Mississippi Outfitters

Birds of Mississippi and the Mississippi Delta

This list includes 403 species of birds which have been recorded in the state of Mississippi. All species except those enclosed in brackets have been documented through specimen or photograph. Bracketed species are those for which good written details are on file in the records of the Mississippi Ornithologists' Society, but for which additional documentation is needed.

Area Description
The State of Mississippi is composed of a variety of geographical areas and habitat types, from the bottomland hardwoods of the Delta, to the mixed pines and hardwoods of the Interior Flatwoods, to the longleaf pines of the Lower Coastal Plain. The Mississippi Delta is comprised of 19 counties in northwest Mississippi, bounded to the north by Memphis, to the south by Vicksburg, to the west by the Mississippi River, and to the east by the Loess Hills. The mixture of wetlands, cropland, bottomland hardwood forest, and catfish ponds in close proximity to the Mississippi River work to complement each other and attract an unusual variety and number of migrating birds, as well as a variety of indigenous species.

How to use this list
This list includes all species which have been recorded in Mississippi; however, those species which have been observed in the Delta are emphasized. This list is arranged in the order established by the American Ornithologists' Union, and was designed to be informative and simple to use. Symbols which appear in the checklist are to aid the observer in determining the location and time of year that a particular species is likely to be seen, and are represented by the following:

Locations:
M - species observed in Mississippi;
D - species observed specifically in the Delta;
GC - usually recorded on Gulf Coast only;
B - breeds in Mississippi (although not necessarily in the Delta).

Seasonal Appearance in Mississippi:
Spring (March - May)
Summer (June - August)
Fall (September - November)
Winter (December - February)

Seasonal Abundance (listed only for birds observed in the Delta):
Common (certain to be seen in suitable habitat)
Uncommon (present but difficult to find)
Occasional (seen only a few times in a season)
Rare (seen at irregular intervals)

