U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge Bird List 1 Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge is one of the newest additions to the vast National Wildlife Refuge System. Its wetlands, riparian areas, and grasslands sustain a rich array of fish, wildlife, and plants.
Sandhill Cranes ©Gary Kramer Introduction Enjoy the Refuge’s Wildlife
Stone Lakes NWR The diverse habitats of Stone Lakes Wildlife observation is becoming National Wildlife Refuge are home increasingly popular across the to over 200 species of birds and nation. You will be most successful numerous other fish and wildlife if you use binoculars or a spotting species. The refuge is located in the scope, go alone or in a small group, heart of California’s Central Valley and move quietly. Please observe along the Pacific Flyway. When animals from a distance. You are a combined with neighboring natural guest in their home. Many species areas, it is part of a vast landscape are secretive, so you may only see corridor that serves as a sanctuary signs of their presence. Best viewing for many resident and migratory fish, times are in the morning and late wildlife, and plant species. afternoon, as refuge visiting hours permit. Wetland, Existing and newly created wetlands Riparian, and are a focal point for many Pacific Throughout the year you will see a Grassland Flyway migrants. Waterfowl, rich variety of wildlife on the refuge. Habitats shorebirds, and wading birds rest This checklist documents 213 bird and feed on mudflats, wetlands, and species and 24 other wildlife species lakes. Some wetland species, such as within the Stone Lakes NWR project mallards, black-necked stilts, and boundary. It is a work in progress pied-billed grebes, remain to breed. and will be revised from time to time. We encourage birders to report their Valley oaks, cottonwoods, and willows observations, especially unusual form lush riparian corridors along birds, to the refuge headquarters. creeks, lakes, and waterways. These riparian zones support active egret, Special thanks to checklist heron, and cormorant rookeries. contributors, including Bill Grenfell, Woodlands also support migratory who did the initial compilation, and forest-dependent birds, such as Chris Conard and Stan Wright, who Wilson’s warblers, and resident reviewed the list. mammals, such as opossums, raccoons, and skunks.
Grassy uplands provide habitat for coyotes, western meadowlarks, and rodents. The skies above are patrolled by more than 15 species of birds of prey, ranging from great horned owls to Swainson’s hawks.
Greater yellowlegs Larry Eifert/USFWS California quail Ken Morris/USFWS Bird List Key Birds of Stone Lakes NWR
Habitats o - Open water, lakes, Common Name Habitat Sp S F W creeks, ponds m - Marshes, tule and Grebes cattail stands *Pied-billed Grebe oms c u a a s - Seasonal wetlands, Horned Grebe os r r r mudflats, flooded fields Eared Grebe oms rrrr r - Riparian forests g - Grasslands Western Grebe o r r o o a - Aerial: Usually Clark’s Grebe o r r o o observed in flight wide - Widespread, found in a Pelicans and Cormorants variety of habitats American White Pelican os c u o o u - urban *Double-crested Cormorant o c c o c
Bitterns, Herons and Egrets Seasons Sp - Spring, March through May *American Bittern m o o o u S - Summer, June through August Least Bittern m r r r F - Fall, September through November *Great Blue Heron wide aaaa W - Winter, December through *Great Egret wide aaaa February *Snowy Egret ms c u c c Cattle Egret g r r *Green Heron mr oooo Abundance a - Abundant: Expected to be *Black-crowned Night-Heron mr oooo observed 80 to 100 percent of the time in appropriate habitat c - Common: 60 to 80 percent Ibises u - Uncommon: 30 to 60 percent White-faced Ibis sg o o o o - Occasionally: 10 to 30 percent r - Rare: 0 to 10 percent Waterfowl * - Birds known to nest locally Greater White-fronted Goose oga o u c Threatened/Endangered Snow Goose osga r Species Ross’ Goose osga r # - Observed less than 10 times *Canada Goose osg o o o c in the past 10 years Tundra Swan osa o *Wood Duck osr cccc
