ACADIAN FLYCATCHER (Empidonax virescens) Flycatcher family
Called also: SMALL GREEN-CRESTED FLYCATCHER; SMALL PEWEE
Length: 5.75 to 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Dull olive above. Two conspicuous yellowish wing-bars. Throat white, shading into pale yellow on breast. Light gray or white underneath. Upper part of bill black; lower mandible flesh-color. White eye-ring. […]
ALICE’S THRUSH (Turdus alicia) Thrush family
Called also: GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH
Length: 7.5 to 8 inches. About the size of the bluebird. Male and Female: Upper parts uniform olive-brown. Eye-ring whitish. Cheeks gray; sides dull grayish white. Sides of the throat and breast pale cream-buff, speckled with arrow-shaped points on throat and with half-round dark-brown marks below. […]
AMERICAN ROBIN (Merula migratoria) Thrush family
Called also: RED-BREASTED OR MIGRATORY THRUSH; ROBIN-REDBREAST
AMERICAN CROSSBILL (Loxia curvirostra minor) Finch family
Called also: RED CROSSBILL
Length: 6 to 7 inches. About the size of the English sparrow. Male: General color Indian red, passing into brownish gray, with red tinge beneath. Wings (without bands), also tail, brown, Beak crossed at the tip. Female: General color greenish yellow, with brownish tints. Dull-yellowish […]
AMERICAN GOLDFINCH (Spinus tristis) Finch family
Called also: WILD CANARY; YELLOWBIRD; THISTLE BIRD
Length: 5 to 5.2 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: In summer plumage: Bright yellow, except on crown of head, frontlet, wings, and tail, which are black. Whitish markings on wings give effect of bands. Tail with white on […]
AMERICAN PIPIT (Anthus pensilvanicus) Wagtail family
Called also: TITLARK; BROWN OR RED LARK
Length: 6.38 to 7 inches. About the size of a sparrow. Male and Female: Upper parts brown; wings and tail dark olive-brown; the wing coverts tipped with buff or whitish, and ends of outer tail feathers white, conspicuous in flight. White or yellowish […]
AMERICAN RAVEN (Corvus corax principalis) Crow family
Called also: NORTHERN RAVEN; COMMON RAVEN
Length: 26 to 27 inches. Nearly three times as large as a robin. Male and Female: Glossy black above, with purplish and greenish reflections. Duller underneath. Feathers of the throat and breast long and loose, like fringe. Range: North America, from polar regions […]
BALTIMORE ORIOLE (Iderus galbula) Oriole and Blackbird family
Called also: GOLDEN ORIOLE; FIREBIRD; GOLDEN ROBIN; HANG-NEST; ENGLISH ROBIN
Length: 7 to 8 inches. About one-fifth smaller than the robin. Male: Head, throat, upper part of back glossy black. Wings black, with white spots and edgings. Tail-quills black, with yellow markings on the tips. Everywhere else orange, […]
BANK SWALLOW (Clivicola riparia) Swallow family
Called also: SAND MARTIN; SAND SWALLOW
Length: 5 to 5.5 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow, but apparently much larger because of its wide wing-spread. Male and Female: Grayish brown or clay-colored above. Upper wings and tail darkest. Below, white, with brownish band across chest. Tail, which […]
BARN SWALLOW (Chelidon erythrogaster) Swallow family
BAY-BREASTED WARBLER (Dendroica castanea) Wood Warbler family
Length. — 5.25 to 5.75 inches. A little smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Crown, chin, throat, upper breast,
and sides dull chestnut. Forehead, sides of head, and cheeks black. Above olive-gray, streaked with black. Underneath buffy. Two white wing-bars. Outer tail quills with white patches on tips. Cream […]
BELTED KINGFISHER (Ceryle alcyon) Kingfisher family
Called also: THE HALCYON
Length: 12 to 13 inches. About one-fourth as large again as the robin. Male: Upper part grayish blue, with prominent crest on head reaching to the nape. A white spot in front of the eye. Bill longer than the head, which is large and heavy. Wings […]
BLACK AND WHITE CREEPING WARBLER (Mniotilta varia) Wood Warbler family
Called also: VARIED CREEPING WARBLER; BLACK-AND WHITE CREEPER; WHITEPOLL WARBLER; BLACK-AND-WHITE WARBLER
Length: 5 to inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Upper parts white, varied with black. A white stripe along the summit of the head and back of the neck, edged […]
BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus) Cuckoo family
Called also: RAIN CROW
Length: 11 to 12 inches. About one-fifth larger than the robin. Male: Grayish brown above, with bronze tint in feathers. Underneath grayish white; bill, which is long as head and black, arched and acute. Skin about the eye bright red. Tail long, and with spots on […]
