This is a list of the bird species recorded in Belize.

Belize Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...

includes around 450 smaller cays and islands lying in the

Caribbean Sea The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...

in addition to the mainland. The avifauna of Belize included a total of 616 species as of July 2022, according to ''Bird Checklists of the World''. Of the 616, 99 are rare or accidental and four have been introduced. None are

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

to the country. This list is presented in the

taxonomic sequence Taxonomic sequence (also known as systematic, phyletic or taxonomic order) is a sequence followed in listing of taxa which aids ease of use and roughly reflects the evolutionary relationships among the taxa. Taxonomic sequences can exist for taxa ...

of the ''Check-list of North and Middle American Birds'', 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the

American Ornithological Society The American Ornithological Society (AOS) is an ornithological organization based in the United States. The society was formed in October 2016 by the merger of the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) and the Cooper Ornithological Society. Its m ...

(AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the ''Check-list'', except that the common names of families are from the

Clements taxonomy ''The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World'' is a book by Jim Clements which presents a list of the bird species of the world. The most recent printed version is the sixth edition (2007), but has been updated yearly, the last version in 2022 ...

because the AOS list does not include them. Unless otherwise noted, the species on this list are considered to occur regularly in Belize as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The tags and notes of population status are from ''Bird Checklists of the World''. * (A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Belize * (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Belize as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions

Tinamous

Order: TinamiformesFamily: Tinamidae Tinamus major

The tinamous are one of the most ancient groups of bird. Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes. They are distantly related to the

ratites A ratite () is any of a diverse group of flightless, large, long-necked, and long-legged birds of the infraclass Palaeognathae. Kiwi, the exception, are much smaller and shorter-legged and are the only nocturnal extant ratites. The systematics o ...

(order

Struthioniformes Struthioniformes is an order of birds with only a single extant family, Struthionidae, containing the ostriches. Several other extinct families are known, spanning across the Northern Hemisphere, from the Early Eocene to the early Pliocene, includ ...

), that includes the rheas,

emu The emu () (''Dromaius novaehollandiae'') is the second-tallest living bird after its ratite relative the ostrich. It is endemic to Australia where it is the largest native bird and the only extant member of the genus ''Dromaius''. The emu' ...

s, and

kiwi Kiwi most commonly refers to: * Kiwi (bird), a flightless bird native to New Zealand * Kiwi (nickname), a nickname for New Zealanders * Kiwifruit, an edible berry * Kiwi dollar or New Zealand dollar, a unit of currency Kiwi or KIWI may also refe ...

s. *

Great tinamou The great tinamou (''Tinamus major'') is a species of tinamou ground bird native to Central and South America. There are several subspecies, mostly differentiated by their coloration. Taxonomy The great tinamou was described and illustrated in 1 ...

, ''Tinamus major'' (Near-threatened) *

Little tinamou The little tinamou (''Crypturellus soui'') is a species of tinamou. It is found in Central America, Central and South America, as well as on the Caribbean island of Trinidad. Etymology ''Crypturellus'' is formed from three Latin or Greek languag ...

, ''Crypturellus soui'' *

Slaty-breasted tinamou The slaty-breasted tinamou or Boucard's tinamou (''Crypturellus boucardi'') is a type of tinamou commonly found in lowland moist forests of Mexico and Central America.Clements, J (2007) Taxonomy All tinamou are from the family Tinamidae, and i ...

, ''Crypturellus boucardi'' *

Thicket tinamou The thicket tinamou or rufescent tinamou (''Crypturellus cinnamomeus'') is a type of tinamou commonly found in moist forests in subtropical and tropical central Mexico.Clements, J (2007) Taxonomy All tinamou are from the family Tinamidae, and in ...

, ''Crypturellus cinnamomeus''

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 Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...

Anatidae includes the

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

s and most duck-like waterfowl such as

geese A goose (plural, : geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family (biology), family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera ''Anser (bird), Anser'' (the grey geese and white geese) and ''Branta'' (the black geese). Some o ...

and

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

s. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating. *

Black-bellied whistling-duck The black-bellied whistling duck (''Dendrocygna autumnalis''), formerly called the black-bellied tree duck, is a whistling duck that breeds from the southernmost United States, Mexico, and tropical Central to south-central South America. In the ...

, ''Dendrocygna autumnalis'' *

Fulvous whistling-duck The fulvous whistling duck or fulvous tree duck (''Dendrocygna bicolor'') is a species of whistling duck that breeds across the world's tropical regions in much of Mexico and South America, the West Indies, the southern United States, sub-Sahar ...

, ''Dendrocygna bicolor'' (A) *

Snow goose The snow goose (''Anser caerulescens'') is a species of goose native to North America. Both white and dark morphs exist, the latter often known as blue goose. Its name derives from the typically white plumage. The species was previously placed ...

, ''Anser caerulescens'' (A) *

Greater white-fronted goose The greater white-fronted goose (''Anser albifrons'') is a species of goose related to the smaller lesser white-fronted goose (''A. erythropus''). It is named for the patch of white feathers bordering the base of its bill, in fact ''albifrons ...

, ''Anser albifrons'' (A) *

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'' (A) *

Muscovy duck The Muscovy duck (''Cairina moschata'') is a large duck native to the Americas, from the Rio Grande Valley of Texas and Mexico south to Argentina and Uruguay. Small wild and feral breeding populations have established themselves in the United Sta ...

, ''Cairina moschata'' *

Blue-winged teal The blue-winged teal (''Spatula discors'') is a species of bird in the duck, goose, and swan family Anatidae. One of the smaller members of the dabbling duck group, it occurs in North America, where it breeds from southern Alaska to Nova Scotia ...

, ''Spatula discors'' *

Cinnamon teal The cinnamon teal (''Spatula cyanoptera'') is a species of duck found in western North and South America. It is a small dabbling duck, with bright reddish plumage on the male and duller brown plumage on the female. It lives in marshes and ponds, ...

, ''Spatula cyanoptera'' *

Northern shoveler The northern shoveler (; ''Spatula clypeata''), known simply in Britain as the shoveler, is a common and widespread duck. It breeds in northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and across most of North America, wintering in southern Euro ...

, ''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'' (A) *

American wigeon The American wigeon (''Mareca americana''), also known as the baldpate, is a species of dabbling duck found in North America. Formerly assigned to ''Anas'', this species is classified with the other wigeons in the dabbling duck genus ''Mareca''. ...

, ''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'' (A) *

Northern pintail The pintail or northern pintail (''Anas acuta'') is a duck species with wide geographic distribution that breeds in the northern areas of Europe and across the Palearctic and North America. It is migratory and winters south of its breeding ra ...

, ''Anas acuta'' *

Green-winged teal The green-winged teal (''Anas carolinensis'') is a common and widespread duck that breeds in the northern areas of North America except on the Aleutian Islands. It was considered Conspecificity, conspecific with the Eurasian teal (''A. crecca'') ...

, ''Anas crecca'' *

Redhead Red hair (also known as orange hair and ginger hair) is a hair color found in one to two percent of the human population, appearing with greater frequency (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and ...

, ''Aythya americana'' (A) *

Ring-necked duck The ring-necked duck (''Aythya collaris'') is a diving duck from North America commonly found in freshwater ponds and lakes. The scientific name is derived from Greek , an unidentified seabird mentioned by authors including Hesychius and Aristo ...

, ''Aythya collaris'' (A) *

Greater scaup The greater scaup (''Aythya marila''), just scaup in Europe or, colloquially, "bluebill" in North America, is a mid-sized diving duck, larger than the closely related lesser scaup. It spends the summer months breeding in Alaska, northern Canada, ...

, ''Aythya marila'' (A) *

Lesser scaup The lesser scaup (''Aythya affinis'') is a small North American diving duck that migrates south as far as Central America in winter. It is colloquially known as the little bluebill or broadbill because of its distinctive blue bill. The origin of ...

, ''Aythya affinis'' *

Hooded merganser The hooded merganser (''Lophodytes cucullatus'') is a species of merganser. It is the only extant species in the genus ''Lophodytes''. The genus name derives from the Greek language: ''lophos'' meaning 'crest', and ''dutes'' meaning 'diver'. The ...

, ''Lophodytes cucullatus'' (A) *

Red-breasted merganser The red-breasted merganser (''Mergus serrator'') is a diving duck, one of the sawbills. The genus name is a Latin word used by Pliny and other Roman authors to refer to an unspecified waterbird, and ''serrator'' is a sawyer from Latin ''serra'', ...

, ''Mergus serrator'' (A) *

Masked duck The masked duck (''Nomonyx dominicus'') is a tiny stiff-tailed duck ranging through the tropical Americas. They are found from Mexico to South America and also in the Caribbean. Primarily not migratory, masked ducks are reported as very uncommon ...

, ''Nomonyx dominicus'' (A) *

Ruddy duck The ruddy duck (''Oxyura jamaicensis'') is a duck from North America and one of the stiff-tailed ducks. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek ''oxus'', "sharp", and ''oura'', "tail", and ''jamaicensis'' is "from Jamaica". Taxonomy The ru ...

, ''Oxyura jamaicensis'' (A)

Guans, chachalacas, and curassows

Order:

Galliformes Galliformes is an order of heavy-bodied ground-feeding birds that includes turkeys, chickens, quail, and other landfowl. Gallinaceous birds, as they are called, are important in their ecosystems as seed dispersers and predators, and are often ...

Family:

Cracidae The chachalacas, guans and curassows are birds in the family Cracidae. These are species of tropical and subtropical Central and South America. The range of one species, the plain chachalaca, just reaches southernmost parts of Texas in the Unite ...

The Cracidae are large birds, similar in general appearance to turkeys. The guans and curassows live in trees, but the smaller chachalacas are found in more open scrubby habitats. They are generally dull-plumaged, but the curassows and some guans have colorful facial ornaments. * Plain chachalaca, ''Ortalis vetula'' *

Crested guan The crested guan (''Penelope purpurascens'') is a member of an ancient group of birds of the family Cracidae, which are related to the Australasian megapodes or mound builders (Megapodiidae). It is found in the Neotropics, in lowlands forests ran ...

, ''Penelope purpurascens'' *

Great curassow The great curassow (''Crax rubra'') is a large, pheasant-like bird from the Neotropical rainforests, its range extending from eastern Mexico, through Central America to western Colombia and northwestern Ecuador. Male birds are black with curly cr ...

, ''Crax rubra'' (Vulnerable)

New World quail

Order:

Family:

Odontophoridae The New World quail are small birds only distantly related to the Old World quail, but named for their similar appearance and habits. The American species are in their own family, the Odontophoridae, whereas Old World quail are in the pheasant f ...

The

New World quail The New World quail are small birds only distantly related to the Old World quail, but named for their similar appearance and habits. The American species are in their own family, the Odontophoridae, whereas Old World quail are in the pheasant f ...

s are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. *

Black-throated bobwhite The Yucatan bobwhite or black-throated bobwhite (''Colinus nigrogularis'') is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical ...

, ''Colinus nigrogularis'' *

Singing quail The singing quail (''Dactylortyx thoracicus'') is a species of bird in the family Odontophoridae, the New World quail. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Mexico. Taxonomy and systematics The singing quail is the only ...

, ''Dactylortyx thoracicus'' (A) * Spotted wood-quail, ''Odontophorus guttatus''

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Order:

Family:

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 ...

Turkeys are similar to large pheasants but have a distinctive fleshy wattle that hangs from the beak, called a snood. *

Ocellated turkey The ocellated turkey (''Meleagris ocellata'') is a species of turkey residing primarily in the Yucatán Peninsula, Mexico, as well as in parts of Belize and Guatemala. A relative of the North American wild turkey (''Meleagris gallopavo''), it was ...

, ''Meleagris ocellata'' (Near-threatened)

Flamingos

Order:

Phoenicopteriformes Phoenicopteriformes is a group of water birds which comprises flamingos and their extinct relatives. Flamingos (Phoenicopteriformes) and the closely related grebes ( Podicipedidae) are contained in the parent clade Mirandornithes. Fossil rec ...

Family:

Phoenicopteridae Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbean) ...

Flamingo Flamingos or flamingoes are a type of Wader, wading bird in the Family (biology), family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas ...

s are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down. *

American flamingo The American flamingo (''Phoenicopterus ruber'') is a large species of flamingo closely related to the greater flamingo and Chilean flamingo native to the Neotropics. It was formerly considered conspecific with the greater flamingo, but that trea ...

, ''Phoenicopterus ruber'' (A)

Grebes

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae

Grebe Grebes () are aquatic diving birds in the order Podicipediformes . Grebes are widely distributed freshwater birds, with some species also found in marine habitats during migration and winter. Some flightless species exist as well, most notably ...

s 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. *

Least grebe The least grebe (''Tachybaptus dominicus''), an aquatic bird, is the smallest member of the grebe family. It occurs in the New World from the southwestern United States and Mexico to Argentina, and also on Trinidad and Tobago, the Bahamas and th ...

, ''Tachybaptus dominicus'' *

Pied-billed grebe The pied-billed grebe (''Podilymbus podiceps'') is a species of the grebe family of water birds. Because the Atitlán grebe (''Podilymbus gigas'') has become extinct, the Pied-Billed Grebe is now the sole extant member of the genus ''Podilymbus'' ...

, ''Podilymbus podiceps''

Pigeons and doves

Order:

Columbiformes Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Family:

Columbidae Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Pigeon Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

s and

dove Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

s are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy

cere The beak, bill, or rostrum is an external anatomical structure found mostly in birds, but also in turtles, non-avian dinosaurs and a few mammals. A beak is used for eating, preening, manipulating objects, killing prey, fighting, probing for food, ...

. *

Rock pigeon The rock dove, rock pigeon, or common pigeon ( also ; ''Columba livia'') is a member of the bird family Columbidae (doves and pigeons). In common usage, it is often simply referred to as the "pigeon". The domestic pigeon (''Columba livia domes ...