Mallard hen and ducklings Red-tailed hawk © Ken Morris © Ken Morris Common Name Habitat Sp S F W Common Name Habitat Sp S F W
*Gadwall msg c r r c Gallinaceous Birds Eurasian Wigeon s r *Ring-necked Pheasant rg aaaa American Wigeon s c c a *California Quail rg cccc *Mallard msg aaaa Blue-winged Teal s r r r Rails and Coots *Cinnamon Teal msg c o o c *Virginia Rail m oooo Northern Shoveler s a r u a *Sora m oooo Northern Pintail s u r c c *Common Moorhen m oooo Green-winged Teal s c c c *American Coot ms c o o a Canvasback os r c Cranes Redhead os r r Sandhill Crane sg r c c Ring-necked Duck os o c Greater Scaup os # Shorebirds Lesser Scaup os u u Black-bellied Plover s o u c Bufflehead os o c Semipalmated Plover s r r Common Goldeneye os u *Killdeer wide aaaa Barrow’s Goldeneye os # *Black-necked Stilt s c o c c Hooded Merganser os r o *American Avocet s o u o o Common Merganser os r r Greater Yellowlegs s c r c c *Ruddy Duck os o r r o Lesser Yellowlegs s o o o Solitary Sandpiper s # # Vultures Willet s # *Turkey Vulture a aaaa Spotted Sandpiper s o r o o Osprey, Kites, Whimbrel sga o r Eagles and Hawks Long-billed Curlew sga o r o o Osprey ra r r r Ruddy Turnstone s # *White-tailed Kite wide cccc Sanderling s # Bald Eagle a # Semipalmated Sandpiper s r *Northern Harrier msga a c a a Western Sandpiper s c c o Sharp-shinned Hawk ra oooo Least Sandpiper s c o c a *Cooper’s Hawk ra u u c c Baird’s Sandpiper s # *Red-shouldered Hawk ra aaaa Pectoral Sandpiper s # *Swainson’s Hawk rsga o c u Dunlin s c a a *Red-tailed Hawk wide aaaa Ferruginous Hawk sa r Rough-legged Hawk mga r Golden Eagle sga oooo
Falcons *American Kestrel wide aaaa Merlin rga r o ✔ Peregrine Falcon msga r r r Black-necked stilt Prairie Falcon msga r r Ken Morris/USFWS Common Name Habitat Sp S F W Common Name Habitat Sp S F W
Ruff s # Hummingbirds Short-billed Dowitcher s # *Black-chinned Hummingbird r r r u Long-billed Dowitcher s c c c *Anna’s Hummingbird r c c c u Common Snipe s u r o c Rufous/Allen’s Hummingbird r r *Wilson’s Phalarope s o r r Red-necked Phalarope s r r Kingfishers *Belted Kingfisher ra cccc Gulls and Terns Bonaparte’s Gull osa r r # Woodpeckers Mew Gull osa # r r Acorn Woodpecker r # Ring-billed Gull osa o c c Red-breasted Sapsucker r r r California Gull osa o r c c *Nuttall’s Woodpecker r cccc Herring Gull osa o c *Downy Woodpecker r cccc Thayer’s Gull osa # *Northern Flicker r c o c c *Caspian Tern osa o r o Flycatchers Forster’s Tern osa c r r o Olive-sided Flycatcher r r o Black Tern osa # *Western Wood-Pewee r r o Doves Willow Flycatcher r r o *Rock Dove u cccc Hammond’s Flycatcher r # r *Mourning Dove wide cccc Dusky Flycatcher r # # Pacific-Slope Flycatcher r r r r Owls *Black Phoebe mr aaaa *Barn Owl wide cccc Say’s Phoebe sg u u Western Screech-Owl r rrrr *Ash-throated Flycatcher rg u c r *Great Horned Owl r cccc Tropical Kingbird rg # *Burrowing Owl f rrrr *Western Kingbird rg u c Long-eared Owl srg # Short-eared Owl msg r Shrikes *Loggerhead Shrike gr uuuu Swifts Northern Shrike gr # Vaux’s Swift a r r White-throated swift a rrrr Vireos Cassin’s Vireo r r r Hutton’s Vireo r rrrr Warbling Vireo r u u
Jays, Magpies and Crows *Western Scrub-Jay rs aaaa *Yellow-billed Magpie rsg oooo *American Crow rsg cccc
Larks Mourning dove Horned Lark g o c c Ken Morris/USFWS Common Name Habitat Sp S F W Common Name Habitat Sp S F W
