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Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife List Introduction

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Salton National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife List Introduction

Established as a national refuge in 1930 by a Presidential Proclamation, the Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge is a haven for a diverse range of wildlife. Most of the refuge’s 37,600 acres are now inundated due to flooding by the Salton Sea. 1785 acres of agricultural fields and freshwater marsh remain manageable.

Located 228 feet below sea level, the Salton Sea is one of the lowest places in the United States. The area was created in 1905, when a diversion structure on the River failed, and the river flowed into the for 16 months. Today, the waters of the Salton Sea have stabilized.

The Sonny Bono Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge holds the distinction of having An egret chick and in their nest. the most diverse array Enjoying the Refuge’s Wildlife The study of wild in their natural habitat has become an of found on increasingly popular pastime for many people. Viewing of wildlife any national wildlife can be greatly enhanced by a pair of binoculars or a spotting scope. This equipment allows the wildlife to be refuge in the west. viewed at a distance, thus minimizing disturbance. Also, a good wildlife/ birding guide is helpful in locating Common egrets in the bulrush. ©D.B. Marshall/USFWS and identifying the various species. 3 Enjoying the Refuge’s Birdlife

Numbers and species of you will see here vary according to season. Heavy migrations of waterfowl, marsh birds, and shorebirds occur during spring and fall. Throughout the mild winter and spring a wide variety of songbirds and birds of prey are present. They are attracted to the freshwater marshes and riparian habitat along the New and Alamo Rivers. The greatest number of species is present from October to May.

When looking at a bird, pay close attention to characteristics such as color, size, shape, wing, and head markings. Always observe first and then refer to your identification book because the bird may move out of sight quickly. This is especially true of perching birds.

The following list of birds contains 424 species that have been recorded at or near the Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge(NWR). The common name and taxonomic order used in this list follow those appearing in the American Ornithologists’ Union Check List of North American Birds, published in 1998, and subsequent revisions through 2008.

American white

Yuma clapper rail strolls through the reeds. 4 5 Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR List Key Season a − abundant, found in large Abundance numbers. Codes c – common to abundant, easily Wildlife species in this brochure have found in suitable habitat. been grouped into five categories: u – uncommon to fairly common, birds, , reptiles, amphibians, found when looked for in and fish. suitable habitat, but can be missed. Seasons Sp - Spring, April through May r – rare to very uncommon, more S - Summer, June through August often missed than seen, even F - Fall, September through when looked for in suitable October habitat. W - Winter, November through o – occasional, normally less than March five individuals per season during any given year, but to be Spring – Some species migrate much looked for. earlier than others, appearing in the Salton Sea area during March, but 1-9 – number of records is less than are nonetheless considered spring ten records for the entire area, migrants rather than winter visitors. and not to be expected. Their status at this time of the year is indicated under Spring rather than Habitat Codes o - open water - restricted to the Winter. open water of the Salton Sea. b - beach and mudflat - the shore Summer – Status specified under line of the Salton Sea and other this heading indicates the relative areas of shallow water and mud, abundance of summering birds. including flooded fields. Observers must remember late spring migrants can be found into m - marshes - cattail marshes and early June, and that early fall marshy areas along rivers and migrants can occur as early as late canals, and shallow lakes. June, but these are not summering f - farmland - agricultural land birds. Their status as migrants is found extensively throughout indicated under Spring and Fall the south of rather than Summer. the Salton Sea; includes both planted and unplanted fields. Fall – Since some species, particularly s - shrubland - mesquite thickets shorebirds, migrate quite early in the and other brushy areas. Some fall, their status as fall migrants in shrubland contains scattered July and August is indicated under trees. Fall rather than Summer. r - riparian vegetation - areas of Winter – As indicated above, some salt cedar and willows along early spring migrants may be present waterways, and at some points during March or earlier, as with along the shore of the Salton swallows. Likewise, some late Sea. fall migrants linger in November. a - aerial - strong flying species However, these occurrences are most often seen in the air. omitted from the winter column so as to clearly indicate the status of each species as a winter visitor. Habitat Codes continued next page 6 7 Birds of Sonny Bono Salton Sea NWR Habitat Codes h - houses and towns - immediate continued vicinity of ranch houses and the residential areas of towns Common Name H Sp S F W N and urban spaces. Here large trees and ornamental planting Geese, Swans and Ducks support a variety of landbirds. Black-bellied Whistling-Duck m o o o Fulvous Whistling-Duck m o o xb Codes Listed Listed in the notes (N) column is Greater White-fronted Goose fm o 3 u u information over and above the Under Notes Snow Goose fom r o c a relative abundance shown for each season and it clarifies the status of Ross’s Goose fom r o c a some species in the area. Cackling Goose fom o o b – species regularly breeds in the Canada Goose fom o o u u area. Brant om r r o b +- species has bred in the area, Tundra Swan om o and may continue to breed Wood Duck m 2 1 o sporadically in the area, but Gadwall mo u u u u b+ is not expected to become a Eurasian Wigeon mo o o regularly nesting species. American Wigeon mo r o c c l – species occurs only locally American Black Duck 1 within the area. Mallard mfo u u u u b e – an erratic species, occurring in numbers some years, but very Blue-winged Teal mo r o u u scarce or even absent in others. Cinnamon Teal mfo c u c u b x – species formerly occurred in Northern Shoveler bmo c r a a the area, but is now extirpated, Northern Pintail mo u o c c occurring only as an accidental Baikal Teal 1 straggler if at all. Green-winged Teal mo u o c c xb – an extirpated breeder formerly Canvasback o o o o u nesting in the area, but with no Redhead mo u u u u b recent breeding records. Ring-necked Duck mo o o r r p – a post-breeding visitor to the Tufted Duck 1 area from the south, most numerous in the area between Greater Scaup o o o u July and September. Lesser Scaup o o o u c Surf Scoter o r o o o * – Federally Endangered or White-winged Scoter o o o o Black Scoter 2 7 o Long-tailed Duck o o 2 o Bufflehead o o o u b+ Common Goldeneye o o o u Barrow’s Goldeneye 7 Hooded Merganser mo 1 1 r Common Merganser o o 7 o Red-breasted Merganser o r o r o Ruddy Duck om c u c a b Pheasants Ring-necked Pheasant f u u u u b 8 9 Common Name H Sp S F W N Common Name H Sp S F W N

