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Oriental Cuckoo: Medium-sized cuckoo with gray upperparts, gray throat, and distinctly barred breast. Wings and long tail are dark gray. Bill is decurved and yellow with dark tip. Feeds on caterpillars, insects and their larvae. Flies low to the ground, holds wings low during flight.
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Groove-billed Ani: Medium-sized black bird with iridescent blue and green overtones, with a very long tail (half the length of the bird). Bill is huge, with arched ridge and narrow grooves. Feeds on insects, ticks, spiders, lizards, fruits, berries and seeds. Flies low to the ground.
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Common Cuckoo: Large cuckoo, gray upperparts, paler underparts with dark bars on belly. Dark gray wings; tail is dark gray with spotting on outer edges near base. Feeds on caterpillars, insects and larvae. Wings are held low in flight, depressed far below body at bottom of downstroke.
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Smooth-billed Ani: Medium-sized, shaggy bird, black overall with bronze overtones, thick bill and long tail, often bobbed, wagged, and held beneath body. Feathers on upper breast and back are lined with iridescent silver and are scaled. Flight is slow and weak,often low to the ground.
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Black Guillemot Adult: Medium-sized seabird, black body with a large white wing patch and a dark, pointed bill. In flight white auxillaries and underwing linings are visible. Legs and feet are red. It flies low over the water with rapid wing beats. The inside of their mouth is bright orange.
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Atlantic Puffin: Medium seabird with black upperparts, white underparts, white face, and large, parrot-like, orange and gray bill. Eyes surrounded by orange and black markings; legs and feet are bright orange. The only puffin nesting on the Atlantic Coast. Swift direct flight.
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Mangrove Cuckoo: Medium-sized cuckoo with gray-brown upperparts, black ear patch, yellow eye-ring, white throat, and buff-washed white underparts. Long, dark tail has six large white spots underneath, each with a dark spot. Decurved bill is dark above and yellow below with a dark tip.
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Common Pauraque: Medium nightjar with dark-streaked, mottled gray upperparts, white throat, black chin, rufous face, pale gray-brown underparts. Wings have brown and black bars, white band at base of primaries visible in flight. The gray tail is long, with dark edges and white patches.
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Loggerhead Kingbird: Large flycatcher, olive-brown upperparts, dark head with inconspicuous yellow crown patch, white underparts, and pale yellow wash on lower belly. Wings are brown-black with white edges; tail is brown-black with buff-edged tip. Feeds on insects, berries and lizards.
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Gray Kingbird: Large flycatcher with gray upperparts, black mask, inconspicuous red crown patch, and mostly white underparts with pale yellow wash on belly and undertail coverts. Bill is long and black. Wings and notched tail are dark. Fluttering direct flight on shallow wing beats.
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Fork-tailed Flycatcher: Medium-sized flycatcher with pale gray upperparts, black head, inconspicuous yellow crown stripe, and white underparts. Wings and spectacularly long, deeply forked tail are black. Wing linings are white. Swift flight with shallow wing beats. Feeds on insects.
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Scissor-tailed Flycatcher: Medium flycatcher with pale gray upperparts and head, white underparts and throat, salmon-pink sides and flanks, and dark brown wings with white edges. Tail is long and scissor-like, black above with white outer edges and white below with black inner edges.
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Great Kiskadee: Large flycatcher with brown upperparts, white head with black cap and eye-line, and bright yellow underparts. Yellow crown patch is usually concealed. Wings and tail are chestnut-brown. Black bill, legs and feet. Slow fluttering direct flight with shallow wing beats.
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Golden-fronted Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black-and-white barred back and wings, white rump and black tail. Head has golden yellow-orange nape, red cap, small yellow patch at base of upper mandible, and buff-gray face. Underparts are gray-white. Black bill, legs and feet.
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Gilded Flicker: Large woodpecker with dark barred and spotted brown back, brown cap, pale gray face and throat, red moustache stripe, white rump, thick black crescent on upper breast, and black spotted, pale buff underparts. It was named for the gold color of its underwings and tail.
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Zenaida Dove: Medium dove with brown-gray upperparts, red-gray underparts, cinnamon-gray head and neck, dark violet-blue streaks above and below ear coverts, purple sides of neck, white trailing edge on outer secondaries, and black spots on wings. Fast low flight with rapid wing beats.
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White-tipped Dove: Medium dove, gray-brown upperparts, pale gray breast, white forehead and belly, chestnut-brown underwings, white-tipped tail. Black bill, red legs and feet. Feeds mainly from the ground. Walks on ground in dense understory. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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White-crowned Pigeon: Large dove, slate-gray overall with conspicuous white crown. Scaled nape is iridescent green when seen in good light. Iris is white.Yellow bill has red base. Legs and feet are red. Eats berries, seeds and insects. Swift direct flight with strong rapid wing beats.
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Gray-tailed Tattler: Medium sandpiper with gray upperparts and cap, white eyebrow and throat, gray streaked breast, and pale gray underparts. Wings and tail are dark. Legs and feet are yellow. Eats insects and larvae, picks up food in sand and water. Direct flight, quick wing beats.
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Red-crowned Parrot: Medium parrot, dark-scaled, green upperparts and pale green underparts. Bright red forehead, crown, lores. Sides of neck are violet blue. First five outer secondaries are red with violet blue tips; primaries are black and slightly tinged with dark blue on tips. Yellow-pink bill.
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Monk Parakeet: Medium parakeet, green overall, gray forehead, cheeks, lores, throat. Breast is gray, variably barred by dark edges on feathers. Pale pink bill. Belly; lower back, and rump are yellow-green. Wings are dull green with blue flight feathers. Tail is green above with central blue shafts.
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Gambel's Quail: Medium quail, gray upperparts and breast, scaled gray nape, black patch on center of abdomen, black head plume, white-bordered black face, cinnamon-brown crown, buff underparts, flanks streaked dark chestnut-brown and white. Alternates several stiff wing beats with short glides.
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Ruddy Quail-Dove: Medium-sized dove, rufous overall with pale buff throat, streak under eye, and belly. Red-brown underwings shown in flight. Black tipped red bill, red legs and feet. Forages on the ground for seeds, fruit and small snails. Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Kittlitz's Murrelet: Small, chubby seabird, mottled brown and white overall with paler belly, dark wings and short, dark white-edged tail. Dark bill is short and pointed. Legs and feet are black. Dives and swims with wings when submerged. Feeds on small crustaceans and fish.
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Common Redshank: Large sandpiper, scaled black and brown upperparts, dark-streaked neck and breast, white eye-ring broken in front, pale belly and sides with dark chevrons. Dark wings with white trailing edges visible in flight. Legs are orange-red. Short bill is red with black tip.
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Common Greenshank: Large sandpiper with scaled gray-brown upperparts, white rump, and white underparts, streaked and spotted with brown on flanks and sides. Yellow-green legs. Bill is slightly upturned. Eats small fish, insects and larvae. Swift direct flight with clipped wing beats.
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Eurasian Collared-Dove: Medium dove, pale gray overall with darker cinnamon-brown wash over back. Nape is ringed with half-black collar that does not extend to throat. Wings are mottled gray with dark primaries. Tail is long, broad, edged with white (black near base). Pink legs, feet.
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Red-billed Pigeon: Large dove with dull purple head and breast, olive-brown back, and blue-gray belly. Wings are blue-gray with olive-brown tertials. Tail is black. Feet and legs are red. Eyes are orange or red with bright red eyelids. Bill is red with yellow tip. Swift direct flight.
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Oriental Turtle-Dove: Large, stocky dove, buff-brown overall with scaled pattern on back and wings produced by black feathers with buff, gray, or red fringes. Has distinctive black-and-white patch on neck. Tail is long, gray, and white-tipped. Legs are red. Strong swift direct flight.
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Key West Quail-Dove: Medium dove with red-brown upperparts glossed with purple and green, gray-red nape and crown, white throat and streak below eye, and buff-gray underparts. Upperparts are iridescent. Red bill has black tip. Forages on ground for fruits, seeds and insects. Legs and feet are pink. Low direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Florida Scrub-Jay: Medium, crestless jay with gray upperparts and underparts, blue head, and pale eyebrows. Throat is gray and breast has blue-gray streaks. The wings and tail are blue. Bill, legs and feet are black. Direct flight with steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.
