Ornithology

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LIST OF BIRD ORDERS, FAMILIES, CHARACTERISTICS AND COMMON NAMES IN TAXONOMICAL ORDER

 

You must know the order, family, common name, habitat, and habits and be able to identify by sight each species marked with a  . There are about 190 species on the list.  In addition, you will be expected to learn the vocalization for the 59 species labeled with a  symbol. You can get extra credit for learning the vocalizations for the 22 species labeled  .

 

Thayer Birding Software Checklist - VIRGINIA Birds on this list: 190
Order Gaviiformes  Loons
Family Gaviidae     Loons
Characteristics for family and order: Single holarctic family Large, diving waterbirds (carry young on back) Long, straight bill (chisel-like) / short neck duck-like aquatic birds -- eat mostly fish breed in fresh water, any winter on ocean legs far back on body -- foot-propelled diving birds (like Podicipeds)(excellent for diving, difficult for walking) 3 front toes fully webbed; spear-shaped bills (palmate feet) plumage heavy and waterproof; long-lived, monogamous Males and females appear the same; both with alternate and basic plumage holarctic
	Common Loon vocalization	Gavia immer
Order Podicipediformes         Grebes    Family Podicipedidae         Grebes
Characteristics for family and order: Small – medium-sized diving waterbirds (carry young on back) Most chisel-like bill, except pied-billed grebe aquatic, diving fish eaters; foot-propelled diving birds legs far back on body --facilitates swimming, makes walking on land difficult Lobate feet with flattened nails tail reduced; dense, satiny plumage; feathers waterproof due to oily secretions eat own feathers! the feathers trap fish bones which are digested or regurgitated floating nests; carry young on backs worldwide
	Pied-billed Grebe	Podilymbus podiceps
Order Procellariiformes   Albatrosses, Shearwaters, Storm-Petrels, etc
Characteristics of the order:
Birds of the sea, well-adapted for flight tube-nosed (tubular nostrils) seabirds (many w/ long thin wings, held stiffly for soaring) hooked bill; well-developed sense of smell; plumage dense, waterproof gland for concentrating and excreting salt -- in orbit; 3 front toes webbed single egg w/ long incubation period --long-lived all oceans --more common in southern hemisphere
Family Procellariidae          Shearwaters and Petrels
Characteristics of the family:
Small to large seabirds, gull-like
	Sooty Shearwater	Puffinus griseus
Order Pelicaniformes   Pelicans, Cormorants, Gannets, etc
Characteristics of the order:
worldwide, more common in tropics Totipalmate feet, gular sac, short legs and long wings
Family Sulidae   Gannets and Boobies
Characteristics of the family:
Large seabirds with pointed wings and tail chisel-like bill / small, mostly feathered gular sac
	Northern Gannet	Morus bassanus
Family Pelicanidae      Pelicans
Characteristics of the family:
Very large, gregarious waterbirds dive and scoop to get prey - distinctive bill very large gular pouch (also cooperate - herd fish); expandable pouch
	Brown Pelican	Pelecanus occidentalis
Family Phalacrocoracidae           Cormorants
Characteristics of the family:
pursue prey underwater; elongate body, neck, tail long, thin, tubular bill, strongly hooked Perched with crook in neck, often seen with wings fanned out as vultures
	Double-crested Cormorant	Phalacrocorax auritus
Order Ciconiiformes   Herons, Egrets,Storks, etc
Characteristics of the order:
long-legged, long-necked -- wade in shallow water often breed colonially very diverse bill size/shapes (dependent on fishing styles) worldwide distribution
Family Ardeidae     Herons, Egrets and Bitterns
Characteristics of the family:
largest family specialized vertebrae: allow spearing, folding neck into "S" long, spear-shaped bills (eat fish, frogs) have powderdowns which aid in feather care Medium to large waders, mostly colonial breeders slender body
	American Bittern vocalization	Botaurus lentiginosus
	Great Blue Heron  vocalization	Ardea herodias
	Great Egret Snowy Egret	Ardea alba Egretta thula
	Green Heron	Butorides virescens
Family Threskiornithidae    Ibis and Spoonbills
Characteristics of the family:
grooved bills (Ibises --long, curved bills; Spoonbills -- flat, spatulate bills) Medium to large waders, highly gregarious Long bill – decurved or broadly spatulate Front toes webbed at base
	Glossy Ibis	Plegadis falcinellus
	White Ibis	Eudocimus albus
