Non-Passerines pages initiated March 20, 2000; Last updated:  February 11, 2003

Chapter 1:

Non-PASSERINES, Part I
(Loons through Ducks)

Jump to:
LOONS -- Red-throated, Pacific, Common -- GREBES -- Pied-billed, Horned, Red-necked, Eared, Western -- SHEARWATERS -- Sooty, Audubon's, Greater -- STORM-PETRELS -- Wilson's -- BOOBIES -- Masked -- GANNETS -- Northern -- PELICANS -- American White, Brown -- CORMORANTS -- Neotropic, Double-crested, Great -- ANHINGA -- Anhinga -- FRIGATEBIRD -- Magnificent -- BITTERNS -- American, Least -- HERONS -- Great Blue, Little Blue, Tricolored, Green, Black-crowned Night-, Yellow-crowned Night- -- EGRETS -- Snowy, Reddish, Cattle -- IBIS -- White, Glossy, White-faced -- SPOONBILL -- Roseate -- STORK -- Wood -- VULTURES -- Black, Turkey -- GEESE -- Greater White-fronted, Snow, Ross's, Canada, Brant -- SWANS -- Trumpeter, Tundra -- DUCKS -- Black-bellied Whistling, Fulvous Whistling, Wood, Gadwall, Eurasian Wigeon, American Wigeon, American Black, Mallard, Mottled, Blue-winged Teal, Cinnamon Teal, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Green-winged Teal, Canvasback, Redhead, Ring-necked, Tufted, Greater Scaup, Lesser Scaup, King Eider, Surf Scoter, White-winged Scoter, Black Scoter, Long-tailed, Bufflehead, Common Goldeneye, Hooded Merganser, Common Merganser, Red-breasted Merganser, Ruddy Duck

Return to Chapter Index for more species

KEY:

LOONS (Gaviiformes Gaviidae)

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)

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Rare/irregular in winter. Accidental in summer.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 28 - April 10, June 14.
First specimen for the state was a bird found dead on Pass Christian beach by JB on January 24, 1999 (Stedman 1999).

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)

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Accidental.

All records:

Common Loon (Gavia immer)

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Recorded all months.

GREBES (Podicipediformes Podicipedidae)

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

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Year round resident (Burleigh 1944). More common in winter. Has nested (Hodges 1987; Toups and Jackson 1987; Turcotte and Watts 1999).

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

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"Noted at rather infrequent intervals" according to Burleigh (1944). Winter resident.
Present in small numbers all year. Much more common (sometimes abundant) November through April.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

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Accidental.

ALL records:

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)

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First specimen collected in the state on March 11, 1962 (Toups and Jackson 1987).
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 22, September 25, October 25--April 11.  New earliest arrival of August 12
(year uncertain) provide by JAT (pers. comm, 8/9/00).

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)

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Accidental. Mississippi's first Aechmophorus grebe "to be satisfactorily distinguished from Clark's Grebe" was found in Madison County, January 26-February 7, 1992 and was seen by TLS, m.ob., (Stedman 1992). No coastal records that I'm aware of.

SHEARWATERS (Procellariformes Procellaridae)

Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus)

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Accidental.

All records:

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Audubon's Shearwater (Puffinus lherminieri)

Accidental.

All records:

STORM-PETRELS (Procellariiformes Hydrobatidae)

Wilson's Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus)

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Accidental.

All records:

BOOBIES and GANNETS (Pelecaniformes Sulidae)

Masked Booby (Sula dactylatra)

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Accidental, though they are probably more prevalent in the Gulf of Mexico than our records indicate. Mississippi's relatively minute offshore "territory" certainly plays a role in limiting our number of Masked Booby records.

All records:

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 10 - April 22.  Have been noted in every month.
High numbers:  68 off Horn Island, Jackson Co. - November 22, 1994 -  KnK, CD, DMc, WMD, (CD, pers. comm)

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

PELICANS (Pelecaniformes Pelecanidae)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

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Only found once during 8 year period in late '30s, early '40s (Burleigh 1944). Present year-round (Toups and Jackson 1987).

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)

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Resident but non-breeder (Burleigh 1944). Toups and Jackson (1987) list breeding as "possible."

CORMORANTS (Pelecaniformes Phalacrocoracidae)

Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)

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Accidental.

Another possible sightings by Ned Boyagian, 7/17/90. "I observed an imm bird at Waveland Lagoon, Hancock Co. - in direct comparison with Double-cresteds. I am satisfied it was this species. However, the I.D. was based solely on size and coloration, the bird's position precluding positive determination of its shape, or pouch configuration. By the time I returned with a 'scope, the bird was gone."

All records:

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

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Common winter resident, but absent nearly 5 summer months (Burleigh 1944).
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): Now present all year, but more common in winter.

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)

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Accidental.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 8 - April 10

All records:

ANHINGAS (Pelecaniformes Anhingidae)

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga)

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Localized year-round occurrence along coast. Breeds.

FRIGATEBIRDS (Pelecaniformes Fregatidae)

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens)

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Summer resident. Has been recorded all year, but in winter is particularly associated with storms and very strong southerly winds.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): Numbers peak May through October.

Spring early dates:

Fall late dates:

Winter records:

HERONS, EGRETS and BITTERNS (Ciconiiformes Ardeidae)

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)

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Winter resident.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 14 - April 26, July 24

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)

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Summer resident.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): March 13 - October 23, December 31.

