Annotated Checklist of the Birds of the Stroud Preserve, West Chester, Pennsylvania.
This is very much a work in progress and subject to a lot of change at any time. I will update it as needed. This list is largely based on my observations beginning in March of 2012 and the information on the preserve checklist. This list varies a little from the list posted on the preserve website, as I have observed 39 new species and revised the seasonal status for a number of birds. It should be noted that many of the waterbirds on the preserve list are unlikely to be seen in the future since the large artificial farm pond was drained and converted to a vegetated wetland.
Bold letters indicates that the species is new to the preserve list in 2012.
N – signifies that I have observed evidence that they are nesting such as carrying nesting material or constructing a nest or cavity, carrying food or fecal sacks or the presence of fledgelings or nest.
PN – signifies probable nesting, where I have observed adults carrying nesting materials, courtship displays, copulation or a singing male on territory on multiple days in appropriate habitat.
n – noted as nesting on the preserve website.
The seasonal and abundance descriptions are intended to give you a general over all impression of their occurrence throughout the year and is not intended to be a precise measure in anyway. For rare and unusual birds I have given the dates and a few other notes when appropriate. For a more precise account of the birds of the Delaware Valley consult the DVOC Checklist.
Abundant – lots of birds in the right habitat in the right season.
Common – not quite as many as above, but likely to be seen in in the right habitat in the right season
Uncommon – present, may not be seen in the right habitat in the right season.
Occasional – Only seen once or twice in a season.
Rare – Only one or two records. Not expected at the preserve or rare on a regional bases.
Last updated 9 January 2013
Total Species: 164
Common Loon – Occasional flyover in migration. Usually single birds, but sometimes groups up to five.
Pied-billed Grebe – Occasional winter visitor (unlikely now with the removal of the farm pond).
Double-crested Cormorant - Occasional flyover, sometimes in large flocks of several hundred birds.
Great Blue Heron – Common resident in wet fields, along the Brandywine or as flyover.
Great Egret – Uncommon spring and summer visitor.
Green Heron – Common migrant and summer visitor. Seen in wet fields and along the Brandywine and sometimes perching in trees at upland locations.
Glossy Ibis – Rare for Chester County anytime of year. two birds observed flying up from the fields on the southwest side of the preserve on 13 May 2012.
Black Vulture – Common to abundant resident.
Turkey Vulture – Common to abundant resident.
Snow Goose – Occasional flyover. Sometimes in great numbers. A flock of approximately 500 birds were observed high over the preserve on 5 March 2012 and a flock of over 2000 flew over on 14 December 2012.
Canada Goose – n, Common resident. Large flocks are sometimes seen as a flyover.
Cackling Goose – Rare winter visitor. One observed with flock of Canada Geese on 25 and 26 October 2012 and 2 with other Canada Geese on 9 January 2013.
Mute Swan – Formerly occasional winter visitor (unlikely now with the removal of the farm pond).
Wood Duck – n, Common migrant and summer resident. Usually along the Brandywine or as a flyover.
American Black Duck – Occasional in winter and spring.
Mallard – n, Common resident. Usually along the Brandywine or as a flyover.
Green-winged Teal – Rare winter visitor. 8 seen on Brandywine on 25 October 2012.
Ring-necked Duck – Occasional in winter and spring (unlikely now with the removal of the farm pond).
Hooded Merganser – Occasional winter visitor (unlikely now with the removal of the farm pond).
Common Merganser – Occasional winter visitor.
Ruddy Duck – Occasional migrant (unlikely now with the removal of the farm pond).
Osprey – Uncommon in spring or fall migration or along Brandywine. Rare in winter, one seen 10 December 2012.
Bald Eagle – N, Common resident and migrant. There is a nest site a mile or so down stream along the Brandywine. The Stroud preserve is well within its home range. Adults and immature birds are often seen hunting along the Brandywine or soaring overhead.
Northern Harrier – Occasional migrant and winter visitor
Sharp-shinned Hawk – Common resident migrant.
