Dearborn Bird Checklist

This is a revised version of the Dearborn bird checklist incorporating changes through 2020.

This checklist complies with all taxonomic changes made by the American Ornithologists’ Union to the 7th edition of the AOU Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, through the 59th Supplement, published in 2018.

The Dearborn bird checklist contains 266 species (which includes two hypothetical and two extirpated species), most of which were recorded on the University of Michigan-Dearborn (UMD) campus and adjacent green space. Records were compiled from over 50,000 banding records from programs that took place on the UMD campus (from 1971-1987, and 1992-2014 as the Rouge River Bird Observatory) and elsewhere in the city; thousands of standardized surveys, mostly by RRBO; published historical records, archived photographs, and documentation; and other material determined to be credible. Links to supporting information on some of the more interesting species are included in the checklist below.

If you are interested in the residency status, relative abundance, dates of occurance, and sighting locations of these species, detailed information is available in A Checklist of the Birds of Dearborn, available here along with my 2007 publication.

This checklist copyright Julie Craves. Not to be reproduced without written permission.

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ORDER ANSERIFORMES
Family Anatidae: Swans, Geese, and Ducks

__ Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens)
__ Ross's Goose (Anser rossii)
__ Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
__ Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
__ Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
__ Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
__ Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)
__ Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
__ Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
__ Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
__ Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
__ Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
__ American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
__ Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
__ American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
__ 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)
__ White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
__ Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
__ Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
__ Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
__ Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
__ Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
__ Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
__ Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

 

ORDER GALLIFORMES
Family Odontophoridae: New World Quail

__ Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)

Family Phasianidae: Partridges, Grouse, and Turkeys

__ Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
__ Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

 

ORDER PODICIPEDIFORMES
Family Podicipedidae: Grebes

__ Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
__ Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

 

ORDER COLUMBIFORMES
Family Columbidae: Pigeons and Doves

__ Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)
__ Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)
__ Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)

 

ORDER CUCULIFORMES
Family Cuculidae: Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis

__ Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)
__ Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)

 

ORDER CAPRIMULGIFORMES
Family Caprimulgidae: Nightjars

__ Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)
__ Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)

 

ORDER APODIFORMES
Family Apodidae: Swifts

__ Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

Family Trochilidae: Hummingbirds

__ Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

 

ORDER GRUIFORMES
Family Rallidae: Rails, Coots, and Gallinules

__ Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)
__ King Rail (Rallus elegans)
__ Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)
__ Sora (Porzana carolina)
__ Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata)
__ American Coot (Fulica americana)

Family Gruidae: Cranes

__ Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis)

 

ORDER CHARADIIFORMES
Family Charadriidae: Plovers

__ Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
__ American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
__ Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
__ Killdeer (Charadrius vociferous)

Family Scolopacidae: Sandpipers, Phalaropes, and allies

__ Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)
__ Sanderling (Calidris alba)
__ Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
__ Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
__ Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
__ Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
__ American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)
__ Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata)
__ Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
__ Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
__ Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)
__ Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

Family Stercorariidae: Jaegers

__ Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus)

Family Laridae: Gulls

__ Bonaparte’s Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
__ Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)
__ 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)
__ Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)
__ Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)
__ Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
__ Forster’s Tern (Sterna fosteri)

 

ORDER GAVIIFORMES
Family Gaviidae: Loons

__ Common Loon (Gavia immer)

 

ORDER SULIFORMES
Family Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorants 

__ Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

 

ORDER PELECANIFORMES
Family Pelecanidae: Pelicans

__ American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Family Ardeidae: Bitterns and Herons

__ American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)
__ Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
__ Great Egret (Ardea alba)
__ Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
__ Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
__ Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
__ Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
__ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

 

Order CATHARTIFORMES
Family Catharitidae: Vultures

__Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

 

Order ACCIPITRIFORMES
Family Pandionidae: Osprey

__ Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

Family Accipitridae: Kites, Eagles, Hawks, and allies

__ White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus)
__ Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)
__ Northern Harrier (Circus hudsonius)
__ Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
__ Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)
__ Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
__ Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
__ Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)
__ Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
__ Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)
__ Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
__ Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)

