From GORP: No other national wildlife refuge is like it; nor is there another that is comparable to it in the entire world. Patuxent Research Refuge in Maryland is unique, to say the least. Established almost 60 years ago, Patuxent has seen several changes in name and a tripling of its original size, but its purpose has remained the same: to support wildlife research.
Overview
"Research Is Our Mission"
Established in 1936 by executive order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the Patuxent Research Refuge is the Nation's only National Wildlife Refuge established to support wildlife research. Today most of the research on the refuge is conducted by the US Geological Survey (USGS) through the Patuxent Wildlife Research Center.
With land surrounding the Patuxent and Little Patuxent Rivers between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, MD, the Refuge has grown from the original 2,670 acres to its present size of 12,841 acres and encompasses land formerly managed by the Departments of Agriculture and Defense. Throughout decades of change, Patuxent's mission of conserving and protecting the nation's wildlife and habitat through research and wildlife management techniques has remained virtually unchanged.
Patuxent National Wildlife Research Refuge is operated by the U.S. government's Fish and Wildlife Service. It is located on a plot of land in central Maryland and was established for the purpose of conducting research related to preserving endangered species.
Patuxent NWR was where the studies were conducted that determined that the pesticide DDT was responsible for the precipitous drops in the populations of Bald Eagles, Peregrine Falcons and other bird species. In addition, Patuxent NWR is also instrumental in the preservation of the Whooping Crane.
Patuxent NWR is reportedly the largest block of undeveloped land on the east coast between Boston and North Carolina
Patuxent Research Refuge is divided into three areas:
- North Tract, which offers hunting, fishing, wildlife observation, trails, and many interpretive programs
- Central Tract, where the offices and study sites of the many research biologists are located at the USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center
- South Tract, where the National Wildlife Visitor Center and its trails are located. The National Wildlife Visitor Center and North Tract are the only areas open for visitor activities.
Birding Checklist
The seasonal occurrence and habitats of the various species are coded as follows: 1. Where: (Preferred habitat at the Refuge) E - Edge (woods, hedgerows, thickets) F - Forest/Woods FC - Predominately Coniferous FD - Predominately Deciduous FM - Mixed conif. & decid. O - Open area (fields, clearings) S - Sky W - Wet area WL - Lake, Pond WR - River, Stream WW - Wetland, Marsh
- - Throughout the Refuge
2. When: (Time of year found at the Refuge)
Y - Year-round resident
M - Migrates through area
MS - Springly Migrant
MF - Fall Migrant
MB - Both Spring & Fall
S - Summer
SR - Summer Resident (may breed at Refuge)
SR$ - Confirmed breeding
WV - Winter visitor
%S - Southern extent of range
%N - Northern extent of range
(R) - Rarely noted on refuge
(V) - Vagrant (Outside of normal range)
! - More often heard than seen
LOON WHERE WHEN
___ Common Loon S MS
GREBES WHERE WHEN
___ Pied-billed Grebe WL Y ___ Horned Grebe WL M(R)
CORMORANTS WHERE WHEN
