Friends of Nachusa Grasslands
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​  *Federally Threatened Species
**Federally Endangered Species
​  †State Threatened Species
††State Endangered Species

Birds of Nachusa Grasslands

218 bird species breed, land, or fly over Nachusa Grasslands!
Ducks, Geese & Swans
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • Greater white-fronted goose (​Anser albifrons)
  • Snow goose (Chen caerulescens)
  • Cackling goose (Branta hutchinsii)
  • ​Canada goose (Branta canadensi)
  • Tundra swan (Cygnus columbian)
  • Trumpeter swan (Cygnus buccinator)
  • Mute swan [probably] (Cygnus olor) NON-NATIVE
  • Wood duck (Aix sponsa)
  • Mallard (Anas platyrhyncho)​
  • Gadwall (Anas strepera)
  • Green-winged teal (Anas crecca)
  • American wigeon (Anas americana)
  • Northern shoveler (Anas clypeata)
  • Blue-winged teal (Anas discors)
  • Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
  • Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)
  • Lesser scaup (Aythya affinis)
  • Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
  • Hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatu)
  • Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Game Birds
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​​​Ring-necked pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) NON-NATIVE
  • Wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
  • Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
Grebes
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​​​Pied–billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Pelicans & Cormorants
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • American white pelican (Pelecanus erthrorhynchos)
  • Double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)​         
Wading Birds
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​​American bittern (Botaurus lentiginosa)​​
  • Least bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
  • Black-crowned night-heron †† (Nycticorax nycticorax)
  • Green heron (Butorides virescens)
  • Great egret (Ardea alba)
  • ​Great blue heron (Ardea herodias)
Diurnal Raptors
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Turkey vulture (Cathartes aura)
  • Osprey †† (Pandion haliaetus)
  • Northern harrier †† (Cirdus cyaneus)
  • Golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
  • Bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
  • Sharp-shinned hawk (Accipiter striatus)
  • Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
  • Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
  • Broad-winged hawk (Buteo platypterus)
  • Red-shouldered hawk (Buteo lineatus)
  • Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
  • Rough-legged hawk (Buteo lagopus)
  • American kestrel (Falco sparverius)
  • Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus)     
Rails & Cranes
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​​​Virginia rail (Rallus limicola)
  • Sora rail (Porzana carolina)
  • Common Gallinule [moorhen] (Gallinula galeata)
  • American Coot (Fulica americana)
  • Sandhill crane (Grus canadensis)
  • Whooping crane ​** †† (Grus americana)
Shorebirds
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • American Golden-plover (Pluvialis dominica)
  • Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
  • Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
  • Lesser yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
  • Greater yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
  • Solitary sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
  • Spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
  • Least sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
  • Upland sandpiper †† (Bartramia longicauda)
  • Short-billed dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
  • Wilson's snipe (Gallinago delicata)
  • American woodcock (Scolopax minor)
  • Ring-billed gull (Larus delawarensis)
  • Herring gull (Larus argentatus)
  • Caspian tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
  • Forster's tern (Sterna forsteri)
  • Black tern (Chlidonias niger)
Pigeons & Doves
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Rock pigeon (Columba livia) NON-NATIVE
  • Mourning dove​ (Zenaida macroura)
Cuckoos
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americana)
  • Black-billed cuckoo †​ (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)
Owls
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Short-eared owl †† (Asio flammeus)
  • Long-eared owl (Asio otus)
  • Great horned owl (Bubo verginianus)
  • Barred owl (Strix varia)
  • Eastern screech-owl (Megascops asio​)
  • Northern saw-whet owl (Aegolius acadicus)
Nightjars
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Common nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
  • Whip–poor–will (Caprimulgus vociferus)
Swifts
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Chimney swift (Chaertura pelagica)
Hummingbirds
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Ruby–throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Kingfishers
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Belted kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)
Woodpeckers
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Red–headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erthrocephalus)
  • Red–bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus
  • Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
  • Yellow–bellied sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
  • Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
  • Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
  • Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Flycatchers