New World Quail Bitterns, Herons and Egrets Gambel’s Quail s c c c c b American Bittern m r o r r Least Bittern m u u u u b Loons Great Blue Heron bm c c c c b Red-throated Loon 4 3 4 Great Egret bfm a a a a b Pacific Loon o o o 1 Snowy Egret bm a a a a b Common Loon o r r 4 Little Blue Heron m o o o o b+ Grebes Tricolored Heron m o o o o Reddish Egret mb o o o Least Grebe 1 Cattle Egret fm a a a a b Pied-billed Grebe mo c c c c b Green Heron m u u u u Horned Grebe o o 5 o o Black-crowned Night-Heron m c c c c Red-necked Grebe 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron 1 Eared Grebe om c u c c b+ Western Grebe om u u u b Ibises and Spoonbills Clark’s Grebe om u u u u b White Ibis 2 Glossy Ibis f o o Albatrosses White-faced Ibis fm c c a a b Laysan Albatross 3 1 Roseate Spoonbill bm o o o o ep Petrels and Shearwaters Storks Cook’s Petrel 3 Wood Stork bm r o p Wedge-tailed Shearwater 1 Vultures Buller’s Shearwater 1 Turkey Vulture af c u c c Sooty Shearwater 1 7 Kites, Eagles and Hawks Storm-Petrels Osprey ao r r u u Leach’s Storm-Petrel 1 1 White-tailed Kite afr r r u u b+ Black Storm-Petrel 3 Bald Eagle am 1 o o Least Storm-Petrel 1 2 Northern Harrier afm u o c c b+ Sharp-shinned Hawk afh r u u Boobies Cooper’s Hawk afh u 2 u u Blue-footed Booby o o 3 ep Harris’s Hawk sf o o o xb Brown Booby o o 1 ep Red-shouldered Hawk hrs o o o Broad-winged Hawk 1 2 Pelicans Swainson’s Hawk af r 1 r o American White oa a u a c xb Zone-tailed Hawk af 1 o o Brown Pelican* o u u a c b+ Red-tailed Hawk af u o c c b+ Cormorants af u u Rough-legged Hawk af o o Brandt’s Cormorant 1 Golden Eagle 2 2 1 Neotropic Cormorant 3 4 2 1 Double-crested Cormorant o a a a a b Caracaras and Falcons Crested Caracara 2 Darters American Kestrel afh c c c c b Anhinga 1 1 Merlin afh r r r Peregrine Falcon abf u u u u Frigatebirds Prairie Falcon af r r Magnificent Frigatebird a o o 1 ep 10 11 Common Name H Sp S F W N Common Name H Sp S F W N