___ Double-crested Cormorant WL MB
HERONS/ALLIES WHERE WHEN
___ American Bittern WM Y ___ Least Bittern WM SR ___ Great Blue Heron W Y ___ Great Egret W S ___ Snowy Egret W S(R) ___ Little Blue Heron W SR ___ Cattle Egret W MS ___ Green Heron W SR
IBIS WHERE WHEN
___ White Ibis W M(V) ___ Glossy Ibis W M(R)
VULTURES WHERE WHEN
___ Black Vulture S,O Y ___ Turkey Vulture S,O Y
SWANS WHERE WHEN
___ Tundra Swan ML M(R)
GEESE WHERE WHEN
___ Canada Goose W Y$
DUCK/ALLIES WHERE WHEN
___ Wood Duck W SR$ ___ Green-winged Teal W WV ___ American Black Duck W Y ___ Mallard W Y$ ___ Northern Pintail W M ___ Blue-winged Teal W WV ___ Northern Shoveler W M ___ Gadwall WL WV ___ American Wigeon WL MS ___ Canvasback WL MS ___ Ring-necked Duck WL WV ___ Lesser Scaup WL M ___ Bufflehead W WV ___ Hooded Merganser W WV ___ Common Merganser W M ___ Red-breasted Merganser W
EAGLES/HAWKS/ALLIES WHERE WHEN
___ Bald Eagle FM Y$ ___ Golden Eagle S M(R) ___ Northern Harrier O Y ___ Sharp-shinned Hawk S Y ___ Cooper's Hawk S Y ___ Red-shouldered Hawk FM Y$ ___ Broad-winged Hawk FM SR ___ Red-tailed Hawk FM Y$ ___ Merlin S M ___ American Kestrel O,E Y$ ___ Peregrine Falcon S M(R) ___ Osprey W MB ___ Mississippi Kite S (V)
TURKEY/QUAIL/ALLIES WHERE WHEN
___ Wild Turkey FD Y ___ Northern Bobwhite! E Y(R) ___ Ring-necked Pheasant E Y(R)
RAILS/COOTS WHERE WHEN
___ Sora W WV ___ American Coot W SR
PLOVERS/SANDPIPERS WHERE WHEN
___ Killdeer W SR$ ___ Greater Yellowlegs W MB ___ Lesser Yellowlegs W MB ___ Solitary Sandpiper W MB ___ Spotted Sandpiper W SR ___ Least Sandpiper W MB ___ Common Snipe W,FD,E WR ___ American Woodcock W,FD,E Y
GULLS WHERE WHEN
___ Laughing Gull S,WL WV ___ Ring-billed Gull S,WL Y ___ Herring Gull S,WL WV ___ Glaucous Gull S,WL W,M ___ Great Black-backed Gull S,WL W
TERNS WHERE WHEN
___ Caspian Tern S M(R) ___ Common Tern S M(R) ___ Forster's Tern S M(R) ___ Least Tern S M(R)
DOVES WHERE WHEN
___ Rock Dove # Y(R) ___ Mourning Dove # Y$
CUCKOOS WHERE WHEN
___ Black-billed Cuckoo E S(R) ___ Yellow-billed Cuckoo E SR
OWLS WHERE WHEN
___ Eastern Screech Owl FM Y$ ___ Great-Horned Owl FC Y$ ___ Barred Owl FM Y$ ___ Short-eared Owl E,O WV(R)
NIGHTJARS WHERE WHEN
___ Common Nighthawk S SR ___ Whip-Poor-Will FM SR ___ Chuck-Will's-Widow FC SR
SWIFT WHERE WHEN
___ Chimney Swift S SR
HUMMINGBIRD WHERE WHEN
___ Ruby-Throated Hummingbird O,E SR
KINGFISHER WHERE WHEN
___ Belted Kingfisher W Y
WOODPECKERS WHERE WHEN
___ Red-headed Woodpecker F WV(R) ___ Red-bellied Woodpecker F Y ___ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker F WV ___ Downy Woodpecker F Y ___ Hairy Woodpecker F Y ___ Northern Flicker F Y ___ Pileated Woodpecker F Y
FLYCATCHERS WHERE WHEN
___ Eastern Wood-Pewee F,E SR ___ Eastern Phoebe F,E SR ___ Acadian Flycatcher F,E SR ___ Alder Flycatcher W M ___ Willow Flycatcher FM SR%S ___ Least Flycatcher F,E M ___ Great Crested Flycatcher F,E SR ___ Eastern Kingbird O SR$
VIREOS WHERE WHEN
___ Red-eyed Vireo FD,E SR$ ___ White-eyed Vireo FD,E SR$ ___ Solitary Vireo FD MS ___ Yellow-throated Vireo FD,E SR ___ Warbling Vireo FD SR$ ___ Philadelphia Vireo FD,E MB
JAYS/CROWS WHERE WHEN
___ Blue Jay # Y ___ American Crow # Y ___ Fish Crow S WR
LARK WHERE WHEN
___ Horned Lark O W(R)
SWALLOWS WHERE WHEN
___ Purple Martin S,O SR$ ___ Tree Swallow W,O SR$ ___ Northern Rough-winged Swallow W,O SR ___ Bank Swallow WV SR ___ Barn Swallow W,O SR ___ Cliff Swallow W,O S(R)
CHICKADEES/TITMICE WHERE WHEN
