. . . other viewing opportunities at Iona Island . . . more information on Iona Island
. . . list of available bird checklists
|
. . . other viewing opportunities at Iona Island . . . more information on Iona Island
. . . list of available bird checklists |
 May 2002 - The taxonomic order, common names and four-letter codes included in this web version of the Iona Island Bird Checklist published in 1994 have been updated using the 7th edition of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) Check-List of North American Birds (AOU 1998) and its supplement (AOU 2000). |
| The following is a list of the bird species that have been observed at Iona Island. The status of each species is indicated by an abundance level in each of four seasons. The standard four letter code is shown for each species.
The checklist area includes Iona Beach Regional Park and 1200 hectares of surrounding intertidal foreshore. The checklist area is all of Iona Island, including the immediate waters around the Iona South (often called the"West") Jetty, the North Arm Jetty, a portion of the North Arm of the Fraser River, McDonald Slough, and the Iona-Sea Island Causeway which joins Iona and Sea Islands. The checklist area does not include Sea Island. Hypothetical List: There are species believed to have been correctly identified, but lack satisfactory documentation by either a specimen, an identifiable photograph, or a convincing field description. This list includes Sooty/Short-tailed Shearwater, Swainson's Hawk, Common Ringed Plover, Temminck's Stint, Long-toed Stint, Wood Sandpiper, Green Sandpiper, Laughing Gull, Slaty-backed Gull, Tufted Puffin, Red-throated Pipit, White Wagtail, Black-backed/White Wagtail, Yellow Wagtail, Clay-colored Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Baird's Sparrow and Cassin's Finch.
Explanation of Symbols Seasonal Occurrence
Relative Abundance
Other Symbols
|
| Code | * | Species | Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
| RTLO | Red-throated Loon | c | r | c | f | |
| PALO | Pacific Loon | f | ca | f | u | |
| COLO | Common Loon | c | u | c | f | |
| YBLO | Yellow-billed Loon (6) + | ac | ca | ca | ||
| PBGR | * | Pied-billed Grebe | u | u | u | u |
| HOGR | Horned Grebe | c | r | c | c | |
| RNGR | Red-necked Grebe | c | r | c | f | |
| EAGR | Eared Grebe | r | ca | r | r | |
| WEGR | Western Grebe | c | r | c | a | |
| CLGR | Clark's Grebe (3) | ac | ca | |||
| AMPE | American White Pelican (4) | ca | ca | |||
| DCCO | * | Double-crested Cormorant | c | c | c | f |
| BRCO | Brandt's Cormorant | r | ca | r | r | |
| PECO | Pelagic Cormorant | u | u | u | u | |
| AMBI | * | American Bittern | u | u | u | u |
| GBHE | Great Blue Heron | c | c | c | c | |
| GREG | Great Egret (1) | ac | ||||
| CAEG | Cattle Egret (3) | ca | ||||
| GRHE | Green Heron | r | u | u | ca | |
| BCNH | Black-crowned Night-Heron (7) + | ca | ca | ca | ca | |
| TUVU | Turkey Vulture | r | u | |||
| GWFG | Greater White-fronted Goose | u | ca | u | r | |
| SNGO | Snow Goose | c | ac | u | r | |
| ROGO | Ross's Goose (2) | ac | ac | |||
| CAGO | * | Canada Goose | c | c | c | c |
| BRAN | Brant | r | r | r | r | |
| MUSW | Mute Swan [I] (2) | ac | ac | |||
| TRUS | Trumpeter Swan | r | r | r | ||
| TUSW | Tundra Swan | r | ca | r | r | |
| WODU | Wood Duck + | r | r | ca | ||
| GADW | * | Gadwall | c | f | c | c |
| EUWI | Eurasian Wigeon | r | ac | r | u | |
| AMWI | * | American Wigeon | c | u | c | c |
