List Of Birds Of Georgia (U.S. State) on:
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This list of birds of Georgia includes species documented in the U.S. state of Georgia and accepted by the Checklist and Records Committee of the Georgia Ornithological Society (GOSRC). As of August 2020, there are 427 species definitively included in the official list. Seven additional species are on the list but classed as provisional (see definitions below). Of the 427 species, 100 are classed as rare, four have been introduced to North America, and one is
Order:
Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae
The chachalacas are tropical fowl native to the Neotropics, only entering into southern Texas in their native range. They were introduced to
Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. Only one species of New World quail has been recorded in Georgia
* Northern bobwhite, ''Colinus virginianus''
Order: GalliformesFamily:
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Five species of grebe have been recorded in Georgia.
* Pied-billed grebe, ''Podilymbus podiceps''
* Horned grebe, ''Podiceps auritus''
* Red-necked grebe, ''Podiceps grisegena''
*
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Seven species of columbidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Rock pigeon, ''Columba livia'' (I)
* Eurasian collared-dove, ''Streptopelia decaocto'' (I)
* Inca dove, ''Columbina inca'' (R)
* Passenger pigeon, ''Ectopistes migratorius'' (E)
* Common ground dove, ''Columbina passerina''
* White-winged dove, ''Zenaida asiatica''
* Mourning dove, ''Zenaida macroura''
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three species of cuckoo have been recorded in Georgia.
* Smooth-billed ani, ''Crotophaga ani'' (R)
* Yellow-billed cuckoo, ''Coccyzus americanus''
*
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves. Four species of nightjar have been recorded in Georgia.
* Lesser nighthawk, ''Chordeiles acutipennis'' (accidental)
* Common nighthawk, ''Chordeiles minor''
* Chuck-will's-widow, ''Antrostomus carolinensis''
* Eastern whip-poor-will, ''Antrostomus vociferus''
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds, spending most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. One species of swift has been recorded in Georgia.
* Chimney swift, ''Chaetura pelagica''
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. Thirteen species of hummingbird have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order:
Order:
Order:
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species of this family have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are generally found in open country, mostly in habitats near water. Eight species of Charadriidae have been definitively recorded in Georgia and another has been classed as provisional.
*
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. Most eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or sand. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. thirty-three species of scolopacidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Upland sandpiper, ''Bartramia longicauda''
* Whimbrel, ''Numenius phaeopus''
* Long-billed curlew, ''Numenius americanus''
* Bar-tailed godwit, ''Limosa lapponica'' (accidental)
* Hudsonian godwit, ''Limosa haemastica'' (R)
* Marbled godwit, ''Limosa fedoa''
* Ruddy turnstone, ''Arenaria interpres''
* Red knot, ''Calidris canutus''
* Ruff, ''Calidris pugnax'' (R)
* Stilt sandpiper, ''Calidris himantopus''
* Curlew sandpiper, ''Calidris ferruginea'' (R)
* Sanderling, ''Calidris alba''
* Dunlin, ''Calidris alpina''
* Purple sandpiper, ''Calidris maritima''
* Baird's sandpiper, ''Calidris bairdii''
* Least sandpiper, ''Calidris minutilla''
*
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
Skuas and jaegers are medium to large seabirds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers. Four species of the family have been recorded in Georgia.
* South polar skua, ''Stercorarius maccormicki'' (R)
*
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids (auks and their relatives) are superficially similar to
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
The Laridae are a family of medium to large seabirds containing the gulls, terns, and
Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. Two species of tropicbirds have been recorded in Georgia.
* White-tailed tropicbird, ''Phaethon lepturus'' (R)
* Red-billed tropicbird, ''Phaeton aethereus'' (R)
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. With mostly black plumage and spear-shaped bills, loons swim well and fly adequately, but because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are clumsy on land. Four species of loons have occurred in Georgia.
* Red-throated loon, ''Gavia stellata''
*
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae
The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. Until 2018, this family's three species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae. One species of this family has been recorded in Georgia.
* Wilson's storm-petrel, ''Oceanites oceanicus''
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united tubular nostrils with a median
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. Storks lack a syrinx and are mute. A single species of stork has been recorded in Georgia.
* Wood stork, ''Mycteria americana''
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black and white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored inflatable throat pouches. One species of frigatebird has been recorded in Georgia.
* Magnificent frigatebird, ''Fregata magnificens''
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. Four species of sulid have been recorded in Georgia.
* Masked booby, ''Sula dactylatra'' (R)
*
Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
Anhingas are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long, straight beaks. They are fish eaters which often swim with only their neck above the water. One species of anhingidae has been recorded in Georgia.
* Anhinga, ''Anhinga anhinga''
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Three species of cormorant have been recorded in Georgia.
* Great cormorant, ''Phalacrocorax carbo'' (R)
* Double-crested cormorant, ''Nannopterum auritum''
* Neotropic cormorant, ''Nannopterum brasilianum'' (accidental)
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. Both species of pelican that occur in North America have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Twelve species of bitterns, herons, and egrets have been recorded in Georgia.
* American bittern, ''Botaurus lentiginosus''
* Least bittern, ''Ixobrychus exilis''
*
Order: CathartiformesFamily: Cathartidae
New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers; however, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. Two species of New World vulture have been recorded in Georgia.
* Black vulture, ''Coragyps atratus''
* Turkey vulture, ''Cathartes aura''
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
Pandionidae is a family of fish-eating birds of prey, possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. The family is monotypic; its sole member, the osprey, has been recorded in Georgia.
* Osprey, ''Pandion haliaetus''
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey that includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. They have very large, hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. Fourteen species of this family have been definitively recorded in Georgia and another has been classed as provisional.
* Swallow-tailed kite, ''Elanoides forficatus''
* Hook-billed kite, ''Chondrohierax uncinatus'' (accidental)
* Golden eagle, ''Aquila chrysaetos''
* Northern harrier, ''Circus hudsonius''
* Sharp-shinned hawk, ''Accipiter striatus''
* Cooper's hawk, ''Accipiter cooperii''
*
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. A single species of barn-owl has been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eight species of owl have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Two species of kingfisher has been recorded in Georgia.
* Ringed kingfisher, ''Megaceryle torquata'' (accidental)
*
Order: PiciformesFamily:
Order: FalconiformesFamily:
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tyrannidae
Tyrant flycatchers are passerines which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. Twenty-one species of tyrant flycatcher have been recorded in Georgia.
* Ash-throated flycatcher, ''Myiarchus cinerascens'' (R)
* Great crested flycatcher, ''Myiarchus crinitus''
* Tropical kingbird, ''Tyrannus melancholicus'' (R)
* Couch's kingbird, ''Tyrannus couchii'' (accidental)
* Western kingbird, ''Tyrannus verticalis''
* Eastern kingbird, ''Tyrannus tyrannus''
* Gray kingbird, ''Tyrannus dominicensis''
* Scissor-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus forficatus''
* Fork-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus savana'' (accidental)
* Olive-sided flycatcher, ''Contopus cooperi''
*
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerines. They are typically greenish in color and resemble wood-warblers apart from their heavier bills. Seven species of vireo have been recorded in Georgia.
* White-eyed vireo, ''Vireo griseus''
* Bell's vireo, ''Vireo bellii'' (R)
* Yellow-throated vireo, ''Vireo flavifrons''
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerines known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey. One species of shrike has been recorded in Georgia.
* Loggerhead shrike, ''Lanius ludovicianus''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. Five species of corvids have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. Two species of parids have been recorded in Georgia.
* Carolina chickadee, ''Poecile carolinensis''
* Tufted titmouse, ''Baeolophus bicolor''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. One species of lark has been recorded in Georgia.
* Horned lark, ''Eremophila alpestris''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partly joined at the base. Seven species of swallows have been recorded in Georgia.
* Bank swallow, ''Riparia riparia''
* Tree swallow, ''Tachycineta bicolor''
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae
The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds in the genus ''Regulus''. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their name. Two species of kinglet have been recorded in Georgia.
* Ruby-crowned kinglet, ''Corthylio calendula''
* Golden-crowned kinglet, ''Regulus satrapa''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. One species of waxwing has been recorded in Georgia.
* Cedar waxwing, ''Bombycilla cedrorum''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike most other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet. Three species of nuthatches have been recorded in Georgia.
* Red-breasted nuthatch, ''Sitta canadensis''
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Polioptilidae
The family Polioptilidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds containing the gnatcatchers and gnatwrens. One species of gnatcatcher has been recorded in Georgia.
* Blue-gray gnatcatcher, ''Polioptila caerulea''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Mimidae
The Mimidae, or mimic thrushes, are a family of passerine birds which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. They are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Four species of mimic thrush have been recorded in Georgia.
