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Share your observations of plants or non-game animals with the Natural Heritage Inventory.
Help care for rare plants and animals by ordering an Endangered Resources plate.
- Contact information
- For information on Wisconsin's rare animals, contact:
- Rich Staffen
Conservation Biologist
608-266-4340
Wisconsin's rare birds
Birds on Wisconsin's Natural Heritage Working List – last revised May 2016. Life history, where they are found in the state, photos and management information is available for many of these species. Please consider sharing your observations [exit DNR] with the Wisconsin Natural Heritage Inventory
Many bird avoidance dates have changed, we are in the process of making these consistent across all documents, but for the most recent dates please go to the bird calendar. The bird calendar contains required (Avoidance Period) and recommended (Conservation Period) dates for avoiding impacts to rare Wisconsin birds when planning management or development activities.
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Global Rank |
State Rank |
Federal Status |
WI Status |
WWAP | Mapped in NHI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accipiter gentilis | Northern Goshawk | G5 | S2B,S2N | SOC | SC/M | SGCN | Y |
| Ammodramus henslowii | Henslow's Sparrow | G4 | S2S3B | SOC | THR | SGCN | Y |
| Ammodramus leconteii | Le Conte's Sparrow | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Ammodramus nelsoni | Nelson's Sparrow | G5 | S1B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Ammodramus savannarum | Grasshopper Sparrow | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Anas acuta | Northern Pintail | G5 | S3N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Anas americana | American Wigeon | G5 | S3N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Anas rubripes | American Black Duck | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Antrostomus vociferus | Eastern Whip-poor-will | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Ardea alba | Great Egret | G5 | S2B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Asio flammeus | Short-eared Owl | G5 | S1B,S3N | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Asio otus | Long-eared Owl | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Bartramia longicauda | Upland Sandpiper | G5 | S2B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Botaurus lentiginosus | American Bittern | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Bucephala clangula | Common Goldeneye | G5 | S2B,S5N | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Buteo lineatus | Red-shouldered Hawk | G5 | S3S4B,S1N | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Calidris canutus rufa | Red Knot | G4T2 | S1N | LT | SC/FL | SGCN | N |
| Cardellina canadensis | Canada Warbler | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Cardellina pusilla | Wilson's Warbler | G5 | SUB,S4N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Catharus ustulatus | Swainson's Thrush | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Charadrius melodus | Piping Plover | G3 | S1B | LE | END | SGCN | Y |
| Chlidonias niger | Black Tern | G4G5 | S2B | SOC | END | SGCN | Y |
| Chondestes grammacus | Lark Sparrow | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Chordeiles minor | Common Nighthawk | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Circus hudsonius | Northern Harrier | G5 | S3B,S2N | m-SIN | N | ||
| Coccothraustes vespertinus | Evening Grosbeak | G5 | S2B,S2N | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Coccyzus americanus | Yellow-billed Cuckoo | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Colinus virginianus | Northern Bobwhite | G4G5 | S1B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Contopus cooperi | Olive-sided Flycatcher | G4 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Coturnicops noveboracensis | Yellow Rail | G4 | S1B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Dolichonyx oryzivorus | Bobolink | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Empidonax minimus | Least Flycatcher | G5 | S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Empidonax virescens | Acadian Flycatcher | G5 | S3B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Euphagus carolinus | Rusty Blackbird | G4 | S2B,S2N | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Euphagus cyanocephalus | Brewer's Blackbird | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Falcipennis canadensis | Spruce Grouse | G5 | S1S2 | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Falco peregrinus | Peregrine Falcon | G4 | S1S2B | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Gavia immer | Common Loon | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Geothlypis formosa | Kentucky Warbler | G5 | S1S2B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Grus americana | Whooping Crane | G1 | SXB | NEP | SC/FL | SGCN | N |
| Helmitheros vermivorum | Worm-eating Warbler | G5 | S1B | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Himantopus mexicanus | Black-necked Stilt | G5 | S1B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Hydroprogne caspia | Caspian Tern | G5 | S1B,S2N | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Hylocichla mustelina | Wood Thrush | G4 | S4B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Icteria virens | Yellow-breasted Chat | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Ixobrychus exilis | Least Bittern | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Lanius ludovicianus | Loggerhead Shrike | G4 | S1B | SOC | END | SGCN | Y |
| Loxia curvirostra | Red Crossbill | G5 | SUB,S2N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Loxia leucoptera | White-winged Crossbill | G5 | SUB,S2N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Melanerpes erythrocephalus | Red-headed Woodpecker | G5 | S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Nyctanassa violacea | Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | G5 | S1B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Nycticorax nycticorax | Black-crowned Night-Heron | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Oporornis agilis | Connecticut Warbler | G4G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Parkesia motacilla | Louisiana Waterthrush | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Perisoreus canadensis | Gray Jay | G5 | S2S3 | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Phalaropus tricolor | Wilson's Phalarope | G5 | S1B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Picoides arcticus | Black-backed Woodpecker | G5 | S1S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Podiceps grisegena | Red-necked Grebe | G5 | S1B | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Poecile hudsonicus | Boreal Chickadee | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Pooecetes gramineus | Vesper Sparrow | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Progne subis | Purple Martin | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Protonotaria citrea | Prothonotary Warbler | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Rallus elegans | King Rail | G4 | S1B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Regulus calendula | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Scolopax minor | American Woodcock | G5 | S3S4B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Setophaga cerulea | Cerulean Warbler | G4 | S2S3B | SOC | THR | SGCN | Y |
| Setophaga citrina | Hooded Warbler | G5 | S2S3B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Setophaga dominica | Yellow-throated Warbler | G5 | S1B | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Setophaga kirtlandii | Kirtland's Warbler | G3G4 | S1B | LE | END | SGCN | Y |
| Setophaga palmarum | Palm Warbler | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Spiza americana | Dickcissel | G5 | S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Spizella pusilla | Field Sparrow | G5 | S3B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Sterna forsteri | Forster's Tern | G5 | S1B | END | SGCN | Y | |
| Sterna hirundo | Common Tern | G5 | S1B,S2N | SOC | END | SGCN | Y |
| Sturnella magna | Eastern Meadowlark | G5 | S2S3B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Sturnella neglecta | Western Meadowlark | G5 | S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y | |
| Toxostoma rufum | Brown Thrasher | G5 | S4B | m-SIN | N | ||
| Tympanuchus cupido | Greater Prairie-Chicken | G4 | S1 | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Tympanuchus phasianellus | Sharp-tailed Grouse | G5 | S1 | SC/H | SGCN | Y | |
| Vermivora chrysoptera | Golden-winged Warbler | G4 | S3B | SOC | SC/M | SGCN | Y |
| Vireo bellii | Bell's Vireo | G5 | S2B | THR | SGCN | Y | |
| Vireo philadelphicus | Philadelphia Vireo | G5 | SUB,S2N | r-SIN | N | ||
| Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus | Yellow-headed Blackbird | G5 | S1S2B | SC/M | SGCN | Y |
Rank and status: To learn more about species rank and status, see the working list key. WWAP: (Wisconsin Wildlife Action Plan): SGCN (Species of Greatest Conservation Need) and monitoring and ranking SIN (Species with Information Needs). Mapped in NHI: (Natural Heritage Inventory): Y = Observations of these species are mapped into the NHI database.
Last revised: Tuesday, February 19, 2019