Swallows *Tree Swallow msra a a o r Babblers Violet-green Swallow msra r *Wrentit r cccc *Northern Rough-winged Swallow msra u o r Mockingbirds and Thrashers *Cliff Swallow msra a a o *Northern Mockingbird rg oooo *Barn Swallow msra c c c Starlings Titmice and Bushtits *European Starling rs aaaa *Oak Titmouse r uuuu *Bushtit r aaaa Wagtails and Pipits American Pipit sg c u c Nuthatches and Creepers *White-breasted Nuthatch r uuuu Waxwings Brown Creeper r # # Cedar Waxwing r u u u
Wrens Warblers *House Wren r c c c u Orange-crowned Warbler r c r c r Winter Wren r r Nashville Warbler r r r *Bewick’s Wren mr uuuu Yellow Warbler r c r c *Marsh Wren m aaaa Yellow-rumped Warbler r c c a Rock Wren g #### Black-throated Gray Warbler r o u r Townsend’s Warbler r o o Kinglets and Gnatcatchers Hermit Warbler r r r Golden-crowned Kinglet r r u u MacGillivray’s Warbler r o u Ruby-crowned Kinglet r c c a *Common Yellowthroat mr c c c u Blue-gray Gnatcatcher r # r Wilson’s Warbler r c c Thrushes Canada Warbler r # Western Bluebird rg # # Northern Waterthrush m # Mountain Bluebird r # Yellow-breasted Chat r # Swainson’s Thrush r o o Tanagers Hermit Thrush r o o o Western Tanager r u r u *American Robin rg c u c c Varied Thrush r r r Towhees and Sparrows *Spotted Towhee r aaaa *California Towhee r uuuu
Marsh wren Common yellowthroat © Gary Whitley © Sharon Torvik Other Wildlife Opportunities Common Name Habitat Sp S F W
Chipping Sparrow g # # In addition to birds, Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge provides Vesper Sparrow g # a home to many insects, amphibians, Savannah Sparrow gs a a a reptiles, fish, and mammals, some Fox Sparrow r o r o of which are species at risk. While *Song Sparrow mr cccc visiting the refuge and watching for Swamp Sparrow g # birds, you may also spot some of the following animals: Lincoln’s Sparrow gs u o White-throated Sparrow gs r r White-crowned Sparrow gs r c a Golden-crowned Sparrow gs r c a Common Name Habitat Sp S F W Dark-eyed Junco r u u c Mammals Grosbeaks and Buntings Black-tailed Deer rsg rrrr *Black-headed Grosbeak r c c Virginia Opossum r cccc *Blue Grosbeak r u u Black-tailed Jackrabbit sg cccc *Lazuli Bunting r u u Western Gray Squirrel sg uuuu California Ground Squirrel rg uuuu Icterids Beaver mr aaaa *Red-winged Blackbird mg aaaa California Vole gr cccc Tricolored Blackbird mg o o r r Muskrat om cccc *Western Meadowlark g aaaa Coyote wide cccc Yellow-headed Blackbird m r r Raccoon mr cccc *Brewer’s Blackbird us aaaa Striped Skunk wide uuuu *Brown-headed Cowbird wide c c c o River Otter or cccc Hooded Oriole r r Mink om oooo *Bullock’s Oriole r u u Gray Fox gr oooo *Great-tailed Grackle sg rrrr Amphibians Finches Pacific Treefrog rm cccr Purple Finch r # Bullfrog omr cccr *House Finch wide aaaa Pine Siskin r r Reptiles *Lesser Goldfinch g r r Western Fence Lizard sg cccc *American Goldfinch g cccc Gopher Snake sg u c u r Common Kingsnake sg u c u r Old World Sparrows Common Garter Snake sm u c u r *House Sparrow u cccc Elegant Garter Snake sm u c u r Western Yellowbelly Racer rg u c u r Western Pond Turtle om u u u r Red-eared slider om uuuu Stone Lakes National Wildlife Refuge 1624 Hood-Franklin Road Elk Grove, California 95758 Telephone: 916/775-4421 Information line: 916/775-4420 FAX: 916/775-4407 U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service http://stonelakes.fws.gov
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service http://www.fws.gov
For Refuge Information 1 800/546-2565
California Relay Service TTY 1 800/735-2929 Voice 1 800/735-2922
This brochure will be made available in other formats upon request.
May 2003
Front cover: Black-necked Stilt ©Paul Boyte Back cover: Yellow-rumped Warbler ©Paul Boyte
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