* Gray catbird, ''Dumetella carolinensis''
* Brown thrasher, ''Toxostoma rufum''
* Sage thrasher, ''Oreoscoptes montanus'' (R)
* Northern mockingbird, ''Mimus polyglottos''
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. Ten species of thrushes have been recorded in Georgia.
* Eastern bluebird, ''Sialia sialis''
* Mountain bluebird, ''Sialia currucoides'' (R)
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
Old World sparrows, also known sometimes as weaver finches, are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or grayish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. A single species of Old World sparrow is established in Georgia.
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender, ground-feeding insectivores of open country. Two species of pipit have been recorded in Georgia.
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerines. They are small to moderately large and have strong, usually conical and sometimes very large, beaks. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. They have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Eight species of finches have been recorded in Georgia.
* Evening grosbeak, ''Coccothraustes vespertinus'' (R)
* House finch, ''Haemorhous mexicanus'' (native to the southwestern U.S.; introduced in the east)
* Common redpoll, ''Acanthis flammea'' (R)
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passerellidae
Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns. Twenty-seven species of Passerellidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Bachman's sparrow, ''Peucaea aestivalis''
* Grasshopper sparrow, ''Ammodramus savannarum''
* Lark sparrow, ''Chondestes grammacus''
* Lark bunting, ''Calamospiza melanocorys'' (R)
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Icteridae
The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful, passerines restricted to the New World, including the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red. Fifteen species of icterids have been recorded in Georgia.
* Yellow-headed blackbird, ''Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus''
* Bobolink, ''Dolichonyx oryzivorus''
* Eastern meadowlark, ''Sturnella magna''
* Western meadowlark, ''Sturnella neglecta'' (R)
* Orchard oriole, ''Icterus spurius''
* Bullock's oriole, ''Icterus bullockii'' (R)
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Parulidae
The wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerines restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. Forty-three species of wood-warbler have been definitively recorded in Georgia, and another species is classed as provisional.
* Ovenbird, ''Seiurus aurocapilla''
* Worm-eating warbler, ''Helmitheros vermivorum''
*
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cardinalidae
The cardinals are a family of robust seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. Eleven species of cardinalidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Summer tanager, ''Piranga rubra''
* Scarlet tanager, ''Piranga olivacea''
* Western tanager, ''Piranga ludoviciana''
*
extinct
Extinction is the termination of a kind of organism or of a group of kinds (taxon), usually a species. The moment of extinction is generally considered to be the death of the last individual of the species, although the capacity to breed and ...
. (Another, the ivory-billed woodpecker, is classed by the GOSRC as rare, but is arguably extinct. See its species account for the controversy surrounding this bird.) Additional accidental species have been added from different sources.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the ''Check-list of North and Middle American Birds'', 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the ''Check-list'', except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in Georgia as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following tags are used to designate some species:
* (R) - Rare - a species whose report is reviewable by the GOSRC
* (I) - Introduced - a species introduced to North America by humans, either directly or indirectly
* (E) - Extinct - a recent species that no longer exists
* (P) - Provisional list - "species with fewer than 4 accepted sight records" per the GOSRC
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: Anseriformes
Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...
Family: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These are birds that are adapted for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills that are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Forty-one species of Anatidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Black-bellied whistling-duck, ''Dendrocygna autumnalis''
* Fulvous whistling-duck, ''Dendrocygna bicolor'' (R)
* Snow goose, ''Anser caerulescens''
* Ross's goose, ''Anser rossii''
* Greater white-fronted goose, ''Anser albifrons''
* Brant, ''Branta bernicla'' (R)
* Barnacle goose, ''Branta leucopsis'' (accidental)
*Cackling goose
The cackling goose (''Branta hutchinsii'') is a species of goose found in North America.
Description
The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish this goose from all other geese except the larger Canada goose (''Branta canadensis'' ...
, ''Branta hutchinsii'' (R)
*Canada goose
The Canada goose (''Branta canadensis''), or Canadian goose, is a large wild goose with a black head and neck, white cheeks, white under its chin, and a brown body. It is native to the arctic and temperate regions of North America, and it is o ...
, ''Branta canadensis''
* Trumpeter swan, ''Cygnus buccinator'' (R)
* Tundra swan, ''Cygnus columbianus''
* Whooper swan, ''Cygnus cygnus'' (accidental)
* Wood duck, ''Aix sponsa''
* Blue-winged teal, ''Spatula discors''
* Cinnamon teal, ''Spatula cyanoptera'' (R)
* Northern shoveler, ''Spatula clypeata''
*Gadwall
The gadwall (''Mareca strepera'') is a common and widespread dabbling duck in the family Anatidae.
Taxonomy
The gadwall was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae''. DNA studies have shown that ...
, ''Mareca strepera''
* Eurasian wigeon, ''Mareca penelope'' (R)
* American wigeon, ''Mareca americana''
*Mallard
The mallard () or wild duck (''Anas platyrhynchos'') is a dabbling duck that breeds throughout the temperate and subtropical Americas, Eurasia, and North Africa, and has been introduced to New Zealand, Australia, Peru, Brazil, Uruguay, Arge ...
, ''Anas platyrhynchos''
* American black duck, ''Anas rubripes''
* Mottled duck, ''Anas fulvigula''
* Northern pintail, ''Anas acuta''
* Green-winged teal, ''Anas crecca carolinensis''
* Canvasback, ''Aythya valisineria''
* Redhead, ''Aythya americana''
* Ring-necked duck, ''Aythya collaris''
* Greater scaup, ''Aythya marila''
* Lesser scaup, ''Aythya affinis''
* King eider, ''Somateria spectabilis'' (R)
* Common eider, ''Somateria mollissima'' (R)
* Harlequin duck, ''Histrionicus histrionicus'' (R)
* Surf scoter, ''Melanitta perspicillata''
* White-winged scoter, ''Melanitta deglandi''
* Black scoter, ''Melanitta americana''
* Long-tailed duck, ''Clangula hyemalis''
*Bufflehead
The bufflehead (''Bucephala albeola'') is a small sea duck of the genus ''Bucephala'', the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' as ''Anas albeola''.
The genus na ...
, ''Bucephala albeola''
* Common goldeneye, ''Bucephala clangula''
* Hooded merganser, ''Lophodytes cucullatus''
* Common merganser, ''Mergus merganser'' (R)
* Red-breasted merganser, ''Mergus serrator''
* Masked duck, ''Nomonyx dominicus'' (R)
* Ruddy duck, ''Oxyura jamaicensis''
Guans, chachalacas, and curassows
Order: GalliformesFamily: Cracidae
The chachalacas are tropical fowl native to the Neotropics, only entering into southern Texas in their native range. They were introduced to Sapelo
Sapelo Island is a state-protected barrier island located in McIntosh County, Georgia. The island is accessible only by aircraft or boat; the primary ferry comes from the Sapelo Island Visitors Center in McIntosh County, Georgia, a seven-m ...
, Blackbeard and Little St. Simons Island
Virtually untouched for centuries, Little St. Simons Island is a barrier island located on the coast of the US state of Georgia, and is one of the least developed of Georgia's Golden Isles. The island covers an area of and boasts of beaches. Li ...
s in 1923.
* Plain chachalaca, ''Ortalis vetula'' (I)
New World quail
Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. Only one species of New World quail has been recorded in Georgia
* Northern bobwhite, ''Colinus virginianus''
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
The Phasianidae are a family (biology), family of heavy, ground-living birds, which includes pheasants, partridges, junglefowl, chickens, Turkey bird, turkeys, Old World quail, and peafowl. The family includes many of the most popular Game (hunti ...
The Phasianidae is the family containing the pheasants and related species. These are terrestrial birds, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. Two species of Phasianidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Wild turkey, ''Meleagris gallopavo''
* Ruffed grouse, ''Bonasa umbellus''
Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Five species of grebe have been recorded in Georgia.
* Pied-billed grebe, ''Podilymbus podiceps''
* Horned grebe, ''Podiceps auritus''
* Red-necked grebe, ''Podiceps grisegena''
*Eared grebe
The black-necked grebe or eared grebe (''Podiceps nigricollis'') is a member of the grebe family of water birds. It was described in 1831 by Christian Ludwig Brehm. There are currently three accepted subspecies, including the nominate subspe ...