Family Cathartidae       New World Vultures
Characteristics of the family:
head and neck bare; lack syrinx perforated nostrils Large to very large soaring scavengers Bare skin on head and neck Often seen sunning with spread wings
	Black Vulture	Coragyps atratus
	Turkey Vulture	Cathartes aura
Order Anseriformes    Waterfowl and Screamers
Characteristics of the order:
aquatic / semi-aquatic birds that swim and fly well short-legged, long-necked; feathered oil-gland; precocial young worldwide
Family Anatidae     Waterfowl
Characteristics of the family:
bill flat, wide, rounded at end w/ combed serrations at edges, depressed, lamellate or serrate bill legs short w/ 3 toes webbed, palmate feet Medium to very large waterfowl, highly social during non-breeding season
	Tundra Swan	Cygnus columbianus
	Mute Swan	Cygnus olor
	Snow Goose	Anser caerulescens
	Brant	Branta bernicla
	Canada Goose [vocalization]	Branta canadensis
	Wood Duck [vocalization]	Aix sponsa
	Green-winged Teal	Anas crecca
	American Black Duck	Anas rubripes
	Mallard  [vocalization]	Anas platyrhynchos
	Northern Pintail	Anas acuta
	Blue-winged Teal	Anas discors
	Northern Shoveler	Anas clypeata
	Gadwall	Anas strepera
	American Wigeon	Anas americana
	Redhead	Aythya americana
	Ring-necked Duck	Aythya collaris
	Greater Scaup	Aythya marila
	Lesser Scaup	Aythya affinis
	Long-tailed duck	Clangula hyemalis
	Black Scoter	Melanitta nigra
	Common Goldeneye	Bucephala clangula
	Bufflehead	Bucephala albeola
	Hooded Merganser	Lophodytes cucullatus
	Common Merganser	Mergus merganser
	Red-breasted Merganser	Mergus serrator
Order Columbiformes   Pigeons, Doves, Solitaires, and Dodo
Characteristics of the order:
plump-bodies with small heads, short bills, short legs large crop -- produces crop milk (for offspring) clutch size = 2; biparental care worldwide
Family Columbidae     Pigeons and Doves
Characteristics of the family:
worldwide dense plumage  bill with fleshy cere  head small flight strong biparental care with young fed "pigeon's milk" produced by crop  sexes similar; generally monogamous  usually two eggs in flimsy nest.
	Rock Dove	Columba livia
	Mourning Dove [vocalization]	Zenaida macroura
Order Cuculiformes   Cuckoos, Anis, Coucals, etc
Characteristics of the order:
Two toes forward, two back with outer hind toe reversible (zygodactyl) Long, decurved bill / upper bill not moveable Several species parasitic - all Old World and 3 New World species, none in USA
Family Cuculidae       Old World Cuckoos
Characteristics of the family:
slender, long-tailed (usually); bill usually thin and down-curved zygodactyl feet; 8-10 (instead of 10-14) rectrices worldwide; Old World species are parasitic
	Yellow-billed Cuckoo [vocalization]	Coccyzus americanus
Order Strigiformes  Owls
Characteristics of the order:
mostly nocturnal birds of prey; small heavily decurved bills strong feet with long sharp claws; zygodactyl toes large heads and eyes with facial disks that concentrate sound and increase hearing sensitivity asymmetrical ear openings in some -- improves localization ability specialized telescopic vision often feathered legs and toes; outer toe can be reversed soft specialized plumage -- muffles sound; cryptically colored eyes fixed -- turn head from side to side (up to 270 degrees) worldwide regurgitate pellets female often larger than male
Family Tytonidae        Barn-Owls
Characteristics of the family:
Facial disk heart-shaped Legs longer than tail / tarsus feathered, toes bare
	Barn Owl	Tyto alba
Family StrigidaeOwls
Characteristics of the family:
Facial disk rounded Legs shorter than tail / tarsus feathered, toes feathered in some species
	Screech-Owl  [vocalization]	Otus asio
	Great Horned Owl [vocalization]	Bubo virginianus
	Barred Owl [vocalization]	Strix varia
Order Caprimulgiformes   Nightjars, Pootoos, Frogmouths, etc
Characteristics of the order:
Medium-sized nocturnal or crepuscular soft plumage, usually cryptic; often long bristles surrounding bill short weak legs and feet; long pointed wings; flight strong but erratic small bill with wide gape;stiff rictal bristles clutch size 1 or 2 worldwide
Family Caprimulgidae    Nightjars
Catch insects on the fly Comb on middle claw
	Common Nighthawk [vocalization]	Chordeiles minor
	Whip-poor-will [vocalization]	Caprimulgus vociferus
Order Apodiformes  Swifts and Hummingbirds
Characteristics of the order:
