Following are five recommended areas to observe birds on the Refuge.

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1 Valentine National Wildlife Refuge Valentine, Nebraska Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, located 25 miles south of the town of Valentine, Nebraska, is 71,516 acres in size and was established in 1935 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife. Numerous wetlands, lakes, wet meadows, and large expanses of native prairie attract a wide variety of resident and migratory birds. May, September, and October offer good opportunities for observing a large variety of migratory birds. Spring migrants, including waterfowl and warblers, are most numerous in May. Early fall migrants, including shorebirds and sparrows, are most abundant in September. Peak waterfowl numbers occur in late October. Following are five recommended areas to observe birds on the Refuge. 1. Prairie Chicken and Sharp-tailed Grouse. Viewing blinds for their spectacular dances on the booming grounds are provided in April and early May. The remainder of the year, the birds can be found by roaming the vast grasslands of the Refuge. Try searching the hills near North Marsh Lakes. 2. East Twin Lake. This is a great area to view shorebirds during spring and summer. Easy access to the area allows for convenient birding. 3. North Marsh Lake. This area is an excellent location to view grebes during the summer. Eared, western, pied-billed, and maybe even horned grebes, can be seen. 4. Hackberry and Pelican Lakes. Opportunities to view ducks and geese, especially during the peak of spring and fall migration, can be found here. Watch for pintail, mallard, ruddy, canvasback, and many more. Take a walk up to the old fire tower on the west end of Hackberry Lake for a view of the Sandhills and a look at grassland sparrows. 5. Duck Lake. Go directly west of the boat launch to find an oasis for songbirds. Watch for warblers, blue and black-headed grosbeaks, Lazuli buntings, eastern bluebirds, and many more. The following list contains 270 species that have been sighted on the Refuge. Species known to nest on the Refuge are marked with an "*". The relative abundance of each species at each season is coded as follows: Sp - March-May S - June-August F - September-November W - December-February

2 a - abundant: common species, very abundant c - common: likely to be seen in suitable habitat u - uncommon: present, but not certain to be seen o - occasional: seen only a few times during a season r - rare: seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years LOONS Sp S F W Common Loon r r r - GREBES Sp S F W Horned Grebe r - r - Eared Grebe* u c u - Western Grebe* u c u - Clark's Grebe* r r r - Pied-billed Grebe* u c u - PELICANS, CORMORANTS Sp S F W American White Pelican c a c - Brown Pelican - r - - Double-crested Cormorant* u a c - WADING BIRDS Sp S F W Least Bittern* - o - - American Bittern* u c u - Black-crowned Night-Heron* u c - - Green Heron - r - - Little Blue Heron - r - - Cattle Egret* u o - - Snowy Egret o o - - Great Egret - o - - Great Blue Heron u c c - IBIS Sp S F W White-faced Ibis* - u - - SWANS, GEESE, DUCKS Sp S F W Tundra Swan (Whistling Swan) r - r - Trumpeter Swan* o o r r Canada Goose* c c c o Greater White-fronted Goose o - o - Snow Goose o - o - Mallard* a a a o American Black Duck o r r - Gadwall* a c a - Northern Pintail* c c c - Green-winged Teal* c u c -

3 Blue-winged Teal* a a a - Cinnamon Teal o r - - Eurasian Wigeon r - r - American Wigeon* c u c - Northern Shoveler* a c a - Wood Duck* u u u - Redhead* c u c - Ring-necked Duck u r u - Canvasback* u u u - Greater Scaup r - r - Lesser Scaup c - c - Common Goldeneye o - - u Barrow's Goldeneye r - r - Bufflehead c - c o Harlequin Duck r - r - Ruddy Duck* c c c - Hooded Merganser o - o - Common Merganser c - c o Red-breasted Merganser r - r - RAPTORS Sp S F W Turkey Vulture o o o - Northern Goshawk r Sharp-shinned Hawk o - o u Cooper's Hawk o r o u Red-tailed Hawk* u o u u Red-shouldered Hawk r - r - Broad-winged Hawk r - r - Swainson's Hawk* u u u - Rough-legged Hawk u - u c Ferruginous Hawk o r o r Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) u c c u Golden Eagle u - u u Bald Eagle u - u u Osprey o - o - Gyrfalcon r Prairie Falcon o - o u Peregrine Falcon r - r r Merlin o - o o American Kestrel* u u u o GAME BIRDS Sp S F W Greater Prairie-Chicken* c c c c Sharp-tailed Grouse* c c c c Northern Bobwhite* r r r r Ring-necked Pheasant* c c c c