BLACK-THROATED BLUE WARBLER (Dendroica caerulescens) Wood Warbler family
Length: 5.30 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Slate-color, not blue above; lightest on forehead and darkest on lower back. Wings and tail edged with bluish. Cheeks, chin, throat, upper breast, and sides black. Breast and underneath white. White spots on wings, and […]
BLACK-THROATED GREEN WARBLER (Dendroica virens) Wood Warbler family
Length: 5 inches. Over an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Back and crown of head bright yellowish olive-green. Forehead, band over eye, cheeks, and sides of neck rich yellow. Throat, upper breast, and stripe along sides black. Underneath yellowish white. Wings and tail brownish olive, […]
BLACKBURNIAN WARBLER (Dendroica blackburnia) Wood Warbler family
Called also: HEMLOCK WARBLER; ORANGE-THROATED WARBLER; TORCH-BIRD
Length: 4.5 to 5.5 inches. An inch and a half smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Head black, striped with orange-flame; throat and breast orange, shading through yellow to white underneath; wings, tail, and part of back black, with white markings. Female: […]
BLACKPOLL WARBLER (Dendroica striata) Wood Warbler family
Length: 5.5 to 6 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Black cap; cheeks and beneath grayish white, forming a sort of collar, more or less distinct. Upper parts striped gray, black, and olive. Breast and under parts white, with black streaks. Tail olive-brown, with […]
BLUE GROSBEAK (Guiraca carulea) Finch family
Length: 7 inches. About an inch larger than the English sparrow. Male: Deep blue, dark, and almost black on the back; wings and tail black, slightly edged with blue, and the former marked with bright chestnut. Cheeks and chin black. Bill heavy and bluish. Female: Grayish brown above, sometimes […]
BLUE JAY (Cyanocitta cristata) Crow and Jay family
BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER (Polioptila coerulea) Gnatcatcher family
Called also: SYLVAN FLYCATCHER
Length: 4.5 inches. About two inches smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Grayish blue above, dull grayish white below. Grayish tips on wings. Tail with white outer quills changing gradually through black and white to all black on center quills. Narrow black band over the forehead […]
BLUE-WINGED WARBLER (Helminthophila pinus) Wood Warbler family
Called also: BLUE-WINGED YELLOW WARBLER
Length: 4.75 inches. An inch and a half shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Crown of head and all under parts bright yellow. Back olive-green. Wings and tail bluish slate, the former with white bars, and three outer tail quills with large white patches […]
THE BLUEBIRD (Sialia sialis) Thrush family
Called also: BLUE ROBIN; EASTERN BLUEBIRD
Length: 7 inches. About an inch longer than the English sparrow. Male: Upper parts, wings, and tail bright blue, with rusty wash in autumn. Throat, breast, and sides cinnamon-red. Underneath white. Female: Has duller blue feathers, washed with gray, and a paler breast than […]
BOBOLINK (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) Blackbird family
Called also:REEDBIRD; MAYBIRD; MEADOW-BIRD; AMERICAN ORTOLAN; BUTTER-BIRD; SKUNK BLACKBIRD
Length: 7 inches. A trifle larger than the English sparrow. Male: In spring plumage: black, with light-yellow patch on upper neck, also on edges of wings and tail feathers. Rump and upper wings splashed with white. Middle of back streaked with pale […]
BOHEMIAN WAXWING (Ampelis garrulus) Waxwing family
Called also: BLACK-THROATED WAX WING; LAPLAND WAX WING; SILKTAIL
Length: 8 to 9.5 inches. A little smaller than the robin. Male and Female: General color drab, with faint brownish wash above, shading into lighter gray below. Crest conspicuous. Being nearly an inch and a half in length; rufous at the […]
BROWN CREEPER (Certhia familiaris americana) Creeper family
Length: 5 to 5.75 inches. A little smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Brown above, varied with ashy-gray stripes and small, lozenge-shaped gray mottles. Color lightest on head, increasing in shade to reddish brown near tail. Tail paler brown and long; wings brown and barred with
whitish. […]
BROWN THRASHER (Harporhynchus rufus) Thrasher and Mocking-bird family
Called also: BROWN THRUSH; GROUND THRUSH; RED THRUSH; BROWN MOCKING-BIRD; FRENCH MOCKING-BIRD; MAVIS