, ''Podiceps nigricollis''
* Western grebe, ''Aechmorphorus occidentalis'' (R)
Pigeons and doves
Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Seven species of columbidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Rock pigeon, ''Columba livia'' (I)
* Eurasian collared-dove, ''Streptopelia decaocto'' (I)
* Inca dove, ''Columbina inca'' (R)
* Passenger pigeon, ''Ectopistes migratorius'' (E)
* Common ground dove, ''Columbina passerina''
* White-winged dove, ''Zenaida asiatica''
* Mourning dove, ''Zenaida macroura''
Cuckoos
Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three species of cuckoo have been recorded in Georgia.
* Smooth-billed ani, ''Crotophaga ani'' (R)
* Yellow-billed cuckoo, ''Coccyzus americanus''
*Black-billed cuckoo
The black-billed cuckoo (''Coccyzus erythropthalmus'') is a New World species in the Cuculidae (cuckoo) family. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name, ''kokkuzo'', means to call like a common cuckoo, and ''erythropthalmus'' i ...
, ''Coccyzus erythropthalmus''
Nightjars and allies
Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves. Four species of nightjar have been recorded in Georgia.
* Lesser nighthawk, ''Chordeiles acutipennis'' (accidental)
* Common nighthawk, ''Chordeiles minor''
* Chuck-will's-widow, ''Antrostomus carolinensis''
* Eastern whip-poor-will, ''Antrostomus vociferus''
Swifts
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds, spending most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. One species of swift has been recorded in Georgia.
* Chimney swift, ''Chaetura pelagica''
Hummingbirds
Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. Thirteen species of hummingbird have been recorded in Georgia.
*Mexican violetear
The Mexican violetear (''Colibri thalassinus'') is a medium-sized, metallic green hummingbird species commonly found in forested areas from Mexico to Nicaragua. This species, together with the lesser violetear were previously considered conspecifi ...
, ''Colibri thalassinus'' (P)
*Green-breasted mango
The green-breasted mango or Prevost's mango (''Anthracothorax prevostii'') is a species in subfamily Polytminae of the hummingbird family Trochilidae. It is found from eastern Mexico south through most of Central America, in Colombia and Venez ...
, ''Anthracothorax prevostii'' (R)
*Rivoli's hummingbird
Rivoli's hummingbird (''Eugenes fulgens''), also known as the magnificent hummingbird, is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nica ...
, ''Eugenes fulgens'' (R)
* Blue-throated mountain-gem, ''Lampornis clemenciae'' (R)
* Ruby-throated hummingbird, ''Archilochus colubris''
* Black-chinned hummingbird, ''Archilochus alexandri''
*Anna's hummingbird
Anna's hummingbird (''Calypte anna'') is a medium-sized bird species of the family Trochilidae. It was named after Anna Masséna, Duchess of Rivoli.
It is native to western coastal regions of North America. In the early 20th century, Anna's hu ...
, ''Calypte anna'' (R)
* Calliope hummingbird, ''Selasphorus calliope'' (R)
*Rufous hummingbird
The rufous hummingbird (''Selasphorus rufus'') is a small hummingbird, about long with a long, straight and slender bill. These birds are known for their extraordinary flight skills, flying during their migratory transits. It is one of nine sp ...
, ''Selasphorus rufus''
* Allen's hummingbird, ''Selasphorus sasin'' (R)
* Broad-tailed hummingbird, ''Selasphorus platycercus'' (R)
*Broad-billed hummingbird
The broad-billed hummingbird (''Cynanthus latirostris'') is a small-sized hummingbird that resides in Mexico and the southwestern United States. The bird displays sexual dimorphism, and the juveniles resemble the female adult more than the mal ...
, ''Cynanthus latirostris'' (R)
* Buff-bellied hummingbird, ''Amazila yucatanensis'' (R)
Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
Family: Rallidae
The Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive, making them difficult to observe. Nine species of rails have been recorded in Georgia.
* Clapper rail, ''Rallus crepitans''
*King rail
The king rail (''Rallus elegans'') is a waterbird, the largest North American rail.
Description
Distinct features are a long bill with a slight downward curve, with adults being brown on the back and rusty-brown on the face and breast with a da ...
, ''Rallus elegans''
* Virginia rail, ''Rallus limicola''
* Sora, ''Porzana carolina''
* Common gallinule, ''Gallinula galeata''
* American coot, ''Fulica americana''
*Purple gallinule Purple gallinule is an alternative name for two species of birds in the rail family. It can refer to:
* Purple swamphen, a group of closely related species of swamphen of the Old World
* American purple gallinule
The purple gallinule (''Porphyr ...
, ''Porphyrio martinicus''
* Yellow rail, ''Coturnicops noveboracensis'' (R)
* Black rail, ''Laterallus jamaicensis'' (R)
Limpkin
Order: Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
Family: Aramidae
The limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes
Crane or cranes may refer to:
Common meanings
* Crane (bird), a large, long-necked bird
* Crane (machine), industrial machinery for lifting
** Crane (rail), a crane suited for use on railroads
People and fictional characters
* Crane (surname), ...
. It is found in marshes with some trees or scrub in the Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
, South America and southern Florida. The family is monotypic, and its sole member has been recorded in Georgia.
* Limpkin, ''Aramus guarauna''
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes
The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like".
Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...
Family: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks extended. Most have elaborate and noisy courtship displays or "dances". Two species of crane have been recorded in Georgia.
* Sandhill crane, ''Antigone canadensis''
* Whooping crane, ''Grus americana'' (R)
Stilts and avocets
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species of this family have been recorded in Georgia.
*Black-necked stilt
The black-necked stilt (''Himantopus mexicanus'') is a locally abundant shorebird of American wetlands and coastlines. It is found from the coastal areas of California through much of the interior western United States and along the Gulf of Mexic ...
, ''Himantopus mexicanus''
* American avocet, ''Recurvirostra americana''
Oystercatchers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae The oystercatchers are large, conspicuous, and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising openmollusc
Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is esti ...
s. A single species of oystercatcher has been recorded in Georgia.
* American oystercatcher, ''Haematopus palliatus''
Lapwings and plovers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are generally found in open country, mostly in habitats near water. Eight species of Charadriidae have been definitively recorded in Georgia and another has been classed as provisional.
*Northern lapwing
The northern lapwing (''Vanellus vanellus''), also known as the peewit or pewit, tuit or tew-it, green plover, or (in Ireland and Britain) pyewipe or just lapwing, is a bird in the lapwing subfamily. It is common through temperate Eurosiberia. ...
, ''Vanellus vanellus'' (R)
* Black-bellied plover, ''Pluvialis squatarola''
*American golden-plover
The American golden plover (''Pluvialis dominica''), is a medium-sized plover. The genus name is Latin and means relating to rain, from ''pluvia'', "rain". It was believed that golden plovers flocked when rain was imminent. The species name ''d ...
, ''Pluviali dominicas ''
* Killdeer, ''Charadrius vociferus''
* Semipalmated plover, ''Charadrius semipalmatus''
*Piping plover
The piping plover (''Charadrius melodus'') is a small sand-colored, sparrow-sized shorebird that nests and feeds along coastal sand and gravel beaches in North America. The adult has yellow-orange-red legs, a black band across the forehead from e ...
, ''Charadrius melodus''
* Wilson's plover, ''Charadrius wilsonia''
* Snowy plover, ''Charadrius nivosus'' (R)
* Mountain plover, ''Charadrius montanus'' (P)
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. Most eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or sand. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. thirty-three species of scolopacidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Upland sandpiper, ''Bartramia longicauda''
* Whimbrel, ''Numenius phaeopus''
* Long-billed curlew, ''Numenius americanus''
* Bar-tailed godwit, ''Limosa lapponica'' (accidental)
* Hudsonian godwit, ''Limosa haemastica'' (R)
* Marbled godwit, ''Limosa fedoa''
* Ruddy turnstone, ''Arenaria interpres''
* Red knot, ''Calidris canutus''
* Ruff, ''Calidris pugnax'' (R)
* Stilt sandpiper, ''Calidris himantopus''
* Curlew sandpiper, ''Calidris ferruginea'' (R)
* Sanderling, ''Calidris alba''
* Dunlin, ''Calidris alpina''
* Purple sandpiper, ''Calidris maritima''
* Baird's sandpiper, ''Calidris bairdii''
* Least sandpiper, ''Calidris minutilla''
*White-rumped sandpiper
The white-rumped sandpiper (''Calidris fuscicollis'') is a small shorebird that breeds in the northern tundra of Canada and Alaska. This bird can be difficult to distinguish from other similar tiny shorebirds; these are known collectively as " ...
, ''Calidris fuscicollis''
*Buff-breasted sandpiper
The buff-breasted sandpiper (''Calidris subruficollis'') is a small shorebird. The species name ''subruficollis'' is from Latin ''subrufus'', "reddish" (from ''sub'', "somewhat", and ''rufus'', "rufous") and ''collis'', "-necked/-throated" (fro ...