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Mottled Petrel: Medium-sized petrel, mostly gray with mottled white markings. Face is gray and white and, throat, upper breast, and undertail are white. Wings have distinct black bars on white undersides. Feeds on small squid and fish. Alternates high soaring arcs and gliding with rapid wing beats.
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Audubon's Shearwater: Small, stocky seabird with dark brown upperparts and white underparts. Underwing coverts are white. Tail is dark brown with short, gray undertail coverts. Bill is dark and legs and feet are pink. Fish and squid make up most of its diet. Alternates rapid wing beats with glides.
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Bahama Mockingbird: Medium mockingbird with gray-brown upperparts and dark-streaked, pale gray underparts. Wings are dark with two white bars and white feather edges. Tail is long and white-tipped. Legs and feet are dark gray. Eats insects, spiders, small reptiles, berries and fruits.
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Murphy's Petrel: Large petrel, overall gray or gray-brown body and pale throat. Underwings have pale bars. Legs and feet are pale, toes have black distal webbing. Bill is black. Feeds on squid and crustaceans. Swift flight, alternates several rapid wing beats with long glides. Does not follow ships.
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Red-bellied Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white barred upperparts, pale gray-brown underparts with indistinct red wash on belly. Head has bright red crown and nape, pale brown face. White rump, white wing patches, and white-barred central tail feathers are visible in flight.
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Wilson's Snipe: Medium sandpiper, brown and black mottled upperparts, buff stripes on back. White underparts, dark bars on sides, flanks. Heavily streaked head, neck, breast. Yellow-green legs, feet. Formerly considered a subspecies of the Common Snipe, which has 14 tail feathers to the Wilson's 16.
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Brown Thrasher: Medium thrasher, rufous upperparts, black-streaked, pale brown underparts. Eyes are yellow. Brown-black bill curves down, lower mandible has pale base. Wings have two white and black bars. Tail is long and red-brown. Legs and feet are brown. Fast flight on shallow, rapid wing beats.
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Lesser Prairie-Chicken: Medium, stocky grouse, brown overall with fine white bars. Head has yellow-orange combs over eyes, plumes that can be raised or laid along the neck. Red-orange air sacs on sides of neck inflate during courtship. Tail is short, black, and rounded. Yellow-brown feathered legs.
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Bulwer's Petrel: Medium petrel, dark brown overall, pale diagonal bars across secondary coverts. Long tail is usually held in a point; wedge shape visible when fanned. Bill is black and hooked. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on squid, plankton and small fish. Picks food from surface while in flight.
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Dark-rumped Petrel: Medium petrel with dark slate-gray upperparts and white underparts. Sides of neck and underwing margins are dark. Bill is relatively short, black, and hooked. Legs and feet are pink-brown. Tail is white and wedge-shaped. Feeds on suqid, crustaceans, and fish. AKA Galapagos Petrel.
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Cook's Petrel: Small petrel, slate-gray back and upperwings marked by a distinctive black M pattern. Underparts, underwings are white. Face is white with small, dark mask. Wings are long and slender. Tail is gray, black-tipped central feathers and white edges. Black bill, blue-gray legs and feet.
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Manx Shearwater: Small shearwater with brown-black upperparts and white underparts, underwings and undertail coverts. Black cap is darker than back. The bill is dark. Wings are long, slim, and straight. Tail is short and pointed. Feeds on fish and squid. Alternates long glides and rapid wing beats.
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Stejneger's Petrel: Small petrel with gray-brown upperparts, dark gray rump, white underparts. Black head, nape, bill. White face. Gray-brown upperwing, black greater coverts and outer primaries forming an M pattern across lower back. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Gray-brown tail mottled with white.
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Altamira Oriole: Largest North American oriole, bright yellow-orange body, black back, mask, bib, and tail. Bill is black. Wings are black with white bar and feather edges. Gray legs and feet. Feeds on caterpillars, insects, fruits, and berries. Swift, strong flight on rapid wing beats.
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Great-winged Petrel: Large petrel with brown-black body except for pale gray forehead, face, chin, and throat. Bill is black and stout. The legs and feet are black. Feed on fish, squid and crustaceans. In New Zealand it is also known by its Maori name oi and as a muttonbird. AKA Grey-faced Petrel.
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Mexican Jay: Large, crestless jay, blue-gray back, blue head, wings, rump, tail, and pale gray underparts. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds primarily on acorns, also eats insects, fruit, carrion and eggs and young of other birds. Slow steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.
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White-throated Robin: Large thrush, brown upperparts, gray underparts, white undertail coverts. Darker head has thin, yellow eye-ring. Bill is dark gray to yellowish. Brown-streaked white throat is bordered below with thick white crescent. Direct, swift flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Dusky Thrush: Large thrush, brown back and rufous wings. Underparts are white with black scaling. Head is dark, eyebrow is thick and white. Bill is black with yellow base on lower mandible. Throat is white with black streaks and partial collar is white. Legs and feet are pink-brown.
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Island Scrub-Jay: Medium-sized, crestless jay with gray-brown back and blue wings. Upper breast, throat, and chin are white with streaks. Head is blue with gray mask and narrow white eyebrow. Tail and undertail coverts are blue. Forages on ground. Flies with steady bouyant wing beats.
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Eurasian Jackdaw: Small, black crow with glossy blue-black metallic sheen on back and shoulders. Nape and ear patches are gray, eyes are pale gray, and bill is short and pointed. Feeds on insects, amphibians, reptiles, rodents, eggs and young of other birds, seeds, fruits and berries.
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Tamaulipas Crow: Small crow, shiny black overall with purple-tinted upperparts and duller purple to blue-green tinted underparts. Bill is small and short. Feeds on grains, fruits, insects, carrion, refuse, and eggs and young of other birds. Rapid direct flight with steady wing beats.
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Fish Crow: Medium-sized crow with black body and dark, heavy bill. Very similar to American Crow, but call is different. Feeds on fish, crustaceans, carrion, eggs, insects, larvae,fruits and berries. Flies on stiff wing beats, alternates several rapid wing strokes with long glides.
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Fieldfare: Large, robin-like thrush with rufous back with gray head and rump. Underparts are brown-barred white on breast and sides, and white on belly. Wings are rufous. Tail is dark gray to black. The bill is yellow with a dark tip. Strong and fast flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Long-billed Thrasher: Medium, shy thrasher with gray-washed brown upperparts and heavily streaked, pale underparts. Eyes are orange. Bill is long, black, and decurved. Wings have two white bars. Tail is long and rufous. Legs and feet are brown. Eats insects, small amphibians and fruit.
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Bendire's Thrasher: Medium thrasher with olive-brown upperparts, spotted buff underparts. Bill is short, gray and slightly decurved with pale pink lower mandible base. Eyes are yellow-orange. Tail is long, olive-brown above, black with white tips below, and has brown undertail coverts.
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Chukar: Large, quail-like bird with orange-brown and slate-blue upperparts and breast, and black and rufous barred white flanks. White face has sharp black line extending to neck. Bill and legs are bright pink-red. Escapes danger by running. Direct flight with rapid deep wing beats.
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Crissal Thrasher: Large thrasher with gray-brown upperparts and unstreaked, gray underparts. The throat is white with dark moustache stripe, eyes are yellow, and black bill is long and strongly decurved. Tail is very long with chestnut-brown undertail coverts. Legs and feet are black.
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Rufous-backed Robin: Large thrush, rufous back, gray head, rump, white throat with black streaks, breast and sides are rufous-orange. Undertail coverts, belly are white. Yellow bill has black tip. Wings are rufous with gray primaries. Gray tail. Swift, direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Aztec Thrush: Large thrush, dark-streaked, brown-black upperparts, head, upper breast. Underparts are white with dark brown mottled flanks. Wings are dark with white shoulders and tips. Dark tail with broad white tip. Pink-gray legs, feet. Swift direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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Curve-billed Thrasher: Medium-sized thrasher (palmeri), with gray upperparts and spotted, pale gray underparts. Eyes are orange-red and bill is long and decurved. Tail is long and dark gray. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on insects, spiders, small reptiles, fruits, seeds and berries.
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Black-hooded Parakeet: Medium parakeet, green overall, black head, chin, yellow eye-ring. Blue wash on throat and breast, deep blue outer webs on flight feathers and tips of tail feathers. Flight, tail feathers are gray underneath. Cheeks and underwing linings are pale yellow-green. Rump is yellow.