, ''Columba livia'' (I) *

Pale-vented pigeon The pale-vented pigeon (''Patagioenas cayennensis'') is a large pigeon (family Columbidae) found in the tropical Americas. Formerly often placed in '' Columba'', it actually belongs to a clade of the older New World genus ''Patagioenas''. With i ...

, ''Patagioenas cayennensis'' *

Scaled pigeon The scaled pigeon (''Patagioenas speciosa'') is a large New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southern Mexico south to western Ecuador, southern Brazil, northern Argentina, and Trinidad. The scaled pigeon is fairly common in sem ...

, ''Patagioenas speciosa'' *

White-crowned pigeon The white-crowned pigeon (''Patagioenas leucocephala'') is a fruit and seed-eating species of bird in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. It is found primarily in the Caribbean. John James Audubon painted these pigeons, including the waterco ...

, ''Patagioenas leucocephala'' (Near-threatened) *

Red-billed pigeon The red-billed pigeon (''Patagioenas flavirostris'') is a relatively large, robust species of pigeon. It's breeding range extends from southern Texas, United States, to Costa Rica. It's primarily found throughout coastal and lowland areas of Mex ...

, ''Patagioenas flavirostris'' *

Short-billed pigeon The short-billed pigeon (''Patagioenas nigrirostris'')Johnson, Kevin P.; de Kort, Selvino; Dinwoodey, Karen, Mateman, A. C.; ten Cate, Carel; Lessells, C. M. & Clayton, Dale H. (2001): A molecular phylogeny of the dove genera ''Streptopelia'' and ...

, ''Patagioenas nigrirostris'' *

Eurasian collared-dove The Eurasian collared dove (''Streptopelia decaocto'') is a dove species native to Europe and Asia; it was introduced to Japan, North America and islands in the Caribbean. Because of its vast global range and increasing population trend, it ha ...

, ''Streptopelia decaocto'' (I) *

Inca dove The Inca dove or Mexican dove (''Columbina inca'') is a small New World dove. The species was first described by French surgeon and naturalist René Lesson in 1847. It reaches a length of and weighs . The Inca dove has an average wingspan of 28 ...

, ''Columbina inca'' (A) *

Common ground dove The common ground dove (''Columbina passerina'') is a small bird that inhabits the southern United States, parts of Central America, the Caribbean and northern South America. It is considered to be the smallest dove that inhabits the United Stat ...

, ''Columbina passerina'' *

Plain-breasted ground dove The plain-breasted ground dove (''Columbina minuta'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It lacks the scaled appearance to the feathers of the similar and typically more abundant common ground dove. Taxonomy In 1760 the French zoolog ...

, ''Columbina minuta'' *

Ruddy ground dove The ruddy ground dove (''Columbina talpacoti'') is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from Mexico south to Brazil, Peru and Paraguay, and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad and Tobago. Individual birds can sometimes be see ...

, ''Columbina talpacoti'' *

Blue ground dove The blue ground dove (''Claravis pretiosa'') is a small New World tropical dove. It is a resident breeder from southeastern Mexico to northwestern Peru and northern Argentina, and on Trinidad in the Caribbean. Habitat and breeding The blue groun ...

, ''Claravis pretiosa'' *

Ruddy quail-dove The ruddy quail-dove (''Geotrygon montana'') is a species of bird in the dove and pigeon family Columbidae. It breeds throughout the West Indies, Central America, and tropical South America. It has appeared as a vagrant in Florida and southern Te ...

, ''Geotrygon montana'' *

White-tipped dove The white-tipped dove (''Leptotila verreauxi'') is a large New World tropical dove. Its scientific name commemorates the French naturalists Jules and Edouard Verreaux. Distribution and habitat The dove is a resident breeder from southernmost ...

, ''Leptotila verreauxi'' *

Caribbean dove The Caribbean dove (''Leptotila jamaicensis'') is a species of bird in the family Columbidae. It is found in Belize, the Cayman Islands, Colombia ( San Andrés island), Honduras (Bay Islands), Jamaica, and Mexico (Yucatán Peninsula). It has ...

, ''Leptotila jamaicensis'' * Gray-chested dove, ''Leptotila cassinii'' * Gray-headed dove, ''Leptotila plumbeiceps'' *

White-winged dove The white-winged dove (''Zenaida asiatica'') is a dove whose native range extends from the Southwestern United States through Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. They are large for doves, and can be distinguished from similar doves by th ...

, ''Zenaida asiatica'' *

Mourning dove The mourning dove (''Zenaida macroura'') is a member of the dove family, Columbidae. The bird is also known as the American mourning dove, the rain dove, and colloquially as the turtle dove, and was once known as the Carolina pigeon and Caroli ...

, ''Zenaida macroura''

Cuckoos

Order:

Cuculiformes Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separa ...

Family:

Cuculidae Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...

The family Cuculidae includes

cuckoo Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...

roadrunner The roadrunners (genus ''Geococcyx''), also known as chaparral birds or chaparral cocks, are two species of fast-running ground cuckoos with long tails and crests. They are found in the southwestern and south-central United States and Mexico, us ...

s, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are

brood parasite Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its own ...

s. *

Smooth-billed ani The smooth-billed ani (''Crotophaga ani'') is a bird in the cuckoo family. It is a resident breeding species from southern Florida, the Caribbean, parts of Central America, south to western Ecuador, Brazil, northern Argentina and southern Chile. ...

, ''Crotophaga ani'' *

Groove-billed ani The groove-billed ani (''Crotophaga sulcirostris'') is a tropical bird in the cuckoo family with a long tail and a large, curved beak. It is a resident species throughout most of its range, from southern Texas, central Mexico and The Bahamas, thr ...

, ''Crotophaga sulcirostris'' *

Striped cuckoo The striped cuckoo (''Tapera naevia'') is a near-passerine bird, the only member of the genus ''Tapera''. This resident cuckoo is found from Mexico and Trinidad south to Bolivia and Argentina. The striped cuckoo is found in open country with tr ...

, ''Tapera naevia'' *

Pheasant cuckoo The pheasant cuckoo (''Dromococcyx phasianellus'') is a species of neotropical cuckoo in the subfamily Neomorphinae of the family Cuculidae. It is native to Central and South America where it occurs in lowland tropical forest. Description The p ...

, ''Dromococcyx phasianellus'' *

Squirrel cuckoo The squirrel cuckoo (''Piaya cayana'') is a large and active species of cuckoo found in wooded habitats from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Trinidad. Some authorities have split off the western Mexican form as the M ...

, ''Piaya cayana'' *

Dark-billed cuckoo The dark-billed cuckoo (''Coccyzus melacoryphus'') is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini, subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife Intern ...

, ''Coccyzus melacoryphus'' (A) *

Yellow-billed cuckoo The yellow-billed cuckoo (''Coccyzus americanus'') is a cuckoo. Common folk-names for this bird in the southern United States are rain crow and storm crow. These likely refer to the bird's habit of calling on hot days, often presaging rain or th ...

, ''Coccyzus americanus'' *

Mangrove cuckoo The mangrove cuckoo (''Coccyzus minor'') is a species of cuckoo that is native to the Neotropics. Taxonomy The mangrove cuckoo was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition o ...

, ''Coccyzus minor'' *

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:

Caprimulgiformes Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the family Caprimulgidae and order Caprimulgiformes, characterised by long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They are sometimes called goatsuckers, due to the ancient folk tal ...

Family: Caprimulgidae Caprimulgus carolinensisMDF28N01B

Nightjar Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular birds in the family Caprimulgidae and order Caprimulgiformes, characterised by long wings, short legs, and very short bills. They are sometimes called goatsuckers, due to the ancient folk ta ...

s 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 camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. *

Short-tailed nighthawk The short-tailed nighthawk (''Lurocalis semitorquatus'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Mexico, in every Central American country except El Salvador, in Trinidad and Tobago, and in every mainland South Ame ...

, ''Lurocalis semitorquatus'' (A) *

Lesser nighthawk The lesser nighthawk (''Chordeiles acutipennis'') is a nightjar found throughout a large part of the Americas. The adults are dark with brown, grey and white patterning on the upperparts and breast; the long upperwings are black and show a whit ...

, ''Chordeiles acutipennis'' *

Common nighthawk The common nighthawk (''Chordeiles minor'') is a medium-sized crepuscular or nocturnal bird of the Americas within the nightjar family, whose presence and identity are best revealed by its vocalization. Typically dark (gray, black and brown), ...

, ''Chordeiles minor'' * Common pauraque, ''Nyctidromus albicollis'' *

Yucatan poorwill The Yucatan poorwill (''Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in the Yucatán Peninsula of Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico. Taxonomy and systematics The Yucatan poorwill has sometimes bee ...

, ''Nyctiphrynus yucatanicus'' *

Chuck-will's-widow The chuck-will's-widow (''Antrostomus carolinensis'') is a nocturnal bird of the nightjar family Caprimulgidae. It is mostly found in the southeastern United States (with disjunct populations in Long Island, New York, Ontario, Canada and Cape Cod ...

, ''Antrostomus carolinensis'' (Near-threatened) *

Yucatan nightjar The Yucatan nightjar (''Antrostomus badius'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras.Schulenberg, T. S., M. d. C. Arizmendi, C. I. Rodríguez-Flores, C. A. Soberanes-Gonzál ...

, ''Antrostomus badius'' *

Eastern whip-poor-will The eastern whip-poor-will (''Antrostomus vociferus'') is a medium-sized (22–27 cm; 8.7-10.6 ins.) bird within the nightjar family, Caprimulgidae, from North America. The whip-poor-will is commonly heard within its range, but less of ...

, ''Antrostomus vociferus'' (Near-threatened)

Potoos

Order: NyctibiiformesFamily: Nyctibiidae The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large

near passerine Near passerines and higher land-bird assemblage are terms of traditional, pre-cladistic taxonomy that have often been given to tree-dwelling birds or those most often believed to be related to the true passerines (order Passeriformes) owing to mor ...

birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths. They are nocturnal insectivores which lack the bristles around the mouth found in the true nightjars. *

Great potoo The great potoo (''Nyctibius grandis'') is the largest potoo species and is widely distributed in Central and South America. Much like owls, this species is nocturnal. It preys on large insects and small vertebrates, which it captures in sallies ...

, ''Nyctibius grandis'' *

Northern potoo The northern potoo (''Nyctibius jamaicensis'') is a nocturnal bird belonging to the potoo family, Nyctibiidae. It is found from Mexico south to Costa Rica, and on the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola (in the Dominican Republic and Haiti). It wa ...

, ''Nyctibius jamaicensis''

Swifts

Order:

Apodiformes Traditionally, the bird order Apodiformes contained three living families: the swifts (Apodidae), the treeswifts (Hemiprocnidae), and the hummingbirds (Trochilidae). In the Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, this order is raised to a superorder Apodi ...

Family:

Apodidae The swifts are a family, Apodidae, of highly aerial birds. They are superficially similar to swallows, but are not closely related to any passerine species. Swifts are placed in the order Apodiformes with hummingbirds. The treeswifts are closely r ...

Swift Swift or SWIFT most commonly refers to: * SWIFT, an international organization facilitating transactions between banks ** SWIFT code * Swift (programming language) * Swift (bird), a family of birds It may also refer to: Organizations * SWIFT, ...

s are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. *

Black swift The American black swift, or more simply black swift (''Cypseloides niger''), is a species of bird that is found from northern British Columbia in Canada through the United States and Mexico to Costa Rica and Brazil. They are also found in the Ca ...

, ''Cypseloides niger'' (A) (Vulnerable) *

White-chinned swift The white-chinned swift (''Cypseloides cryptus'') is a species of swift in the family Apodidae.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world. Vers ...

, ''Cypseloides cryptus'' (A) *

Chestnut-collared swift The chestnut-collared swift (''Streptoprocne rutila'') is a species of bird in subfamily Cypseloidinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found from Mexico and Trinidad south to Peru and Bolivia.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook ...

, ''Streptoprocne rutila'' *

White-collared swift The white-collared swift (''Streptoprocne zonaris'') is a species of bird in subfamily Cypseloidinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found in Mexico, the Greater and Lesser Antilles, Trinidad, and every mainland South America country excep ...

, ''Streptoprocne zonaris'' *

Chimney swift The chimney swift (''Chaetura pelagica'') is a bird belonging to the swift family Apodidae. A member of the genus ''Chaetura'', it is closely related to both the Vaux's swift and the Chapman's swift; in the past, the three were sometimes conside ...

, ''Chaetura pelagica'' (Vulnerable) *

Vaux's swift Vaux's swift (''Chaetura vauxi'') is a small swift native to North America, Central America, and northern South America. It was named for the American scientist William Sansom Vaux. Description This is a small swift, even compared to other ''C ...

, ''Chaetura vauxi'' *

Lesser swallow-tailed swift The lesser swallow-tailed swift or Cayenne swift (''Panyptila cayennensis'') is a species of bird in subfamily Apodinae of the swift family Apodidae. It is found from southern Mexico through Central America; in every mainland South America coun ...

, ''Panyptila cayennensis''

Hummingbirds

Order:

Family:

Trochilidae Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics arou ...

Hummingbird Hummingbirds are birds native to the Americas and comprise the biological family Trochilidae. With about 361 species and 113 genera, they occur from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, but the vast majority of the species are found in the tropics aro ...

s 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. *

White-necked jacobin The white-necked jacobin (''Florisuga mellivora'') is a medium-size hummingbird that ranges from Mexico south through Central America and northern South America into Brazil, Peru and Bolivia. It is also found in Trinidad & Tobago. Other common ...

