Great Smoky Mountains

BIRDS A CHECKLIST FOR SPECIES IN GREAT SMOKY MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK KEY STATUS CODE A = Abundant; over 25 seen on a given day in proper habitat/season. C = Common; 5-25 seen per day in proper habitat/season. F = Fairly common; at least one individual seen per day in proper habitat/season. U = Uncommon; at least one individual seen per proper season or several per year. O = Occasional; one seen per year or less. R = Rare; has occurred in park at least once, but is not to be expected. P = Permanent Resident S = Summer Resident W = Winter Resident M = Migrant SPECIAL NOTATIONS * considered to breed within park *? suspected to breed within park cc = most commonly in Cades Cove he = high elevation (above 3,500’) ri = reintroduced (historic) = last recorded sighting 50+ years ago LOONS ❒ Red-throated Loon RM ❒ Common Loon OM GREBES ❒ Pied-billed Grebe UM ❒ Horned Grebe RM STORM-PETRELS ❒ Band-rumped Storm Petrel RM PELICANS AND CORMORANTS ❒ American White Pelican RM ❒ Double-crested Cormorant OM BITTERNS AND HERONS ❒ American Bittern OM ❒ Great Blue Heron UP cc ❒ Great Egret OM ❒ Little Blue Heron OM ❒ Cattle Egret RM ❒ Green Heron US* cc ❒ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron RS* (historic) GEESE AND DUCKS ❒ Snow Goose RM ❒ Ross’ Goose RW ❒ Brant RM ❒ Canada Goose UP* ❒ Wood Duck UP* cc ❒ Green-winged Teal RM cc ❒ American Black Duck RM cc ❒ Mallard UP* cc ❒ Gadwall RW cc ❒ Northern Pintail RM ❒ Blue-winged Teal UM, OW ❒ Northern Shoveler OM ❒ American Wigeon RW cc ❒ Redhead RM cc ❒ Canvasback RM cc ❒ Ring-necked Duck UW cc ❒ Lesser Scaup RM ❒ Greater Scaup RM ❒ Harlequin Duck RM ❒ White-winged Scoter RW ❒ Common Goldeneye RM cc ❒ Bufflehead UW cc ❒ Hooded Merganser UW cc ❒ Common Merganser OS* ❒ Red-breasted Merganser RW cc ❒ Ruddy Duck OW cc HAWKS AND EAGLES ❒ Osprey UM ❒ Swallow-tailed Kite RS cc ❒ Mississippi Kite RM ❒ Bald Eagle UMP* ❒ Northern Harrier UMW ❒ Sharp-shinned Hawk UP*? ❒ Cooper’s Hawk UP*? ❒ Northern Goshawk RM ❒ Red-shouldered Hawk OMW, US* cc ❒ Broad-winged Hawk FS*, CM ❒ Red-tailed Hawk UP*? ❒ Golden Eagle RMW, RS ❒ American Kestrel UMP* cc ❒ Merlin RM ❒ Peregrine Falcon OWM, US* ri GROUSE, TURKEYS AND QUAILS ❒ Ruffed Grouse FP* ❒ Wild Turkey CR* cc ❒ Northern Bobwhite UP* RAILS, GALLINULES AND COOTS ❒ King Rail RM ❒ Virginia Rail RM ❒ Sora OM ❒ Common Moorhen RM ❒ American Coot RMW cc CRANES AND VULTURES ❒ Sandhill Crane OM cc ❒ Black Vulture FP* cc ❒ Turkey Vulture CP* SHOREBIRDS ❒ American Golden-Plover RM ❒ Semipalmated Plover RM cc ❒ Killdeer UP* cc ❒ Greater Yellowlegs OM ❒ Lesser Yellowlegs RM ❒ Solitary Sandpiper OM ❒ Willet RM ❒ Spotted Sandpiper UM ❒ Least Sandpiper OM cc ❒ Ruff RM ❒ Short-billed Dowitcher RM ❒ Wilson’s Snipe UMW cc ❒ American Woodcock UP* ❒ Red-necked Phalarope RM ❒ Red Phalarope RM GULLS AND TERNS ❒ Laughing Gull RM ❒ Bonaparte’s Gull RM ❒ Ring-billed Gull OMW ❒ Herring