BIRDSOF

TEXAS PARKS AND WILDLIFE

A FIELD CHECKLIST2016

G O O S E I S L A N DS T A T E P A R K

Cover: Illustration of Reddish Egret by Jeremy Boehm.

checklist area map

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INTRODUCTION

Goose Island State Park, Aransas County, is situated in the great Central Flyway at the southern tip of Lamar Peninsula. It is on the shores of Aransas and St. Charles Bays just west of the

Aransas National Wildlife Refuge. Park habitats include shallow waters of the open bays, shorelines and mudflats, marshes, meadows, live oak mottes and dense shrub thickets with yaupon, American beautyberry, agarito, redbay, grape, poison ivy, bumelia, prickly-ash, greenbriar and others. A paved park road traverses several of these habitats and leads to the Big Tree, The State Champion coastal live oak. The habitat variety at Goose Island State Park makes it a good place to observe water birds, waterfowl, shorebirds and passerines both in migration and in residence. During spring migration, the live oaks attract many passerines; warblers can be especially abundant. Hawks and falcons can be seen flying overhead. Bird observations may be particularly rewarding during the wet cold fronts of spring. During migration periods and low tide conditions, marshes and shores are especially good for shorebird sightings. St. Charles Bay, the shallowest of the area bays, provides good feeding for shorebirds. The marshes are good for rails and gallinules. Swallows can be observed flying overhead. The winter bird population is excellent and varied. Aransas Bay has goldeneyes, Lesser Scaup, various other ducks, Common Loons, Eared Grebes and Double-crested Cormorants. St. Charles Bay, being shallow, attracts the dabblers: gadwalls, pintails, teals, wigeons, shovelers, and redheads; American White Pelicans are found across the bay on sand spits near the Aransas Refuge. On occasions, a family of Whooping Cranes can be seen feeding. Snow and Canada geese feed and rest in the bays; Herring, Ring-billed, Bonaparte’s and Laughing gulls are found in winter over the water, as are Forster’s, Royal and Caspian terns. Some of the breeding birds in the marshes and on the shores and islands are: Pied-billed Grebe, Least Bitterns, herons and egrets,

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Roseate Spoonbills, Mottled Ducks, Black-belled Whistling-Ducks, Clapper Rails, Killdeer and Willets, Wilson’s Plovers, Laughing Gulls and six species of terns, Seaside Sparrows and Red-winged Blackbirds. Some of the birds that nest in the Oaks and open areas are: Inca Doves, Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, Purple Martins, Black-crested Titmouse, Carolina Wrens, White-eyed Vireos, Northern Cardinals, Painted Buntings, Lark Sparrows, Eastern Meadowlarks and Great-tailed Grackles. Bird observation and study at Goose Island State Park is always good, but is especially rewarding during low tides or during migration. This checklist includes only those species that have been ob-served in the park or passing overhead or from Lamar Peninsula and the immediate environs of Aransas, St. Charles and Copano Bays. Nomenclature and organization follow the A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th edition (1998) as supplemented. This list was compiled by members of the Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi, who made spring and winter counts of the area for several years, and includes many sightings turned in by park visitors. The Checklist Com-mittee included Dennis Haessly; Ray Little; Hilde Kaigler; Jim and Sally Lockwood; and Cullen S. Reeves. Jr. A special note of appreciation is extended to Ruthie Melton for her contribution to the 1993 checklist from which the current edition is based. Because we are interested in maintaining and revising this checklist, we solicit your help and ask that you share new and unusual sightings and/or comments on the status of the park’s birdlife with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. You may leave your sight-ings at the park headquarters or mail them to the Natural Resources Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744.

Please help protect natural avian communities by refraining from using playback tapes of bird songs. Frequent use of these tapes alters normal avian activity patterns, disrupts essential territorial behavior, and may lead to nest failure. Thank you for your cooperation.

