Birds of Yellowstone National Park – Checklist

Ducks, Geese, and Swans – Anseriformes

Family: Anatidae – The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swan. These are birds that are modified for an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. There are 35 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens)
Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Canada Goose (Branta Canadensis)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinators)
Whooper Swan (Cygnus Cygnus)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Gadwall (Anas strepera)
Eurasian Wigeon (Anas Penelope)
American Wigeon (Anas Americana)
American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)
Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
Redhead (Aythya Americana)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Black Scoter (Melanitta Americana)
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Quail – Order: Galliformes

Family: Phasianidae – The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds, or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. There are five species that are found in Yellowstone National Park .

Common name (Scientific Name)
Chukar (Alectoris chukar)
Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix)
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)
Dusky Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus)
Wild Turkey (Meleagris galopavo)

Loons – Order: Gaviiformes

Family: Gaviidae – Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely grey or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well, and fly adequately, but, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body, are almost hopeless on land. There are three species that are found in Yellowstone National Park .

Common name (Scientific Name)
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata)
Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)
Common Loon (Gavia immer)

Grebes – Order: Podicipediformes

Family: Podicipedidae – Grebes are small to medium-large sized freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes, and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. There are six species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Clark’s Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkia)

Pelicans – Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Pelecanidae – Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under the beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes.

Common name (Scientific Name)
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Cormorants – Order: Pelecaniformes

Family: Phalacrocoracidae – Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed, a distinguishing feature among the Pelecaniformes order.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets – Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Ardeidae – The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and Egrets are medium to large-sized wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills, members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted. There are eight species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias)
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

Ibises and spoonbills – Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Threskiornithidae – The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings. Their bodies tend to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)

Storks – Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Ciconiidae – Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. Storks lack a pharynx and are mute.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Wood Stork (Mycteria Americana)

New World Vultures – Order: Ciconiiformes

Family: Cathartidae – The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers, however, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Osprey – Order: Falconiformes

Family: Pandionidae

Common name (Scientific Name)
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles – Order: Falconiformes

Family: Accipitridae – The family Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and include hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. There are 13 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)
Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Caracaras and falcons – Order: Falconiformes

Family: Falconidae – Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their feet. There are five species that are found in Yellowstone National Park .

Common name (Scientific Name)
Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway)
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots – Order: Gruiformes

Family: Rallidae – Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs, and have long toes which are well adapted to soft, uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and tend to be weak fliers. There are four species that are found in Yellowstone National Park .

Common name (Scientific Name)
Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)
Sora (Porzana carolina)
American Coot( Fulica Americana)

Cranes – Order: Gruiformes

Family: Gruidae – Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or “dances”. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)
Whooping Crane (Grus Americana)

Lapwings and Plovers – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Charadriidae – The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water, although there are some exceptions. There are four species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Snowy Plover (Charadrius nivosus)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)

Stilts and Avocets – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Recurvirostridae – Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and the stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.

Common name (Scientific Name)

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Scolopacidae – The Scolopacidae are a large diverse family of small to medium sized shorebirds including the Sandpipers, Curlews, Godwits, Shanks, Tattlers, Woodcocks, Snipes, Dowitchers and Phalaropes. The majority of species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable different species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. There are 23 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Wandering Tattler (Tringa incana)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)
Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus)
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Semipalmated Sandpiper(Calidris pusilla)
White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Dunlin (Calidris alpine)
Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)
Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicate)
Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Laridae – Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes jaegers, skuas, gulls, terns, kittiwakes and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. There are 13 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini)
Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)
Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus Philadelphia)
Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixcan)
Mew Gull (Larus canus)
California Gull (Larus californicus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)
Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)

Skuas – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Stercorariidae

Common name (Scientific Name)
Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus)

Auks, Murres and Puffins – Order: Charadriiformes

Family: Alcidae – The family Alcidae includes auks, Murres and Puffins. These are short winged birds that live on the open sea and normally only come ashore for breeding.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Long-billed Murrelet (Brachyramphus perdix)

Pigeons and doves – Order: Columbiformes

Family: Columbidae – Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. There are three species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis – Order: Cuculiformes

Family: Cuculidae – The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Unlike the cuckoo species of the Old World, North American cuckoos are not brood parasites.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)

Barn Owls – Order: Strigiformes

Family: Tytonidae – Barn owls are medium to large sized owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

True owls – Order: Strigiformes

Family: Strigidae – Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. There are 11 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Flammulated Owl (Psiloscops flammeolus)
Western Screech-Owl (Megascops kennicottii)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
Northern Pygmy-owl (Glaucidium gnoma)
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)
Great Grey Owl (Strix nebulosa)
Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus)
Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

Nightjars – Order: Caprimulgiformes

Family: Caprimulgidae – Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds with long wings, short legs and very short bills that usually nest on the ground. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

Swifts – Order: Apodiformes

Family: Apodidae – The swifts are small aerial birds, spending the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long, swept-back wings that resemble a crescent or a boomerang. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Vaux’s Swift (Chaetura vauxi)
White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis)