small or very small birds with extremely short legs and weak tiny feet; very accomplished fliers very small humerus; 10 long primaries, short secondaries clutch size 1 or 2
Family Apodidae  Swifts
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized aerial foragers tiny bill; gregarious; insect-feeder; sexually monomorphic Body streamlined, spend most of their time in the air nest on sides of cliffs, caves, hollow trees, chimneys worldwide
	Chimney Swift	Chaetura pelagica
Family Trochilidae   Hummingbirds
Characteristics of the family:
Smallest birds long slender bill, pointed (terete); nectar-feeders; solitary very agile fliers; sexually dimorphic Sternum and flight muscles large, wing rotates at shoulder joint Hover when foraging Males have irridescent feathers New World
	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Archilochus colubris
Order Coraciiformes  Kingfishers, Bee-Eaters, Rollers, etc
Characteristics of the order:
mostly stocky birds with large heads, prominent bills conspicuous; brightly colored; many gregarious and noisy small syndactyl feet (two toes 2 and 3 partially fused); mostly long prominent bill; carnivorous hole-nesters; altricial young; often cooperative breeders worldwide
Family Alcedinidae     Kingfishers
Characteristics of the family:
Often crested Stout body and short neck Wings short and rounded
	Belted Kingfisher [vocalization]	Ceryle alcyon
Order Piciformes  Woodpeckers, Toucans, Honeyguides, etc
Characteristics of the order:
Zygodactyl feet; long, barb-tipped tongues; pointed, stiff rectrices unique arrangement of tendons in toes very diverse bill shapes Drill into wood for food and excavating nest cavities cavity nesters; altricial young worldwide, excluding Australasia Flight often undulating
Family Picidae    Woodpeckers
Characteristics of the family:
Bill strong, chisel-like pointed, stiff rectrices (tail feathers)
	Red-headed Woodpecker [vocalization]	Melanerpes erythrocephalus
	Red-bellied Woodpecker [vocalization]	Melanerpes carolinus
	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker [vocalization]	Sphyrapicus varius
	Downy Woodpecker	Picoides pubescens
	Hairy Woodpecker [vocalization]	Picoides villosus
	Red-cockaded Woodpecker	Picoides borealis
	Northern Flicker [vocalization]	Colaptes auratus
	Pileated Woodpecker [vocalization]	Dryocopus pileatus
Order Falconiformes    Hawks, Eagles, Falcons, etc
Characteristics of the order:
diurnal birds of prey short, strongly hooked bills; sharp, strong feet with grasping claws - curved talons (claws) semi-precocial young (downy, eyes open, but dependent for long time) worldwide distribution Strong fliers Females usually larger than male
Family Accipitridae    Hawks, Eagles and Kites
Characteristics of the family:
wings broad and rounded; short neck cere and eye-ring bare -often brightly colored
	Osprey	Pandion haliaetus
	Bald Eagle	Haliaeetus leucocephalus
	Northern Harrier	Circus cyaneus
	Sharp-shinned Hawk	Accipiter striatus
	Cooper's Hawk	Accipiter cooperii
	Red-shouldered Hawk [vocalization]	Buteo lineatus
	Broad-winged Hawk [vocalization]	Buteo platypterus
	Red-tailed Hawk  [vocalization]	Buteo jamaicensis
	Rough-legged Hawk	Buteo lagopus
	Golden Eagle	Aquila chrysaetos
Family Falconidae Falcons and Caracaras
Characteristics of the family:
wings long and pointed; bill short, hooked; cere and eye-ring bare
	American Kestrel vocalization	Falco sparverius
	Merlin	Falco columbarius
	Peregrine Falcon	Falco peregrinus
Order Galliformes    Pheasants, Guineafowl, Cracids, etc
Characteristics of the order:
medium to large terrestrial species; strong legs, heavy feet Legs well-developed for walking primarily ground birds hind toe always present, often raised above ground Wings short and rounded bill short, conical w/ curved culmen (downcurved bill with overlapping tip) large clutches, precocial young; often cryptically colored; large muscular gizzard worldwide Distribution
Family Phasianidae        Pheasants, Grouse, Quail and Turkeys
Characteristics of the family:
often brightly colored, wattled, generally, sexually dimorphic  wings strong, rounded; legs strong, sometimes spurred  sedentary; gregarious; largely terrestrial; roost on trees at night  bill short and thick; grouse with feathered nostrils, inflatable neck sacs, feathered tarsi  feed on seeds, fruits, buds, invertebrates, leaves  worldwide Distribution elaborate courtship displays; some species polygynous, especially among pheasants and grouse;  eggs 2-20, plain or spotted, in simple nest on ground.
