Posada Birds of the Refuge

A BirdWeather listening station on the grounds of the Refuge Inn records bird song around the clock and identifies it using BirdNET, developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Over the past twelve months it has recorded 142 species on the property, a quarter mile from the entrance to Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.

The list below is what the station actually heard, month by month. Use it to plan a trip around the birds you want, or to work out what you heard from your balcony this morning.

142 species · past 12 months · recorded on the property

Nine species dominate the recordings in most months — Carolina Wren, Brown-headed Nuthatch, American Robin, House Finch, House Sparrow, Mourning Dove, Common Grackle, Red-bellied Woodpecker and Northern Cardinal. Setting those aside, here is what changes month to month:

JANUARY: White-throated Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Canada Goose, Dunlin, Herring Gull, Winter Wren, American Goldfinch.

FEBRUARY: Canada Goose, Yellow-rumped Warbler, White-throated Sparrow, Brown Creeper, Herring Gull, Dunlin, Golden-crowned Kinglet, American Goldfinch, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Flicker.

MARCH: Pine Warbler, Dunlin, White-throated Sparrow, Brown-headed Cowbird, Fish Crow, Chipping Sparrow, Canada Goose, Laughing Gull, White-breasted Nuthatch, Pileated Woodpecker.

APRIL: Laughing Gull, Fish Crow, Chipping Sparrow, Broad-winged Hawk, Brown-headed Cowbird, Dunlin, Pine Warbler, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Blue Jay, Canada Goose.

MAY: Laughing Gull, Pine Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Chimney Swift, Fish Crow, Cedar Waxwing, Summer Tanager, Red-shouldered Hawk, Cooper's Hawk, Red-breasted Nuthatch.

JUNE: Laughing Gull, Chipping Sparrow, Fish Crow, American Goldfinch, Cedar Waxwing, Carolina Chickadee, Pine Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Eastern Kingbird, Eastern Bluebird.

JULY: Laughing Gull, Fish Crow, Chipping Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Cedar Waxwing, Northern Flicker, Purple Martin, Pine Warbler, Carolina Chickadee, Eastern Kingbird.

AUGUST: Fish Crow, Laughing Gull, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Chipping Sparrow, Carolina Chickadee, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Eastern Kingbird, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Northern Flicker.

SEPTEMBER: Northern Flicker, Laughing Gull, Cedar Waxwing, Pileated Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, Pine Warbler, Caspian Tern, Downy Woodpecker, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

OCTOBER: Dunlin, Northern Flicker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Carolina Chickadee, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-throated Sparrow, Mallard, Red-breasted Nuthatch.

NOVEMBER: Northern Flicker, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-throated Sparrow, Brown Creeper, Dunlin, Canada Goose, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, Pileated Woodpecker, White-breasted Nuthatch.

DECEMBER: Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Dunlin, White-throated Sparrow, Herring Gull, Canada Goose, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Winter Wren, Mallard, Downy Woodpecker.

• Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula — Frequently heard · Jan-Nov · peak in April
• American Robin Turdus migratorius — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in June
• House Sparrow Passer domesticus — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in July
• Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura — Frequently heard · Jan-Oct · peak in May
• Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla — Frequently heard · Mar-Oct · peak in May
• Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus — Frequently heard · Mar-Nov · peak in August
• House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in May
• Brown-headed Nuthatch Sitta pusilla — Frequently heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in November
• Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina — Regularly heard · Mar-Aug · peak in June
• Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in November
• Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus — Regularly heard · Mar-Oct · peak in May
• Dunlin Calidris alpina — Regularly heard · Sep-May · peak in October
• Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa — Regularly heard · Oct-Mar · peak in November
• American Goldfinch Spinus tristis — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens — Regularly heard · May-Aug · peak in August
• Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Brown Creeper Certhia americana — Regularly heard · Oct-Mar · peak in November
• White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis — Regularly heard · Oct-Apr · peak in November
• Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus — Regularly heard · Feb-Nov · peak in September
• Canada Goose Branta canadensis — Regularly heard · Jul-May · peak in February
• Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens — Regularly heard · Year-round · peak in August
• Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata — Occasionally heard · Oct-Feb · peak in January
• Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus — Occasionally heard · Apr-Sep · peak in June
• Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis — Occasionally heard · Mar-Oct, Dec · peak in June
• White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis — Occasionally heard · Year-round · peak in March
• Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica — Occasionally heard · Apr-Aug, Oct · peak in May
• Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater — Occasionally heard · Feb-Jun · peak in March
• Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus — Occasionally heard · Year-round · peak in June
• Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis — Occasionally heard · Aug-May · peak in May
• Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica — Occasionally heard · Mar-Aug · peak in June
• Herring Gull Larus argentatus — Occasionally heard · Oct-Aug · peak in December
• Purple Martin Progne subis — Occasionally heard · Apr-Aug · peak in July
• Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii — Occasionally heard · Mar-May, Jul-Sep, Nov-Dec · peak in May
• Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax — Occasionally heard · Jul-Oct · peak in August
• Summer Tanager Piranga rubra — Occasionally heard · Apr-Aug, Oct · peak in May
• Mallard Anas platyrhynchos — Occasionally heard · Apr-Feb · peak in October
• Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis — Occasionally heard · Feb-Jul, Nov · peak in June
• Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus — Occasionally heard · Jan, Mar, May-Sep · peak in June
• Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata — Occasionally heard · Mar-Oct · peak in April
• Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis — Occasionally heard · Oct-Jun · peak in November
• Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris — Occasionally heard · May-Oct · peak in August
• Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola — Occasionally heard · Feb-Sep, Nov-Dec · peak in July
• Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus — Occasionally heard · Apr-May · peak in April
• Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus — Occasionally heard · May-Oct · peak in July
• Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus — Occasionally heard · Jul-Oct · peak in August
• Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus — Occasionally heard · May-Jun · peak in May
• Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres — Occasionally heard · Apr-May, Jul-Nov · peak in July
• Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus — Occasionally heard · Mar-May · peak in March
• Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons — Occasionally heard · May-Jul, Sep-Oct · peak in June
• Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis — Occasionally heard · Feb-Oct, Dec · peak in August
• Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis — Occasionally heard · Dec-Apr, Oct · peak in December
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea — Occasionally heard · Mar-Sep · peak in June
• American Kestrel Falco sparverius — Occasionally heard · Jan-Apr, Jul-Nov · peak in March
• Killdeer Charadrius vociferus — Occasionally heard · Mar-Apr, Jun, Aug-Nov · peak in September
• Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus — Occasionally heard · Apr-Oct · peak in July
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius — Occasionally heard · Mar-Jun · peak in May
• Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia — Occasionally heard · Apr, Jul-Sep · peak in September
• Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor — Occasionally heard · Mar-Jul, Sep-Oct · peak in June
• Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe — Occasionally heard · Apr, Jun-Oct · peak in July
• Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca — Occasionally heard · Apr-May, Jul-Oct, Dec · peak in May
• Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius — Occasionally heard · May-Jul · peak in July
• Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla — Occasionally heard · Aug-Oct · peak in October
• Hairy Woodpecker Dryobates villosus — Occasionally heard · Feb-Sep · peak in March
• Green Heron Butorides virescens — Occasionally heard · May-Sep · peak in July
• Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus — Occasionally heard · Nov-Feb · peak in November
• Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus — Occasionally heard · Jan, Jun, Aug-Nov · peak in November
• Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis — Occasionally heard · Mar-May, Jul, Sep-Oct · peak in March
• Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major — Occasionally heard · Mar-Jun, Aug-Oct · peak in April
• Common Tern Sterna hirundo — Occasionally heard · Apr-Sep · peak in July
• Green-winged Teal Anas crecca — Rarely heard · Feb-Apr, Oct-Dec · peak in April
• European Starling Sturnus vulgaris — Rarely heard · Mar-Apr, Jun-Jul · peak in June
• Osprey Pandion haliaetus — Rarely heard · Apr-May, Jul-Aug · peak in July
• Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum — Rarely heard · Apr-May, Oct · peak in October
• Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea — Rarely heard · May-Jul · peak in July
• Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon — Rarely heard · Apr, Jun-Jul, Sep-Nov · peak in October
• Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus — Rarely heard · May, Sep-Oct · peak in September
• Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana — Rarely heard · May-Jul, Nov · peak in July
• Wood Duck Aix sponsa — Rarely heard · May-Aug, Nov · peak in May
• Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea — Rarely heard · May-Jun · peak in May
• Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia — Rarely heard · Nov-Mar · peak in December
• Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus — Rarely heard · Mar, Jul-Aug · peak in July
• Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina — Rarely heard · Apr-Jul · peak in May
• Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos — Rarely heard · Feb, Jun-Jul, Sep · peak in February
• Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis — Rarely heard · Jul-Sep · peak in August
• American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos — Rarely heard · Nov-Dec · peak in November
• Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus — Rarely heard · May, Jul-Aug · peak in July
• Pine Siskin Spinus pinus — Rarely heard · Feb-Apr, Oct-Nov · peak in March
• Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata — Rarely heard · May, Sep-Oct · peak in September
• Ruby-crowned Kinglet Corthylio calendula — Rarely heard · Nov-Dec · peak in December
• Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis — Rarely heard · May-Jul · peak in May
• Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo — Rarely heard · Feb, Jul · peak in July
• Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis — Rarely heard · Oct · peak in October
• Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor — Rarely heard · Jun-Jul · peak in June
• Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca — Rarely heard · Jan-Feb · peak in January
• Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna — Rarely heard · Mar-Apr · peak in March
• Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus — Rarely heard · May · peak in May
• Merlin Falco columbarius — Rarely heard · Sep · peak in September
• Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes — Rarely heard · Aug · peak in August
• Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri — Rarely heard · Jun · peak in June
• Gadwall Mareca strepera — Rarely heard · Nov · peak in November
• Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula — Rarely heard · Jun · peak in June
• Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria — Rarely heard · Jul-Aug · peak in July
• Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina — Rarely heard · Sep-Oct · peak in September
• Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus — Rarely heard · Apr · peak in April
• American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla — Rarely heard · Aug-Sep · peak in August
• Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla — Rarely heard · Oct · peak in October
• Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius — Rarely heard · May · peak in May
• Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens — Rarely heard · Jul · peak in July
• Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias — Rarely heard · Sep · peak in September
• American Woodcock Scolopax minor — Rarely heard · Mar · peak in March
• Barred Owl Strix varia — Rarely heard · Apr · peak in April
• Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in July
• Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum — Rarely heard · Jun · peak in June
• American Tree Sparrow Spizelloides arborea — Rarely heard · Feb · peak in February
• Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula — Rarely heard · Mar · peak in March
• Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus — Rarely heard · May · peak in May
• Brant Branta bernicla — Rarely heard · Dec · peak in December
• Northern Harrier Circus hudsonius — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in February
• Purple Finch Haemorhous purpureus — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in April
• Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Mute Swan Cygnus olor — Rarely heard · Jul · peak in July
• Least Tern Sternula antillarum — Rarely heard · Sep · peak in September
• Willet Tringa semipalmata — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in April
• Seaside Sparrow Ammospiza maritima — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in May
• Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in May
• Common Eider Somateria mollissima — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in October
• Common Loon Gavia immer — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in October
• Northern Pintail Anas acuta — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in March
• Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in April
• Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in June
• Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in July
• Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in July
• White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in October
• Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis — Rarely heard · occasional · peak in December

Data from the Refuge Inn PUC station on BirdWeather. Species identification by BirdNET (Cornell Lab of Ornithology). Acoustic identification is automated and occasionally misidentifies a call.