Bird Checklist Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge Middletown, Rhode Island This page is an electronic excerpt of a brochure published by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in January 1996.

There are five National Wildlife Refuges managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Southern Rhode Island. Only the brief description of the habitat of Sachuest Point NWR is described below. Habitat diversity at the 228-acre Sachuest Point National Wildlife Refuge in Middletown consists of fresh and salt water marshes, a barrier beach, rocky shoreline, grasslands, and coastal shrublands. The original brochure listed 300 species of birds recorded on or near the refuges and an additional 29 accidental species (seen only once or twice in the area). This page focuses on waterfowl and other water birds and only lists 33 of the original 300 birds and only those listed for Sachuest Point. Most birds are migratory, therefore, their seasonal occurance is coded as follows: s - Spring March - May S - Summer June - August F - Fall September - November W - Winter December - February * - nesting species Relative Abundance a - abundant a species which is very numerous c - common certain to be seen or heard in suitable habitat u - uncommon present, but not certain to be seen o - occasional seen only a few times during the season r - rare seen at intervals of 2 to 5 years

s S F W LOONS - GREBES __ Red-throated Loon c - c c __ Common Loon c o c c __ Horned Grebe c o u c __ Red-necked Grebe u - u u GANNET - PELICANS - CORMORANTS __ Northern Gannet u o u u __ Great Cormorant u - u u __ Double-crested Cormorant a c a u SWANS - GEESE - DUCKS __ Mute Swan a a a c __ Snow Goose o - o o __ Brant u - u u __ Canada Goose a c a a __ Green-winged Teal a c a a __ American Black Duck c c c a __ Mallard c c a c __ Blue-winged Teal c u u - __ Northern Shoveler o - o - __ American Wigeon c - c u __ Canvasback c o c o __ Redhead u - u o __ Greater Scaup c o c c __ Lesser Scaup o - o o __ Common Eider u - u u __ King Eider r - r o __ Harlequin Duck u - u u __ Oldsquaw o r o o __ Black Scoter c o c c __ Surf Scoter c o c c __ White-winged Scoter c o c c __ Common Goldeneye c - c a __ Barrow's Goldeneye r - - r __ Bufflehead c - c c __ Common Merganser u - o u __ Red-breasted Merganser c o c c

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Sachuest Point is one of more than 500 refuges in the National Wildlife Refuge System administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The National Wildlife Refuge System is a network of lands and water managed specifically for the protection of wildlife and wildlife habitat and represents the most comprehensive wildlife resource management program in the world. Units of the system stretch across the United States from Northern Alaska to the Florida Keys, and include small islands in the Caribean and South Pacific. The character of the refuges is as diverse as the nation itself. For further information or to report unusual sightings please contact: Refuge Manager Ninegret National Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 307 Charlestown, Rhode Island 02813 (401) 364-9124 Hard of hearing or deaf visitors may call the Rhode Island Relay Center at 1-800-745-5555 TDD/voice.