, ''Calidris subruficollis''
* Pectoral sandpiper, ''Calidris melanotos''
* Semipalmated sandpiper, ''Calidris pusilla''
* Western sandpiper, ''Calidris mauri''
* Short-billed dowitcher, ''Limnodromus griseus''
* Long-billed dowitcher, ''Limnodromus scolopaceus''
* American woodcock, ''Scolopax minor''
* Wilson's snipe, ''Gallinago delicata''
* Spotted sandpiper, ''Actitis macularius''
*Solitary sandpiper
The solitary sandpiper (''Tringa solitaria'') is a small shorebird. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'', a thrush-sized, white-rumped, tail-bobbin ...
, ''Tringa solitaria''
* Lesser yellowlegs, ''Tringa flavipes''
* Willet, ''Tringa semipalmata''
* Greater yellowlegs, ''Tringa melanoleuca''
* Wilson's phalarope, ''Phalaropus tricolor''
* Red-necked phalarope, ''Phalaropus lobatus''
* Red phalarope, ''Phalaropus fulicarius''
Skuas and jaegers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
Skuas and jaegers are medium to large seabirds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers. Four species of the family have been recorded in Georgia.
* South polar skua, ''Stercorarius maccormicki'' (R)
*Pomarine jaeger
The pomarine jaeger (''Stercorarius pomarinus''), pomarine skua, or pomatorhine skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans.
Taxonomy
Its relationships are not fully resolved; i ...
, ''Stercorarius pomarinus''
*Parasitic jaeger
The parasitic jaeger (''Stercorarius parasiticus''), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migratory species that breeds in Northern Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, ...
, ''Stercorarius parasiticus''
* Long-tailed jaeger, ''Stercorarius longicaudus'' (R)
Auks, murres, and puffins
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids (auks and their relatives) are superficially similar to penguin
Penguins (order (biology), order List of Sphenisciformes by population, Sphenisciformes , family (biology), family Spheniscidae ) are a group of Water bird, aquatic flightless birds. They live almost exclusively in the Southern Hemisphere: on ...
s due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits; however they are not closely related to penguins and are (with one extinct exception) able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to breed. Three species of auk have been recorded in Georgia.
* Dovekie, ''Alle alle'' (R)
* Razorbill, ''Alca torda''
*Atlantic puffin
The Atlantic puffin ('), also known as the common puffin, is a species of seabird in the auk family. It is the only puffin native to the Atlantic Ocean; two related species, the tufted puffin and the horned puffin is found in the northeastern ...
, ''Fratercula arctica'' (accidental)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
The Laridae are a family of medium to large seabirds containing the gulls, terns, and skimmer
Skimmer may refer to: Animals
*Skimmer (bird), a common name for birds in the genus ''Rynchops''
*Skimmer (dragonfly), a common name for dragonflies in the family Libellulidae
*Water strider or skimmer, a common name for insects in the family Ge ...
s. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Twenty-nine species of larids have been definitively recorded in Georgia and two more are classed as provisional.
*Black-legged kittiwake
The black-legged kittiwake (''Rissa tridactyla'') is a seabird species in the gull family Laridae.
This species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in his landmark 1758 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'' as ''Larus tridactylus''. The English ...
, ''Rissa tridactyla'' (R)
*Ivory gull
The ivory gull (''Pagophila eburnea'') is a small gull, the only species in the genus ''Pagophila''. It breeds in the high Arctic and has a circumpolar distribution through Greenland, northernmost North America, and Eurasia.
Taxonomy
The ivory ...
, ''Pagophila eburnea'' (R)
* Sabine's gull, ''Xema sabini'' (R)
* Bonaparte's gull, ''Chroicocephalus philadelphia''
* Black-headed gull, ''Chroicocephalus ridibundus'' (R)
* Little gull, ''Hydrocoleus minutus'' (R)
* Laughing gull, ''Leucophaeus atricilla''
* Franklin's gull, ''Leucophaeus pipixcan''
* Heermann's gull, ''Larus heermanni'' (accidental)
* Ring-billed gull, ''Larus delawarensis''
* California gull, ''Larus californicus'' (R)
* Herring gull, ''Larus argentatus''
*Iceland gull
The Iceland gull (''Larus glaucoides'') is a medium-sized gull that breeds in the Arctic regions of Canada and Greenland, but not in Iceland (as its name suggests), where it is only seen during winter. The genus name is from Latin ''larus'', whic ...
, ''Larus glaucoides'' (R)
* Lesser black-backed gull, ''Larus fuscus''
*Glaucous gull
The glaucous gull (''Larus hyperboreus'') is a large gull, the second-largest gull in the world. It breeds in Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere and winters south to shores of the Holarctic. The genus name is from Latin ''larus'', which a ...
, ''Larus hyperboreus''
* Great black-backed gull, ''Larus marinus''
* Brown noddy, ''Anous stolidus'' (R)
*Sooty tern
The sooty tern (''Onychoprion fuscatus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans, returning to land only to breed on islands throughout the equatorial zone.
Taxonomy
The sooty tern was described by Carl Linnaeu ...
, ''Onychoprion fuscata''
* Bridled tern, ''Onychoprion anaethetus''
* Least tern, ''Sternula antillarum''
* Gull-billed tern, ''Gelochelidon nilotica''
* Caspian tern, ''Hydroprogne caspia''
* Black tern, ''Chlidonias niger''
* White-winged tern, ''Chlidonias leucopterus'' (P)
*Roseate tern
The roseate tern (''Sterna dougallii'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific ''dougallii'' refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDoug ...
, ''Sterna dougallii'' (P)
* Common tern, ''Sterna hirundo''
*Arctic tern
The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south a ...
, ''Sterna paradisaea'' (R)
* Forster's tern, ''Sterna forsteri''
*Royal tern
The royal tern (''Thalasseus maximus'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The species is endemic to the Americas, though strays have been identified in Europe.Buckley, P. A. and F. G. Buckley (2020). Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus), version 1.0. ...
, ''Thalasseus maxima''
* Sandwich tern, ''Thalasseus sandvicensis''
*Black skimmer
The black skimmer (''Rynchops niger'') is a tern-like seabird, one of three similar birds species in the skimmer genus ''Rynchops'' in the gull family Laridae. It breeds in North and South America. Northern populations winter in the warmer water ...
, ''Rynchops niger''
Tropicbirds
Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. Two species of tropicbirds have been recorded in Georgia.
* White-tailed tropicbird, ''Phaethon lepturus'' (R)
* Red-billed tropicbird, ''Phaeton aethereus'' (R)
Loons
Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. With mostly black plumage and spear-shaped bills, loons swim well and fly adequately, but because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are clumsy on land. Four species of loons have occurred in Georgia.
* Red-throated loon, ''Gavia stellata''
*Pacific loon
The Pacific loon or Pacific diver (''Gavia pacifica''), is a medium-sized member of the loon, or diver, family.
Taxonomy and etymology
The Pacific loon, previously considered conspecific with the similar black-throated loon, was classified as ...
, ''Gavia pacifica'' (R)
* Common loon, ''Gavia immer''
* Yellow-billed loon, ''Gavia adamsii'' (R)
Southern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Oceanitidae
The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. Until 2018, this family's three species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae. One species of this family has been recorded in Georgia.
* Wilson's storm-petrel, ''Oceanites oceanicus''
Northern storm-petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family. Two species of this storm-petrel family have been recorded in Georgia. * Leach's storm-petrel, ''Hydrobates leucorhous'' (R) *Band-rumped storm-petrel
The band-rumped storm petrel, Madeiran storm petrel, or Harcourt's storm petrel (''Hydrobates castro'') is of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae.
Description
The band-rumped storm petrel is 19–21 cm in length with a 43–46 cm wi ...
, ''Hydrobates castro'' (R)
Shearwaters and petrels
Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Procellariidae
The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united tubular nostrils with a median septum
In biology, a septum (Latin for ''something that encloses''; plural septa) is a wall, dividing a cavity or structure into smaller ones. A cavity or structure divided in this way may be referred to as septate.
Examples
Human anatomy
* Interatri ...
. Six species of procellarids have been definitively recorded in Georgia and another has been classed as provisional.
* Northern fulmar, ''Fulmarus glacialis'' (P)
* Black-capped petrel, ''Pterodoma hasitata''
* Cory's shearwater, ''Calonectris diomedea''
* Sooty shearwater, ''Ardenna griseus'' (R)
* Great shearwater, ''Ardenna gravis''
*Manx shearwater
The Manx shearwater (''Puffinus puffinus'') is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. The scientific name of this species records a name shift: Manx shearwaters were called Manks puffins in the 17th century. Puffin is an ...