Cooper's Hawk – PN, Common resident and migrant. A pair frequently seen in spring of 2012 over the woods along the Brandywine or the southeastern corner of the preserve engaged in courtship flight display.
Northern Goshawk – Rare migrant and winter visitor. One immature seen near the old farm pond on 11 October 2012.
Red-shouldered Hawk – Occasional summer visitor and migrant.
Broad-winged Hawk – Occasional flyover. Usually high overhead. A flock of approximately 4000 birds were seen high over the preserve on 16 September 2012.
Red-tailed Hawk – N, Common overhead or perched in trees anywhere on the preserve. There is an active nest on the northwest corner of the preserve.
Golden Eagle – Rare fall migrant. Juveniles seen over the preserve on 16 September 2012 and 11 October 2012.
American Kestrel – Uncommon resident in and around fields and open areas of the preserve.
Merlin – Occasional winter visitor and migrant.
Ring-necked Pheasant – Occasional in spring.
Wild Turkey – Uncommon resident.
Northern Bobwhite – Occasional in summer.
Killdeer – Surprisingly uncommon. I have recorded only on three occasions as a distant vocalization and one fly over.
Solitary Sandpiper – Uncommon migrant.
Spotted Sandpiper – Occasional spring and summer visitor.
Pectoral Sandpiper – Rare fall visitor.
Wilson's Snipe – Rare migrant and winter visitor. Two seen overhead on 8 May 2012, and one in old farm pond on 30 November 2012.
Ring-billed Gull – Uncommon in winter and spring.
Herring Gull – Uncommon visitor, usually as a flyover.
Common Tern – Rare in spring.
Rock Dove – Uncommon.
Mourning Dove – N, common to abundant resident. Winter flocks can number over 300.
Black-billed Cuckoo – Occasional migrant.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo – Occasional migrant.
Eastern Screech-Owl – Probably common resident. Often found in the tree stands on the north west side of the preserve.
Great Horned Owl – n. Occasional resident.
Barred Owl – N. Occasional resident. A pair fledged at least one bird in the woodlands along the Brandywine in the southeast corner of the preserve in 2012.
Common Nighthawk – Occasional migrant.
Chimney Swift – Common migrant and summer resident.
Ruby-throated Hummingbird – Common spring migrant and summer resident.
Belted Kingfisher – n, Common in resident.
Red-bellied Woodpecker – N, Common resident.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker – Uncommon winter visitor and migrant.
Downy Woodpecker – N, Common resident.
Hairy Woodpecker – N, Common resident.
Northern Flicker – N, Common resident.
Pileated Woodpecker – Rare visitor to larger stands of trees.
Eastern Wood-Pewee – n, Common in woodlands.
Acadian Flycatcher – Common migrant and summer resident.
Willow Flycatcher – n, Common migrant and summer resident.
Least Flycatcher – Uncommon migrant.
Eastern Phoebe – N, Uncommon in winter resident, common migrant and summer resident.
Great Crested Flycatcher –Uncommon migrant and summer resident in more mature woodlands and long the Brandywine.
Eastern Kingbird – n, Common summer resident.
White-eyed Vireo – N, Common summer resident.
Yellow-throated Vireo – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Blue-headed Vireo – Uncommon migrant and summer resident.
Warbling Vireo – N, Common summer resident
Philadelphia Vireo – Rare migrant.
Red-eyed Vireo – N, Common summer resident
Blue Jay – N, Common resident.
American Crow – N, Common resident.
Fish Crow – Uncommon visitor.
Tree Swallow – N, Abundant summer resident.
Northern Rough-winged Swallow – N, Abundant summer resident.
Bank Swallow – Uncommon migrant.
Cliff Swallow – Uncommon migrant.
Barn Swallow – N, Abundant summer resident.
Horned Lark – Rare migrant. Four birds observed on 12 April 2012 in one of the freshly ploughed fields.
Carolina Chickadee – N, Common resident.
Black-capped Chickadee – Rare winter visitor. One on 25 October 2012.