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Little Shearwater: Tiny shearwater, dark brown upperparts and white underparts; dark cap extends only to eye. Bill is short and black. Swims and dives for food, picks food off surface of water. Feeds on fish and squid. Flight is low, fast and straight, alternates rapid wing beats and banking glides.
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Gray Partridge: Gray-brown ground bird with rufous face and throat. Body complexly barred and streaked with red and white. Dark red belly patch. Legs and feet are yellow-orange. Prefers to walk rather than fly. Introduced to North America as a game bird in the early 1900s. AKA Hungarian Partridge.
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Sooty Tern: Medium-sized tern with long wings, deeply forked tail, black crown, nape, and upperparts, and a broad triangular white forehead patch. Underparts are white; upper tail is black with white outer edges. Direct flight with strong, shallow wing beats. Hovers before dipping for prey.
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Mountain Quail: Large,striking quail with long elegant black head plume, white-bordered rufous-brown face and throat, gray-brown upperparts, blue-gray breast, and rufous-brown belly and sides with distinct white bars. Rapid direct flight, series of several stiff wing beats followed by a short glide.
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Ross's Gull: The pink gull of the high Arctic. Small gull, pale gray upperparts, gray-white nape, white neck with thin black collar, and white, wedge-shaped tail; underparts are variably pink. Black bill is very short; legs, feet are orange-red. Often feeds on mudflats like a wader.
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Red-legged Kittiwake: Small Alaskan gull white overall with gray back and wings, small yellow bill and bright red legs. Black wingtips. Eats small fish, squid, and marine zooplankton. Graceful, bouyant flight with rapid, shallow wing beats. Hovers briefly above prey before dipping down to sieze it.
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Pin-tailed Snipe: Large, chunky, cryptically colored shorebird. Upperparts complexly mottled tan, brown, and black. Tail rufous. Long gray-green bill, dark brown tip. Legs, feet are gray-green. Feeds on insects, larvae, worms, seeds. Flushes in a zigzag pattern. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Roseate Tern: White below with slight, variable pinkish cast visible in good light; pale gray above with black cap, nape and deeply forked tail that projects well beyond wingtips at rest. Bill mostly black with some red at base; legs and feet are red-orange. Graceful, direct flight.
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Black Noddy: medium-sized tern, very dark brown-black with white cap, white (lower) half-eye ring, and long slender bill. The wedge shaped tail has small notch at tip. Black legs and feet. Strong, swift and fluttering flight. Typically flies close to the surface of the ocean. AKA White-capped Noddy.
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Least Grebe: Smallest of North America's grebes. Eyes dark yellow , plumage is dark black-gray, white undertail coverts and white wing patch in flight. Black bill. In winter shows white throat, in summer a dark throat. Seldom fly, rarely leave nesting places. When not nesting found in small flocks.
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European Golden-Plover: Largest of the golden plovers, showing black crown, throat, neck and upperparts with small bright gold spotting. White band on forehead runs down sides of neck and along flank; black underparts are trimmed in white. Undertail is white and the legs are short and dark gray.
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Bridled Tern: Medium pelagic tern. Black crown, nape separated from gray-brown upperparts by whitish collar. Chevron-shaped white forehead patch extends behind eye. Long pointed wings and deeply forked tail. Whitish underparts; underwings have brown trailing edge. Black bill, legs.
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Large-billed Tern: Dark gray mantle and short dark gray tail; black cap; white breast, belly, chin, cheeks, and throat; black primaries to the bend of the wing are striking in flight; white secondaries; distinctive large yellow bill. Yellow legs, feet. Direct flight with strong shallow wing beats.
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Gull-billed Tern: Lightest North American tern. Black cap that extends below eyes, down nape; pale gray upperparts that are darker at the wingtips; short, stout black bill and black legs, feet; long wings with very long outer primaries. Direct flight with graceful, shallow wing beats.
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Brown Noddy: Medium tern, brown except for white forehead blending to gray nape, and small white (lower) half-eye ring. Wedge shaped tail has small notch at tip. Black bill is long, slender. Black legs, feet. Strong, swift flight with steady wing beats. Often flies with erratic changes of direction.
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White Tern: Medium-sized tern, also called Common Fairy-tern, snow white overall, dark eyes and black eyerings make it appear to have large eyes. Notched tail. Wings and tail may appear translucent when overhead. Bill is black with dark blue base, legs and feet are blue-gray.
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Laysan Duck: Also called Laysan Teal and endemic to Laysan Island, is brown with patches of white feathers around eye, green-glossed head and neck with variable white feathers. Speculum may appear green, purple, or blue. Dark gray bill with variable black markings. Dull orange legs and feet.
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Black Francolin: Introduced to Hawaii in 1959, male has a black breast, and flanks with white spots, belly is rufous. Black head with rufous collar, brown crown and white cheek patches. Back and wings are brown scalloped. Lower back, rump, and tail black with fine white bars. Orange legs and feet.
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White-rumped Shama: Native to Southeast Asia. Glossy blue-black head, nape, back, upperbreast. Black wings, tail. Rump and outer tail feathers are white. Rufous belly, lowerbreast. Black bill, pink legs and feet. Long tail enables it to change directions quickly in the dense underbrush it prefers.
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Gray Francolin: Introduced to Hawaii in 1958. Buff-brown overall with barring, finer on the underparts and heavier on the upperparts. Brown crown, nape. Buff to orange-brown face, cheeks. Buff throat, bordered below by a narrow black stripe. They are fast runners and prefer to run when threatened.
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Erckel's Francolin: Introduced to Hawaii in 1957. Gray-brown overall with heavy streaks. Chestnut cap, black eye-stripe and forehead, gray cheeks, light buff to white throat. Gray back, tail and wings have fine brown bars. Black bill, yellow-gray legs and feet. Flight is low and fast.
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Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse: One of the most common sandgrouse in Africa and India. Upperparts are buff to light brown, underparts and face are chestnut, narrow breastband is black. Back and wings are mottled, primaries are darker brown. Tail has elongated central feathers, legs and feet are gray.
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Blue Mockingbird: This large thrush is slate blue with pale blue streaks on the crown. Native of Mexico and casual in winter in southeast Arizona and accidental in New Mexico, California, and Texas. A very secretive bird, skulks in dense underbrush while searching for insects and fallen fruit.
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Northern Bobwhite: Medium, morphologically variable quail, most with unique head pattern of white face and throat, dark eyestripe, rufous-brown (eastern and Great Plains) or black (Florida) center stripe on top of head. Body shows a mottled combination of black, brown, rufous-brown, and gray.
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Masked Duck: Small stifftail duck with black-tipped blue bill and black mask with thin white eye-ring. Body is rufous-brown with black streaks on the back and sides; white wing patches are visible in flight. Feeds on aquatic plants, insects and crustaceans. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Sandwich Tern: Only medium-sized tern with long slender black bill tipped with yellow; upperparts are very pale gray, nearly white, and underparts are white. The black crown has a short black crest. White tail is deeply forked; legs and feet are black. Direct flight, hovers before diving for fish.
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Rock Ptarmigan: Small grouse with black, brown, and buff mottled upperparts, white underparts with variable dark mottling, and white wings. Head shows a dark eyestripe. Red combs over the eyes can be retracted or exposed. It has feathers on legs and toes to help it walk in the snow and stay warm.
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Eared Quetzal: Large, small headed with long, broad tail. Black head, black-green back and breast. Black-blue tail is white underneath. Bright red belly and dark bill. The name "quetzal" is from an Aztec word, quetzalli, which translates to "large brilliant tail feather." AKA Eared Trogon.
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Spruce Grouse: Medium grouse with barred, dark gray-brown upperparts, black underparts show white bars on breast, white chevrons on sides, belly. Throat is white-bordered black; red eye combs. Tail is either black with fine white spots near base (Franklin's) or black with rufous-brown tip (Tiaga).
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Scaled Quail: Large quail AKA "cottontop," due to its white-tipped gray crest; nape, neck underparts have dark-edged gray and buff feathers creating a distinctly scaled look. Upperparts are plain gray with white stripe at base of wings; sides are gray with short white stripes. Pale brown legs, feet.
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Elegant Trogon: Iridescent green upperparts and breast. Red undertail and belly, separated from green breast by a white band, long iridescent copper green, square tail tipped in black. White undertail with black streaks. Often seen perching upright. Slow undulating flight, can be rapid when needed.
