Chart of the Seasonal Occurrences of in Northwestern Louisiana

by Jeff Trahan

Copyright 2008: Shreveport Society for NatureStudy - Study Group

BSG WebSite: http://www.softdisk.com/comp/birds/index.html

The following chart depicts the seasonal occurrences of birds in northwestern Louisiana. It is based on approximately 230,000 records in the database of the Shreveport Society for Nature Study--Bird Study Group as of April, 2008. The database includes records of of bird sightings since 1950 from Caddo, Bossier, Bienville, Red River, DeSoto, Webster, Claiborne, and Natchitoches Parishes. Many subjective decisions are made when creating a chart such as this. However, every effort has been made to accurately reflect the data in the database. The species listed are those known to have been observed in the area. Some of these observations have no records in the database and are listed but left blank.

Abundant the proper habitat. Commonly found in the proper habitat. Uncommon to rare, but found occasionally in the proper habitat. Individual Sightings 19 The numbers are dates showing the day of the month in that column.

Frequency of Occurrence (Fr) This column in the table below is an overall characterization of the frequency of occurrence. A Abundant C Common U Uncommon R Rare V Vagrant

SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Black-bellied Whist. Duck R 26 19 Fulvous Whistling-Duck R 5 16 Greater White-fronted Goose C 17 5 Snow Goose C 18 5 Ross' Goose U 24 22 Cackling Goose R 15 15 Canada Goose U 21 16 Tundra Swan V 5 28 31 Wood Duck A Gadwall C 4 14 American Wigeon C 6 17 American Black Duck V 17 Mallard A Blue-winged Teal C 7 27 1 16 Cinnamon Teal V 29 26 Northern Shoveler C 26 21 Northern Pintail C 13 21 Green-winged Teal C 13 21 16 17 Canvasback C 21 11 17 Redhead U 16 21 21 13 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Ring-necked Duck A 1 20 11 Greater Scaup R 16 17 11 Lesser Scaup A 10 21 19 Surf Scoter V 7 1 28 White-winged Scoter V 30 Black Scoter V 10 17 Long-tailed Duck V 13 Bufflehead C 20 13 31 Common Goldeneye U 15 11 Hooded Merganser C 30 28 30 Common Merganser V Red-breasted Merganser U 2 30 Ruddy Duck A 6 21 Wild Turkey U Northern Bobwhite U Red-throated Loon V 1 Common Loon C 11 19 Pied-billed Grebe A Horned Grebe U 23 3 24 Red-necked Grebe V 19 26 Eared Grebe R 30 17 18 Western Grebe V 11 American White Pelican A Brown Pelican V 17 11 13 3 12 Neotropic Cormorant V Double-crested Cormorant A Anhinga C Magnificant Frigatebird V 25 American Bittern R 4 6 15 17 21 31 Least Bittern U 18 20 16 Great Blue Heron A Great Egret A Snowy Egret A Little Blue Heron A Tricolored Heron C 4 Cattle Egret A Green Heron A 19 18 Blk-crowned Night-Heron C Yell-crowned Night-Heron C 5 2 27 4 14 14 7 White Ibis A White-faced Ibis R 2 11 3 26 3 22 20 27 Roseate Spoonbill U 30 18 22 6 Wood Stork U 1,4,5 24 20 9 8 Black Vulture A Turkey Vulture A Osprey U Swallow-tailed Kite V 7, 8 11 10 16 21 7 17 White-tailed Kite V 15 30 11 8 1 31 13 8 15 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Mississippi Kite C 10 16 25 6 31 1 Bald Eagle U Northern Harrier C 13 16 9 4 Sharp-shinned Hawk U Cooper's Hawk C Red-shouldered Hawk C Broad-winged Hawk C 4 21 16 9 22 Swainson's Hawk U 5 3 6 25 15 28 31 Red-tailed Hawk A Ferruginous Hawk V 2 Rough-legged Hawk V 9 14 Golden Eagle V 5,6 12 13 American Kestral A R 2 15 Peregrine Falcon R 3 14,15 3 9 13 19 22 Yellow Rail R 20 12 Black Rail R 7 12 King Rail U 6 5 14 8 12 18 Virginia Rail U 13 20 24 10 16 16 1 17 Sora C 18 31 Purple Gallinule R 2 4 1 18 Common Moorhen C American Coot A Sandhill Crane U 4 20 6 Black-belllied Plover R 24 23 7 