	Ring-necked Pheasant vocalization	Phasianus colchicus
	Ruffed Grouse vocalization	Bonasa umbellus
	Wild Turkey [vocalization]	Meleagris gallopavo
	Northern Bobwhite [vocalization]	Colinus virginianus
Order Gruiformes  Rails, Cranes, Bustards, etc
Characteristics of the order:
no crop; most with oil gland; primarily precocial young Fly with neck straight very diverse -- shared features of palate and skeleton many aquatic; many shy, hard-to-see species worldwide
Family Rallidae     Rails and Coots
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized waterbirds Shy, mostly solitary Body compressed laterally Bill variable, usually slightly decurved Short tail
	Virginia Rail	Rallus limicola
	American Coot	Fulica americana
Order Charadriiformes  Gulls, Terns, Alcids, Sandpipers, etc
Characteristics of the order:
waders, swimmers, divers (all water birds or derived from water birds) all have distinct palate, syringeal muscles, and vertebral column worldwide very diverse; many bear no outward resemblance to each other
Family Charadriidae    Plovers and Lapwings
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized shorebirds Upright posture, rounded head, and short, thick neck Bill relatively short and compressed near tip (stubby bills, often swollen at tip) Broken-wing display when nest or young approached waders
	Black-bellied Plover	Pluvialis squatarola
	Piping Plover [vocalization]	Charadrius melodus
	Killdeer [vocalization]	Charadrius vociferus
Family Haematopodidae   Oystercatchers
Characteristics of the family:
worldwide near water bill red, stout, long, laterally compressed;  legs pink; plumage black or black-and-white;  neck short; wings long, pointed; tail short;  legs, feet stout; 3 toes slightly webbed;  feed mostly on molluscs;  sexes similar; monogamous; 2-4 eggs in nest-scrape; biparental cares
	American Oystercatcher	Haematopus palliatus
Family Recurvirostridae       Avocets and Stilts
Characteristics of the family:
nearly worldwide near water bill long, slender, recurved in avocets;  plumage usually white below with black and (sometimes) cinnamon above;  head small; neck long; wings long, pointed;  tail short; legs long, slender; feet webbed in avocets; hallux vestigial; terrestrial waders, swim readily;  feed principally on invertebrates, and/or aquatic vertebrates;  sexes similar; monogamous; colonial; usually 4 eggs; biparental care
	American Avocet	Recurvirostra americana
Family Scolopacidae      Sandpipers
Characteristics of the family:
Small to large shorebirds wading birds Bill often long, slender, not compressed near tip Long toes
	Greater Yellowlegs	Tringa melanoleuca
	Lesser Yellowlegs	Tringa flavipes
	Spotted Sandpiper	Actitis macularia
	Sanderling	Calidris alba
	Semipalmated Sandpiper	Calidris pusilla
	Dunlin	Calidris alpina
	Common Snipe	Gallinago gallinago
	American Woodcock [song]	Scolopax minor
Family Laridae   Gulls and Terns
Characteristics of the family:
Small to large birds, strong fliers (wings long and pointed) Often colonial opportunistic omnivores, except terns and skimmers (mostly fish) Palmate feet, webbed feet water birds many well-adapted to humans and their constructs (dumps)
	Laughing Gull [vocalization]	Larus atricilla
	Ring-billed Gull [vocalization]	Larus delawarensis
	Herring Gull [vocalization]	Larus argentatus
	Great Black-backed Gull	Larus marinus
	Common Tern [vocalization]	Sterna hirundo
	Least Tern	Sterna antillarum
	Black Skimmer	Rynchops niger
Order Passeriformes   Perching Birds
Characteristics of the order:
Feet anisodactyl  Distinctive palate  Altricial young
Family Tyrannidae     Tyrant Flycatchers
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized songbirds, often edge species Suboscine – song poorly developed Often drab color Forage often by aerial-hawking Bill typically broad, flat, hooked at tip / rictal bristles
	Olive-sided Flycatcher [vocalization]	Contopus borealis
	Eastern Wood-Pewee [vocalization]	Contopus virens
	Acadian Flycatcher	Empidonax virescens
	Willow Flycatcher	Empidonax traillii
	Eastern Phoebe [vocalization]	Sayornis phoebe
	Great Crested Flycatcher [vocalization]	Myiarchus crinitus
	Eastern Kingbird [vocalization]	Tyrannus tyrannus
