Birds of the United States

North America supports 17 species of true finches that occur regularly across the United States and Canada. All belong to the family Fringillidae and are seed-eaters with conical bills, ranging from common backyard birds such as the American Goldfinch and House Finch, to the introduced European Goldfinch, and extreme habitat specialists including rosy-finches and crossbills. Read more

North America supports 12 species of herons that occur regularly across the United States and Canada, from large, conspicuous wetland birds to small, highly secretive marsh specialists. All are members of the family Ardeidae, which includes species commonly referred to as herons, egrets, and bitterns, a distinction based largely on size, behavior, and habitat use. Read more

North America supports 15 hummingbird species that maintain regular breeding populations in recent years across the United States and Canada. These birds belong to the family Trochilidae and represent the northernmost extension of a group otherwise centered in the Neotropics, adapted to seasonal climates and a wide range of habitats, from deserts and coastal scrub Read more

North America supports a diverse group of hawks, with 15 species regularly occurring across the United States and Canada. Most fall into two broad groups: buteos, which are broad-winged, soaring hawks often seen circling high over open landscapes, and accipiters, slimmer, long-tailed forest hawks built for fast, agile flight through trees. A few additional species Read more

North America supports an exceptional diversity of owls, with 19 species regularly found across the United States and Canada. Most belong to the family Strigidae, with a single species representing Tytonidae, and together they occupy nearly every major ecosystem on the continent, united by silent or near-silent flight, specialized senses, and activity patterns that range Read more

North America is home to 22 woodpecker species, found from the forests of Alaska and Canada to the deserts of the Southwest. All belong to the family Picidae – a remarkable group of climbing, drumming, and bark-probing birds, each with its own distinctive appearance, voice, and habits. Read more

Loons, or divers, are large aquatic birds of the genus Gavia (family Gaviidae), renowned for their haunting calls, striking plumage, and mastery of underwater pursuit. All five of the world’s species occur in North America, from the widespread common loon to the smaller red-throated and Pacific loons, and the far northern Arctic and yellow-billed loons. Read more

Gulls are among the most widespread and recognizable seabirds of North America. Belonging to the subfamily Larinae of the family Laridae, they range from small, delicate species like Bonaparte’s gull to massive, heavy-bodied birds such as the great black-backed gull. These opportunistic feeders are found in nearly every coastal and inland habitat, from Arctic cliffs Read more

Puffins are three closely related seabird species in the genus Fratercula of the auk family (Alcidae), instantly recognizable by their colorful bills and contrasting plumage. All three occur in North America, breeding from the rocky islands of Maine to the remote cliffs of Alaska. Although they spend most of the year at sea, they return Read more

Ducks are among the most familiar and diverse waterfowl of North America. Belonging to the order Anseriformes, alongside geese and swans, they range from tiny teal to heavy-bodied sea ducks and stifftails. These birds inhabit nearly every type of wetland on the continent, from prairie potholes and boreal lakes to coastal bays and urban ponds. Read more