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Birds :: Michigan Birds :: Birds of the E.S. George Reserve

  • Family: Podicipididae, Grebes
    • check boxPied-billed Grebe, cS, rW
  • Family: Ardeidae, Herons and Bitterns
    • check boxGreat Blue Heron, cS. Birds feeding at East Pond on the Reserve may nest in the large colony by the Huron River north of Dexter.
    • check boxGreat Egret, uS, seen at Southwest Marsh
    • check boxSnowy Egret, rS, seen at Southwest Marsh in 1981
    • check boxGreen-backed Heron, cS, nesting in oak woods and dense shrubs around big swamp and southwest marsh, and fishtail marsh.
    • check boxBlack-crowned Night-heron, rS
    • check boxLeast Bittern, rS
    • check boxAmerican Bittern, uS
  • Family: Anatidae, Swans, Geese and Ducks
    • check box*Canada Goose, cS, cT, fW
    • check box*Wood Duck, fS
    • check boxGreen-winged Teal, uT
    • check box*American Black Duck, uS
    • check box*Mallard, cS
    • check boxNorthern Pintail, uT
    • check box*Blue-winged Teal, cT, uS
    • check boxGadwall, uT
    • check boxRing-necked Duck, cT
    • check boxLesser Scaup, uT
    • check boxCommon Goldeneye, uT
    • check boxBufflehead, fT
    • check boxHooded Merganser, uT
  • Family: Cathartidae, American Vultures
    • check box*Turkey Vulture, fS, nests in hollow trees
  • Family: Accipitridae, Kites, Eagles, and Hawks
    • check boxOsprey, uT
    • check box*Northern Harrier, uT, rS. Nested in 1940s (Hamerstrom and Hamerstrom 1951), also in 1955 (nestlings banded--REM) and 1957 (REM), on Southwest Marsh.
    • check box*Sharp-shinned Hawk, uS, cT, rW
    • check box*Cooper's Hawk, uS, cT, fW (Hamerstrom and Hamerstrom 1951), bred 1978-1990 in pines near North Gate
    • check boxNorthern Goshawk, rW
    • check boxRed-shouldered Hawk, uT
    • check box*Broad-winged Hawk, fS, cT
    • check box*Red-tailed Hawk, cS, fW. (Hamerstrom and Hamerstrom 1951), two pairs bred on Reserve in most years in 1980s, nests near Lost Lake and Cassandra Bog.
  • Family: Falconidae, and Falcons
    • check box*American Kestrel, cS. A pair regularly nests on electric pylons in grids Y33 and Y34, on old railroad bed north of ESGR, from 1982 through 1994, none seen 1995
  • Family: Phasianidae, Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys and Quail
    • check box*Ring-necked Pheasant, fP, "Szechuan" pheasants introduced in late 1980s
    • check box*Ruffed Grouse, fP, oak woodlands
    • check box*Wild Turkey, uP, introduced in Pinckney State Recreation Area in middle 1980s, became established with family groups seen in Reserve in 1989, 1990. An earlier introduction of 4 birds was unsuccessful.
    • check box*Northern Bobwhite, uP
  • Family: Rallidae, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
    • check box*Virginia Rail, uS, nested in Southwest Marsh
    • check box*Sora, fS, nested in Southwest Marsh
    • check box*Common Moorhen, fS, nested in 1978 in Southwest Marsh
    • check box*American Coot, cS
  • Family: Gruidae, Cranes
    • check box*Sandhill Crane, uS, fT. Nested in Southwest Marsh in 1980s, in two years the nesting pair produced two fledglings.
  • Family: Charadriidae, Plovers and Lapwings
    • check box*Killdeer, cS, cT
  • Family: Scolopacidae, Sandpipers, Phalaropes and Allies
    • check boxGreater Yellowlegs, fT
    • check boxLesser Yellowlegs, cT
    • check boxSolitary Sandpiper, fT
    • check box*Spotted Sandpiper, cT, cS, nest around experimental ponds (built in 1989) in north part of Reserve
    • check boxUpland Sandpiper, rT
    • check box*Common Snipe, fS, cT
    • check box*American Woodcock, cS
  • Family: Laridae, Skuas, Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
    • check boxRing-billed Gull, uT
    • check boxHerring Gull, uT
    • check box*Black Tern, rS, fT formerly bred in area, none seen since 1976.
