Species of Greatest Conservation Need

**Species of Greatest Conservation Need** (Updated: 06/16/2025)
Scientifc Name	Common Name	Taxonomic Group	SGCN Status	Federal Status	State Status	Global Rank	State Rank	Endemic	General Habitat Type(s)
Charadrius wilsonia	Wilson's plover	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3B	No	Coastal sandy and shell beaches, barrier and spoil islands, borders of salt ponds, tidal mudflats, inlets, bays, estuaries, and sometimes sandbars and mudbanks of rivers near the coast (Johnsgard 1981, Raffaele 1989, Stiles and Skutch 1989).
Chlidonias niger	black tern	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4G5	S3	No	NON-BREEDING: pelagic waters as well as seacoasts, bays, estuaries, lagoons, lakes, reservoirs, and rivers (Eisenmann 1951, Zaret and Paine 1973, van Halewijn 1973, Spaans 1978, AOU 1983, Williams 1983); prefers sheltered offshore waters and bays, comes to shore chiefly during migrations (Stiles and Skutch 1989).
Chordeiles minor	common nighthawk	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S4B	No	Common Nighthawks nest in both rural and urban habitats including coastal sand dunes and beaches, logged forest, recently burned forest, woodland clearings, prairies, plains, sagebrush, grasslands, open forests, and rock outcrops. They also nest on flat gravel rooftops, though less often as gravel roofs are being replaced by smooth, rubberized roofs that provide an unsuitable surface.
Coccyzus americanus	yellow-billed cuckoo	Birds	Yes	T 11/03/2014	Not Listed	G5	S4S5B	No	In Texas, the populations of concern are found breeding in riparian areas in the Trans Pecos (know as part of the Western Distinct Population Segment). It is the Western DPS that is on the U.S. ESA threatened list and includes the Texas counties Brewster, Culberson, El Paso, Hudspeth, Jeff Davis, and Presidio. Riparian woodlands below 6,000' in elevation consisting of cottonwoods and willows are prime habitat. This species is a long-distant migrant that summers in Texas, but winters mainly in South America. Breeding birds of the Trans Pecos populations typically arrive on their breeding grounds possibly in late April but the peak arrival time is in May. Threats to preferred habitat include hydrologic changes that don't promote the regeneration of cottonwoods and willows, plus livestock browsing and trampling of sapling trees in sensitive riparian areas.
Colinus virginianus	northern bobwhite	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4G5	S4B	No	Inhabits a wide variety of vegetation types, particularly early successional stages. Occurs in croplands, grasslands, pastures, fallow fields, grass-brush rangelands, open pinelands, open mixed pine-hardwood forests, and habitat mosaics (Brennan 1999).
Coturnicops noveboracensis	yellow rail	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S3N	No	BREEDING: Emergent wetlands, grass or sedge marshes and wet meadows in freshwater situations. Some breeding territories in these wet meadows contain firm footing and only a few remnant pools of water (Berkey 1991). These areas can range from damp to 38 cm (15 inches) of water but the average depth used for nesting is 8 to 15 cm (3 to 6 inches) (Savaloja 1981). NON-BREEDING: Grain fields in winter and when migrating. Winters in both freshwater and brackish marshes, as well as in dense, deep grass. During fall migration, will use many open habitats, from rice paddies to dry hayfields.
Dryobates borealis	red-cockaded woodpecker	Birds	Yes	T 11/25/2024	E 05/19/1974	G3	S2	No	Cavity nests in older pine (60+ years); forages in younger pine (30+ years); prefers longleaf, shortleaf, and loblolly
Egretta rufescens	reddish egret	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G4	S2B	No	Resident of the Texas Gulf Coast; brackish marshes and shallow salt ponds and tidal flats; nests on ground or in trees or bushes, on dry coastal islands in brushy thickets of yucca and prickly pear
Elanoides forficatus	swallow-tailed kite	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G5	S2B	No	The county distribution for this species includes geographic areas that the species may use during migration. Time of year should be factored into evaluations to determine potential presence of this species in a specific county. Lowland forested regions, especially swampy areas, ranging into open woodland; marshes, along rivers, lakes, and ponds; nests high in tall tree in clearing or on forest woodland edge, usually in pine, cypress, or various deciduous trees.
Empidonax traillii extimus	southwestern willow flycatcher	Birds	Yes	E 02/27/1995	E 01/30/1997	G5T2	S1B	No	Thickets of willow, cottonwood, mesquite, and other species along desert streams
Euphagus cyanocephalus	Brewer's blackbird	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S5	No	Shrubby and bushy areas (especially near water), riparian woodland, aspen parklands, cultivated lands, marshes, and around human habitation; in migration and winter also in pastures and fields (AOU 1983).
