About
Bird Life List
Updated August 25, 2024
A life list of all 1,354 bird species I have seen in my travels, including sketches and notes.

Birds are a facet of travel, like tasting a region's food or learning about it's architecture. Look up in the sky when you travel, and ask yourself, 'What species of bird is that?' The act of asking that question is the act of keeping a bird life list. You don't need to be an avid birdwatcher to start a list. But the act of keeping one can become an amazing traveler's tool, helping you connect fragments of observed knowledge about botany, habitat and geography.
You cannot avoid birds as a traveler; they are the nearest thing to the most constant symbol of place wherever you go. They are in the city and in the country; they are in every habitat, including above the oceans far from land. You also cannot avoid birdwatchers wherever you go - they too are in the city and country, out there in the desert and above the ocean; a constant in travel. As a traveler, I have learned to appreciate both birds and the people who pursue them.
In the form of a bird life list, I've adopted the same passion and addiction as any birdwatcher out there, and I am not bothered by the strange way non-birdwatchers act around discussion of tallying a list of birds. However, I have always perceived birding differently than most birdwatchers. The way I approach it is not as a hobby, per se, but as an inseparable aspect of travel, as vital to the traveler's palette as tasting local food or talking to the locals.
Birding is a life-long lesson in biology, distribution and geography, and keeping a list of all the birds I have seen in my life pushes me to find new places and habitats on the road. A birdwatcher learns to see in a very different way than non-birders; making anybody who pursues birds on the road much more likely to observe things about a place than those who don't. I talk about this in my notes from the Bahia Palace in Marrakech, Morocco.
As of Hawaii Amakihi, my bird life list includes 1,354 species, or about thirteen percent of the species in the world. My Bird Life List is organized by taxonomy, and includes marker and watercolor sketches throughout.
I also keep a butterfly life list, a dragonfly life list, a reptile life list and an amphibian life list.
Great TinamouTinamus major
Little TinamouCrypturellus soui
Black-bellied Whistling-DuckDendrocygna autumnalis
Emperor GooseAnser canagicus
Snow GooseAnser caerulescens
Ross's GooseAnser rossii
Graylag GooseAnser anser
Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons

BrantBranta bernicla

Cackling GooseBranta hutchinsii
Canada GooseBranta canadensis
Hawaiian GooseBranta sandvicensis
Mute SwanCygnus olor
Black SwanCygnus atratus
Trumpeter SwanCygnus buccinator
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianus
Whooper SwanCygnus cygnus
Ruddy ShelduckTadorna ferruginea
Common ShelduckTadorna tadorna
Muscovy DuckCairina moschata
Wood DuckAix sponsa
Torrent DuckMerganetta armata
Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
Cinnamon TealSpatula cyanoptera
Northern ShovelerSpatula clypeata
GadwallMareca strepera
Eurasian WigeonMareca penelope
American WigeonMareca americana
Hawaiian DuckAnas wyvilliana
MallardAnas platyrhynchos
Mottled DuckAnas fulvigula
White-cheeked PintailAnas bahamensis
Northern PintailAnas acuta
Yellow-billed PintailAnas georgica
Green-winged TealAnas crecca
Andean TealAnas andium
Red-crested PochardNetta rufina
CanvasbackAythya valisineria
RedheadAythya americana
Common PochardAythya ferina
Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
Tufted DuckAythya fuligula
Greater ScaupAythya marila
Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
Steller's EiderPolysticta stelleri
Common EiderSomateria mollissima
Harlequin DuckHistrionicus histrionicus
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillata
White-winged ScoterMelanitta deglandi
Common ScoterMelanitta nigra
Black ScoterMelanitta americana
Long-tailed DuckClangula hyemalis
BuffleheadBucephala albeola
Common GoldeneyeBucephala clangula
Barrow's GoldeneyeBucephala islandica
Hooded MerganserLophodytes cucullatus

Common MerganserMergus merganser
Red-breasted MerganserMergus serrator
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensis

Plain ChachalacaOrtalis vetula
Gray-headed ChachalacaOrtalis cinereiceps
Chestnut-winged ChachalacaOrtalis garrula
Band-tailed GuanPenelope argyrotis
Andean GuanPenelope montagnii
Spix's GuanPenelope jacquacu
Crested GuanPenelope purpurascens
Blue-throated Piping-GuanPipile cumanensis
Sickle-winged GuanChamaepetes goudotii
Mountain QuailOreortyx pictus
Black-throated BobwhiteColinus nigrogularis
California QuailCallipepla californica
Gambel's QuailCallipepla gambelii
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavo
Ocellated TurkeyMeleagris ocellata
Ruffed GrouseBonasa umbellus
Greater Sage-GrouseCentrocercus urophasianus
Sooty GrouseDendragapus fuliginosus
Willow PtarmiganLagopus lagopus
Ring-necked PheasantPhasianus colchicus
Kalij PheasantLophura leucomelano
Red JunglefowlGallus gallus
Gray FrancolinOrtygornis pondicerianus
Red-legged PartridgeAlectoris rufa
ChukarAlectoris chukar
Erckel's SpurfowlPternistis erckelii
American FlamingoPhoenicopterus ruber

Greater FlamingoPhoenicopterus roseus

Least GrebeTachybaptus dominicus

Pied-billed GrebePodilymbus podiceps
Horned GrebePodiceps auritus
Red-necked GrebePodiceps grisegena
Great Crested GrebePodiceps cristatus
Eared GrebePodiceps nigricollis

Western GrebeAechmophorus occidentalis
Clark's GrebeAechmophorus clarkii
Rock PigeonColumba livia
Stock DoveColumba oenas
Common Wood-PigeonColumba palumbus
Pale-vented PigeonPatagioenas cayennensis
Scaled PigeonPatagioenas speciosa
Scaly-naped PigeonPatagioenas squamosa
Bare-eyed PigeonPatagioenas corensis
White-crowned PigeonPatagioenas leucocephala
Red-billed PigeonPatagioenas flavirostris
Band-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciata
European Turtle-DoveStreptopelia turtur
Eurasian Collared-DoveStreptopelia decaocto
Spotted DoveSpilopelia chinensis
Zebra DoveGeopelia striata
Inca DoveColumbina inca
Common Ground DoveColumbina passerina
Ruddy Ground DoveColumbina talpacoti
Blue Ground DoveClaravis pretiosa
Ruddy Quail-DoveGeotrygon montana
White-tipped DoveLeptotila verreauxi
West Peruvian DoveZenaida meloda
White-winged DoveZenaida asiatica
Zenaida DoveZenaida aurita
Eared DoveZenaida auriculata
Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
Gray-green Fruit-DovePtilinopus purpuratus

Greater AniCrotophaga major
Smooth-billed AniCrotophaga ani

Groove-billed AniCrotophaga sulcirostris
Pheasant CuckooDromococcyx phasianellus
Lesser Ground-CuckooMorococcyx erythropygus
Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianus
Little CuckooCoccycua minuta
Dwarf CuckooCoccycua pumila
Squirrel CuckooPiaya cayana
Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus
Mangrove CuckooCoccyzus minor