Gull RW ❒ Sooty Tern RS DOVES ❒ Rock Dove OM ❒ Mourning Dove CP* cc CUCKOOS ❒ Black-billed Cuckoo US* ❒ Yellow-billed Cuckoo FS* OWLS ❒ Barn Owl OP (historic) ❒ Long-eared Owl RW cc ❒ Short-eared Owl OW cc ❒ Eastern Screech-Owl FP* ❒ Great Horned Owl UP* ❒ Barred Owl FP* ❒ Northern Saw-whet Owl FP* he NIGHTHAWKS AND NIGHTJARS ❒ Common Nighthawk OM ❒ Chuck-will’s-widow US* ❒ Eastern Whip-poor-will FS* SWIFTS AND HUMMINGBIRDS ❒ Chimney Swift CS* ❒ Ruby-throated Hummingbird FS,* CM-fall KINGFISHERS ❒ Belted Kingfisher FP* WOODPECKERS ❒ Red-headed Woodpecker OP*, UM cc ❒ Red-bellied Woodpecker FP* ❒ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker US*, FW ❒ Downy Woodpecker CP* ❒ Hairy Woodpecker FP* ❒ Red-cockaded Woodpecker OP* (historic) ❒ Northern Flicker FP* ❒ Pileated Woodpecker FP* FLYCATCHERS ❒ Olive-sided Flycatcher OS* UM he ❒ Eastern Wood-Pewee CS* ❒ Acadian Flycatcher CS* ❒ Alder Flycatcher OM RS ❒ Willow Flycatcher OS ❒ Least Flycatcher US* he ❒ Eastern Phoebe CP* (UW) ❒ Great Crested Flycatcher FS* ❒ Western Kingbird RM ❒ Eastern Kingbird FS* cc ❒ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher RM cc LARKS ❒ Horned Lark OMW SWALLOWS ❒ Purple Martin OS ❒ Tree Swallow UMS* ❒ Northern Rough-winged Swallow FSM* ❒ Bank Swallow OM ❒ Cliff Swallow OM ❒ Barn Swallow CS* GNATCATCHERS ❒ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher CS* THRUSHES ❒ Eastern Bluebird FP* cc ❒ Veery CS* he ❒ Gray-cheeked Thrush FM ❒ Swainson’s Thrush CM, OS*? ❒ Hermit Thrush FW, US* ❒ Wood Thrush CS* ❒ American Robin FP*, CM THRASHERS ❒ Gray Catbird FS*, OW ❒ Northern Mockingbird UP* ❒ Brown Thrasher FS,* UW SHRIKES ❒ Loggerhead Shrike OM cc STARLINGS ❒ European Starling UP* VIREOS ❒ White-eyed Vireo FS* ❒ Blue-headed Vireo CS* he ❒ Yellow-throated Vireo CS* ❒ Warbling Vireo OSM ❒ Philadelphia Vireo OM ❒ Red-eyed Vireo AS* PIPITS AND WAXWINGS ❒ Water Pipit OWM ❒ Cedar Waxwing FP* (erratic) JAYS, CROWS AND RAVENS ❒ Blue Jay FP* ❒ American Crow CP* ❒ Common Raven FP* he CHICKADEES AND TITMICE ❒ Carolina Chickadee CP* ❒ Black-capped Chickadee FP* he ❒ Tufted Titmouse CP* NUTHATCHES AND CREEPERS ❒ Red-breasted Nuthatch CP* he ❒ White-breasted Nuthatch FP* ❒ Brown-headed Nuthatch OP ❒ Brown Creeper FP* he WRENS ❒ Carolina Wren CP* ❒ Bewick’s Wren OP* (historic) ❒ House Wren OP*, FM ❒ Winter Wren CP* he ❒ Sedge Wren OM ❒ Marsh Wren OM KINGLETS ❒ Golden-crowned Kinglet CP* he ❒ Ruby-crowned Kinglet FMW WOOD WARBLERS ❒ Blue-winged Warbler UM ❒ Golden-winged Warbler OS* ❒ Tennessee Warbler CM ❒ Orange-crowned Warbler OMW ❒ Nashville Warbler FM ❒ Northern Parula CS* ❒ Yellow Warbler US* ❒ Chestnut-sided Warbler CS* he ❒ Magnolia Warbler CM (OS*?) ❒ Cape May Warbler FM ❒ Black-throated Blue Warbler CS* he ❒ Yellow-rumped Warbler CMW, OS ❒ Black-throated Green Warbler AS* ❒ Blackburnian Warbler FS* ❒ Yellow-throated Warbler FS* ❒ Pine Warbler FS*, OW ❒ Prairie Warbler US* ❒ Palm Warbler FM, OW ❒ Bay-breasted Warbler FM ❒ Blackpoll Warbler FM (spr.), OM (fall) ❒ Cerulean Warbler US* ❒ Black-and-white Warbler CS* ❒ American Redstart FS* ❒ Prothonotary Warbler OM, RS* ❒ Worm-eating Warbler CS* ❒ Swainson’s Warbler US* ❒ Ovenbird AS* ❒ Northern Waterthrush OM ❒ Louisiana Waterthrush CS* ❒ Kentucky Warbler US* ❒ Connecticut Warbler OM ❒ Mourning Warbler RM ❒ Common Yellowthroat FS* ❒ Hooded Warbler CS* ❒ Wilson’s Warbler OM ❒ Canada Warbler CS* he ❒ Yellow-breasted Chat US* cc TANAGERS ❒ Summer Tanager OS* ❒ Scarlet Tanager CS* SPARROWS ❒ Eastern Towhee CP* ❒ Bachman’s Sparrow (formerly OS*?) ❒ Chipping Sparrow CS* ❒ Field Sparrow CP* ❒ Vesper Sparrow UM cc, (formerly OS*) ❒ Lark Sparrow RM cc ❒ Savannah Sparrow UMW cc ❒ Grasshopper Sparrow OSM cc ❒ Henslow’s Sparrow OMS* ❒ Le Conte’s Sparrow RM ❒ Fox Sparrow O-FW ❒ Song Sparrow CP* ❒ Lincoln’s Sparrow OM ❒ Swamp Sparrow FW ❒ White-throated Sparrow CW ❒ White-crowned Sparrow OMW ❒ Dark-eyed Junco AP* he (lower elv. W) ❒ Chestnut-collared Longspur RM ❒ Lapland Longspur RW cc ❒ Snow Bunting RW he ❒ Northern Cardinal CP* ❒ Rose-breasted Grosbeak FS* he ❒ Blue Grosbeak OM, OS cc (*?) ❒ Indigo Bunting AS* ❒ Dickcissel RWM MEADOWLARKS, BLACKBIRDS AND ORIOLES ❒ Bobolink UMS* cc ❒ Red-winged Blackbird FMS* cc, UW ❒ Eastern Meadowlark CP* cc ❒ Yellow-headed Blackbird RM ❒ Rusty Blackbird UM, OW ❒ Brewer’s Blackbird OM ❒ Common Grackle FS,* UW ❒ Brown-headed Cowbird FMS* ❒ Orchard Oriole UM, US* ❒ Baltimore Oriole UM, OS* cc FINCHES ❒ Purple Finch UW ❒ House Finch UP* ❒ Red Crossbill UP he (erratic) (*?) ❒ White-winged Crossbill RW ❒ Common Redpoll RW ❒ Pine Siskin US, U-CWP* (erratic) ❒ American Goldfinch FP* ❒ Evening Grosbeak O-UW (erratic) OLD WORLD SPARROWS ❒ House Sparrow OP The following is a compilation of species documented as being observed in or over the park and includes the national park, Foothills Parkway, and other adjacent lands and waters protected by the park’s regulations. Checklist compiled by Fred J. Alsop III and Paul E. Super. REFERENCE Chesser, R. T., et al. Checklist of North American Birds (online). Chicago: American Ornithological Society, 2019. BIRD OBSERVATIONS Great Smoky Mountains National Park staff are interested in your observations of unusual birds in the park. Information that is of assistance to the park staff includes: •date and time •exact location •elevation •weather and temperature •number of individuals •your familiarity with the species Send observations of birds to: Research Coordinator Great Smoky Mountains National Park Twin Creeks Science and Education Center 1316 Cherokee Orchard Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 Produced by Great Smoky Mountains Association in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This checklist is available online as a PDF at SmokiesInformation.org. 115 Park Headquarters Road Gatlinburg, TN 37738 865.436.7318 SmokiesInformation.org Revised 4-2020