4 American Golden Plover C 17 27 5 10 4 10 2 5 26 Snowy Plover R 15 Semipalmated Plover U 4 14 27 18 6 30 1 Piping Plover R 17 8 1 Killdeer A Black-necked Stilt C 2 11 8 18 2 American Avocet U 4 15 8 16 22 Greater Yellowlegs C 22 17 8 Lesser Yellowlegs C 8 25 7 24 26 23 Solitary Sandpiper C 2 13 18 4 19 16 Willet R 2 17 9 9 8 Spotted Sandpiper C 20 9 Upland Sandpiper U 23 13 21 28 Long-billed Curlew R 6 18 24 20 Hudsonian Godwit R 2 24 Marbled Godwit R 8 3 Ruddy Turnstone R 20 30 15 Red Knot R 31 29 8 Sanderling R 17 9 14 18 9 18 Semipalmated Sandpiper C 17 22 20 2 7 27 15 10 Western Sandpiper C 13 9 30 12 Least Sandpiper C 23 7 6 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec White-rumped Sandpiper U 24 13 27 12 8 29 Baird's Sandpiper U 14 26 20 20 Pectoral Sandpiper C 9 7 13 20 Dunlin U 28 2 29 6 3 Stilt Sandpiper U 8 21 28 17 31 Buff-breasted Sandpiper U 8 13 14 31 4 Short-billed Dowitcher R 4 16 16 17 26 13 8 22 Long-billed Dowitcher U 2 13 15 Wilson's Snipe A 12 16 7 American Woodcock U 5 15 1 17 4 28 Wilson's Phalarope U 17 26 20 22 9 14 Pomarine Jaeger V 3 11 Parasitic Jaeger V 10 14 Long-tailed Jaeger V 13 14 Laughing Gull V 14 19 8 9 2 15 16 Franklin's Gull C 4 6 8 3 9 10 28 19 28 Bonaparte's Gull A 12 19 Mew Gull V 5 Ring-billed Gull A 11 31 14 California Gull V 11 Herring Gull C 16 12 17 9 Lesser Black-backed Gull V 15 7 8 15 Glacous Gull V 27 Great Black-backed Gull V 12 Sabine's Gull V 29 22 Black-legged Kittiwake V 5 11 Gull-billed Tern V 28 Caspian Tern U 24 17 11 19 29 Royal Tern V 26 Common Tern R 13 14 27 21 11 Forster's Tern A 11 30 Least Tern C 6 21 Sooty Tern V 15 14 16 5 Black Tern C 29 24 14 2 Rock Pigeon A Band-tailed Pigeon V Eurasian Collared Dove C White-winged Dove R 16 10 15 23 10 6 20 6 12 Mourning Dove A Inca Dove C Common Ground-Dove V 11 15 20 19 Monk Parakeet V 25 Black-billed Cuckoo R 2 1 12 6 Yellow-billed Cuckoo A 22 23 8 Greater Roadrunner U Groove-billed Ani V 1 18 25 Barn Owl C SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Eastern Screech-Owl C Great Horned Owl C Snowy Owl V 21 6 Burrowing Owl V 5 C Long-eared Owl V 23 17 Short-eared Owl U 11 15 Common Nighthawk C 1 5 5 14 Chuck-will's Widow C 5 28 21 Whip-poor-will R 26 20 17 19 Chimney Swift A 6 4 Vaux's Swift V 4 Ruby-throat. Hummingbird A 14 21 13 28 Black-chinned Hummingbird V 9 3 Calliope Hummingbird V 4 6 Broad-tailed Hummingbird V 14 4 8 26 Rufous Hummingbird R 26 28 Allen's Hummingbird V 6 16 Ringed Kingfisher V 21 29 Belted Kingfisher C Red-headed Woodpecker C Red-bellied Woodpecker A Yellow-bellied Sapsucker A 18 17 13 Downy Woodpecker A Hairy Woodpecker U Red-cockaded Woodpecker R Northern flicker A Pileated Woodpecker C Olive-sided Flycatcher R 27 24 24 30 9 Eastern Wood-Peewee C 27 16 22 16 12 31 Yellow-bellied Flycatcher U 1 5 13 14 Acadian Flycatcher C 1 13 Alder Flycatcher U 8 27 6 7 Willow Flycatcher R 22 25 8 16 Least Flycatcher U 3 16 6 22 29 24 1 Gray Flycatcher V 24 24 Eastern Phoebe C Say's Phoebe V 21 8 Vermilion flycatcher V 31 3 Ash-throated Flycatcher V Great Crested Flycatcher C 27 4 Couch's Kingbird V 3 29 12 7 2 Couch's/Trop. Kingbird V 11 Western Kingbird U 15 4 Eastern Kingbird A 15 26 15 10 13 Scissor-tailed Flycatcher A 15 23 15 19 Loggerhead Shrike C SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec White-eyed Vireo A 3,4 4 6 29 25 Bell's Vireo R 20 20 9 10 17 Yellow-throated Vireo C 16 30 Blue-headed Vireo C 13 7 Warbling vireo C 27 13 Philadelphia vireo U 14 30 2 23 Red-eyed Vireo A 25 20 30 A A Fish Crow A Horned Lark C Purple Martin A 28 ' 6 Tree Swallow C 1,4 28 6 N. Rough-winged Swallow A 20 6 Bank Swallow U 1 26 10 9 1 Cliff Swallow A 6 6 