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Thick-billed Parrot: Large green parrot, dark thick bill, orange bare-skinned eye-ring, red forehead, shoulders, thighs. In flight shows striking black tail and flight feathers, with bright green, yellow, and red patches on wing coverts. Gray feet, legs. Swift direct flight with shallow wing beats.
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Orange-winged Parrot: Medium green parrot, yellow head, broad blue eyebrow. Small red-orange patch in secondary feathers while perched and in flight. When fanned out the tail shows pretty blue, orange, yellow, and green highlights. Hooked bill is dull yellow with a dark tip. Legs and feet are gray.
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Yellow-headed Parrot: Large green parrot with yellow head. Flight feathers all tipped blue-black, patch of red on secondary feathers and at bend in wing. Curved yellow beak, gray legs and feet. Feeds on fruits, seeds, and buds. Classified as an Endangered Species owing to rapid population decline.
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Lilac-crowned Parrot: Medium green parrot, pale purple crown, red forehead. In flight shows blue-black trim on flight feathers and large red patch on secondaries. Hooked bill is dull yellow. Legs, feet are blue-gray. Feeds on fruits and seeds. Native to pacific coastal Mexico. AKA Finsch's Amazon.
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Black-capped Petrel: Large petrel with white underparts, dark brown to black back and upper wings, black cap, and white collar (this field mark is missing in some birds). Tail is long, dark, and wedge-shaped; underwings show broad dark margins. Hooked bill is dark, legs are pink. High arcing flight.
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Bermuda Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts shading to black on rump; white underparts except for dusky sides of upper breast. Base of tail has white band. White face, forehead. Black-brown cap goes to eyes. In flight shows black-gray upperwings, white underwings with black margins, tips.
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Aleutian Tern: A medium tern, with white forehead, black cap, bill, and legs, gray under and upperparts, white rump and tail. Undertail coverts, cheeks, and area below cap are white. Wing projects beyond tip of tail at rest. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats, often high above water.
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Rose-ringed Parakeet: Large, green parakeet with pale red ring around neck, black moustache stripe, pale blue nape, red eye-ring and bill. Tail is long, slender, green with blue central feathers. Legs and feet are gray. Established in Miami. Feeds on buds, fruit, vegetables, nuts, berries and seeds.
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Northern Jacana: Rail-like relative of plovers and shorebirds; is unique in having extremely long toes. Body is chestnut-brown with black head and neck, and flashy yellow-green flight feathers. Forehead has a fleshy orange-yellow frontal shield arising from base of bill. Weak mothlike flight.
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Ringed Kingfisher: Largest kingfisher in the Western Hemisphere. Blue-gray upperparts, rufous underparts, white underwing and undertail coverts, blue-gray head with ragged crest, long heavy black bill, white chin extends into a white collar. Gray legs, feet. High direct flight on choppy wing beats.
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Dusky-headed Parakeet: Medium-sized parakeet, mostly green with gray head, white eye-ring, and yellow-green belly. Tail is blue above and black below. Hooked bill is black, legs and feet are gray, and eyes are yellow. A sizable flock occurs in Miami Springs. Eats fruit, seeds, flowers, and insects.
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Green Parakeet: Fairly large all green parakeet, may show scattered orange or red feathers on breast. In flight the underside of flight feathers show metallic yellow and there may be scattered yellow feathers on leading edge of wing. Swift dirct flight on rapid wing beats, often high above terrain.
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Red-masked Parakeet: Fairly large green parakeet with bright red on head, at bend in wing and on the thighs. White eye ring. Hooked bill is pink-beige in color. Legs and feet are gray. It is considered threatened in its native range of Ecuador and Peru. AKA Red-masked Conure, Cherry-headed Conure.
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Mitred Parakeet: Fairly large green parakeet with red forehead grading into scattered bright red feathers on crown, face, cheek, sometimes on the bend in the wing. Dull green underparts are faintly washed olive. Hooked bill is dull yellow. Legs and feet are gray. Feeds on fruits, berries and nuts.
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Blue-crowned Parakeet: Medium-sized green parakeet with a blue head and red-orange highlights in long tail. White, feathless eye ring. The bill is bicolored with upper mandible pinkish and lower mandible is black (subspecies in northeastern Brazil has an all-pink bill). The legs and feet are pink.
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Northern Lapwing: Large, unique plover with black breast, face, crown, and long upright head plumes; back is green-tinged purple and copper. Belly and sides are white, uppertail is white with a black tip, and undertail coverts are rich rufous-orange. Wings are dark with white tips; legs are pink.
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King Rail: Large rail with long, orange-based bill. Brown and red-brown mottled upperparts. Underparts are orange-brown with strongly barred black, white flanks. Prominent chestnut-brown patch on wing is visible on standing and flying birds. Feeds in shallow water or mudflats exposed at low tide.
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Short-tailed Hawk: Small hawk of grass and woodland habitat in Florida. Occurs in two color morphs: Dark morph adult is uniformly dark brown with thin dark bands on a dull white tail. In flight shows white flight feathers with thin dark bands and dark wingtips. The light morph has white underparts.
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Eskimo Curlew: Small curlew, brown mottled upperparts, buff underparts streaked and mottled brown, and pale cinnamon wing linings. Bill is moderately short, not as strongly curved as similar curlews. Crown has two dark stripes. Wings noticeably long on perched bird. Last sighted in Canada in 1982.
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Abert's Towhee: Large, stocky, shy sparrow. Distinct black face, pale gray bill, gray-brown upperparts, paler gray-brown underparts, and rust-brown vent. Tail is long and darker than upperparts with rust-brown undertail coverts. Short flights, alternates rapid wing beats with wings pulled to sides. May be difficult to spot because it prefers to stay well-hidden under bushes.
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Eurasian Coot: Medium, squat marsh bird, all black with white bill, frontal shield. Eye-rings are red, legs are yellow-gray. Feeds on aquatic plants, insects, amphibians, mollusks and small fish. Agressive towards other water birds. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats, feet protrude beyond tail.
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Corn Crake: Medium rail, buff-yellow overall with brown-barred flanks, conspicuous chestnut wing patch, gray head and neck with dark crown, yellow bill. Eats worms, insects, snails, slugs, sometimes seeds and grains. Weak flight with legs dangling, drops back into vegetation after a short distance.
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Hill Myna: Large, stocky, glossy black starling with bright orange bill, unique fleshy lobes of bright yellow skin behind and below eyes, and prominent white wing patch. Yellow legs and feet. Extremely vocal, mimics other birds. It is a popular cage bird, renowned for its ability to imitate speech.
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American Woodcock: Medium, stocky sandpiper with buff-brown underparts and dark-streaked gray-brown upperparts. Head shows black bars rather than the stripes of most other sandpipers. Eyes are black and very large; bill is dull yellow with a black tip and is long and stout. Pale gray legs and feet.
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Herald Petrel: Medium petrel, three color morphs: light, intermediate, dark. Dark morph is dark gray overall, silver-gray to white base on underwing flight feathers. Light morph has white breast, belly and dark gray upperparts. Intermediate forms exist between light and dark morphs. Gray legs, feet.
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Fea's Petrel: Medium petrel, gray-brown upperparts, white belly. White breast with partial gray-brown breast band. Wings bend back at the wrist, have a dark M pattern across upperwings and lower back. Underwings are mostly dark. White face, dark mask around eyes. Gray tail, pale uppertail coverts.
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Common Myna: Large, stocky starling with black hood and patch of bright yellow bare skin behind eye. Overall body plumage is chocolate-brown but undertail, tip of uppertail, wing patches are white. Bill and legs are yellow. AKA Indian Myna and Talking Myna for its ability to imitate human speech.
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Great Knot: Medium sandpiper with brown upperparts showing dark spots on crown and back, and white underparts with black spots on breast and sides. Bill is short and black. Wings show bright patch of orange-brown on coverts. Legs and feet are gray-green. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Crested Myna: Medium-sized, black starling with compact bushy crest on forehead, red eyes, prominent white wing patch, white-tipped tail. Bill and legs are yellow. Imitates calls of other birds. Often walks on the ground, foraging for food. Flight is swift and direct on powerful, rapid wing strokes.