Hispaniolan Lizard-CuckooCoccyzus longirostris
Long-tailed KoelUrodynamis taitensis
The island of Tikehau had a total bird count of 25 species. I told myself, I bet I can increase that count by one. I had studied the birds of the South Pacific for months before arriving on Tikehau. On my first evening there, I left my family behind and walked into the woods of the small motu where we were staying. While there was a small trail system back there, it was obvious that it was rarely used, and the path was covered in flowering plants, indicating nobody had walked there for weeks at the very least.
I was not looking for birds, but just getting myself familiar with the island. But, suddenly, right in front of me, a large and ornately-feathered bird passes quietly right in front of me. I didn't know what to think, because after studying the birds of the Pacific for months, I could not recall anything like this at all. Birding is often about really knowing what you saw - your eye plays tricks on you and tried to convince you that you saw something you didn't. But this sighting really made me question whether my mind was playing the grandest trick on me. The bird I saw resembled those huge cuckoos of Latin America and the Caribbean - like a Squirrel Cuckoo or a Lizard-Cuckoo. But this is the Pacific Ocean, five-thousand miles from Belize or Panama! Indeed, I discovered that I saw a Long-tailed Koel, a type of Cuckoo known from the Pacific. Now, Tikehau is known for 26 birds.
Sand-colored NighthawkChordeiles rupestris
Lesser NighthawkChordeiles acutipennis
Common NighthawkChordeiles minor
Common PauraqueNyctidromus albicollis
Ladder-tailed NightjarHydropsalis climacocerca
Common PoorwillPhalaenoptilus nuttallii
Chuck-will's-widowAntrostomus carolinensis
Great PotooNyctibius grandis
I love the mysterious potoos, and although I have only seen a few, I have managed to photograph each one. I write about them on my Potoo bird page.
Common PotooNyctibius griseus
Andean PotooNyctibius maculosus
Black SwiftCypseloides niger
White-collared SwiftStreptoprocne zonaris
Gray-rumped SwiftChaetura cinereiventris
Band-rumped SwiftChaetura spinicaudus
Chimney SwiftChaetura pelagica
Vaux's SwiftChaetura vauxi
Short-tailed SwiftChaetura brachyura
Alpine SwiftTachymarptis melba
Common SwiftApus apus
Pallid SwiftApus pallidus
White-rumped SwiftApus caffer
White-throated SwiftAeronautes saxatalis
Antillean Palm SwiftTachornis phoenicobia
Fork-tailed Palm SwiftTachornis squamata
White-necked JacobinFlorisuga mellivora
Bronzy HermitGlaucis aeneus
Rufous-breasted HermitGlaucis hirsutus
White-bearded HermitPhaethornis hispidus
Green HermitPhaethornis guy
Straight-billed HermitPhaethornis bourcieri
Long-billed HermitPhaethornis longirostris
Pale-bellied HermitPhaethornis anthophilus
Little HermitPhaethornis longuemareus
Stripe-throated HermitPhaethornis striigularis
Reddish HermitPhaethornis ruber
Sparkling VioletearColibri coruscans
Brown VioletearColibri delphinae
Lesser VioletearColibri cyanotus
Black-throated MangoAnthracothorax nigricollis
Green-breasted MangoAnthracothorax prevostii
Purple-throated CaribEulampis jugularis
Tourmaline SunangelHeliangelus exortis
Black-crested CoquetteLophornis helenae
Speckled HummingbirdAdelomyia melanogenys
Long-tailed SylphAglaiocercus kingii
Ecuadorian HillstarOreotrochilus chimborazo
Black-tailed TrainbearerLesbia victoriae
Blue-mantled ThornbillChalcostigma stanleyi
Tyrian MetaltailMetallura tyrianthina
Bronzy IncaCoeligena coeligena
Collared IncaCoeligena torquata
White-tailed StarfrontletCoeligena phalerata
Sword-billed HummingbirdEnsifera ensifera

Buff-tailed CoronetBoissonneaua flavescens
Chestnut-breasted CoronetBoissonneaua matthewsii
Fawn-breasted BrilliantHeliodoxa rubinoides
Giant HummingbirdPatagona gigas
Rivoli's HummingbirdEugenes fulgens
Santa Marta WoodstarChaetocercus astreans
Mexican SheartailDoricha eliza
Ruby-throated HummingbirdArchilochus colubris
Black-chinned HummingbirdArchilochus alexandri
Bahama WoodstarNesophlox evelynae
Anna's HummingbirdCalypte anna
Costa's HummingbirdCalypte costae
Calliope HummingbirdSelasphorus calliope
Rufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufus
Allen's HummingbirdSelasphorus sasin
Broad-tailed HummingbirdSelasphorus platycercus
Cuban EmeraldRiccordia ricordii
Broad-billed HummingbirdCynanthus latirostris
Red-billed EmeraldChlorostilbon gibsoni
Western EmeraldChlorostilbon melanorhynchus
Violet-headed HummingbirdKlais guimeti

Santa Marta BlossomcrownAnthocephala floriceps
Lazuline SabrewingCampylopterus falcatus
Bronze-tailed PlumeleteerChalybura urochrysia
White-vented PlumeleteerChalybura buffonii
Crowned WoodnymphThalurania colombica
SnowcapMicrochera albocoronata
Scaly-breasted HummingbirdPhaeochroa cuvierii
Olive-spotted HummingbirdTalaphorus chlorocercus
Violet-crowned HummingbirdRamosomyia violiceps
Blue-vented HummingbirdSaucerottia hoffmanni
Snowy-bellied HummingbirdSaucerottia edward
Steely-vented HummingbirdSaucerottia saucerottei
Cinnamon HummingbirdAmazilia rutila
Buff-bellied HummingbirdAmazilia yucatanensis
Rufous-tailed HummingbirdAmazilia tzacatl
Sapphire-throated HummingbirdChrysuronia coeruleogularis
Sapphire-bellied HummingbirdChrysuronia lilliae
Blue-chested HummingbirdPolyerata amabilis
Charming HummingbirdPolyerata decora
White-bellied EmeraldChlorestes candida
Blue-throated GoldentailChlorestes eliciae
Violet-bellied HummingbirdChlorestes julie
HoatzinOpisthocomus hoazin
King RailRallus elegans
Clapper RailRallus crepitans
Virginia RailRallus limicola

Water RailRallus aquaticus
Russet-naped Wood-RailAramides albiventris
SoraPorzana carolina
Eurasian MoorhenGallinula chloropus
Common GallinuleGallinula galeata
Eurasian CootFulica atra
Hawaiian CootFulica alai
American CootFulica americana
Slate-colored CootFulica ardesiaca
Purple GallinulePorphyrio martinica
White-throated CrakeLaterallus albigularis
LimpkinAramus guarauna
Pale-winged TrumpeterPsophia leucoptera

Sandhill CraneAntigone canadensis
Double-striped Thick-kneeHesperoburhinus bistriatus
Black-winged StiltHimantopus himantopus

Black-necked StiltHimantopus mexicanus

A spark bird is the bird that ignited your interest in learning to identify and find new birds. I remember my spark bird moment. I was at the Grand Opening of the Aquarium of the Pacific, a new aquarium in Long Beach, not far from my South Bay apartment. Despite being opening day, few were in attendance at the aquarium, and I felt like I had the whole place to myself. I was walking from one indoor exhibit to the next through an outdoor passage, and there, lo and behold, was a cage with these amazing, singularly elegant birds from Africa. Wait a minute, I thought, why are there African species at an aquarium dedicated to local ecosystems? When I read the exhibit panel, I was blown away. These animals were not from Mozambique or Madagascar or Tanzania! They were from California's desert lakes - the very places that I loved to visit. That moment, the idea that I could go out into my backyard and find something as exotic as this was one of my biggest traveling moments. Within a few months, I had spotted my first Black-necked Stilt on the shores of the Salton Sea.
Pied AvocetRecurvirostra avosetta
American AvocetRecurvirostra americana

Eurasian OystercatcherHaematopus ostralegus
American OystercatcherHaematopus palliatus

Black OystercatcherHaematopus bachmani

Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola

European Golden-PloverPluvialis apricaria
Pacific Golden-PloverPluvialis fulva
Pied PloverHoploxypterus cayanus
KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
Common Ringed PloverCharadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated PloverCharadrius semipalmatus

Piping PloverCharadrius melodus
Little Ringed PloverCharadrius dubius
Southern LapwingVanellus chilensis

Wilson's PloverAnarhynchus wilsonia
Collared PloverAnarhynchus collaris
Mountain PloverAnarhynchus montanus

Snowy PloverAnarhynchus nivosus
Rufous-bellied SeedsnipeAttagis gayi
Northern JacanaJacana spinosa

Wattled JacanaJacana jacana
Bristle-thighed CurlewNumenius tahitiensis

About 15 years ago, I recorded my sighting of a Bristle-thighed Curlew in Nome while photographing there. The sighting bothered me, as it was a very rare species and my certainty started to crumble. I took the bird off my list. In 2022, while walking around Bird Island in Tikehau, French Polynesia, I saw eight, and at close range. There are only 7,000 of these birds left in the world, but I was lucky to see the in their remote range in the South Pacific and to know the very restricted area where they summer in Alaska - one of the great migrating birds of the world.
WhimbrelNumenius phaeopus

Long-billed CurlewNumenius americanus
Eurasian CurlewNumenius arquata
Bar-tailed GodwitLimosa lapponica
Marbled GodwitLimosa fedoa

Short-billed DowitcherLimnodromus griseus

Long-billed DowitcherLimnodromus scolopaceus
American WoodcockScolopax minor
Common SnipeGallinago gallinago
Wilson's SnipeGallinago delicata
Wilson's PhalaropePhalaropus tricolor
Red PhalaropePhalaropus fulicarius

Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatus
Common SandpiperActitis hypoleucos
Spotted SandpiperActitis macularius
Green SandpiperTringa ochropus
Solitary SandpiperTringa solitaria
Wandering TattlerTringa incana

Common RedshankTringa totanus
Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipes
WilletTringa semipalmata
Common GreenshankTringa nebularia
Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca

Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres

Black TurnstoneArenaria melanocephala
Red KnotCalidris canutus

SurfbirdCalidris virgata

RuffCalidris pugnax

Curlew SandpiperCalidris ferruginea
Stilt SandpiperCalidris himantopus
Buff-breasted SandpiperCalidris subruficollis
SanderlingCalidris alba

