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Iowa Bird Checklist - 421 Species

Current through 7/3/2009

Status codes are as follow:
R - Regular = seen every year or nearly every year, at least 8 of last 10 years (306 species).
C - Casual = seen many years but not all, at least 3 and less than 9 of last 10 years (26 species).
A - Accidental = seen once to several times, but less than 4 of last 10 years (85 species).
X - Extirpated = Gone from Iowa (2 species).
E - Extinct = Gone forever (2 species).
Please document any occurrence of a casual or accidental species.

Click on the species name for a popup photo and description, courtesy of eNature.com.  For a quick look at the counties where a species has been recorded, click on the map icon.

Counties Common Name Scientific Name Status
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis C
Bean Goose Anser fabalis A
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons R
Snow Goose Anser caerulescens R
Ross's Goose Anser rossii R
Brant Branta bernicla C
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii R
Canada Goose Branta canadensis R
Mute Swan Cygnus olor R
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator R
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus R
Wood Duck Aix sponsa R
Gadwall Anas strepera R
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope A
American Wigeon Anas americana R
American Black Duck Anas rubripes R
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos R
Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula A
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors R
Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera R
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata R
Northern Pintail Anas acuta R
Garganey Anas querquedula A
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca R
Canvasback Aythya valisineria R
Redhead Aythya americana R
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris R
Greater Scaup Aythya marila R
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis R
King Eider Somateria spectabilis A
Common Eider Somateria mollissima A
Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus A
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata R
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca R
Black Scoter Melanitta nigra R
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis R
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola R
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula R
Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica A
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus R
Common Merganser Mergus merganser R
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator R
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis R
Gray Partridge Perdix perdix R
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus R
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus R
Sharp-tailed Grouse Tympanuchus phasianellus X
Greater Prairie-Chicken Tympanuchus cupido R
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo R
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus R
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata R
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica R
Common Loon Gavia immer R
Yellow-billed Loon Gavia adamsii A
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps R
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus R
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena R
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis R
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis R
Clark's Grebe Aechmophorus clarkii C
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos R
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis A
Neotropic Cormorant Phalacrocorax brasilianus A
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus R
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga A
Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens A
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus R
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis R
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias R
Great Egret Ardea alba R
Snowy Egret Egretta thula R
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea R
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor C
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens A
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis R
Green Heron Butorides virescens R
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax R
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea R
White Ibis Eudocimus albus A
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus A
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi R
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja A
Wood Stork Mycteria americana A
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus C
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura R
Osprey Pandion haliaetus R
Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus A
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis R
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus R
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus R
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus R
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii R
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis R
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus R
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus R
Swainson's Hawk Buteo swainsoni R
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis R
Ferruginous Hawk Buteo regalis R
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus R
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos R
Crested Caracara Caracara cheriway A
American Kestrel Falco sparverius R
Merlin Falco columbarius R
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus C
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus R
Prairie Falcon Falco mexicanus R
Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis R
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis A
King Rail Rallus elegans C
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola R
Sora Porzana carolina R
Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica A
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus R
American Coot Fulica americana R
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis R
Whooping Crane Grus americana A
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola R
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica R
Snowy Plover Charadrius alexandrinus C
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus R
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus R
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus R
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus R
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana R
Spotted Sandpiper Tringa macularia R
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria R
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca R
Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus R
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes R
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda R
Eskimo Curlew Numenius borealis X
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus C
Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus A
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica R
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa R
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres R
Red Knot Calidris canutus R
Sanderling Calidris alba R
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla R
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri R
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla R
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis R
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii R
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos R
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata A
Dunlin Calidris alpina R
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea A
Stilt Sandpiper Micropalama himantopus R
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis R
Ruff Philomachus pugnax C
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus R
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus R
Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata R
American Woodcock Scolopax minor R
Wilson's Phalarope Steganopus tricolor R
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus R
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius C
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla C
Franklin's Gull Larus pipixcan R
Little Gull Larus minutus C
Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus R
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia R
Mew Gull Larus canus C
Black-tailed Gull Larus crassirostris A
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis R
California Gull Larus californicus C
Herring Gull Larus argentatus R
Thayer's Gull Larus thayeri R
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides C
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus R
Slaty-backed Gull Larus schistisagus A
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus R
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus C
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini R
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla C
Ross's Gull Rhodostethia rosea A
Ivory Gull Pagophila eburnea A
Least Tern Sterna antillarum R
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia R
Black Tern Chlidonias niger R
Common Tern Sterna hirundo R
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea A
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri R
Royal Tern Sterna maxima A
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus A
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus A
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus A
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia A
Long-billed Murrelet Brachyramphus perdix A
Ancient Murrelet Synthliboramphus antiquus A
Rock Pigeon Columba livia R
Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto R
White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica R
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura R
Passenger Pigeon Ectopistes migratorius E
Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina A
Carolina Parakeet Conuropsis carolinensis E
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus R
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus R
Groove-billed Ani Crotophaga sulcirostris A
Barn Owl Tyto alba R
Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio R
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus R
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus R
Northern Hawk Owl Surnia ulula A
Burrowing Owl Speotyto cunicularia C
Barred Owl Strix varia R
Great Gray Owl Strix nebulosa A
Long-eared Owl Asio otus R
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus R
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus A
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus R
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor R
Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis R
Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus R
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica R
Green Violet-ear Colibri thalassinus A
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris R
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus A
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon R
Lewis's Woodpecker Melanerpes lewis A
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus R
Acorn Woodpecker Melanerpes formicivorus A
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus R
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius R
Red-breasted Sapsucker Sphyrapicus ruber A
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens R
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus R
Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus A
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus R
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus R
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi R
Western Wood-Pewee Contopus sordidulus A
Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens R
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris R
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens R
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum R
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii R
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus R
Western Flycatcher sp. Empidonax difficilis A
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe R
Say's Phoebe Sayornis saya A
Vermilion Flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus A
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus R
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis R
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus R
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus R
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana A
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus R
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor R
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus R
Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii R
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons R
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius R
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus R
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus R
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus R
Gray Jay Perisoreus canadensis A
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata R
Pinyon Jay Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus A
Clark's Nutcracker Nucifraga columbiana A
Black-billed Magpie Pica hudsonia R
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos R
Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus A
Common Raven Corvus corax A
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris R
Purple Martin Progne subis R
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor R
Violet-green Swallow Tachycineta thalassina A
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis R
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia R
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota R
Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva A
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica R
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapilla R
Boreal Chickadee Poecile hudsonica A
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor R
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis R
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis R
Pygmy Nuthatch Sitta pygmaea A
Brown Creeper Certhia americana R
Rock Wren Salpinctes obsoletus A
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus R
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii C
House Wren Troglodytes aedon R
Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes R
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis R
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris R
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa R
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula R
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea R
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis R
Mountain Bluebird Sialia currucoides C
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi R
Veery Catharus fuscescens R
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus R
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus R
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus R
Wood Thrush Catharus mustelinus R
American Robin Turdus migratorius R
Varied Thrush Zoothera naevia R
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis R
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos R
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus A
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum R
Curve-billed Thrasher Toxostoma curvirostre A
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris R
American Pipit Anthus rubescens R
Sprague's Pipit Anthus spragueii C
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus R
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum R
Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus R
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera R
Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina R
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata R
Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla R
Northern Parula Parula americana R
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia R
Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica R
Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia R
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina R
Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens R
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata R
Black-throated Gray Warbler Dendroica nigrescens A
Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens R
Townsend's Warbler Dendroica townsendi A
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca R
Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica R
Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus R
Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor C
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum R
Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea R
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata R
Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea R
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia R
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla R
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea R
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus R
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla R
Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis R
Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla R
Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus R
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis R
Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia R
MacGillivray's Warbler Oporornis tolmiei A
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas R
Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina R
Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla R
Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis R
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens R
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra R
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea R
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana C
Green-tailed Towhee Pipilo chlorurus A
Spotted Towhee Piplio maculatus R
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus R
American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea R
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina R
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida R
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla R
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus R
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus R
Black-throated Sparrow Amphispiza bilineata A
Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys A
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis R
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum R
Baird's Sparrow Ammodramus bairdii A
Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii R
Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii R
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni R
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca R
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia R
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii R
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana R
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis R
Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula R
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys R
Golden-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia atricapilla A
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis R
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus R
Smith's Longspur Calcarius pictus R
Chestnut-collared Longspur Calcarius ornatus A
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis R
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis R
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus R
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus C
Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea R
Lazuli Bunting Passerina amoena C
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea R
Painted Bunting Passerina cirus A
Dickcissel Spiza americana R
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus R
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus R
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna R
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta R
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus R
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus R
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus R
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula R
Great-tailed Grackle Quiscalus mexicanus R
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater R
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius R
Hooded Oriole Icterus cucullatus A
Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii A
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula R
Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum A
Brambling Fringilla montifringilla A
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch Leucosticte tephrocotis A
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator A
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus R
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus R
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra R
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera R
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea R
Hoary Redpoll Carduelis hornemanni A
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus R
Lesser Goldfinch Carduelis psaltria A
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis R
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus A
House Sparrow Passer domesticus R
Eurasian Tree Sparrow Passer montanus R