| ABDU | American Black Duck [I] (3) | ca | ||||
| MALL | * | Mallard | c | c | c | a |
| BTWE | * | Blue-winged Teal | f | f | f | |
| CITE | * | Cinnamon Teal | f | f | f | ca |
| NOSL | * | Northern Shoveler | c | u | c | f |
| NOPI | * | Northern Pintail | c | u | c | a |
| GARG | Garganey (4) | ac | ca | ac | ||
| GWTE | * | Green-winged Teal | a | u | a | a |
| CANV | Canvasback | c | ca | c | c | |
| REDH | Redhead | r | r | r | r | |
| RNDU | Ring-necked Duck | r | r | r | u | |
| TUDU | Tufted Duck | r | ca | r | r | |
| GRSC | Greater Scaup | c | u | c | a | |
| LESC | Lesser Scaup | c | u | c | c | |
| KIEI | King Eider (2) | ac | ac | |||
| HARL | Harlequin Duck + | r | ca | r | r | |
| SUSC | Surf Scoter | c | f | c | a | |
| WWSC | White-winged Scoter | r | u | r | r | |
| BLSC | Black Scoter | u | r | u | f | |
| LTDU | Long-tailed Duck | c | r | c | f | |
| BUFF | Bufflehead | c | ca | c | c | |
| COGO | Common Goldeneye | c | r | c | c | |
| BAGO | Barrow's Goldeneye | c | r | c | c | |
| HOME | Hooded Merganser | u | r | u | f | |
| COME | Common Merganser | c | u | c | c | |
| RBME | Red-breasted Merganser | c | ca | c | c | |
| RUDU | * | Ruddy Duck | c | r | c | c |
| OSPR | Osprey | r | r | r | ac | |
| BAEA | Bald Eagle | f | u | f | f | |
| NOHA | Northern Harrier | u | u | u | u | |
| SSHA | Sharp-shinned Hawk | u | r | u | u | |
| COHA | Cooper's Hawk | u | r | u | u | |
| NOGO | Northern Goshawk | r | r | r | ||
| RTHA | * | Red-tailed Hawk | f | f | f | f |
| RLHA | Rough-legged Hawk | u | u | u | ||
| GOEA | Golden Eagle (4) | ac | ca | ac | ||
| AMKE | American Kestrel | u | r | u | r | |
| MERL | Merlin | r | r | r | u | |
| PEFA | Peregrine Falcon | r | r | r | u | |
| GYRF | Gyrfalcon | r | ||||
| RNPH | * | Ring-necked Pheasant [I] | u | u | u | u |
| RUGR | * | Ruffed Grouse (3) | ca | |||
| VIRA | * | Virginia Rail | r | r | r | r |
| SORA | * | Sora | u | f | u | |
| COMO | Common Moorhen (1) | ac | ||||
| AMCO | * | American Coot | f | u | f | f |
| SACR | Sandhill Crane (6) | ca | ca | |||
| BBPL | Black-bellied Plover | c | r | c | f | |
| AGPL | American Golden-Plover | r | ca | r | ||
| PGPL | Pacific Golden-Plover + | r | r | ac | ||
| SNPL | Snowy Plover (2) | ac | ac | |||
| SEPL | * | Semipalmated Plover | f | r | f | ac |
| KILL | * | Killdeer | f | f | f | u |
| BLOY | Black Oystercatcher (6) | ca | ac | ca | ||
| BNST | Black-necked Stilt (1) | ac | ||||
| AMAV | American Avocet | ca | r | ca | ac | |
| GRYE | Greater Yellowlegs | c | r | c | u | |
| LEYE | Lesser Yellowlegs | u | r | c | ca | |
| SOSA | Solitary Sandpiper | r | r | |||
| WILL | Willet | ac | r | ca | ac | |
| WATA | Wandering Tattler | ca | r | |||
| SPSA | * | Spotted Sandpiper | f | f | f | ca |
| UPSA | Upland Sandpiper (4) | ca | ||||
| WHIM | Whimbrel | u | r | u | ac | |
| LBCU | Long-billed Curlew | r | ca | r | ||
| HUGO | Hudsonian Godwit | ca | ca | r | ||
| MAGO | Marbled Godwit | ca | ca | r | ||
| RUTU | Ruddy Turnstone | r | ca | r | ||
| BLTU | Black Turnstone | r | ca | r | u | |
| SURF | Surfbird | r | r | r | ||
| REKN | Red Knot | r | ca | r | ac | |
| SAND | Sanderling | c | r | c | c | |
| SESA | Semipalmated Sandpiper | r | ca | f | ||
| WESA | Western Sandpiper | a | u | a | r | |
| RNST | Red-necked Stint (2) | ac | ca | |||
| LIST | Little Stint (2) | ac | ac | |||
| LESA | Least Sandpiper | c | u | c | ca | |
| WRSA | White-rumped Sandpiper (6) | ac | ca | |||