DunlinCalidris alpina

Purple SandpiperCalidris maritima

Rock SandpiperCalidris ptilocnemis
Baird's SandpiperCalidris bairdii

White-rumped SandpiperCalidris fuscicollis
Least SandpiperCalidris minutilla

Pectoral SandpiperCalidris melanotos
Western SandpiperCalidris mauri

Semipalmated SandpiperCalidris pusilla
Long-tailed JaegerStercorarius longicaudus

Parasitic JaegerStercorarius parasiticus
Pomarine JaegerStercorarius pomarinus
South Polar SkuaStercorarius maccormicki
Rhinoceros AukletCerorhinca monocerata
Tufted PuffinFratercula cirrhata

Tufted Puffins are easier to see than you think. In the spring and summer in Oregon, volunteers help people see these beautiful birds at Haystack Rock in Cannon Beach. But you don't need to sit in front of a scope to see one. I like to stand in the surf and watch them from there. They key is to differentiate them from the other seabirds. They are small, and they fly like a football being thrown: fast and determined. Sometimes, they will drop low enough that you can see them up close from the surf. Get your feet wet, and you'll see them without the aid of somebody else's scope.
Atlantic PuffinFratercula arctica
While in Iceland, I wrote about my visit to see Atlantic Puffins. I also interviewed an ornithologist who specialized in Iceland's Atlantic Puffins. In the article, we discuss their decline and the Icelandic habit of eating them.
Horned PuffinFratercula corniculata
Cassin's AukletPtychoramphus aleuticus
Marbled MurreletBrachyramphus marmoratus
Pigeon GuillemotCepphus columba
RazorbillAlca torda
Thick-billed MurreUria lomvia
Common MurreUria aalge

Ancient MurreletSynthliboramphus antiquus
Scripps's MurreletSynthliboramphus scrippsi
Black-legged KittiwakeRissa tridactyla
Sabine's GullXema sabini
Bonaparte's GullChroicocephalus philadelphia

Andean GullChroicocephalus serranus
Black-headed GullChroicocephalus ridibundus
Gray-hooded GullChroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Gray GullLeucophaeus modestus
Laughing GullLeucophaeus atricilla

Franklin's GullLeucophaeus pipixcan
Mediterranean GullIchthyaetus melanocephalus
Belcher's GullLarus belcheri
Heermann's GullLarus heermanni
Short-billed GullLarus brachyrhynchus
Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
Yellow-footed GullLarus livens
Western GullLarus occidentalis
Herring GullLarus argentatus
Yellow-legged GullLarus michahellis
Great Black-backed GullLarus marinus
Glaucous GullLarus hyperboreus
Lesser Black-backed GullLarus fuscus

California GullLarus californicus
Glaucous-winged GullLarus glaucescens
Slaty-backed GullLarus schistisagus
Iceland GullLarus glaucoides
Black SkimmerRynchops niger
White TernGygis alba

I have known this species for most of my life, and had always wanted to see one. They always seemed ethereal to me, which explains their old name, Fairy Tern. I remember David Attenborough specials showing how they laid their eggs on bare tree trunks, and how in books about Polynesian wayfaring, they are one of the most precise signs of nearby land. In the Tuamotus, I was able to see them up close, including good views of their stunning blue beak.
Brown NoddyAnous stolidus
Black NoddyAnous minutus
Aleutian TernOnychoprion aleuticus
Gray-backed TernOnychoprion lunatus

Little TernSternula albifrons
Least TernSternula antillarum
Yellow-billed TernSternula superciliaris
Large-billed TernPhaetusa simplex
Gull-billed TernGelochelidon nilotica
Caspian TernHydroprogne caspia
Inca TernLarosterna inca
Black TernChlidonias niger
Forster's TernSterna forsteri

Arctic TernSterna paradisaea
Common TernSterna hirundo
Sandwich TernThalasseus sandvicensis
Elegant TernThalasseus elegans

Royal TernThalasseus maximus

Great Crested TernThalasseus bergii
SunbitternEurypyga helias
White-tailed TropicbirdPhaethon lepturus

Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
Arctic LoonGavia arctica
Pacific LoonGavia pacifica
Common LoonGavia immer
Laysan AlbatrossPhoebastria immutabilis

Black-footed AlbatrossPhoebastria nigripes

Fork-tailed Storm-PetrelHydrobates furcatus

Leach's Storm-PetrelHydrobates leucorhous
Northern FulmarFulmarus glacialis
Cory's ShearwaterCalonectris diomedea
Pink-footed ShearwaterArdenna creatopus
Wedge-tailed ShearwaterArdenna pacifica
Buller's ShearwaterArdenna bulleri
Sooty ShearwaterArdenna grisea

Short-tailed ShearwaterArdenna tenuirostris
Yelkouan ShearwaterPuffinus yelkouan
White StorkCiconia ciconia

JabiruJabiru mycteria
Wood StorkMycteria americana
Magnificent FrigatebirdFregata magnificens
Lesser FrigatebirdFregata ariel
Great FrigatebirdFregata minor
Red-footed BoobySula sula
Brown BoobySula leucogaster
Masked BoobySula dactylatra
Blue-footed BoobySula nebouxii
Peruvian BoobySula variegata
AnhingaAnhinga anhinga
Pygmy CormorantMicrocarbo pygmaeus
Brandt's CormorantUrile penicillatus
Pelagic CormorantUrile pelagicus
Great CormorantPhalacrocorax carbo
European ShagGulosus aristotelis
Double-crested CormorantNannopterum auritum
Neotropic CormorantNannopterum brasilianum
American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchos

Brown PelicanPelecanus occidentalis

Peruvian PelicanPelecanus thagus
Rufescent Tiger-HeronTigrisoma lineatum
Bare-throated Tiger-HeronTigrisoma mexicanum
Fasciated Tiger-HeronTigrisoma fasciatum
Boat-billed HeronCochlearius cochlearius
American BitternBotaurus lentiginosus
Least BitternIxobrychus exilis
Yellow-crowned Night HeronNyctanassa violacea

Black-crowned Night HeronNycticorax nycticorax
Capped HeronPilherodius pileatus
Little Blue HeronEgretta caerulea
Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor
Reddish EgretEgretta rufescens

Pacific Reef-HeronEgretta sacra
Snowy EgretEgretta thula

Little EgretEgretta garzetta
Striated HeronButorides striata
Green HeronButorides virescens

I have photographed and written about Green Herons in several regions in Notes from the Road, as they were one of the first birds to spike my interest in habitat and distribution. Check out my piece on Bakers Bay, Bahamas, which includes a photo of a Green Heron in the Abacos, and my other Green Heron sketch from Costa Rica.
Western Cattle EgretBubulcus ibis
Great EgretArdea alba
Gray HeronArdea cinerea
Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
Cocoi HeronArdea cocoi

White IbisEudocimus albus

Scarlet IbisEudocimus ruber
Glossy IbisPlegadis falcinellus
White-faced IbisPlegadis chihi
Green IbisMesembrinibis cayennensis
Buff-necked IbisTheristicus caudatus
African Sacred IbisThreskiornis aethiopicus
With travel comes the delirium of extreme jet lag. I woke up at 4:30 am after a long trek from Portland to Venice. While waiting for sunrise on the Ponte dell'Accademia, four large birds passed right above me. While I had studied my birds of Europe for many years, somehow, this species which is introduced to Europe, was something I never imagined seeing. But in fact, they are fairly common in the Venice Lagoon.
Eurasian SpoonbillPlatalea leucorodia
Roseate SpoonbillPlatalea ajaja

California CondorGymnogyps californianus
Andean CondorVultur gryphus

King VultureSarcoramphus papa
Black VultureCoragyps atratus
Turkey VultureCathartes aura

Lesser Yellow-headed VultureCathartes burrovianus
Also called the Savannah Vulture. I saw my first at, you guessed, it, the best place to find vultures - a garbage dump in Mexico. Lesser Yellow-headed Vultures are spectacular birds, with dense and varied coloration on their featherless heads.
Greater Yellow-headed VultureCathartes melambrotus
OspreyPandion haliaetus
Pearl KiteGampsonyx swainsonii
White-tailed KiteElanus leucurus
Gray-headed KiteLeptodon cayanensis
Swallow-tailed KiteElanoides forficatus
Eurasian GriffonGyps fulvus
Harpy EagleHarpia harpyja
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetos
Bonelli's EagleAquila fasciata
Black-collared HawkBusarellus nigricollis
Snail KiteRostrhamus sociabilis
Slender-billed KiteHelicolestes hamatus
Double-toothed KiteHarpagus bidentatus
Mississippi KiteIctinia mississippiensis
Plumbeous KiteIctinia plumbea
Western Marsh HarrierCircus aeruginosus
Swamp HarrierCircus approximans
Northern HarrierCircus hudsonius
Eurasian SparrowhawkAccipiter nisus
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatus
Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperii
Bicolored HawkAccipiter bicolor
Red KiteMilvus milvus
Black KiteMilvus migrans
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalus
Slate-colored HawkButeogallus schistaceus
Common Black HawkButeogallus anthracinus
Great Black HawkButeogallus urubitinga
Roadside HawkRupornis magnirostris