, ''Florisuga mellivora'' * Band-tailed barbthroat, ''Threnetes ruckeri'' *

Long-billed hermit The long-billed hermit (''Phaethornis longirostris'') is a bird in the family Trochilidae, the hummingbirds. It is found from central Mexico south through Central America, Colombia and Ecuador into Peru. Taxonomy and systematics It has often ...

, ''Phaethornis longirostris'' *

Stripe-throated hermit The stripe-throated hermit (''Phaethornis striigularis'') is a species of hummingbird from Central America and north-western South America. It is generally fairly common and considered Least Concern by BirdLife International. Description and sys ...

, ''Phaethornis striigularis'' *

Brown violetear The brown violetear (''Colibri delphinae'') is a large hummingbird that breeds at middle elevations in the mountains in Central America, and western and northern South America (primarily the Andes and the tepuis) with isolated populations on Trin ...

, ''Colibri delphinae'' *

Purple-crowned fairy The purple-crowned fairy (''Heliothryx barroti'') is a species of hummingbird in the subfamily Polytminae, the mangoes. It is found from southeastern Mexico south into northern Peru.HBW and BirdLife International (2020) ''Handbook of the Birds ...

, ''Heliothryx barroti'' *

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'' *

Black-crested coquette The black-crested coquette (''Lophornis helenae'') is a species of hummingbird in the "coquettes", tribe Lesbiini of subfamily Lesbiinae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.HBW and BirdLife Internatio ...

, ''Lophornis helenae'' *

Long-billed starthroat The long-billed starthroat (''Heliomaster longirostris'') is a species of hummingbird in the "mountain gems", tribe Lampornithini in subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Trinidad, and all but the four southernmost coun ...

, ''Heliomaster longirostris'' *

Ruby-throated hummingbird The ruby-throated hummingbird (''Archilochus colubris'') is a species of hummingbird that generally spends the winter in Central America, Mexico, and Florida, and migrates to Canada and other parts of Eastern North America for the summer to bree ...

, ''Archilochus colubris'' *

Canivet's Emerald Canivet's emerald (''Cynanthus canivetii'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Taxonomy and syste ...

, ''Cynanthus canivetii'' * Wedge-tailed sabrewing, ''Pampa curvipennis'' * Violet-headed hummingbird, ''Klais guimeti'' (A) *

Violet sabrewing The violet sabrewing (''Campylopterus hemileucurus'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of the subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from Mexico to Panama.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of ...

, ''Campylopterus hemileucurus'' *

Crowned woodnymph The crowned woodnymph or violet-crowned woodnymph (''Thalurania colombica'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from Belize and Guatemala to northern Peru.HBW and BirdLife Int ...

, ''Thalurania colombica'' *

Stripe-tailed hummingbird The stripe-tailed hummingbird (''Eupherusa eximia'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from southeastern Mexico to Panama.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the ...

, ''Eupherusa eximia'' * Scaly-breasted hummingbird, ''Phaeochroa cuvierii'' *

Azure-crowned hummingbird The azure-crowned hummingbird (''Saucerottia cyanocephala'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Taxonomy and ...

, ''Saucerottia cyanocephala'' *

Cinnamon hummingbird The cinnamon hummingbird (''Amazilia rutila'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from northwestern Mexico to Costa Rica. Taxonomy The cinnamon hummingbird was formally descri ...

, ''Amazilia rutila'' *

Buff-bellied hummingbird The buff-bellied hummingbird (''Amazilia yucatanensis'') is a species of hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found in Belize, Guatemala, Mexico, and the United States.HBW and BirdLife Internation ...

, ''Amazilia yucatanensis'' *

Rufous-tailed hummingbird The rufous-tailed hummingbird (''Amazilia tzacatl'') is a medium-sized hummingbird in the "emeralds", tribe Trochilini of subfamily Trochilinae. It is found from east-central Mexico through Central America and Colombia into Ecuador and Venez ...

, ''Amazilia tzacatl'' * White-bellied emerald, ''Chlorestes candida'' * Blue-throated goldentail, ''Chlorestes eliciae'' (A)

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 rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the

rails Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters *Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' ( ...

crake The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

coot Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usually ...

s, and

gallinule Moorhens—sometimes called marsh hens—are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family (Rallidae). Most species are placed in the genus ''Gallinula'', Latin for "little hen". They are close relatives of coots. They are of ...

s. Typically they inhabit dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. *

Spotted rail The spotted rail (''Pardirallus maculatus'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found in Mexico, Central America, the Caribbean, and South America.HBW and BirdLife International (2 ...

, ''Pardirallus maculatus'' * Uniform crake, ''Amaurolimnas concolor'' *

Rufous-necked wood-rail The rufous-necked wood rail (''Aramides axillaris'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae.HBW and BirdLife International (2021) Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International ...

, ''Aramides axillaris'' *

Russet-naped wood-rail The russet-naped wood rail or rufous-naped wood rail (''Aramides albiventris'') is a species of bird in the subfamily Rallinae of the rail, crake, and coot family Rallidae. It is found from Mexico to Costa Rica.HBW and BirdLife International (2 ...

, ''Aramides albiventris'' *

Clapper rail The clapper rail (''Rallus crepitans'') is a member of the rail family, Rallidae. The taxonomy for this species is confusing and still being determined. It is a large brown rail that is resident in wetlands along the Atlantic coasts of the easte ...

, ''Rallus crepitans'' * Sora, ''Porzana carolina'' *

Common gallinule The common gallinule (''Gallinula galeata'') is a bird in the family Rallidae. It was split from the common moorhen by the American Ornithologists' Union in July 2011. It lives around well-vegetated marshes, ponds, canals, and other wetlands in t ...

, ''Gallinula galeata'' *

American coot The American coot (''Fulica americana''), also known as a mud hen or pouldeau, is a bird of the family Rallidae. Though commonly mistaken for ducks, American coots are only distantly related to ducks, belonging to a separate order. Unlike the we ...

, ''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-breasted crake The yellow-breasted crake (''Laterallus flaviventer'') is a species of bird in subfamily Rallinae of family Rallidae, the rails, gallinules, and coots. It is found on several Caribbean islands and in most of Central America and South America.HB ...

, ''Hapalocrex flaviventer'' *

Ruddy crake The ruddy crake (''Laterallus ruber'') is a bird in the rail family, Rallidae. Other names the Ruddy Crake is known by are “Red Rail”, “Rudy Rail” and “Red Crake”. Description The ruddy crake can be identified by its ruddy plumage t ...

, ''Laterallus ruber'' * Gray-breasted crake, ''Laterallus exilis'' * Black rail, ''Laterallus jamaicensis'' (A)

Finfoots

Order:

Family:

Heliornithidae The Heliornithidae are a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet like those of grebes and coots. The family overall are known as finfoots, although one species is known as a sungrebe. The family is composed of three speci ...

Heliornithidae is a small family of tropical birds with webbed lobes on their feet similar to those of grebes and coots. *

Sungrebe The sungrebe (''Heliornis fulica'') is a small aquatic gruiform found in the tropical and subtropical Americas from northeastern Mexico to central Ecuador and southern Brazil.Luo, Miles. K. (2009, October 16). ''Heliornis fulica'' (T. S. Schulen ...

, ''Heliornis fulica''

Limpkin

Order:

Family:

Aramidae Aramidae is a bird family in the order Gruiformes. The limpkin The limpkin (''Aramus guarauna''), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a large wading bird related to rails and cranes, and the only extant species in the family Ara ...

The limpkin resembles a large rail. It has drab-brown plumage and a grayer head and neck. *

Limpkin The limpkin (''Aramus guarauna''), also called carrao, courlan, and crying bird, is a large wading bird related to rails and cranes, and the only extant species in the family Aramidae. It is found mostly in wetlands in warm parts of the America ...

, ''Aramus guarauna''

Stilts and avocets

Order:

Charadriiformes Charadriiformes (, from ''Charadrius'', the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water an ...

Family:

Recurvirostridae The Recurvirostridae are a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups of birds, the avocets (one genus) and the stilts (two genera). Description Avocets and stilts range in length from and in weight from ; ...

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the

avocet The four species of avocets are a genus, ''Recurvirostra'', of waders in the same avian family as the stilts. The genus name comes from Latin , 'curved backwards' and , 'bill'. The common name is thought to derive from the Italian ( Ferrarese) w ...

s and

stilt Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates. They have extremely long legs, hence the grou ...

s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. *

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 The American avocet (''Recurvirostra americana'') is a large wader in the avocet and stilt family, Recurvirostridae, that is found in North America. It spends much of its time foraging in shallow water or on mud flats, often sweeping its bill fro ...

, ''Recurvirostra americana'' (A)

Oystercatchers

Order:

Family: Haematopodidae The

oystercatcher The oystercatchers are a group of waders forming the family Haematopodidae, which has a single genus, ''Haematopus''. They are found on coasts worldwide apart from the polar regions and some tropical regions of Africa and South East Asia. The e ...

s are large and noisy

plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfa ...

-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open

mollusc 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. *

American oystercatcher The American oystercatcher (''Haematopus palliatus''), occasionally called the American pied oystercatcher, is a member of family Haematopodidae. Originally called the "sea pie", it was renamed in 1731 when naturalist Mark Catesby observed the b ...

, ''Haematopus palliatus''

Plovers and lapwings

Order:

Family:

Charadriidae The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 68 species in all. Taxonomy The family Charadriidae was introduced (as Charadriadæ) by the English zoologist William Elford Leach in a guide to the conten ...

The family Charadriidae includes the

dotterel The Eurasian dotterel (''Charadrius morinellus''), also known in Europe as just dotterel, is a small wader in the plover family of birds. The dotterel is a brown and black streaked bird with a broad white eye-stripe and an orange-red chest ban ...

s, and

lapwing Lapwings (subfamily Vanellinae) are any of various ground-nesting birds (family Charadriidae) akin to plovers and dotterels. They range from in length, and are noted for their slow, irregular wingbeats in flight and a shrill, wailing cry. A gro ...

s. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. * Southern lapwing, ''Vanellus chilensis'' (A) *

Black-bellied plover The grey plover or black-bellied plover (''Pluvialis squatarola'') is a large plover breeding in Arctic regions. It is a long-distance migrant, with a nearly worldwide coastal distribution when not breeding. Taxonomy The grey plover was forma ...

, ''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 ...

, ''Pluvialis dominica'' *

Killdeer The killdeer (''Charadrius vociferus'') is a large plover found in the Americas. It was described and given its current scientific name in 1758 by Carl Linnaeus in the 10th edition of his ''Systema Naturae''. Three subspecies are described. T ...

, ''Charadrius vociferus'' *

Semipalmated plover The semipalmated plover (''Charadrius semipalmatus'') is a small plover. ''Charadrius'' is a Late Latin word for a yellowish bird mentioned in the fourth-century Vulgate. It derives from Ancient Greek ''kharadrios'' a bird found in ravines and ri ...

, ''Charadrius semipalmatus'' *

Wilson's plover Wilson's plover (''Charadrius wilsonia'') is a small bird of the family Charadriidae. It was named after the Scottish-American ornithologist Alexander Wilson by his friend George Ord in 1814. Wilson's plover is a coastal wader which breeds o ...

, ''Charadrius wilsonia'' *

Collared plover The collared plover (''Charadrius collaris'') is a small shorebird in the plover family, Charadriidae. It lives along coasts and riverbanks of the tropical to temperate Americas, from central Mexico south to Chile and Argentina. This small plove ...

, ''Charadrius collaris'' (A) *

Snowy plover The snowy plover (''Charadrius nivosus'') is a small wader in the plover bird family, typically about 5-7" in length. It breeds in the southern and western United States, the Caribbean, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile. Long considered to be a subspecie ...

, ''Charadrius nivosus'' (Near-threatened)

Jacanas

Order:

Family:

Jacanidae The jacanas (sometimes referred to as Jesus birds or lily trotters) are a group of tropical waders in the family Jacanidae. They are found in the tropical regions around the world. They are noted for their elongated toes and toenails that allow ...

The jacanas are a family of waders which are found throughout the tropics. They are identifiable by their huge feet and claws which enable them to walk on floating vegetation in the shallow lakes that are their preferred habitat. *

Northern jacana The northern jacana or northern jaçana (''Jacana spinosa'') is a wader which is known as a resident breeder from coastal Mexico to western Panama, and on Cuba, Jamaica and Hispaniola in the Caribbean. It sometimes known to breed in Texas, United ...

, ''Jacana spinosa''

Sandpipers and allies

Order:

Family:

Scolopacidae Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

curlew The curlews () are a group of nine species of birds in the genus ''Numenius'', characterised by their long, slender, downcurved bills and mottled brown plumage. The English name is imitative of the Eurasian curlew's call, but may have been in ...

godwit The godwits are a group of large, long-billed, long-legged and strongly migratory waders of the bird genus ''Limosa''. Their long bills allow them to probe deeply in the sand for aquatic worms and molluscs. In their winter range, they flock ...

s, shanks, tattlers,

woodcock The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus ''Scolopax''. The genus name is Latin for a snipe or woodcock, and until around 1800 was used to refer to a variety of waders. The English name ...

snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a near ...

dowitcher The three dowitchers are medium-sized long-billed wading birds in the genus ''Limnodromus''. The English name "dowitchers" is from Iroquois, recorded in English by the 1830s. The OED's earliest example is from 1841, but full-text searching giv ...

s, and

phalarope __NOTOC__ A phalarope is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus ''Phalaropus'' of the bird family Scolopacidae. Phalaropes are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the ''Actitis'' and Terek sandpipers, a ...

s. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. *

Upland sandpiper The upland sandpiper (''Bartramia longicauda'') is a large sandpiper, closely related to the curlews. Older names are the upland plover and Bartram's sandpiper. In Louisiana, it is also colloquially known as the papabotte. It is the only member ...