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LEGENDSeason/AbundanceS = Summer – birds that come in summer and are presumed to breed –

March through October.W = Winter – birds that come for the winter season – November through

March. Some arriving as early as July and some leaving as late as June.R = Resident – the bird is found throughout the year.M = Migrant – a bird whose stay may be brief in spring and fall, while

enroute between its summer and winter homes.c = common – should be seen in proper habitat during season noted.u = uncommon – may be seen in proper habitat during season noted.r = rare – unlikely to be seen even in proper habitat during season noted.ca = casual – a few records per decade.i = irregular – great variation in numbers for the same season from one

year to the next.Acc = Accidental – not expected to recur.* = nesting/breeding documented.

CHECKLIST

SWANS, GEESE AND DUCKS

____ *Black-bellied Whistling-Duck .................................................. Rc____ Fulvous Whistling-Duck ............................................................. Su____ Greater White-fronted Goose .....................................................Wr____ Snow Goose ..............................................................................Wr____ Canada Goose ...........................................................................Wr____ Tundra Swan ............................................................................Acc____ Wood Duck ............................................................................... Wi____ Gadwall .................................................................................... Wu____ American Wigeon ..................................................................... Wu____ Mallard ......................................................................................Wr____ *Mottled Duck ........................................................................... Rc____ Blue-winged Teal ................................................................Mc; Wc____ Cinnamon Teal ..........................................................................Wr____ Northern Shoveler .................................................................... Wc

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____ Northern Pintail ....................................................................... Wc____ Green-winged Teal ................................................................... Wu____ Canvasback .............................................................................. Wu____ Redhead.................................................................................... Wc____ Ring-necked Duck ................................................................... Wu____ Greater Scaup ...........................................................................Wr____ Lesser Scaup ............................................................................ Wc____ White-winged Scoter ...............................................................Wca ____ Long-tailed Duck ........................................................................ca____ Bufflehead ................................................................................ Wc____ Common Goldeneye ................................................................. Wc____ Hooded Merganser ...................................................................Wr____ Red-breasted Merganser .......................................................... Wc____ Common Merganser .................................................................Acc____ Masked Duck ...........................................................................Acc____ Ruddy Duck ............................................................................. Wu

QUAILS

____ *Northern Bobwhite .................................................................. Rr

TURKEYS

____ Wild Turkey ............................................................................... Rr

LOONS

____ Red-throated Loon ...................................................................Acc____ Common Loon .......................................................................... Wc

GREBES

____ *Least Grebe .............................................................................. Rr____ *Pied-billed Grebe ..................................................................... Rc____ Horned Grebe ............................................................................Wr____ Eared Grebe .............................................................................. Wi____ Western Grebe .........................................................................Acc

FLAMINGOS

____ American Flamingo ..................................................................Acc

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STORKS

____ Wood Stork ................................................................................ M

FRIGATEBIRDS

____ Magnificent Frigatebird ....................................................... Su; Wr

GANNETS AND BOOBIES

____ Masked Booby .........................................................................Acc

CORMORANTS

____ Neotropic Cormorant ................................................................ Rc____ Double-crested Cormorant ....................................................... Wc

ANHINGA

____ Anhinga .................................................................................... Wu

PELICANS

____ American White Pelican ........................................................... Wc____ *Brown Pelican .......................................................................... Rc

HERONS

____ American Bittern ...................................................................... Wu____ Least Bittern .............................................................................. Su ____ *Great Blue Heron .................................................................... Rc____ *Great Egret ............................................................................... Rc____ *Snowy Egret.............................................................................. Rc____ Little Blue Heron ....................................................................... Rc____ *Tricolored Heron ..................................................................... Rc____ *Reddish Egret ........................................................................... Rc____ Cattle Egret ................................................................................ Rc____ *Green Heron ...................................................................... Sc; Wr____ *Black-crowned Night-Heron ..................................................... Rc____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron ....................................................Ru

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IBISES AND SPOONBILLS

____ White Ibis .................................................................................. Rc____ White-faced Ibis ........................................................................ Rc____ Roseate Spoonbill ..................................................................... Rc

AMERICAN VULTURES

____ Black Vulture ............................................................................ Rc____ Turkey Vulture .......................................................................... Rc