31 1 28 Barn Swallow A 27 24 Carolina Chickadee A Tufted Titmouse A Red-breasted Nuthatch U 10 20 White-breasted Nuthatch C Brown-headed Nuthatch C Brown Creeper C 4 15 22 8 Carolina Wren A Rock Wren V 18 Bewick's Wren U 23 26 27 House Wren C 9 7 19 4 Winter Wren C 29 1 Sedge Wren C 15 16 Marsh Wren C 16 15 Golden-crowned Kinglet C 16 7 Ruby-crowned Kinglet A 20 1 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher A Northern Wheatear V 20 4 Eastern Bluebird A Veery R 25 28 Gray-cheeked Thrush U 30 17 28 14 31 Swainson's Thrush U 6 28 7 17 Hermit Thrush C 23 5 7 Wood Thrush C 28 10 A Gray Catbird C Northern Mockingbird A Sage Thrasher V 14 16 Brown Thrasher A European Starling A American Pipit C 11 1 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Sprague's Pipit U 26 20 4 Cedar Waxwing A 5 10 Blue-winged Warbler U 26 12 6 3 12 Golden-winged Warbler U 18 19 23 5 Tennessee Warbler C 21 27 12 6 1 -crowned Warbler C 10 14 26 Nashville Warbler U 19 18 14 30 20 Northern Parula C 2 24 Tropical Parula V 27 23 Yellow Warbler C 4 29 13 31 27 13 29 Chestnut-sided Warbler C 2 21 31 11 27 11 Magnolia Warbler C 25 27 14 30 19 2 23 Cape May Warbler V 19 18 16 26,27 Blk-throated Blue Warb. V 1 12 Yellow-rumped Warbler A 11 30 13 Black-throated Green Warb. U 15 27 19 12 6 Blackburnian Warbler U 21 2 3 10,11 10 Yellow-throated Warbler C 3 19 23 2 11 Pine Warbler A Prairie Warbler C 10 20 Palm Warbler U Bay-breasted Warbler U 23 27 21 Blackpoll Warbler U 18 16 9 Cerulean Warbler R 14 11 10 28 28 Black-and-white Warbler C 23 5 12 21 7 American Redstart C 20 6 22 Prothonotary Warbler C 8 26 2 Worm-eating Warbler R 29 13 Swainson's Warbler U 30 16 28 21 Ovenbird U 8 21 27 6 24 Northern Waterthrush C 4 19 12 13 Louisiana Waterthrush C 10 24 17 Kentucky Warbler C 3 1 18 Connecticut Warbler V 5 14 Mourning Warbler U 17 29 27 26 5 Common Yellowthroat C Hooded Warbler C 21 22 Wilson's Warbler U 1 13 16 2 23 1 23 30 29 Canada Warbler U 17 31 20 3 Yellow-breasted Chat A 9 10 Summer C 10 27 29 12 13 Scarlet Tanager U 6 5 23 10 29 V 10 2 29 12 13 Spotted Towhee R 28 23 Eastern Towhee C 12 10 Bachman's Sparrow R American Tree Sparrrow V 8,10 31 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Chipping Sparrow A Clay-colored Sparrow R 14 1 19 27 Field sparrow A Vesper Sparrow C 7 19 12 21 Lark Sparrow C Black-throated Sparrow V 27 Savannah sparrow A 24 12 sparrow R 11 25 5 Henslow's Sparrow U 5 2 LeConte's Sparrow C 6 5 Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sp. R 4 24 15 Fox Sparrow C 28 12 14 Song Sparrow A 11 24 Lincoln's Sparrow C 27 18 Swamp Sparrow A 11 22 White-throated Sparrow A 30 21 Harris' Sparrow R 29 27 White-crowned Sparrow A 16 8 Golden-crowned Sparrow V Dark-eyed Junco A 23 10 20 Lapland Longspur U 20 1 Smith's Longspur R 1 22 Chestnut-collared Longspur V 1 18 Northern A Rose-breasted Grosbeak C 31 7 4 20 23 10 15 4 20 Black-headed Grosbeak V 26 6 2 3 Blue Grosbeak C 11 31 24 Lazuli Bunting V 28 Indigo Bunting A 10 16 8 Painted Bunting C 7 20 Dickcissel A 26 22 26 25,27 14 15 Bobolink U 22 19 12 5 Red-winged blackbird A Eastern Meadowlark A Western Meadowlark U 17 16 Yellow-headed Blackbird R 15 12 16 4,8 Rusty Blackbird U 30 16 20 12 Brewer's Blackbird C 12 18 19 7 A Great-tailed Grackle U 1 23 11 12 3 20 Brown-headed Cowbird A Orchard Oriole C 3 1 18 10 Bullock's Oriole V 8 Baltimore Oriole A 4 25 6 1 23 24 Purple Finch U 20 15 15 20 31 House Finch A White-winged Crossbill V 15 SPECIES Fr Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Red Crossbill V 29 25 4,11 Pine Siskin U 14 11 30 Lesser Goldfinch V 21 American Goldfinch A 30 2 20 4 Evening Grosbeak R 6 1 House Sparrow A