicken c c c c • Wild Turkey c c c c
Loons Common Loon r r r
Grebes • Pied-billed Grebe u c u Horned Grebe r r • Eared Grebe u u u Sharp-tailed Grouse / USFWS • Western Grebe u c u • Clark’s Grebe r r r Common Bird Name Sp S F W Ducks, Geese, and Swans Cormorants Greater White-fronted Goose o o • Double-crested Cormorant c c c Snow Goose o o Ross’s Goose r r Pelicans Cackling Goose r r American White Pelican c c c • Canada Goose c c c o Brown Pelican r • Trumpeter Swan u u r r Tundra Swan r r Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets • Wood Duck c u c • American Bittern u c u • Gadwall c c c • Least Bittern o o Eurasian Wigeon r r • Great Blue Heron u c c • American Wigeon c u c • Great Egret r o American Black Duck r r r • Snowy Egret o o • Mallard c c c o Little Blue Heron r • Blue-winged Teal c c c • Cattle Egret u o Cinnamon Teal o r Green Heron r • Northern Shoveler c c c • Black-crowned Night-Heron u c • Northern Pintail c u c • Green-winged Teal c u c Ibises and Spoonbills • Canvasback c u c • White-faced Ibis o u o • Redhead c u c Ring-necked Duck u r u New World Vultures Greater Scaup r r Turkey Vulture u c o Lesser Scaup c c Harlequin Duck r r Surf Scoter r Bufflehead c c o Common Goldeneye o u Barrow’s Goldeneye r r Hooded Merganser o o Common Merganser c c o Red-breasted Merganser r r • Ruddy Duck c c c Common Bird Name Sp S F W Common Bird Name Sp S F W Hawks, Kites, and Eagles Sandpipers and Phalaropes Osprey o r o Spotted Sandpiper u u u • Bald Eagle u r u u Solitary Sandpiper u u o • Northern Harrier u c c u Greater Yellowlegs u o u Sharp-shinned Hawk o o u • Willet u u u • Cooper’s Hawk o r o u Lesser Yellowlegs u u u Northern Goshawk r • Upland Sandpiper c c c Red-shouldered Hawk r r • Long-billed Curlew o u o Broad-winged Hawk r r Hudsonian Godwit r r • Swainson’s Hawk u u u Marbled Godwit u r r • Red-tailed Hawk u o u u Ruddy Turnstone o o Ferruginous Hawk o r o r Red Knot r r Rough-legged Hawk u u c Sanderling r r Golden Eagle u u u Semipalmated Sandpiper u r u Western Sandpiper u u Caracaras and Falcons Least Sandpiper u u u • American Kestrel u u u o White-rumped Sandpiper u r Merlin o o o Baird’s Sandpiper c r u Gyrfalcon r Pectoral Sandpiper u u Peregrine Falcon r r r Dunlin r r Prairie Falcon o o u Stilt Sandpiper u o Short-billed Dowitcher u r u Rails, Gallinules, and Coots Long-billed Dowitcher c u u Yellow Rail r • Wilson’s Snipe c u u Black Rail r American Woodcock r King Rail r • Wilson’s Phalarope c c c • Virginia Rail c c c Red-necked Phalarope r r • Sora c c c • Common Gallinule r r r Gulls, Terns, Skimmers, and Skuas • American Coot c c c Bonaparte’s Gull r r Franklin’s Gull o o o Cranes Ring-billed Gull c c c Sandhill Crane c c California Gull u o u Whooping Crane r r Herring Gull o r r r Least Tern r r r Plovers Caspian Tern r Black-bellied Plover r r r • Black Tern c c Semipalmated Plover r r Common Tern c c c Piping Plover o o • Forster’s Tern c c c • Killdeer c c c Pigeons and Doves Stilts and Avocets Rock Pigeon r • Black-necked Stilt r r r Eurasian Collared-Dove r r • American Avocet u u u • Mourning Dove c c c
Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis • Yellow-billed Cuckoo u u • Black-billed Cuckoo o o Common Bird Name Sp S F W Barn Owls • Barn Owl u u u u
Typical Owls Flammulated Owl r • Eastern Screech-Owl u u u u • Great Horned Owl c c c c Snowy Owl r • Burrowing Owl o o Barred Owl r r r • Long-eared Owl r r r • Short-eared Owl u u u u • Northern Saw-whet Owl o o o