, ''Bartramia longicauda'' * Whimbrel, ''Numenius phaeopus'' *

Long-billed curlew The long-billed curlew (''Numenius americanus'') is a large North American shorebird of the family Scolopacidae. This species was also called "sicklebird" and the "candlestick bird". The species breeds in central and western North America, migrat ...

, ''Numenius americanus'' (Near-threatened) *

Hudsonian godwit The Hudsonian godwit (''Limosa haemastica'') is a large shorebird in the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. The genus name ''Limosa'' is from Latin and means "muddy", from ''limus'', "mud". The specific ''haemastica'' is from Ancient Greek and means ...

, ''Limosa haemastica'' (A) *

Marbled godwit The marbled godwit (''Limosa fedoa'') is a large migratory shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. On average, it is the largest of the four species of godwit. Taxonomy In 1750 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a ...

, ''Limosa fedoa'' (A) *

Ruddy turnstone The ruddy turnstone (''Arenaria interpres'') is a small cosmopolitan wading bird, one of two species of turnstone in the genus ''Arenaria''. It is now classified in the sandpiper family Scolopacidae but was formerly sometimes placed in the plov ...

, ''Arenaria interpres'' *

Red knot The red knot or just knot (''Calidris canutus'') is a medium-sized shorebird which breeds in tundra and the Arctic Cordillera in the far north of Canada, Europe, and Russia. It is a large member of the ''Calidris'' sandpipers, second only to the ...

, ''Calidris canutus'' (Near-threatened) *

Ruff Ruff may refer to: Places *Ruff, Virginia, United States, an unincorporated community *Ruff, Washington, United States, an unincorporated community Other uses *Ruff (bird) (''Calidris pugnax'' or ''Philomachus pugnax''), a bird in the wader fami ...

, ''Calidris pugnax'' (A) *

Stilt sandpiper The stilt sandpiper (''Calidris himantopus'') is a small shorebird. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'' is a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''himanto ...

, ''Calidris himantopus'' *

Sanderling The sanderling (''Calidris alba'') is a small wading bird. The name derives from Old English ''sand-yrðling'', "sand-ploughman". The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloure ...

, ''Calidris alba'' *

Dunlin The dunlin (''Calidris alpina'') is a small wader, formerly sometimes separated with the other "stints" in the genus ''Erolia''. The English name is a dialect form of "dunling", first recorded in 1531–1532. It derives from ''dun'', "dull brown ...

, ''Calidris alpina'' * Baird's sandpiper, ''Calidris bairdii'' (A) *

Least sandpiper The least sandpiper (''Calidris minutilla'') is the smallest shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-colored waterside birds. The specific ''minutilla'' is Medieval Lat ...

, ''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 "pee ...

, ''Calidris fuscicollis'' *

Buff-breasted sandpiper The buff-breasted sandpiper (''Calidris subruficollis'') is a small wader, shorebird. The species name ''subruficollis'' is from Latin ''subrufus'', "reddish" (from ''sub'', "somewhat", and ''rufus'', "rufous") and ''collis'', "-necked/-throated" ...

, ''Calidris subruficollis'' (Near-threatened) *

Pectoral sandpiper The pectoral sandpiper (''Calidris melanotos'') is a small, migratory wader that breeds in North America and Asia, wintering in South America and Oceania. It eats small invertebrates. Its nest, a hole scraped in the ground and with a thick linin ...

, ''Calidris melanotos'' *

Semipalmated sandpiper The semipalmated sandpiper (''Calidris pusilla'') is a very small shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''pusilla'' is Latin fo ...

, ''Calidris pusilla'' (Near-threatened) *

Western sandpiper The western sandpiper (''Calidris mauri'') is a small shorebird. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''kalidris'' or ''skalidris'', a term used by Aristotle for some grey-coloured waterside birds. The specific ''mauri'' commemorates Italian bota ...

, ''Calidris mauri'' *

Short-billed dowitcher The short-billed dowitcher (''Limnodromus griseus''), like its congener the long-billed dowitcher, is a medium-sized, stocky, long-billed shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It is an inhabitant of North America, Central America, the Caribbea ...

, ''Limnodromus griseus'' *

Long-billed dowitcher The long-billed dowitcher (''Limnodromus scolopaceus'') is a medium-sized shorebird with a relatively long bill belonging to the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. In breeding plumage, adults are characterized by a beautiful rufous head and underpar ...

, ''Limnodromus scolopaceus'' *

Wilson's snipe Wilson's snipe (''Gallinago delicata'') is a small, stocky shorebird. The genus name ''gallinago'' is New Latin for a woodcock or snipe from Latin ''gallina'', "hen" and the suffix ''-ago'', "resembling". The specific ''delicata'' is Latin for "d ...

, ''Gallinago delicata'' *

Spotted sandpiper The spotted sandpiper (''Actitis macularius'') is a small shorebird. Together with its sister species the common sandpiper (''A. hypoleucos''), it makes up the genus ''Actitis''. They replace each other geographically; stray birds may settle dow ...

, ''Actitis macularia'' *

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 The lesser yellowlegs (''Tringa flavipes'') is a medium-sized shorebird. It breeds in the boreal forest region of North America. Taxonomy The lesser yellowlegs was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in ...

, ''Tringa flavipes'' *

Willet The willet (''Tringa semipalmata'') is a large shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It is a relatively large and robust sandpiper, and is the largest of the species called "shanks" in the genus ''Tringa''. Its closest relative is the lesser yel ...

, ''Tringa semipalmata'' *

Greater yellowlegs The greater yellowlegs (''Tringa melanoleuca'') is a large shorebird in the family Scolopacidae. It breeds in central Canada and southern Alaska and winters in southern North America, Central America, the West Indies and South America. Taxonomy ...

, ''Tringa melanoleuca'' *

Wilson's phalarope Wilson's phalarope (''Phalaropus tricolor'') is a small wader. This bird, the largest of the phalaropes, breeds in the prairies of North America in western Canada and the western United States. It is migratory, wintering in inland salt lakes nea ...

, ''Phalaropus tricolor'' *

Red-necked phalarope The red-necked phalarope (''Phalaropus lobatus''), also known as the northern phalarope and hyperborean phalarope, is a small wader. This phalarope breeds in the Arctic regions of North America and Eurasia. It is migratory, and, unusually for a ...

, ''Phalaropus lobatus'' (A)

Skuas and jaegers

Order:

Family: Stercorariidae The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants. *

Great skua The great skua (''Stercorarius skua''), sometimes known by the name bonxie in Britain, is a large seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is roughly the size of a herring gull. It mainly eats fish caught at the sea surface or taken fr ...

, ''Stercorarius skua'' (A) *

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'' (A)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order:

Family:

Laridae Laridae is a family of seabirds in the order Charadriiformes that includes the gulls, terns, skimmers and kittiwakes. It includes around 100 species arranged into 22 genera. They are an adaptable group of mostly aerial birds found worldwide. T ...

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes

gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...

kittiwake The kittiwakes (genus ''Rissa'') are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae, the black-legged kittiwake (''Rissa tridactyla'') and the red-legged kittiwake (''Rissa brevirostris''). The epithets "black-legged" and "red-le ...

tern Terns are seabirds in the family Laridae that have a worldwide distribution and are normally found near the sea, rivers, or wetlands. Terns are treated as a subgroup of the family Laridae which includes gulls and skimmers and consists of e ...

s, 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. Gulls are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. *

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'' (A) *

Bonaparte's gull Bonaparte's gull (''Chroicocephalus philadelphia'') is a member of the gull family Laridae found mainly in northern North America. At in length, it is one of the smallest species of gull. Its plumage is mainly white with grey upperparts. During ...

, ''Chroicocephalus philadelphia'' (A) *

Laughing gull The laughing gull (''Leucophaeus atricilla'') is a medium-sized gull of North and South America. Named for its laugh-like call, it is an opportunistic omnivore and scavenger. It breeds in large colonies mostly along the Atlantic coast of North Am ...

, ''Leucophaeus atricilla'' *

Franklin's gull Franklin's gull (''Leucophaeus pipixcan'') is a small (length 12.6–14.2 in, 32–36 cm) gull. The genus name ''Leucophaeus'' is from Ancient Greek ''leukos'', "white", and ''phaios'', "dusky". The specific ''pipixcan'' is a Nahuatl name fo ...

, ''Leucophaeus pipixcan'' (A) * Black-tailed gull, ''Larus crassirostris'' (A) *

Ring-billed gull The ring-billed gull (''Larus delawarensis'') is a medium-sized gull. The genus name is from Latin ''Larus'' which appears to have referred to a gull or other large seabird. The specific ''delawarensis'' refers to the Delaware River. Description ...

, ''Larus delawarensis'' *

Herring gull Herring gull is a common name for several birds in the genus ''Larus'', all formerly treated as a single species. Three species are still combined in some taxonomies: * American herring gull (''Larus smithsonianus'') - North America * European he ...

, ''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'' (A) *

Lesser black-backed gull The lesser black-backed gull (''Larus fuscus'') is a large gull that breeds on the Atlantic coasts of Europe. It is migratory, wintering from the British Isles south to West Africa. It has increased dramatically in North America, most common alo ...

, ''Larus fuscus'' (A) *

Brown noddy The brown noddy or common noddy (''Anous stolidus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. The largest of the noddies, it can be told from the closely related black noddy by its larger size and plumage, which is dark brown rather than black. The b ...

, ''Anous stolidus'' *

Black noddy The black noddy or white-capped noddy (''Anous minutus'') is a seabird from the family Laridae. It is a medium-sized species of tern with black plumage and a white cap. It closely resembles the lesser noddy (''Anous tenuirostris'') with which it w ...

, ''Anous minutus'' (A) *

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 The bridled tern (''Onychoprion anaethetus'') is a seabird of the family Laridae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus comes from ' meaning "claw" or "nail", and , meaning "saw". The specific ...

, ''Onychoprion anaethetus'' *

Least tern The least tern (''Sternula antillarum'') is a species of tern that breeds in North America and locally in northern South America. It is closely related to, and was formerly often considered conspecific with, the little tern of the Old World. Oth ...

, ''Sternula antillarum'' *

Gull-billed tern The gull-billed tern (''Gelochelidon nilotica''), formerly ''Sterna nilotica'', is a tern in the family Laridae. It is widely distributed and breeds in scattered localities in Europe, Asia, northwest Africa, and the Americas. The Australian gull ...

, ''Gelochelidon nilotica'' *

Caspian tern The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ' ...

, ''Hydroprogne caspia'' *

Black tern The black tern (''Chlidonias niger'') is a small tern generally found in or near inland water in Europe, Western Asia and North America. As its name suggests, it has predominantly dark plumage. In some lights it can appear blue in the breeding se ...

, ''Chlidonias niger'' *

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'' *

Common tern The common tern (''Sterna hirundo'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar distribution, its four subspecies breeding in temperate and subarctic regions of Europe, Asia and North America. It is strongly migratory ...

, ''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'' (A) *

Forster's tern Forster's tern (''Sterna forsteri'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and ''forsteri'' commemorates the naturalist Johann Reinhold Forster. It breeds inland in North America ...

, ''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 The Sandwich tern (''Thalasseus sandvicensis'') is a tern in the family Laridae. It is very closely related to the lesser crested tern (''T. bengalensis''), Chinese crested tern (''T. bernsteini''), Cabot's tern (''T. acuflavidus''), and elegan ...

, ''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:

Phaethontiformes The Phaethontiformes are an order of birds. They contain one extant family, the tropicbirds (Phaethontidae), and one extinct family Prophaethontidae from the early Cenozoic. Several fossil genera have been described. The tropicbirds were tradit ...

Family:

Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds. They are the sole living representatives of the order Phaethontiformes. For many years they were considered part of the Pelecaniformes, but genetics indicates they are most cl ...

Tropicbird Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds. They are the sole living representatives of the order Phaethontiformes. For many years they were considered part of the Pelecaniformes, but genetics indicates they are most cl ...

s are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings. *

White-tailed tropicbird The white-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon lepturus'') is a tropicbird. It is the smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It is found in the tropical Atlantic, western Paci ...

, ''Phaethon lepturus'' (A)

Albatrosses

Order:

Procellariiformes Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, the petrels and shearwaters, and two families of storm petrels. Formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English, procellariiforms are of ...

Family:

Diomedeidae Albatrosses, of the biological family Diomedeidae, are large seabirds related to the procellariids, storm petrels, and diving petrels in the order Procellariiformes (the tubenoses). They range widely in the Southern Ocean and the North Pacifi ...

The albatrosses are amongst the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses from the genus ''Diomedea'' have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. * Yellow-nosed albatross, ''Thalassarche chlororhynchos'' (A)

Southern storm-petrels

Order:

Family:

Oceanitidae Austral storm petrels, or southern storm petrels, are seabirds in the family Oceanitidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. These smallest of seabirds feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hove ...

The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the

petrel Petrels are tube-nosed seabirds in the bird order Procellariiformes. Description The common name does not indicate relationship beyond that point, as "petrels" occur in three of the four families within that group (all except the albatross f ...

s, feeding on

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

ic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

-like. Until 2018, this family's three species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae. *

Wilson's storm-petrel Wilson's storm petrel (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as Wilson's petrel, is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly ...

, ''Oceanites oceanicus'' (A)

Northern storm-petrels

Order:

Family:

Hydrobatidae Northern storm petrels are seabirds in the genus ''Hydrobates'' in the family Hydrobatidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. The family was once lumped with the similar austral storm petrels in the combined storm petrels, but have been split ...

Though the members of the 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. *

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'' (A)

Shearwaters and petrels

Order:

Family:

Procellariidae The family Procellariidae is a group of seabirds that comprises the fulmarine petrels, the gadfly petrels, the diving petrels, the prions, and the shearwaters. This family is part of the bird order Procellariiformes (or tubenoses), which also ...