ORDER STRIGIFORMES
Family Tytonidae: Barn Owls

__ Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

Family Strigidae: Typical Owls

__ Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)
__ Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
__ Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)
__ Barred Owl (Strix varia)
__ Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)
__ Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)
__ Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

 

ORDER CORACIIFORMES
Family Alcedinidae: Kingfishers

__ Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

 

 

ORDER PICIFORMES
Family Picidae: Woodpeckers

__ Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)
__ Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
__ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
__ Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates pubescens)
__ Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus)
__ Northern (Yellow-shafted) Flicker (Colaptes auratus)
__ Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
 

ORDER FALCONIFORMES
Family Falconidae: Falcons

__ American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)
__ Merlin (Falco columbarius)
__ Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)
__ Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

ORDER PASSERIFORMES
Family Tyrannidae: Tyrant Flycatchers

__ Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)
__ Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
__ 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)
__ Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

Family Laniidae: Shrikes

__ Northern Shrike (Lanius borealis)

Family Vireonidae: Vireos

__ White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)
__ Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
__ Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)
__ Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)
__ Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)
__ Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)

Family Corvidae: Jays, Magpies, and Crows

__ Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
__ American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

Family Alaudidae: Larks

__ Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

Family Hirundinidae: Swallows

__ Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
__ Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
__ Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
__ Purple Martin (Progne subis)
__ Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
__ Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

Family Paridae: Titmice

__ Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)
__ Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Family Sittidae: Nuthatches

__ Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
__ White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Family Certhiidae: Creepers

__ Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

Family Troglodytidae: Wrens

__ House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
__ Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)
__ Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)
__ Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
__ Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)

Family Polioptilidae: Gnatcatchers

__ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

Family Regulidae: Kinglets

__ Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)
__ Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)

Family Turdidae: Thrushes

__ Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
__ Veery (Catharus fuscescens)
…..__ “Newfoundland” Veery
__ Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)
__ Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
__ Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)
__ Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
__ American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
__ Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)

Family Mimidae: Mockingbirds, Thrashers

__ Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
__ Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
__ Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

Family Sturnidae: Starlings

__ European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

Family Bombycillidae: Waxwings

__ Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)
__ Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Family Passeridae: Old World Sparrows

__ House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
__ Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)

Family Motacillidae: Wagtails and Pipits

__ American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)

Family Fringillidae: Finches and allies

__ Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
__ House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
__ Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
__ Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
__ Hoary Redpoll (Acanthis hornemanni)
__ Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
__ White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)
__ European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)
__ Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
__ American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

Family Calcariidae: Longspurs and Buntings

__ Lapland Longspur ( Calcarius lapponicus)
__ Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Family Passerellidae: Sparrows

__ Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis)
__ Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

__ Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)
__ Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)
__ Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)
__ Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)
__ Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)
__ American Tree Sparrow (Spizelloides arborea)
__ Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Junco (Junco hyemalis)
…..__ “Oregon” Junco
__ White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)
…..__ “Gambel’s” White-crowned Sparrow
__ Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)
__ White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)
__ Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)
__ Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)
__ Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)
__ Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)
__ Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)
__ Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

Family Icteriidae: Chat

__ Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Family Icteridae: Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, and Orioles

__ Yellow-headed Blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
__ Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)
__ Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
__ Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)
__ Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
__ Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
__ Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
__ Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)
__ Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

Family Parulidae: Wood Warblers

__ Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla)
__ Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum)
__ Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla)
__ Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)
__ Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)
__ Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)
…..__ “Brewster’s” Warbler
…..__ “Lawrence’s” Warbler
__ Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)
__ Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
__ Tennessee Warbler (Leiothlypis peregrina)
__ Orange-crowned Warbler (Leiothlypis celata)
__ Nashville Warbler (Leiothlypis ruficapilla)
__ Virginia's Warbler (Leiothlypis virginiae)
__ Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)
__ Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia)
__ Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosus)
__ Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)
__ Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)
__ American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)
__ Kirtland's Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii)
__ 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 striatus)
__ Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens)
__ (Western) Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)
…..__ “Yellow” Palm Warbler
__ Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)
__ Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) 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)
__ Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)
__ Wilson’s Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)

Family Cardinalidae: Tanagers, Cardinals, New World Grosbeaks, and Buntings

__ Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)
__ Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)
__ Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
__ Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
__ Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)
__ Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)
__ Dickcissel (Spiza americana)