Assateague Naturalist Information

Birds of Summer

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Photos are included for birds common or abundant all year (others are being added).

Sighting Information:
Abundant - a species which is very numerous
Common - certain to be seen or heard in suitable habitat
Uncommon - present, but not certain to be seen
Occasional - seen only a few times during a season
Rare - seen at intervals of two to five years

Listing Order
Birds are listed alphabetically by the base word of the common name (such as Sandpiper) and then by the full common name (such as Baird's Sandpiper, Buff-breasted Sandpiper, Curlew Sandpiper, etc.).

Please allow a moment or two for the data to download.
The data will appear below on this page.

Database Courtesy: Assateague.com

American Avocet
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Bittern
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Least Bittern
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-winged Blackbird
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Eastern Bluebird
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Bobwhite
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Brant
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Bufflehead
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Indigo Bunting
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Cardinal
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Gray Catbird
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Carolina Chickadee
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Chuck-will's-widow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American Coot
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Double-crested Cormorant
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Brown-headed Cowbird
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Brown Creeper
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Crow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Fish Crow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Black-billed Cuckoo
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Dickcissel
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Mourning Dove
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Rock Dove
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Long-billed Dowitcher
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Short-billed Dowitcher
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Black Duck
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Ruddy Duck
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Wood Duck
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Dunlin
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Bald Eagle
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Cattle Egret
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Great Egret
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Snowy Egret
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Peregrine Falcon
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Flicker
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Acadian Flycatcher
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Great Crested Flycatcher
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Willow Flycatcher
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Gadwall
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Purple Gallinule
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Hudsonian Godwit
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Marbled Godwit
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Goldfinch
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Canada Goose
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Greater Snow Goose
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Boat-tailed Grackle
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Common Grackle
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Pied-billed Grebe
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Blue Grosbeak
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Greater Black-backed Gull
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Herring Gull
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Laughing Gull
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Ring-billed Gull
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Northern Harrier
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-tailed Hawk
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Black-crowned Night Heron
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Great Blue Heron
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Green Heron
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Little Blue Heron
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Tricolored Heron
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Glossy Ibis
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

White Ibis
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Blue Jay
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American Kestrel
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Killdeer
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Eastern Kingbird
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Belted Kingfisher
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Golden-crowned Kinglet
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Red Knot
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Horned Lark
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Common Loon
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Mallard
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Pulple Martin
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Eastern Meadowlark
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-breasted Merganser
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Northern Mockingbird
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Common Moorhen
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Common Nighthawk
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Brown-headed Nuthatch
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-breasted Nuthatch
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Baltimore Oriole
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Orchard Oriole
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Osprey
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Ovenbird
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Barn Owl
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Eastern Screech Owl
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Great Horned Owl
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American Oystercatcher
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Parula
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American White Pelican
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Brown Pelican
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Wilson's Storm Petrel
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Eastern Wood-Pewee
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-necked Phalarope
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Wilson's Phalarope
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Eastern Phoebe
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Pintail
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Golden Plover
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Black-bellied Plover
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Piping Plover
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Semipalmated Plover
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Wilson's Plover
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Black Rail
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Clapper Rail
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

King Rail
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Virginia Rail
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American Robin
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Ruff
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Sanderling
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Baird's Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Curlew Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Least Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Pectoral Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Semipalmated Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Solitary Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Spotted Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Stilt Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Upland Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Western Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

White-rumped Sandpiper
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Cory's Shearwater
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Greater Shearwater
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Sooty Shearwater
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Northern Shoveler
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Black Skimmer
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Common Snipe
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Chipping Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Field Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Grasshopper Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Lark Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Savannah Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Seaside Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Song Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Swamp Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

White-crowned Sparrow
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

European Starling
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Black-necked Stilt
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Bank Swallow
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Barn Swallow
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Tree Swallow
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Mute Swan
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Chimney Swift
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Scarlet Tanager
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Summer Tanager
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Blue-winged Teal
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Green-winged Teal
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Black Tern
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Caspian Tern
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Common Tern
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Foster's Tern
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Gull-billed Tern
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Least Tern
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Roseate Tern
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Royal Tern
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Sandwich Tern
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Brown Thrasher
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Eastern Towhee
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Ruddy Turnstone
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Red-eyed Vireo
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

White-eyed Vireo
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Black Vulture
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Turkey Vulture
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Black-and-white Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Blackburnian Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Black-throated Green Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Canada Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Kentucky Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Pine Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Prairie Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Prothonotary Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Yellow Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Yellow-rumped Warbler
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Northern Waterthrush
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Cedar Waxwing
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Whimbrel
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

American Wigeon
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Willet
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

American Woodcock
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Downy Woodpecker
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Pileated Woodpecker
Summer Sighting Information: rare
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Red-bellied Woodpecker
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Red-headed Woodpecker
Summer Sighting Information: occasional
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Carolina Wren
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

House Wren
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Marsh Wren
Summer Sighting Information: uncommon
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Greater Yellowlegs
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Lesser Yellowlegs
Summer Sighting Information: common
Nest on or near Refuge? no

Common Yellowthroat
Summer Sighting Information: abundant
Nest on or near Refuge? yes

Table data from:
Birds - Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge
(Brochure, December 1997, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)

Photos in this section are from the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center. Sauer, J. R., J. E. Hines, G. Gough, I. Thomas, and B. G. Peterjohn. 1997. The North American Breeding Bird Survey Results and Analysis. Version 96.4. Patuxent Wildlife Research Center, Laurel, MD