KITES AND HAWKS

____ Osprey ...................................................................................... Wc____ Swallow-tailed Kite ....................................................................Mr____ White-tailed Kite ........................................................................Mr ____ Mississippi Kite ......................................................................... Mu____ Northern Harrier ...................................................................... Wu____ Sharp-shinned Hawk ................................................................ Wu____ Cooper’s Hawk ..........................................................................Wr____ Harris’s Hawk ...........................................................................Wr____ *Red-shouldered Hawk .............................................................. Rc____ Broad-winged Hawk ................................................................. Mc____ Swainson’s Hawk ...................................................................... Mu____ *White-tailed Hawk .................................................................... Rc____ Red-tailed Hawk ....................................................................... Wc____ Ferruginous Hawk .....................................................................Wr

RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS

____ Yellow Rail ...............................................................................Acc____ *Clapper Rail ............................................................................. Rc____ King Rail ...................................................................................Wr____ Virginia Rail ..............................................................................Wr____ Sora ......................................................................................... Mc____ Purple Gallinule .........................................................................Sr____ Common Gallinule .................................................................... Rc ____ American Coot ......................................................................... Wc

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CRANES

____ Sandhill Crane........................................................................... Wc____ Whooping Crane ...................................................................... Wc

PLOVERS

____ Black-bellied Plover ................................................................. Wc____ American Golden-Plover .......................................................... Mu____ Snowy Plover .............................................................................Ru____ Wilson’s Plover .......................................................................... Su____ Semipalmated Plover ................................................................ Wu ____ Piping Plover ............................................................................ Wu____ *Killdeer .................................................................................... Rc

OYSTERCATCHERS

____ American Oystercatcher ............................................................ Rc

STILTS AND AVOCETS

____ *Black-necked Stilt ....................................................................Sc____ American Avocet ...................................................................... Wu

SHOREBIRDS

____ Spotted Sandpiper .................................................................... Wc____ Solitary Sandpiper ..............................................................Mu; Wr____ Greater Yellowlegs ................................................................... Wc____ *Willet........................................................................................ Rc____ Lesser Yellowlegs ...................................................................... Wc____ Upland Sandpiper .................................................................... Mu ____ Whimbrel ................................................................................. Mu____ Long-billed Curlew ..............................................................Wc; Su____ Marbled Godwit ........................................................................ Wi____ Ruddy Turnstone ...................................................................... Wc____ Red Knot ...................................................................................Mr____ Sanderling ................................................................................ Wc____ Semipalmated Sandpiper .......................................................... Mu____ Western Sandpiper ................................................................... Wu

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____ Least Sandpiper......................................................................... Wc____ White-rumped Sandpiper ..........................................................Mr____ Baird’s Sandpiper ......................................................................Mr____ Pectoral Sandpiper ................................................................... Mu____ Dunlin ...................................................................................... Wc____ Stilt Sandpiper........................................................................... Mu____ Short-billed Dowitcher ............................................................. Wc____ Long-billed Dowitcher............................................................... Wc____ Wilson’s Snipe ........................................................................... Wi____ American Woodcock .................................................................Wr____ Wilson’s Phalarope ................................................................... Mu

GULLS AND TERNS

____ Bonaparte’s Gull ....................................................................... Wu____ *Laughing Gull ........................................................................... Rc____ Franklin’s Gull .......................................................................... Mc____ Ring-billed Gull ........................................................................ Wc____ Herring Gull ............................................................................. Wc____ *Least Tern .................................................................................Sc____ *Gull-billed Tern .................................................................Sc; Wu____ *Caspian Tern ........................................................................... Rc____ Black Tern ............................................................................... Mc____ Common Tern ...........................................................................Mr____ *Forster’s Tern ........................................................................... Rc____ *Royal Tern ............................................................................... Rc____ *Sandwich Tern ..........................................................................Sc____ *Black Skimmer......................................................................... Rc

PIGEONS AND DOVES

____ *Rock Pigeon ............................................................................. Rc____ Eurasian Collared-Dove ............................................................. Rc____ *Inca Dove ................................................................................. Rc____ Common Ground-Dove ............................................................. Rr____ White-winged Dove ................................................................... Rc____ *Mourning Dove ........................................................................ Rc

