What is the WatchList?
The Partners in FlightWatchList was
introduced in 1996 to draw attention to
those species of migratory birds in the
United States that are most in need of
conservation action. The WatchList does
not include federally threatened or
endangered species. Rather, it identifies
those species that are still fairly
common, but that—without proper
attention—will probably someday
occupy an unenviable place on the
endangered species list. The species on
the 1998-1999 WatchList are those that
have declined precipitously over the
past several decades, occupy habitats
that are under severe threat, are found
in low numbers, or have such narrowly
restricted ranges that their existence is
tenuous.
Why is Preventing Species from
Becoming Endangered So Important?
There are three main reasons why we
should strive to keep species from
declining to the point that they become
endangered. First, migratory birds play
important roles in maintaining the
health of the environment. From insect
pest control, to plant pollinators and
seed disperers, to critical links in the
food web, birds help keep ecosystems
functioning in a balanced manner.
Second, healthy bird populations
account for massive economic benefits
to society, both directly and indirectly.
For example, forest birds control
leaf-damaging insect populations on
marketable trees, thereby directly
preventing hundreds of millions of
dollars in economic losses of natural
resources. In addition, migratory birds
are one of the greatest tourist and
backyard attractions in North America.
Birdwatchers and other wildlife
watchers contribute $29 billion to the
economy of the United States each year
simply for the pleasure of observing
these winged wonders.
Finally, to recover a species once it
becomes endangered is very expensive
compared to what it takes to keep
healthy bird populations…healthy.
Endangered species also have been seen
by some as disruptive to certain land
uses. In contrast, land use plans that
already incorporate bird population
needs can maintain those populations
with little extra effort. Hence, from
biological and economical standpoints,
‘keeping common birds common’ is the
most promising approach. The
WatchList identifies those species that
are not likely to remain common for
much longer without direct attention.
How Often Will the WatchList be Updated?
The WatchList can be used to measure
conservation success: as species are
removed from the WatchList we know
that their populations are more secure.
The WatchList will be updated every
two years, so look for it again in 2001.
Need More Information about the
WatchList?
For more information about how the
WatchList was developed and the status
of WatchList species, please contact:
U.S. Fish &Wildlife Service, Office of
Migratory Bird Management, 4401 N.
Fairfax Dr., Arlington, VA 22203
(703/358-1714).
Partners in Flight
WatchList
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
Catch the
Migration
Sensation
International
Migratory Bird
Day is May 8th
Black-capped Petrel
Black-vented
Shearwater
Ashy Storm-Petrel
Black Storm-Petrel
Red-faced
Cormorant
Xantus’ Murrelet
Whiskered Auklet
Reddish Egret
Trumpeter Swan
Ross’ Goose
Emperor Goose
Brant
Mottled Duck
American Black
Duck
Swallow-tailed Kite
Snail Kite
Short-tailed Kite
Yellow Rail
Black Rail
Snowy Plover
Mountain Plover
Black Oystercatcher
Willet
Bristle-thighed
Curlew
Red Knot
Rock Sandpiper
Stilt Sandpiper
Buff-breasted
Sandpiper
Short-billed
Dowitcher
Long-billed Curlew
Hudsonian Godwit
Black Turnstone
Surfbird
Franklin’s Gull
Heermann’s Gull
Yellow-footed Gull
White-crowned
Pigeon
Band-tailed Pigeon
Elf Owl
Short-eared Owl
Chuck-Will’s-Widow
Black Swift
Buff-bellied
Hummingbird
Lucifer
Hummingbird
Rufous
Hummingbird
Allen’s
Hummingbird
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Nuttall’s
Woodpecker
Strickland’s
Woodpecker
White-headed
Woodpecker
Gilded Flicker
Greater Pewee
Island Scrub-Jay
Oak Titmouse
Bridled Titmouse
Red-faced Warbler
Olive Warbler
Painted Bunting
Dickcissel
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Bicknell’s Thrush
Wood Thrush
Long-billed
Thrasher
Bendire’s Thrasher
Curve-billed
Thrasher
California Thrasher
Le Conte’s Thrasher
Sprague’s Pipit
Bell’s Vireo
Gray Vireo
Golden-winged
Warbler
Virginia’s Warbler
Colima Warbler
Lucy’s Warbler
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Hermit Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Worm-eating
Warbler
Swainson’s Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Abert’s Towhee
Bachman’s Sparrow
Botteri’s Sparrow
Cassin’s Sparrow
Rufous-winged
Sparrow
Clay-colored
Sparrow
Brewer’s Sparrow
Black-chinned
Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Lark Bunting
Baird’s Sparrow
Henslow’s Sparrow
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Harris’ Sparrow
McCown’s Longspur
Smith’s Longspur
McKay’s Bunting
Bobolink
Audubon’s Oriole
Lawrence’s
Goldfinch
Note: These species
do not necessarily
represent the highest
priority species
in each state. The
list is meant to
provide state-by-state
examples of
species that are of
National concern.
