Lists of birds of Canada and the United States

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The California Condor is one of North America's most endangered birds.
A five year-old American Golden Eagle.

This list of North American birds is a comprehensive listing of all the bird species known from the North American continent north of Mexico.

Scope of this list

North American birds most closely resemble those of Eurasia, which was connected to the continent as part of the supercontinent Laurasia until recent times. Many groups occur throughout the northern hemisphere and worldwide. However some groups unique to the New World have also arisen including the hummingbirds, the New World vultures, the New World quail, the tyrant flycatchers, the vireos, the mimids, the New World warblers, the tanagers, the cardinals and the icterids.

Several common birds in North America, such as the House Sparrow, the Rock Dove, the European Starling, and the Mute Swan are introduced species, meaning that they are not native to this continent but were brought here by man from Europe or elsewhere. Introduced species are marked on this list as (I). There may be species that have individual escapees or small feral populations in North America that are not on this list. This is especially true of birds that are commonly held as pets, such as parrots and finches.

One species, the Cattle Egret, was historically an African bird. In the 20th century this bird colonized North America and is now found throughout the lower 48 states of the U.S.. The Cattle Egret is the only Old World bird to establish itself in North America in historical times without being introduced by man. As such, it is not marked as introduced on this list.

The definition of the area covered by a list of "North American birds" is somewhat subjective. This list is based on a checklist used by the American Birding Association (ABA), the list used by most field guides for North American birds.

The original list published by the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) in 1886 covered birds found in North America north of Mexico, and included Baja California, Bermuda and Greenland. In 1983, the area was expanded to included all of Mexico, Central America south through Panama, the West Indies and the Hawaiian Islands, while Greenland was dropped. This expansion more than doubled the number of birds on the AOU list. Other organizations, such as the ABA, use a smaller area: the current ABA area includes the 49 continental states of the US, Canada, and the French islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon, plus surrounding waters. It does not include Greenland, Bermuda, the Bahamas or the Hawaiian Islands. Since the ABA follows the AOU on taxonomical matters, the AOU's list is used to settle questions of taxonomy.

Taxonomy

The taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) used in the accompanying bird lists adhere to the conventions of the AOU's (1998) Check-list of North American birds, the recognized scientific authority on the taxonomy and nomenclature of North America birds. The AOU's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature, the body responsible for maintaining and updating the Check-list, "strongly and unanimously continues to endorse the biological species concept (BSC), in which species are considered to be genetically cohesive groups of populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups" (AOU 1998). See Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy for an alternative phylogenetic arrangement based on DNA-DNA hybridization.

Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in North America as permanent residents, summer or winter residents or visitors, or migrants. The following codes are used to denote certain categories of species:

  • (A) = Accidental occurrence based on one or two (rarely more) records, and unlikely to occur regularly.
  • (C) = Casual occurrence based on two or a few records, with subsequent records not improbable.
  • (E) = Extinct; a recent member of the avifauna that no longer exists.
  • (Ex) = Extirpated; no longer occurs in area of interest, but other populations still exist elsewhere.
  • (I) = Introduced population established solely as result of direct or indirect human intervention; synonymous with non-native and non-indigenous.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swan. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. There are 131 species world wide and 61 North American species.

Trumpeter Swan

Curassows and Guans

Order: Galliformes Family: Cracidae

The chachalacas, guans and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae. These are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colourful facial ornaments. There are 50 species world-wide, all of which arw found only in the Americas, and 1 North American species.

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds, or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. There are 180 species world wide and 16 North American species.

Wild Turkey

New World Quail

File:CalifquailBB.jpg
California Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. There are 32 species, world-wide, all found only in the Americas and 6 North American species.

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely grey or black, they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well, and fly adequately, but, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are almost hopeless on land. There are 5 species world-wide and 5 North American species.

Grebes

Clark's Grebe

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. There are 20 species world-wide and 7 North American species.

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are amongst the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus Diomedea have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. There are 21 species world wide and 8 North American species.

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized 'true petrels', characterised by united nostrils with medium septum, and a long outer functional primary. There are 75 species world wide and 24 North American species..

File:Fulmar0433.jpg
Northern Fulmar

Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

The storm-petrels are the smallest of seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. There are 21 species world wide and 10 North American species.

Tropicbirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. There are 3 species world wide and 3 North American species

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.There are 8 species world wide and 5 North American species.

File:Brownpelican77.jpg
Brown Pelican

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. There are 8 species world wide and 2 North American species.

Cormorants

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. There are 8 species world wide and 2 North American species.

Darters

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Anhingidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. There are 8 species world wide and 2 North American species.

Frigatebirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large sea-birds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black or black and white, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. There are five species world-wide and three North American species.

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and Egrets are medium to large sized wadng birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secrative. Unlike other long necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species world wide and 17 North American species.

Snowy Egret

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Threskiornithidae

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and Egrets are medium to large sized wadng birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secrative. Unlike other long necked birds suck as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are 61 species world wide and 17 North American species.

Wood Stork

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. Storks lack a pharynx and are mute. There are 19 species world wide and 2 North American species.

New World Vultures

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Cathartidae

The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have an good sense of smell with which they located carcasses. There are 7 species world wide, all found only in the Americas and 3 North American species.

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos (genus Phoenicopterus monotypic in family Phoenicopteridae) are gregarious wading birds, usually 3–5 feet in height, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. They are more numerous in the latter. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly-shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume, and are uniquely used upside-down. There are 6 species world wide and 1 North American species.

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae

The family Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 233 species world wide and 28 North American species.

Northern Goshawk

Caracaras and Falcons

American Kestrel

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are 62 species world wide and 10 North American species.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and be weak fliers. There are 143 species world wide and 13 North American species.

King Rail

Limpkins

The Limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes. It is found in marshes with some trees or scrub in the Caribbean, South America and southern Florida. There is 1 species world wide, 1 North American species.

Order: Gruiformes Family: Aramidae

Cranes

Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". There are 15 species worldwide, 3 North American species.

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Thick-knees

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Burhinidae

The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats.

Lapwings and Plovers

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are 66 species world-wide, 17 North American species

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

Killdeer

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

American Avocet

Jacanas

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae

Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

Greater Yellowlegs
Red-necked Phalarope

Pratincoles

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae

Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae

File:Atlanticpuffin4.jpg
Atlantic Puffin

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

Black-billed Cuckoo

Barn owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae

Typical owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

File:Elf owl.jpg
Elf owls nesting in a cactus

Goatsuckers

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

Hummingbirds

Order: Trochiliformes Family: Trochilidae

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Trogons

Order: Trogoniformes Family: Trogonidae

Hoopoes

Order: Upupiformes Family: Upupidae

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Cerylidae

Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae

Red-naped Sapsucker

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Tyrannidae

File:SWWillowFlycatcher23.jpg
Willow Flycatcher

Shrikes

Northern Shrike

Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae

Vireos

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae

Jays, Crows, Magpies, and Ravens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

Clark's Nutcracker

Larks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae

  • Sky Lark, Alauda arvensis (regular migrant-AK) (A-CA) (Ex-NY) (I-BC & WA)
  • Horned Lark, Eremophila alpestris

Swallows and Martins

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

Chickadees and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

Verdin

Order: Passeriformes Family: Remizidae

Bushtits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae

File:RedbreastedNuthatch23.jpg
Red-breasted Nuthatch

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Certhiidae

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae

Bulbuls

Order: Passeriformes Family: Pycnonotidae

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae

Old World warblers and Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sylviidae

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae

Western Bluebird

Thrushes

Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae

Babblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Timaliidae

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

Starlings

An immature female European Starling

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae

Accentors

Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

Silky-flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ptilogonatidae

Olive Warbler

Order: Passeriformes Family: Peucedramidae

Nashville Warbler

Wood-warblers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

Bananaquits

Order: Passeriformes Family: Coerebidae

Tanagers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae

American sparrows, Towhees, Juncos, and Longspurs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae

Eastern Towhee
File:Littlebunt79.JPG
Little Bunting

Cardinals, Saltators, and Grosbeaks

Order: Passeriformes Family: Cardinalidae

Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae

Hooded Oriole

Fringilline Finches, Cardueline Finches, and Allies

Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae

Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch

Old World sparrows

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

Weavers

An adult Java Sparrow

Order: Passeriformes Family: Ploceidae

See also

References

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