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Common Snipe: Longest-billed of all snipes, best identified by broad white stripe at base of underwing. Upperparts cryptically colored with brown and yellow-brown streaks of many different shades. Underparts white but strongly suffused with orange wash, heavily barred and streaked with dark brown.
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Northern Flicker: Medium woodpecker, black-barred brown back, white rump, black tail. Underparts are black-spotted pale brown with black crescent on breast. Face is gray with brown crown and forehead. Legs and feet are gray. There is a Red-shafted (shown here) and a Yellow-shafted race.
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Lewis's Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker with black upperparts, hood. Face is dark red, collar is gray, belly is pale red. The bill, legs and feet are black. It was named for Meriwether Lewis of the Lewis and Clark expedition. Its dark plumage sets it apart from all other North American woodpeckers.
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Hairy Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black-and-white upperparts, white underparts. Head has red hindcrown patch. Face is white with black stripes.Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Northwest birds have gray-brown breast, belly, and rump. Bill is long and black. Legs and feet are black.
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White-headed Woodpecker: Medium-sized woodpecker, mostly black with large white wing patches. Head and throat are white; nape patch is red and narrow. Small black stripe behind the eye. Bill is black and small. Legs and feet are black. This is the only North American woodpecker with a white head.
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American Robin: Large, familiar North American thrush, gray-brown upperparts, rich red-brown breast, and white lower belly and undertail coverts. Head appears black with white splotches surrounding the eyes, and throat is white with black streaks. Swift, direct flight on rapidly beating wings.
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California Thrasher: Large, slender thrasher with dark brown upperparts and paler gray-brown underparts. Face is finely streaked, eyes are dark, and black bill is very long and down curved. Throat has small buff patch. Tail is long with reddish-brown undertail coverts. Legs and feet are gray-brown.
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Williamson's Sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black back and white rump. Bright red throat, breast is black, belly is yellow, and flanks are barred black-and-white. Black head has two white facial stripes. Black wings have large white shoulder patches. Tail is black, legs and feet are gray.
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Gila Woodpecker: Medium woodpecker, black-and-white barred upperparts and central tail feathers, buff-gray neck and underparts. Buff-gray head has a small red cap. Wings have large white patches visible in flight. Its abandoned nesting and roost holes provide shelter for birds, mammals and reptiles.
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Pigeon Guillemot: Medium-sized seabird with black body and large white wing patches interrupted by black bars. Wings are paler below. Bill is black, pointed, and long. Legs and feet are bright red. Feeds on crustaceans, mollusks and marine worms. Strong swift direct flight low over water.
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Mourning Dove: Medium-sized dove with gray-brown upperparts and pink-brown underparts. Eyes are dark with a small, black spot beneath. Bill is dark. Wings are gray-brown with black spots and dark primaries. Tail is long and pointed with black-edged white tips on outer feathers. Swift direct flight.
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Rock Pigeon: Large, highly variably colored dove; wild form has gray body, dark blue-gray head, neck, breast, and white rump. Wings are gray with two black bars. Tail is gray and rounded with dark terminal band. Forages on ground, eats grass, seeds, grains, clover and berries. Swift direct flight.
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Black-bellied Plover: Medium-sized shorebird with black upperparts vividly marked with a white spot on each feather. Face, throat, and belly are black. White forehead and crown, extends over eye and down back, sides of neck. Black armpit and white rump, vent, and wing stripe are visible in flight.
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Black-backed Woodpecker: Small woodpecker with black back, black wings with white spots on flight feathers, barred flanks, white underparts. Head has a conspicuous white cheek mark and yellow crown. Tail is black with white outer tail feathers. Black bill is long and stout. Legs and feet are gray.
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Acorn Woodpecker: Medium-sized, clown-faced woodpecker with red crown, glossy black-and-white head, and glaring white eyes. Black patch around base of bill. Body is black with white rump and belly. One or more red- or yellow-tipped throat feathers may be present. Wings are black with white patches.
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Black Turnstone: Medium sandpiper, scaled black upperparts, white spot between eye and bill, black breast with white speckles on sides, and white belly. Short, dark bill slightly upturned. Back, wings, and rump display a dramatic black-and-white pattern in flight. Swift flight on rapid wing beats.
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Long-billed Murrelet: Small seabird with dark brown upperparts and darker brown barring, paler throat and white eye-ring. Underparts are lighter brown with brown barring. Straight black bill. Legs and feet are brown. Strong fast direct flight, often close to the water on rapid wing beats.
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Crested Auklet: Small, oddly attired seabird of Arctic waters with dark gray body. Head has a strange, smiling orange bill, quail-like crest, bright yellow-white eyes and white eye plumes. Legs and feet are gray. Feeds on zooplankton, crustaceans, squid and fish. Swift, low, direct flight.
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Ancient Murrelet: Small, pelagic seabird with black head and dark gray back and wings. White underparts extend up onto the face as a cheek patch. Bill is short and yellow with a blackish tip. An open ocean species vaguely resembling a small penguin that can fly. Swift, direct, and low flight.
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Marbled Murrelet: Small, chubby seabird with dark brown mottled upperparts and paler, white-tipped brown feathers on underparts, giving a wavy-barred appearance. Bill is dark. Legs and feet are brown. Feeds on fish and crustaceans. Swift direct flight low over the water on rapid wing beats.
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Spotted Dove: Medium dove with gray-brown upperparts and pink-brown underparts. Head has a pale gray cap, dark eye-line, and white-spotted black nape patch. The tail is long and gray with black edges and white corners. Bill is black, legs and feet are pink. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Xantus's Murrelet: Medium-sized Murrelet with black upperparts and white cheeks, throat, underparts, and underwing coverts. Bill is dark and thin. Eyes are brown with broken white eye-rings. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on small crustaceans and fish. Swift direct low flight with rapid wing beats.
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Rhinoceros Auklet: Medium-sized seabird with black upperparts, dark gray underparts, and white belly. Eyes have long white plumes above and below. Bill is yellow with pale horn. Legs and feet are gray. Swims and dives for crustaceans and small fish. Fast direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Greater Yellowlegs: Large sandpiper with mottled brown, gray, and white upperparts. Underparts are white with dark streaks, spots. Bill is slightly upturned. Legs are long and bright yellow. Long barred tail and white rump are conspicuous in flight. Swift direct flight, sometimes at great heights.
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Parakeet Auklet: Small seabird with black head and upperparts, white underparts, and distinct yellow-white plumes behind eyes. Bill is large, conical, and bright orange-red. Legs and feet are gray. Feeds on small fish, crustaceans and jellyfish. Strong direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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White-collared Swift: Very large swift, gray-black overall with blue gloss on breast and back. White collar is distinct. Bill, legs and feet are black. The flight is strong and fast. Rapid shallow wing beats followed with long glides. Soars on thermals and updrafts, ranging many miles daily to feed.
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Willet: Large sandpiper with mottled gray-brown upperparts, white rump and lightly streaked and barred white underparts. Broad white stripes on black wings are visible in flight. Tail is white with dark brown tip. Legs are blue-gray. Flight is short and low, alternates rapid wing beats with glides.
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Tufted Puffin: Medium-sized seabird, black overall except for white face and glossy yellow plumes behind eyes. Large bill, mostly bright red with yellow and sometimes green markings. Legs and feet are bright orange. Feeds on fish, crustaceans, mollusks, squid and algae. Strong direct flight.
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Short-billed Dowitcher Breeding Adult: Large sandpiper, upperparts mottled gray, black, brown and red-brown, white rump, red-brown underparts with heavy spots, and bars (east and west coast birds have heavier barred and spotted, paler underparts and often show white bellies). Strong direct flight.
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Horned Puffin: Medium puffin with black upperparts, white underparts. White face with a black, fleshy horn above eye extending to top of head. Bill is triangular and massive during summer, when it is bright yellow with orange tip. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats, often high over the water.
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Cassin's Auklet: Small seabird with slate-gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, white belly. Pale yellow eyes with a white crescent patch above them. Short black bill has white spot at base of lower mandible that is visible at close range. Short tail and rounded wings. Rapid direct flight.
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Band-tailed Pigeon: Large dove, small, purple-gray head and broad neck with distinctive, thin white band on nape. Back and wings are purple-gray, underparts grade from purple-gray neck and breast to white belly. Tail is pale gray, dark band at base. Bill, legs,feet are yellow. Swift direct flight.