Falco femoralis septentrionalis	northern aplomado falcon	Birds	Yes	E 03/27/1986	E 03/01/1987	G4T2T3	S1	No	Open country, especially savanna and open woodland, and sometimes in very barren areas; grassy plains and valleys with scattered mesquite, yucca, and cactus; nests in old stick nests of other bird species
Glaucidium brasilianum	ferruginous pygmy-owl	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G5	S2?	No	Riparian trees, brush, palm, and mesquite thickets; during day also roosts in small caves and recesses on slopes of low hills; breeding April to June
Grus americana	whooping crane	Birds	Yes	E 03/11/1967	E 05/19/1974	G1	S1S2N	No	The county distribution for this species includes geographic areas that the species may use during migration. Time of year should be factored into evaluations to determine potential presence of this species in a specific county. Small ponds, marshes, and flooded grain fields for both roosting and foraging. Potential migrant via plains throughout most of state to coast; winters in coastal marshes of Aransas, Calhoun, and Refugio counties.
Lanius ludovicianus	loggerhead shrike	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4B	No	Loggerhead Shrikes inhabit open country with short vegetation and well-spaced shrubs or low trees, particularly those with spines or thorns. They frequent agricultural fields, pastures, old orchards, riparian areas, desert scrublands, savannas, prairies, golf courses, and cemeteries. Loggerhead Shrikes are often seen along mowed roadsides with access to fence lines and utility poles.
Laterallus jamaicensis	black rail	Birds	Yes	T 11/09/2020	T 03/30/2020	G3	S2	No	The county distribution for this species includes geographic areas that the species may use during migration. Time of year should be factored into evaluations to determine potential presence of this species in a specific county. Salt, brackish, and freshwater marshes, pond borders, wet meadows, and grassy swamps; nests in or along edge of marsh, sometimes on damp ground, but usually on mat of previous years dead grasses; nest usually hidden in marsh grass or at base of Salicornia
Leiothlypis virginiae	Virginia's warbler	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3B	No	In summer higher elevations and oak woodland. In migration riparian areas, woodlands, brush.
Leucophaeus pipixcan	Franklin's gull	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S2N	No	The county distribution for this species includes geographic areas that the species may use during migration. Time of year should be factored into evaluations to determine potential presence of this species in a specific county. This species is only a spring and fall migrant throughout Texas. It does not breed in or near Texas. Winter records are unusual consisting of one or a few individuals at a given site (especially along the Gulf coastline). During migration, these gulls fly during daylight hours but often come down to wetlands, lake shore, or islands to roost for the night.
Limosa haemastica	Hudsonian godwit	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S2	No	NON-BREEDING: marshes, beaches, flooded fields, and tidal mudflats (AOU 1983); lake and pond shores, inlets.
Melanerpes erythrocephalus	red-headed woodpecker	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G5	S3B	No	Red-headed Woodpeckers breed in deciduous woodlands with oak or beech, groves of dead or dying trees, river bottoms, burned areas, recent clearings, beaver swamps, orchards, parks, farmland, grasslands with scattered trees, forest edges, and roadsides. During the start of the breeding season they move from forest interiors to forest edges or disturbed areas. Wherever they breed, dead (or partially dead) trees for nest cavities are an important part of their habitat. Their wintering range in Texas they live in pine and pine-oak.
Micrathene whitneyi	elf owl	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	Not Listed	G4	S4B	No	In SW Texas and Coahuila, Mexico, nests in AGAVE-ACACIA-LEUCOPHYLLUM lowland desert, PROSOPIS-ACACIA-CELTIS-CHILOPSIS desert-wash woodland, POPULUS-SALIX-FRAXINUS-JUGLANS-ACER canyon riparian forest, and QUERCUS-PINUS-JUNIPERUS evergreen woodland; and in the lower Rio Grande valley of Texas and Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon, Mexico, nests in ACACIA-PROSOPIS-CELTIS-DIOSPYRUS-BUMELIA subtropical thorn woodland and PITHECELLOBIUM-EHRETIA-ULMUS-LEUCAENA riparian woodland (Henry and Gehlbach 1999).
Mycteria americana	wood stork	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 07/18/1977	G4	SHB,S3N	No	The county distribution for this species includes geographic areas that the species may use during migration. Time of year should be factored into evaluations to determine potential presence of this species in a specific county. Prefers to nest in large tracts of baldcypress (Taxodium distichum) or red mangrove (Rhizophora mangle); forages in prairie ponds, flooded pastures or fields, ditches, and other shallow standing water, including salt-water; usually roosts communally in tall snags, sometimes in association with other wading birds (i.e. active heronries); breeds in Mexico and birds move into Gulf States in search of mud flats and other wetlands, even those associated with forested areas; formerly nested in Texas, but no breeding records since 1960.
Numenius borealis	Eskimo curlew	Birds	Yes	E 03/11/1967	E 05/19/1974	GH	SHN	No	Historically, shortgrass plains and prairies, but more recently (1960s) in old fields, closely grazed pastures, burned prairies, and marshes; beaches and sand flats. Nonbreeding: grasslands, pastures, plowed fields, and less frequently, marshes and mudflats
Onychoprion fuscatus	sooty tern	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/01/1987	G5	S1B	No	Primarily an offshore bird; does nest on sandy beaches and islands, breeding April-July.
Pachyramphus aglaiae	rose-throated becard	Birds	Yes	Not Listed	T 03/01/1987	G4G5	S1	No	Riparian corridors; trees, woodlands, open forest, scrub, and mangroves; breeding April to July.