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary. *

Cory's shearwater Cory's shearwater (''Calonectris borealis'') is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It breeds colonially of rocky islands in the eastern Atlantic. Outside the breeding season it ranges widely in the Atlantic. It was formerly ...

, ''Calonectris diomedea'' (A) *

Great shearwater The great shearwater (''Ardenna gravis'') is a large shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. It breeds colonially on rocky islands in the south Atlantic. Outside the breeding season it ranges widely in the Atlantic. Taxonomy The great s ...

, ''Ardenna gravis'' (A) *

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'' (A) *

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'' (A)

Storks

Order:

Ciconiiformes Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. They belong to the family called Ciconiidae, and make up the order Ciconiiformes . Ciconiiformes previously included a number of other families, such as herons an ...

Family: Ciconiidae JabiruStorkBelize

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory. *

Jabiru The jabiru ( or ; ''Jabiru mycteria'') is a large stork found in the Americas from Mexico to Argentina, except west of the Andes. It sometimes wanders into the United States, usually in Texas, but has been reported as far north as Mississippi. ...

, ''Jabiru mycteria'' *

Wood stork The wood stork (''Mycteria americana'') is a large American wading bird in the family Ciconiidae (storks), the only member of the family to breed in North America. It was formerly called the "wood ibis", though it is not an ibis. It is found in ...

, ''Mycteria americana''

Frigatebirds

Order:

Suliformes The order Suliformes (, dubbed "Phalacrocoraciformes" by ''Christidis & Boles 2008'') is an order recognised by the International Ornithological Congress, International Ornithologist's Union. In regard to the recent evidence that the traditional ...

Family:

Fregatidae Frigatebirds are a Family (biology), family of seabirds called Fregatidae which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. The five extant species are classified in a single genus, ''Fregata''. All have predominantly black plumage, l ...

Frigatebird Frigatebirds are a family of seabirds called Fregatidae which are found across all tropical and subtropical oceans. The five extant species are classified in a single genus, ''Fregata''. All have predominantly black plumage, long, deeply forked ...

s are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black-and-white, or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored inflatable throat pouches which are usually red. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. *

Magnificent frigatebird The magnificent frigatebird (''Fregata magnificens'') is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. With a length of and wingspan of it is the largest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters off America, betw ...

, ''Fregata magnificens''

Boobies and gannets

Order:

Family:

Sulidae The bird family Sulidae comprises the gannets and boobies. Collectively called sulids, they are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and similar prey. The 10 species in this family are often considered congeneric in older sou ...

The sulids comprise the

gannet Gannets are seabirds comprising the genus ''Morus'' in the family Sulidae, closely related to boobies. Gannets are large white birds with yellowish heads; black-tipped wings; and long bills. Northern gannets are the largest seabirds in the Nor ...

s and

boobies A booby is a seabird in the genus ''Sula'', part of the family Sulidae. Boobies are closely related to the gannets (''Morus''), which were formerly included in ''Sula''. Systematics and evolution The genus ''Sula'' was introduced by the Frenc ...

. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. *

Masked booby The masked booby (''Sula dactylatra''), also called the masked gannet or the blue-faced booby, is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. First described by the French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831, the masked bo ...

, ''Sula dactylatra'' (A) *

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'' *

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''

Anhingas

Order:

Family: Anhingidae

Anhinga The anhinga (; ''Anhinga anhinga''), sometimes called snakebird, darter, American darter, or water turkey, is a water bird of the warmer parts of the Americas. The word ''anhinga'' comes from ''a'ñinga'' in the Brazilian Tupi language and means ...

s are often called "snake-birds" because of their long thin neck, which gives a snake-like appearance when they swim with their bodies submerged. The males have black and dark-brown plumage, an erectile crest on the nape, and a larger bill than the female. The females have much paler plumage especially on the neck and underparts. The anhingas have completely webbed feet and their legs are short and set far back on the body. Their plumage is somewhat permeable, like that of cormorants, and they spread their wings to dry after diving. *

, ''Anhinga anhinga''

Cormorants and shags

Order:

Family:

Phalacrocoracidae Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the IOC adopted a consensus taxonomy of seven gen ...

Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage coloration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white, and a few being colorful. *

Double-crested cormorant The double-crested cormorant (''Nannopterum auritum'') is a member of the cormorant family of water birds. It is found near rivers and lakes, and in coastal areas, and is widely distributed across North America, from the Aleutian Islands in Alas ...

, ''Nannopterum auritum'' *

Neotropic cormorant The neotropic cormorant or olivaceous cormorant (''Nannopterum brasilianum'') is a medium-sized cormorant found throughout the American tropics and subtropics, from the middle Rio Grande and the Gulf and Californian coasts of the United States so ...

, ''Nannopterum brasilianum''

Pelicans

Order:

Pelecaniformes The Pelecaniformes are an order of medium-sized and large waterbirds found worldwide. As traditionally—but erroneously—defined, they encompass all birds that have feet with all four toes webbed. Hence, they were formerly also known by such ...

Family:

Pelecanidae The Pelecanidae is a family of pelecaniformes, pelecaniform birds within the Pelecani that contains two genera: the extinct ''Eopelecanus'' and the extant ''Pelecanus''. The family was monotypy, monotypic until the description of ''Eopelecanus'' ...

Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...

s are large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. As with other members of the order Pelecaniformes, they have webbed feet with four toes. *

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 The brown pelican (''Pelecanus occidentalis'') is a bird of the pelican family, Pelecanidae, one of three species found in the Americas and one of two that feed by diving into water. It is found on the Atlantic Coast from New Jersey to the mout ...

, ''Pelecanus occidentalis''

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order:

Family:

Ardeidae The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

The family Ardeidae contains the

bittern Bitterns are birds belonging to the subfamily Botaurinae of the heron family Ardeidae. Bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and more secretive than other members of the family. They were called ''hæferblæte'' in Old English; the word "bittern" ...

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

s, and

egret Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same build ...

s. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills. *

Pinnated bittern The pinnated bittern (''Botaurus pinnatus''), also known as the South American bittern, is a large member of the heron family (Ardeidae) found in the New World tropics. Like the other ''Botaurus'' bitterns, its plumage is mostly buffy-brown an ...

, ''Botaurus pinnatus'' *

American bittern The American bittern (''Botaurus lentiginosus'') is a species of wading bird in the heron family. It has a Nearctic distribution, breeding in Canada and the northern and central parts of the United States, and wintering in the U.S. Gulf Coast ...

, ''Botaurus lentiginosus'' *

Least bittern The least bittern (''Ixobrychus exilis'') is a small heron, the smallest member of the family Ardeidae found in the Americas. Taxonomy The least bittern was formally described in 1789 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his re ...

, ''Ixobrychus exilis'' * Bare-throated tiger-heron, ''Tigrisoma mexicanum'' *

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 The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

, ''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 The little blue heron (''Egretta caerulea'') is a small heron of the genus ''Egretta''. It is a small, darkly colored heron with a two-toned bill. Juveniles are entirely white, bearing resemblance to the snowy egret. During the breeding season ...

, ''Egretta caerulea'' *

Tricolored heron The tricolored heron (''Egretta tricolor''), formerly known as the Louisiana heron, is a small species of heron native to coastal parts of the Americas; in the Atlantic region, it ranges from the northeastern United States, south along the coast ...

, ''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 unusual ...

, ''Egretta rufescens'' (Near-threatened) *

Cattle egret The cattle egret (''Bubulcus ibis'') is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Bubulcus'', although some authorities regard it ...

, ''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'' *

Agami heron The agami heron (''Agamia agami'') is a medium-sized heron. It is a resident breeding bird from Central America south to Peru and Brazil. It is sometimes known as the chestnut-bellied heron, and is the only member of the genus ''Agamia''. In Bra ...

, ''Agamia agami'' (Vulnerable) *

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 ...

, ''Nycticorax nycticorax'' *

Yellow-crowned night-heron The yellow-crowned night heron (''Nyctanassa violacea''), is one of two species of night herons found in the Americas, the other one being the black-crowned night heron. It is known as the ''bihoreau violacé'' in French and the ''pedrete corona ...

, ''Nyctanassa violacea'' *

Boat-billed heron The boat-billed heron (''Cochlearius cochlearius''), colloquially known as the boatbill, is an atypical member of the heron family. It is the only member of the genus ''Cochlearius'' and was formerly placed in a monotypic family, the Cochlearii ...

, ''Cochlearius cochlearius''

Ibises and spoonbills

Order:

Family:

Threskiornithidae The family Threskiornithidae includes 36 species of large wading birds. The family has been traditionally classified into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills; however recent genetic studies have cast doubt on this arrangement, and hav ...

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the

ibis The ibises () (collective plural ibis; classical plurals ibides and ibes) are a group of long-legged wading birds in the family Threskiornithidae, that inhabit wetlands, forests and plains. "Ibis" derives from the Latin and Ancient Greek word f ...

es and

spoonbill Spoonbills are a genus, ''Platalea'', of large, long-legged wading birds. The spoonbills have a global distribution, being found on every continent except Antarctica. The genus name ''Platalea'' derives from Ancient Greek and means "broad", refe ...

s. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers. * White ibis, ''Eudocimus albus'' *

Scarlet ibis The scarlet ibis (''Eudocimus ruber'') is a species of ibis in the bird family Threskiornithidae. It inhabits tropical South America and part of the Caribbean. In form, it resembles most of the other twenty-seven extant species of ibis, but its ...

, ''Eudocimus ruber'' (A) *

Glossy ibis The glossy ibis (''Plegadis falcinellus'') is a water bird in the order Pelecaniformes and the ibis and spoonbill family Threskiornithidae. The scientific name derives from Ancient Greek ''plegados'' and Latin, ''falcis'', both meaning "sickle" a ...

, ''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'' (A) *

Roseate spoonbill The roseate spoonbill (''Platalea ajaja'') is a gregarious wading bird of the ibis and spoonbill family, Threskiornithidae. It is a resident breeder in both South and North America. Taxonomy The roseate spoonbill is sometimes placed in its own ...

, ''Platalea ajaja''

New World vultures

Order:

Cathartiformes The order Cathartiformes of raptors or birds of prey includes the New World vultures and the now-extinct Teratornithidae. These raptors are classified by most taxonomic authorities in the order Accipitriformes (which includes the eagles and hawk ...

Family:

Cathartidae The New World vulture or condor family, Cathartidae, contains seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. The "New World" vultures were widespread ...

The

New World vultures The New World vulture or condor family, Cathartidae, contains seven extant species in five genera. It includes five extant vultures and two extant condors found in warm and temperate areas of the Americas. The "New World" vultures were widespread ...

are not closely related to

Old World vultures Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, Kite (bird), kites, and hawks. Old World vultures ...

, but superficially resemble them because of

convergent evolution Convergent evolution is the independent evolution of similar features in species of different periods or epochs in time. Convergent evolution creates analogous structures that have similar form or function but were not present in the last com ...

. 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

carrion Carrion () is the decaying flesh of dead animals, including human flesh. Overview Carrion is an important food source for large carnivores and omnivores in most ecosystems. Examples of carrion-eaters (or scavengers) include crows, vultures, c ...

. *

King vulture The king vulture (''Sarcoramphus papa'') is a large bird found in Central and South America. It is a member of the New World vulture family Cathartidae. This vulture lives predominantly in tropical lowland forests stretching from southern Mexic ...

, ''Sarcoramphus papa'' *

Black vulture The black vulture (''Coragyps atratus''), also known as the American black vulture, Mexican vulture, zopilote, urubu, or gallinazo, is a bird in the New World vulture family whose range extends from the northeastern United States to Peru, Cen ...

, ''Coragyps atratus'' *

Turkey vulture The turkey vulture (''Cathartes aura'') is the most widespread of the New World vultures. One of three species in the genus ''Cathartes'' of the family Cathartidae, the turkey vulture ranges from southern Canada to the southernmost tip of South ...

, ''Cathartes aura'' *

Lesser yellow-headed vulture The lesser yellow-headed vulture (''Cathartes burrovianus'') also known as the savannah vulture, is a species of bird in the New World vulture family Cathartidae. It was considered to be the same species as the greater yellow-headed vulture unti ...

, ''Cathartes burrovianus''

Osprey

Order:

Accipitriformes The Accipitriformes (; from Latin ''accipiter''/''accipitri-'' "hawk", and New Latin ''-formes'' "having the form of") are an order of birds that includes most of the diurnal birds of prey, including hawks, eagles, vultures, and kites, but not f ...

Family:

Pandionidae ''Pandion'' is a genus of birds of prey, known as ospreys, the only genus of family Pandionidae. Most taxonomic treatments have regarded this genus as describing a single extant species, separated to subspecies or races, while some treatments rec ...

The family Pandionidae contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large

raptor Raptor or RAPTOR may refer to: Animals The word "raptor" refers to several groups of bird-like dinosaurs which primarily capture and subdue/kill prey with their talons. * Raptor (bird) or bird of prey, a bird that primarily hunts and feeds on v ...

which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution. *

Osprey The osprey (''Pandion haliaetus''), , also called sea hawk, river hawk, and fish hawk, is a diurnal, fish-eating bird of prey with a cosmopolitan range. It is a large raptor reaching more than in length and across the wings. It is brown o ...

, ''Pandion haliaetus''

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order:

Family:

Accipitridae The Accipitridae is one of the three families within the order Accipitriformes, and is a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-s ...

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

kites A kite is a tethered heavier than air flight, heavier-than-air or lighter-than-air craft with wing surfaces that react against the air to create Lift (force), lift and Drag (physics), drag forces. A kite consists of wings, tethers and anchors. ...