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Belted Kingfisher: Medium kingfisher, distinct, bushy crest, white collar, and large, black dagger-like bill. Upperparts are blue-gray and underparts are white. The male has blue-gray breast band. Legs and feet are gray. Slow direct flight with erratic pattern. Hovers above water to search for prey.
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American Kestrel: Smallest North American hawk, has two distinct black facial stripes, rust-brown tail and back, slate-blue wings, black-spotted underparts. Eats bats, rodents, insects, frogs, small reptiles, and birds. Alternates several rapid wing beats with glides, also hovers. Soars on thermals.
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Merlin: Small falcon with blue-gray upperparts, white to pale brown underparts with dark streaks. Throat, eye-ring, line above eye are white. Dark gray bill, cere is yellow. Tail is brown or black barred with white tips. Pacific race is dark gray. Prairie race is light gray. Taiga race is a mixture.
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Pied-billed Grebe: Medium-sized, stocky grebe with brown upperparts, paler brown underparts with barred sides and flanks, and distinct white undertail coverts. Chin is black and bill is white with central black ring. Eyes are dark. Feeds on aquatic insects and vegetation, small fish and crustaceans.
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Brown Jay: Large, crestless jay with dark brown upperparts and paler brown underparts grading toward white under white-tipped tail. Head is darker brown with thick, black bill. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on insects, eggs, vertebrates, seeds, nuts, fruits and berries. Steady and bouyant flight.
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Horned Grebe: Small grebe, red-brown neck, breast and flanks, nearly black throat and back. Head has black cap, white face, conspicuous buff-orange to yellow ear plumes. Bill is dark with white tip, eyes are dark red. Feeds on aquatic insects, fish and crustaceans. Direct flight on rapid wing beats.
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American Coot: Medium-sized, chicken-like swimming bird, dark gray to black overall, short, white bill and undertail coverts. Toes are lobed, not webbed. Upper edge of frontal shield is red, but usually only visible at close range. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats, feet protrude past tail.
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Sharp-shinned Hawk: Small hawk with blue-gray upperparts and rufous bars on white underparts. Eyes are dark red. Wings are short and rounded. Tail is long and squared with heavy bars. Legs and feet are yellow. Flight consists of rapid wing beats followed by a short glide. Often soars on thermals.
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Short-eared Owl: Medium owl, light and dark brown mottled upperparts and dark-streaked, pale buff underparts. Head has large, round, pale buff facial disk with fine, brown tinges, black around eyes, and small ear tufts. Eyes are yellow and bill is black. Flight is erratic with flopping wing beats.
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Long-eared Owl: Medium-sized owl with gray-brown body with pale bars and heavy streaks on underparts. The facial disc is rufous with white a patch below the bill. The ear tufts are close together, long, black and rufous, and are not visible in flight. Bouyant, mothlike flight with silent wing beats.
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Burrowing Owl: Small ground-dwelling owl, mostly brown with numerous white spots and no ear tufts. Eyes are yellow. White chin and throat. Tail is short, and legs are long. Bouyant, erratic flight with slow, silent wingbeats. May hover briefly above prey. The scientific name means "little digger."
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Boreal Owl: Medium owl, white-spotted, brown upperparts and thick brown-streaked, white underparts. Head is black with numerous small white spots, facial disks bordered with black, eyes are yellow-orange. Short flights have rapid wingbeats, longer ones are bouyant with shallow, silent wing beats.
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Least Bittern: Very small, secretive heron with black cap and back, and white throat and belly. Wings have conspicuous pale brown patches visible in flight. The bill, legs and feet are yellow. Feeds on fish, insects, small amphibians, crustaceans and invertebrates.
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Mississippi Kite: Small kite, dark gray upperparts, pale gray underparts and head. Eyes are red. Upperwings are dark gray with pale gray patches. Tail is long and black. Feeds on large flying insects. Bouyant flight with steady wing beats, alternates several wing strokes with short to long glides.
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Northern Hawk Owl: Medium-sized, slender owl with white-spotted brown upperparts and brown-barred white underparts. The gray facial disk is partially bordered by a thick, brown stripe that extends to the upper breast; lacks ear tufts. Wings are long and relatively pointed. Tail is long and rounded.
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Western Scrub-Jay: Medium, crestless jay, blue head, wings, tail, gray mask, back, pale gray underparts. Dark-streaked, white throat bordered by dark necklace. Bill, legs, feet are black. Eats grains, fruits, insects, frogs, lizards and eggs and young of other birds. Flies with steady wing beats.
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Brewer's Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird with purple gloss on head and neck and green gloss on body and wings. Eyes are yellow. Follows farm tractors and plows. Forages on ground. Feeds on caterpillars, insects, fruits, seeds and grains. Strong, swift and direct flight with rapidly beating wings.
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Killdeer: Large banded plover, brown upperparts and white underparts, two distinct black bands cross upper breast. White stripes on wings are visible in flight. Tail and rump show rust-brown in flight. Black bill, pink-brown legs and feet. Wavering, erratic flight, capable of swift, direct flight.
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Bufflehead: Small diving duck, mostly white with glossy green-black to purple-black head and back. Head has large white patch behind eye. The wings are dark with white patches visible in flight. Feeds on aquatic plant seeds and insects, larvae, and snails. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Northern Mockingbird: Medium-sized mockingbird with gray upperparts, paler gray underparts, and thin black mask. Wings are gray-black with two white bars and large white patches visible when spread. The tail is long, gray, and edged with white. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on fruit and insects.
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Western Meadowlark: Short, stocky, ground-dwelling bird with dark-streaked brown upperparts and bright yellow underparts with broad black V on breast. Crown is dark brown-and-white striped; face is white with dark eyestripes. Bill is sharply pointed. Tail is brown with white edges. Forages on ground.
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Ruddy Duck: Small duck, bright red-brown body; black cap extends below the eyes and onto the nape, contrasting sharply with white face; heavy bill is blue. Tail is black, often held erect when swimming. Some males show all black head, lacking white cheek patches. Direct flight on rapid wing beats.
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Blue Jay: Medium, noisy jay with bright blue upperparts, pale gray underparts, distinct head crest, and neck surrounded with a curious black necklace. Black-barred wings and tail have prominent white patches. Direct flight with steady and bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches or to the ground.
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Green Jay: Medium, tropical jay with green back, yellow underparts, and distinct black bib. Head and nape are pale blue and has a short crest. Tail is long, blue-green, and yellow-edged. Bill, legs and feet are black. Omnivorous. Direct flight with steady bouyant wing beats. Glides between perches.
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Gray Jay: Medium-sized, fluffy, crestless jay with gray upperparts, paler underparts, and a short bill. Tail is long and white-tipped. Feeds on insects, carrion, refuse, seed, nuts, berries, mice, eggs and young of other birds. Light and bouyant flight on steady wing beats. Glides between perches.
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California Towhee: Large sparrow, uniform brown-gray body, faintly streaked underparts, buff throat bordered with dark streaks. Tail is long with cinnamon-brown undertail coverts. Pink-brown legs and feet. Short flights with rapid beating wing strokes alternating with wings pulled briefly to sides.
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Pinyon Jay: Small, crestless, stocky jay with blue-gray body. Head is darker blue and has pale streaks on throat. Tail is short. Bill, legs, feet are black. Feeds on pine seeds, grain, fruit, berries, insects and eggs and young of other birds. Steady bouyant and direct flight with deep wing beats.
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California Quail: Medium quail with distinctive, curled black head plume and white-bordered black throat. Breast is gray and belly is sharply scaled. The flanks are brown with white streaks and back is olive-brown. Legs and feet are gray. Alternates several stiff, rapid wing beats with short glides.
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Clark's Nutcracker: Medium, noisy and inquisitive jay with pale gray head and body. Black bill is long and stout. Wings are black with white patches and tail is black with white edges. Feeds on nuts, insects, eggs and young of other birds, lizards, carrion and small mammals. Steady deep wing beats.
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Steller's Jay: Large, crested jay, dark gray upperparts, head and breast, and blue rump and belly. Head has slight white eyebrow, forehead, and chin spots. Wings and tail are blue with black bars. Feeds on pine seeds, acorns, fruit, frogs, snakes, carrion, insects and eggs and young of other birds.
