WILDLIFE IDENTIFICATION

GreaterWhitefrontedGooseOTHER WATERFOWLAmerican CootSlate gray duck-like bird with white bill, greenish legs and lobedfeet; found throughout Texas in water environments; eats aquaticplants and must run across water to take off.Gallinules/MoorhensPurple gallinules and common moorhens are closely related tocoots and rails but do not swim as much in open water likecoots.They hide in reeds much less than rails. Common moorhenhas yellow-tipped, red bill and red frontal shield but otherwiselooks like a coot. Purple gallinule looks like a “purple coot.”RailsVarious species of rails and the sora inhabit marshes, swamplandsand coastal areas of Texas. Rails are small coot-like birds whichtypically are shy, hiding in reeds and shoreline vegetation.TPWDCommon (Wilson’s) SnipeA snipe is a long-billed, brownish shorebird with a striped back.Frequents marshes, ponds, meadows and coastal areas of Texas.Snipes have fast erratic flights.Sandhill CraneCranes are large migratory birds, very tall with long necks andlegs. Whooping cranes (white mature and reddish young) areendangered and protected. Sandhill cranes can be hunted insome areas.They have red foreheads and prefer aquatic areas orgrain fields. Call is a loud distinctive “car-r-r-o-o-o.”Migratory Game Birds 35