1. Bur Oak Picnic Area. A year-round hot spot for viewing songbirds and raptors.

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1 Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge Valentine, Nebraska Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, located 4 miles east of Valentine, Nebraska, is 19,131 acres in size and was established in The Niobrara River meanders through the Refuge and has cut a deep canyon through the prairie. The canyon and central location of the Refuge in the continent bring parts of five ecosystems together, the northern boreal forest, Rocky Mountain forest, eastern deciduous forest, tall grass and short grass prairies. Many birds are attracted to the Refuge by the varied habitats. Many neotropical migrants are found in wooded breaks along the river. Additionally, many species of sparrows, a challenge for the bird watcher to identify, can be found in the rolling prairie. Raptors soar above the hills and canyon edges. Following are five recommended areas to observe birds on the Refuge. You may also want to stop at the visitor center to check on recent sightings or tips. 1. Bur Oak Picnic Area. A year-round hot spot for viewing songbirds and raptors. 2. Fort Falls Trail. A great way to enter the Niobrara canyon without bushwhacking through dense vegetation. 3. Niobrara Wilderness. A place for the adventurous bird watcher. Plan on four hours of hiking to the best spots for neotropical migrants. 4. Exhibition Pasture Ponds. Look for waterfowl, geese, and grebes. Visit the nearby prairie dog town for a look at the burrowing owl. 5. Cornell Canoe Launch. Go directly west of the launch to find an oasis for songbirds. Watch for warblers, blue and black-headed grosbeaks, Lazuli buntings, eastern bluebirds, and many more. This folder lists 225 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 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

2 GREBES Sp S F W Horned Grebe o r o - Eared Grebe o - o - Western Grebe r - r - Clark's Grebe r - r - Pied-billed Grebe o r r - PELICANS AND CORMORANTS Sp S F W American White Pelican o o o - Double-crested Cormorant o c o - WADING BIRDS Sp S F W Great Blue Heron c c c u Green Heron r r r - Black-crowned Night-Heron u o u - American Bittern o o o - IBIS Sp S F W White-faced Ibis* - u - - SWANS, GEESE AND DUCKS Sp S F W Trumpeter Swan r - r - Canada Goose* c c c c Greater White-fronted Goose o - o - Snow Goose o - o - Mallard* c u c c Gadwall* u o u - Northern Pintail* u o u - Green-winged Teal u o u - Blue-winged Teal* c u c - Cinnamon Teal r - r - American Wigeon u o u - Northern Shoveler* c o c - Wood Duck* u u u - Redhead* c o c - Ring-necked Duck c r c - Canvasback u o o - Lesser Scaup c - c - Common Goldeneye u - u u Bufflehead u - u - Ruddy Duck u - u - Hooded Merganser o - o - Common Merganser c - c - Red-breasted Merganser r - r - VULTURES, HAWKS, EAGLES AND FALCONS Sp S F W

3 Turkey Vulture c c c - Northern Goshawk r Sharp-shinned Hawk u o u u Cooper's Hawk o o o o Red-tailed Hawk* c c c r Red-shouldered Hawk r - r - Broad-winged Hawk r - r - Swainson's Hawk* u u u - Rough-legged Hawk c - c u Ferruginous Hawk r - r r Northern Harrier (Marsh Hawk) c u c r Golden Eagle u r u u Bald Eagle u - u c Osprey o r o - Prairie Falcon u - u - Peregrine Falcon r - r - Merlin o o o - American Kestrel* c c c o GAME BIRDS Sp S F W Ruffed Grouse r r r r Greater Prairie-Chicken* u u u u Sharp-tailed Grouse* u u u u Northern Bobwhite* r r r r Ring-necked Pheasant* c c c c Gray Partridge r r r r Wild Turkey* c c c u CRANES Sp S F W Whooping Crane r - r - Sandhill Crane u - u - RAILS AND COOTS Sp S F W Virginia Rail r r r - Sora r r r - American Coot o o o - SHOREBIRDS Sp S F W Semipalmated Plover o - o - Piping Plover o - o - Killdeer* c c c - Common Snipe u o u - Long-billed Curlew* c c u - Upland Sandpiper* c c u - Spotted Sandpiper u u u - Solitary Sandpiper o o o -

4 Willet u o u - Greater Yellowlegs u o o - Lesser Yellowlegs u o u - Pectoral Sandpiper o o o - White-rumped Sandpiper o - o - Baird's Sandpiper u o u - Least Sandpiper u o u - Dunlin r - r - Long-billed Dowitcher u o u - Western Sandpiper u o u - Marbled Godwit o - r - American Avocet o r o - Wilson's Phalarope u - u - GULLS AND TERNS Sp S F W California Gull r Ring-billed Gull u o c - Franklin's Gull u o u - Forster's Tern u o u - Common Tern u o u - Black Tern u o u - DOVES Sp S F W Mourning Dove* c c c - CUCKOOS Sp S F W Yellow-billed Cuckoo o u - - Black-billed Cuckoo* o o - - OWLS Sp S F W Eastern Screech-Owl* u u u u Great Horned Owl* u u u u Snowy Owl r Burrowing Owl* c c c - Long-eared Owl o o o - Short-eared Owl u u u u NIGHTJARS Sp S F W Common Poorwill - r - - Common Nighthawk* o c - - SWIFTS Sp S F W Chimney Swift o o o - HUMMINGBIRDS Sp S F W Ruby-throated Hummingbird - r - -