  • Family: Columbidae, Pigeons and Doves
    • check box*Rock Dove, cP
    • check box*Mourning Dove, cS, fW
  • Family: Cuculidae, Cuckoos
    • check box*Black-billed Cuckoo, uS
    • check box*Yellow-billed Cuckoo, uS
  • Family: Strigidae, Typical Owls
    • check box*Eastern Screech-Owl, fP
    • check box*Great Horned Owl, cP
    • check box*Barred Owl, fP
    • check box*Long-eared Owl, uW, rS
    • check boxNorthern Saw-whet Owl, fT, uS, uW. (Mumford & Zusi 1958) calling in May 1990
  • Family: Caprimulgidae, Goatsuckers
    • check box*Common Nighthawk, cS, cT.
    • check box*Whip-poor-will, cS. (Sutton 1941)
  • Family: Apodidae, Swifts
    • check box*Chimney Swift, cS
  • Family: Trochilidae, Hummingbirds
    • check box*Ruby-throated Hummingbird, fS

Order Coraciiformes, Kingfishers and Allies

  • Family: Alcedinidae, Kingfishers
    • check box*Belted Kingfisher, fS, uW
  • Family: Picidae, Woodpeckers
    • check box*Red-headed Woodpecker, fS, uW
    • check box*Red-bellied Woodpecker, fP, five pairs on Reserve in 1978 and 1979
    • check boxYellow-bellied Sapsucker, fT
    • check box*Downy Woodpecker, cP
    • check box*Hairy Woodpecker, fP
    • check box*Northern Flicker, cS, rW
  • Family: Tyrannidae, Tyrant Flycatchers
    • check boxOlive-sided Flycatcher, fT
    • check box*Eastern Wood-Pewee, cS, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check boxYellow-bellied Flycatcher, uT
    • check box*Acadian Flycatcher, cS, larger woods, mainly oaks, increasing in numbers with growth of woods (Mumford 1964), parasitized by cowbirds
    • check box*Alder Flycatcher, fS, breeds in swamps along north railway
    • check box*Willow Flycatcher, fS, breeds in swamps, also in uplands, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check box*Least Flycatcher, cS, cT. (Mumford 1962)
    • check box*Eastern Phoebe, fS, fT, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check box*Great Crested Flycatcher, cS
    • check box*Eastern Kingbird, cS
  • Family: Alaudidae, Larks
    • check box*Horned Lark, cS, uW breeds on open land on farms, not on the Reserve
  • Family: Hirundinidae, Swallows
    • check box*Purple Martin, fS
    • check box*Tree Swallow, cS, cT, nests in dead trees, many in nestboxes established in 1988
    • check box*Northern Rough-winged Swallow, fS, cT
    • check box*Bank Swallow, cS, cT
    • check box*Barn Swallow, cS, cT
  • Family: Corvidae, Jays, Magpies and Crows
    • check box*Blue Jay, cP, cT. Vocal behavior was studied by Cohen (1977).
