Priority Species for the Grand River Basin

List of priority species for the Grand River basin. Please note that forest birds, marsh birds and open country birds are listed separately and that the list is sorted alphabetically within each priority category (level one to four): thus, there is no difference in importance among species within a given category. It should be noted that all species on the list are deemed priority species and that the designation of level one, level two, level three, and level four is a relative ranking within the overall group. Non-VTE species that rely on human structures such as buildings, bridges, etc., should be deemed a priority only when found nesting in natural habitats. These species include: Barn Swallow, Chimney Swift, Cliff Swallow, Common Nighthawk, Eastern Bluebird, Eastern Phoebe and Purple Martin. Symbols: (++) denotes "endangered" or "threatened" status at the provincial or federal level; (*) denotes "vulnerable" status at the provincial or federal level. Please refer to Table 2 in the main report to determine precise designations. Guidance for interpreting and applying the list is available in the main report and in the accompanying technical appendices.

FOREST	MARSH	OPEN COUNTRY

LEVEL ONE	LEVEL ONE	LEVEL ONE

Species Name	Species Name	Species Name
Acadian Flycatcher++	American Bittern	Bank Swallow
Black-billed Cuckoo	American Coot	Barn Owl++
Blue-winged Warbler	Black Tern*	Brown Thrasher
Brown Creeper	Black-crowned Night-Heron	Clay-colored Sparrow
Canada Warbler	Least Bittern*	Common Nighthawk
Cerulean Warbler*	Pied-billed Grebe	Eastern Bluebird
Chestnut-sided Warbler	Sedge Wren	Henslow's Sparrow++
Golden-winged Warbler	Short-eared Owl*	Loggerhead Shrike++
Hooded Warbler++	Sora	Northern Bobwhite++
Long-eared Owl	Swamp Sparrow	Northern Mockingbird
Louisiana Waterthrush*	Virginia Rail	Savannah Sparrow
Magnolia Warbler
Mourning Warbler
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Prairie Warbler
Prothonotary Warbler++
Red-headed Woodpecker*
Red-shouldered Hawk*
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Yellow-breasted Chat*

LEVEL TWO	LEVEL TWO	LEVEL TWO

Species Name	Species Name	Species Name
American Redstart	American Black Duck	American Kestrel
Barred Owl	Blue-winged Teal	Bobolink
Black-throated Green Warbler	Common Loon	Eastern Meadowlark
Blackburnian Warbler	Common Snipe	Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Broad-winged Hawk	Marsh Wren	Upland Sandpiper
Eastern Towhee	Purple Martin	Vesper Sparrow
Nashville Warbler		Western Meadowlark
Northern Waterthrush
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Pileated Woodpecker
Purple Finch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Scarlet Tanager
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Veery
Whip-poor-will
White-throated Sparrow

LEVEL THREE	LEVEL THREE	LEVEL THREE

Species Name	Species Name	Species Name
Alder Flycatcher	American Wigeon	American Goldfinch
Black-and-white Warbler	Canvasback	Barn Swallow
Black-throated Blue Warbler	Gadwall	Cliff Swallow
Carolina Wren	Lesser Scaup	Eastern Kingbird
Cooper's Hawk	Osprey	Field Sparrow
Eastern Phoebe	Ring-necked Duck	Grasshopper Sparrow
Golden-crowned Kinglet		Horned Lark
Hermit Thrush		Le Conte's Sparrow
Least Flycatcher		Spotted Sandpiper
Northern Goshawk
Orchard Oriole
Pine Warbler
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Ruffed Grouse
Solitary Vireo
Tufted Titmouse
Turkey Vulture
White-eyed Vireo
Winter Wren
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-rumped Warbler

LEVEL FOUR	LEVEL FOUR	LEVEL FOUR

Species Name	Species Name	Species Name
American Woodcock	Common Moorhen
Black-capped Chickadee	Common Tern
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Green Heron
Dark-eyed Junco	Northern Harrier
Gray Catbird	Northern Pintail
Hooded Merganser	Wilson's Phalarope
Ovenbird
Red Crossbill
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Swainson's Thrush
Wood Duck
Wood Thrush
Yellow-throated Vireo

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