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White-winged Dove: Medium-sized, stout dove with gray-brown upperparts, gray underparts, and small, back crescent below eye. The wings are dark gray with broad white stripes. Tail is short and brown with white corners. Bill is gray. Legs and feet are red. Fast direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Sora: Small rail with dark gray-brown upperparts with black-and-white streaks. Breast is gray and flanks and belly are dark gray with white bars. Gray head has a darker crown and nape, and black face, chin, and throat. Bill is yellow with dark tip. Low, weak, and floppy flight over short distances.
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Sabine's Gull: Small gull with gray back and white nape, rump, and underparts. Hood is solid black and eye-ring is dark red. Bill is black with yellow tip; legs and feet are black. The upperwings are gray with black primaries and white secondaries. Tail is slightly forked when folded.
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Ruff: Large sandpiper with variably-colored frilly tufts on the neck that ranges from black to rufous to white to speckled and bared. Female lacks ruff. Head is orange-brown and the belly is white. Bill is orange with dark, drooped tip. Orange-yellow legs. Low, direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Spotted Redshank: Large sandpiper, mostly black body except for white rump, white spots on wings, barred tail. Bill is red with black tip. Legs and feet are dark red. Feeds and forages on land or in shallow water by probing in mud, and sweeping bill back and forth. Swift direct flight when flushed.
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Wandering Tattler: Medium sandpiper, solid gray upperparts and heavily black-and-white barred underparts. Face is finely streaked and eye line is dark. Long, black bill. White eye ring. Dull yellow legs and feet. Eats insects, larvae, worms and mollusks. Quick, direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Virginia Rail: Medium rail with brown-and-black mottled upperparts, white throat, rust-brown breast, and black-and-white barred belly. Head has black crown, gray face, and white eyebrows. Bill is long, red-brown, and curved down. Legs are orange-brown. Tail is short, black above, and white below.
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Surfbird: Medium sandpiper, dark gray upperparts marked with rufous, white rump, white underparts marked with distinct black chevrons. Upper breast, head, neck are heavily streaked. Wings are dark with bold white stripes visible in flight. Tail is white with a black triangular tip visible in flight.
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Ruddy Turnstone: Medium sandpiper, red-brown upperparts, white rump and underparts. Face and breast are black-marked. Bill is short, dark, and slightly upturned. Wings have a unique brown, black, and white pattern visible in flight. Tail is white with black terminal band. Legs and feet are orange.
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Hudsonian Godwit: Large sandpiper with white-scaled, brown-black upperparts, black-barred chestnut-brown underparts. Long bill, slightly upcurved and pink with black tip. White rump, white wing-bar, black underwings visible in flight. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Swift, powerful undulating flight.
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Franklin's Gull: Medium gull, gray back, white underparts. Head is black, white eye-ring; bill is orange, black spot near tip. Wings are short with white-bordered or spotted black tips. The legs are red-orange. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Forster's Tern: Medium tern, pale gray upperparts, black cap, white underparts. Bill is orange, black tip. Wings are pale gray with paler primaries. Tail is pale gray, deeply forked with dark inner edge, white outer edge. Orange legs, feet. Hovers above water before diving for prey.
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Lesser Yellowlegs: Large sandpiper with gray and black mottled upperparts, white underparts and streaked upper breast and sides. Bill is straight and uniformly dark gray. White lower rump and dark-barred tail are visible in flight. Legs are long and yellow. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Red Knot: Medium-sized sandpiper with black, brown and gray scaled upperparts, red-brown face, neck, breast and sides, and white lower belly. Wings show white bars in flight. Bill is black and slightly curved. Eats insects, larvae, mollusks and crabs. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Purple Gallinule: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with purple-blue upperparts washed with iridescent green, deep blue underparts. Forehead is pale blue; bill is red and yellow-tipped. Undertail coverts are white. Legs are yellow with very long toes. The flight is labored and slow with dangling legs.
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Long-billed Dowitcher: Large, stocky sandpiper with dark, mottled upperparts, dark cap and eyestripe, short white eyebrow, and red-brown underparts with lightly barred flanks. Bill is long, dark, and dagger like. Legs and feet are yellow-green. Swift direct flight, rapid wing beats.
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Whip-poor-will: Medium-sized nightjar with gray-brown-black mottled upperparts and pale gray-black underparts. Throat is black; eyebrows and neckband are white. Tail is long and rounded with large white corner patches. Brown legs and feet. Erratic mothlike flight, flies close to the ground at night.
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Rusty Blackbird: Medium blackbird, black overall with a dull, blue-green sheen, yellow eyes. Forages on ground of wet woodlands and fields, wades in marshes or small pools of water. Feeds on insects, caterpillars, snails, crustaceans, small fish, salamanders, fruits, grains and seeds.
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Little Gull: The smallest of all gulls, with pale gray upperparts and white nape, neck, breast, belly, and tail. Hood is black and extends onto upper neck. Underwings are dark. Bill is dark red with black tip. Legs and feet are red-orange. Strong direct flight with deep wing beats.
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Le Conte's Thrasher: Medium thrasher with plain gray or gray-brown body with paler throat and rufous undertail feathers. Eyes are dark. Bill is long, decurved, and black. Tail is long and dark. Legs and feet are black. Feeds on insects and their larvae, spiders, fruits and berries.
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Black-vented Shearwater: Medium shearwater, brown-black upperparts, white underparts, brown mottling on sides of breast and flanks. Dark cap extends below eye. Tail is dark. Eats fish, crustaceans, and squid. Quick low flight with short stiff wingbeats followed by glide. Soars in high winds.
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Eastern Meadowlark: Short ground-dwelling bird with buff- and black-streaked brown upperparts. Head has black-and-white striped crown, white face, black eyestripe and a pointed bill. Throat to belly is yellow, broad black V on breast. Brown tail has white edges and undertail coverts.
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White-tailed Ptarmigan: Small grouse, mottled brown overall, white on wings, breast, belly, red eye comb, white-edged brown tail, legs covered with white feathers. It is the smallest of the ptarmigans, and the only one that nests south of Canada. Lives most of its life above timberline.
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Great-tailed Grackle: Large blackbird, iridescent black body and purple sheen. Yellow eyes. Long, keeled tail. Walks on ground, wades in water to forage. Eats snails, insects, frogs, shrimp, small fish and birds, eggs and young of other birds, fruits, berries, seeds and grains. Strong direct flight.
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Boat-tailed Grackle: Large, black bird with a very long, keel-shaped tail. Male is iridescent blue-black with yellow or brown eyes. Black bill is slender and long. Legs and feet are gray. Forages walking on ground and wading in water. Strong direct flight with rapidly beating wings.
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White-winged Tern: Small tern, black head, body, and underwing coverts; white rump, vent, upperwing coverts, and tail; flight feathers are pale gray. Bill is dark red to black; Red legs and feet. Fluttering, uneven flight with slow, shallow wing beats. Hovers before dipping for prey.
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Whimbrel: Large, long-legged sandpiper, brown and white mottled upperparts and buff underparts with faint streaks on sides and flanks. Crown is white-striped black and neck is long and streaked. Bill is long, black, and decurved. Tail and rump are brown and black barred. Legs and feet are blue-gray.
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Red-tailed Tropicbird: Medium tropicbird with silky white plumage, small but conspicuous black eyestripe. Bill is coral red. Legs and feet are black. Tail has long, red central streamers. Swift, purposeful flight, alternates fluttering wing beats with glides. Hovers while hunting and in courtship.
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Common Grackle: Medium-sized blackbird with metallic purple sheen on back, head, neck, and breast. Eyes are bright yellow. Central feathers of long, rounded tail are often lowered to show keeled V-shape. Swift, strong direct flight with rapid wing beats, holds tail folded in a V shape while flying.
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Black-headed Gull: Medium-sized gull with pale gray back and upperwings and dark brown face and partial hood. Nape, neck, breast, belly, and tail are white. Bill and legs are dark red. Wings have white triangular panel formed at the leading edge of black-tipped primaries in flight.
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Yellow-headed Blackbird: Medium-sized blackbird with black body, bright yellow hood and breast, and distinct white wing patches. Bill, legs and feet are black. Forages in low vegetation and on the ground. Feeds on insects, larvae, snails, seeds, and grains. Strong direct flight on rapid wing beats.
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Eurasian Kestrel: Small falcon, spotted rufous upperparts, brown-streaked buff underparts. Gray head, black moustache stripe. Tail is black- and blue-gray banded with black tip. Feeds on large insects, small rodents and birds. Alternates rapid wing beats with a glide. Soars on thermals and updrafts.