Harris's HawkParabuteo unicinctus
Variable HawkGeranoaetus polyosoma
White HawkPseudastur albicollis
Gray HawkButeo plagiatus
Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatus
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
Hawaiian HawkButeo solitarius
Short-tailed HawkButeo brachyurus
Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoni
Zone-tailed HawkButeo albonotatus
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis

Rough-legged HawkButeo lagopus
Ferruginous HawkButeo regalis
Common BuzzardButeo buteo
Barn OwlTyto alba
Tropical Screech-OwlMegascops choliba
Western Screech-OwlMegascops kennicottii
Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio
Tawny-bellied Screech-OwlMegascops watsonii
Crested OwlLophostrix cristata
Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus
Northern Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium gnoma
Ferruginous Pygmy-OwlGlaucidium brasilianum
Elf OwlMicrathene whitneyi
Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia
Mottled OwlStrix virgata
Spotted OwlStrix occidentalis
Barred OwlStrix varia
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus
Golden-headed QuetzalPharomachrus auriceps
White-tipped QuetzalPharomachrus fulgidus
Crested QuetzalPharomachrus antisianus
Slaty-tailed TrogonTrogon massena
Black-tailed TrogonTrogon melanurus
White-tailed TrogonTrogon chionurus
Baird's TrogonTrogon bairdii
Gartered TrogonTrogon caligatus
Blue-crowned TrogonTrogon curucui
Northern Black-throated TrogonTrogon tenellus
Elegant TrogonTrogon elegans
Collared TrogonTrogon collaris
Masked TrogonTrogon personatus
Eurasian HoopoeUpupa epops

Cuban TodyTodus multicolor
I wrote about my quest to find my first Cuban Tody, one of the most beautiful and mysterious of New World birds, in two articles on Cuba.

Tody MotmotHylomanes momotula
Lesson's MotmotMomotus lessonii
Whooping MotmotMomotus subrufescens
Rufous MotmotBaryphthengus martii
Broad-billed MotmotElectron platyrhynchum
Turquoise-browed MotmotEumomota superciliosa

Common KingfisherAlcedo atthis
Society KingfisherTodiramphus veneratus
I love kingfishers, and I always dreamed of beginning to see the kingfishers of the Pacific. My first chance was in Tahiti, but my plans to visit Papanoo Valley in a 4x4 fell through. I decided to take a taxi south of Papeete and just get dropped off at the Grottes de Marea area to look for Gray-green Fruit-Dove. While viewing the Fruit-Doves through my binoculars, a pair of these Society Kingfishers crept into view, and then were gone. They were tiny!
Ringed KingfisherMegaceryle torquata
Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyon

Amazon KingfisherChloroceryle amazona
American Pygmy KingfisherChloroceryle aenea
Green KingfisherChloroceryle americana
Green-and-rufous KingfisherChloroceryle inda

European RollerCoracias garrulus
White-necked PuffbirdNotharchus hyperrhynchus
Black-breasted PuffbirdNotharchus pectoralis
Pied PuffbirdNotharchus tectus
Russet-throated PuffbirdHypnelus ruficollis
White-chested PuffbirdMalacoptila fusca
White-whiskered PuffbirdMalacoptila panamensis
Brown NunletNonnula brunnea
Black-fronted NunbirdMonasa nigrifrons
White-fronted NunbirdMonasa morphoeus
Swallow-winged PuffbirdChelidoptera tenebrosa
White-eared JacamarGalbalcyrhynchus leucotis
White-throated JacamarBrachygalba albogularis
Brown JacamarBrachygalba lugubris
Yellow-billed JacamarGalbula albirostris

Rufous-tailed JacamarGalbula ruficauda

White-chinned JacamarGalbula tombacea
Purplish JacamarGalbula chalcothorax
Great JacamarJacamerops aureus
Scarlet-crowned BarbetCapito aurovirens
Spot-crowned BarbetCapito maculicoronatus
Gilded BarbetCapito auratus
Northern Emerald-ToucanetAulacorhynchus prasinus
Southern Emerald-ToucanetAulacorhynchus albivitta
Collared AracariPteroglossus torquatus

Fiery-billed AracariPteroglossus frantzii

Chestnut-eared AracariPteroglossus castanotis
Many-banded AracariPteroglossus pluricinctus

Curl-crested AracariPteroglossus beauharnaisii
Yellow-throated ToucanRamphastos ambiguus
This is a sketch of a Chestnut-mandibled Toucan, a subspecies of the Yellow-throated Toucan.

White-throated ToucanRamphastos tucanus
Keel-billed ToucanRamphastos sulfuratus
Lafresnaye's PiculetPicumnus lafresnayi
Scaled PiculetPicumnus squamulatus
Olivaceous PiculetPicumnus olivaceus
Chestnut PiculetPicumnus cinnamomeus
Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideus
Yellow-bellied SapsuckerSphyrapicus varius
Red-naped SapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalis
Red-breasted SapsuckerSphyrapicus ruber
Cuban Green WoodpeckerXiphidiopicus percussus
Lewis's WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewis
Red-headed WoodpeckerMelanerpes erythrocephalus
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorus
Yellow-tufted WoodpeckerMelanerpes cruentatus
Black-cheeked WoodpeckerMelanerpes pucherani
Hispaniolan WoodpeckerMelanerpes striatus
Yucatan WoodpeckerMelanerpes pygmaeus
Red-crowned WoodpeckerMelanerpes rubricapillus
Gila WoodpeckerMelanerpes uropygialis
Hoffmann's WoodpeckerMelanerpes hoffmannii
Golden-fronted WoodpeckerMelanerpes aurifrons
Red-bellied WoodpeckerMelanerpes carolinus
West Indian WoodpeckerMelanerpes superciliaris
Downy WoodpeckerDryobates pubescens
Ladder-backed WoodpeckerDryobates scalaris
Red-cockaded WoodpeckerDryobates borealis
Hairy WoodpeckerDryobates villosus
White-headed WoodpeckerDryobates albolarvatus
Arizona WoodpeckerDryobates arizonae

Red-stained WoodpeckerDryobates affinis
Crimson-crested WoodpeckerCampephilus melanoleucos
Pale-billed WoodpeckerCampephilus guatemalensis
Eurasian Green WoodpeckerPicus viridis
Lineated WoodpeckerDryocopus lineatus
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatus
Black WoodpeckerDryocopus martius
Cinnamon WoodpeckerCeleus loricatus
Chestnut-colored WoodpeckerCeleus castaneus
Waved WoodpeckerCeleus undatus
Cream-colored WoodpeckerCeleus flavus
Golden-green WoodpeckerPiculus chrysochloros
Golden-olive WoodpeckerColaptes rubiginosus
Crimson-mantled WoodpeckerColaptes rivolii
Spot-breasted WoodpeckerColaptes punctigula
Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
Gilded FlickerColaptes chrysoides
Laughing FalconHerpetotheres cachinnans
Crested CaracaraCaracara plancus
Red-throated CaracaraIbycter americanus
Yellow-headed CaracaraDaptrius chimachima

Black CaracaraDaptrius ater
Carunculated CaracaraDaptrius carunculatus
Eurasian KestrelFalco tinnunculus
American KestrelFalco sparverius

MerlinFalco columbarius
Bat FalconFalco rufigularis
GyrfalconFalco rusticolus
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinus
Prairie FalconFalco mexicanus
Rose-ringed ParakeetPsittacula krameri
Blue LorikeetVini peruviana
Lorikeets are the most dazzling of all the birds, and I have always been interested in the blue-colored lorikeets of the South Pacific. Blue Lorikeets were known from only eight islands in French Polynesia, and I wanted to see if I could see one while in Tikehau. None had been observed since 1984, and every effort I made to find out if they were still there turned up negative. Prior to my arrival, I reached out to locals to keep their ears out. I talked to guides and hotel staff and even a shopkeeper who kept prints of the species. Basically, the story was: almost nobody on Tikehau had ever heard of them, and the few who had had never heard of them existing there. One person told me it was impossible for them to live on the main motu, where the main village of Tuherahera was located, because there were too many people.
As we were leaving Tikehau, I was looking for butterflies outside the airport, and noticed 8 birds flying just below the canopy of palms on the other side of the runway. They were dark in color and were flocking like parrots. I ran through the birds of Tikehau in my head, and realized that there were no other birds of that size, that color or that flocking characteristic. I decided I needed a window seat on the airplane that was pointing in the direction of those palms, so I could have one last chance to confirm the species. Unfortunately, the plane was taking off the opposite direction, so my view was of the airport. But just as we were taking off, two small birds, dark blue on the top and a blue of white on the bottom, came into view.
Scarlet-shouldered ParrotletTouit huetii
Monk ParakeetMyiopsitta monachus
Yellow-chevroned ParakeetBrotogeris chiriri
Orange-chinned ParakeetBrotogeris jugularis