    • check box*American Crow, cS, fW
  • Family: Paridae, Titmice
    • check box*Black-capped Chickadee, cP, uT
    • check box*Tufted Titmouse, fP
  • Family: Sittidae, Nuthatches
    • check boxRed-breasted Nuthatch, icW
    • check box*White-breasted Nuthatch, cP
  • Family: Certhiidae, Creepers
    • check boxBrown Creeper, fT, uW
  • Family: Troglodytidae, Wrens
    • check boxBewick's Wren, rT, singing on 15 May 1955 and 24 April 1957 (REM)
    • check box*House Wren, cS
    • check boxWinter Wren, uT
    • check boxSedge Wren, uS, in wet grass around East Pond in 1981 and 1982
    • check boxMarsh Wren, uS
  • Family: Muscicapidae, Muscicapids
  • Subfamily: Sylviinae, Old World Warblers, Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
    • check boxGolden-crowned Kinglet, uW, uT
    • check boxRuby-crowned Kinglet, cT
    • check box*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, cS, cT, nests in walnuts, oaks, from April to July
  • Subfamily: Turdinae, Thrushes
    • check box*Eastern Bluebird, fS, rW
    • check box*Veery, fS, fT
    • check boxGray-cheeked Thrush, fT
    • check boxSwainson's Thrush, fS, cT
    • check boxHermit Thrush, fS, cT, rW
    • check box*Wood Thrush, cS
    • check box*American Robin, cS, cT, uW
  • Family: Mimidae, Mockingbirds, Thrashers and Allies
    • check box*Gray Catbird, cS
    • check boxNorthern Mockingbird, uT
    • check box*Brown Thrasher, fS
  • Family: Bombycillidae, Waxwings
    • check boxBohemian Waxwing, iuW
    • check box*Cedar Waxwing, cS, cT, ifW
  • Family: Sturnidae, Starlings
    • check box*European Starling, cP, cT
  • Family: Vireonidae, Vireos
    • check box*White-eyed Vireo, luS, uV, ESGR, fledglings 1990 in Pinckney State Recreation Area
    • check boxSolitary Vireo fT
    • check box*Yellow-throated Vireo, cS. parasitized by cowbirds (Sutton 1949)
    • check box*Warbling Vireo, fS. (Sutton 1949)
    • check boxPhiladelphia Vireo, uT
    • check box*Red-eyed Vireo, cS, parasitized by cowbirds. (Sutton 1949)
  • Family: Emberizidae, Emberizids
  • Subfamily: Parulinae, Wood-Warblers
    • check box*Blue-winged Warbler, fS, ESGR, parasitized by cowbird
    • check box*Golden-winged Warbler, cT, fS, hybridizes with Blue-winged Warbler, two hybrid male "Brewster's" warblers color-banded, each bred for four years, one with a female Blue-winged Warbler, the other with a female Golden-winged Warbler and fledged 6 young (Payne, in Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas 1991).
    • check boxTennessee Warbler, cT
    • check boxOrange-crowned Warbler, uT
    • check boxNashville Warbler, cT
    • check boxNorthern Parula, rT
    • check box*Yellow Warbler, cS, cT, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check box*Chestnut-sided Warbler, cT, fS, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check boxMagnolia Warbler, cT
    • check boxCape May Warbler, fT
    • check boxBlack-throated Blue Warbler, uT
    • check boxYellow-rumped Warbler, cT, rW
    • check boxBlack-throated Green Warbler, cT
    • check boxBlackburnian Warbler, cT
    • check boxYellow-throated Warbler, rV. Mumford 1958.
    • check boxPine Warbler, uT
    • check box*Prairie Warbler, uT, lrS, bred in 1980 (Groschupf & Dansereau 1980)
    • check boxPalm Warbler, cT
    • check boxBay-breasted Warbler, cT
    • check boxBlackpoll Warbler, cT
    • check box*Cerulean Warbler, uT, cS, ESGR, more numerous in recent years as forest grows
    • check boxBlack-and-white Warbler, cT
    • check boxAmerican Redstart, cT
    • check boxProthonotary Warbler, rT, one sang well into summer in 1974 along edge of Southwest Marsh
    • check boxWorm-eating Warbler, rS, rV, one molting, netted 800 m south of Reserve in Pinckney State Recreation Area, 1984, S. M. Kielb
    • check box*Ovenbird, cS, cT, parasitized by cowbirds
    • check boxNorthern Waterthrush, fT
    • check boxKentucky Warbler, rT, one singing, June 1977
    • check boxConnecticut Warbler, uT
    • check boxMourning Warbler, fT
    • check box*Common Yellowthroat, cS, cT, parasitized by cowbird
    • check boxHooded Warbler, uT, uS
    • check boxWilson's Warbler, fT
    • check boxCanada Warbler, fT
    • check box*Yellow-breasted Chat, uT, uS, nests in shrubby marsh along north railway on ESGR
  • Subfamily: Thraupinae, Tanagers
    • check box*Scarlet Tanager, cS, ESGR, parasitized by cowbirds
  • Subfamily: Cardinalinae, Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Allies
    • check box*Northern Cardinal, cP. parasitized by cowbirds. (Sutton 1935,1959)
    • check box*Rose-breasted Grosbeak, cS. Sutton 1959.