Length: 11 to 11.5 inches. Fully an inch longer than the robin. Male: Rusty red-brown or rufous above; darkest on wings, which have two short whitish bands. Underneath white, heavily streaked (except on throat) with […]
CANADA JAY (Perisoreus canadensis) Crow and Jay family
Called also: WHISKY JACK OR JOHN; MOOSE-BIRD; MEAT BIRD; VENISON HERON; GREASE-BIRD; CANADIAN CARRION-BIRD; CAMP ROBBER; GRAY JAY
Length: 11 to 12 inches. About two inches larger than the robin. Male and Female: Upper parts gray; darkest on wings and tail; back of the head and nape of […]
CANADIAN WARBLER (Sylvania canadensis) Wood Warbler family
Called also: CANADIAN FLYCATCHER; SPOTTED CANADIAN WARBLER; CANADA WARBLER
Length: 5 to 5.6 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Immaculate bluish ash above, without marks on wings or tail; crown spotted with arrow-shaped black marks. Cheeks, line from bill to eye, and underneath clear yellow. […]
CARDINAL (Cardinalis cardinalis) Finch family
Called also: CRESTED REDBIRD; VIRGINIA REDBIRD; VIRGINIA NIGHTINGALE; CARDINAL GROSBEAK; NORTHERN CARDINAL
Length: 8 to 9 inches. A little smaller than the robin. Male: Brilliant cardinal; chin and band around bill black. Beak stout and red. Crest conspicuous. In winter dress, wings washed with gray. Female: Brownish yellow above, shading to […]
CAROLINA WREN (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Wren family
Called also: MOCKING WREN
Length: 6 inches. Just a trifle smaller than the English sparrow Male and Female: Chestnut-brown above. A whitish streak, beginning at base of bill, passes through the eye to the nape of the neck. Throat whitish. Under parts light buff-brown wings and tail finely barred with […]
CATBIRD (Galcoscoptes carolinensis ) Mocking-bird family
Called also: BLACK-CAPPED THRUSH; GRAY CATBIRD
Length: 9 inches. An inch shorter than the robin. Male and Female: Dark slate above; below somewhat paler; top of head black. Distinct chestnut patch under the tail, which is black; feet and bill black also. Wings short, more than two inches shorter than […]
CEDAR WAXWING (Ampelis cedrorum) Waxwing family
Called also: CEDAR BIRD; CHERRY-BIRD; CANADA ROBIN; RECOLLET
Length: 7 to 8 inches. About one-fifth smaller than the robin. Male: Upper parts rich grayish brown, with plum-colored tints showing through the brown on crest, throat, breast, wings, and tail. A velvety-black line on forehead runs through the eye and back […]
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER (Dendroica pennsylvanica) Wood Warbler family
Called also: BLOODY-SIDED WARBLER
Length: About 5 inches. More than an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Top of head and streaks in wings yellow. A black line running through the eye and round back of crown, and a black spot in front of eye, extending to cheeks. […]
CHICKADEE (Parus atricapillus) Titmouse family
Called also: BLACK-CAPPED TITMOUSE; BLACK-CAP TIT; BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE
Length: 5 to 5.5 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Not crested. Crown and nape and throat black. Above gray, slightly tinged with brown. A white space, beginning at base of bill, extends backwards, widening over cheeks […]
CHIMNEY SWIFT (Chaetura pelagica) Swift family
Called also: CHIMNEY SWALLOW; AMERICAN SWIFT
Length: to 5.45 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Long wings make its length appear greater. Male and Female: Deep sooty gray; throat of a trifle lighter gray. Wings extend an inch and a half beyond the even tail, which has […]
CHIPPING SPARROW (Spizella socialis) Finch family
Called also: CHIPPY; HAIR-BIRD; CHIP-BIRD; SOCIAL SPARROW
CLIFF SWALLOW (Petrochelidon lunifrons) Swallow family
Called also: EAVE SWALLOW; CRESCENT SWALLOW; ROCKY MOUNTAIN SWALLOW
Length: 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Apparently considerably larger because of its wide wingspread. Male and Female: Steel-blue above, shading to blue-black on crown of head and on wings and tail. A brownish-gray ring around the neck. […]
COMMON CROW (Corvus americanus) Crow family
Called also: CORN THIEF; AMERICAN CROW
Length: 16 to 17.50 inches. Male: Glossy black with violet reflections. Wings appear saw-toothed when spread, and almost equal the tail in length. Female: Like male, except that the black is less brilliant. Range: Throughout North America, from Hudson Bay to the Gulf of […]
COWBIRD (Molothrus ater) Blackbird family
Called also: BROWN-HEADED ORIOLE; COW-PEN BIRD; COW BLACKBIRD; COW BUNTING; BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD
DOWNY WOODPECKER (Dryobates pubescens) Woodpecker family
Length: 6 to 7 inches. About the size of the English sparrow. Male: Black above, striped with white. Tail shaped like a wedge Outer tail feathers white, and barred with black. Middle tail feathers black. A black stripe on top of head, and distinct white band over and under […]
ENGLISH SPARROW (Passer domesticus) Finch family
Called also: HOUSE SPARROW
Length: 6.33 inches. Male: Ashy above, with black and chestnut stripes on back and shoulders. Wings have chestnut and white bar, bordered by faint black line. Gray crown, bordered from the eye backward and on the nape by chestnut. Middle of throat and breast black. Underneath […]
EVENING GROSBEAK (Coccothraustes vespertinus) Finch family
Length: 8 inches. Two inches shorter than the robin. Male: Forehead, shoulders, and underneath clear yellow: dull yellow on lower back; sides of the head, throat, and breast olive-brown. Crown, tail, and wings black, the latter with white secondary feathers. Bill heavy and blunt, and yellow. Female: Brownish gray, […]
FIELD SPARROW (Spizella pusilla) Finch family
Called also: FIELD BUNTING; WOOD SPARROW; BUSH SPARROW
Length: 5.5 to 5.75 inches. A little smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Chestnut crown. Upper back bright chestnut, finely streaked with black and ashy brown. Lower back more grayish. Whitish wing-bars. Cheeks, line over the eye, throat, pale brownish drab. Tail […]
FISH CROW (Corvus ossifragus) Crow family
Length: 14 to 16 inches. About half as large again as the robin. Male and Female: Glossy black, with purplish-blue reflections, generally greener underneath. Chin naked. Range: Along Atlantic coast and that of the Gult of Mexico, northward to southern New England. Rare stragglers or) the Pacific coast. Migration: […]
FLICKER (Colaptes auratus) Woodpecker family
Called also: GOLDEN-WINGED WOODPECKER; CLAPE; PIGEON WOODPECKER; YELLOWHAMMER; HIGH HOLE OR HIGH-HOLDER; YARUP; WAKE-UP; YELLOW-SHAFTED WOODPECKER
Length: 12 to 13 inches. About one-fourth as large again as the robin. Male and Female: Head and neck bluish gray, with a red crescent across back of neck and a black crescent on breast. […]
FOX SPARROW (Passerella ilica) Finch family
Called also: FOX-COLORED SPARROW; FERRUGINOUS FINCH; FOXY FINCH
Length: 6.5 to 7.25 inches. Nearly an inch longer than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Upper parts reddish brown, varied with ash gray, brightest on lower back, wings, and tail. Bluish slate about the head. Underneath whitish; the throat, breast, and […]
GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus satrapa) Kinglet family
Called also: GOLDEN-CROWNED GOLDCREST; FIERY CROWNED WREN
Length: 4 to 4.25 inches. About two inches smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Upper parts grayish olive-green; wings and tail dusky, margined with olive-green. Underneath soiled whitish. Center of crown bright orange, bordered by yellow and enclosed by black line. Cheeks gray; […]
GOLDEN-WINGED WARBLER (Helminthophila chrysoptera) Wood Warbler family
Length: About 5 inches. More than an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Yellow crown and yellow patches on the wings. Upper parts bluish gray, sometimes tinged with greenish. Stripe through the eye and throat black. Sides of head chin, and line over the eye white. Underneath […]
GRASSHOPPER SPARROW (Ammodramus savannarum passerinus) Finch family
Called also: YELLOW-WINGED SPARROW
Length: 5 to 5.4 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: A cream-yellow line over the eye; center of crown, shoulders, and lesser wing coverts yellowish. Head blackish; rust-colored feathers, with small black spots on back of the neck; an […]
GREAT-CRESTED FLYCATCHER (Myiarchus crinitus) Flycatcher family
Called also: CRESTED FLYCATCHER
Length: 8.50 to 9 inches. A little smaller than the robin. Male and Female: Feathers of the head pointed and erect. Upper parts dark grayish-olive, inclining to rusty brown on wings and tail. Wing coverts crossed with two irregular […]
HAIRY WOODPECKER (Dryobates villosus) Woodpecker family
Length–9 to 10 inches. About the size of the robin. Male: Black and white above, white beneath. White stripe down the back, composed of long hair-like feathers. Brightred band on the nape of neck. Wings striped and dashed with black and white. Outer tail feathers white, without bars. White […]
HERMIT THRUSH (Turdus aonalaschkae pallasii) Thrush family