, harriers, and

Old World vulture Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks. Old World vultures are not clos ...

s. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. *

White-tailed kite The white-tailed kite (''Elanus leucurus'') is a small raptor found in western North America and parts of South America. It replaces the related Old World black-winged kite in its native range. Taxonomy The white-tailed kite was described in 18 ...

, ''Elanus leucurus'' *

Hook-billed kite The hook-billed kite (''Chondrohierax uncinatus''), is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as kites, eagles, and harriers. It occurs in the Americas The Americas, which are som ...

, ''Chondrohierax uncinatus'' *

Gray-headed kite The gray-headed kite (''Leptodon cayanensis'') is a raptor found in open woodland and swamp forests. It shares the genus ''Leptodon'' with the extremely rare white-collared kite. It breeds from eastern Mexico and Trinidad south to Peru, Bolivia, ...

, ''Leptodon cayanensis'' *

Swallow-tailed kite The swallow-tailed kite (''Elanoides forficatus'') is a pernine raptor which breeds from the southeastern United States to eastern Peru and northern Argentina. It is the only species in the genus ''Elanoides''. Most North and Central American b ...

, ''Elanoides forficatus'' *

Crested eagle The crested eagle (''Morphnus guianensis'') is a large Neotropical eagle. It is the only member of the genus ''Morphnus''. The crested eagle can grow up to long, with a wingspan up to , and weigh up to . The plumage varies between a light br ...

, ''Morphnus guianensis'' (Near-threatened) *

Harpy eagle The harpy eagle (''Harpia harpyja'') is a neotropical species of eagle. It is also called the American harpy eagle to distinguish it from the Papuan eagle, which is sometimes known as the New Guinea harpy eagle or Papuan harpy eagle. It is the ...

, ''Harpia harpyja'' (Near-threatened) *

Black hawk-eagle The black hawk-eagle (), also known as the tyrant hawk-eagle, is a species of eagle found from central Mexico through Central America into the south of Brazil to Colombia, eastern Peru, and as far as northern Argentina. There are two known subspe ...

, ''Spizaetus tyrannus'' *

Black-and-white hawk-eagle The black-and-white hawk-eagle (''Spizaetus melanoleucus'', formerly ''Spizastur melanoleucus'') is a bird of prey species in the eagle and hawk family (Accipitridae). It is found throughout a large part of tropical America, from southern Mexic ...

, ''Spizaetus melanoleucus'' *

Ornate hawk-eagle The ornate hawk-eagle (''Spizaetus ornatus'') is a fairly large bird of prey from the tropical Americas. Formerly, some authorities referred to this species as the crested hawk-eagle, a name that may cause some confusion as it is more commonly us ...

, ''Spizaetus ornatus'' (Near-threatened) *

Double-toothed kite The double-toothed kite (''Harpagus bidentatus'') is a species of bird of prey in subfamily Accipitrinae, the "true" hawks, of family Accipitridae. It is found from central Mexico through Central America into much of northern and eastern South ...

, ''Harpagus bidentatus'' *

Northern harrier The northern harrier (''Circus hudsonius''), or ring-tailed hawk, is a bird of prey. It breeds throughout the northern parts of the northern hemisphere in Canada and the northernmost USA. The northern harrier migrates to more southerly areas ...

, ''Circus hudsonius'' *

Sharp-shinned hawk The sharp-shinned hawk (''Accipiter striatus'') is a small hawk, with males being the smallest hawks in the United States and Canada, but with the species averaging larger than some Neotropical realm, Neotropical species, such as the tiny hawk. ...

, ''Accipiter striatus'' *

Cooper's hawk Cooper's hawk (''Accipiter cooperii'') is a medium-sized hawk native to the North American continent and found from southern Canada to Mexico. This species is a member of the genus ''Accipiter'', sometimes referred to as true hawks, which are f ...

, ''Accipiter cooperii'' *

Bicolored hawk The bicolored hawk (''Accipiter bicolor'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is found in forest, woodland, second growth, plantations, and wooded savanna in southeastern Mexico, Central America, and northern and central ...

, ''Accipiter bicolor'' *

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'' (A) * Mississippi kite, ''Ictinia mississippiensis'' *

Plumbeous kite The plumbeous kite (''Ictinia plumbea'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is resident in much of northern South America. It is migratory in the northern part of its range which extends north to Mexico. It feeds on insects which it ...

, ''Ictinia plumbea'' *

Black-collared hawk The black-collared hawk (''Busarellus nigricollis'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Busarellus''. It has a widespread range of presence, from western Mexico to Uruguay. Its natural hab ...

, ''Busarellus nigricollis'' *

Crane hawk The crane hawk (''Geranospiza caerulescens'') is a species of bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Geranospiza''. Taxonomy The crane hawk used to be many species that were recently lumped into one. Those ...

, ''Geranospiza caerulescens'' *

Snail kite The snail kite (''Rostrhamus sociabilis'') is a bird of prey within the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Its relative, the slender-billed kite, is now again placed in ''Helicolestes'', making the ...

, ''Rostrhamus sociabilis'' *

Common black hawk The common black hawk (''Buteogallus anthracinus'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Description The adult common black-hawk is long and weighs on average. It has very ...

, ''Buteogallus anthracinus'' *

Great black hawk The great black hawk (''Buteogallus urubitinga'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae, which also includes the eagles, hawks, and Old World vultures. Taxonomy The great black hawk was Species description, formally described in 1788 by t ...

, ''Buteogallus urubitinga'' *

Solitary eagle The solitary eagle or montane solitary eagle (''Buteogallus solitarius'') is a large Neotropical eagle. It is also known as the black solitary eagle. Range and habitat The solitary eagle is native to Mexico and Central and South America. It i ...

, ''Buteogallus solitarius'' (Near-threatened) *

Roadside hawk The roadside hawk (''Rupornis magnirostris'') is a relatively small bird of prey found in the Americas. This vocal species is often the most common raptor in its range. It has many subspecies and is now usually placed in the monotypic genus ''Ru ...

, ''Rupornis magnirostris'' *

White-tailed hawk The white-tailed hawk (''Geranoaetus albicaudatus'') is a large bird of prey species found in tropical and subtropical environments of the Americas. Description The white-tailed hawk is a large, stocky hawk. It is close in size to the Swainso ...

, ''Geranoaetus albicaudatus'' *

White hawk The white hawk (''Pseudastur albicollis'') is a bird of prey breeding in the tropical New World of the family Accipitridae. Though it is commonly placed in the subfamily Buteoninae, the validity of this group is doubtful and currently under rev ...

, ''Pseudastur albicollis'' *

Gray hawk The gray hawk (''Buteo plagiatus'') or Mexican goshawk is a smallish raptor found in open country and forest edges. It is sometimes placed in the genus ''Asturina'' as ''Asturina plagiata''. The species was split by the American Ornithological So ...

, ''Buteo plagiatus'' *

Broad-winged hawk The broad-winged hawk (''Buteo platypterus'') is a medium-sized hawk of the genus ''Buteo''. During the summer, some subspecies are distributed over eastern North America, as far west as British Columbia and Texas; they then migrate south to wi ...

, ''Buteo platypterus'' *

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'' *

Swainson's hawk Swainson's hawk (''Buteo swainsoni'') is a large bird species in the Accipitriformes order. This species was named after William Swainson, a British naturalist. It is colloquially known as the grasshopper hawk or locust hawk, as it is very fond ...

, ''Buteo swainsoni'' *

Zone-tailed hawk The zone-tailed hawk (''Buteo albonotatus'') is a medium-sized buzzard, hawk of warm, dry parts of the Americas. It is somewhat similar in plumage and flight style to a common scavenger, the turkey vulture, and may benefit from being able to blen ...

, ''Buteo albonotatus'' *

Red-tailed hawk The red-tailed hawk (''Buteo jamaicensis'') is a bird of prey that breeds throughout most of North America, from the interior of Alaska and northern Canada to as far south as Panama and the West Indies. It is one of the most common members with ...

, ''Buteo jamaicensis''

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily:

Tytonidae Barn-owls (family Tytonidae) are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls or typical owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with po ...

Barn-owl Barn-owls (family Tytonidae) are one of the two families of owls, the other being the true owls or typical owls, Strigidae. They are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with po ...

s are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. *

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 The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...

The

typical owl The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...

s 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. * Middle-American screech-owl, ''Megascops guatemalae'' *

Crested owl The crested owl (''Lophostrix cristata'') is a species of owl in the family Strigidae. It is the only species (monotypic) in the genus ''Lophostrix''. It is a resident bird and occurs in Central America and northern South America. It is a medium- ...

, ''Lophostrix cristata'' *

Spectacled owl The spectacled owl (''Pulsatrix perspicillata'') is a large tropical owl native to the neotropics. It is a resident breeder in forests from southern Mexico and Trinidad, through Central America, south to southern Brazil, Paraguay and northwestern ...

, ''Pulsatrix perspicillata'' *

Great horned owl The great horned owl (''Bubo virginianus''), also known as the tiger owl (originally derived from early naturalists' description as the "winged tiger" or "tiger of the air"), or the hoot owl, is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an extrem ...

, ''Bubo virginianus'' * Central American pygmy-owl, ''Glaucidium griseiceps'' * Ferruginous pygmy-owl, ''Glaucidium brasilianum'' *

Burrowing owl The burrowing owl (''Athene cunicularia''), also called the shoco, is a small, long-legged owl found throughout open landscapes of North and South America. Burrowing owls can be found in grasslands, rangelands, agricultural areas, deserts, or an ...

, ''Athene cunicularia'' *

Mottled owl The mottled owl (''Strix virgata'') is a medium-sized owl found in Central and South America from Mexico to Brazil and Argentina. The head and back are mottled brown and the underparts whitish, with vertical bars on the chest and throat. The eyes ...

, ''Strix virgata'' *

Black-and-white owl The black-and-white owl (''Strix nigrolineata'') is a species of owl in the family Strigidae.Compare with ITIS: Description The black-and-white owl is a medium-sized owl with a round head and no ear tufts. It is between 35 and 40 cm in le ...

, ''Strix nigrolineata'' *

Stygian owl The stygian owl (''Asio stygius'') is a medium-sized "typical owl" in subfamily Striginae. It is found in Mexico, parts of Central America, Cuba, Hispaniola, and 10 countries in South America.HBW and BirdLife International (2020) ''Handbook of ...

, ''Asio stygius'' *

Short-eared owl The short-eared owl (''Asio flammeus'') is a widespread grassland species in the family Strigidae. Owls belonging to genus ''Asio'' are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or ...

, ''Asio flammeus'' (A) *

Striped owl The striped owl (''Asio clamator'') is a medium-sized owl with large ear tufts and a brownish-white facial disk rimmed with black. Its beak is black, and it has cinnamon-colored eyes. It has shorter, rounder wings than most of its close relative ...

, ''Asio clamator''

Trogons

Order:

Trogoniformes The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Earl ...

Family:

Trogonidae The trogons and quetzals are birds in the order Trogoniformes which contains only one family, the Trogonidae. The family Trogonidae contains 46 species in seven genera. The fossil record of the trogons dates back 49 million years to the Early E ...

The family Trogonidae includes trogons and quetzals. Found in tropical woodlands worldwide, they feed on insects and fruit, and their broad bills and weak legs reflect their diet and arboreal habits. Although their flight is fast, they are reluctant to fly any distance. Trogons have soft, often colorful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage. *

Slaty-tailed trogon The slaty-tailed trogon (''Trogon massena'') is a near passerine bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in Colombia and Ecuador. Taxonomy and systematics Three subspecie ...

, ''Trogon massena'' *

Black-headed trogon The black-headed trogon (''Trogon melanocephalus'') is a species of bird in the family Trogonidae. It is found in Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua. Taxonomy and systematics The black-headed trogon i ...

, ''Trogon melanocephalus'' *

Gartered trogon The gartered trogon (''Trogon caligatus''), also known as the northern violaceous trogon, is a bird in the family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, all of Central America, and Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. ...

, ''Trogon caligatus'' *

Collared trogon The collared trogon (''Trogon collaris'') is a near passerine bird in family Trogonidae, the quetzals and trogons. It is found in Mexico, throughout Central America, and in northern South America. Taxonomy and systematics The International Or ...

, ''Trogon collaris''

Motmots

Order:

Coraciiformes The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base) ...

Family: Momotidae Blue-crowned Motmot 1

The motmots have colorful plumage and long, graduated tails which they display by waggling back and forth. In most of the species, the barbs near the ends of the two longest (central) tail feathers are weak and fall off, leaving a length of bare shaft and creating a racket-shaped tail. *

Tody motmot The tody motmot (''Hylomanes momotula'') is a species of passerine bird in the motmot family Momotidae. It is the only species placed in the genus ''Hylomanes''. It is found in Belize, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Hondura ...

, ''Hylomanes momotula'' *

Lesson's motmot Lesson's motmot (''Momotus lessonii'') or the blue-diademed motmot, is a colorful near-passerine bird found in forests and woodlands of southern Mexico to western Panama. This species and the blue-capped motmot, whooping motmot, Trinidad motmot ...

, ''Momotus lessonii'' *

Keel-billed motmot The keel-billed motmot (''Electron carinatum'') is a species of bird in the motmot family Momotidae. It is very closely related to the broad-billed motmot, and the two may be the same species. The two are similar sizes and shapes, and have been ...

, ''Electron carinatum'' (Vulnerable)

Kingfishers

Order:

Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfisher Kingfishers are a family, the Alcedinidae, of small to medium-sized, brightly colored birds in the order Coraciiformes. They have a cosmopolitan distribution, with most species found in the tropical regions of Africa, Asia, and Oceania, ...

s are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. *

Ringed kingfisher The ringed kingfisher (''Megaceryle torquata'') is a large, conspicuous and noisy kingfisher bird commonly found along the lower Rio Grande valley in southeasternmost Texas in the United States through Central America to Tierra del Fuego in Sout ...

