List of Birds of Massachusetts

List Of Birds Of Massachusetts

This list of Massachusetts birds is a comprehensive listing of all the bird species recorded from the U.S. state of Massachusetts. This list is based on a checklist used by the Massachusetts Avian Records Committee, the list used by most birders to objectively evaluate species recorded in the state. This list is based on the Committee's revision of December 31, 2010.

The taxonomic treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families, genera and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) used in the accompanying bird lists adhere to the conventions of the AOU's (1998) Check-list of North American birds, the recognized scientific authority on the taxonomy and nomenclature of North American birds. The AOU's Committee on Classification and Nomenclature, the body responsible for maintaining and updating the Check-list, "strongly and unanimously continues to endorse the biological species concept (BSC), in which species are considered to be genetically cohesive groups of populations that are reproductively isolated from other such groups" (AOU 1998). See Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy for an alternative phylogenetic arrangement based on DNA-DNA hybridization.

Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in Massachusetts as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following codes are used to denote certain categories of species:

  • n - Nesting: Confirmed nesting records within the state of Massachusetts.
  • xn - Extralimital nester: Previous record of nesting, but recorded only once or twice.
  • (I) - Introduced: Birds that have been introduced to North America by the actions of man, either directly or indirectly.
  • (E) - Extinct
  • (Ex) - Extirpated: A bird that, while it is not extinct, is no longer found in Massachusetts.
  • (R) - Review list: Birds that if seen require more comprehensive documentation than regularly seen species. By their very nature, these birds are considered irregular or of rare occurrence in Massachusetts.

Note: Birds marked with * is not identified to species, but distinct enough to be considered as a separate entry


Table of contents

Non-passerines: Ducks, geese, and swans • Pheasants, Turkeys and Grouse • New World quail • Loons • Grebes • Albatrosses • Fulmers, petrels and shearwaters • Storm petrels • Tropicbirds • Boobies and gannets • Pelicans • Cormorants • Darters • Frigatebirds • Bitterns, herons, and egrets • Ibises and spoonbills • Storks • New World vultures • Osprey • Hawks, kites, and eagles • Caracaras and falcons • Rails, gallinules, and coots • Limpkins • Cranes • Lapwings and plovers • Oystercatchers • Stilts and avocets • Sandpipers, curlews, stints, godwits, snipes, and phalaropes • Gulls, terns, and skimmers • Skuas • Auks, murres, and puffins • Pigeons and doves • Lories, parakeets, macaws, and parrots • Cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis • Barn owls • Typical owls • Nightjars • Swifts • Hummingbirds • Kingfishers • Woodpeckers, sapsuckers, and flickers

Passerines: Tyrant flycatchers • Shrikes • Vireos • Jays, crows, magpies, and ravens • Larks • Swallows and martins • Chickadees and titmice • Nuthatches • Treecreepers • Wrens • Kinglets • Gnatcatchers • Old World flycatchers • Thrushes • Mockingbirds and thrashers • Starlings • Wagtails and pipits • Waxwings • Longspurs • Wood-warblers • American sparrows, towhees, and juncos • Cardinals, grosbeaks and allies • Blackbirds, meadowlarks, cowbirds, grackles, and orioles • Finches • Old World sparrows

See also References

Read more about List Of Birds Of Massachusetts:  Ducks, Geese, and Swans, Pheasants, Turkeys, and Grouse, New World Quail, Loons, Grebes, Albatrosses, Fulmars, Petrels and Shearwaters, Storm Petrels, Tropicbirds, Storks, Frigatebirds, Boobies and Gannets, Cormorants, Darters, Pelicans, Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets, Ibises and Spoonbills, New World Vultures, Osprey, Hawks, Kites, and Eagles, Caracaras and Falcons, Rails, Gallinules, and Coots, Cranes, Lapwings and Plovers, Oystercatchers, Stilts and Avocets, Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers, Skuas, Auks, Murres, and Puffins, Pigeons and Doves, Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots, Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis, Barn Owls, Typical Owls, Nightjars, Swifts, Hummingbirds, Kingfishers, Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers, and Flickers, Tyrant Flycatchers, Shrikes, Vireos, Jays, Crows, Magpies, and Ravens, Larks, Swallows and Martins, Chickadees and Titmice, Nuthatches, Treecreepers, Wrens, Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, Old World Flycatchers, Thrushes, Mockingbirds and Thrashers, Starlings, Wagtails and Pipits, Waxwings, Silky-flycatchers, Longspurs, Wood-warblers, American Sparrows, Towhees, and Juncos, Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Allies, Blackbirds, Meadowlarks, Cowbirds, Grackles, and Orioles, Finches, Old World Sparrows, Supplemental List

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