4 Gray Partridge r r r r Wild Turkey* c c c u CRANES Sp S F W Whooping Crane r - r - Sandhill Crane c - c - RAILS, COOTS Sp S F W Virginia Rail* c c c - Sora* c c c - Yellow Rail r Black Rail r r - - Common Moorhen* r r r - American Coot* a a a - SHOREBIRDS Sp S F W Semipalmated Plover r - r - Piping Plover o - o - Killdeer* c c c - Black-bellied Plover r - r - Common Snipe* u u u r Long-billed Curlew* o u o - Upland Sandpiper* c c c - Spotted Sandpiper u u u - Solitary Sandpiper o - o - Willet* u u u - Greater Yellowlegs u o u - Lesser Yellowlegs u u u - Red Knot r - r - Pectoral Sandpiper u - u - White-rumped Sandpiper u - u - Baird's Sandpiper c - u - Least Sandpiper u u u - Dunlin r - r - Short-billed Dowitcher u u u - Long-billed Dowitcher u u u - Ruddy Turnstone o o - - Stilt Sandpiper o - o - Semipalmated Sandpiper u - u - Western Sandpiper u - u - Marbled Godwit u - r - Hudsonian Godwit r r - - Sanderling r - r - American Avocet* u u u - Wilson's Phalarope* c c c - Red-necked Phalarope r - r -

5 GULLS, TERNS Sp S F W Herring Gull o California Gull u - u - Ring-billed Gull c c c - Franklin's Gull o o o - Bonaparte's Gull r - r - Forster's Tern* c c c - Common Tern c c c - Least Tern r r r - Caspian Tern r Black Tern* a a - - DOVES Sp S F W Mourning Dove* c c c - CUCKOOS Sp S F W Yellow-billed Cuckoo* u u - - Black-billed Cuckoo* o o - - OWLS Sp S F W Eastern Screech-Owl* u u u u Great Horned Owl* c c c c Snowy Owl r Burrowing Owl* o o - - Barred Owl r - r r Long-eared Owl r r r - Short-eared Owl* u u u u Northern Saw-whet Owl* o o o - NIGHTJARS Sp S F W Common Poorwill r r - - Common Nighthawk* u u - - SWIFTS Sp S F W Chimney Swift o o o - HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W Ruby-throated Hummingbird r - r - KINGFISHERS Sp S F W Belted Kingfisher* u u u u FLICKERS, WOODPECKERS Sp S F W Northern Flicker* c c c c Red-bellied Woodpecker r - - -

6 Red-headed Woodpecker* u o - - Lewis' Woodpecker - - r - Yellow-bellied Sapsucker r - r - Hairy Woodpecker* u - u u Downy Woodpecker* u u u u TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W Eastern Kingbird* c c c - Western Kingbird* c c c - Great Crested Flycatcher* u u - - Western Wood-Pewee o Eastern Phoebe r Say's Phoebe r o - - Cordillaran Flycatcher r Willow Flycatcher o o o - Least Flycatcher r LARKS Sp S F W Horned Lark* u u u u SWALLOWS Sp S F W Tree Swallow* u o o - Bank Swallow o o o - Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u u u - Barn Swallow* c c c - Cliff Swallow o - o - JAYS, MAGPIES, CROWS Sp S F W Blue Jay* u u o o Black-billed Magpie* o o o o American Crow* o o o o CHICKADEES, NUTHATCHES, CREEPERS Sp S F W Black-capped Chickadee* u u u u White-breasted Nuthatch r - o o Red-breasted Nuthatch r - o o Pygmy Nuthatch r Brown Creeper r - o o WRENS Sp S F W House Wren* o o o - Winter Wren r - r - Marsh Wren* c c - - Sedge Wren r r r - MOCKINGBIRDS, THRASHERS Sp S F W