Called also: SWAMP ANGEL; LITTLE THRUSH
Length — 7.25 to 7.5 inches. About one-fourth smaller than the robin. Male and Female: Upper parts olive-brown, reddening near the tail, which is pale rufous, quite distinct from the color of the back. Throat, sides of neck, and breast pale buff. Feathers […]
HOODED WARBLER (Sylvania mitrata) Wood Warbler family
Length: 5 to 5.75 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Head, neck, chin, and throat black like a hood in mature male specimens only. Hood restricted, or altogether wanting in female and young. Upper parts rich olive. Forehead, cheeks, and underneath yellow. Some conspicuous […]
HORNED LARK (Otocoris alpestris) Lark family
Called also: SHORE LARK
Length: 7.5 to 8 inches. About one-fifth smaller than the robin. Male: Upper parts dull brown, streaked with lighter on edges and tinged with pink or vinaceous; darkest on back of head neck, shoulders, and nearest the tail. A few erectile feathers on either side of […]
HOUSE WREN (Troglodytes aedon) Wren family
Length: 4.5 to 5 inches. Actually about one-fourth smaller than the English sparrow; apparently only half as large because of its erect tail. Male and Female: Upper parts cinnamon-brown. Deepest shade on head and neck; lightest above tail, which is more rufous. Back has obscure, dusky bars; wings and […]
INDIGO BUNTING (Passerina cyanea) Finch family
Called also: INDIGO BIRD
Length: 5 to 6 inches. Smaller than the English sparrow, or the size of a canary. Male: In certain lights rich blue, deepest on head. In another light the blue feathers show verdigris tints. Wings, tail, and lower back with brownish wash, most prominent in autumn […]
JUNCO (Junco hyemalis) Finch family
Called also: SNOWBIRD; SLATE-COLORED SNOWBIRD; DARK-EYED JUNCO
Length: 5.5 to 6.5 inches. About the size of the English sparrow. Male: Upper parts slate-colored; darkest on head and neck, which are sometimes almost black and marked like a cowl. Gray on breast, like a vest. Underneath white. Several outer tall feathers white, […]
KENTUCKY WARBLER (Geothlypis formosa) Wood Warbler family
Length: 5.5 inches. Nearly an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Upper parts olive-green; under parts yellow; a yellow line from the bill passes over and around the eye. Crown of head, patch below the eye, and line defining throat, black. Female: Similar, but paler, and with […]
KINGBIRD (Tyrannus tyrannus) Flycatcher family
Called also: TYRANT FLYCATCHER; BEE MARTIN; EASTERN KINGBIRD
Length: 8 inches. About two inches shorter than the robin. Male: Ashy black above; white, shaded with ash-color, beneath a concealed crest of orange-red on crown. Tail black, Terminating with a white band conspicuous in flight. Wing feathers edged with white. Feet and […]
LAPLAND LONGSPUR (Calcarius lapponicus) Finch family
Called also: LAPLAND SNOWBIRD; LAPLAND LARK BUNTING
Length: 6.5 to 7 inches. trifle larger than the English sparrow. Male: Color varies with season. Winter plumage: Top of head black, with rusty markings, all feathers being tipped with white. Behind and below the eye rusty black. Breast and underneath grayish white […]
LEAST FLYCATCHER (Empidonax minimus) Flycatcher family
Called also: CHEBEC
Length: 5 to 5.5 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Gray or olive-gray above, paler on wings and lower part of back, and a more distinct olive-green on head. Underneath grayish white, sometimes faintly suffused with pale yellow. Wings have whitish bars. White […]
LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE (Lanius ludovicianus) Shrike family
Length: 8.5 to 9 inches. A little smaller than the robin. Male and Female: Upper parts gray; narrow black line across forehead, connecting small black patches on sides of head at base of bill. Wings and tail black, plentifully marked with white, the outer tail feathers often being entirely […]
LONG-BILLED MARSH WREN (Cistothorus palustris) Wren family
Called also: MARSH WREN
Length: 4.5 to 5.2 inches. Actually a little smaller than the English sparrow. Apparently half the size. Male and Female: Brown above, with white line over the eye, and the back irregularly and faintly streaked with white. Wings and tail barred with darker cinnamon-brown. Underneath […]
LOUISIANA WATER THRUSH (Seiurus motacilla) Wood Warbler family
Length: 6 to 6.28 inches. Just a trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Grayish olive-brown upper parts, with conspicuous white line over the eye and reaching almost to the nape. Underneath white, tinged with pale buff. Throat and line through the middle, plain. Other […]