Rails, Gallinules and Coots Red-necked/Little Stint 1 Black Rail m o o o o b Least Sandpiper bf c c a Clapper Rail* m u u u u b White-rumped Sandpiper 4 Virginia Rail m u r u u b Baird’s Sandpiper bf o r Sora m u c c Pectoral Sandpiper bf o r 1 Common Moorhen m u u u u b Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 1 American Coot mo a c a a b Dunlin b c u u Cranes Curlew Sandpiper 3 1 Sandhill Crane fm c c Stilt Sandpiper b r u r Buff-breasted Sandpiper 1 Plovers Ruff bf o o Black-bellied Plover bf c r c c Short-billed Dowitcher b c u 1 American Golden-Plover fb o o Long-billed Dowitcher bm c o c c Pacific Golden-Plover fb o o o Wilson’s Snipe m u u u Snowy Plover b u u u u b Wilson’s Phalarope bo c c o Wilson’s Plover 1 xb Red-necked Phalarope c o c o Semipalmated Plover b c c u Red Phalarope o o 4 o Piping Plover* 1 Killdeer fb c c c c b Gulls, Terns and Skuas Mountain Plover f u u Black-legged Kittiwake o 3 o o Eurasian Dotterel 1 Sabine’s Gull o o 6 r Bonaparte’s Gull bo c r c u Oystercatchers American Oystercatcher 1 Black-headed Gull 1 Little Gull bo o o o o Stilts and Avocets Ross’s Gull 1 Black-necked Stilt bmf a a a a b Laughing Gull fbo o c c o pb+ American Avocet bm a c a a b Franklin’s Gull fb r o r Sandpipers and Phalaropes Heermann’s Gull bo o o o o b+ Spotted Sandpiper b u u u Mew Gull bo o o r Solitary Sandpiper m o r 3 Ring-billed Gull fbo a c a a Wandering Tattler b o o o Western Gull bo o o r r Spotted Redshank 1 Yellow-footed Gull bo o c c r p Greater Yellowlegs bmf c o c c Gull bo c c c c b Willet b c r c c Herring Gull bo u o c c Lesser Yellowlegs bmf u c u Thayer’s Gull bo o r Whimbrel fb c o c 8 Lesser Black-backed Gull bo o o o Long-billed Curlew fb c u c a Glaucous-winged Gull bo o o r Hudsonian Godwit 1 1 Glaucous Gull bo o Marbled Godwit b c u c c Bridled Tern 1 Ruddy Turnstone b r 3 o o Least Tern bo o o b o 2 o 3 Gull-billed Tern bf c c o 5 b Surfbird b 1 o Caspian Tern bo c c a u b Red Knot b u o r o Black Tern bf c r a Sanderling b u r o Common Tern bo o r Semipalmated Sandpiper b r o Tern o o Western Sandpiper b a a u Forster’s Tern bo c c c u b Little Stint 1 Gulls, Terns and Skuas continued next page 12 13 Common Name H Sp S F W N Common Name H Sp S F W N