Family Alaudidae  Larks
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized passerines Walk rather than hop Bill pointed, slightly downcurved Legs fairly long
	Horned Lark	Eremophila alpestris
Family Hirundinidae    Swallows
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds Some colonial nesters Strong fliers / wings very long, pointed / forage by aerial hawking Bill small / rictal bristles
	Purple Martin	Progne subis
	Tree Swallow	Tachycineta bicolor
	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Stelgidopteryx serripennis
	Cliff Swallow	Hirundo pyrrhonota
	Barn Swallow	Hirundo rustica
Family Corvidae     Crows and Jays
Characteristics of the family:
Medium to the largest passerines Bold, noisy, and gregarious Often nest predators bristles pointing forward over the nares Intelligent / cache food
	Blue Jay [vocalization]	Cyanocitta cristata
	American Crow [vocalization]	Corvus brachyrhynchos
	Common Raven	Corvus corax
Family Paridae     Tits and Allies
Characteristics of the family:
Small birds, sociable, energetic In winter, form mixed-species flocks Bill short, stout Cache food
	Black-capped Chickadee	Parus atricapillus
	Carolina Chickadee [vocalization]	Parus carolinensis
	Tufted Titmouse [vocalization]	Parus bicolor
Family Sittidae    Nuthatches
Characteristics of the family:
Small, stocky forest birds Climb tree trunks and glean Only birds that walk down trunk head first Bill thin, pointed, typically straight Tail short, square
	Red-breasted Nuthatch  [vocalization]	Sitta canadensis
	White-breasted Nuthatch [vocalization]	Sitta carolinensis
Family Certhiidae   Creepers
Characteristics of the family:
Small forest birds that climb trees, as nuthatches, but head up Bill slender, pointed, downcurved Long, stiff, pointed tail feathers
	Brown Creeper	Certhia americana
Family Troglodytidae   Wrens
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized, chunky, active birds Bill slender, often decurved Tail usually short Several species, tail upright and cocked Often found in shrubby habitat
	Carolina Wren [vocalization]	Thryothorus ludovicianus
	Winter Wren	Troglodytes troglodytes
Family Regulidae    Kinglets
Characteristics of the family:
Very small, very active birds – somewhat fidgety Slender bills / sexually dimorphic
	Golden-crowned Kinglet [vocalization]	Regulus satrapa
	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	Regulus calendula
Family Polioptilidae  Gnatcatchers and Verdin
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds, constantly in motion / slender bills
	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Polioptila caerulea
Family Turdidae Thrushes
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds Chunky body, upright posture Often hop on ground when foraging Straight bill, not pointed Several species have melodious songs Blue eggs
	Eastern Bluebird [vocalization]	Sialia sialis
	Veery [vocalization]	Catharus fuscescens
	Hermit Thrush [vocalization]	Catharus guttatus
	Wood Thrush [vocalization]	Catharus mustelinus
	American Robin [vocalization]	Turdus migratorius
Family Mimidae Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Characteristics of the family:
Slender, medium-sized birds with long tails Tail often cocked, i.e. higher than line of body, when standing Versatile singers, mimic other songbirds
	Gray Catbird [vocalization]	Dumetella carolinensis
	Northern Mockingbird [vocalization]	Mimus polyglottos
	Brown Thrasher	Toxostoma rufum
Family Motacillidae   Wagtails and Pipits
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds Chunky body, but slimmer than thrushes Some species bob tail
	American Pipit	Anthus rubescens
Family Bombycillidae  Waxwings and Silky-flycatchers
Characteristics of the family:
Medium-sized birds with prominent head crest Highly gregarious frugivores Plump body / bill short and thick / medium to long, square tail
	Cedar Waxwing	Bombycilla cedrorum
Family Laniidae  Shrikes
Characteristics of the family:
Predatory, medium-sized birds Large head with strong, hooked bill Strong legs with sharp claws Often cache food on barbed wire or thorns
	Loggerhead Shrike	Lanius ludovicianus
Family Sturnidae   Starlings
