Bird Checklist This checklist includes sightings from all areas of Bosanquet Township, Lambton County. This area forms a triangular-shaped piece of land which extends between Grand Bend, Kettle Point and Arkona. It is bordered on the northwest by Lake Huron, on the south by the Bosanquet-Warwick Township boundary and on the east side by the Ausable River. Although a small region, the area boasts a list of 319 species of birds, 124 of which have bred. Habitats range from mature beech-maple forests to Pinery's celebrated oak savanna and interdunal meadows. During your explorations you may find species of birds that have not yet been recorded in the area or which are designated as vagrants or occasional. We would like to obtain the records of any species falling into these categories. Please contact the park naturalist at Pinery with any additional information or requests at: Park Naturalist, Pinery Provincial Park, R.R.#2 Grand Bend, Ontario, NOM 1TO, telephone (519) 243-8574. The naturalist will be happy to give more specific information on where to find birds in the area and the dates to expect a specified species. If birders would like to give us a copy of their daily notes, including the number of each species seen, we would be most grateful. Several additional species found in the region have not been included in this list for various reasons. Ringed Turtle Dove and Greater Flamingo have been recorded but have questionable origins. Passenger Pigeon once occurred in the area but is now extinct. Acknowledgements Thanks to Alfred Rider, the late Dennis Rupert, Tom Hayman and Dave Martin for their input into this list. Their records and comments were an essential supplement to the Park's records. Abundance Codes The status designated for birds in this list is current and intended as a guide only. For many species, particularly during migration, this status varies annually depending on weather patterns. Birds may also occur for only a brief part of a season, or in a specific habitat, leading the observer to believe they are less common than suggested. Note that an asterix ("*") occurring after the name of a species indicates that a record exists but no written documentation or photographs have been received by park staff to verify the
sighting. X = extirpated, but could occur again V = accidental vagrant - an isolated record, not expected to be recorded for several years, if ever again O = occasional - very few records, normally absent R = rare - usually present annually, but seen infrequently U = uncommon - present in low numbers, unlikely to be found daily without a concerted effort C = common - can be found daily, usually in moderate numbers A = abundant - found daily in large numbers E = erratic - numbers highly variable; may be absent in some years, abundant in others Breeding Codes 0 = no evidence of breeding 1 = status uncertain, possibly breeds; more information needed 2 = formerly bred or sporadically breeds 3 = breeds regularly Seasonal Codes Sp. = Spring: the period when a species is migrating to its breeding area Su. = Summer: the period when a species is nesting Fa. = Fall: the period when a species is migrating to Rs wintering area Wi. = Winter: the period when a species is over-wintering *Note that season references relate to bird activities, not calendar dates. SPECIES B r S p S u F W a i Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata 0 U - U - Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica 0 V - O - Common Loon Gavia immer 0 C O C R Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps 0 U O U - Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena 0 O - U - Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis 0 R - U - Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus 0 O - R -
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis 0 - - V - Northern Fulmar Fulmarus glacialis 0 - - V - American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus 0 V - - - 0 C U C R American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus 0 O O O - Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis 2 R R - - Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias 0 C C C R Great Egret Ardea alba 0 R R R - Snowy Egret* Egretta thula 0 V - - - Little Blue Heron* Egretta caerulea 0 - V - - Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis 0 - V - - Green Heron Butorides virescens 3 U U - - Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax 0 O O - - Yellow-crowned Night-Heron* Nyctanassa 0 V - - - violacea Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus 0 A V U - Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator 0 V - - - Mute Swan Cygnus olor 0 U - U R Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons 0 O - R - Snow Goose Anser caerulescens 0 R - R - Ross' Goose 0 V - - - Brant Branta bernicla 0 - - R V Canada Goose Branta canadensis Wood Duck Aix sponsa Green-winged Teal Anas crecca American Black Duck Anas rubripes 3 A C C U 3 C C C O 0 C U C V 0 U R C R
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos 3 A C C U Northern Pintail Anas acuta 0 A R U - Blue-winged Teal Anas discors 3 C U C - Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata 2 C R U - Gadwall Anas strepera 2 C R R - American Wigeon Anas americana 0 V - - - Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope 0 A R C - Canvasback Aythya valisineria Redhead Aythya americana 0 C V C R 0 C O C R Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris 0 C O C - Greater Scaup Aythya marila Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis 0 U V C R 0 C R C R Common Eider* Somateria mollissima 0 - - V - King Eider Somateria spectabilis 0 - - O - Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus 0 - - O O Oldsquaw Clangula hyemalis 0 R - C - Black Scoter Melanitta nigra 0 - - C - Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata 0 O - C - White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca 0 R - C - Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula 0 C - C U Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica 0 O - - O Bufflehead ucephala albeola 0 C O C U Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus 0 C O C R Common Merganser Mergus merganser 0 C - C U Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis 2 A O A R 2 U R R V Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura 3 C C C -
