Species of Greatest Conservation Need

1279 species
Taxonomic Group
Federal Status
State Status
Endemic

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Species of Greatest Conservation Need (Updated: 01/31/2024)
Common Name Scientifc Name Taxonomic Group Federal Status State Status Global Rank State Rank Endemic General Habitat Type(s)
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S5B False Breeding: Nest with other colonial waterbirds in small to large colonies, nest primarily in herbaceous plants, shrubs, and small trees on coastal islands and within coastal marshes, swamps, lagoons, and streams; while colonial, they are less social than other species so, when nesting with other species, usually nest peripherally in low dense, well-shaded shrubs and small trees or ccasionally they may nest on the ground forage: mostly Gulf-coastal in estuaries, lagoons, swamps, and marshes; mud flats, salt and fresh water marshes, tidal creeks, shrub swamps, open shallow bays, and human-made habitats, especially, flooded rice fields and aquaculture ponds
swallow-tailed kite Elanoides forficatus Birds Not Listed T G5 S2B False 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.
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4 S3 False Winter: Strongly associated with wooded wetlands, bogs and fens, although foraging birds can be found in agricultural settings, particularly in association with livestock but may not commonly forage with other blackbird species
northern aplomado falcon Falco femoralis septentrionalis Birds LE E G4T2T3 S1 False 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
American peregrine falcon Falco peregrinus anatum Birds Not Listed T G4T4 S2B False Year-round resident and local breeder in west Texas, nests in tall cliff eyries; also, migrant across state from more northern breeding areas in US and Canada, winters along coast and farther south; occupies wide range of habitats during migration, including urban, concentrations along coast and barrier islands; low-altitude migrant, stopovers at leading landscape edges such as lake shores, coastlines, and barrier islands.
American Kestrel Falco sparverius Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4B False Year-round: paulus & southwest population, Breeding - open or partly open habitat; prairies, deserts, wooded streams, burned forest, cultivated lands and farmland with scattered trees, open woodland, sometimes urban areas/parklands, Nests in natural holes in trees, abandoned woodpecker holes, holes in buildings or cliffs; may use nest-boxes
gull-billed tern Gelochelidon nilotica Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4B False Breeding: This is a marsh-nesting tern along the coast. Bent (1921) concluded that it had been driven to nest on barrier beaches because of hunting at sites on inner dunes, saltmarshes, and islands. Nesting sites are presently confined to sandy barrier islands, beaches, sandy shores of saline lagoons and marshes, and artificially-produced dredge spoil islands (Clapp et al. 1983). The percentage of nesting birds on spoil islands is 70-84% in Texas (Clapp et al. 1983).
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S5B False Year-round: Resacas, vegetated channels and wetlands associated with the Rio Grande/Rio Bravo system in the LRGV; subspecies insperata
ferruginous pygmy-owl Glaucidium brasilianum Birds Not Listed T G5 S2? False 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
whooping crane Grus americana Birds LE E G1 S1S2N False 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.
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S2 False Year-round: Inter-tidal sand or mudflats (especially along the edge of receding tides), oyster or mussel reefs and shoals; rocky shorelines/jetties; shellfish beds breed in Texas just above sea level on higher parts of sandy beaches
bald eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S3B,S3N False Found primarily near rivers and large lakes; nests in tall trees or on cliffs near water; communally roosts, especially in winter; hunts live prey, scavenges, and pirates food from other birds
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S3B False Breeding: Well-drained upland deciduous oak and oak-hickory interior forests with 80 - 90 % forest cover, along river corridors with understory shrub patches, drier portions of stream swamps (nontidal) with a shrubby understory, deciduous woods near streams; almost always associated with hillsides; nests on the ground, usually on hillsides, among dead leaves against roots or stems of shrubs or saplings, in a slight cavity or up against rock outcrops
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4 S4B False Breeding: Interior and edges of deciduous and mixed forests; cool, moist sites, often near water; moderate to dense understory and shrub density with a lot of shade, moist soil, and decaying leaf litter; mature deciduous forests and riparian habitats
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4B False Breeding: Riparian zones, floodplains, marshes and the shorelines of large rivers and lakes; mature shade trees in low-density human development and parkland may also be suitable
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S4B False Breeding: North-central Texas and Panhandle hardwood woodlands near mixed and shortgrass prairie, some mixed riparian woodlands; will use urban/suburban forests; may nest colonially in some areas nests typically in isolated trees or orchards, less frequently in riparian woodland; favors trees at or near a woodland edge, and near water, with extensive treeless habitat (grassland, prairie) nearby
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4G5 S4B False Breeding: Freshwater and brackish marshes with dense, tall growth of aquatic or semi-aquatic vegetation, particularly cattails (Typha spp.), sedges (Carex spp.), bulrushes (Scirpus), arrowheads (Sagittaria spp., sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense), and common reed (Phragmites australis) interspersed with clumps of woody vegetation, e.g., common buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis) and open water; may include "marshes" below impoundments where lakes/ponds maintained at constant level; in west Texas, natural cattail and rush marshes are relatively rare and local
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4 S4B False Year-round: Native grasslands, savanna, shrublands and thornscrub with scattered trees, shrubs, or low bushes for nesting substrate, elevated perches for hunting and courtship, foraging areas of open, short vegetation with some relatively bare areas, and thorny trees or barbed wire fences for impaling prey
black rail Laterallus jamaicensis Birds LT T G3 S2 False 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
Franklin's gull Leucophaeus pipixcan Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S2N False 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.
Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4 S3B False Breeding: Successional stages of thicket in mature bottomland hardwood forest, forested wetlands; wetland coastal thickets; strongly correlated with stands of giant cane, can be correlated with palmetto, vines, other dense thicket forming woody shrubs
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica Birds Not Listed Not Listed G4 S2 False Migrant: Not primarily staging along the coast, but rather inland rice fields and other flooded areas along the Central Flyway
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S3B False Year-round: Requires multiple snags for nesting, roosting, and foraging and snags are usually found in mature forest systems; preference for bottomland hardwood forests, flooded forest, beaver ponds with snags; will also use open deciduous and riparian woodlands, orchards, parks, agricultural lands, savanna-like grasslands, burned forests; mast production important; large forest fragments (>2 ha) with large snags for nesting and open areas for catching flying insects
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo Birds Not Listed Not Listed G5 S5B False Year-round: Added merriami for CHIH
wood stork Mycteria americana Birds Not Listed T G4 SHB,S2N False 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.