Cobalt-winged ParakeetBrotogeris cyanoptera
Brown-hooded ParrotPyrilia haematotis
Orange-cheeked ParrotPyrilia barrabandi
Red-billed ParrotPionus sordidus
Blue-headed ParrotPionus menstruus
White-crowned ParrotPionus senilis
Red-lored ParrotAmazona autumnalis
Yellow-naped ParrotAmazona auropalliata
Yellow-crowned ParrotAmazona ochrocephala
White-fronted ParrotAmazona albifrons
Cuban ParrotAmazona leucocephala

This is a sketch of the Abaco Parrot, a subspecies of the Cuban Parrot or Cuban Amazon. I have written about this species often in my notes on the Abacos, and have seen them flourish on the island after years of conservation efforts. Despite the tragic effects of Hurricane Dorian on wildlife in the Northern Bahamas, the resident parrots survived because of their unique ability to burrow in limestone and hide deep inside trees during the worst weather on Earth.
Hispaniolan ParrotAmazona ventralis
Mealy ParrotAmazona farinosa

Orange-winged ParrotAmazona amazonica
Scaly-naped ParrotAmazona mercenarius
Turquoise-winged ParrotletForpus spengeli
White-bellied ParrotPionites leucogaster
Santa Marta ParakeetPyrrhura viridicata
Olive-throated ParakeetEupsittula nana
Orange-fronted ParakeetEupsittula canicularis

Brown-throated ParakeetEupsittula pertinax
Dusky-headed ParakeetAratinga weddellii
Nanday ParakeetAratinga nenday
Red-bellied MacawOrthopsittaca manilatus
Blue-headed MacawPrimolius couloni
Blue-and-yellow MacawAra ararauna

Chestnut-fronted MacawAra severus
Scarlet MacawAra macao
Red-and-green MacawAra chloropterus
Crimson-fronted ParakeetPsittacara finschi
Cordilleran ParakeetPsittacara frontatus
White-eyed ParakeetPsittacara leucophthalmus
Fasciated AntshrikeCymbilaimus lineatus
Black-crested AntshrikeSakesphorus canadensis
Barred AntshrikeThamnophilus doliatus
Black-crowned AntshrikeThamnophilus atrinucha
Black-hooded AntshrikeThamnophilus bridgesi
Plain-winged AntshrikeThamnophilus schistaceus
Plain AntvireoDysithamnus mentalis
Spot-crowned AntvireoDysithamnus puncticeps
Cinereous AntshrikeThamnomanes caesius
Plain-throated AntwrenIsleria hauxwelli
Checker-throated StipplethroatEpinecrophylla fulviventris
Pygmy AntwrenMyrmotherula brachyura
White-flanked AntwrenMyrmotherula axillaris
Long-winged AntwrenMyrmotherula longipennis
Gray AntwrenMyrmotherula menetriesii
Dot-winged AntwrenMicrorhopias quixensis
Northern White-fringed AntwrenFormicivora intermedia
Santa Marta AntbirdDrymophila hellmayri
Dusky AntbirdCercomacroides tyrannina
Blackish AntbirdCercomacroides nigrescens
Riparian AntbirdCercomacroides fuscicauda
White-browed AntbirdMyrmoborus leucophrys
Black-faced AntbirdMyrmoborus myotherinus
Silvered AntbirdSclateria naevia
White-bellied AntbirdMyrmeciza longipes
Chestnut-backed AntbirdPoliocrania exsul
Sooty AntbirdHafferia fortis
White-throated AntbirdOneillornis salvini
Spotted AntbirdHylophylax naevioides
Dot-backed AntbirdHylophylax punctulatus
Black-spotted Bare-eyePhlegopsis nigromaculata
Ocellated AntbirdPhaenostictus mcleannani
White-bellied AntpittaGrallaria hypoleuca
Tawny AntpittaGrallaria quitensis
Rusty-breasted AntpittaGrallaricula ferrugineipectus
Rusty-belted TapaculoLiosceles thoracicus
Brown-rumped TapaculoScytalopus latebricola
Black-faced AntthrushFormicarius analis
Gray-throated LeaftosserSclerurus albigularis
Olivaceous WoodcreeperSittasomus griseicapillus
White-chinned WoodcreeperDendrocincla merula
Plain-brown WoodcreeperDendrocincla fuliginosa
Wedge-billed WoodcreeperGlyphorynchus spirurus
Cinnamon-throated WoodcreeperDendrexetastes rufigula
Long-billed WoodcreeperNasica longirostris
Northern Barred-WoodcreeperDendrocolaptes sanctithomae
Elegant WoodcreeperXiphorhynchus elegans
Cocoa WoodcreeperXiphorhynchus susurrans
Buff-throated WoodcreeperXiphorhynchus guttatus
Black-striped WoodcreeperXiphorhynchus lachrymosus
Spotted WoodcreeperXiphorhynchus erythropygius
Straight-billed WoodcreeperDendroplex picus
Streak-headed WoodcreeperLepidocolaptes souleyetii
Montane WoodcreeperLepidocolaptes lacrymiger
Plain XenopsXenops minutus
Buffy TuftedcheekPseudocolaptes lawrencii
Streaked TuftedcheekPseudocolaptes boissonneautii
Caribbean HorneroFurnarius longirostris
Chestnut-winged CinclodesCinclodes albidiventris
Stout-billed CinclodesCinclodes excelsior
Montane Foliage-gleanerAnabacerthia striaticollis
Santa Marta Foliage-gleanerClibanornis rufipectus
Streak-capped TreehunterThripadectes virgaticeps
Fawn-throated Foliage-gleanerAutomolus cervinigularis
Pearled TreerunnerMargarornis squamiger
Many-striped CanasteroAsthenes flammulata
Parker's SpinetailCranioleuca vulpecula
Streak-capped SpinetailCranioleuca hellmayri
Yellow-chinned SpinetailCerthiaxis cinnamomeus
White-bellied SpinetailMazaria propinqua
Slaty SpinetailSynallaxis brachyura
Azara's SpinetailSynallaxis azarae
White-whiskered SpinetailSynallaxis candei
Rusty-headed SpinetailSynallaxis fuscorufa
Lance-tailed ManakinChiroxiphia lanceolata
White-ruffed ManakinCorapipo altera
Velvety ManakinLepidothrix velutina
Orange-crowned ManakinHeterocercus aurantiivertex

Orange-collared ManakinManacus aurantiacus
Golden-collared ManakinManacus vitellinus
Striolated ManakinMachaeropterus striolatus
Red-capped ManakinCeratopipra mentalis
Golden-headed ManakinCeratopipra erythrocephala
Green-and-black FruiteaterPipreola riefferii
Golden-breasted FruiteaterPipreola aureopectus
Purple-throated FruitcrowQuerula purpurata
Amazonian UmbrellabirdCephalopterus ornatus
Turquoise CotingaCotinga ridgwayi
Spangled CotingaCotinga cayana
Screaming PihaLipaugus vociferans
Black-tailed TityraTityra cayana
Black-crowned TityraTityra inquisitor
Masked TityraTityra semifasciata
White-browed PurpletuftIodopleura isabellae
Barred BecardPachyramphus versicolor
Cinereous BecardPachyramphus rufus
White-winged BecardPachyramphus polychopterus
Ruddy-tailed FlycatcherTerenotriccus erythrurus
Sulphur-rumped FlycatcherMyiobius sulphureipygius
Black-tailed FlycatcherMyiobius atricaudus
Ochre-bellied FlycatcherMionectes oleagineus
Sepia-capped FlycatcherLeptopogon amaurocephalus
Rufous-breasted FlycatcherLeptopogon rufipectus
Yellow-green TyrannuletPhylloscartes flavovirens
Scale-crested Pygmy-TyrantLophotriccus pileatus
Pearly-vented Tody-TyrantHemitriccus margaritaceiventer
Black-throated Tody-TyrantHemitriccus granadensis
Rusty-fronted Tody-FlycatcherPoecilotriccus latirostris
Common Tody-FlycatcherTodirostrum cinereum
Yellow-browed Tody-FlycatcherTodirostrum chrysocrotaphum
Western Olivaceous FlatbillRhynchocyclus aequinoctialis
Yellow-olive FlatbillTolmomyias sulphurescens
Yellow-margined FlatbillTolmomyias assimilis
Ochre-lored FlatbillTolmomyias flaviventris
Cinnamon FlycatcherPyrrhomyias cinnamomeus
Brown-capped TyrannuletOrnithion brunneicapillus
White-tailed TyrannuletMecocerculus poecilocercus
White-banded TyrannuletMecocerculus stictopterus
White-throated TyrannuletMecocerculus leucophrys
Yellow TyrannuletCapsiempis flaveola
Forest ElaeniaMyiopagis gaimardii
Yellow-bellied ElaeniaElaenia flavogaster
Black-capped TyrannuletPhyllomyias nigrocapillus
Mistletoe TyrannuletZimmerius parvus
Slender-footed TyrannuletZimmerius gracilipes
Slender-billed TyrannuletInezia tenuirostris
Pale-tipped TyrannuletInezia caudata
Bran-colored FlycatcherMyiophobus fasciatus
Tufted FlycatcherMitrephanes phaeocercus
Olive-sided FlycatcherContopus cooperi
Smoke-colored PeweeContopus fumigatus
Western Wood-PeweeContopus sordidulus
Eastern Wood-PeweeContopus virens
Cuban PeweeContopus caribaeus