Nighthawks and Nightjars Great Horned Owl Bob Savannah / USFWS • Common Nighthawk u u Common Poorwill r r Common Bird Name Sp S F W Swifts Vireos Chimney Swift o o o • Bell’s Vireo o c o Blue-headed Vireo r Hummingbirds • Warbling Vireo u u u Ruby-throated Hummingbird r r • Red-eyed Vireo u u u
Kingfishers Crows, Jays, and Magpies • Belted Kingfisher u u u o • Blue Jay u u o o Clark’s Nutcracker r Woodpeckers • Black-billed Magpie r r r r Lewis’s Woodpecker r • American Crow u u u o • Red-headed Woodpecker u u Red-bellied Woodpecker r r Larks Yellow-bellied Sapsucker r r • Horned Lark u u u u • Downy Woodpecker u u u u • Hairy Woodpecker u u u u Swallows • Northern Flicker c c c c • Tree Swallow u u u o • Northern Rough-winged Swallow u u u Tyrant Flycatchers Bank Swallow o c o • Western Wood-Pewee o o • Cliff Swallow o r o • Eastern Wood-Pewee r r • Barn Swallow c c c • Willow Flycatcher o o o Least Flycatcher r Titmice and Chickadees Cordilleran Flycatcher r • Black-capped Chickadee u u u u Eastern Phoebe r r Tufted Titmouse r Say’s Phoebe r o • Great Crested Flycatcher u u Nuthatches • Western Kingbird c c c Red-breasted Nuthatch r r o o • Eastern Kingbird c c c White-breasted Nuthatch r o o Pygmy Nuthatch r Shrikes • Loggerhead Shrike u u u u Northern Shrike u u u Common Bird Name Sp S F W Common Bird Name Sp S F W Creepers Wood Warblers Brown Creeper r o o • Ovenbird r r r Northern Waterthrush u u u Wrens Golden-winged Warbler r • House Wren o u o Blue-winged Warbler r r Winter Wren r r Black-and-white Warbler r r Sedge Wren r r r Prothonotary Warbler r • Marsh Wren c c Tennessee Warbler o Orange-crowned Warbler o o Old World Warblers and Gnatcatchers Nashville Warbler o o Blue-gray Gnatcatcher r MacGillivray’s Warbler r Mourning Warbler r Kinglets • Common Yellowthroat u c o Golden-crowned Kinglet r r o • American Redstart o o o Ruby-crowned Kinglet o r o Northern Parula r r Bay-breasted Warbler r Thrushes Blackburnian Warbler r r • Eastern Bluebird o o r • Yellow Warbler c c u Mountain Bluebird o o o Blackpoll Warbler u r Townsend’s Solitaire r o u Palm Warbler r r Veery r r Yellow-rumped Warbler c c Gray-cheeked Thrush o Black-throated Gray Warbler r r Swainson’s Thrush u Canada Warbler r Hermit Thrush u u Wilson’s Warbler r r Wood Thrush r r • Yellow-breasted Chat u u o • American Robin c c c u Sparrows and Towhees Mimic Thrushes • Spotted Towhee o o • Gray Catbird o o o Eastern Towhee r r Northern Mockingbird o r o American Tree Sparrow c c c • Brown Thrasher u u u • Chipping Sparrow u u u Curve-billed Thrasher r • Clay-colored Sparrow o o o r • Field Sparrow o o o r Starlings • Vesper Sparrow u u u • European Starling o o o o • Lark Sparrow u c u • Lark Bunting u u Wagtails and Pipits Savannah Sparrow o o o American Pipit o o • Grasshopper Sparrow c c u Baird’s Sparrow o r o Waxwings Henslow’s Sparrow r Bohemian Waxwing u r Le Conte’s Sparrow o o • Cedar Waxwing o u o Nelson’s Sparrow r r r Fox Sparrow o o Longspurs and Buntings • Song Sparrow o o o o Lapland Longspur o o o Lincoln’s Sparrow r r • Chestnut-collared Longspur o o o o • Swamp Sparrow o o o McCown’s Longspur o o o White-throated Sparrow u u Snow Bunting o Harris’s Sparrow u u White-crowned Sparrow u u Dark-eyed Junco c u c c Common Bird Name Sp S F W Common Mammal Name Abundance Tanagers Opossums Summer Tanager r V irginia Opossum u Scarlet Tanager r Western Tanager r r Shrews Masked Shrew c Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies Northern Short-tailed Shrew c Northern Cardinal u u o o Least Shrew r Rose-breasted Grosbeak o Black-headed Grosbeak o Moles Blue Grosbeak r o Eastern Mole c Lazuli Bunting o o o Indigo Bunting o o Vesper Bats • Dickcissel u c W estern Small-footed Myotis u