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CUCKOOS AND ANIS

____ Black-billed Cuckoo ..................................................................Mr____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo ......................................................... Su; Mu ____ Greater Roadrunner ..................................................................Ru____ Groove-billed Ani .........................................................................r

OWLS

____ Eastern Screech-Owl ................................................................. Rr____ *Great Horned Owl .................................................................... Rc____ Barred Owl ..............................................................................Acc____ Short-eared Owl ......................................................................Wca

NIGHTJARS

____ *Lesser Nighthawk .................................................................... Rr____ *Common Nighthawk .................................................................Sc____ *Common Pauraque ..................................................................Ru____ Chuck-will’s-widow .................................................................. Mu____ Eastern Whip-poor-will ............................................................ Mu

SWIFTS

____ Chimney Swift .............................................................................Sc

HUMMINGBIRDS

____ *Buff-bellied Hummingbird ....................................................... Rc ____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird .............................................. Mc; Sr____ Black-chinned Hummingbird ............................................ Wu; Mu ____ Broad-tailed Hummingbird ......................................................Acc____ Rufous Hummingbird ................................................................Mr____ Anna’s Hummingbird ...............................................................Acc

KINGFISHERS

____ Belted Kingfisher ...................................................................... Wc

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WOODPECKERS

____ Red-headed Woodpecker ..........................................................Wr ____ *Golden-fronted Woodpecker .................................................... Rr____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker ......................................................... Wu____ Ladder-backed Woodpecker .....................................................Ru____ Downy Woodpecker ................................................................Wca____ Northern Flicker ...................................................................... Wu

CARACARAS AND FALCONS

____ Crested Caracara ....................................................................... Rc____ American Kestrel ...................................................................... Wc____ Merlin ........................................................................................Wr____ Peregrine Falcon .......................................................................Mr

FLYCATCHERS

____ Olive-sided Flycatcher .............................................................. Mu____ Eastern Wood-Pewee ................................................................ Mc____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher ......................................................... Mc____ Acadian Flycatcher ................................................................... Mu____ Alder Flycatcher ........................................................................Mr____ Willow Flycatcher ......................................................................Mr____ Least Flycatcher ........................................................................ Mc____ Eastern Phoebe ........................................................................ Wc____ Vermilion Flycatcher .................................................................Wr____ Ash-throated Flycatcher .............................................................Mr____ Great Crested Flycatcher ........................................................... Mc____ Brown-crested Flycatcher ......................................................... Mu____ Great Kiskadee ........................................................................Wca____ Couch’s Kingbird .......................................................................Wr____ Western Kingbird ..................................................................... Mu____ Eastern Kingbird ...................................................................... Mc____ *Scissor-tailed Flycatcher ...........................................................Sc

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SHRIKES

____ Loggerhead Shrike .................................................................... Wc

VIREOS

____ *White-eyed Vireo ...................................................................... Rc____ Bell’s Vireo ................................................................................Mr____ Yellow-throated Vireo ............................................................... Mu____ Blue-headed Vireo ................................................................... Wu____ Warbling Vireo ......................................................................... Mu____ Philadelphia Vireo .................................................................... Mu____ Red-eyed Vireo ......................................................................... Mc____ Black-whiskered Vireo ...............................................................ca

JAYS AND CROWS

____ Blue Jay ..................................................................................... Wi____ American Crow ........................................................................Acc

LARKS

____ *Horned Lark ............................................................................Ru

SWALLOWS

____ *Purple Martin ...........................................................................Sc____ Tree Swallow ............................................................................ Mc____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow ............................................. Mc____ Bank Swallow ........................................................................... Mc____ Cliff Swallow ...............................................................................Sc____ *Cave Swallow ............................................................................Sc____ *Barn Swallow ....................................................................Mc; Su

CHICKADEES AND TITMICE

____ Carolina Chickadee ......................................................................r____ *Black-crested Titmouse ........................................................... Rc