Hummingbirds – Order: Apodiformes

Family: Trochilidae – Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. There are three species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope)
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus)
Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)

Kingfishers – Order: Coraciiformes

Family: Alcedinidae – Kingfishers are medium sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers – Order: Piciformes

Family: Picidae – Woodpeckers are small to medium sized birds with chisel like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward, and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are 13 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis)
Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
Williamson’s Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus)
American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis)
Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

Perching Birds – Order: Passeriformes

Tyrant flycatchers

Family: Tyrannidae – Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust with stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. There are 13 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)
Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)
Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii)
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii)
Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri)
Cordilleran Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis)
Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)
Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)

Shrikes

Family: Laniidae -Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike’s beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor)

Vireos

Family: Vireonidae – The vireos are a group of small to medium sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. They are typically greenish in color and resemble wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. There are five species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitaries)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)

Jays, Crows, Magpies, and Ravens

Family: Corvidae – The Corvidae family includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size for the bird order Passeriformes. Some of the larger species show levels of learned behavior of a high degree. There are eight species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Grey Jay (Perisoreus Canadensis)
Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
Clark’s Nutcracker (Nucifraga Columbiana)
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Larks

Family: Alaudidae – Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds

Common name (Scientific Name)
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

Swallows and martins

Family: Hirundinidae -The Hirundinidae family is a group of passerines characterised by their adaptation to aerial feeding. Their adaptations include a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and short bills with a wide gape. The feet are designed for perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. There are six species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Chickadees and titmice

Family: Paridae – The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapilla)
Mountain Chickadee (Poecile gambeli)

Nuthatches

Family: Sittidae – Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails and powerful bills and feet. There are three species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta Canadensis)
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)

Creepers

Family: Certhiidae – Creepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical trees.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Brown Creeper (Certhia Americana)

Wrens

Family: Troglodytidae – Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and a thin down-turned bill. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. There are six species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
Canyon Wren (Catherpes mexicanus)
House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)

Dippers

Family: Cinclidae – Dippers are small, stout, birds that feed in cold, fast moving streams.

Common name (Scientific Name)
American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus)

Kinglets

Family: Regulidae – The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds in the genus Regulus. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their names. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)

Gnatcatchers

Family: Polioptilidae

Common name (Scientific Name)
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

Thrushes

Family: Turdidae – The Thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are eight species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Western Bluebird (Sialia Mexicana)
Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)
Veery (Catharus fuscescens)
Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Family: Mimidae – The Mimids are a family of passerine birds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. The species tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance. There are four species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)
Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Starlings

Family: Sturnidae – Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are medium-sized passerines with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct, and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

Common name (Scientific Name)
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Wagtails and pipits

Family: Motacillidae – The Motacillidae are a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country. There are two species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)
Sprague’s Pipit (Anthus spragueii)

Waxwings

Family: Bombycillidae – The waxwings are a group of passerine birds characterised by soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and Cedar Waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax, and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Silky-flycatchers

Family: Ptiliogonatidae – The silky-flycatchers are a small family of passerine birds. The family is named for their silky plumage and their aerial flycatching techniques. They occur mainly in Central America from Panama to Mexico, with one species, the Phainopepla, extending northwards into the southwestern USA. They are mostly sedentary, but the Phainopepla is migratory over the northern part of its range.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Phainopepla (Phainopepla nitens)

Wood-warblers

Family: Parulidae – The Wood Warblers are a group of small often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some like the Ovenbird and the two waterthrushes, are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. There are 23 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrine)
Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)
Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)
Virginia’s Warbler (Oreothlypis virginiae)
Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechial)
Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)
Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronate)
Townsend’s Warbler (Setophaga townsendi)
Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)
Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)
Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)
Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)
American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
Northern (Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis)
MacGillivray’s Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei)
Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)
Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Longspurs and snow buntings

Family: Calcariidae

Common name (Scientific Name)
McCown’s Longspur (Calcarius mccownii)
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

American sparrows, Towhees, and Juncos

Family: Emberizidae – The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill. In Europe, most species are named as buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as Sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns. There are 23 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus)
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)
American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)
Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerine)
Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)
Brewer’s Sparrow (Spizella breweri)
Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
Black-chinned Sparrow (Spizella atrogularis)
Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)
Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)
Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)
Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)
Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza Georgiana)
White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

Cardinals and Grosbeaks

Family: Cardinalidae – The Cardinals are a family of passerine birds that are robust, seed-eating birds, with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. There are six species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)
Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena)
Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

Icterids

Family: Icteridae – The Icterids are a group of small to medium, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as a predominant plumage colour, often enlivened by yellow, orange or red. There are nine species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii)

Fringilline Finches, Cardueline Finches, and Allies

Family: Fringillidae – Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have 12 tail feathers and 9 primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. There are 12 species that are found in Yellowstone National Park.

Common name (Scientific Name)
Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata)
Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
Cassin’s Finch (Haemorhous cassinii)
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)

Old World sparrows

Family: Passeridae – Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or greyish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed-eaters, and they also consume small insects.

Common name (Scientific Name)
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)