| BASA | Baird's Sandpiper | r | f | |||
| PESA | Pectoral Sandpiper | r | ca | c | ||
| SHSA | Sharp-tailed Sandpiper | u | ac | |||
| ROSA | Rock Sandpiper | r | r | r | ||
| DUNL | Dunlin | a | r | a | f | |
| CUSA | Curlew Sandpiper (5) | ca | ||||
| STSA | Stilt Sandpiper | ca | ac | r | ||
| SBSA | Spoonbill Sandpiper (1) | ac | ||||
| BBSA | Buff-breasted Sandpiper | r | ||||
| RUFF | Ruff | ca | ca | r | ||
| SBDO | Short-billed Dowitcher | c | r | u | ||
| LBDO | Long-billed Dowitcher | f | u | a | r | |
| COSN | Common Snipe | u | r | u | f | |
| WIPH | * | Wilson's Phalarope | u | u | u | |
| RNPL | Red-necked Phalarope | r | ca | u | ||
| REPH | Red Phalarope (2) | ca | ||||
| POJA | Pomarine Jaeger (2) + | ca | ||||
| PAJA | Parasitic Jaeger | r | ca | u | ||
| LTJA | Long-tailed Jaeger (4) | ac | ca | |||
| FRGU | Franklin's Gull | ca | ca | r | ac | |
| LIGU | Little Gull (11) | ac | ca | ca | ||
| BHGU | Black-headed Gull (1) | ac | ||||
| BOGU | Bonaparte's Gull | c | f | c | r | |
| HEEG | Heermann's Gull (3) | ac | ca | |||
| MEGU | Mew Gull | c | r | c | a | |
| RBGU | Ring-billed Gull | f | f | f | f | |
| CAGU | California Gull | f | f | f | u | |
| HEGU | Herring Gull | u | ca | u | u | |
| THGU | Thayer's Gull | c | ca | c | f | |
| ICGU | Iceland Gull (2) | ca | ||||
| WEGU | Western Gull | r | ca | r | r | |
| GWGU | * | Glaucous-winged Gull | a | a | a | a |
| GLGU | Glaucous Gull (6) + | ca | ca | |||
| BLKI | Black-legged Kittiwake (11) | ca | ac | ca | ac | |
| SAGU> | Sabine's Gull (7) | ca | ac | ca | ac | |
| CATE | Caspian Tern | f | f | f | ||
| COTE | Common Tern | c | r | c | ||
| ARTE | Arctic Tern (7) + | ac | ac | ca | ||
| FOTE | Forster's Tern (6) | ca | ca | |||
| BLTE | Black Tern | r | r | r | ||
| COMU | Common Murre | f | r | f | f | |
| PIGU | Pigeon Guillemot | f | f | f | u | |
| MAMU | Marbled Murrelet | f | f | f | f | |
| ANMU | Ancient Murrelet | r | r | r | ||
| RHAU | Rhinoceros Auklet | r | r | r | ca | |
| RODO | * | Rock Dove [I] | c | c | c | c |
| BTPI | Band-tailed Pigeon | r | r | r | r | |
| MODO | Mourning Dove | r | r | r | r | |
| BNOW | * | Barn Owl | u | u | u | u |
| GHOW | Great Horned Owl (1) | ac | ||||
| SNOW | Snowy Owl | u | u | |||
| BUOW | Burrowing Owl (8) | ca | ca | ca | ||
| LEOW | Long-eared Owl (3) | ac | ac | ac | ||
| SEOW | Short-eared Owl | r | r | r | f | |
| NSWO | Northern Saw-whet Owl (2) | ca | ||||
| CONI | * | Common Nighthawk | r | r | ||
| BLSW | Black Swift | f | f | f | ||
| VASW | Vaux's Swift | f | f | f | ||
| ANHU | Anna's Hummingbird (1) | ac | ||||
| RUHU | Rufous Hummingbird | c | f | f | ||
| BEKI | * | Belted Kingfisher | u | u | u | u |
| RBSA | Red-breasted Sapsucker (1) | ac | ||||
| DOWO | Downy Woodpecker | r | r | r | r | |
| HAWO | Hairy Woodpecker (4) | ca | ||||
| NOFL | Northern Flicker | f | ca | f | u | |
| PIWO | Pileated Woodpecker (1) | ac | ||||
| OSFL | Olive-sided Flycatcher + | r | ca | r | ||
| WWPE | Western Wood-Pewee | r | r | |||
| WIFL | * | Willow Flycatcher | u | u | u | |
| LEFL | Least Flycatcher (1) | ac | ||||
| HAFL | Hammond's Flycatcher + | r | r | |||
| PSFL | Pacific-slope Flycatcher + | r | r | |||
| EAPH | Eastern Phoebe | ac | ||||
| SAPH | Say's Phoebe (4) | ca | ca | |||
| TRKI | Tropical Kingbird (1) | ac | ||||
| WEKI | Western Kingbird | r | ac | |||
| EAKI | Eastern Kingbird | r | ||||
| STFL | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (1) | ac | ||||