, ''Puffinus puffinus''
*Audubon's shearwater
Audubon's shearwater (''Puffinus lherminieri'') is a common tropical seabird in the petrel family. Sometimes known as the dusky-backed shearwater,Carboneras (1992) the specific epithet honours the French naturalist Félix Louis L'Herminier.
Cer ...
, ''Puffinus lherminieri''
Storks
Order: CiconiiformesFamily: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. Storks lack a syrinx and are mute. A single species of stork has been recorded in Georgia.
* Wood stork, ''Mycteria americana''
Frigatebirds
Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae
Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black and white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored inflatable throat pouches. One species of frigatebird has been recorded in Georgia.
* Magnificent frigatebird, ''Fregata magnificens''
Boobies and gannets
Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae
The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. Four species of sulid have been recorded in Georgia.
* Masked booby, ''Sula dactylatra'' (R)
*Brown booby
The brown booby (''Sula leucogaster'') is a large seabird of the booby family Sulidae, of which it is perhaps the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brow ...
, ''Sula leucogaster'' (R)
*Red-footed booby
The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are f ...
, ''Sula sula'' (R)
* Northern gannet, ''Morus bassanus''
Anhingas
Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
Anhingas are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long, straight beaks. They are fish eaters which often swim with only their neck above the water. One species of anhingidae has been recorded in Georgia.
* Anhinga, ''Anhinga anhinga''
Cormorants and shags
Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Three species of cormorant have been recorded in Georgia.
* Great cormorant, ''Phalacrocorax carbo'' (R)
* Double-crested cormorant, ''Nannopterum auritum''
* Neotropic cormorant, ''Nannopterum brasilianum'' (accidental)
Pelicans
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae
Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. Both species of pelican that occur in North America have been recorded in Georgia.
*American white pelican
The American white pelican (''Pelecanus erythrorhynchos'') is a large aquatic soaring bird from the order Pelecaniformes. It breeds in interior North America, moving south and to the coasts, as far as Central America and South America, in winte ...
, ''Pelecanus erythrorhynchos''
* Brown pelican, ''Pelecanus occidentalis''
Herons, egrets, and bitterns
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Twelve species of bitterns, herons, and egrets have been recorded in Georgia.
* American bittern, ''Botaurus lentiginosus''
* Least bittern, ''Ixobrychus exilis''
*Great blue heron
The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos ...
, ''Ardea herodias''
* Great egret, ''Ardea alba''
*Snowy egret
The snowy egret (''Egretta thula'') is a small white heron. The genus name comes from Provençal French for the little egret, , which is a diminutive of , 'heron'. The species name ''thula'' is the Araucano term for the black-necked swan, app ...
, ''Egretta thula''
* Little blue heron, ''Egretta caerulea''
* Tricolored heron, ''Egretta tricolor''
*Reddish egret
The reddish egret (''Egretta rufescens'') is a medium-sized heron that is a resident breeder in Central America, The Bahamas, the Caribbean, the Gulf Coast of the United States (primarily Texas), and Mexico. The egret is known for its unusua ...
, ''Egretta rufescens''
* Cattle egret, ''Bubulcus ibis''
*Green heron
The green heron (''Butorides virescens'') is a small heron of North and Central America. ''Butorides'' is from Middle English ''butor'' "bittern" and Ancient Greek ''-oides'', "resembling", and ''virescens'' is Latin for "greenish".
It was long c ...
, ''Butorides virescens''
*Black-crowned night-heron
The black-crowned night heron (''Nycticorax nycticorax''), or black-capped night heron, commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and N ...
, ''Nycticorax nycticorax''
* Yellow-crowned night-heron, ''Nyctanassa violacea''
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings; the bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills. Three species of ibis and a single species of spoonbill have been recorded in Georgia. * White ibis, ''Eudocimus albus'' * Glossy ibis, ''Plegadis falcinellus'' *White-faced ibis
The white-faced ibis (''Plegadis chihi'') is a wading bird in the ibis family, Threskiornithidae.
This species breeds colonially in marshes, usually nesting in bushes or low trees. Its breeding range extends from the western United States south ...
, ''Plegadis chihi'' (R)
* Roseate spoonbill, ''Platalea ajaja''
New World vultures
Order: CathartiformesFamily: Cathartidae
New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers; however, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. Two species of New World vulture have been recorded in Georgia.
* Black vulture, ''Coragyps atratus''
* Turkey vulture, ''Cathartes aura''
Osprey
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
Pandionidae is a family of fish-eating birds of prey, possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. The family is monotypic; its sole member, the osprey, has been recorded in Georgia.
* Osprey, ''Pandion haliaetus''
Hawks, eagles, and kites
Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey that includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. They have very large, hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. Fourteen species of this family have been definitively recorded in Georgia and another has been classed as provisional.
* Swallow-tailed kite, ''Elanoides forficatus''
* Hook-billed kite, ''Chondrohierax uncinatus'' (accidental)
* Golden eagle, ''Aquila chrysaetos''
* Northern harrier, ''Circus hudsonius''
* Sharp-shinned hawk, ''Accipiter striatus''
* Cooper's hawk, ''Accipiter cooperii''
*American goshawk
The American goshawk (''Astur atricapillus'') is a species of raptor (bird), raptor in the family Accipitridae. It was first described by Alexander Wilson (ornithologist), Alexander Wilson in 1812. The American goshawk was previously considered c ...
, ''Accipiter atricapillus'' (R)
*Bald eagle
The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...
, ''Haliaeetus leucocephalus''
* Mississippi kite, ''Ictinia mississippiensis''
* Red-shouldered hawk, ''Buteo lineatus''
*Short-tailed hawk
The short-tailed hawk (''Buteo brachyurus'') is an American bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles and Old World vultures. As a member of the genus ''Buteo'', it is not a true hawk and thus also referred to as a ...
, ''Buteo brachyurus'' (R)
* Broad-winged hawk, ''Buteo platypterus''
* Swainson's hawk, ''Buteo swainsoni'' (P)
* Red-tailed hawk, ''Buteo jamaicensis''
*Rough-legged hawk
The rough-legged buzzard or rough-legged hawk (''Buteo lagopus'') is a medium-large bird of prey. It is found in Arctic and Subarctic regions of North America, Europe, and Russia during the breeding season and migrates south for the winter. It ...
, ''Buteo lagopus'' (R)
Barn-owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae
Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. A single species of barn-owl has been recorded in Georgia.
*Barn owl
The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalaya ...
, ''Tyto alba''
Owls
Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eight species of owl have been recorded in Georgia.
*Eastern screech-owl
The eastern screech owl (''Megascops asio'') or eastern screech-owl, is a small owl that is relatively common in Eastern North America, from Mexico to Canada. This species is native to most wooded environments of its distribution, and more so th ...
, ''Megascops asio''
* Great horned owl, ''Bubo virginianus''
* Snowy owl, ''Bubo scandiacus'' (R)
* Burrowing owl, ''Athene cunicularia'' (R)
* Barred owl, ''Strix varia''
* Long-eared owl, ''Asio otus'' (R)
* Short-eared owl, ''Asio flammeus''
* Northern saw-whet owl, ''Aegolius acadicus'' (R)
Kingfishers
Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. Two species of kingfisher has been recorded in Georgia.
* Ringed kingfisher, ''Megaceryle torquata'' (accidental)
*Belted kingfisher
The belted kingfisher (''Megaceryle alcyon'') is a large, conspicuous water kingfisher, native to North America. All kingfishers were formerly placed in one family, Alcedinidae, but recent research suggests that this should be divided into three ...
, ''Megaceryle alcyon''
Woodpeckers
Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae
Woodpeckers are part of the bird family Picidae, which also includes the piculets, wrynecks, and sapsuckers. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions. M ...
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. Nine species of woodpecker have been recorded in Georgia.
* Red-headed woodpecker, ''Melanerpes erythrocephalus''
* Red-bellied woodpecker, ''Melanerpes carolinus''
* Yellow-bellied sapsucker, ''Sphyrapicus varius''
* Downy woodpecker, ''Dryobates pubescens''
* Red-cockaded woodpecker, ''Dryobates borealis''
* Hairy woodpecker, ''Dryobates villosus''
*Northern flicker
The northern flicker or common flicker (''Colaptes auratus'') is a medium-sized bird of the woodpecker family. It is native to most of North America, parts of Central America, Cuba, and the Cayman Islands, and is one of the few woodpecker spec ...
, ''Colaptes auratus''
* Pileated woodpecker, ''Dryocopus pileatus''
* Ivory-billed woodpecker, ''Campephilus principalis'' (R) (E?)