, ''Megaceryle torquatus'' *

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'' *

Amazon kingfisher The Amazon kingfisher (''Chloroceryle amazona'') is a species of "water kingfisher" in subfamily Cerylinae of family Alcedinidae. It is found in the lowlands of the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to norther ...

, ''Chloroceryle amazona'' *

American pygmy kingfisher The American pygmy kingfisher (''Chloroceryle aenea'') is a species of "water kingfisher" in subfamily Cerylinae of family Alcedinidae. It is found in the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America into every mainland ...

, ''Chloroceryle aenea'' *

Green kingfisher The green kingfisher (''Chloroceryle americana'') is a species of "water kingfisher" in subfamily Cerylinae of family Alcedinidae. It is found from southern Texas in the United States south through Central America, in every mainland South Ameri ...

, ''Chloroceryle americana''

Puffbirds

Order:

Piciformes Nine families of largely arboreal birds make up the order Piciformes , the best-known of them being the Picidae, which includes the woodpeckers and close relatives. The Piciformes contain about 71 living genera with a little over 450 species, of ...

Family:

Bucconidae The puffbirds and their relatives in the near passerine family Bucconidae are tropical tree-dwelling insectivorous birds that are found from South America up to Mexico. Together with their closest relatives, the jacamars, they form a divergent li ...

The puffbirds are related to the jacamars and have the same range, but lack the iridescent colors of that family. They are mainly brown,

rufous Rufous () is a color that may be described as reddish-brown or brownish-red, as of rust or oxidised iron. The first recorded use of ''rufous'' as a color name in English was in 1782. However, the color is also recorded earlier in 1527 as a dia ...

, or gray, with large heads and flattened bills with hooked tips. The loose abundant plumage and short tails makes them look stout and puffy, giving rise to the English common name of the family. *

White-necked puffbird The white-necked puffbird (''Notharchus hyperrhynchus'') is a species of bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found in Mexico, Central America, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela.Remse ...

, ''Notharchus hyperrhynchus'' *

White-whiskered puffbird The white-whiskered puffbird (''Malacoptila panamensis''), also called the white-whiskered soft-wing or brown puffbird, is a near-passerine bird in the family Bucconidae, the puffbirds, nunlets, and nunbirds. It is found from southeastern Mexic ...

, ''Malacoptila panamensis''

Jacamars

Order:

Family:

Galbulidae The jacamars are a family, Galbulidae, of near passerine birds from tropical South and Central America, extending up to Mexico. The family contains five genera and 18 species. The family is closely related to the puffbirds, another Neotropical ...

The jacamars are near passerine birds from tropical South America with a range that extends up to Mexico. They feed on insects caught on the wing, and are glossy, elegant birds with long bills and tails. In appearance and behavior they resemble the Old World

bee-eaters The bee-eaters are a group of non-passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by ...

, although they are more closely related to puffbirds. *

Rufous-tailed jacamar The rufous-tailed jacamar (''Galbula ruficauda'') is a near-passerine bird which breeds in the tropical New World in southern Mexico, Central America and South America as far south as southern Brazil and Ecuador. Description Like other jacamar ...

, ''Galbula ruficauda''

Toucans

Order:

Family: Ramphastidae Toucans are near passerine birds from the Neotropics. They are brightly marked and have enormous, colorful bills which in some species amount to half their body length. The keel-billed toucan is the National Bird. * Northern emerald-toucanet, ''Aulacorhynchus prasinus'' * Collared aracari, ''Pteroglossus torquatus'' * Keel-billed toucan, ''Ramphastos sulfuratus''

Woodpeckers

Order:

Family: Picidae AcornWoodpecker23

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. * Acorn woodpecker, ''Melanerpes formicivorus'' * Black-cheeked woodpecker, ''Melanerpes pucherani'' * Yucatan woodpecker, ''Melanerpes pygmaeus'' * Golden-fronted woodpecker, ''Melanerpes aurifrons'' * Yellow-bellied sapsucker, ''Sphyrapicus varius'' * Ladder-backed woodpecker, ''Dryobates scalaris'' * Smoky-brown woodpecker, ''Dryobates fumigatus'' * Golden-olive woodpecker, ''Colaptes rubiginosus'' * Chestnut-colored woodpecker, ''Celeus castaneus'' * Lineated woodpecker, ''Dryocopus lineatus'' * Pale-billed woodpecker, ''Campephilus guatemalensis''

Falcons and caracaras

Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae Caracara cheriway Roma TX

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. * Laughing falcon, ''Herpetotheres cachinnans'' * Barred forest-falcon, ''Micrastur ruficollis'' * Collared forest-falcon, ''Micrastur semitorquatus'' * Crested caracara, ''Caracara plancus'' * American kestrel, ''Falco sparverius'' * Merlin (bird), Merlin, ''Falco columbarius'' * Aplomado falcon, ''Falco femoralis'' * Bat falcon, ''Falco rufigularis'' * Orange-breasted falcon, ''Falco deiroleucus'' (Near-threatened) * Peregrine falcon, ''Falco peregrinus''

New World and African parrots

Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae Amazona autumnalis -upper body-8a

Parrots are small to large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back. * Olive-throated parakeet, ''Eupsittula nana'' * Scarlet macaw, ''Ara macao'' * Green parakeet, ''Psittacara holochlorus'' (A) * Brown-hooded parrot, ''Pyrilia haematotis'' * White-crowned parrot, ''Pionus senilis'' * White-fronted parrot, ''Amazona albifrons'' * Yellow-lored parrot, ''Amazona xantholora'' * Red-lored amazon, Red-lored parrot, ''Amazona autumnalis'' * Mealy amazon, Mealy parrot, ''Amazona farinosa'' * Yellow-headed parrot, ''Amazona oratrix'' (Endangered) * Yellow-naped parrot, ''Amazona auropalliata'' (A) (Vulnerable)

Manakins

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Pipridae Manacus candei1

The manakins are a family of subtropical and tropical mainland Central and South America, and Trinidad and Tobago. They are compact forest birds, the males typically being brightly colored, although the females of most species are duller and usually green-plumaged. Manakins feed on small fruits, berries, and insects. * White-collared manakin, ''Manacus candei'' * Red-capped manakin, ''Ceratopipra mentalis''

Cotingas

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Cotingidae The cotingas are birds of forests or forest edges in tropical South America. Comparatively little is known about this diverse group, although all have broad bills with hooked tips, rounded wings, and strong legs. The males of many of the species are brightly colored or decorated with plumes or wattles. * Lovely cotinga, ''Cotinga amabilis'' * Rufous piha, ''Lipaugus unirufus''

Tityras and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tityridae Tityridae is family of suboscine passerine birds found in forest and woodland in the Neotropics. The approximately 30 species in this family were formerly lumped with the families Pipridae and Cotingidae (''see Taxonomy (biology), Taxonomy''). * Northern schiffornis, ''Schiffornis veraepacis'' * Speckled mourner, ''Laniocera rufescens'' * Masked tityra, ''Tityra semifasciata'' * Black-crowned tityra, ''Tityra inquisitor'' * Cinnamon becard, ''Pachyramphus cinnamomeus'' * White-winged becard, ''Pachyramphus polychopterus'' * Gray-collared becard, ''Pachyramphus major'' * Rose-throated becard, ''Pachyramphus aglaiae''

Royal flycatcher and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Onychorhynchidae The members of this small family, created in 2018, were formerly considered to be tyrant flycatchers, family Tyrannidae. * Royal flycatcher, ''Onychorhynchus coronatus'' * Ruddy-tailed flycatcher, ''Terenotriccus erythrurus'' * Sulphur-rumped flycatcher, ''Myiobius sulphureipygius''

Tyrant flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tyrannidae Tyrant flycatchers are passerine birds 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, have plain coloring. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. * Stub-tailed spadebill, ''Platyrinchus cancrominus'' * Ochre-bellied flycatcher, ''Mionectes oleagineus'' * Sepia-capped flycatcher, ''Leptopogon amaurocephalus'' * Northern bentbill, ''Oncostoma cinereigulare'' * Slate-headed tody-flycatcher, ''Poecilotriccus sylvia'' * Common tody-flycatcher, ''Todirostrum cinereum'' * Eye-ringed flatbill, ''Rhynchocyclus brevirostris'' * Yellow-olive flycatcher, ''Tolmomyias sulphurescens'' * Yellow-bellied tyrannulet, ''Ornithion semiflavum'' * Northern beardless-tyrannulet, ''Camptostoma imberbe'' * Greenish elaenia, ''Myiopagis viridicata'' * Caribbean elaenia, ''Elaenia martinica'' (A) * Yellow-bellied elaenia, ''Elaenia flavogaster'' * Guatemalan tyrannulet, ''Zimmerius vilissimus'' (A) * Mistletoe tyrannulet, ''Zimmerius parvus'' * Bright-rumped attila, ''Attila spadiceus'' * Rufous mourner, ''Rhytipterna holerythra'' * Yucatan flycatcher, ''Myiarchus yucatanensis'' * Dusky-capped flycatcher, ''Myiarchus tuberculifer'' * Great crested flycatcher, ''Myiarchus crinitus'' * Brown-crested flycatcher, ''Myiarchus tyrannulus'' * Great kiskadee, ''Pitangus sulphuratus'' * Boat-billed flycatcher, ''Megarynchus pitangua'' * Social flycatcher, ''Myiozetetes similis'' * Streaked flycatcher, ''Myiodynastes maculatus'' * Sulphur-bellied flycatcher, ''Myiodynastes luteiventris'' * Piratic flycatcher, ''Legatus leucophaius'' * Tropical kingbird, ''Tyrannus melancholicus'' * Couch's kingbird, ''Tyrannus couchii'' * Cassin's kingbird, ''Tyrannus vociferans'' (A) * Western kingbird, ''Tyrannus verticalis'' * Eastern kingbird, ''Tyrannus tyrannus'' * Gray kingbird, ''Tyrannus dominicensis'' * Scissor-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus forficatus'' * Fork-tailed flycatcher, ''Tyrannus savana'' * Olive-sided flycatcher, ''Contopus cooperi'' (Near-threatened) * Greater pewee, ''Contopus pertinax'' * Western wood-pewee, ''Contopus sordidulus'' (A) * Eastern wood-pewee, ''Contopus virens'' * Tropical pewee, ''Contopus cinereus'' * Yellow-bellied flycatcher, ''Empidonax flaviventris'' * Acadian flycatcher, ''Empidonax virescens'' * Alder flycatcher, ''Empidonax alnorum'' * Willow flycatcher, ''Empidonax traillii'' * White-throated flycatcher, ''Empidonax albigularis'' * Least flycatcher, ''Empidonax minimus'' * Black phoebe, ''Sayornis nigricans'' * Eastern phoebe, ''Sayornis phoebe'' (A) * Vermilion flycatcher, ''Pyrocephalus rubinus'' File:YellowbelliedFlycatcher23.jpg, Yellow-bellied flycatcher File:Sayornis nigricans.jpg, Black phoebe File:Tropical Kingbird.jpg, Tropical kingbird File:Tyrannus-tyrannus-001.jpg, Eastern kingbird

Typical antbirds

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Thamnophilidae The antbirds are a large family of small passerine birds of subtropical and tropical Central and South America. They are forest birds which tend to feed on insects at or near the ground. A sizable minority of them specialize in following columns of army ants to eat small invertebrates that leave their hiding places to flee from the ants. Many species lack bright color with brown, black, and white being the dominant tones. * Great antshrike, ''Taraba major'' * Barred antshrike, ''Thamnophilus doliatus'' * Black-crowned antshrike, ''Thamnophilus atrinucha'' * Russet antshrike, ''Thamnistes anabatinus'' * Plain antvireo, ''Dysithamnus mentalis'' * Slaty antwren, ''Myrmotherula schisticolor'' * Dot-winged antwren, ''Microrhopias quixensis'' * Dusky antbird, ''Cercomacroides tyrannina'' * Bare-crowned antbird, ''Gymnocichla nudiceps''

Antthrushes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Formicariidae Antthrushes resemble small rails with strong, longish legs, very short tails, and stout bills. * Mayan antthrush, ''Formicarius moniliger''

Ovenbirds and woodcreepers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Furnariidae Ovenbirds comprise a large family of small sub-oscine passerine bird species found in Central and South America. They are a diverse group of insectivores which gets its name from the elaborate "oven-like" clay nests built by some species, although others build stick nests or nest in tunnels or clefts in rock. The woodcreepers are brownish birds which maintain an upright vertical posture, supported by their stiff tail vanes. They feed mainly on insects taken from tree trunks. * Middle American leaftosser, ''Sclerurus mexicanus'' * Scaly-throated leaftosser, ''Sclerurus guatemalensis'' * Olivaceous woodcreeper, ''Sittasomus griseicapillus'' * Ruddy woodcreeper, ''Dendrocincla homochroa'' * Tawny-winged woodcreeper, ''Dendrocincla anabatina'' * Wedge-billed woodcreeper, ''Glyphorynchus spirurus'' * Northern barred-woodcreeper, ''Dendrocolaptes sanctithomae'' * Strong-billed woodcreeper, ''Xiphocolaptes promeropirhynchus'' * Ivory-billed woodcreeper, ''Xiphorhynchus flavigaster'' * Spotted woodcreeper, ''Xiphorhynchus erythropygius'' * Streak-headed woodcreeper, ''Lepidocolaptes souleyetii'' * Plain xenops, ''Xenops minutus'' * Scaly-throated foliage-gleaner, ''Anabacerthia variegaticeps'' (A) * Buff-throated foliage-gleaner, ''Automolus ochrolaemus'' * Rufous-breasted spinetail, ''Synallaxis erythrothorax''