Gulls, Terns and Skuas continued Hummingbirds Royal Tern 4 Broad-billed Hummingbird 1 Elegant Tern bo o o Black-chinned Hummingbird h u u b Black Skimmer bo c c c 4 b Anna’s Hummingbird hs u u u u b Pomarine Jaeger o 3 o 2 1 Costa’s Hummingbird hs u u r r b Parasitic Jaeger o o o o 1 Calliope Hummingbird hs r Long-tailed Jaeger o o o Rufous Hummingbird h u r Auks, Murrelets and Puffins Allen’s Hummingbird 6 2 Ancient Murrelet 1 2 Kingfishers Pigeons and Doves Belted Kingfisher bmr u c c Rock Dove h c c c c b Woodpeckers Band-tailed Pigeon 1 4 3 Lewis’s Woodpecker h o o o e Eurasian Collared-Dove h c c c c b Red-headed Woodpecker 1 Spotted Dove 1 1 xb+ Acorn Woodpecker 1 4 3 White-winged Dove hsf c c r o b Gila Woodpecker h u u u u bl Mourning Dove hsf a a a a b Williamson’s Sapsucker 1 Inca Dove h c c c c b Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 1 7 Common Ground-Dove hs c c c c b Red-naped Sapsucker hr r r r Ruddy Ground-Dove h o o o o lb+ Red-breasted Sapsucker hr o o Cuckoos, Roadrunners and Anis Ladder-backed Woodpecker sh u u u u b Yellow-billed Cuckoo r o Nuttall’s Woodpecker 1 Greater Roadrunner fs u u u u b Northern Flicker hs c c c Groove-billed Ani 1 Tyrant Flycatchers Barn Owls Olive-sided Flycatcher hrs r o Barn Owl hf u u u u b Greater Pewee 1 Western Wood-Pewee hrs c u Typical Owls Yellow-bellied Flycatcher 1 Flamulated Owl 1 Alder Flycatcher 1 Western Screech-Owl h r r r r lb Willow Flycatcher rh c u hf r r r r b Least Flycatcher 1 1 Elf Owl 1 Hammond’s Flycatcher rh u r Burrowing Owl f c c c c b Gray Flycatcher sh r o o Long-eared Owl r o o Dusky Flycatcher rsh o o Short-eared Owl f o r r Pacific-slope Flycatcher rsh c u 1 Northern Saw-whet Owl 1 1 Black Phoebe hfm c c c c b Goatsuckers Eastern Phoebe rh o o Lesser Nighthawk afs c c u o b Say’s Phoebe f u o c c b Common Poorwill s o o Vermilion Flycatcher h o o r r xb Whip-poor-will 1 Dusky-capped Flycatcher 6 Swifts Ash-throated Flycatcher hrs c o u o Black Swift 5 1 Brown-crested Flycatcher 1 Chimney Swift 1 Tropical Kingbird 4 2 Vaux’s Swift a u u Cassin’s Kingbird hf o o o White-throated Swift a r r u Western Kingbird hf a c c 14 Tyrant Flycatchers continued next page 15 Common Name H Sp S F W N Common Name H Sp S F W N

Tyrant Flycatchers continued Bewick’s Wren rsh r r Eastern Kingbird hf o o House Wren rsh r u u Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 1 1 Winter Wren r o o Marsh Wren m c c c c b Loggerhead sf o o u u b Kinglets Golden-crowned Kinglet r o o e 2 Ruby-crowned Kinglet rh u c c Vireos Gnatcatchers Bell’s Vireo rs o o Blue-gray Gnatcatcher rs u u u Plumbeous Vireo hr o o Black-tailed Gnatcatcher s u u u u b Cassin’s Vireo hr u r 1 Hutton’s Vireo 1 Thrushes Warbling Vireo rsh c u 2 Western Bluebird sh r r e Red-eyed Vireo 2 Mountain Bluebird f u u e Townsend’s Solitaire rh 1 o o Jays and Crows Swainson’s Thrush rh u 1 o Western Scrub-Jay hrs o o e Hermit Thrush rh r r r Pinyon Jay 2 Rufous-backed Robin 1 1 American Crow hf o o e h u u u e Common Raven fa r o u u b Varied Thrush 1 4 2 and Thrashers Horned f u u c c b Gray Catbird 1 1 Swallows Northern hs c c c c b Purple Martin a o o Sage Thrasher sf r o o a c o c c Brown Thrasher 3 Violet-green Swallow a r o Bendire’s Thrasher 1 3 Northern Rough-winged Swallow a c c c u b Curve-billed Thrasher 4 Bank Swallow a u r r Crissal Thrasher s r r r r b Cliff Swallow a c c c b Le Conte’s Thrasher xb Cave Swallow 3 1 Starlings Barn Swallow a c r a u b+ European Starling hf c c c c b Chickadees and Titmice Wagtails and Pipits Mountain Chickadee 1 1 American Pipit f r c a Oak Titmouse 1 Sprague’s Pipit f o o o Verdins Waxwings Verdin s c c c c b Cedar Waxwing h r r r e Nuthatches Silky-Flycatchers Red-breasted Nuthatch h r r e Phainopepla s u o u c White-breasted Nuthatch 7 1 Wood-Warblers Creepers Blue-winged Warbler 1 Brown Creeper hr o o Tennessee Warbler 3 1 1 Wrens Orange-crowned Warbler rsh c c c Cactus Wren sh u u u u b Nashville Warbler rh c r o Rock Wren s r r Virginia’s Warbler 1 4 2 Canyon Wren 1 Wood-Warblers continued next page 16 17 Common Name H Sp S F W N Common Name H Sp S F W N