Characteristics of the family:
Medium-sized, stocky birds, gregarious Short, square tail Some are mimics
	European Starling	Sturnus vulgaris
Family Vireonidae   Vireos and Allies
Characteristics of the family:
Small birds Forage by gleaning from foliage Bill heavy, slightly hooked or notched Bigger heads and thicker bills than warblers
	White-eyed Vireo	Vireo griseus
	Solitary Vireo	Vireo solitarius
	Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireo flavifrons
	Warbling Vireo	Vireo gilvus
	Red-eyed Vireo [vocalization]	Vireo olivaceus
Family Parulidae   New World Warblers
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds Many species brightly colored and most sexually dimorphic Often complex songs Mainly insectivores, often glean off foliage Slender, pointed bills / rounded tails
	Blue-winged Warbler	Vermivora pinus
	Golden-winged Warbler	Vermivora chrysoptera
	Northern Parula	Parula americana
	Yellow Warbler [vocalization]	Dendroica petechia
	Chestnut-sided Warbler [vocalization]	Dendroica pensylvanica
	Cape May Warbler	Dendroica tigrina
	Black-throated Blue Warbler	Dendroica caerulescens
	Yellow-rumped Warbler	Dendroica coronata
	Black-throated Green Warbler [vocalization]	Dendroica virens
	Blackburnian Warbler	Dendroica fusca
	Yellow-throated Warbler	Dendroica dominica
	Pine Warbler	Dendroica pinus
	Prairie Warbler [vocalization]	Dendroica discolor
	Palm Warbler	Dendroica palmarum
	Cerulean Warbler	Dendroica cerulea
	Black-and-white Warbler [vocalization]	Mniotilta varia
	American Redstart	Setophaga ruticilla
	Worm-eating Warbler	Helmitheros vermivorus
	Ovenbird [vocalization]	Seiurus aurocapillus
	Louisiana Waterthrush	Seiurus motacilla
	Kentucky Warbler	Oporornis formosus
	Common Yellowthroat [vocalization]	Geothlypis trichas
	Hooded Warbler [vocalization]	Wilsonia citrina
	Yellow-breasted Chat	Icteria virens
Family ThraupidaeTanagers
Characteristics of the family:
Medium-sized forest birds with stout bills Sexually dimorphic, male more brilliant than female
	Scarlet Tanager [vocalization]	Piranga olivacea
Family Cardinalidae      Cardinals and Grosbeaks
Characteristics of the family:
Medium to large-sized birds, often edge species Sexually dimorphic Short, stout, conical, pointed bills
	Northern Cardinal [vocalization]	Cardinalis cardinalis
	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Pheucticus ludovicianus
Family Embirizidae   Buntings,Sparrows and Allies
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds, forage mostly on the ground Often brown and streaked / short, conical, pointed bills Often seen in shrubs
	Indigo Bunting	Passerina cyanea
	Eastern (Rufous-sided) Towhee [vocalization]	Pipilo erythrophthalmus
	American Tree Sparrow	Spizella arborea
	Chipping Sparrow	Spizella passerina
	Field Sparrow [vocalization]	Spizella pusilla
	Fox Sparrow	Passerella iliaca
	Song Sparrow [vocalization]	Melospiza melodia
	Swamp Sparrow	Melospiza georgiana
	White-throated Sparrow [vocalization]	Zonotrichia albicollis
	White-crowned Sparrow	Zonotrichia leucophrys
	Dark-eyed Junco [vocalization]	Junco hyemalis
	Snow Bunting	Plectrophenax nivalis
Family Icteridae Blackbirds and Orioles
Characteristics of the family:
Medium to large-sized birds Sexually dimorphic / male usually larger Straight, sharply pointed bills
	Red-winged Blackbird [vocalization]	Agelaius phoeniceus
	Eastern Meadowlark [vocalization]	Sturnella magna
	Boat-tailed Grackle
	Common Grackle [vocalization]	Quiscalus quiscula
	Brown-headed Cowbird [vocalization]	Molothrus ater
	Baltimore Oriole [vocalization]	Icterus galbula
Family Fringillidae  Siskins, Crossbills and Allies
Characteristics of the family:
Small to medium-sized birds, often forest birds Sexually dimorphic Long, complex songs Undulating fast flight / emarginated tail Bill stout, conical (crossed in 2 species)
	Purple Finch	Carpodacus purpureus
	House Finch [vocalization]	Carpodacus mexicanus
	American Goldfinch [vocalization]	Carduelis tristis
Family Passeridae    Old World Sparrows
Characteristics of the family:
Small birds with stout, conical bill No well-developed song, often repeat single elements
	House Sparrow [vocalization]	Passer domesticus