Falcons and caracaras
Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family is divided into three subfamilies, Herpetotherinae, which inclu ...
The Falconidae
The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family is divided into three subfamilies, Herpetotherinae, which inclu ...
is a family of diurnal birds of prey containing the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. Four species of falcon have been recorded in Georgia.
* Crested caracara, ''Caracara plancus'' (R)
* American kestrel, ''Falco sparverius''
*Merlin
Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...
, ''Falco columbarius''
*Peregrine falcon
The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...
, ''Falco peregrinus''
Tyrant flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tyrannidae
Tyrant flycatchers are passerines which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. Twenty-one species of tyrant flycatcher have been recorded in Georgia.
* Ash-throated flycatcher, ''Myiarchus cinerascens'' (R)
* Great crested flycatcher, ''Myiarchus crinitus''
* Tropical kingbird, ''Tyrannus melancholicus'' (R)
* Couch's kingbird, ''Tyrannus couchii'' (accidental)
* Western kingbird, ''Tyrannus verticalis''
* Eastern kingbird, ''Tyrannus tyrannus''
* Gray kingbird, ''Tyrannus dominicensis''
* Scissor-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus forficatus''
* Fork-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus savana'' (accidental)
* Olive-sided flycatcher, ''Contopus cooperi''
*Eastern wood-pewee
The eastern wood pewee (''Contopus virens'') is a small tyrant flycatcher from North America. This bird and the western wood pewee (''C. sordidulus'') were formerly considered a single species. The two species are virtually identical in appear ...
, ''Contopus virens''
*Yellow-bellied flycatcher
The yellow-bellied flycatcher (''Empidonax flaviventris'') is a small insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family.
Description
Adults have greenish upperparts and yellowish underparts (especially on the throat), with a dusky wash on th ...
, ''Empidonax flaviventris''
*Acadian flycatcher
The Acadian flycatcher (''Empidonax virescens'') is a small insect-eating bird of the tyrant flycatcher family.
Description
Adults have olive upperparts, darker on the wings and tail, with whitish underparts; they have a white eye ring, white ...
, ''Empidonax virescens''
* Alder flycatcher, ''Empidonax alnorum''
* Willow flycatcher, ''Empidonax traillii''
* Least flycatcher, ''Empidonax minimus''
* Hammond's flycatcher, ''Empidonax hammondii'' (accidental)
* Dusky flycatcher, ''Empidonax oberholseri'' (R)
* Eastern phoebe, ''Sayornis phoebe''
*Say's phoebe
Say's phoebe (''Sayornis saya'') is a passerine bird in the tyrant flycatcher family. A common bird across western North America, it prefers dry, desolate areas. This bird was named for Thomas Say, the American naturalist.
Taxonomy
Say's phoebe ...
, ''Sayornis saya'' (R)
Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Vireonidae
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerines. They are typically greenish in color and resemble wood-warblers apart from their heavier bills. Seven species of vireo have been recorded in Georgia.
* White-eyed vireo, ''Vireo griseus''
* Bell's vireo, ''Vireo bellii'' (R)
* Yellow-throated vireo, ''Vireo flavifrons''
*Blue-headed vireo
The blue-headed vireo (''Vireo solitarius'') is a Neotropical migrating song bird found in North and Central America. There are currently two recognized subspecies that belong to the blue-headed vireo. It has a range that extends across Canada an ...
, ''Vireo solitarius''
*Philadelphia vireo
The Philadelphia vireo (''Vireo philadelphicus'') is a small North American songbird in the vireo family (''Vireonidae''). "Vireo" is a Latin word referring to a green migratory bird, perhaps the female golden oriole, possibly the European green ...
, ''Vireo philadelphicus''
*Warbling vireo
The warbling vireo (''Vireo gilvus'') is a small North American songbird.
Its breeding habitat is open deciduous and mixed woods from Alaska to Mexico and the Florida Panhandle. It often nests in widely spaced trees, often cottonwood or aspen, ...
, ''Vireo gilvus''
* Red-eyed vireo, ''Vireo olivaceus''
Shrikes
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerines known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey. One species of shrike has been recorded in Georgia.
* Loggerhead shrike, ''Lanius ludovicianus''
Crows, jays, and magpies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae
The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. Five species of corvids have been recorded in Georgia.
*Blue jay
The blue jay (''Cyanocitta cristata'') is a passerine bird in the family Corvidae, native to eastern North America. It lives in most of the eastern and central United States; some eastern populations may be migratory. Resident populations are a ...
, ''Cyanocitta cristata''
* Florida scrub-jay, ''Aphelocoma coerulescens'' (R)
* American crow, ''Corvus brachyrhynchos''
*Fish crow
The fish crow (''Corvus ossifragus'') is a species of crow associated with wetland habitats in the eastern and southeastern United States.
Taxonomy and etymology
The fish crow was given its binomial name by the Scottish ornithologist Alexand ...
, ''Corvus ossifragus''
* Common raven, ''Corvus corax''
Tits, chickadees, and titmice
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Paridae
The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. Two species of parids have been recorded in Georgia.
* Carolina chickadee, ''Poecile carolinensis''
* Tufted titmouse, ''Baeolophus bicolor''
Larks
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Alaudidae
Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. One species of lark has been recorded in Georgia.
* Horned lark, ''Eremophila alpestris''
Swallows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae
The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partly joined at the base. Seven species of swallows have been recorded in Georgia.
* Bank swallow, ''Riparia riparia''
* Tree swallow, ''Tachycineta bicolor''
*Northern rough-winged swallow
The northern rough-winged swallow (''Stelgidopteryx serripennis'') is a small, migratory swallow. It is very similar to the southern rough-winged swallow, ''Stelgidopteryx ruficollis''.
Taxonomy and etymology
The genus name, ''Stelgidopteryx' ...
, ''Stelgidopteryx serripennis''
*Purple martin
The purple martin (''Progne subis'') is a passerine bird in the swallow family Hirundinidae. It is the largest swallow in North America. Despite its name, the purple martin is not truly purple. The dark blackish-blue feathers have an iridescent s ...
, ''Progne subis''
* Barn swallow, ''Hirundo rustica''
*Cliff swallow
The cliff swallow or American cliff swallow (''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota'') is a member of the passerine bird family Hirundinidae, the swallows and martins. The generic name ''Petrochelidon'' is derived from Ancient Greek ''petros'' meaning "roc ...
, ''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota''
* Cave swallow, ''Petrochelidon fulva'' (R)
Kinglets
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae
The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds in the genus ''Regulus''. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their name. Two species of kinglet have been recorded in Georgia.
* Ruby-crowned kinglet, ''Corthylio calendula''
* Golden-crowned kinglet, ''Regulus satrapa''
Waxwings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. One species of waxwing has been recorded in Georgia.
* Cedar waxwing, ''Bombycilla cedrorum''
Nuthatches
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike most other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet. Three species of nuthatches have been recorded in Georgia.
* Red-breasted nuthatch, ''Sitta canadensis''
*White-breasted nuthatch
The white-breasted nuthatch (''Sitta carolinensis'') is a species of bird in the nuthatch family Sittidae. It is a medium-sized nuthatch, measuring approximately in length. Coloration varies somewhat along the species' range, but the are lig ...
, ''Sitta carolinensis''
* Brown-headed nuthatch, ''Sitta pusilla''
Treecreepers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Certhiidae Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees. A single species of treecreeper has been recorded in Georgia. * Brown creeper, ''Certhia americana''Gnatcatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Polioptilidae
The family Polioptilidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds containing the gnatcatchers and gnatwrens. One species of gnatcatcher has been recorded in Georgia.
* Blue-gray gnatcatcher, ''Polioptila caerulea''
Wrens
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Troglodytidae Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. Seven species of wren have been recorded in Georgia. * Rock wren, ''Salpinctes obsoletus'' (accidental) * House wren, ''Troglodytes aedon'' * Winter wren, ''Troglodytes hyemalis'' *Sedge wren
The sedge wren (''Cistothorus stellaris'') is a small and secretive passerine bird in the family Troglodytidae. It is widely distributed in North America. It is often found in wet grasslands and meadows where it nests in the tall grasses and sed ...
, ''Cistothorus platensis''
* Marsh wren, ''Cistothorus palustris''
* Carolina wren, ''Thryothorus ludovicianus''
* Bewick's wren, ''Thryomanes bewickii'' (R)
Mockingbirds and thrashers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Mimidae
The Mimidae, or mimic thrushes, are a family of passerine birds which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. They are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Four species of mimic thrush have been recorded in Georgia.
