Birds

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Taxonomy in the bird checklist follows the seventh edition of the American Ornithologists' Union's Check-list of North American Birds (AOU 1998). The initial state checklist was prepared from Wisconsin Birdlife (Robbins 1991). Gerald Bartelt and Amber Roth (DNR Bureau of Integrated Science Services) provided us with updated occurrence and status information. We also consulted the "official state checklist" of the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO), as published on the organization's web site [Exit DNR], and the reports of Tessen (1989), Robbins, et al. (1996) and Temple, et al. (1997), as well as records published in the Passenger Pigeon through 1999 (vol. 61). Common names follow the AOU (1998) checklist, except in a few cases where we deviate from that checklist and provide what we feel are more descriptive names for orders or families.

Four hundred eight bird species in 56 families are included in the Wisconsin checklist. Four hundred are native to the state and 8 are introduced non-native species. Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus), Whooping Crane (Grus americana), and Kirtland's Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) are listed as endangered species at the federal level. Thirteen bird species are listed as endangered at the state level and 13 others are considered threatened at the state level.

In addition to the standard conservation status codes used in the other checklists in this report (see page 2), we indicate the relative occurrence of all listed bird species. There are a variety of ways in which such information can be categorized, each with its own inherent strengths and weaknesses. Recognizing that not everyone will be pleased with our approach or agree with all of our designations, we indicate the relative occurrence of species using the following codes:

(acc) accidental -: a species whose presence in the state is documented by generally fewer than 3 records and/or that remains questionable as a component of the Wisconsin fauna.
(r) rare -: a species reported from Wisconsin eight or fewer times annually.
(c) casual -: a species reported from Wisconsin only once every 3-5 years.
(m) migrant -: a species that does not breed in Wisconsin, but which is seen during spring/autumn migration periods or during the winter.

Unless designated otherwise (i.e. as "acc" or "m"), species can be considered breeding birds of the state. Bird species designated as rare ("r") are generally migratory species, but there are a handful of rare breeding birds as well. In addition, Robbins, et al. (1996) list 233 breeding species from the state based on evidence of breeding between 1966 and 1991.

Excluded Bird Species

We exclude 15 species, considered species of hypothetical status, from the checklist. Robbins (1991) also considers most of these species to be hypothetical.

The Wisconsin Ornithological Literature

The literature dealing with the life history, ecology, distribution, status, phenology, and biology of Wisconsin birds is extensive. Papers and notes have been published in a wide variety of ornithology, ecology, zoology and wildlife management outlets, as well as numerous government agency reports. The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology publishes a quarterly journal, The Passenger Pigeon, focusing exclusively on Wisconsin birds. Much of the Wisconsin's ornithological literature is cataloged in Robbins' (1991) Wisconsin Birdlife. However, no comprehensive bibliography of more recent works dealing with Wisconsin birds has been compiled.

Bird Survey and Atlas Efforts

The Wisconsin Breeding Bird Atlas (WBBA) is an on-going project administered by the Wisconsin Society for Ornithology (WSO). The WBBA began in the spring of 1995. The WBBA provides a permanent record of the bird species breeding in the state, increases our knowledge of the distribution, nesting phenology, habitat preferences, and abundance of Wisconsin breeding birds, and provides baseline data for monitoring future changes in bird populations. WBBA data also can be used to provide comparisons with historical studies, complement existing or on-going avian monitoring programs in Wisconsin and in nearby states, and assist international efforts to preserve Neotropical migratory birds. Information about the WBBA and the results of atlas efforts can be viewed at the project's web site [Exit DNR].

The Wisconsin Checklist Project began in 1982 under the direction of Dr. Stanley Temple, with sponsorship of the WSO and has been administered by the DNR since 1989. The project relies on simple checklist information provided by volunteer bird watchers. Participants submit weekly checklists of the birds they encountered in their respective regions of the state. From these records, reporting frequencies are calculated - i.e. the percentage of the weekly checklists on which the species has been reported during a particular period of time and in a particular region of the state (Temple, et al. 1997). These reporting frequencies form the basis for seasonal, geographical, and historical analyses of the distribution and abundances of bird populations in Wisconsin. Data from the first five years of the project are summarized in Temple and Cary (1987) and for the first 14 years in Temple, et al. (1997).

Staff members in the DNR's Bureaus of Endangered Resources, Integrated Science Services, and Wildlife Management conduct a number of recurrent Wildlife Surveys. These surveys generally include population status information, harvest summaries, population analyses, and hunter surveys, as well as analysis of wildlife damage claims and nuisance complaints. Semi-annual Wildlife Survey Reports are prepared for each survey effort and are distributed to managers, researchers, administrators, and other DNR employees. Wildlife Survey Reports are intended to provide current survey information for management decisions. Thus, these reports provide current data and enough interpretation to understand the results (i.e. they are not intended to be definitive analyses of all survey data that has been collected). The surveys and the resulting reports allow the DNR to use the most current information to manage birds, including establishing harvest limits and seasons that are scientifically defensible. Through these surveys, the DNR has obtained a considerable amount of information on waterfowl, upland game birds, and a variety of endangered and threatened species. The DNR has also conducted breeding bird surveys on state natural areas, and now includes bird survey work as part of the master planning process for its larger properties.

In addition to these statewide efforts, there are several broader efforts that gather data on Wisconsin birds. The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) is a large-scale roadside survey, primarily covering the continental United States and southern Canada, although survey routes have recently been initiated in Alaska and northern Mexico. The BBS was started in 1966, and the over 3,500 routes are surveyed by experienced birders each June. The primary objective of the BBS has been the estimation of population change for songbirds. However, the data have many potential uses, and investigators have used the data to address a variety of research and management objectives. Results are summarized on the BBS web site [Exit DNR], where they are supplemented with pictures of birds and other species information.

The National Audubon Society's Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is an early-winter survey of birds. Initiated in 1900, the CBC occurs throughout North America. The sample area for a count is a circle 15 miles in diameter. Varying numbers of volunteers count all birds they see within the circle during a single day, within approximately 2 weeks of 25 December. The CBS is available by order from the National Audubon Society or from the BirdSource web site (see below) For additional information on the CBC, refer to the CBC web site [Exit DNR].

BirdSource is an interactive on-line information system designed and managed by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. Citizen participants record and share bird counts. Their data help define bird ranges, populations, migration pathways, and habitat needs. BirdSource uses contributed data to track and display the density and movement of birds similar to how meteorologists track the weather. More information can be found on the BirdSource web site [Exit DNR].

Bird Species List