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Vireonidae SolitaryVireo23

The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are typically greenish in color and resemble wood warbler, wood-warblers apart from their heavier bills. * Rufous-browed peppershrike, ''Cyclarhis gujanensis'' * Green shrike-vireo, ''Vireolanius pulchellus'' * Tawny-crowned greenlet, ''Tunchiornis ochraceiceps'' * Lesser greenlet, ''Pachysylvia decurtata'' * White-eyed vireo, ''Vireo griseus'' * Mangrove vireo, ''Vireo pallens'' * Bell's vireo, ''Vireo bellii'' (A) * Yellow-throated vireo, ''Vireo flavifrons'' * Blue-headed vireo, ''Vireo solitarius'' * Plumbeous vireo, ''Vireo plumbeus'' * Philadelphia vireo, ''Vireo philadelphicus'' * Warbling vireo, ''Vireo gilvus'' (A) * Red-eyed vireo, ''Vireo olivaceus'' * Yellow-green vireo, ''Vireo flavoviridis'' * Black-whiskered vireo, ''Vireo altiloquus'' (A) * Yucatan vireo, ''Vireo magister''

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcracker (bird), nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. * Brown jay, ''Psilorhinus morio'' * Green jay, ''Cyanocorax yncas'' * Yucatan jay, ''Cyanocorax yucatanicus''

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Hirundinidae Tachycineta bicolor1

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 partially joined at the base. * Bank swallow, ''Riparia riparia'' * Tree swallow, ''Tachycineta bicolor'' * Violet-green swallow, ''Tachycineta thalassina'' (A) * Mangrove swallow, ''Tachycineta albilinea'' * Northern rough-winged swallow, ''Stelgidopteryx serripennis'' * Brown-chested martin, ''Progne tapera'' (A) * Purple martin, ''Progne subis'' * Gray-breasted martin, ''Progne chalybea'' * Sinaloa martin, ''Progne sinaloae'' (A) (Vulnerable) * Barn swallow, ''Hirundo rustica'' * American cliff swallow, Cliff swallow, ''Petrochelidon pyrrhonota'' * Cave swallow, ''Petrochelidon fulva''

Kinglets

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Regulidae The kinglets and "crests" are a small family of birds which resemble some warblers. They are very small insectivorous birds. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their name. * Ruby-crowned kinglet, ''Corthylio calendula'' (A)

Waxwings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Bombycillidae The waxwings are a group of 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. * Cedar waxwing, ''Bombycilla cedrorum''

Gnatcatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Polioptilidae These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers and gnatwrens are mainly soft bluish gray in color and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. They are birds of fairly open woodland or scrub, which nest in bushes or trees. * Long-billed gnatwren, ''Ramphocaenus melanurus'' * White-browed gnatcatcher, ''Polioptila bilineata'' * Blue-gray gnatcatcher, ''Polioptila caerulea''

Wrens

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Troglodytidae CarolinaWren23

The wrens are mainly small and inconspicuous except for their loud songs. These birds have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. * Northern nightingale-wren, Nightingale wren, ''Microcerculus philomela'' * House wren, ''Troglodytes aedon'' * Grass wren, ''Cistothorus platensis'' * Carolina wren, ''Thryothorus ludovicianus'' * Band-backed wren, ''Campylorhynchus zonatus'' * Spot-breasted wren, ''Pheugopedius maculipectus'' * Cabanis's wren, ''Cantorchilus modestus'' * White-bellied wren, ''Uropsila leucogastra'' * White-breasted wood-wren, ''Henicorhina leucosticta'' * Gray-breasted wood-wren, ''Henicorhina leucophrys'' (A)

Mockingbirds and thrashers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Mimidae The mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalizations, especially their ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. Their coloring tends towards dull grays and browns. * Black catbird, ''Melanoptila glabrirostris'' (Near-threatened) * Gray catbird, ''Dumetella carolinensis'' * Tropical mockingbird, ''Mimus gilvus'' * Northern mockingbird, ''Mimus polyglottos'' (A)

Thrushes and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Turdidae Eastern Bluebird-27527-2

The Thrush (bird), thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. * Eastern bluebird, ''Sialia sialis'' * Slate-colored solitaire, ''Myadestes unicolor'' * Veery, ''Catharus fuscescens'' * Gray-cheeked thrush, ''Catharus minimus'' * Swainson's thrush, ''Catharus ustulatus'' * Hermit thrush, ''Catharus guttatus'' (A) * Wood thrush, ''Hylocichla mustelina'' (Near-threatened) * Clay-colored thrush, ''Turdus grayi'' * White-throated thrush, ''Turdus assimilis'' * American robin, ''Turdus migratorius'' (A)

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae The members of this family are small passerine birds native to the Old World tropics. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colors and patterns. * Tricolored munia, ''Lonchura malacca'' (I)

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae House sparrowIII

Old World sparrow, Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or gray birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. * House sparrow, ''Passer domesticus'' (I)

Wagtails and pipits

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Motacillidae Anthus-rubescens-001

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. * American pipit, ''Anthus rubescens''

Finches, euphonias, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Fringillidae Red Crossbills (Male)

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. * Elegant euphonia, ''Chlorophonia elegantissima'' (A) * Scrub euphonia, ''Euphonia affinis'' * White-vented euphonia, ''Euphonia minuta'' (A) * Yellow-throated euphonia, ''Euphonia hirundinacea'' * Olive-backed euphonia, ''Euphonia gouldi'' * Red crossbill, ''Loxia curvirostra'' * Black-headed siskin, ''Spinus notatus'' * Lesser goldfinch, ''Spinus psaltria''

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. * Common chlorospingus, ''Chlorospingus flavopectus'' * Botteri's sparrow, ''Peucaea botterii'' * Grasshopper sparrow, ''Ammodramus savannarum'' * Olive sparrow, ''Arremonops rufivirgatus'' * Green-backed sparrow, ''Arremonops chloronotus'' * Lark sparrow, ''Chondestes grammacus'' (A) * Chipping sparrow, ''Spizella passerina'' * Clay-colored sparrow, ''Spizella pallida'' (A) * Orange-billed sparrow, ''Arremon aurantiirostris'' * White-crowned sparrow, ''Zonotrichia leucophrys'' (A) * White-throated sparrow, ''Zonotrichia albicollis'' (A) * Vesper sparrow, ''Pooecetes gramineus'' (A) * Savannah sparrow, ''Passerculus sandwichensis'' * Lincoln's sparrow, ''Melospiza lincolnii'' * White-faced ground-sparrow, ''Melozone biarcuata'' (A) * Rusty sparrow, ''Aimophila rufescens''

Yellow-breasted chat

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Icteriidae 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 BaltimoreOriole23

The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as the predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red. * Yellow-headed blackbird, '' Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus'' (A) * Bobolink, ''Dolichonyx oryzivorus'' * Eastern meadowlark, ''Sturnella magna'' (Near-threatened) * Yellow-billed cacique, ''Amblycercus holosericeus'' * Yellow-winged cacique, ''Cassiculus melanicterus'' (A) * Chestnut-headed oropendola, ''Psarocolius wagleri'' * Montezuma oropendola, ''Psarocolius montezuma'' * Black-cowled oriole, ''Icterus prosthemelas'' * Orchard oriole, ''Icterus spurius'' * Hooded oriole, ''Icterus cucullatus'' * Yellow-backed oriole, ''Icterus chrysater'' * Yellow-tailed oriole, ''Icterus mesomelas'' * Bullock's oriole, ''Icterus bullockii'' (A) * Orange oriole, ''Icterus auratus'' * Spot-breasted oriole, ''Icterus pectoralis'' * Altamira oriole, ''Icterus gularis'' * Baltimore oriole, ''Icterus galbula'' * Red-winged blackbird, ''Agelaius phoeniceus'' * Shiny cowbird, ''Molothrus bonariensis'' (A) * Bronzed cowbird, ''Molothrus aeneus'' * Brown-headed cowbird, ''Molothrus ater'' (A) * Giant cowbird, ''Molothrus oryzivorus'' * Melodious blackbird, ''Dives dives'' * Great-tailed grackle, ''Quiscalus mexicanus''

New World warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Parulidae The New World warbler, wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful, passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. * Ovenbird, ''Seiurus aurocapilla'' * Worm-eating warbler, ''Helmitheros vermivorus'' * Louisiana waterthrush, ''Parkesia motacilla'' * Northern waterthrush, ''Parkesia noveboracensis'' * Golden-winged warbler, ''Vermivora chrysoptera'' (Near-threatened) * Blue-winged warbler, ''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'' (A) * Nashville warbler, ''Leiothlypis ruficapilla'' * Virginia's warbler, ''Leiothlypis virginiae'' (A) * Connecticut warbler, ''Oporornis agilis'' (A) * Gray-crowned yellowthroat, ''Geothlypis poliocephala'' * MacGillivray's warbler, ''Geothlypis tolmiei'' (A) * Mourning warbler, ''Geothlypis philadelphia'' * Kentucky warbler, ''Geothlypis formosa'' * Common yellowthroat, ''Geothlypis trichas'' * Hooded warbler, ''Setophaga citrina'' * American redstart, ''Setophaga ruticilla'' * Cape May warbler, ''Setophaga tigrina'' * Cerulean warbler, ''Setophaga cerulea'' (Vulnerable) * Northern parula, ''Setophaga americana'' * Tropical parula, ''Setophaga pitiayumi'' (A) * Magnolia warbler, ''Setophaga magnolia'' * Bay-breasted warbler, ''Setophaga castanea'' * Blackburnian warbler, ''Setophaga fusca'' * Yellow warbler, ''Setophaga petechia'' * Chestnut-sided warbler, ''Setophaga pensylvanica'' * Blackpoll warbler, ''Setophaga striata'' (Near-threatened) * Black-throated blue warbler, ''Setophaga caerulescens'' * Palm warbler, ''Setophaga palmarum'' * Yellow-rumped warbler, ''Setophaga coronata'' * Yellow-throated warbler, ''Setophaga dominica'' * Prairie warbler, ''Setophaga discolor'' * Grace's warbler, ''Setophaga graciae'' * Black-throated gray warbler, ''Setophaga nigrescens'' (A) * Townsend's warbler, ''Setophaga townsendi'' (A) * Hermit warbler, ''Setophaga occidentalis'' (A) * Golden-cheeked warbler, ''Setophaga chrysoparia'' (A) (Endangered) * Black-throated green warbler, ''Setophaga virens'' * Rufous-capped warbler, ''Basileuterus rufifrons'' * Chestnut-capped warbler, ''Basileuterus delattrii'' * Golden-crowned warbler, ''Basileuterus culicivorus'' * Canada warbler, ''Cardellina canadensis'' * Wilson's warbler, ''Cardellina pusilla'' File:PrairieWarbler23.jpg, Prairie warbler File:Setophaga ruticilla.jpg, American redstart File:Commonyellowthroat159.jpg, Common yellowthroat File:Wilsonswarbler34.jpg, Wilson's warbler

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. * Rose-throated tanager, ''Piranga roseogularis'' * Hepatic tanager, ''Piranga flava'' * Summer tanager, ''Piranga rubra'' * Scarlet tanager, ''Piranga olivacea'' * Western tanager, ''Piranga ludoviciana'' * Flame-colored tanager, ''Piranga bidentata'' (A) * White-winged tanager, ''Piranga leucoptera'' * Red-crowned ant-tanager, ''Habia rubica'' * Red-throated ant-tanager, ''Habia fuscicauda'' * Black-faced grosbeak, ''Caryothraustes poliogaster'' * Northern cardinal, ''Cardinalis cardinalis'' * Rose-breasted grosbeak, ''Pheucticus ludovicianus'' * Black-headed grosbeak, ''Pheucticus melanocephalus'' (A) * Gray-throated chat, ''Granatellus sallaei'' * Blue seedeater, ''Amaurospiza concolor'' * Blue-black grosbeak, ''Cyanoloxia cyanoides'' * Blue bunting, ''Cyanocompsa parellina'' * Blue grosbeak, ''Passerina caerulea'' * Lazuli bunting, ''Passerina amoena'' (A) * Indigo bunting, ''Passerina cyanea'' * Painted bunting, ''Passerina ciris'' (Near-threatened) * Dickcissel, ''Spiza americana''

Tanagers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Thraupidae Stavenn Thraupis episcopus 00

The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly colored. As a family they are omnivorous, but individual species specialize in eating fruits, seeds, insects, or other types of food. Most have short, rounded wings. * Golden-hooded tanager, ''Stilpnia larvata'' * Blue-gray tanager, ''Thraupis episcopus'' * Yellow-winged tanager, ''Thraupis abbas'' * Grassland yellow-finch, ''Sicalis luteola'' * Green honeycreeper, ''Chlorophanes spiza'' * Blue-black grassquit, ''Volatinia jacarina'' * Gray-headed tanager, ''Eucometis penicillata'' * Black-throated shrike-tanager, ''Lanio aurantius'' * Crimson-collared tanager, ''Ramphocelus sanguinolentus'' * Scarlet-rumped tanager, ''Ramphocelus passerinii'' * Shining honeycreeper, ''Cyanerpes lucidus'' * Red-legged honeycreeper, ''Cyanerpes cyaneus'' * Bananaquit, ''Coereba flaveola'' * Yellow-faced grassquit, ''Tiaris olivaceus'' (A) * Thick-billed seed-finch, ''Oryzoborus funereus'' * Variable seedeater, ''Sporophila corvina'' * Slate-colored seedeater, ''Sporophila schistacea'' * Morelet's seedeater, ''Sporophila morelleti'' * Black-headed saltator, ''Saltator atriceps'' * Buff-throated saltator, ''Saltator maximus'' * Cinnamon-bellied saltator, ''Saltator grandis''

References

External links

Birds of Belize
- World Institute for Conservation and Environment

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Troupials and allies

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Cardinals and allies

Tanagers and allies

See also

References

External links