| NOSH | Northern Shrike | u | u | u | ||
| LOSH | Loggerhead Shrike (3) | ca | ac | |||
| CAVI | Cassin's Vireo + | r | r | |||
| HUVI | Hutton's Vireo (1) | ac | ||||
| WAVI | Warbling Vireo + | u | u | |||
| REVI | Red-eyed Vireo (3) + | ca | ||||
| STJA | Steller's Jay + | r | r | r | ||
| BBMA | Black-billed Magpie (1) | ac | ||||
| NOCR | * | Northwestern Crow | a | a | a | a |
| CORA | Common Raven | u | u | u | u | |
| HOLA | Horned Lark | r | r | r | ||
| PUMA | Purple Martin (5) | ca | ca | ac | ||
| TRSW | * | Tree Swallow | a | c | r | |
| VGSW | * | Violet-green Swallow | a | c | r | |
| NRWS | * | Northern Rough-winged Swallow | c | f | c | |
| BKSW | Bank Swallow | r | ca | u | ||
| BASW | * | Barn Swallow | c | c | c | r |
| CLSW | * | Cliff Swallow | c | c | c | ac |
| BCCH | * | Black-capped Chickadee | u | u | u | u |
| CBCH | Chestnut-backed Chickadee (1) | ac | ||||
| BUSH | * | Bushtit | r | r | r | r |
| RBNU | Red-breasted Nuthatch (2) | ca | ||||
| BRCR | Brown Creeper (2) | ca | ||||
| BEWR | Bewick's Wren | u | u | u | u | |
| HOWR | House Wren (1) | ac | ||||
| WIWR | Winter Wren | r | r | r | ||
| MAWR | * | Marsh Wren | f | f | f | f |
| AMDI | American Dipper (1) | ac | ||||
| GCKI | Golden-crowned Kinglet | f | ca | f | u | |
| RCKI | Ruby-crowned Kinglet | f | f | r | ||
| WEBL | Western Bluebird (1) | ac | ||||
| MOBL | Mountain Bluebird (6) | ca | ||||
| TOSO | Townsend's Solitaire (4) | ca | ca | |||
| SWTH | Swainson's Thrush | u | u | |||
| HETH | Hermit Thrush | u | u | ca | ||
| AMRO | * | American Robin | c | c | c | f |
| VATH | Varied Thrush | r | r | ca | ||
| GRCA | Gray Catbird (1) | ac | ||||
| SATH | Sage Thrasher (1) | ac | ||||
| EUST | * | European Starling [I] | a | a | a | a |
| CRMY | * | Crested Myna [I] [X] | r | r | r | r |
| AMPI | American Pipit | c | r | c | r | |
| BOWA | Bohemian Waxwing (2) | ac | ac | |||
| CEWA | * | Cedar Waxwing | c | c | c | r |
| OCWA | Orange-crowned Warbler | c | u | c | ||
| NAWA | Nashville Warbler + | ca | ca | |||
| YEWA | * | Yellow Warbler | f | f | f | |
| YRWA | Yellow-rumped Warbler | c | c | u | ||
| BTGW | Black-throated Gray Warbler (5) + | ca | ca | |||
| TOWA | Townsend's Warbler (5) + | ca | ca | |||
| PAWA | Palm Warbler (3) | ca | ac | |||
| MACW | MacGillivray's Warbler + | r | r | |||
| COYE | * | Common Yellowthroat | c | c | c | ca |
| WIWA | Wilson's Warbler | u | u | |||
| WETA | Western Tanager (2) + | ca | ||||
| SPTO | * | Spotted Towhee | u | u | u | u |
| ATSP | American Tree Sparrow | r | r | r | ||
| CHSP | Chipping Sparrow | r | ca | r | ||
| VESP | Vesper Sparrow (2) | ac | ac | |||
| SAVS | * | Savannah Sparrow | a | c | a | r |
| FOSP | Fox Sparrow | u | u | c | ||
| SOSP | * | Song Sparrow | f | r | f | a |
| LISP | Lincoln's Sparrow | f | ca | f | r | |
| SWSP | Swamp Sparrow (4) | ac | ca | |||
| WTSP | White-throated Sparrow (2) | ca | r | |||
| HASP | Harris's Sparrow (5) | ca | ca | |||
| WCSP | * | White-crowned Sparrow | c | c | c | c |
| GCSP | Golden-crowned Sparrow | c | ca | c | f | |
| DEJU | Dark-eyed Junco | r | r | u | ||
| LALO | Lapland Longspur | u | ca | u | r | |
| SNBU | Snow Bunting | r | f | u | ||
| BHGR | * | Black-headed Grosbeak | u | u | u | |
| LZBU | Lazuli Bunting (1) | ac | ||||
| BOBO | Bobolink (8) | ca | ca | ac | ||
| RWBL | * | Red-winged Blackbird | c | c | c | c |
| WEME | * | Western Meadowlark | u | ca | u | u |