Wood-Warblers continued Lark Sparrow hf u u u u b Lucy’s Warbler r o o o b+ Black-throated Sparrow s o Northern Parula rh o o o Sage Sparrow s r r r Yellow Warbler rsh c c o Lark Bunting s o o Chestnut-sided Warbler rh o o Savannah Sparrow Magnolia Warbler 5 Savannah Sparrow f c a a Cape May Warbler 2 2 “Large-billed Sparrow” b r u u Black-throated Blue Warbler 4 Grasshopper Sparrow f o o o Yellow-rumped Warbler rsh c a a Le Conte’s Sparrow 1 Fox Sparrow rh o o o Black-throated Gray Warbler rh c u o rm c c c c b Black-throated Green Warbler 1 Lincoln’s Sparrow rs u u u Townsend’s Warbler rh u r o Swamp Sparrow m o o o Hermit Warbler rh r o White-throated Sparrow hrs o o o Blackburnian Warbler 2 Harris’s Sparrow hrs o o o Yellow-throated Warbler 1 White-crowned Sparrow hrs c c c Pine Warbler 1 Golden-crowned Sparrow hrs o o o Prairie Warbler 2 Dark-eyed Junco hrs r r r Palm Warbler r o o o McCown’s Longspur f o Bay-breasted Warbler 1 Lapland Longspur f r Blackpoll Warbler 1 Smith’s Longspur 2 Chestnut-collared Longspur f r Cerulean Warbler 1 Black-and-white Warbler rh o o o Grosbeaks and Buntings r o r r Pyrrhuloxia 1 1 2 Prothonotary Warbler 1 Rose-breasted Grosbeak h o o Ovenbird 2 3 2 Black-headed Grosbeak hr c o u Blue Grosbeak rs u u u 1 b Northern Waterthrush r o o Lazuli Bunting rs c u MacGillivray’s Warbler rsh u r Indigo Bunting rs o o 1 Common Yellowthroat rm c c c c b Painted Bunting 4 1 Hooded Warbler 1 Dickcissel 1 Wilson’s Warbler rsh c c o Blackbirds and Orioles Painted Redstart 2 2 Bobolink 1 1 2 Yellow-breasted Chat rs r r r b Red-winged Blackbird fm a a a a b Tanagers Tricolored Blackbird f o o o Summer Tanager h o o o Western Meadowlark f c c c c b Western Tanager hrs c u Yellow-headed Blackbird mf u u u u b Brewer’s Blackbird hf u u c c b Emberizids Common Grackle 1 1 Green-tailed Towhee s r r o Great-tailed Grackle hfm a a a a b Spotted Towhee sh o r r Bronzed Cowbird h r r o b Abert’s Towhee srh c c c c b Brown-headed Cowbird fhr c c c c b American Tree Sparrow 5 Orchard Oriole 3 4 sh u u r Hooded Oriole h r r r b Clay-colored Sparrow 4 2 1 h o o Brewer’s Sparrow s c c c Bullock’s Oriole hr c u u o b Black-chinned Sparrow 3 3 Scott’s Oriole h o o Vesper Sparrow sf u u u 18 19 Common Name H Sp S F W N Evening Most North American bats are (family members of this family, distinguished Finches Vespertilionidae) by small eyes, short tail, and a fleshy Purple Finch hr o o e projection, or tragus, inside the ear. Cassin’s Finch hr o o e They typically emerge from their House Finch hs c c c c b roosts in the evening to feed on flying Red Crossbill h o o e . Most have an erratic flight Pine Siskin rsh o r r e pattern with many sudden turns. Lesser Goldfinch hs r r u u b+ Lawrence’s Goldfinch s r o o e California Myotis American Goldfinch hs o r r e (Myotis californicus) Evening Grosbeak 2 1 This small, agile can veer suddenly sideways, up, and down. Sparrows House Sparrow h c c c c b Western Pipistrel (Pipistrellus hesperus) Smallest bat in the U.S., with an 8-inch wingspan. Its flight is weak, Mammals of the Refuge erratic, like that of a moth.