Alabama
Swallow-tailed Kite
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
American Oyster
Catcher
Bachman’s Sparrow
Alaska
Emperor Goose
Black Oystercatcher
Red Knot
Hudsonian Godwit
Stilt Sandpiper
Smith’s Longspur
Arizona
Blue Throated
Hummingbird
Bendire’s Thrasher
Gray Vireo
Lucy’s Warbler
Rufous-winged
Sparrow
Black-chinned
Sparrow
Arkansas
Chuck-Will’s-Widow
Henslow’s Sparrow
Prairie Warbler
Swainson’s Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Painted Bunting
California
Black Oystercatcher
Yellow Rail
Allen’s
Hummingbird
Le Conte’s Thrasher
Black-chinned
Sparrow
Lawrence’s
Goldfinch
Colorado
Mountain Plover
Trupeter Swan
Black Swift
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Lark Bunting
Sage Sparrow
Connecticut
American Black
Duck
Wood Thrush
Golden-winged
Warbler
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Seaside Sparrow
Delaware
Wood Thrush
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Kentucky Warbler
Worm-eating
Warbler
Black Rail
Florida
Swallow-tailed Kite
Short-tailed Hawk
White-crowned
Pigeon
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Painted Bunting
Reddish Egret
Georgia
Black Rail
Bachman’s Sparrow
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Painted Bunting
Idaho
Long-billed Curlew
Short-eared Owl
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Brewer’s Sparrow
White-headed
Woodpecker
Franklin’s Gull
Illinois
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Wood Thrush
Henslow’s Sparrow
Prothonotary
Warbler
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Indiana
Black Rail
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Bell’s Vireo
Work-eating
Warbler
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Iowa
Franklin’s Gull
Bell’s Vireo
Baird’s Sparrow
Henslow’s Sparrow
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Kansas
Snowy Plover
Prairie Warbler
Cassin’s Sparrow
Dickcissel
Lark Bunting
Mountain Plover
Kentucky
Kentucky Warbler
Wood Thrush
Chuck-Will’s Widow
Prairie Warbler
Henslow’s Sparrow
Cerulean Warbler
Partners in Flight 1998-1999 WatchList Examples for Each State
Louisiana
Reddish Egret
Swallow-tailed Kite
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Prothonotary
Warbler
Painted Bunting
Audubon’s Oriole
Maine
American Black
Duck
Bicknell’s Thrush
Bobolink
Prairie Warbler
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Wood Thrush
Maryland
Black Rail
Wood Thrush
Swainson’s Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Seaside Sparrow
American Black
Duck
Massachusetts
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Wood Thrush
Golden-winged
Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Bicknell’s Thrush
Michigan
Yellow Rail
Trumpeter Swan
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Golden-winged
Warbler
Henslow’s Sparrow
Bobolink
Minnesota
Franklin’s Gull
Golden-winged
Warbler
Bell’s Vireo
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Clay-colored
Sparrow
Mississippi
Swallow-tailed Kite
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Prairie Warbler
Bell’s Vireo
Painted Bunting
Missouri
Bell’s Vireo
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Wood Thrush
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Dickcissel