5 KINGFISHERS Sp S F W Belted Kingfisher* c c c - FLICKERS AND WOODPECKERS Sp S F W Northern Flicker* c c c - Red-headed Woodpecker* u c u - Hairy Woodpecker* c c c c Downy Woodpecker* u c u u TYRANT FLYCATCHERS Sp S F W Eastern Kingbird* c c c - Western Kingbird* c c c - Scissor-tailed Flycatcher - r - - Great Crested Flycatcher* c c u - Olive-sided Flycatcher o o o - Eastern Wood-Pewee o u o - Western Wood-Pewee* o o o - Eastern Phoebe* u u u - Say's Phoebe* u r u - Cordillaran Flycatcher r Willow Flycatcher o o o - Alder Flycatcher o o o - LARKS Sp S F W Horned Lark* c c c c SWALLOWS Sp S F W Tree Swallow* u u u - Purple Martin r r - - Bank Swallow u o u - Northern Rough-winged Swallow* u c u - Barn Swallow* c c c - Cliff Swallow* c c c - JAYS, MAGPIES AND CROWS Sp S F W Blue Jay* c c c c Steller's Jay r Clark's Nutcracker r Black-billed Magpie* r r r r American Crow* c c c c CHICKADEES, NUTHATCHES AND CREEPERS Sp S F W Black-capped Chickadee* c c c c White-breasted Nuthatch* u u u u Red-breasted Nuthatch r r r o

6 Brown Creeper r r r u WRENS Sp S F W House Wren* c c c - Marsh Wren o o o - Sedge Wren o o o - Rock Wren* u u u - MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS Sp S F W Northern Mockingbird* o o - - Gray Catbird* u o u - Brown Thrasher* c c c - THRUSHES Sp S F W American Robin* c c c o Wood Thrush o - o - Swainson's Thrush o - o - Gray-cheeked Thrush o - o - Eastern Bluebird* c u u - Mountain Bluebird o o o - Townsend's Solitaire o o o - KINGLETS Sp S F W Ruby-crowned Kinglet u - u - PIPITS Sp S F W American Pipit (Water Pipit) u - u - WAXWINGS Sp S F W Bohemian Waxwing u - u u Cedar Waxwing u u u u SHRIKES Sp S F W Northern Shrike - - o - Loggerhead Shrike c c c - STARLINGS Sp S F W European Starling* c c c o VIREOS Sp S F W Bell's Vireo* u u u - Red-eyed Vireo* u u u - Warbling Vireo* u u u - WARBLERS Sp S F W Black-and-white Warbler* u u u -

7 Prothonotary Warbler o o o - Golden-winged Warbler o o o - Tennessee Warbler o - o - Orange-crowned Warbler c o c - Yellow Warbler* c c c - Yellow-rumped Warbler c - c - Blackburnian Warbler r Blackpoll Warbler o - o - Palm Warbler r r r - Ovenbird* u u u - Connecticut Warbler r - r - Common Yellowthroat* c c c - Yellow-breasted Chat* c c c - Wilson's Warbler u - u - American Redstart* u u u - WEAVER FINCHES Sp S F W House Sparrow* c c c c MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS AND ORIOLES Sp S F W Bobolink u - u - Eastern Meadowlark* o o o - Western Meadowlark* c c c o Yellow-headed Blackbird u u u - Red-winged Blackbird* u u u r Orchard Oriole* c c c - Northern Oriole* u u u - Rusty Blackbird o - o - Brewer's Blackbird* u u u - Common Grackle* c c c - Brown-headed Cowbird* c c c - TANAGERS Sp S F W Scarlet Tanager* u u u - Western Tanager o o o - GROSBEAKS, FINCHES, SPARROWS AND BUNTINGS Sp S F W Northern Cardinal u u u u Rose-breasted Grosbeak o o o - Black-headed Grosbeak* u c u - Blue Grosbeak* u u u - Indigo Bunting u u u - Lazuli Bunting u - u - Evening Grosbeak u Dickcissel u u u - Common Redpoll u

8 Pine Siskin* c u c o American Goldfinch c c c c Red Crossbill o o o o House Finch o o o o Rufous-sided Towhee* c c c - Lark Bunting u u u - Savannah Sparrow* u o u - Grasshopper Sparrow* c c c - Baird's Sparrow r - r - Vesper Sparrow* u o u u Lark Sparrow* c c c - Dark-eyed Junco c - c c American Tree Sparrow u - u u Chipping Sparrow* c c c - Clay-colored Sparrow u o u - Field Sparrow* u u u - Harris' Sparrow u o u o White-crowned Sparrow c o c - White-throated Sparrow u - u - Fox Sparrow r - r - Lincoln's Sparrow u - u - Song Sparrow u o u - McCown's Longspur u - u - Lapland Longspur u - u u Chestnut-collared Longspur o - o - For more 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. No date. Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge birds, Valentine, Nebraska. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Unpaginated. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Home Page. (Version 22MAY98).