NUTHATCHES

____ Red-breasted Nuthatch .............................................................Acc

VERDIN

____ Verdin .......................................................................................Acc

WRENS

____ House Wren ............................................................................. Wc____ Winter Wren ...............................................................................Wr____ Sedge Wren ............................................................................... Wc____ Marsh Wren ............................................................................. Wc____ *Carolina Wren .......................................................................... Rc____ Bewick’s Wren ..........................................................................Ru ____ Cactus Wren ...............................................................................ca

KINGLETS

____ Golden-crowned Kinglet ............................................................ Wi____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet ............................................................... Wc

GNATCATCHERS

____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ............................................................... Wc

THRUSHES

____ Eastern Bluebird .......................................................................Wr____ Veery ........................................................................................ Mu____ Gray-cheeked Thrush ................................................................Mr____ Swainson’s Thrush ................................................................... Mc____ Hermit Thrush ......................................................................... Wc____ Wood Thrush ........................................................................... Mu____ American Robin ....................................................................... Wc____ Clay-colored Thrush ...................................................................ca

MIMIC THRUSHES

____ Gray Catbird .......................................................................Mc; Wc ____ Curve-billed Thrasher ............................................................... Rr____ Brown Thrasher ....................................................................... Wc____ Long-billed Thrasher ................................................................. Rr____ *Northern Mockingbird ............................................................. Rc

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STARLINGS

____ *European Starling..................................................................... Rc

PIPITS

____ American Pipit ......................................................................... Wc____ Sprague’s Pipit .......................................................................... Wu

WAXWINGS

____ Cedar Waxwing ........................................................................ Wu

WOOD WARBLERS

____ Ovenbird .................................................................................. Mc____ Worm-eating Warbler ............................................................... Mu____ Northern Waterthrush .............................................................. Mc____ Louisiana Waterthrush ..............................................................Mr____ Blue-winged Warbler ............................................................... Mu____ Golden-winged Warbler ........................................................... Mu____ Black-and-White Warbler ....................................................Mc; Wr____ Prothonotary Warbler .............................................................. Mu ____ Swainson’s Warbler ...................................................................Acc____ Tennessee Warbler ................................................................... Mc____ Orange-crowned Warbler ......................................................... Wc____ Nashville Warbler ..................................................................... Mc____ MacGillivray’s Warbler .............................................................Acc____ Mourning Warbler ....................................................................Mr____ Kentucky Warbler ..................................................................... Mu ____ Common Yellowthroat .............................................................. Wc____ Hooded Warbler ...................................................................... Mc____ American Redstart .................................................................... Mu ____ Cape May Warbler .....................................................................Mr____ Cerulean Warbler ..................................................................... Mu____ Northern Parula ....................................................................... Mc____ Magnolia Warbler .................................................................... Mc

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____ Bay-breasted Warbler ............................................................... Mu ____ Blackburnian Warbler .............................................................. Mc____ Yellow Warbler ......................................................................... Mc____ Chestnut-sided Warbler ............................................................ Mu ____ Blackpoll Warbler .....................................................................Mr____ Black-throated Blue Warbler .....................................................Mr____ Palm Warbler ............................................................................Wr____ Pine Warbler ............................................................................ Wu____ Yellow-rumped Warbler ........................................................... Wc____ Yellow-throated Warbler .......................................................... Mc____ Black-throated Gray Warbler ....................................................Acc____ Townsend’s Warbler .................................................................Acc____ Hermit Warbler ........................................................................Acc____ Black-throated Green Warbler ................................................. Mc____ Canada Warbler ....................................................................... Mc____ Wilson’s Warbler ...................................................................... Mc____ Yellow-breasted Chat ......................................................... Mc; Wu

SPARROWS

____ Yellow-faced Grassquit .............................................................Acc____ Olive Sparrow ...........................................................................Wr____ Green-tailed Towhee ...............................................................Wca____ Eastern Towhee .........................................................................Wr____ Spotted Towhee ........................................................................ Wu ____ Cassin’s Sparrow ......................................................................Acc____ Chipping Sparrow .................................................................... Wc____ Clay-colored Sparrow ............................................................... Wu ____ Field Sparrow ........................................................................... Wc____ Vesper Sparrow ......................................................................... Wc____ *Lark Sparrow ..........................................................................Ru____ Savannah Sparrow .................................................................... Wc____ Grasshopper Sparrow ........................................................Mc; Wr____ Le Conte’s Sparrow ................................................................... Wu____ Nelson’s Sparrow ..................................................................... Wu____ *Seaside Sparrow ...................................................................... Rc

