Part 16

Barred Owl—Rare resident of Sheyenne River bottomlands in Ransom and Richland Counties. Occasionally recorded in winter elsewhere in the eastern half, particularly along the Red River.

Short-eared Owl—Uncommon and cyclic resident of grasslands, wet meadows, and fallow fields throughout. In some years fairly common, in others hard to find. An influx of migrants from the north sometimes appears in November. Look at Bowman-Haley, Lake Ilo, Des Lacs, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, Long Lake, and Tewaukon Refuges.

Saw-whet Owl—Rare winter visitor to conifer stands, alder thickets, and residential areas throughout the eastern half. May be an occasional summer resident in the Turtle Mountains, Pembina Hills, and on the south side of Devils Lake (Sully’s Hill Game Preserve).

Poor-will—Uncommon summer resident of brushy slopes and ravines in the badlands and pine forests of Slope County. Rare in the south unit of the Roosevelt Memorial. Listen for it near the Columnar Juniper Area.

Chimney Swift—Uncommon to fairly common summer resident of towns and cities throughout. More common in the eastern half. Look for it in Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Wahpeton, Valley City, Jamestown, Bismarck-Mandan, Minot, Dickinson, and Williston. Should be fairly easy to find in most towns and cities along the Red and Sheyenne Rivers.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird—Uncommon summer resident of deciduous-woods margins in the Turtle Mountains, Pembina Hills, south side of Devils Lake, and along the Souris (J. Clark Salyer), James (Jamestown), and Sheyenne (Valley City to Baldhill Dam) Rivers. Occurs elsewhere throughout the central and eastern portions as an uncommon to fairly common migrant.

Common Flicker—Common summer resident (a few winter) of open woodlands throughout. Both races are found, and many interesting and confusing hybrids occur. The predominant race is the Yellow-shafted. The Red-shafted race occurs throughout the western half, but is common only in the Little Missouri badlands.

Pileated Woodpecker—Uncommon to rare resident of mature woodlands along the Red River in Cass County (and possibly in Grand Forks) and along the Sheyenne River in Ransom and Richland Counties. More common along the Red River at Fargo in winter.

Red-headed Woodpecker—Fairly common to uncommon summer resident of open woodlands and agricultural areas (shelter belts, orchards, farmyards, etc.) throughout (range in the northwest is limited). Look for it in Lindenwood Park (Fargo), the Sibley Island area in Bismarck, Sully’s Creek Park, the Pembina Hills, Turtle River Park, and in the bottomlands of the James, Red, and Sheyenne Rivers.

Eastern Kingbird—Common summer resident of open areas throughout. Nests in hedgerows, shelterbelts, woodlots, farmyards, prairie thickets, and along the edges of extensive woodlands. Commonly seen perched on barbed-wire fences along the highways. Hard to miss.

Western Kingbird—Common summer resident throughout. Can be found in much the same habitat as the Eastern. However, the Western is often found in more wooded areas such as open bottomland forests and residential areas. Even then it is still basically an edge-habitat species. Hard to miss.

Great Crested Flycatcher—Fairly common summer resident of mature deciduous forests throughout the eastern half. Uncommon to rare in the bottomland forests of the Missouri River near Bismarck-Mandan. Look for it in places such as J. Clark Salyer Refuge (uncommon), throughout the Turtle Mountain and Pembina Hills, Turtle River Park, Sully’s Hill Game Preserve, Stump Lake Park, Little Yellowstone Park, and in the bottomland forests of the James (Stutsman County), Sheyenne (Barnes, Ransom, and Richland Counties), and Red (try especially at Lindenwood and Oak Grove Parks in Fargo) Rivers.

Say’s Phoebe—Uncommon summer resident of badlands, sharply eroded buttes, and agricultural areas throughout the western half. Rare east of J. Clark Salyer Refuge. Prefers badlands-type habitat, but also nests under the eaves of farm buildings and under small bridges. Look for it in either unit of the Roosevelt Memorial, at Little Missouri and Sully’s Creek Parks, along the roads going south from Marmarth and Rhame in Bowman County, along Highway 1806 in the badlands area south of Mandan (Morton County), and near Kenmare.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher—Rare migrant in wooded areas throughout the eastern half. Try the Turtle Mountains, Pembina Hills, Turtle River State Park, Sully’s Hill Game Preserve, and Lindenwood and Oak Grove Parks.

Willow Flycatcher—Fairly common to uncommon summer resident of shelterbelts, prairie thickets and swales, and wood edges. You may hear its distinctive “FITZ-bew” call often before actually seeing the bird. In areas where the Least Flycatcher is found, song is probably the only safe way to separate the two, although the Least is seldom found in prairie areas. Look for the Willow Flycatcher throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills, in edge habitat along the James and Sheyenne Rivers, at Sully’s Creek Park, and on Bowman-Haley, Lake Ilo, Lostwood, Des Lacs, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, and Slade Refuges.

Alder Flycatcher—Uncommon to rare migrant through wooded areas in the eastern third. May nest in the Pembina Hills. This species was formerly considered conspecific with the Willow Flycatcher as the Traill’s Flycatcher. Safely separable from other members of the genus only by song, which sounds like “fee-BEE-o”.

Least Flycatcher—Common summer resident of deciduous forests and wooded farm habitats (like orchards and shelterbelts) throughout. Less common in the western half (with the exception of the Kenmare area). Look for it at such places as Sully’s Creek Park; the campgrounds in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial; wooded portions of Lake Ilo, Des Lacs, Lostwood, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, and Tewaukon Refuges; Tasker’s Coulee; throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills; Turtle River Park; Stump Lake Park; Sully’s Hill Game Preserve; Clausen Springs; and along the bottomland forests of the Missouri, James, Red, and Sheyenne Rivers.