| YHBL | * | Yellow-headed Blackbird | u | u | r | ca |
| RUBL | Rusty Blackbird (3) | ca | ||||
| BRBL | * | Brewer's Blackbird | c | c | c | c |
| BHCO | * | Brown-headed Cowbird | c | c | c | r |
| BUOR | Bullock's Oriole (5) | ac | ca | ac | ||
| PUFI | Purple Finch | r | r | r | r | |
| HOFI | * | House Finch | c | c | c | c |
| RECR | Red Crossbill | i | i | i | i | |
| CORE | Common Redpoll (2) | ca | ||||
| PISI | Pine Siskin | c | u | c | r | |
| AMGO | * | American Goldfinch | f | f | f | r |
| EVGR | Evening Grosbeak + | r | r | u | ||
| HOSP | * | House Sparrow [I] | r | r | r | r |
| Recommended Birding Areas
Even though birding anywhere at Iona Island can be both rewarding and fun, the following locations have been proven to be the best. Please note that the area behind and east of the sewage treatment plant is not open to the public. Iona Causeway: This land bridge connecting Iona and Sea Islands is good for shorebirds, gulls and even passerines during migration. The best time to look is an hour before to an hour after high tide. McDonald Slough: Located on the east side of the Iona Causeway, this area is excellent for grebes, goldeneyes, roosting gulls, and the occasional Peregrine Falcon sitting on the log booms. Old Outflow Channel: Located just past the large yellow gate when first entering the park. rare species, such as Tufted Duck, have been reported here during the winter months. During the migration periods shorebirds, gulls and passerines may be seen on a regular basis. Gate Parking Lot: Located just past the yellow entrance gate, this bramble, grassy edge and broom habitat is a reliable place for sparrows, warblers, funches and other small passerines, especially during migration. Inner Ponds: These ponds are located inside the surrounding fence on the west side of Iona Island. Vagrants such as Spoonbill Sandpiper, Rufous-necked Stint, Little Stint and Curlew Sandpiper have been found here. Outer Ponds: Located by the outer parking lot on the far west side of Iona Island, this is an excellent place for waterfowl, and annually produces Tufted Duck in the winter season. Iona South Jetty: This man-made jetty is 4 km one way and is an excellent place to view water birds such as loons, grebes, ducks and gulls. In the fall months it is one of the best spots in Vancouver to view species like Wandering Tattler, Lapland Longspur, Horned Lark and Snow Bunting. Iona Bay: This is the bay between the two jetties. It is excellent for waterbirds and shorebirds, with the tide determining the number observed. North Arm Jetty: The habitat of this jetty is excellent for viewing passerines during both migration periods. During the summer, Common Nighthawks can be found flying during the twilight hours. The entire jetty is immense, and is a good day hike in itself. Shorebirds, gulls and many other bird species may be observed. Outer Parking Lot: Located along the west side of the Outer Ponds. The long grass and broom habitats are good places to find sparrows and other small passerine species year round. Fraser River Log Booms: The log boom area runs the entire north side of the island. The log booms are an excellent place to look for roosting gulls. Treatment Plant Red Alder Woods: Located just east of the Treatment Plant parking lot, this area is the best placefor small birds such as warblers, flycatchers and other passerines. It is most productive during both migration periods. |