Osprey Pandion haliaetus 2 R R U - Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis 2 O O R R 3 U R U R 2 U O U R 3 U U U R 2 R O R R Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus 2 C O C - Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus 0 C O C - Swainson's Hawk 0 - - V - Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus 0 C - C C Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos 0 O - O O American Kestrel Falco sparverius Merlin Falco columbarius 0 O - R - Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus 0 O - R - Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus 0 - - V - Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus 2 R R R R Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus 2 O O O O 2 O O O O Yellow Rail 0 - - V - King Rail Rallus elegans 0 - V - - Virginia Rail Rallus limicola 3 R R R V Sora Porzana carolina 3 R R R - Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus 0 O O O - American Coot Fulica americana 2 R U U O Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis 0 R - O -
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola 0 R - U - Lesser Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominicus 0 O - R - Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus 0 C - C - Piping Plover Charadrius melodus 2 X X X - Killdeer Charadrius vociferus 3 C C C - Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus 0 V - - - Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca 0 R - C - Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes 0 C - C - Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria 0 U - C - Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus 0 - - O - Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia 3 C C C - Ruff Philomachus pugnax 0 - - V - Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda 3 R R R - Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus 0 R - O - Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus 0 - - V - Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica 0 - - O - Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa 0 - V - - Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres 0 R - U - Red Knot Calidris canutus 0 O - R - Sanderling Calidris alba 0 R - C - Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla 0 C - C - Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri 0 - - R - Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla 0 C - C - White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis 0 R - U - Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii 0 - - U - Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos 0 U - U -
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima 0 - - R - Dunlin Calidris alpina 0 C - C - Curlew Sandpiper 0 V - V - Stilt Sandpiper Micropalama himantopus 0 V - U - Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus 0 - - O - 0 U - U - 0 V - R - Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago 0 O - R - American Woodcock Scolopax minor 3 C C U - Wilson's Phalarope Steganopus tricolor 2 R O R - Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus 0 V - R - Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicaria 0 - - V - Pomarine Jaeger tercorarius pomarinus 0 - - O - Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus 0 - - U - Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus 0 - - V - Laughing Gull Larus atricilla 0 V - - - Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan 0 V - O - Little Gull Larus minutus 0 O O U - Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia 0 C R C O Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus 0 V - V - Mew Gull Larus canus 0 - V - - Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis Herring Gull Larus argentatus 2 A C C U 2 A C A U Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri 0 R - R O Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides 0 R - R O Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus 0 - - R -
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus 0 U - U U Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus 0 U R C U Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla 0 - - R - Sabine's Gull Xema sabini 0 - - V - Caspian Tern Sterna caspia 2 U R U - Common Tern Sterna hirundo 2 U R U - Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea 0 - - O - Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri 2 C R C - Black Tern Chlidonias niger 0 O O O - Rock Dove Columba livia Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus Eastern Screech-Owl Otus asio Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus 3 U R R - 1 R O R - Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca 0 R - R R Great Gray Owl 0 V - - - Long-eared Owl Asio otus 0 - - R R Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus 0 O - - R Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula 0 - - - V Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus 0 V - - - Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus 1 O O O O Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor 3 C C C - Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis 0 - V - - Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus 3 C C C - Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica 3 C U U -
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus 3 U U U - 3 U U U R 3 C U U R 3 U U U U 3 U R R V 3 U U U U 0 - - V - 3 C C C R 3 R R R R Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus borealis 0 R - R - Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus 3 C C C - Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris 0 R - R - Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens 0 - - V - Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum 2 R O R - Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii 3 U U U - Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus 3 C U U - Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe 3 C C U - Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus 3 C C U - Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus 3 C C C - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher 0 - - V - Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris 3 U U C C Purple Martin Progne subis 3 C C C - Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor 3 C C C -