* Gray catbird, ''Dumetella carolinensis''
* Brown thrasher, ''Toxostoma rufum''
* Sage thrasher, ''Oreoscoptes montanus'' (R)
* Northern mockingbird, ''Mimus polyglottos''
Starlings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Sturnidae Starlings are small to medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Their plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen. A single species of starling is established in Georgia. * European starling, ''Sturnus vulgaris'' (I)Thrushes and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae
The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. Ten species of thrushes have been recorded in Georgia.
* Eastern bluebird, ''Sialia sialis''
* Mountain bluebird, ''Sialia currucoides'' (R)
*Veery
The veery (''Catharus fuscescens'') is a small North American Thrush (bird), thrush species, a member of a group of closely related and similar species in the genus ''Catharus'', also including the gray-cheeked thrush (''C. minimus''), Bicknell's ...
, ''Catharus fuscescens''
* Gray-cheeked thrush, ''Catharus minimus''
* Bicknell's thrush, ''Catharus bicknelli'' (R)
*Swainson's thrush
Swainson's thrush (''Catharus ustulatus''), also called olive-backed thrush and russet-backed thrush, is a medium-sized thrush. It is a member of genus ''Catharus'' and is typical of it in terms of its subdued coloration and beautiful, ascending ...
, ''Catharus ustulatus''
* Hermit thrush, ''Catharus guttatus''
* Wood thrush, ''Hylocichla mustelina''
*American robin
The American robin (''Turdus migratorius'') is a migratory bird of the true thrush genus and Turdidae, the wider thrush family. It is named after the European robin because of its reddish-orange breast, though the two species are not closel ...
, ''Turdus migratorius''
*Varied thrush
The varied thrush (''Ixoreus naevius'') is a member of the thrush family, Turdidae. It is the only species in the monotypic genus ''Ixoreus''.
Taxonomy
The varied thrush was formally described by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin ...
, ''Ixoreus naevius'' (R)
Old World flycatchers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Muscicapidae The Old World flycatchers form a large family of small passerine birds. These are mainly small arborealinsectivore
A robber fly eating a hoverfly
An insectivore is a carnivorous animal or plant that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which can also refer to the human practice of eating insects.
The first vertebrate insectivores wer ...
s, many of which, as the name implies, take their prey on the wing.
* Northern wheatear, ''Oenanthe oenanthe'' (R)
Old World sparrows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae
Old World sparrows, also known sometimes as weaver finches, are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or grayish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. A single species of Old World sparrow is established in Georgia.
*House sparrow
The house sparrow (''Passer domesticus'') is a bird of the sparrow family Passeridae, found in most parts of the world. It is a small bird that has a typical length of and a mass of . Females and young birds are coloured pale brown and grey, a ...
, ''Passer domesticus'' (I)
Wagtails and pipits
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender, ground-feeding insectivores of open country. Two species of pipit have been recorded in Georgia.
*American pipit
The buff-bellied pipit or American pipit (''Anthus rubescens'') is a small songbird found on both sides of the northern Pacific. It was first described by Marmaduke Tunstall in his 1771 ''Ornithologia Britannica''. It was formerly classified as a ...
, ''Anthus rubescens''
* Sprague's pipit, ''Anthus spragueii'' (R)
Finches, euphonias, and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae
Finches are seed-eating passerines. They are small to moderately large and have strong, usually conical and sometimes very large, beaks. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. They have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Eight species of finches have been recorded in Georgia.
* Evening grosbeak, ''Coccothraustes vespertinus'' (R)
* House finch, ''Haemorhous mexicanus'' (native to the southwestern U.S.; introduced in the east)
* Common redpoll, ''Acanthis flammea'' (R)
*Purple finch
The purple finch (''Haemorhous purpureus'') is a bird in the finch family, Fringillidae.
Taxonomy
This species and the other "American rosefinches" were formerly included with the rosefinches of Eurasia in the genus '' Carpodacus''; however, t ...
, ''Haemorhous purpureus''
*Red crossbill
The red crossbill or common crossbill (''Loxia curvirostra'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Crossbills have distinctive mandibles, crossed at the tips, which enable them to extract seeds from conifer cones and other ...
, ''Loxia curvirostra''
*White-winged crossbill
The two-barred crossbill or white-winged crossbill (''Loxia leucoptera'') is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. Etymology
The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. ''Loxia'' is from , "crosswise", and means "white-winged" ...
, ''Loxia leucoptera'' (R)
* Pine siskin, ''Spinus pinus''
* American goldfinch, ''Spinus tristis''
Longspurs and snow buntings
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Calcariidae The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds that had been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas. Four species of Calcariidae have been recorded in Georgia. * Lapland longspur, ''Calcarius lapponicus'' *Smith's longspur
Smith's longspur (''Calcarius pictus'') is a bird from the family Calcariidae, which also contains the other species of longspurs. A bird of open habitats, it breeds in northern Canada and Alaska, and winters in the southern United States. Primar ...
, ''Calcarius pictus'' (R)
* Thick-billed longspur, ''Rhynchophanes mccownii'' (R)
* Snow bunting, ''Plectrophenax nivalis'' (R)
New World sparrows
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passerellidae
Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns. Twenty-seven species of Passerellidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Bachman's sparrow, ''Peucaea aestivalis''
* Grasshopper sparrow, ''Ammodramus savannarum''
* Lark sparrow, ''Chondestes grammacus''
* Lark bunting, ''Calamospiza melanocorys'' (R)
*Chipping sparrow
The chipping sparrow (''Spizella passerina'') is a species of New World sparrow, a passerine bird in the family Passerellidae. It is widespread, fairly tame, and common across most of its North American range.
There are two subspecies, the east ...
, ''Spizella passerina''
* Clay-colored sparrow, ''Spizella pallida''
* Field sparrow, ''Spizella pusilla''
*Fox sparrow
The fox sparrow (''Passerella iliaca'') is a large New World sparrow. It is the only member of the genus ''Passerella'', although some authors split the species into four (see below).
Taxonomy
More specific information regarding plumage is avai ...
, ''Passerella iliaca''
* American tree sparrow, ''Spizelloides arborea'' (R)
* Dark-eyed junco, ''Junco hyemalis''
* White-crowned sparrow, ''Zonotrichia leucophrys''
* Harris's sparrow, ''Zonotrichia querula'' (R)
* White-throated sparrow, ''Zonotrichia albicollis''
* Vesper sparrow, ''Pooecetes gramineus''
*LeConte's sparrow
LeConte's sparrow (''Ammospiza leconteii'') is one of the smallest New World sparrow species in North America.Terres, J.K. (1980). The Audubon Society Encyclopedia of North American Birds. New York: Alfred A. Knopf
It is a very secretive bird t ...
, ''Ammospiza leconteii''
* Seaside sparrow, ''Ammospiza maritima''
*Nelson's sparrow
Nelson's sparrow (''Ammospiza nelsoni'') is a small New World sparrow. This bird was named after Edward William Nelson, an American naturalist. Formerly, this bird and the saltmarsh sparrow were considered to be a single species, the sharp-tailed ...
, ''Ammospiza nelsoni''
*Saltmarsh sparrow
The saltmarsh sparrow (''Ammospiza caudacuta'') is a small New World sparrow found in salt marshes along the Atlantic coast of the United States. At one time, this bird and the Nelson's sparrow were thought to be a single species, the sharp-taile ...
, ''Ammospiza caudacta''
*Baird's sparrow
Baird's sparrow (''Centronyx bairdii'') is a species of North American birds in the family Passerellidae of order Passeriformes. It is a migratory bird native to the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Description
The Baird's sparrow can be ident ...
, ''Centronyx bairdii'' (accidental)
* Henslow's sparrow, ''Centronyx henslowii''
* Savannah sparrow, ''Passerculus sandwichensis''
* Song sparrow, ''Melospiza melodia''
*Lincoln's sparrow
Lincoln's sparrow (''Melospiza lincolnii'') is a small American sparrow, sparrow native to North America. It is a less common passerine bird that often stays hidden under thick ground cover, but can be distinguished by its sweet, wrenlike song. Li ...
, ''Melospiza lincolnii''
*Swamp sparrow
The swamp sparrow (''Melospiza georgiana'') is a medium-sized New World sparrow related to the song sparrow.
Description
Measurements:
* Length: 4.7-5.9 in (12-15 cm)
* Weight: 0.5-0.8 oz (15-23 g)
* Wingspan: 7.1-7.5 in (18-19 cm)
...