Spring early dates:

Fall late dates:

Winter records:

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

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Year-round resident.

Great Egret (Ardea alba)

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Year-round resident.

 Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

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Year-round resident.

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

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Spring transient and Summer resident (Burleigh 1944). Now considered year-round resident (Toups and Jackson 1987). First confirmed nesting for the coast was in Harrison County in July 1986 (Toups and Hodges 1986).

Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)

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Year-round resident.

Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens)

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Present all year (particularly around barrier islands), to be expected between July and November onshore. 

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

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Year-round resident. First confirmed nesting for the coast was in Harrison County in July 1986 (Toups and Hodges 1986)

Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): Present year round, but very scarce in winter

Spring early dates:

Fall late dates:

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

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Year-round resident.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

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Year-round resident; rare in winter.  
Maximum number:  300 -- March 16 [year uncertain], fide JAT (pers. comm). 
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): Recorded all months.

IBIS and SPOONBILLS (Ciconiiformes Threskiornithidae)

(Threskiornithinae)

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)

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Year-round resident.

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)

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Accidental, and easily confused with White-faced Ibis (below).

All records:

White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)

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Rare: Year-round resident. Easily confused with Glossy Ibis (above).

All records:

Plegadis species

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Toups and Jackson (1987) state that dark ibises "have been seen on the Mississippi Coast in every month but June and July, and occur annually in small numbers, especially in fall..."

All records:

(Plataleinae)

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja)

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Accidental.

All records:

STORKS (Ciconiiformes Ciconiidae)

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): June 18, September 1 - December 8.  

Fall early dates:

Fall late dates:

NEW WORLD VULTURES (Ciconiiformes Cathartidae)

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

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Year-round resident.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

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Year-round resident.

DUCKS, SWANS, and GEESE (Anseriformes Anatidae)

(Dendrocygninae)

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)

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No coastal records found, though it has been observed in northern Mississippi in July 1996 (Wood 1996) and...

Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor)

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Accidental.

All records:

(Anserinae)

Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 24 - March 13.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 2 - May 29.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Ross's Goose (Anser rossii)

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All records:

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

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Has become much more common here in man-made habitats (golf courses, farmyards, etc.) in recent years. Has nested on the coast (SRSL, spring 2000; SJP, m.ob., pers. observ).
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 6 - April 8. 

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Brant (Branta bernicla)

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Accidental.

All records:

Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)

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No coastal records. First records for state include 2 found on January 10, 1990 in Bolivar Co. (Herbert and Simons 1991).

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)

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Accidental.

Extra sighting of up to 10 swans along Texas Flat Rd, Hancock County, winter 1984 (Toups and Jackson 1987).

All records:

(Anatinae)

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

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Year-round resident.

Gadwall (Anas strepera)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 13 - May 7.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)

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Accidental.

All records:

American Wigeon (Anas americana)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 16, October 14 - May 6.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

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Easily confused with the resident Mottled Duck, with which it was considered conspecific for a time.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 8 - June 17.  

Fall early records:

Spring late records:

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 9 - June 6.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula)

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Year-round resident.

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

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First confirmed nesting record - June 1979 (Toups and Donaldson 1979; J. Jackson 1979a). Rare breeder with other records in 1986 (Jackson and Hodges 1986); 1981 (J. Jackson 1981c,d), 1984 (Hodges and Jackson 1984).
Present all year, though rare and erratic in summer.

Fall early records:

Spring late records:

Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)

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Accidental.

All records:

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 19 - June 5.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 1 - March 12.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 16 - March 26, May 5-8, June 6-30, August 19. 

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer dates:

Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 28 - April 5, June 17-July 29. 

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Redhead (Aythya americana)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 16 - May 5, July 20.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): September 29 - April 10.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula)

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NOT CONSIDERED FOR THE STATE LIST.  A female bird on March 23, 1993 at the Water Valley Sewage Lagoon (Yalobusha Co.) was observed by many people, but the bird was regarded as a possible hybrid with Tufted Duck in its ancestry (TLS, pers. comm).

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 16 - May 24.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

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Summer record in some cases composed of cripples (Jackson and Hodges 1986). Perhaps August 12, 1987 date in Jackson Co. - CD, CC, JRP, (CD, pers. comm) pertains to such a bird???
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): Usually present all year, with most present between November and mid-March.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)

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Accidental. A single wing was procured as part of a duck-wing survey on December 17, 1960 near Pascagoula.  The hunter was L.M. Brister and the wing was later identified by Roxie C. Laybourne of the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Thomas D. Burleigh concurred (Gandy & Turcotte 1970; Toups and Jackson 1987).

Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 19 - May 15, July 2.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer records:

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 25 - April 3.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 17 - April 15.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)

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Formerly known as "Oldsquaw" -- AOU changed the name with the 42nd Supplement to the AOU Checklist (Auk, July, 2000).
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 21 - May 29, July 6.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 1 - April 25. 

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): November 18 - May 11.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): October 20 - April 2.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

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Accidental.
Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): December 19 - January 15. 

All records (by season):

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

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Present all year (Burleigh 1944; Jackson and Schardien 1980b; Toups and Jackson 1987).

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

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Range by Toups and Jackson (1987): August 29, October 2 - May 3.

Fall early dates:

Spring late dates:

Summer dates:

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