Big Brown Bat All mammals listed are considered (Eptesicus fuscus) Recognizable by its large size resident species with the exception of (wingspan 12-13 inches), relatively the bats, which migrate on a seasonal slow wingbeats, and audible chatter. basis like many of the birds. Hoary Bat Shrews Shrew (Lasiurus cinereus) (family (Notiosorex crawfordi) This large, rare bat (wingspan to 16 Soricidae) This tiny, long-snouted inches) is a strong and fast flier. It is hunts for insects in woodrat nests a winter migrant to this area and the and piles of debris at the base of only bat with white-tipped hairs. desert plants. Western Yellow Bat Leaf-nosed Bats Mostly a tropical group, leaf-nosed (Lasiurus ega) (family bats are distinguished by their large A large, rare, yellowish-buff bat that Phyllostomatidae) eyes, and leaf-shaped flap on their roosts in trees. noses. They are the only bats seen here that hover when feeding. Spotted Bat (Euderma maculatum) California Leaf-nosed Bat This rare species is the only U.S. bat (Macrotus californicus) with white spots. When resting it An eater, this bat will hover curls up its long ears. above the ground and then swoop down to seize its prey. Pallid Bat (Antrozous pallidus) Mexican Long-tongued Bat The only large, big-eared bat with (Choeronycteris mexicana) pale fur. Unique among evening bats, This bat uses its long tongue, tipped it takes scorpions and large insects from the ground. with a brush of fleshy projections, to feed on pollen and nectar.

Illustration: ©Kendal Morris 20 21 Free-tailed Bats These bats have long, narrow wings; Pocket Mice and These have large, fur-lined (family fast, direct flight; and long tails, which Kangaroo Rats cheek pouches, and derive all the Molossidae) extend well beyond the membrane (family moisture they need from . connecting the hind legs. The species Heteromyidae) Kangaroo rats have long hind legs are difficult to tell apart, but the and a tuft of white hair on the ends Mexican Free-tailed Bat is the most of their long tails. Compared to other common in our area. mice, pocket mice have relatively smaller ears, shorter snouts, and Mexican Free-tailed Bat longer hind feet and tails. Both (Tadarida brasiliensis) pocket mice and kangaroo rats are Pocketed Free-tailed Bat strictly nocturnal, and are often seen (Nyctinomops femorosacca) on roads at night. Big Free-tailed Bat Little Pocket (Nyctinomops macrotis) ( longimembris)

Rabbits and Hares Desert Cottontail Long-tailed Pocket Mouse ( formosus) (family (Sylvilagus audubonii) Leporidae) Desert cottontails generally stay close to cover, but will use burrows (Chaetodipus penicillatus) of other animals in areas of sparse vegetation. (Chaetodipus spinatus) Round-tailed Ground Desert (Spermophilus tereticaudus) (family (Dipodomys deserti) Sciuridae) Active in mornings and evenings. It holds its thin tail over its back when Merriam’s Kangaroo Rat running. (Dipodomys merriami)

Pocket Botta’s Pocket New World Rats Cactus Mouse (family (Thomomys bottae) and Mice (Peromyscus eremicus) Geomyidae) These burrowing rodents have large (family Pale gray with large ears; nests in yellow incisors which are always ) clumps of cactus, rock piles, and exposed, since the lips close behind abandoned burrows. them. They feed on roots, and also cut off stems below ground and then Deer Mouse pull the plant into the burrow from (Peromyscus maniculatus) below. Grayish-brown above, white below, with large ears and eyes.

Hispid (Sigmodon hispidus) Common in agricultural fields and moist habitats. They have coarse, long fur that nearly hides their ears.