Tufted Titmouse – N, Common resident.
Red-breasted Nuthatch – Uncommon migrant and winter visitor.
White-breasted Nuthatch – N, Common resident.
Brown Creeper – Occasional resident, more common in winter.
Carolina Wren – N, Common resident.
House Wren – N, Common summer resident.
Winter Wren – Uncommon winter visitor.
Marsh Wren – PN, A pair observed conducting courtship behavior at the grassy retaining pool in the center of the preserve.
Golden-crowned Kinglet – Common in winter and migrant.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet – Common winter visitor and migrant.
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher – N, Common summer resident.
Eastern Bluebird – N, Common resident.
Veery – Common migrant and summer resident.
Swainson’s Thrush – Uncommon migrant.
Hermit Thrush – Occasional in winter, common migrant.
Wood Thrush – N, Common spring migrant and summer resident.
American Robin – N, Common resident.
Gray Catbird – N, Abundant spring migrant and summer resident.
Northern Mockingbird – N, Common resident.
Brown Thrasher – N, Common resident.
European Starling – N, Common resident.
American Pipit – Uncommon winter visitor.
Cedar Waxwing – N, Uncommon resident.
Blue-winged Warbler – PN, Common migrant. Multiple males on territory spring 2012.
Tennessee Warbler – Uncommon fall migrant.
Orange-crowned Warbler – Uncommon migrant.
Nashville Warbler – Occasional migrant.
Northern Parula – Common migrant and summer resident.
Yellow Warbler – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Chestnut-sided Warbler – Common migrant.
Magnolia Warbler – Common migrant.
Black-throated Blue Warbler – Common migrant.
Yellow-rumped Warbler – Abundant migrant.
Black-thraoted Green Warbler – Common migrant.
Blackburnian Warbler – Uncommon migrant.
Pine Warbler – Occasional migrant.
Prairie Warbler – Uncommon migrant.
Palm Warbler – Common migrant.
Bay-breasted Warbler – Common fall migrant.
Blackpoll Warbler – Common migrant.
Black-and-white Warbler – Common migrant.
American Redstart – Common migrant.
Ovenbird – Common migrant and summer resident.
Northern Waterthrush – Common migrant.
Louisiana Waterthrush – Uncommon spring migrant.
Common Yellowthroat – N, Abundant migrant and summer resident.
Wilson’s Warlber – Uncommon fall migrant.
Canada Warbler – Common migrant.
Summer Tanager – Uncommon migrant.
Scarlet Tanager – Common migrant and summer resident.
Eastern Towhee – N, Common resident.
American Tree Sparrow – Occasional winter visitor and migrant.
Chipping Sparrow – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Field Sparrow – N, Common resident.
Savannah Sparrow – Common migrant.
Fox Sparrow – Occasional winter visitor.
Song Sparrow – N, Abundant resident.
Lincoln's Sparrow – Rare in the Delaware Valley in spring. One seen on 4 May 2012. Common to abundant fall migrant.
Swamp Sparrow – N, Common resident.
White-throated Sparrow – Abundant migrant and winter resident.
White-crowned Sparrow – Uncommon migrant and winter visitor.
Dark-eyed Junco – Common migrant and winter resident.
Northern Cardinal – N, Common resident.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak – Common migrant.
Blue Grosbeak – Common summer resident.
Indigo Bunting – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Bobolink – N, Abundant migrant an summer resident.
Red-winged Blackbird – N, Abundant resident.
Eastern Meadowlark – n, Common spring migrant and summer resident.
Rusty Blackbird – Occasional winter visitor. One observed on 4 December 2012.
Common Grackle – n, Common resident.
Brown-headed Cowbird – N, Abundant resident.
Orchard Oriole – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Baltimore Oriole – N, Common migrant and summer resident.
Purple Finch – Occasional to abundant in migration and winter. Irruptive.
House Finch – n, Common resident.
Pine Siskin – Common to abundant in migration and winter. Irruptive.
American Goldfinch - N, Common resident.
House Sparrow – Occasional resident.