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____ Fox Sparrow ..............................................................................Wr____ Song Sparrow ............................................................................Wr____ Lincoln’s Sparrow .................................................................... Wc____ Swamp Sparrow ....................................................................... Wc____ White-throated Sparrow ........................................................... Wc____ Harris’s Sparrow .......................................................................Wr____ White-crowned Sparrow ........................................................... Wu____ Dark-eyed Junco .....................................................................Wca

GROSBEAKS

____ Summer Tanager ...................................................................... Mc____ Scarlet Tanager ........................................................................ Mc____ Western Tanager .......................................................................Mr____ *Northern Cardinal ................................................................... Rc____ Pyrrhuloxia .............................................................................. Wu____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak .......................................................... Mc____ Black-headed Grosbeak ...........................................................Acc____ Blue Grosbeak ......................................................................... Mu ____ Lazuli Bunting ............................................................................ca____ Indigo Bunting ......................................................................... Mc____ *Painted Bunting ........................................................................Sc____ Dickcissel ................................................................................ Mu

ORIOLES AND BLACKBIRDS

____ Bobolink ...................................................................................Mr____ *Red-winged Blackbird ............................................................. Rc____ *Eastern Meadowlark................................................................. Rc____ Western Meadowlark ............................................................... Wu____ Yellow-headed Blackbird ..........................................................Wr____ Brewer’s Blackbird .................................................................. Wu____ Common Grackle ..................................................................... Wu____ Boat-tailed Grackle .................................................................. Wu____ *Great-tailed Grackle ................................................................ Rc____ *Bronzed Cowbird .....................................................................Sc____ *Brown-headed Cowbird ........................................................... Rc

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____ Orchard Oriole ........................................................................ Mc____ Hooded Oriole .........................................................................Acc____ Baltimore Oriole ...................................................................... Mc

FINCHES

____ Pine Siskin ............................................................................... Wu____ American Goldfinch ................................................................. Wc____ Lesser Goldfinch .......................................................................Wr

OLD WORLD SPARROWS

____ *House Sparrow ........................................................................ Rc

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CITATION

Audubon Outdoor Club of Corpus Christi Checklist Committee: Dennis Haessly; Ray Little; Hilde Kaigler; Cullen S. Reeves, Jr. May 2015. Birds of Goose Island State Park: a field checklist. Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Natural Resources Program, Austin, Texas.

In 1983, the Texas Legislature created the Special Nongame and Endangered Species Conservation Fund. This fund may be used for nongame wildlife and endangered species research and conservation, habitat acquisition and development and dissemination of information pertaining to nongame management. Money for this fund is obtained through private donations and sale of nongame wildlife art prints and stamps. This fund now gives Texans a unique opportunity to help support this state’s valuable and sensitive nongame resources. Your individual contributions and purchases of nongame art prints and stamps will help determine the level of nongame conservation activities in Texas. For more information call toll-free (1-800-792-1112) or contact: Nongame and Endangered Species Program, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, 4200 Smith School Road, Austin, Texas 78744.

TPWD receives funds from the USFWS. TPWD prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, disability, age, and gender, pursuant to state and federal law. To request an accommodation or obtain information in an alternative format, please contact TPWD on a Text Telephone (TDD) at (512) 389-8915 or by Relay Texas at 7-1-1 or (800) 735-2989. If you believe you have been discriminated against by TPWD, please contact TPWD or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office for Diversity and Workforce Management, 5275 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041.

Natural Resources ProgramTexas Parks and Wildlife4200 Smith School Road

Austin, Texas 78744

© 2016 Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. PWD BK P4502-064B (3/16)In accordance with Texas Depository Law, this publication is available at the Texas State Publications Clearinghouse and/or Texas Depository Libraries.