NYC Bird Checklist




The is an aggregate list of species that have been found in NYC. There is an apparent lack of an official NYC list and the de facto one via NYC Audubon clearly contains omissions. So this list is an amalgam of several lists: initially the Audubon list, sanity checked against Ben Cacace's list and two versions of Central Park checklist, and finally my own internal definition of plausibility. A sprinkling of sightings from recent years were added in. Mistakes, omissions and general mayhem are all my fault. This is mostly a "seen from dry land" checklist so birds seen from pelagics in NY waters are excluded, but I may have omitted some that have been very rarely seen from the barrier beaches (Riis Park, Breezy Point) - the pair of "100 year" hurricanes put a lot of pelagics in NYC harbor anyway. Please let me know at phil.jeffrey ~~at~~ gmail. I'm not NYSARC, nor am I psychic, but this list was put together in the belief that it is reasonably accurate. Some unverifiable older records are omitted, so this list is modern-biased. The New York State list is at: http://nybirds.org/Publications/ChecklistNYS.htm. One could also do a search of old Kingbird records which is on my to-do list, but will take a while before it gets acted on, if ever.

Note that the Queens County Bird Club list is larger than this list, but I've been exclusionary of older vagrant records that I cannot track down.


Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
Common Loon Gavia immer
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
Western Grebe Aechmophorus occidentalis
Black-capped Petrel Pterodroma hasitata
Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea
Great Shearwater Ardenna gravis
Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus
Leach's Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel Oceanodroma castro
White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus
Brown Booby Sula leucogaster
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo
Anhinga Anhinga anhinga
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Western Reef-Heron Egretta gularis
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor
Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea
White Ibis Eudocimus albus
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
White-faced Ibis Plegadis chihi
Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
Fulvous Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna bicolor
Pink-footed Goose Anser brachyrhynchus
Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Ross's Goose Chen rossii
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
Barnacle Goose Branta leucopsis
Brant Branta bernicla
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
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
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
King Eider Somateria spectabilis
Common Eider Somateria mollissima
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
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis
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
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Merlin Falco columbarius
Gyrfalcon Falco rusticolus
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus
Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris
King Rail Rallus elegans
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Sora Porzana carolina
Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinica
Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata
American Coot Fulica americana
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia
Common Ringed Plover Charadrius hiaticula
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Spotted Redshank Tringa erythropus
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Bar-tailed Godwit Limosa lapponica
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Red Knot Calidris canutus
Sanderling Calidris alba
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
Red-necked Stint Calidris ruficollis
Little Stint Calidris minuta
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper Calidris acuminata
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
Broad-billed Sandpiper Limicola falcinellus
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Ruff Philomachus pugnax
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
American Woodcock Scolopax minor
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Gray-hooded Gull Chroicocephalus cirrocephalus
Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
Mew Gull Larus canus
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia
Royal Tern Sterna maxima
Sandwich Tern Sterna sandvicensis
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
Arctic Tern Sterna paradisaea
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri
Least Tern Sterna antillarum
Bridled Tern Sterna anaethetus
Sooty Tern Sterna fuscata
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Black Skimmer Rynchops niger
Dovekie Alle alle
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia
Razorbill Alca torda
Black Guillemot Cepphus grylle
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
Monk Parakeet Myiopsitta monachus
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
Barn Owl Tyto alba
Eastern Screech-Owl Otus asio
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca
Barred Owl Strix varia
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
Boreal Owl Aegolius funereus
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis
Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Calliope Hummingbird Stellula calliope
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Downy Woodpecker Dryobates pubescens
Hairy Woodpecker Dryobates villosus
Black-backed Woodpecker Picoides arcticus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
"Western" Flycatcher Empidonax difficilis/occidentalis
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
Ash-throated Flycatcher Myiarchus cinerascens
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
Couch's Kingbird Tyrannus couchii
Cassin's Kingbird Tyrannus vociferans
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus forficatus
Fork-tailed Flycatcher Tyrannus savana
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
Bell's Vireo Vireo bellii
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus
Common Raven Corvus corax
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
Purple Martin Progne subis
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapilla
Boreal Chickadee Poecile hudsonica
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
Brown Creeper Certhia americana
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Winter Wren Troglodytes hyemalis
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
Northern Wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
Veery Catharus fuscescens
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
Bicknell's Thrush Catharus bicknelli
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
American Robin Turdus migratorius
Varied Thrush Ixoreus naevius
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Sage Thrasher Oreoscoptes montanus
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava/tschutschensis (indeterminate)
American Pipit Anthus rubescens
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus
Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata
Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
Virginia's Warbler Oreothlypis virginiae
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
MacGillivray's Warbler Geothlypis tolmiei
Mourning Warbler Geothlypis philadelphia
Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosus
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina
Cerulean Warbler Setophaga cerulea
Northern Parula Setophaga americana
Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia
Bay-breasted Warbler Setophaga castanea
Blackburnian Warbler Setophaga fusca
Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler Setophaga pensylvanica
Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata
Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens
Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum
Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus
Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata
Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica
Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor
Black-throated Gray Warbler Setophaga nigrescens
Townsend's Warbler Setophaga townsendi
Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens
Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
Canada Warbler Cardellina canadensis
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
Western Tanager Piranga ludoviciana
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
American Tree Sparrow Spizelloides arborea
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
Lark Bunting Calamospiza melanocorys
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
Henslow's Sparrow Centronyx henslowii
Le Conte's Sparrow Ammospiza leconteii
Nelson's Sparrow Ammospiza nelsoni
Saltmarsh Sparrow Ammospiza caudacuta
Seaside Sparrow Ammospiza maritima
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Black-headed Grosbeak Pheucticus melanocephalus
Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Painted Bunting Passerina ciris
Dickcissel Spiza americana
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
Scott's Oriole Icterus parisorum
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus
House Sparrow Passer domesticus


Total as of November 2015 is 392 species (revised).

Technically, all text and images are © Phil Jeffrey 2010-2016, but it's a little pointless if I don't explicitly grant you permission to download and modify this list for your own personal (non-commercial) use. So there you go.