Yellow-bellied FlycatcherEmpidonax flaviventris
Acadian FlycatcherEmpidonax virescens
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
Least FlycatcherEmpidonax minimus
Hammond's FlycatcherEmpidonax hammondii
Gray FlycatcherEmpidonax wrightii
Dusky FlycatcherEmpidonax oberholseri
Western FlycatcherEmpidonax difficilis
Black PhoebeSayornis nigricans
Eastern PhoebeSayornis phoebe
Say's PhoebeSayornis saya
Northern Scrub-FlycatcherSublegatus arenarum
Vermilion FlycatcherPyrocephalus rubinus

Drab Water TyrantOchthornis littoralis
Plain-capped Ground-TyrantMuscisaxicola alpinus
Pied Water-TyrantFluvicola pica

Yellow-bellied Chat-TyrantSilvicultrix diadema
Chestnut-bellied Chat-TyrantOchthoeca cinnamomeiventris
Rufous-breasted Chat-TyrantOchthoeca rufipectoralis
Rufous-tailed FlatbillRamphotrigon ruficauda
Cinnamon AttilaAttila cinnamomeus
Bright-rumped AttilaAttila spadiceus
Dusky-capped FlycatcherMyiarchus tuberculifer
Panama FlycatcherMyiarchus panamensis
Pale-edged FlycatcherMyiarchus cephalotes
Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascens
Nutting's FlycatcherMyiarchus nuttingi
Great Crested FlycatcherMyiarchus crinitus
Brown-crested FlycatcherMyiarchus tyrannulus
La Sagra's FlycatcherMyiarchus sagrae
Cattle TyrantMachetornis rixosa
Lesser KiskadeePhilohydor lictor
Great KiskadeePitangus sulphuratus
Boat-billed FlycatcherMegarynchus pitangua
Social FlycatcherMyiozetetes similis
Gray-capped FlycatcherMyiozetetes granadensis
Golden-bellied FlycatcherMyiodynastes hemichrysus
Streaked FlycatcherMyiodynastes maculatus
Sulphur-bellied FlycatcherMyiodynastes luteiventris
Piratic FlycatcherLegatus leucophaius
Sulphury FlycatcherTyrannopsis sulphurea
Tropical KingbirdTyrannus melancholicus

Couch's KingbirdTyrannus couchii
Cassin's KingbirdTyrannus vociferans
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalis
Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannus
Gray KingbirdTyrannus dominicensis
Loggerhead KingbirdTyrannus caudifasciatus
Scissor-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus forficatus
Fork-tailed FlycatcherTyrannus savana
Black-billed PeppershrikeCyclarhis nigrirostris
Scrub GreenletHylophilus flavipes
Lesser GreenletPachysylvia decurtata
Golden-fronted GreenletPachysylvia aurantiifrons
White-eyed VireoVireo griseus
Thick-billed VireoVireo crassirostris
Mangrove VireoVireo pallens
Cuban VireoVireo gundlachii
Bell's VireoVireo bellii
Gray VireoVireo vicinior
Hutton's VireoVireo huttoni
Yellow-throated VireoVireo flavifrons
Cassin's VireoVireo cassinii
Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
Plumbeous VireoVireo plumbeus
Philadelphia VireoVireo philadelphicus
Warbling VireoVireo gilvus
Brown-capped VireoVireo leucophrys
Red-eyed VireoVireo olivaceus
Yellow-green VireoVireo flavoviridis
Black-whiskered VireoVireo altiloquus
Hawaii ElepaioChasiempis sandwichensis
Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianus
Northern ShrikeLanius borealis
Great Gray ShrikeLanius excubitor
Canada JayPerisoreus canadensis
Turquoise JayCyanolyca turcosa

White-throated Magpie-JayCalocitta formosa
Brown JayPsilorhinus morio
Black-chested JayCyanocorax affinis
Green JayCyanocorax yncas
Yucatan JayCyanocorax yucatanicus
Violaceous JayCyanocorax violaceus
Pinyon JayGymnorhinus cyanocephalus
Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleri
Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
California Scrub-JayAphelocoma californica
Woodhouse's Scrub-JayAphelocoma woodhouseii
Mexican JayAphelocoma wollweberi
Eurasian JayGarrulus glandarius
Eurasian MagpiePica pica
Black-billed MagpiePica hudsonia

Clark's NutcrackerNucifraga columbiana
Eurasian JackdawCorvus monedula
RookCorvus frugilegus
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
Cuban CrowCorvus nasicus
Fish CrowCorvus ossifragus
Carrion CrowCorvus corone
Hooded CrowCorvus cornix
Common RavenCorvus corax
Coal TitPeriparus ater
Willow TitPoecile montanus
Carolina ChickadeePoecile carolinensis
Black-capped ChickadeePoecile atricapillus
Mountain ChickadeePoecile gambeli
Chestnut-backed ChickadeePoecile rufescens
Eurasian Blue TitCyanistes caeruleus
Bridled TitmouseBaeolophus wollweberi
Juniper TitmouseBaeolophus ridgwayi
Tufted TitmouseBaeolophus bicolor
Great TitParus major
VerdinAuriparus flaviceps
Eurasian Penduline-TitRemiz pendulinus
Horned LarkEremophila alpestris

Thekla's LarkGalerida theklae
Crested LarkGalerida cristata
Zitting CisticolaCisticola juncidis
Icterine WarblerHippolais icterina
Common Reed WarblerAcrocephalus scirpaceus
Black-capped DonacobiusDonacobius atricapilla
Bank SwallowRiparia riparia
Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
White-winged SwallowTachycineta albiventer
Mangrove SwallowTachycineta albilinea
Violet-green SwallowTachycineta thalassina
Bahama SwallowTachycineta cyaneoviridis
Purple MartinProgne subis
Gray-breasted MartinProgne chalybea
Northern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennis
Southern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx ruficollis
White-thighed SwallowAtticora tibialis
White-banded SwallowAtticora fasciata
Blue-and-white SwallowPygochelidon cyanoleuca
Brown-bellied SwallowOrochelidon murina
Barn SwallowHirundo rustica
Western House-MartinDelichon urbicum
Red-rumped SwallowCecropis daurica
Cliff SwallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave SwallowPetrochelidon fulva
Common BulbulPycnonotus barbatus
Red-vented BulbulPycnonotus cafer
Willow WarblerPhylloscopus trochilus
Common ChiffchaffPhylloscopus collybita
Long-tailed TitAegithalos caudatus
BushtitPsaltriparus minimus
Eurasian BlackcapSylvia atricapilla
Sardinian WarblerCurruca melanocephala

WrentitChamaea fasciata
Warbling White-eyeZosterops japonicus
SilvereyeZosterops lateralis
Chinese HwameiGarrulax canorus
Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendula
Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapa

White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensis

Pygmy NuthatchSitta pygmaea
Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla

Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
Eurasian NuthatchSitta europaea
Eurasian TreecreeperCerthia familiaris
Brown CreeperCerthia americana

Short-toed TreecreeperCerthia brachydactyla
Tropical GnatcatcherPolioptila plumbea
Yucatan GnatcatcherPolioptila albiventris

White-browed GnatcatcherPolioptila bilineata
Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caerulea

Black-tailed GnatcatcherPolioptila melanura
White-lored GnatcatcherPolioptila albiloris
Rock WrenSalpinctes obsoletus
Canyon WrenCatherpes mexicanus
House WrenTroglodytes aedon

Mountain WrenTroglodytes solstitialis
Eurasian WrenTroglodytes troglodytes
Pacific WrenTroglodytes pacificus
Winter WrenTroglodytes hiemalis
Sedge WrenCistothorus stellaris
Grass WrenCistothorus platensis
Marsh WrenCistothorus palustris
Carolina WrenThryothorus ludovicianus
Bewick's WrenThryomanes bewickii
Rufous-naped WrenCampylorhynchus rufinucha
Yucatan WrenCampylorhynchus yucatanicus
Cactus WrenCampylorhynchus brunneicapillus

Stripe-backed WrenCampylorhynchus nuchalis
Bicolored WrenCampylorhynchus griseus
Black-bellied WrenPheugopedius fasciatoventris
Rufous-breasted WrenPheugopedius rutilus
Spot-breasted WrenPheugopedius maculipectus
Banded WrenThryophilus pleurostictus
Rufous-and-white WrenThryophilus rufalbus
Cabanis's WrenCantorchilus modestus
Isthmian WrenCantorchilus elutus
Riverside WrenCantorchilus semibadius
Bay WrenCantorchilus nigricapillus
Buff-breasted WrenCantorchilus leucotis
Sharpe's WrenCinnycerthia olivascens
White-breasted Wood-WrenHenicorhina leucosticta
Gray-breasted Wood-WrenHenicorhina leucophrys
Song WrenCyphorhinus phaeocephalus
Musician WrenCyphorhinus arada
American DipperCinclus mexicanus
White-capped DipperCinclus leucocephalus
European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
Spotless StarlingSturnus unicolor
Common MynaAcridotheres tristis
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensis
Pearly-eyed ThrasherMargarops fuscatus
Read about how I discovered the northern-most record of the Pearly-eyed Thrasher on Great Abaco, Bahamas.