7 Northern Mockingbird o r o - Gray Catbird* o o o - Brown Thrasher* u u u - THRUSHES Sp S F W American Robin* c c c u Wood Thrush r - r - Hermit Thrush u - u - Swainson's Thrush o Gray-cheeked Thrush o Veery o Eastern Bluebird* r r r - Mountain Bluebird o o o - Townsend's Solitaire r - o u KINGLETS Sp S F W Golden-crowned Kinglet r - r o Ruby-crowned Kinglet r - r o PIPITS Sp S F W American Pipit (Water Pipit) o - o - WAXWINGS Sp S F W Bohemian Waxwing u - r - Cedar Waxwing o u o - SHRIKES Sp S F W Northern Shrike u - u u Loggerhead Shrike* u u u u STARLINGS Sp S F W European Starling* o o o o VIREOS Sp S F W Bell's Vireo* o o o - Red-eyed Vireo* u u u - Warbling Vireo* u u u - WARBLERS Sp S F W Black-and-white Warbler r - r - Prothonotary Warbler r Blue-winged Warbler r - r - Golden-winged Warbler r Tennessee Warbler r Orange-crowned Warbler o - o - Nashville Warbler o - o -

8 Yellow Warbler* u u - - Yellow-rumped Warbler c - c - Black-throated Gray Warbler r - r - Blackburnian Warbler r - r - Bay-breasted Warbler r Blackpoll Warbler r - r - Palm Warbler r - r - Ovenbird* r r r - Northern Waterthrush u u u - Macgillivray's Warbler r Common Yellowthroat* u c o - Yellow-breasted Chat* u u o - Mourning Warbler r Wilson's Warbler r - r - Canada Warbler r American Redstart* o o o - WEAVER FINCHES Sp S F W House Sparrow* r r r r MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS, ORIOLES Sp S F W Bobolink* u u - - Eastern Meadowlark* c c c o Western Meadowlark* c c c o Yellow-headed Blackbird* c c c - Red-winged Blackbird* a a a o Orchard Oriole* u u u - Northern Oriole* o u o - Brewer's Blackbird* o o o - Common Grackle* c c c - Brown-headed Cowbird* u u u - TANAGERS Sp S F W Scarlet Tanager r Western Tanager r - r - Summer Tanager r GROSBEAKS, FINCHES, SPARROWS, BUNTINGS Sp S F W Northern Cardinal u u o o Rose-breasted Grosbeak o Black-headed Grosbeak o Blue Grosbeak r Indigo Bunting o - o - Lazuli Bunting o o o - Evening Grosbeak r - - r Dickcissel* u u - -

9 Purple Finch o House Finch o Common Redpoll o - o o Pine Siskin u - u - American Goldfinch* u u u - Red Crossbill r - r - Rufous-sided Towhee* u u - - Lark Bunting* u u - - Savannah Sparrow o o o - Grasshopper Sparrow* u u u - Baird's Sparrow o r o - Henslow's Sparrow u Le Conte's Sparrow o - o - Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow r - r - Vesper Sparrow* u u u - Lark Sparrow* u u u - Dark-eyed Junco c - c c American Tree Sparrow c - c c Chipping Sparrow* u u u - Clay-colored Sparrow* o - o r Field Sparrow* o o o r Harris' Sparrow u - u - White-crowned Sparrow u - u - White-throated Sparrow u - u - Fox Sparrow o - o - Lincoln's Sparrow r - r - Swamp Sparrow r r r - Song Sparrow* o o o o McCown's Longspur o - o o Lapland Longspur o - o o Chestnut-collared Longspur* o o o o For further information contact: Refuge Manager Fort Niobrara - Valentine NWR Complex HC 14, Box 67 Valentine, Nebraska Telephone: 402/ This resource is based on the following source: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Valentine National Wildlife Refuge birds, Valentine, Nebraska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page.