Blackbirds and Orioles Hares and Rabbits • Bobolink u u Eastern Cottontail c • Red-winged Blackbird c c c o Black-tailed Jackrabbit r • Eastern Meadowlark c c c o White-tailed Jackrabbit u • Western Meadowlark c c c o • Yellow-headed Blackbird c c c Squirrels • Brewer’s Blackbird o o o Woodchuck r • Common Grackle c c c Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel u Great-tailed Grackle r r Eastern Fox Squirrel r • Brown-headed Cowbird c c u • Orchard Oriole c c u Pocket Gophers Bullock’s Oriole o Plains Pocket Gopher c • Baltimore Oriole u u u Pocket Mice Finches Plains Pocket Mouse c Purple Finch o House Finch o o Beavers Red Crossbill r r American Beaver c Common Redpoll o o o Pine Siskin u u Mice, Rats and Voles • American Goldfinch u u u W estern Harvest Mouse c Evening Grosbeak r r Plains Harvest Mouse c White-footed Mouse c Old World Sparrows Deer Mouse c • House Sparrow r r r r Northern Grasshopper Mouse c House Mouse r American Ornithologists’ Union. 1998. Check-list of Prairie Vole c North American Birds. 7th edition. American Meadow Vole c Ornithologists’ Union, Washington, DC. Common Muskrat c
Jumping Mice Meadow Jumping Mouse c
New World Porcupines North American Porcupine u Common Mammal Name Abundance Common Reptile and Amphibian Name Abundance Dogs and Foxes Frogs Coyote c W oodhouse’s Toad c Common Gray Fox r American Bullfrog c Northern Leopard Frog c Raccoons W estern Chorus Frog c Northern Raccoon c Plains Spadefoot u
Weasels and Badgers Salamanders Long-tailed Weasel c T iger Salamander c Least Weasel r American Mink c Lizards American Badger u Prairie Racerunner c Common Lesser Earless Lizard c Skunks Many-lined Skink u Striped Skunk c Prairie Lizard c
Cats Snakes Bobcat r Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer c Prairie Rattlesnake r Deer Plains Hog-nosed Snake c Elk r Pale Milksnake u Mule Deer c Bullsnake c White-tailed Deer c Plains Gartersnake c Moose r Red-sided Gartersnake c
Pronghorn Turtles Pronghorn r Snapping Turtle c Painted Turtle c Whitaker, John O. 1996. National Audubon Society field Blanding’ s Turtle c guide to North American mammals. New York: Knopf. Y ellow Mud Turtle c Ornate Box Turtle c
Crother, B. I. (ed.). 2008. Scientific and Standard English Names of Amphibians and Reptiles of North Notes America North of Mexico, pp. 1–84. SSAR Herpetological Circular 37.
Accessibility Information Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from programs and activities of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is available to all individuals regardless of physical or mental ability. Dial 711 for a free connection to the State relay service for TTY and voice calls to and Date Time from the speech and hearing impaired. For more information or to address accessibility needs, please Observers contact the Refuge staff at 402 / 376 3789, or the U.S. Department of the Interior, Office of Equal Opportunity, Weather 1849 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240. Valentine National Wildlife Refuge 39679 Pony Lake Road Valentine, NE 69201 402 / 376 3789 or 1889 402 / 376 3217 fax [email protected] http://www.fws.gov/valentine
For State relay service TTY / Voice: 711
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov
For Refuge Information 1 800 / 344 WILD
January 2013