Curve-billed ThrasherToxostoma curvirostre
Brown ThrasherToxostoma rufum
Gray ThrasherToxostoma cinereum
California ThrasherToxostoma redivivum
Crissal ThrasherToxostoma crissale
Sage ThrasherOreoscoptes montanus
Bahama MockingbirdMimus gundlachii
Tropical MockingbirdMimus gilvus
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottos
Eastern BluebirdSialia sialis
Western BluebirdSialia mexicana
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoides
Townsend's SolitaireMyadestes townsendi
Andean SolitaireMyadestes ralloides
PuaiohiMyadestes palmeri
Varied ThrushIxoreus naevius
Orange-billed Nightingale-ThrushCatharus aurantiirostris
VeeryCatharus fuscescens
Gray-cheeked ThrushCatharus minimus
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatus
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatus
Wood ThrushHylocichla mustelina
RedwingTurdus iliacus
Eurasian BlackbirdTurdus merula
Pale-breasted ThrushTurdus leucomelas
Pale-vented ThrushTurdus obsoletus
White-throated ThrushTurdus assimilis
Clay-colored ThrushTurdus grayi
American RobinTurdus migratorius
Rufous-backed RobinTurdus rufopalliatus
Black-billed ThrushTurdus ignobilis
Chestnut-bellied ThrushTurdus fulviventris
Great ThrushTurdus fuscater
Glossy-black ThrushTurdus serranus
Red-legged ThrushTurdus plumbeus

Spotted FlycatcherMuscicapa striata
White-rumped ShamaCopsychus malabaricus
European RobinErithacus rubecula
Black RedstartPhoenicurus ochruros
Blue Rock-ThrushMonticola solitarius
European StonechatSaxicola rubicola
Northern WheatearOenanthe oenanthe
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
PhainopeplaPhainopepla nitens
PalmchatDulus dominicus
African SilverbillEuodice cantans
Java SparrowPadda oryzivora
Chestnut-breasted MuniaLonchura castaneothorax
Common WaxbillEstrilda astrild
Siberian AccentorPrunella montanella
House SparrowPasser domesticus
Italian SparrowPasser italiae
Spanish SparrowPasser hispaniolensis
Eurasian Tree SparrowPasser montanus
Gray WagtailMotacilla cinerea
Western Yellow WagtailMotacilla flava
White WagtailMotacilla alba

Meadow PipitAnthus pratensis
Tree PipitAnthus trivialis
Water PipitAnthus spinoletta
American PipitAnthus rubescens
Common ChaffinchFringilla coelebs
Golden-rumped EuphoniaChlorophonia cyanocephala
Blue-naped ChlorophoniaChlorophonia cyanea
Chestnut-breasted ChlorophoniaChlorophonia pyrrhophrys
Trinidad EuphoniaEuphonia trinitatis
Yellow-crowned EuphoniaEuphonia luteicapilla
White-vented EuphoniaEuphonia minuta
Yellow-throated EuphoniaEuphonia hirundinacea
Thick-billed EuphoniaEuphonia laniirostris
Spot-crowned EuphoniaEuphonia imitans
Olive-backed EuphoniaEuphonia gouldi
Fulvous-vented EuphoniaEuphonia fulvicrissa
Tawny-capped EuphoniaEuphonia anneae
Orange-bellied EuphoniaEuphonia xanthogaster
Rufous-bellied EuphoniaEuphonia rufiventris
Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinus
ApapaneHimatione sanguinea
AnianiauMagumma parva
Hawaii AmakihiChlorodrepanis virens
Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleator
Gray-crowned Rosy-FinchLeucosticte tephrocotis
House FinchHaemorhous mexicanus
Purple FinchHaemorhous purpureus
Cassin's FinchHaemorhous cassinii
European GreenfinchChloris chloris
Yellow-fronted CanaryCrithagra mozambica
Eurasian LinnetLinaria cannabina
Common RedpollAcanthis flammea
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
European GoldfinchCarduelis carduelis

European SerinSerinus serinus
Eurasian SiskinSpinus spinus
Pine SiskinSpinus pinus
Lesser GoldfinchSpinus psaltria
Lawrence's GoldfinchSpinus lawrencei
American GoldfinchSpinus tristis
Hooded SiskinSpinus magellanicus
Lapland LongspurCalcarius lapponicus
Snow BuntingPlectrophenax nivalis
Corn BuntingEmberiza calandra
House BuntingEmberiza sahari
Reed BuntingEmberiza schoeniclus
Short-billed ChlorospingusChlorospingus parvirostris
Common ChlorospingusChlorospingus flavopectus
Stripe-headed SparrowPeucaea ruficauda
Grasshopper SparrowAmmodramus savannarum
Yellow-browed SparrowAmmodramus aurifrons
Black-striped SparrowArremonops conirostris
Tocuyo SparrowArremonops tocuyensis
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerina
Clay-colored SparrowSpizella pallida
Field SparrowSpizella pusilla
Brewer's SparrowSpizella breweri
Black-throated SparrowAmphispiza bilineata
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacus
Lark BuntingCalamospiza melanocorys
Sierra Nevada BrushfinchArremon basilicus
Orange-billed SparrowArremon aurantiirostris
Golden-winged SparrowArremon schlegeli
Chestnut-capped BrushfinchArremon brunneinucha
American Tree SparrowSpizelloides arborea
Fox SparrowPasserella iliaca
Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
Yellow-eyed JuncoJunco phaeonotus
Rufous-collared SparrowZonotrichia capensis
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrys

Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapilla
Harris's SparrowZonotrichia querula
White-throated SparrowZonotrichia albicollis
Sagebrush SparrowArtemisiospiza nevadensis
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineus
Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensis

Song SparrowMelospiza melodia
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolnii

Swamp SparrowMelospiza georgiana
Canyon TowheeMelozone fusca
Abert's TowheeMelozone aberti
California TowheeMelozone crissalis
Rufous-crowned SparrowAimophila ruficeps
Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurus
Spotted TowheePipilo maculatus
Eastern TowheePipilo erythrophthalmus
Santa Marta BrushfinchAtlapetes melanocephalus
Slaty BrushfinchAtlapetes schistaceus
Pale-naped BrushfinchAtlapetes pallidinucha
Western SpindalisSpindalis zena

Yellow-breasted ChatIcteria virens
Yellow-headed BlackbirdXanthocephalus xanthocephalus
BobolinkDolichonyx oryzivorus
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglecta
Eastern MeadowlarkSturnella magna
Yellow-billed CaciqueAmblycercus holosericeus
Russet-backed OropendolaPsarocolius angustifrons
Crested OropendolaPsarocolius decumanus
Chestnut-headed OropendolaPsarocolius wagleri
Montezuma OropendolaPsarocolius montezuma
Olive OropendolaPsarocolius bifasciatus
Scarlet-rumped CaciqueCacicus uropygialis
Yellow-rumped CaciqueCacicus cela
Mountain CaciqueCacicus chrysonotus
Black-cowled OrioleIcterus prosthemelas
Orchard OrioleIcterus spurius
Hooded OrioleIcterus cucullatus
Yellow-backed OrioleIcterus chrysater
Orange-crowned OrioleIcterus auricapillus
Yellow-tailed OrioleIcterus mesomelas
Streak-backed OrioleIcterus pustulatus
Bullock's OrioleIcterus bullockii
Orange OrioleIcterus auratus
Yellow OrioleIcterus nigrogularis
Altamira OrioleIcterus gularis
Baltimore OrioleIcterus galbula
Scott's OrioleIcterus parisorum
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
Tricolored BlackbirdAgelaius tricolor
Tawny-shouldered BlackbirdAgelaius humeralis
Shiny CowbirdMolothrus bonariensis
Bronzed CowbirdMolothrus aeneus
Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus ater
Giant CowbirdMolothrus oryzivorus
Melodious BlackbirdDives dives
Scrub BlackbirdDives warczewiczi
Cuban BlackbirdPtiloxena atroviolacea
Rusty BlackbirdEuphagus carolinus