, ''Melospiza georgiana''
* Green-tailed towhee, ''Pipilo chlorurus'' (R)
* Spotted towhee, ''Pipilo maculatus'' (R)
* Eastern towhee, ''Pipilo erythrophthalmus''
Yellow-breasted chat
Order: PasseriformesFamily:Icteriidae
The yellow-breasted chat (''Icteria virens'') is a large songbird found in North America, and is the only member of the family Icteriidae. It was once a member of the New World warbler family, but in 2017, the American Ornithological Society m ...
This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers (Parulidae) but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there. It was placed in its own family in 2017.
* Yellow-breasted chat, ''Icteria virens''
Troupials and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Icteridae
The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful, passerines restricted to the New World, including the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red. Fifteen species of icterids have been recorded in Georgia.
* Yellow-headed blackbird, ''Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus''
* Bobolink, ''Dolichonyx oryzivorus''
* Eastern meadowlark, ''Sturnella magna''
* Western meadowlark, ''Sturnella neglecta'' (R)
* Orchard oriole, ''Icterus spurius''
* Bullock's oriole, ''Icterus bullockii'' (R)
*Baltimore oriole
The Baltimore oriole (''Icterus galbula'') is a small icterid blackbird common in eastern North America as a migratory breeding bird. It received its name from the resemblance of the male's colors to those on the coat-of-arms of 17th century L ...
, ''Icterus galbula''
*Scott's oriole
The Scott's oriole (''Icterus parisorum'') is a medium-sized icterid (the same family as many blackbirds, meadowlarks, cowbirds, grackles, and others, including the New World orioles).
It is primarily found in the Southwestern United States an ...
, ''Icterus parisorum'' (R)
* Red-winged blackbird, ''Agelaius phoeniceus''
* Shiny cowbird, ''Molothrus bonariensis'' (R)
* Brown-headed cowbird, ''Molothrus ater''
*Rusty blackbird
The rusty blackbird (''Euphagus carolinus'') is a medium-sized New World blackbird, closely related to grackles ("rusty grackle" is an older name for the species). It is a bird that prefers wet forested areas, breeding in the boreal forest and mu ...
, ''Euphagus carolinus''
*Brewer's blackbird
Brewer's blackbird (''Euphagus cyanocephalus'') is a medium-sized New World blackbird. It is named after the ornithologist Thomas Mayo Brewer.
Description
Adult males have black plumage with an iridescent purple head and neck and glossy bluis ...
, ''Euphagus cyanocephalus''
* Common grackle, ''Quiscalus quiscula''
* Boat-tailed grackle, ''Quiscalus major''
New World warblers
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Parulidae
The wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerines restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. Forty-three species of wood-warbler have been definitively recorded in Georgia, and another species is classed as provisional.
* Ovenbird, ''Seiurus aurocapilla''
* Worm-eating warbler, ''Helmitheros vermivorum''
*Louisiana waterthrush
The Louisiana waterthrush (''Parkesia motacilla'') is a New World warbler, that breeds in eastern North America and winters in the West Indies and Central America. Plain brown above, it is white below, with black streaks and with buff flanks and u ...
, ''Parkesia motacilla''
*Northern waterthrush
The northern waterthrush (''Parkesia noveboracensis'') is a species of ground-feeding migratory New World warbler of the genus ''Parkesia''. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada and the northern United States including Alaska ...
, ''Parkesia noveboracensis''
* Golden-winged warbler, ''Vermivora chrysoptera''
*Blue-winged warbler
The blue-winged warbler (''Vermivora cyanoptera'') is a fairly common New World warbler, long and weighing . It breeds in eastern North America in southern Ontario and the eastern United States. Its range is extending northwards, where it is rep ...
, ''Vermivora cyanoptera''
* Black-and-white warbler, ''Mniotilta varia''
* Prothonotary warbler, ''Protonotaria citrea''
* Swainson's warbler, ''Limnothlypis swainsonii''
* Tennessee warbler, ''Leiothlypis peregrina''
* Orange-crowned warbler, ''Leiothlypis celata''
* Nashville warbler, ''Leiothlypis ruficapilla''
* Virginia's warbler, ''Leiothlypis virginiae'' (R)
* Connecticut warbler, ''Oporornis agilis''
* MacGillivray's warbler, ''Geothlypis tolmiei'' (R)
*Mourning warbler
The mourning warbler (''Geothlypis philadelphia'') is a small songbird of the New World warbler family. Mourning warblers are native to eastern and central North America as well as some countries in Central America.Gough, G.A., Sauer, J.R. ''Patu ...
, ''Geothlypis philadelphia''
* Kentucky warbler, ''Geothlypis formosa''
* Common yellowthroat, ''Geothlypis trichas''
*Hooded warbler
The hooded warbler (''Setophaga citrina'') is a New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America and across the eastern United States and into southernmost Canada (Ontario). It is migratory, wintering in Central America and the West Indies. ...
, ''Setophaga citrina''
* American redstart, ''Setophaga ruticilla''
* Kirtland's warbler, ''Setophaga kirtlandii'' (R)
* Cape May warbler, ''Setophaga tigrina''
* Cerulean warbler, ''Setophaga cerulea''
* Northern parula, ''Setophaga americana''
*Magnolia warbler
The magnolia warbler (''Setophaga magnolia'') is a member of the wood warbler family Parulidae.
Etymology
The genus name ''Setophaga'' is from Ancient Greek ''ses'', "moth", and ', "eating", and the specific ''magnolia'' refers to the type lo ...
, ''Setophaga magnolia''
* Bay-breasted warbler, ''Setophaga castanea''
* Blackburnian warbler, ''Setophaga fusca''
* Yellow warbler, ''Setophaga petechia''
* Chestnut-sided warbler, ''Setophaga pensylvanica''
* Blackpoll warbler, ''Setophaga striata''
* Black-throated blue warbler, ''Setophaga caerulescens''
* Palm warbler, ''Setophaga palmarum''
* Pine warbler, ''Setophaga pinus''
*Yellow-rumped warbler
The yellow-rumped warbler (''Setophaga coronata'') is a regular North American bird species that can be commonly observed all across the continent. Its extensive distribution range connects both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the U.S. as well ...
, ''Setophaga coronata''
* Yellow-throated warbler, ''Setophaga dominica''
* Prairie warbler, ''Setophaga discolor''
*Black-throated gray warbler
The black-throated gray warbler or black-throated grey warbler (''Setophaga nigrescens'') is a passerine bird of the New World warbler family Parulidae. It is long and has gray and white plumage with black markings. The male has the bold blac ...
, ''Setophaga nigrescens'' (R)
* Townsend's warbler, ''Setophaga townsendi'' (R)
* Black-throated green warbler, ''Setophaga virens''
* Canada warbler, ''Cardellina canadensis''
* Wilson's warbler, ''Cardellina pusilla''
* Red-faced warbler, ''Cardellina rubrifrons'' (R)
*Painted redstart
The painted redstart or painted whitestart (''Myioborus pictus'') is a species of New World warbler found in mountainous areas across inland Central America. They are among the largest warblers, reaching the length of , tail included. Adult birds ...
, ''Myioborus pictus'' (P)
Cardinals and allies
Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cardinalidae
The cardinals are a family of robust seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. Eleven species of cardinalidae have been recorded in Georgia.
* Summer tanager, ''Piranga rubra''
* Scarlet tanager, ''Piranga olivacea''
* Western tanager, ''Piranga ludoviciana''
*Northern cardinal
The northern cardinal (''Cardinalis cardinalis'') is a bird in the genus ''Cardinalis''; it is also known colloquially as the redbird, common cardinal, red cardinal, or just cardinal (which was its name prior to 1985). It can be found in southea ...
, ''Cardinalis cardinalis''
* Rose-breasted grosbeak, ''Pheucticus ludovicianus''
* Black-headed grosbeak, ''Pheucticus melanocephalus'' (R)
*Blue grosbeak
The blue grosbeak (''Passerina caerulea''), is a medium-sized North American passerine bird in the cardinal family Cardinalidae. It is mainly migratory, wintering in Central America and breeding in northern Mexico and the southern United States. ...
, ''Passerina caerulea''
* Indigo bunting, ''Passerina cyanea''
* Lazuli bunting, ''Passerina amoena'' (R)
* Painted bunting, ''Passerina ciris''
* Dickcissel, ''Spiza americana''
Notes
References
See also
*List of North American birds
The lists of birds in the light blue box below are divided by biological family. The lists are based on ''The AOS Check-list of North American Birds'' of the American Ornithological Society and ''The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World'' su ...
{{North American birds
Birds
Birds are a group of warm-blooded vertebrates constituting the class Aves (), characterised by feathers, toothless beaked jaws, the laying of hard-shelled eggs, a high metabolic rate, a four-chambered heart, and a strong yet lightweigh ...
Georgia