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripenni 3 C C C - Bank Swallow Riparia riparia 3 C C C - Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota 3 R R R - Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica 3 C C C - Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos 3 A C C C Common Raven Corvus corax 0 - - O O Black-capped Chickadee Parus atricapillus Boreal Chickadee Parus hudsonicus 0 - - O O Tufted Titmouse Parus bicolor Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis 2 R R R R 2 U O C E White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis Brown Creeper Certhia americana Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus 3 U R U R 2 R R R R House Wren Troglodytes aedon 3 C C C - Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes 1 U O U R Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis 0 O O - - Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris 2 O O - - Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa 0 C - C U Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula 0 C - C O Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea 3 C U U - Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis 3 C U C O Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides 0 - - V - Veery Catharus fuscescens 3 C U C - Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus 0 U - R - Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus 0 C - C -
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus 1 C O C R Wood Thrush Catharus mustelinus 3 U U U - American Robin Turdus migratorius 3 A C A U Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius 0 V - - - Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos 3 C C C V 0 O O - O Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi 0 - - V - Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum 3 C C U V American Pipit Anthus rubescens 0 U - C - Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus 0 E - E E Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum 3 C C C U Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor 0 R - U U Loggerhead Kingbird Tyrannus caudifasciatus European Starling Sturnus vulgaris 0 - O - O 3 C C A A White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus 0 V - - - Solitary Vireo Vireo solitarius 3 C R U - Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons 3 C C U - Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus 3 C C C - Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus 0 R - U - Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus 3 C C C - Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus 3 U R R - Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera 3 R R R - Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina 0 C - U - Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata 0 R - R V Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla 0 C O U - Northern Parula Parula americana 0 R O O -
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia 3 C C C - Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica 1 C R C - Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia 1 C O C - Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina 0 C - U - Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica 0 U - U - 3 C U C R 1 C O C V 0 V - - - Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca 0 C - C - Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus 3 C C U - Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor 2 R O R - Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum 0 C - C - Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea 0 C O C - Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata 0 U - U - Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea 3 R R - - Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia 2 C R U - American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla 3 C C C - Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea 2 O O - - Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus 3 C C U - Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis 3 U R U - Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla 3 R R - - Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus 0 V - - - Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis 0 R - - - Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia 3 U R R -
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas 3 C C C - Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina 0 O O O - Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla 0 U - U - Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis 1 C O U - Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens 0 V - - - Summer Tanager Piranga rubra 0 V - - - Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea 2 C C C - Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana 0 V - - - Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus 3 C C C V Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea 3 C C U - Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus 3 C C C O American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea 0 C - C C Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina 3 C C A O Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida 0 - O O - Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla 3 C C C R Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus 3 C C C - Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis 3 C C C V Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus 0 V - - - Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii 3 R R - - 0 V - - - Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii 0 - - V - Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni 0 - - V - Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca 0 U - U - Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia 3 C C C U
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii 0 U - U V Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys 3 C C C U 0 C O C R 0 C - U - Harris' Sparrow Zonotrichia querula 0 - - - V Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis 0 A - A A Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus 0 U - U U Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis 0 C - C C Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus 3 C C C - Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus3 C C C R Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna 3 C C C R Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta 0 - V - - Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus 0 U - C O Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater 0 O - O - 3 C C C R 3 A C A U Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius 1 R R - - Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula 3 C C C - Brambling 0 - - - V Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator 0 E - E E Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra 3 C C C E 0 E E E E White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera 0 E - E E Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea 0 C - C E Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni 0 - - - O
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus 0 C - C E American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus 0 U - C E House Sparrow Passer domesticusevening