Brewer's BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalus
Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula
Boat-tailed GrackleQuiscalus major
Great-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanus

Greater Antillean GrackleQuiscalus niger
Carib GrackleQuiscalus lugubris
Oriole BlackbirdGymnomystax mexicanus
OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
Louisiana WaterthrushParkesia motacilla
Northern WaterthrushParkesia noveboracensis
Golden-winged WarblerVermivora chrysoptera
Blue-winged WarblerVermivora cyanoptera
Black-and-white WarblerMniotilta varia
Prothonotary WarblerProtonotaria citrea
Tennessee WarblerLeiothlypis peregrina
Orange-crowned WarblerLeiothlypis celata
Lucy's WarblerLeiothlypis luciae
Nashville WarblerLeiothlypis ruficapilla

Virginia's WarblerLeiothlypis virginiae
I picked up my 1,129th life bird in Portland, Oregon. This bird summers in the American desert southwest, but winters on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and as far south as Belize. Somehow, an individual went the wrong way and ended up helping to keep Portland weird.
MacGillivray's WarblerGeothlypis tolmiei
Kentucky WarblerGeothlypis formosa
Belding's YellowthroatGeothlypis beldingi
Bahama YellowthroatGeothlypis rostrata

Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichas
Hooded WarblerSetophaga citrina
American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
Cape May WarblerSetophaga tigrina
Cerulean WarblerSetophaga cerulea
Northern ParulaSetophaga americana
Magnolia WarblerSetophaga magnolia
Blackburnian WarblerSetophaga fusca
Yellow WarblerSetophaga petechia
Chestnut-sided WarblerSetophaga pensylvanica
Blackpoll WarblerSetophaga striata
Black-throated Blue WarblerSetophaga caerulescens
Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarum
Olive-capped WarblerSetophaga pityophila
Pine WarblerSetophaga pinus
Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata

Yellow-throated WarblerSetophaga dominica
Bahama WarblerSetophaga flavescens
Prairie WarblerSetophaga discolor
Black-throated Gray WarblerSetophaga nigrescens
Townsend's WarblerSetophaga townsendi
Hermit WarblerSetophaga occidentalis
Black-throated Green WarblerSetophaga virens
Chestnut-capped WarblerBasileuterus delattrii

Three-striped WarblerBasileuterus tristriatus
Santa Marta WarblerMyiothlypis basilica
Black-crested WarblerMyiothlypis nigrocristata
Buff-rumped WarblerMyiothlypis fulvicauda
White-lored WarblerMyiothlypis conspicillata
Russet-crowned WarblerMyiothlypis coronata
Canada WarblerCardellina canadensis
Wilson's WarblerCardellina pusilla
Painted RedstartMyioborus pictus
Slate-throated RedstartMyioborus miniatus
Yellow-crowned RedstartMyioborus flavivertex
Spectacled RedstartMyioborus melanocephalus
Hepatic TanagerPiranga flava
Summer TanagerPiranga rubra
Scarlet TanagerPiranga olivacea
Western TanagerPiranga ludoviciana

Red-crowned Ant-TanagerHabia rubica
Red-throated Ant-TanagerHabia fuscicauda
Carmiol's TanagerChlorothraupis carmioli
Black-faced GrosbeakCaryothraustes poliogaster
Vermilion CardinalCardinalis phoeniceus
Northern CardinalCardinalis cardinalis
PyrrhuloxiaCardinalis sinuatus
Golden GrosbeakPheucticus chrysogaster
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianus
Black-headed GrosbeakPheucticus melanocephalus
Blue-black GrosbeakCyanoloxia cyanoides
Blue GrosbeakPasserina caerulea
Lazuli BuntingPasserina amoena
Indigo BuntingPasserina cyanea
Painted BuntingPasserina ciris

DickcisselSpiza americana
Red-crested CardinalParoaria coronata

Red-capped CardinalParoaria gularis

Yellow-billed CardinalParoaria capitata
Magpie TanagerCissopis leverianus
Black-capped HemispingusKleinothraupis atropileus
Orange-headed TanagerThlypopsis sordida
Gray-headed TanagerEucometis penicillata
White-shouldered TanagerLoriotus luctuosus
Tawny-crested TanagerTachyphonus delatrii
White-lined TanagerTachyphonus rufus
Black-throated Shrike-TanagerLanio aurantius
Flame-rumped TanagerRamphocelus flammigerus
Scarlet-rumped TanagerRamphocelus passerinii
Silver-beaked TanagerRamphocelus carbo
Crimson-backed TanagerRamphocelus dimidiatus
Hooded Mountain TanagerButhraupis montana
Blue-capped TanagerSporathraupis cyanocephala
Black-cheeked Mountain TanagerAnisognathus melanogenys
Lacrimose Mountain TanagerAnisognathus lacrymosus
Blue-winged Mountain TanagerAnisognathus somptuosus
Fawn-breasted TanagerPipraeidea melanonota
Blue-and-yellow TanagerRauenia bonariensis
Blue-gray TanagerThraupis episcopus
Palm TanagerThraupis palmarum
Black-headed TanagerStilpnia cyanoptera
Black-capped TanagerStilpnia heinei
Scrub TanagerStilpnia vitriolina
Masked TanagerStilpnia nigrocincta
Golden-hooded TanagerStilpnia larvata
Blue-and-black TanagerTangara vassorii
Beryl-spangled TanagerTangara nigroviridis
Plain-colored TanagerTangara inornata
Turquoise TanagerTangara mexicana
Paradise TanagerTangara chilensis
Opal-crowned TanagerTangara callophrys
Rufous-winged TanagerTangara lavinia

Bay-headed TanagerTangara gyrola
Saffron-crowned TanagerTangara xanthocephala
Flame-faced TanagerTangara parzudakii
Green-and-gold TanagerTangara schrankii
Silver-throated TanagerTangara icterocephala
Scarlet-thighed DacnisDacnis venusta
Blue DacnisDacnis cayana

Shining HoneycreeperCyanerpes lucidus

Purple HoneycreeperCyanerpes caeruleus
Red-legged HoneycreeperCyanerpes cyaneus

Green HoneycreeperChlorophanes spiza
Bicolored ConebillConirostrum bicolor
Blue-backed ConebillConirostrum sitticolor
Capped ConebillConirostrum albifrons
Cinereous ConebillConirostrum cinereum
Black FlowerpiercerDiglossa humeralis
White-sided FlowerpiercerDiglossa albilatera
Rusty FlowerpiercerDiglossa sittoides
Bluish FlowerpiercerDiglossa caerulescens
Masked FlowerpiercerDiglossa cyanea
PlushcapCatamblyrhynchus diadema
Saffron FinchSicalis flaveola
Blue-black GrassquitVolatinia jacarina
Chestnut-bellied SeedeaterSporophila castaneiventris
Ruddy-breasted SeedeaterSporophila minuta
Thick-billed Seed-FinchSporophila funerea
Variable SeedeaterSporophila corvina
Morelet's SeedeaterSporophila morelleti

Yellow-bellied SeedeaterSporophila nigricollis
Pileated FinchCoryphospingus pileatus
BananaquitCoereba flaveola
Yellow-faced GrassquitTiaris olivaceus
Greater Antillean BullfinchMelopyrrha violacea
Lesser Antillean BullfinchLoxigilla noctis
Black-faced GrassquitMelanospiza bicolor
Dull-colored GrassquitAsemospiza obscura
Buff-throated SaltatorSaltator maximus
Black-headed SaltatorSaltator atriceps
Olive-gray SaltatorSaltator olivascens
Cinnamon-bellied SaltatorSaltator grandis
Streaked SaltatorSaltator striatipectus
Explore more in About Us
Contact Me
Write to Erik Gauger of Notes from the Road
Bird Life List
A list of all the birds I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Butterfly Life List
A list of all the butterflies I've identified in my life, with photographs.
Reptile Life List
A list of all the reptiles I've identfiied in my life, with illustrations.
Amphibian Life List
A list of all the amphibians I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Dragonflies and Damselflies List
A list of all the Odonata insects I've seen in my life, with illustrations.
Mammal Life List
A list of all the mammals I've seen in my life.
Spider and Arachnid List
A collection of photographs of spiders and other arachnids I've seen while photographing for Notes from the Road.
Fishes Life List
Explore my list of fish species that I have identified.
Grateful Dead Jams
My list of extraordinary road-trip approved Grateful Dead jams.
Phish Jams
My list of the best Phish jams for traveling and road trips.
Alley Cats of the World
My gallery of feral, stray and wild country cats.