___ Black-capped Chickadee F W(R) ___ Carolina Chickadee F Y$ ___ Tufted Titmouse F Y$
KINGLETS/GNATCATCHERS WHERE WHEN
___ Golden-crowned Kinglet FM WR ___ Ruby-crowned Kinglet E,F WR ___ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher F,W SR$
NUTHATCHES/CREEPER WHERE WHEN
___ Red-breasted Nuthatch FM WV ___ White-breasted Nuthatch FC Y ___ Brown Creeper FM WV
WRENS WHERE WHEN
___ House Wren E,F SR$ ___ Winter Wren E,FC WV ___ Carolina Wren E,F Y$
THRUSHES WHERE WHEN
___ Eastern Bluebird O,E Y$ ___ American Robin # Y$ ___ Veery F SR ___ Swainson's Thrush F MS ___ Hermit Thrush F WV ___ Wood Thrush F SR
MIMIC THRUSHES WHERE WHEN
___ Gray Catbird E SR ___ Northern Mockingbird # Y ___ Brown Thrasher E SR
WAXWINGS WHERE WHEN
___ Cedar Waxwings E WV
WARBLERS WHERE WHEN
___ Hooded Warbler FD,E SR$ ___ Common Yellowthroat E,W SR$ ___ Ovenbird! F SR$ ___ Prairie Warbler E SR$ ___ American Redstart FD,E,W SR$ ___ Pine Warbler FC SR$ ___ Yellow-throated Warbler FD SR%N ___ Black-throated Green Warbler E SR%S ___ Blackburnian Warbler FD SR%N ___ Northern Parula F,W SR ___ Prothonotary Warbler E SR ___ Black-and-white Warbler E SR ___ Yellow Warbler E,W SR ___ Worm-eating Warbler WW SR ___ Kentucky Warbler FD SR ___ Yellow-breasted Chat E SR ___ Louisiana Waterthrush WW SR ___ Northern Waterthrush W MB ___ Wilson's Warbler E MB(R) ___ Blackpoll Warbler E MS ___ Black-throated Blue Warbler FM MS ___ Cerulean Warbler FD MS ___ Magnolia Warbler E,FC MS ___ Canada Warbler FD,E MS ___ Cape May Warbler E,FC MS ___ Chesnut-sided Warbler E MS ___ Bay-breasted Warbler E MS ___ Palm Warbler O MS ___ Blue-winged Warbler FD,E MS ___ Tennessee Warbler E,FM MS ___ Nashville Warbler E,O MF ___ Connecticut Warbler E,W MF ___ Yellow-rumped Warbler FC WR
TANAGERS WHERE WHEN
___ Summer Tanager E,FD SR$%N ___ Scarlet Tanager E,FM SR
GROSBEAKS/ALLIES WHERE WHEN
___ Northern Cardinal E,FM Y$ ___ Rose-Breasted Grosbeak E,FM MS ___ Blue Grosbeak E SR%N$ ___ Indigo Bunting E,O SR
TOWHEES WHERE WHEN
___ Eastern Towhee E Y$
(formerly Rufous-sided towhee)
SPARROWS WHERE WHEN
___ American Tree Sparrow O,WW WV ___ Chipping Sparrow O SR ___ Field Sparrow O Y ___ Savannah Sparrow O,W W(R) ___ Grasshopper Sparrow O SR ___ Henslow's Sparrow O S(R) ___ Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow E,W W(R) ___ Fox Sparrow MB WR ___ Vesper Sparrow O SR ___ Song Sparrow E,O Y$ ___ Lincoln's Sparrow O MB(R) ___ Swamp Sparrow W Y ___ White-throated Sparrow E,O WR ___ White-crowned Sparrow E W(R) ___ Dark-eyed Junco E WV
(Slate-colored race)
BLACKBIRDS WHERE WHEN
___ Bobolink O MB ___ Red-winged Blackbird W SR$ ___ Eastern Meadowlark O SR ___ Boat-tailed Grackle O Y(R) ___ Common Grackle O Y ___ Brown-headed Cowbird O Y
ORIOLES WHERE WHEN
___ Orchard Oriole E,W SR ___ Baltimore Oriole E,FD SR
FINCHES WHERE WHEN
___ House Ficnh E Y$ ___ Purple Finch E,O W(R) ___ Amercian Goldfinch E,O Y$
WEAVER FINCH WHERE WHEN
___ House Sparrow (aka English Sparrow) O Y(R)
(non-native)
STARLING WHERE WHEN
___ European Starling (Non-native) # Y$
Contact Information
- Phone: (301) 497-5662
- Fax: (301) 497-5666
- Website: http://www.fws.gov/northeast/patuxent/
- Address: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service - Patuxent Research Refuge, 230 Bald Eagle Drive, Laurel MD 20724-3000
- Location (via Google Maps): http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=39.071445,-76.779671&spn=0.19884,0.432587&z=12