    • check box*Indigo Bunting, cS. parasitized by cowbirds. (Sutton 1935, 1959, Thompson 1969, 1970, 1972, Thompson and Rice 1972, Payne et al. 1981, 1987, 1988, Payne 1989, 1991, 1992, 1996, Payne and Westneat 1988, Payne and Payne 1989, 1990, 1993a,b, 1996)
    • check boxDickcissel, iuS
  • Subfamily: Emberizinae, New World Sparrows
    • check box*Eastern Towhee, cS. Nests on ground, often at base of junipers. Occasionally parasitized by cowbirds. (Sutton 1935, 1959)
    • check boxBachman's Sparrow, rV
    • check boxAmerican Tree Sparrow, cT, cW
    • check box*Chipping Sparrow, cS, xW, parasitized by cowbirds. (Sutton 1935, 1937, 1960, Dawson and Evans 1957, Evans 1964)
    • check box*Field Sparrow, cS, rW. (Sutton 1935, 1960, Dawson and Evans 1957, Evans 1964, 1978), parasitized by cowbirds
    • check box*Vesper Sparrow, fS, rW, (Sutton 1935, 1941, 1960, Dawson and Allen 1960, Dawson and Evans 1960, Evans 1964)
    • check box*Lark Sparrow, eS. (Sutton 1960; habitat photos), formerly bred in sandy blowout, last seen about 1960 (RBP).
    • check box*Savannah Sparrow, uS, cT. (Sutton 1935), breeds in alfalfa fields north of Reserve.
    • check box*Grasshopper Sparrow, uS, not seen in summer since 1984 (Sutton 1935, 1936, 1959)
    • check box*Henslow's Sparrow, uS, formerly bred nearby (Hyde 1939, Sutton 1935, 1959)
    • check boxLe Conte's Sparrow, rT, one seen spring 1978 on marsh grid M3
    • check boxFox Sparrow, fT, uW
    • check box*Song Sparrow, cS, uW. (Sutton 1935, 1960). parasitized by cowbirds
    • check boxLincoln's Sparrow, uT
    • check box*Swamp Sparrow, cS, cT, uW. (Sutton 1960). parasitized by cowbirds
    • check boxWhite-throated Sparrow, cT, uW
    • check boxWhite-crowned Sparrow, uT
    • check boxDark-eyed Junco, cW
  • Subfamily: Icterinae, Blackbirds
    • check box*Bobolink, fS, nests in alfalfa fields north of ESGR
    • check box*Red-winged Blackbird, cS. (Laux 1970, Fiala 1979, 1981a,b,c, Fiala and Congdon 1983, Whittingham 1988)
    • check box*Eastern Meadowlark, uS
    • check boxWestern Meadowlark, uT
    • check boxRusty Blackbird, cT
    • check box*Common Grackle, cS, cT, uW
    • check box*Brown-headed Cowbird, cS, cT. (Sutton 1959, 1960, Mumford 1959, 1964, Payne 1989). Local host species: willow flycatcher, eastern phoebe, veery, red-eyed vireo, yellow-throated vireo, scarlet tanager, blue-winged warbler, yellow warbler, chestnut-sided warbler, common yellowthroat, ovenbird, northern cardinal, indigo bunting, eastern towhee, field sparrow, chipping sparrow, song sparrow, swamp sparrow
    • check boxOrchard Oriole, rS
    • check box*Baltimore Oriole, cS
  • Family: Fringillidae, Finches
  • Subfamily: Carduelinae, Cardueline Finches
    • check boxPurple Finch, cT, ifW
    • check box*House Finch, cP, none seen on ESGR, established in Pinckney in 1989, when heard at corner of M36 and Kelly Road
    • check boxPine Grosbeak, uW
    • check boxRed Crossbill, ifW
    • check boxCommon Redpoll, icW
    • check boxPine Siskin, cT, ifW
    • check box*American Goldfinch, cS, cT, ifW. (Sutton 1959).
    • check boxEvening Grosbeak, icW
  • Family: Passeridae, Old World Sparrows
    • check box*House Sparrow, cP