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Redhead: Medium diving duck, gray back and sides, black upper back, breast, rump, and tail, and white belly. Head and neck are rufous-brown, and blue-gray bill is black-tipped; eyes are yellow. Feeds mostly on aquatic vegetation. Rapid direct flight with strong wing beats, flies in V formation.
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American Golden-Plover: Medium sandpiper with black face, underparts. Back is dark brown with yellow spots; has a white S-shaped mark along head and sides. Markings provide camouflage to blend in with tundra breeding grounds. Bill is black, thin, and short. Swift direct flight on rapid wing beats.
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Chuck-will's-widow: Large nightjar with entire body complexly mottled with brown, gray, and black. Collar is white, throat is brown, and breast patch is dark brown. The tail is white-edged. Legs and feet are brown. Feeds at night, mostly on insects. Bouyant, silent flight with flicking wing beats.
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Thick-billed Kingbird: Large flycatcher with gray-brown upperparts, darker head, and seldom seen yellow crown patch. Throat and breast are gray-washed white, and belly and undertail coverts are pale yellow. Bill is large and black. Tail is gray-brown and slightly forked, edged with cinnamon-brown.
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Hooded Merganser: Small merganser with black upperparts and white underparts with two black bars on side of breast; red-brown flanks. Crest shows large white patch when raised, white stripe extending backwards from the eye when lowered. Dark wings have white shoulder patches visible in flight.
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Wood Duck: Small tree duck with brown back, white throat, purple-brown breast with white flecks grading to white belly; buff-yellow flanks. Crested head is green and purple with white stripes; white throat has two bars, one extends as a partial collar, the other extends behind and below eyes.
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Smew: Small merganser, mostly white body except for black back, mask, breast bar, and V-shaped nape patch. Wings are dark with large white patches. Gray legs, feet. Feeds on fish, aquatic insects, and their larvae. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats. Flies in straight line or V formation.
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Green-winged Teal: Small dabbling duck with pale, gray-barred sides and buff breast with a white bar down the side. Head is chestnut-brown with green ear patch. Bill is dark gray and legs and feet are olive-gray to gray-brown. Speculum is flashy green bordered with brown above and white below.
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Black-billed Cuckoo: Medium cuckoo with brown upperparts, white underparts. Eye-ring is red and decurved bill is black. Tail is long with faint white, dark-eyed spots underneath. Feeds primarily on caterpillars, also eats insects, small fish, mollusks and fruits. Makes low flights of short duration.
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Black-necked Stilt: Large shorebird with sharply contrasting black upperparts and white underparts. Long, thin, upcurved bill. Red eyes with white eye-rings, and white patch above. Legs are extremely long and red-pink. Feeds on insects, fish, worms, small crustaceans and seeds. Swift direct flight.
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Eared Grebe: Small grebe with black upperparts, dark chestnut-brown flanks, white underparts. Head and neck are black, orange feathers on face. Eyes are red. Black legs and feet. Forages by diving and swimming underwater. Feeds on aquatic insects and crustaceans. Direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Yellow-billed Cuckoo: Medium cuckoo, gray-brown upperparts and white underparts. Bill is mostly yellow. Wings are gray-brown with rufous primaries. Tail is long and has white-spotted black edges. Gray legs, feet. Feeds primarily on hairy caterpillars, also insects, larvae, small fruits, and berries.
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Red-breasted Sapsucker: Medium-sized woodpecker with black-and-white barred upperparts, pale yellow belly, and white rump. The head, nape, throat, and breast are bright red; moustache stripe is white. The wings are checkered black-and-white with large white patches. Black bill, gray legs and feet.
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Brown-crested Flycatcher: Medium-sized flycatcher with olive-brown upperparts, yellow underparts, and pale gray throat. Bill is long, stout, and solid black. Wings have rufous patches. Tail is long and rufous. Legs and feet are black. Direct flight with rapid wing beats. Hovers and dips for prey.
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Pine Grosbeak: Large, robust finch with red-washed black back, gray sides and undertail coverts, and pink-red rump and underparts. Head and face are pink-red; bill is heavy and black. Wings are black with two pale bars. Tail is black and slightly notched. Feeds on seeds, buds, fruits and insects.
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Black Tern: Small tern with black head, bill and underparts. Back, wings, and tail are silver-gray. Vent is white; legs and feet are dark red but may appear black. Bouyant direct flight with deep rapid wing beats, hovers for insects. Uneven foraging flight. Plunge dives on occasion.
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Arctic Tern: Medium, slim tern with gray upperparts, black cap, white rump and throat, and pale gray underparts. Tail is deeply forked and white with dark edges on outer feathers. Bill is dark red, rarely tipped with black. Legs and feet are red. Bouyant graceful flight with steady wing beats.
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Little Curlew: Medium curlew, brown-streaked upperparts, white throat, dark-streaked gray breast, and white belly. Head has brown crown, white eyebrows. Bill is short and slightly down-curved. Legs and feet are blue-gray. Forages in grassy fields. Bouyant direct flight with steady, rapid wing beats.
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Bonaparte's Gull: Medium gull with black head and bill, gray back and wings, white underparts and tail. White outer primaries with black trailing edges are visible in flight. Legs are red-orange. Catches fish by wading and diving. Light and direct flight with rapid wing beat, ternlike.
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Common Tern: Medium tern, medium gray upperparts, pale gray underparts, glossy black cap and nape. Wings are dark-tipped and have dark leading edge on forewing. Red bill is black-tipped. Legs are red and tail is deeply forked and elongated. Direct flight, hovers above water before diving for prey.
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Common Moorhen: Medium, chicken-like marsh bird with gray-brown back and slate-gray head, neck, breast, and belly. Upper flanks show distinct white line. Yellow-tipped red bill is short with red frontal plate extending onto forehead. Tail is white below. Long legs and unwebbed feet are yellow-green.
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Clapper Rail: Large, noisy marsh bird, gray or brown upperparts, vertical white-barred flanks and belly, buff or rust-brown breast. Bill is long, slightly decurved. Gray legs, feet. Feeds at low tide on mudflats or hidden in salt marsh vegetation. Flight is low and fluttering over short distances.
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Eurasian Hobby: Small falcon with dark slate-gray upperparts and white underparts with heavy, dark gray streaks. White face has bold black mask and moustache stripe, and thin white eyebrows. Wings are long and pointed. Leggings are orange. Tail is square and finely barred. Graceful powerful flight.
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Blue-winged Teal: Small dabbling duck, purple-gray head, distinct white crescent on face. Upperparts are scaled buff, dark brown; underparts are pale brown with numerous dark spots. Wings have green speculum, pale blue shoulder patch visible in flight. Fast direct flight with steady wing beats.
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Cinnamon Teal: Small dabbling duck, scaled, dark brown upperparts, cinnaon-brown underparts, head, neck. Eyes are red and bill is relatively long and dark. Green speculum, pale blue shoulder patch on wing are separated by white line. Yellow-gray legs. Swift direct flight with rapid wing beats.
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Baikal Teal: Small dabbling duck, head pattern of pale brown, green, white, and black. Pink breast has dark spots, flanks are gray bordered with vertical white stripes, scapulars are brown, black, and white. Wing speculum is green with buff upper and white lower border. Black undertail coverts.
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Pacific Golden-Plover: Medium plover, yellow-spotted, dark brown back, black face, and black underparts with white-mottled flanks; a white S-shaped mark extends from above the eye to along sides. Bill is black, thin, and short. Black legs, feet. Swift direct flight with rapid, steady wing beats.
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Garganey: Small dabbling duck with black-streaked, gray upperparts, chestnut-brown mottled face and breast, pale gray flanks. White stripe above eye, running down neck is highly visible. Wings have pale blue shoulder patches and dark green speculum with white borders visible in flight.
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Upland Sandpiper: Large bird, dark-spotted, brown upperparts, black rump. White chin, neck, throat. Breast and sides streaked with dark chevrons, white belly. Dark cap, white eye-rings. Bill is thin, olive-brown, decurved at tip. Wedge-shaped tail has dark center and barred edges visible in flight.
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Common Merganser: Large, sleek diving duck with black upperparts and white underparts. Head and upper neck are green-black with head crest usually not visible. Long, thin bill is bright red. Wings are black with extensive white patches. Feeds on fish, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and plants.
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