Montana
Mountain Plover
Long-billed Curlew
Brewer’s Sparrow
Lewis’s Woodpecker
Black Swift
Sprague’s Pipit
Nebraska
Trumpeter Swan
Bell’s Vireo
Dickcissel
Lark Bunting
Bobolink
Worm-eating
Warbler
Nevada
Elf Owl
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Gray Vireo
Brewer’s Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Bendire’s Thrasher
Abert’s Towhee
New Hampshire
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
American Black
Duck
Bicknell’s Thrush
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Bobolink
Golden-winged
Warbler
New Jersey
American Black
Duck
Seaside Sparrow
Wood Thrush
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Prairie Warbler
Black Rail
New Mexico
Mountain Plover
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Elf Owl
Bridled Tit Mouse
Black-chinned
Sparrow
Gray Vireo
New York
Cerulean Warbler
Wood Thrush
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Golden-winged
Warbler
Bobolink
American Black
Duck
North Carolina
Painted Bunting
Black Rail
Wood Thrush
Kentucky Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
North Dakota
Franklin’s Gull
Sprague’s Pipit
Willet
Long-billed Curlew
Lark Bunting
Bobolink
Baird’s Sparrow
Ohio
Henslow’s Sparrow
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Cerulean Warbler
Wood Thrush
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Oklahoma
Red-headed
Woodpecker
Mountain Plover
Prairie Warbler
Painted Bunting
Cassin’s Sparrow
Dickcissel
Oregon
Black Oystercatcher
Xantus’ Murrelet
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Rufous
Hummingbird
Hermit Warbler
Allen’s
Hummingbird
Pennsylvania
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
American Black
Duck
Kentucky Warbler
Wood Thrush
Golden-winged
Warbler
Worm-eating
Warbler
Rhode Island
American Black
Duck
Seaside Sparrow
Wood Thrush
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Prairie Warbler
Red-headed
Woodpecker
South Carolina
Swainson’s Warbler
Painted Bunting
Brown-headed
Nuthatch
Wood Thrush
Prothonotary
Warbler
Black Rail
South Dakota
Franklin’s Gull
Willet
Lark Bunting
McCown’s Longspur
Dickcissel
Nelson’s Sharp-tailed
Sparrow
Tennessee
Cerulean Warbler
Chuck-Will’s-Widow
Hooded Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Texas
Lucifer
Hummingbird
Curve-billed
Thrasher
Buff-bellied
Hummingbird
Painted Bunting
Dickcissel
Audubon’s Oriole
Utah
Long-billed Curlew
Sage Sparrow
Bendire’s Thrasher
Gray Vireo
Short-eared Owl
Snowy Plover
Vermont
Golden-winged
Warbler
Black-throated Blue
Warbler
Wood Thrush
Bicknell’s Thrush
Bobolink
Henslow’s Sparrow
Virginia
Seaside Sparrow
Wood Thrush
Swainson’s Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary
Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Washington
Black Oystercatcher
White-headed
Woodpecker
Band-tailed Pigeon
Rufous
Hummingbird
Sage Sparro
Brewer’s Sparrow
West Virginia
Golden-winged
Warbler
Kentucky Warbler
Swainson’s Warbler
Wood Thrush
Worm-eating
Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Wisconsin
Yellow Rail
Trumpeter Swan
Bell’s Vireo
Golden-winged
Warbler
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Wyoming
Mountain Plover
Black Swift
Lewis’ Woodpecker
Lark Bunting
Long-billed Curlew
Brewer’s Sparrow
May 1999