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Olive-sided flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)
  • Eastern wood–pewee (Contopus virens)
  • Yellow-bellied flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)
  • Alder flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)
  • Willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)
  • Least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
  • Eastern phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
  • Great crested flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)
  • Eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Shrikes & Vireos
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Loggerhead shrike †† (Lanius ludovicianus)
  • Northern shrike (Lanius excubitor)
  • White-eyed vireo (Vireo griseus)
  • Yellow-throated vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
  • Bell's vireo (Vireo bellii)
  • Blue-headed vireo (Vireo solitarius)
  • Red-eyed vireo (Vireo olivaceus)
  • Philadelphia vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
  • Warbling vireo (Vireo glivus)
Jays & Crows
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • Blue jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
  • American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)​
Larks & Swallows
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Horned lark (Eremophila alpestris)
  • Tree swallow (achycineta bicolor)
  • Purple martin (Progne subis)
  • Bank swallow (Riparia riparia)
  • Cliff swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
  • Northern rough-winged swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
  • Barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)​
Titmouse & Chickadees
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)
  • Black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)​      
Nuthatches & Creepers
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Brown creeper (Certhia americana)
  • White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
  • Red-breasted nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)​
Wrens
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​House wren (Troglodytes aedon)
  • Winter wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)
  • Carolina wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
  • Marsh wren (Cistothorus palutris)
  • Sedge wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, & Bluebirds
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Golden-crowned kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
  • Ruby-crowned kinglet (Regulus calendula)
  • Blue-gray gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
  • Eastern bluebird (Sialia sialis)
Thrushes
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
  • Veery (Catharus fuscenscens)
  • Gray-cheeked thrush (Catharus minimus)
  • Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
  • Hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus)
  • American robin (Turdus migrantorius)
Mimic Thrushes
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Gray catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
  • Northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
  • Brown thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
Starlings
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) NON-NATIVE
Pipets
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​American pipet (Anthus rubescens)
Waxwings
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • Cedar waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)
Warblers
COMMON NAME (Genus species)​
  • ​Prothonotary warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
  • Blue-winged warbler (Vermivora pinus)
  • Golden-winged warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera
  • Tennessee warbler (Vermivora peregrina)
  • Nashville warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla)
  • Northern parula (Parula americana)
  • Chestnut-sided warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)
  • Cape May warbler (Dendroica tigrina)
  • Magnolia warbler (Dendroica magnolia)
  • Yellow-rumped warbler (Dendroica coronata)
  • Black-and-white warbler (Mniotilta varia)
  • Cerulean warbler † (Dendroica cerulea)
  • Blackburnian warbler (Dendroica fusca)
  • Black-throated green warbler (Dendroica virens)
  • Yellow-throated warbler (Dendroica dominica)
  • Bay-breasted warbler (Dendroica castanea)
  • Blackpoll warbler (Dendroica striata)
  • Pine warbler (Dendroica pinus)
  • Palm warbler (Dendroica palmarum)
  • Yellow warbler (Dendroica petechia)
  • Mourning warbler (Oporornis philadelphia)
  • Kentucky warbler (Oporonis formosus)
  • Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)
  • Wilson's warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)
  • Hooded warbler (Wilsonia citrina)
  • Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
  • Louisiana waterthrush (​Seiurus motacilla)
  • Northern waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis)
  • Common yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
  • Yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens)
  • American redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
Tanagers, Cardinals,
​Grosbeaks, and Allies
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Summer tanager (Piranga rubra)
  • Scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea)
  • Rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
  • Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
  • Dickcissel (Spiza americana)
  • Blue grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
  • Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea)
Sparrows, Juncos,
​Buntings, and Towhees

COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Eastern towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)
  • ​American tree sparrow (Spizella arborea)
  • Field sparrow (Spizella pulsilla)
  • Chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina)
  • Clay-colored sparrow (Spizella pallida)
  • Lark sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
  • Grasshopper sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)
  • Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii)
  • Le Conte's sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)
  • Nelson's sharp-tailed sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni)
  • Fox sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
  • Savannah sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
  • Lincoln's sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
  • Song sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
  • Vesper sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
  • Swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
  • Harris's sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
  • White-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
  • White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
  • Dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis)
  • Snow bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)
  • Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus)
  • Lapland longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)                          ​
Meadowlarks, Orioles,
Blackbirds, Bobolinks,
​Grackles, and Cowbirds

COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
  • Eastern meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
  • Western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
  • Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
  • Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
  • Brewer's blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
  • Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)
  • Orchard oriole (Icterus spurius)
  • Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula)
 Finches & Old World Sparrows
COMMON NAME (Genus species)
  • ​Purple finch (Carpodacus purpureus)
  • House finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)
  • Red crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
  • Pine siskin (Carduelis pinus)
  • American goldfinch (Carduelis tristis)
  • House sparrow (Passer domesticus) NON-NATIVE
  • Eurasian tree sparrow (Passer montanus) NON-NATIVE

Download Birds of Nachusa Grasslands
Fauna of Nachusa Database​​

UPDATED 5/2020

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© 2021 FRIENDS OF NACHUSA GRASSLANDS
  • Home
  • About Friends
    • Mission and Leadership
    • Endowments
    • Newsletters >
      • PrairiE–Update (email)
      • A Prairie Calling (print and digital)
    • Friends Annual Reports
  • Plan Your Visit
    • Hours & Parking
    • Directions and Map
    • 2020 Autumn on the Prairie – On Your Own
    • Visitor Center
    • Hiking >
      • Hiking Guidelines
      • Hiking Destinations
      • Stone Barn Savanna Tour
      • Visitor Center Trail
      • Scavenger Hunt
    • Bison Viewing
    • What's In Bloom?
    • Autumn on the Prairie Festival 2020 Cancelled
    • Public Tours 2020 Cancelled
    • Pet Policy
    • Things to Do
    • Places to Eat and Stay
    • Local Sites to Visit and Explore
  • Donate
  • Calendar
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteer Opportunities
    • Thursday and Saturday Workdays
    • Workdays – November to February
    • Workday Email List
  • Stewardship
    • Nachusa Stewardship
    • Restorations
    • Planting Histories >
      • Stewardship Unit Planting Histories
      • Planting Histories in Chronological Order
    • Stewards and Staff
    • Groups and Committees
    • Available Units
    • Controlled Burns
    • Prescribed Fire Recruitment
    • Stewardship Resources >
      • Weekly Top Picks
      • Invasive Plant Management
      • Invasive Identification
      • Monitoring
      • Links & Resources
  • Science
    • Science at Nachusa Grasslands
    • Science Symposium 2021 RSVP
    • Potential Research Topics
    • Science Grants >
      • Science Grants 2021
      • Science Grants 2020
      • Science Grants 2019
      • Science Grants 2018
      • Science Grants 2017
      • Science Grants 2016
      • Science Grants 2015
      • Science Grants 2014
      • Science Grants 2013/2012/2011
    • Science Symposium Abstracts >
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2019
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2018
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2017
      • Science Symposium Abstracts 2016
    • Scientific Publications
    • Testimonials >
      • Dr. Holly Jones
      • Dr. Nick Barber
      • Kimberly Elsenbroek
    • Science Videos
    • Calling Frog Monitoring
    • RiverWatch
  • About Nachusa
    • General Info
    • Prairie Smoke Annual Reports
    • Plant Inventory >
      • Common Names
      • Genus Species
    • Animal Inventory >
      • Amphibians
      • Birds
      • Bison Bison >
        • Bison
        • Bison Babies Broadcast Videos
      • Dragonflies & Damselflies
      • Fish
      • Insects
      • Mammals
      • Other Arthropods
      • Reptiles
    • History
    • Jobs
    • Hunting
    • Geology >
      • Geology Part 1
      • Geology Part 2
      • Geology Part 3
    • 30th Anniversary Memories
    • Websites of Interest
  • BLOG AND MEDIA
    • Nachusa Blog
    • In The News
    • Photo Gallery >
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  • Contact Us / FAQs