MAGNOLIA WARBLER (Dendroica maculosa) Wood Warbler family
Called also: BLACK-AND-YELLOW WARBLER; SPOTTED WARBLER; BLUE-HEADED YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER
Length: 4.75 to 5 inches. About an inch and a half smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Crown of head slate-color, bordered on either side by a white line; a black line, apparently running through the eye, and a yellow […]
MARYLAND YELLOWTHROAT (Geothlypis trichas) Wood Warbler family
Called also: BLACK-MASKED GROUND WARBLER; COMMON YELLOWTHROAT
Length: 5.33 inches. Just an inch shorter than the typical English sparrow. Male: Olive-gray on head, shading to olive-green on all the other upper parts. Forehead, cheeks, and sides of head black, like a mask, and bordered behind by a grayish line. […]
MEADOWLARK (Sturnella magna) Blackbird family
Called also: FIELD LARK; OLDFIELD LARK; EASTERN MEADOWLARK
Length: 10 to 11 inches. A trifle larger than the robin. Male: Upper parts brown, varied with chestnut, deep brown, and black. Crown streaked with brown and black, and with a cream-colored streak through the center. Dark-brown line apparently running through the eye; […]
THE MOCKING-BIRD (Mimus polyglottus) Mocking-bird family
Called also: NORTHERN MOCKINGBIRD
Length: 9 to 10 inches. About the size of the robin. Male and Female: Gray above; wings and wedge-shaped; tail brownish; upper wing feathers tipped with white; outer tail quills white, conspicuous in flight; chin white; underneath light gray, shading to whitish. Range: Peculiar to torrid […]
MOURNING DOVE (Zenaidura macroura) Pigeon family
Called also: CAROLINA DOVE; TURTLE DOVE
Length: 12 to 13 inches. About one-half as large again as the robin. Male: Grayish brown or fawn-color above, varying to bluish gray. Crown and upper part of head greenish blue, with green and golden metallic reflections on sides of neck. A black spot […]
MOURNING WARBLER (Geothlypis philadelphia) Wood Warbler family
Called also: MOURNING GROUND WARBLER
Length: 5 to 5.6 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Gray head and throat; the breast gray; the feathers with black edges that make them look crinkled, like crape. The black markings converge into a spot on upper breast. Upper […]
MYRTLE WARBLER (Dendroica coronata) Wood Warbler family
Called also: YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER; MYRTLE BIRD; YELLOW-CROWNED WARBLER
Length: 5 to 5.5 inches. About an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male: In summer plumage: A yellow patch on top of head, lower back, and either side of the breast. Upper parts bluish slate, streaked with black. Upper breast […]
NASHVILLE WARBLER (Helminthophila ruficapilla) Wood Warbler family
Length: 4.75 to 5 inches. About an inch and a half smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Olive-green above; yellow underneath. Slate-gray head and neck. Partially concealed chestnut patch on crown. Wings and tail olive-brown and without markings. Female: Dull olive and paler, with brownish wash underneath. Range: […]
NIGHTHAWK (Chordeiles virginianus) Goatsucker family
Called also: NIGHTJAR; BULL-BAT; MOSQUITO HAWK; WILL-O’-THE-WISP; PISK; PIRAMIDIG; LONGWINGED GOATSUCKER; COMMON NIGHTHAWK
Length: 9 to 10 inches. About the same length as the robin, but apparently much longer because of its very wide wing-spread. Male and Female: Mottled blackish brown and rufous above, with a multitude of cream-yellow spots and […]
NORTHERN SHRIKE (Lanius borealis) Shrike family
Called also: BUTCHER-BIRD; NINE-KILLER
Length: 9.5 to 10.5 inches. About the size of the robin. Male: Upper parts slate-gray; wing quills and tail black, edged and tipped with white, conspicuous in flight; a white spot on center of outer wing feathers. A black band runs from bill, through eye to […]
NORTHERN WATER THRUSH (Seiurus noveboracensis) Wood Warbler family
Called also: NEW YORK WATER THRUSH; AQUATIC WOOD WAGTAIL; AQUATIC THRUSH
Length: 5 to 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Uniform olive or grayish brown above. Pale buff line over the eye. Underneath, white tinged with sulphur yellow, and streaked like a […]
OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH (Turdus ustulatus swainsonii) Thrush family
Called also: SWAINSON’S THRUSH
Length: 7 to 7.50 inches. About one-fourth smaller than the robin. Male and Female: Upper parts olive-brown. Whole throat and breast yellow-buff, shading to ashy on sides and to white underneath. Buff ring around eye. Dark streaks on sides of throat (none on center), and […]
OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER (Contotus borealis) Flycatcher family
Length: 7 to inches. About an inch longer than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Dusky olive or grayish brown above; head darkest. Wings and tail blackish brown, the former sometimes but not always, margined and tipped with dusky white. Throat yellowish white; other under parts slightly lighter shade […]
ORCHARD ORIOLE (Icterus spurius) Blackbird and Oriole family
Called also: ORCHARD STARLING; ORCHARD HANG-NEST
Length: 7 to 7.3 inches. About one-fourth smaller than the robin. Male: Head, throat, upper back, tail, and part of wings black. Breast, rump, shoulders, under wing and tail coverts, and under parts bright reddish brown. Whitish-yellow markings on a few tail […]
OVENBIRD (Seiurus aurocapillus) Wood Warbler family
Called also: GOLDEN-CROWNED THRUSH; THE TEACHER; WOOD WAGTAIL; GOLDEN-CROWNED WAGTAIL; GOLDEN-CROWNED ACCENTOR
Length: 6 to 6.15 inches. Just a shade smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Upper parts olive, with an orange-brown crown, bordered by black lines that converge toward the bill. Under parts white; breast spotted and […]
PARULA WARBLER (Compsothlypis americana) Wood Warbler family
Called also: BLUE YELLOW-BACKED WARBLER; NORTHERN PARULA
Length: 4.5 to 4.75 inches. About an inch and a half shorter than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Slate-colored above, with a greenish-yellow or bronze patch in the middle of the back. Chin, throat, and breast yellow. A black, bluish, or […]
PHOEBE (Sayornis phoebe) Flycatcher family
Called also: DUSKY FLYCATCHER; BRIDGE PEWEE; WATER PEWEE; EASTERN PHOEBE
Length: 7 inches. About an inch longer than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Dusky olive — brown above darkest on head, Which is slightly crested. Wings and tail dusky, the outer edges of some tail feathers whitish. Dingy yellowish white […]
PINE GROSBEAK (Pinicola enucleator) Finch family
Called also: PINE BULLFINCH
Length: Variously recorded from 6.5 to 11 inches. Specimen measured 8.5 inches. About one-fifth smaller than the robin. Male: General color strawberry-red, with some slate-gray fleckings about head, under wings, and on legs. Tail brown; wings brown, marked with black and white and slate. A band-shaped […]
PINE SISKIN (Spinus pinus) Finch family
Called also: PINE FINCH; PINE LINNET
Length: 4.75 to 5 inches. Over an inch smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Olive-brown and gray above, much streaked and striped with very dark brown everywhere. Darkest on head and back. Lower back, base of tail, and wing feathers pale sulphur-yellow. […]
PINE WARBLER (Dendroica vigorsii) Wood Warbler family
Called also: PINE-CREEPING WARBLER
Length: 5.5 to 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Male: Yellowish olive above; clear yellow below, shading to grayish white, with obscure dark streaks on side of breast. Two whitish wing-bars; two outer tail feathers partly white. Female: Duller; grayish white only […]
PRAIRIE WARBLER (Dendroica discolor) Wood Warbler family
Length: 4.75 to 5 inches. About an inch and a half shorter than the English sparrow. Male: Olive-green above, shading to yellowish on the head, and with brick-red spots on back between the shoulders. A yellow line over the eye; wing-bars and all under parts bright yellow, heavily […]
PURPLE FINCH (Carpodacus purpureus) Finch family
Called also: PURPLE LINNET
Length: 6 to 6.25 inches. About the same size as the English sparrow. Male: Until two years old, sparrow-like in appearance like the female, but with olive-yellow on chin and lower back. Afterwards entire body suffused with a bright raspberry-red, deepest on head, lower back, and […]
PURPLE GRACKLE (Quiscalus quiscula) Blackbird family
Called also: CROW BLACKBIRD; MAIZE THIEF; KEEL-TAILED GRACKLE; COMMON GRACKLE
Length: 12 to 13 inches. About one-fourth as large again as the robin. Male: Iridescent black, in which metallic violet, blue, copper, and green tints predominate. The plumage of this grackle has iridescent bars. Iris of eye bright yellow and […]
PURPLE MARTIN (Progne subis) Swallow family
Length: 7 to 8 inches. Two or three inches smaller than the robin. Male: Rich glossy black with bluish and purple reflections; duller black on wings and tail. Wings rather longer than the tail, which is forked. Female: More brownish and mottled; grayish below. Range: Peculiar to America. Penetrates […]