New World Rats and Mice continued next page

Opposite: Baby desert cottontails huddle together in the protection of their soft grass and fur-lined nest. 22 23 New World White-throated Woodrat Rats and Mice (Neotoma albigula) continued With their large ears and eyes and silky fur, woodrats resemble overgrown deer mice. Nicknamed “packrats,” they carry various objects into their burrows, which are hidden under large piles of sticks, cactus parts, and other debris. Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) The two species are similar, but the Desert Woodrat is paler in color. Muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) Muskrats build lodges of mud and marsh plants in freshwater wetlands. Webbed hind feet and flattened tails make them excellent swimmers. A coyote wanders the wetlands. Old World Rats Black Rat Wolves, Foxes Coyote and Mice (Rattus rattus) and the Coyote (Canis latrans) (family Muridae) Omnivorous, but partial to grain, this (family Canidae) Distinctive howls help coyotes track rat is an excellent climber. Nests are each others’ location and reunite sometimes made in tangled vines and members of a band. Doglike droppings trees. full of hair are clues to their presence. Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Desert Kit Fox Larger and more aggressive than the (Vulpes macrotis) Black Rat. Females may bear up to This pale, large-eared fox is a solitary 12 litters per year of 2 to 22 young. nocturnal predator. House Mouse Raccoon, Ringtail Raccoon (Mus musculus) and Coati (Procyon lotor) An unusual It makes its own nest but lives in (family The raccoon is a solitary, nocturnal daytime sighting groups, sharing escape holes and Procyonidae) opportunist, common in wetland of the desert kit fox. eating areas. areas and near human habitation. (Photo: Joe Engler/ USFWS) Weasels, Skunks, Badger Badgers, Otters, (Taxidea taxus) and Allies A powerful digger, this feasts (family mainly on small mammals. Mustelidae) Western Spotted Skunk (Spilogale gracilis) Faster and more agile than the larger skunks, it also is a good climber.

Striped Skunk (Mephitis mephitis) The only serious predator of this skunk is the Great Horned Owl. 24 25 Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish Fish Very few fish can tolerate the high of the Salton Sea. In 1950, attempts were made to introduce Amphibians The name amphibian means “double several marine fish. These attempts life” and refers to the fact that most resulted in the largest inland fishery amphibians spend part of the year on in California. Today, partly due to the land but return to water to breed. It increased salinity, only exist also reflects the change of an aquatic in the Salton Sea. Freshwater species tadpole to a terrestrial adult or are found in rivers, canals, and some toad. In the spring and early summer, marsh areas. © Kendal Morris look for them gathering in shallow ponds where they mate and lay . Freshwater Fish Threadfin Shad and Toads Woodhouse Toad Carp Red-spotted Toad Red Shiner Bullfrog Channel Catfish White Catfish Reptiles Reptiles are egg laying animals that Largemouth Bass are protected by scales or horny plates. Most are found in brushy areas on the refuge and surrounding Sailfin Molly desert habitats. The exception to this * is the Spiny Softshell turtle, which is found near water. Saltwater Fish Tilapia Turtles Spiny Softshell

Lizards Long-nosed Leopard Lizard Desert Spiny Lizard Side-blothed Lizard Long-tailed Lizard Flat-tailed Lizard Western Whiptail

Snakes Western Blind Snake Coachwhip Western Patch-nosed Snake Glossy Snake Gopher Snake Common Kingsnake Long-nosed Snake Checkered Garter Snake Western Diamondback Rattlesnake

Western diamondback rattlesnake in a defensive posture. Photo: Gary Kramer/USFWS

26 27 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Salton Sea National Wildlife Refuge 906 West Sinclair Calipatria, CA 92233 Telephone: 760/348 5278 Fax: 760/348 7245 Sonny Bono

California Relay Service TTY 1 800/735 2929 Salton Sea Voice 1 800/735 2922 National Wildlife Refuge Federal Relay Service TTY and Voice 1 800/877 8339 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Wildlife List http://www.fws.gov

Refuge Information 1 800/344 WILD

This brochure is available in an alternative format upon request.

December 2008

Illustrations: Kendal Morris/USFWS

Cover photograph: Black-necked stilt ©Jenny E. Ross/www.jennyross.com

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