Eastern Pewee—Common to fairly common summer resident of wooded areas throughout the eastern two-thirds. Uncommon in the western edge of this area along the Missouri River at Bismarck, and on wooded portions of Des Lacs and Upper Souris Refuges. Look for it throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills; on J. Clark Salyer and Tewaukon Refuges; at Turtle River Park; Stump Lake Park; Sully’s Hill Game Preserve; and along wooded bottomlands of the James, Sheyenne, and Red (try Lindenwood and Oak Grove Parks) Rivers.

Western Pewee—Uncommon to rare summer resident of wooded bottomlands along the Little Missouri River. Look for it in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial, at Sully’s Creek Park, and in wooded residential areas of Medora and Marmarth. This species has a harsh call which is quite different from the “pee-a-wee” of the Eastern Pewee. It can often be separated by sight as well. The Western has a dusky breast and flanks with a light “zipper” extending upward to the upper breast something like an Olive-sided Flycatcher.

Blue Jay—Fairly common permanent resident of deciduous woodlands west to Bismarck. Uncommon in the southwest quarter and uncommon to rare in the northwest quarter. Not hard to find in the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills, at Turtle River Park, Stump Lake Park, Sully’s Hill Game Preserve, Linden wood and Oak Grove Parks in Fargo, Little Yellowstone Park, Sully’s Creek Park, Little Missouri Park, the campgrounds of both units of the Roosevelt Memorial, the Sibley Island area at Bismarck, and in bottomland forests along the James, Red, and Sheyenne Rivers.

Black-billed Magpie—Fairly common permanent resident of wood margins, prairie thickets, and agricultural areas throughout much of the western half. Uncommon breeder in the Turtle Mountains and Devils Lake regions. Uncommon winter visitor over the rest of the state. Easy to find in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial, Sully’s Creek and Little Missouri Parks; western Bowman, Slope, and Golden Valley Counties; the Williston area; and along the Missouri River near Bismarck. Look for it also on Lostwood, Des Lacs, Upper Souris, and J. Clark Salyer (especially the sandhills) Refuges. In the east look for it in winter in the Turtle Mountains, Pembina Hills, on the south side of Devils Lake, Arrowwood Refuge, and in the Valley City area.

Black-capped Chickadee—Fairly common permanent resident of deciduous forests throughout. In winter it is commonly seen in residential areas. Should be easy to find at such places as Sully’s Creek Park, along the river and in wooded draws in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial, Upper Souris and J. Clark Salyer Refuges, throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills, Turtle River Park, Stump Lake Park, Sully’s Hill Game Preserve, and along portions of the Missouri (near Bismarck), James (Stutsman County), Sheyenne (Barnes, Ransom, and Richland Counties), and Red (around Fargo) Rivers.

Sedge Wren—Fairly common summer resident of sedge fields, wet meadows, grassy edges of seasonal ponds, retired croplands, and alfalfa hayfields in the northwest, northeast, and southeast sectors. Found in the southwest only in alfalfa fields bordering the Missouri and its tributaries in Morton County. Look for it at Kelly’s Slough; Rush Lake; Lake Ardoch; the Little Heart River crossing; Des Lacs, Lostwood, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer, Rose Lake, Lake Alice, Arrowwood, Long Lake, and Tewaukon Refuges; and in suitable habitat in the Turtle Mountains. Of these, J. Clark Salyer Refuge may be best.

Rock Wren—Locally fairly common to uncommon summer resident of eroded buttes and desert-like arroyos in the western half. Look for it in both units of the Roosevelt Memorial, Sully’s Creek and Little Missouri Parks, the badlands area south of Mandan on Highway 1806, and in appropriate habitat along the roads going south from Marmarth and Rhame.

Gray Catbird—Common summer resident of brushy forest edges, prairie thickets, and shelterbelts throughout. Easy to find at Sully’s Creek Park, both units of Roosevelt Memorial, Lake Ilo, Des Lacs, Lostwood, Upper Souris, J. Clark Salyer, Arrowwood, and Tewaukon Refuges; throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills; at Turtle River Park; Stump Lake Park; Sully’s Hill Game Preserve; and along the wooded bottomlands of the James, Missouri, Red, and Sheyenne Rivers.

Brown Thrasher—Common to fairly common summer resident throughout. Occupies much the same habitat and areas as the Catbird. Occurs more often in residential areas.

Gray-cheeked Thrush—Fairly common migrant in wooded parks, bottomlands, hills, coulees, and residential areas throughout most of the state. Fairly easy to find during May (harder to find in fall) at such places as Lindenwood Park; Turtle River, Little Yellowstone, and Stump Lake Parks; Sully’s Hill Game Preserve; Upper Souris, Des Lacs, and J. Clark Salyer Refuges; throughout the Turtle Mountains and Pembina Hills; and in wooded bottomlands of the Missouri (at Bismarck), James, Sheyenne, and Red Rivers.

Eastern Bluebird—Uncommon summer resident of forest edges, sandhills, orchards, shelterbelts, and agricultural areas throughout (rare in the southwest quarter). Most common in the southeast corner and in the Turtle Mountains. Some of the better areas are around Lake Ashtabula and Clausen Springs in Barnes County, and in the Sheyenne River bottomlands, sandhills, and grasslands in Ransom and Richland Counties. Try also appropriate habitat along the James River near Jamestown, and along the Missouri River near Bismarck and Mandan.