List of birds of Isle Royale National Park

This is a comprehensive listing of the bird species recorded in Isle Royale National Park, which is in the U.S. state of Michigan. Unless otherwise noted, this list is based on one published by the National Park Service (NPS).^[1]

This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS).^[2] Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.

This list contains 256 species when taxonomic changes have been made. Unless otherwise noted, all are considered to occur regularly in Isle Royale National Park as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The tags below are used to designate the abundance of some less-common species.

• (R) Rare - "usually seen only a few times each year" per the NPS (34 species)
• (U) Uncommon - "likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season and may be locally common" per the NPS (75 species)
• (O) Occasional - "occur in a park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year" per the NPS (68 species)
• (H) Historical - "not in park" per the NPS, but historical records exist (1 species)
• (Unc) Unconfirmed - "Attributed to the park based on weak...or no evidence, giving minimal indication of the species' occurrence in the park" per the NPS (11 species)
• (PP) Probably present - "High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed" per the NPS (3 species)
• (Unk) Unknown - Abundance is not known per the NPS (12 species)
• (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by humans (4 species)

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl[]

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to 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.

Grebes[]

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-large 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.

• Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (U)
• Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus (U)
• Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (U)
• Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis (Unc)

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.

• Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) (O)
• Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (U)

Cuckoos[]

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.

• Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (O)
• Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (R)

Nightjars and allies[]

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae

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

• Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (U)
• Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (O)

Swifts[]

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

The swifts are small birds which spend 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 which resemble a crescent or boomerang.

• Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (U)

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.

• Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (U)

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, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and tend to be weak fliers.

• Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (O)
• Sora, Porzana carolina (R)
• American coot, Fulica americana (O)

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".

• Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis (U)

Plovers and lapwings[]

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.

• Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola (U)
• American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica (O)
• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus (U)
• Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (O)

Sandpipers and allies[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is 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 these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Skuas and jaegers[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Skuas and jaegers are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers.

• Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (O)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers[]

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.

• Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (U)
• Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (U)
• Herring gull, Larus argentatus
• Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides (O)
• Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus (O)
• Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (O)
• Black tern, Chlidonias niger (O)
• Common tern, Sterna hirundo (R)

Loons[]

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body.

• Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata (O)
• Common loon, Gavia immer
• Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii (Unc)

Cormorants and shags[]

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

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

• Double-crested cormorant, Nannopterum auritum

Pelicans[]

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

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

• American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos (O)

Herons, egrets, and bitterns[]

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.

• American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus (U)
• Great blue heron, Ardea herodias
• Green heron, Butorides virescens (H)
• Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (O)

New World vultures[]

Order: Cathartiformes   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.

• Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura (O)

Osprey[]

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

Pandionidae is a monotypic family of fish-eating birds of prey, possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (U)

Hawks, eagles, and kites[]

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes 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.

• Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos (O)
• Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius (U)
• Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus (U)
• Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii (R)
• Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis (U)
• Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (U)
• Mississippi kite, Ictinia mississippiensis (Unk)
• Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus (O)
• Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus
• Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis (R)
• Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus (O)

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

• Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio (Unc)
• Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus (U)
• Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (O)
• Northern hawk owl, Surnia ulula (O)
• Barred owl, Strix varia (O)
• Great gray owl, Strix nebulosa (PP)
• Long-eared owl, Asio otus (O)
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus (O)
• Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus (Unc)
• Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus (R)

Kingfishers[]

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.

• Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon (U)

Woodpeckers[]

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.

• Red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus (O)
• Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius (U)
• American three-toed woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis (R)
• Black-backed woodpecker, Picoides arcticus (R)
• Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens
• Hairy woodpecker, Dryobates villosus
• Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus
• Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus

Falcons and caracaras[]

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 talons.

• American kestrel, Falco sparverius (U)
• Merlin, Falco columbarius (U)
• Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus (O)
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (O)

Tyrant flycatchers[]

Order: Passeriformes   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 and have 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.

• Great crested flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus (O)
• Western kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis (O)
• Eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus (R)
• Olive-sided flycatcher, Contopus cooperi (U)
• Western wood-pewee, Contopus sordidulus (Unk) (not on the Michigan state list)^[3]
• Eastern wood-pewee, Contopus virens (R)
• Yellow-bellied flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris
• Alder flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum
• Willow flycatcher, Empidonax traillii (Unk)
• Least flycatcher, Empidonax minimus (U)
• Eastern phoebe, Sayornis phoebe (R)

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• White-eyed vireo, Vireo griseus (Unk)
• Yellow-throated vireo, Vireo flavifrons (O)
• Blue-headed vireo, Vireo solitarius (U)
• Philadelphia vireo, Vireo philadelphicus (R)
• Warbling vireo, Vireo gilvus (O)
• Red-eyed vireo, Vireo olivaceus

Shrikes[]

Order: Passeriformes   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 shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey.

• Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus (Unk)
• Northern shrike, Lanius borealis (U)

Crows, jays, and magpies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. Seven species have been recorded in Michigan.

• Canada jay, Perisoreus canadensis
• Blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata
• Black-billed magpie, Pica hudsonia (O)
• American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Tits, chickadees, and titmice[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapilla
• Boreal chickadee, Poecile hudsonica (R)

Larks[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris (U)

Swallows[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

• Bank swallow, Riparia riparia (O)
• Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor (U)
• Northern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis (O)
• Purple martin, Progne subis (PP)
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica (R)
• Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota (O)

Kinglets[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds, mostly in the genus Regulus. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their names.

• Ruby-crowned kinglet, Corthylio calendula (U)
• Golden-crowned kinglet, Regulus satrapa

Waxwings[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of birds with 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.

• Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus
• Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum (Unc)

Nuthatches[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
• White-breasted nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis (R)

Treecreepers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers 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.

• Brown creeper, Certhia americana

Wrens[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin down-turned bills. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous.

• House wren, Troglodytes aedon (R)
• Winter wren, Troglodytes hiemalis
• Sedge wren, Cistothorus platensis (R)
• Marsh wren, Cistothorus palustris (R)

Mockingbirds and thrashers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

The mimids are a family of passerine birds which 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.

• Gray catbird, Dumetella carolinensis (R)
• Brown thrasher, Toxostoma rufum (U)
• Northern mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos (O)

Starlings[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (I) (R)

Thrushes and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   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.

• Eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis (R)
• Veery, Catharus fuscescens (U)
• Gray-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus (U)
• Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus
• Hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus
• Wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina (R)
• American robin, Turdus migratorius

Old World sparrows[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or grayish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I) (O)

Wagtails and pipits[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is 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.

• American pipit, Anthus rubescens (R)

Finches, euphonias, and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   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 twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

• Evening grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus (R)
• Pine grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator (U)
• Purple finch, Haemorhous purpureus (R)
• Common redpoll, Acanthis flammea (O)
• Hoary redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni (PP)
• Red crossbill, Loxia curvirostra (O)
• White-winged crossbill, Loxia leucoptera (U)
• Pine siskin, Spinus pinus (U)
• American goldfinch, Spinus tristis (U)

Longspurs and snow buntings[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds that were traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas.

• Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus (O)
• Smith's longspur, Calcarius pictus (Unk)
• Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis

New World sparrows[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns.

• Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina
• Clay-colored sparrow, Spizella pallida (O)
• Field sparrow, Spizella pusilla (O)
• Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (U)
• American tree sparrow, Spizelloides arborea
• Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis (U)
• White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys (U)
• Harris's sparrow, Zonotrichia querula (O)
• White-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
• Vesper sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus (R)
• LeConte's sparrow, Ammospiza leconteii (O)
• Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis (U)
• Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia
• Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii (O)
• Swamp sparrow, Melospiza georgiana (U)

Yellow-breasted chat[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae

This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers (Parulidae) but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there. It was placed in its own family in 2017.

• Yellow-breasted chat, Icteria virens (Unc)

Troupials and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful 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 color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red.

• Yellow-headed blackbird, Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus (O)
• Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus (O)
• Eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna (R)
• Western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta (Unc)
• Baltimore oriole, Icterus galbula (O)
• Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus (U)
• Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater (R)
• Rusty blackbird, Euphagus carolinus (O)
• Brewer's blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus (O)
• Common grackle, Quiscalus quiscula (U)

New World warblers[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

The wood-warblers are a group of small often colorful 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.

Cardinals and allies[]

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

The cardinals are a family of robust seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages.

• Scarlet tanager, Piranga olivacea (U)
• Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis (Unk)
• Rose-breasted grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus (U)
• Indigo bunting, Passerina cyanea (U)

See also[]

• List of birds of Michigan
• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region
• List of birds of North America

References[]

External links[]

• Michigan Bird Records Committee
• Michigan Checklist