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH (Sitta canadensis) Nuthatch family
Called also: CANADA NUTHATCH
Length: 4 to 4.75 inches. One-third smaller than the English sparrow. Male: lead-colored above; brownish on wings and tail. Head, neck, and stripe passing through eye to shoulder, black. Frontlet, chin, and shoulders white; also a white stripe over eye, meeting on brow. Under parts light, […]
RED-EYED VIREO (Vireo olivaceus) Vireo or Greenlet family
Called also: THE PREACHER
Length: 5.75 to 6.25 inches. A fraction smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Upper parts light olive-green; well-defined slaty-gray cap, with black marginal line, below which, and forming an exaggerated eyebrow, is a line of white. A brownish band runs from base […]
RED-HEADED WOODPECKER (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Woodpecker family
Called also: TRI-COLOR; RED-HEAD
Length: 8.50 to 9.75 inches. An inch or less smaller than the robin. Male and Female: Head, neck, and throat crimson; breast and underneath white; back black and white; wings and tail blue black, with broad white band on wings conspicuous in flight. Range: United States, […]
RED-WINGED BLACKBIRD (Agelaius Phamiceus) Blackbird family
Called also: SWAMP BLACKBIRD; RED-WINGED ORIOLE; RED-WINGED STARLING
Length: Exceptionally variable–7.50 to 9.80 inches. Usually about an inch smaller than the robin. Male: Coal-black. Shoulders scarlet, edged with yellow. Female: Feathers finely and inconspicuously speckled with brown, rusty black, whitish, and orange. Upper wing-coverts black, tipped with white, or rufous […]
REDPOLL (Acanthis linaria) Finch family
Called also: REDPOLL LINNET; LITTLE SNOWBIRD; LESSER REDPOLL; COMMON REDPOLL
Length — 5.25 to 5.5 inches. About an inch shorter than the English sparrow. Male — A rich crimson wash on head, neck, breast, and lower back, that is sometimes only a pink when we see the […]
REDSTART (Setophaga ruticilla) Wood Warbler family
Called also: YELLOW-TAILED WARBLER; AMERICAN REDSTART
Length: 5 to 5.5 inches. Male: In spring plumage: Head, neck, back, and middle breast glossy black, with blue reflections. Breast and underneath white, slightly flushed with salmon, increasing to bright salmon-orange on the sides of the body and on the wing linings. Occasional […]
ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK (Habia ludoviciana) Finch family
Length: 7.75 to 8.5 inches. About one-fifth smaller than the robin. Male: Head and upper parts black. Breast has rose-carmine shield-shaped patch, often extending downward to the center of the abdomen. Underneath, tail quills, and two spots on wings white. Conspicuous yellow, blunt beak. Female: Brownish, with dark streakings, […]
RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula) Kinglet family
Called also: RUBY-CROWNED WREN; RUBY-CROWNED WARBLER
Length: 4.25 to 4.5 inches. About two inches smaller than the English sparrow. Male: upper parts grayish olive-green, brighter nearer the tail; wings and tail dusky, edged with yellowish olive. Two whitish wing-bars. Breast and underneath light yellowish gray. In the adult male a […]
RUBY-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD (Trochilus colubris) Humming-bird Family
Length: 3.5 to 3.75 inches. A trifle over half as long as the English sparrow. The smallest bird we have. Male: bright metallic green above; wings and tail darkest, with ruddy-purplish reflections and dusky-white tips on outer tail quills. Throat and breast brilliant metallic — red in one light, […]
RUSTY BLACKBIRD (Scolecophagus carolinus) Blackbird family
Called also: THRUSH BLACKBIRD; RUSTY GRACKLE; RUSTY ORIOLE; RUSTY CROW; BLACKBIRD
Length: 9 to 9.55 inches. A trifle smaller than the robin. Male: In full plumage, glossy black with metallic reflections, intermixed with rusty brown that becomes more pronounced as the season advances. Pale straw-colored eyes. Female: Duller plumage and […]
SAVANNAH SPARROW (Ammodramus sandwichensis savanna) Finch family
Called also: SAVANNAH BUNTING
Length: 5.5 to 6 inches. A trifle smaller than the English sparrow. Male and Female: Cheeks, space over the eye, and on the bend of the wings pale yellow. General effect of the upper parts brownish drab, streaked with black. Wings and tail dusky, the […]
SCARLET TANAGER (Piranga erythromelas) Tanager family
Called also: BLACK-WINGED REDBIRD; FIREBIRD; CANADA TANAGER; POCKET-BIRD