Species	Occurance in Mississippi
		Location		Abundance
Loons
	Red-throated Loon	C		Ot
	[Pacific Loon]	M		A
	Common Loon	C, D		Cw, Ft
Grebes
	Pied-billed Grebe	M, D	N	Us, Cw
	Horned Grebe	M,D		Fw
	Red-necked Grebe	M		Ot
	Eared Grebe	M, D		Uw
	[Western Grebe]	M		Ot
Shearwaters and Storm Petrels
	[Sooty Shearwater]	C		A
	[Audubon's Shearwater]	C		A
	[Wilson's Storm Petrel]	M		A
Gannets and Boobies
	[Masked Booby]	C		A
	Northern Gannet	C		Fw
Pelicans and Allies
	American White Pelican	M, D		Cw
	Brown Pelican	C		Cp
	Great Cormorant	C		At
	Double-crested Cormorant	M, D	N	Rs, Cw
	Neotropical Cormorant	M		At
	Anhinga	M, D	N	Us, Rw
	Magnificent Frigatebird	C		Fs
Herons, Egrets and Allies
	American Bittern	C,M,D		Uw, Ut
	Least Bittern	M, D	N	Us
	Great Blue Heron	M, D	N	Cp
	Great Egret	M, D	N	Cp
	Snowy Egret	M, D	N	Cp
	Little Blue Heron	M, D	N	Cp
	Tricolored Heron	M, D	N	Fp
	Reddish Egret	C		Rp
	Cattle Egret	M, D	N	Cs, Uw
	Green-backed Heron	M, D	N	Cs, Uw
	Black-crowned Night-Heron	M, D	N	Up
	Yellow-crowned Night-Heron	M, D	N	Fs, Rw
Ibises, Spoonbills and Storks
	White Ibis	M, D	N	Fp
	Glossy Ibis	C,D		Rt
	White-faced Ibis	C		Rt
	Roseate Spoonbill	M, D		Fw
	Wood Stork	M, D		Us
Waterfowl
	Fulvous Whistling- Duck	M, D		Rt
	Black-bellied Whistling Duck			At
	Tundra Swan	M, D		Rw
	Trumpeter Swan	M, D		At
	Greater White-fronted Goose	M, D		Cw
	Snow Goose	M, D		Cw
	Ross' Goose	M, D		Rw
	Brant	M, D		Aw
	Canada Goose	M, D	N	Cp
	Wood Duck	M, D	N	Cp
	Green-winged Teal	M, D		Cw
	American Black Duck	M, D		Fw
	Mottled Duck	C	N	Up
	Mallard	M, D		Cp
	Northern Pintail	M, D		Cw
	Blue-winged Teal	M, D		Os, Ct, Uw
	Cinnamon Teal	M, D		Ot
	Northern Shoveler	M, D		Cw
	Gadwall	M, D		Cw
	[Eurasian Wigeon]	M		At
	American Wigeon	M, D		Cw
	Canvasback	M, D		Fw
	Redhead	M, D		Uw
	Ring-necked Duck	M, D		Cw
	Greater Scaup	M, D		Fw
	Lesser Scaup	M, D		Cw
	King Eider	M		At
	Oldsquaw	M, D		Rw
	Black Scoter	M		Rw
	Surf Scoter	M, D		Rw
	White-winged Scoter	M, D		Rw
	Common Goldeneye	M, D		Fw
	Bufflehead	M, D		Cw
	Hooded Merganser	M, D	N	Cw
	Common Merganser	M, D		Rw
	Red-breasted Merganser	M, D		Cw
	Ruddy Duck	M, D		Cw
Vultures, Hawks and Falcons
	Black Vulture	M, D	N	Cp
	Turkey Vulture	M, D	N	Cp
	Osprey	C, M, D	N	Up, Rs, Ft
	American Swallow-tailed Kite	M, D	N	Us
	White-tailed Kite	C, D	N	Ot
	Mississippi Kite	M, D	N	Cs
	Bald Eagle	M, D	N	Rs, Fw
	Northern Harrier	M, D		Cw
	Sharp-shinned Hawk	M, D		Fw
	Cooper's Hawk	M, D	N	Us, Fw
	Northern Goshawk	M		At
	Harris' Hawk	M		At
	Red-shouldered Hawk	M, D	N	Fp
	Broad-winged Hawk	M, D	N	Fs
	Swainson's Hawk	M		Ot
	Red-tailed Hawk	M, D	N	Cp
	[Ferruginous Hawk]	M		At
	Rough-legged Hawk	M, D		At
	Golden Eagle	M, D		Rt
	Crested Caracara	M, D		A
	American Kestrel	M, D	N	Us, Cw
	Merlin	M, D		Ut, Rw
	Prairie Falcon	M		At
	Peregrine Falcon	M, D		Ut, Rw
Gallinaceous Birds
	Wild Turkey	M, D	N	Cp
	Bobwhite Quail	M, D	N	Cp
Rails, Limpkins and Cranes
	Yellow Rail	M		Ot
	Black Rail	M		A
	Clapper Rail	C	N	Cp
	King Rail	M, D	N	Up
	Virginia Rail	C, M, D		Ut, Rw
	Sora	C, M, D		Ut, Rw
	Purple Gallinule	M, D	N	Us
	Common Moorhen	M, D	N	Cp
	American Coot	M, D	N	Rs, Cw
	Limpkin	M		A
	Sandhill Crane	C, M, D	N	Rw
Plovers, Sandpipers and Allies
	Black-bellied Plover	C, M, D		Fw
	Lesser Golden Plover	M, D		Ft
	Snowy Plover	C	N	Rp
	Wilson's Plover	C, M, D	N	Us
	Semipalmated Plover	C, M, D		Fw, Ft
	Piping Plover	C, M, D		Uw, Rt
	Killdeer	M, D	N	Cp
	Mountain Plover	M		A
	American Oystercatcher	C	N	Up
	Black-necked Stilt	C, M, D	N	Up
	American Avocet	C, M, D		Up, Rt
	Greater Yellowlegs	M, D		Ft,Uw
	Lesser Yellowlegs	M, D		Ct, Uw
	Solitary Sandpiper	M, D		Ct
	Willet	C, M, D	N	Fp, Rt
	Spotted Sandpiper	M, D	N	Ct, Uw
	Upland Sandpiper	M, D	N	Ut
	Whimbrel	C		Rt
	Long-billed Curlew	C		Ot
	Hudsonian Godwit	M, D		A
	Marbled Godwit	C, D		Rw
	Ruddy Turnstone	C, M		Fw
	Red Knot	C, D		Uw
	Sanderling	C, M, D		Cw
	Semipalmated Sandpiper	M, D		Ct
	Western Sandpiper	C, M, D		Cw
	Least Sandpiper	C, M, D		Cw
	White-rumped Sandpiper	M		Ut
	Baird's Sandpiper	M, D		Ut
	Pectoral Sandpiper	M, D		Ct
	Purple Sandpiper	C		A
	Dunlin	C, M, D		Cw, Ft
	Stilt Sandpiper	M, D		Ft
	Buff-breasted Sandpiper	M, D		Ut
	[Ruff]	M		A
	Short-billed Dowitcher	C, M, D		Fw, Ut
	Long-billed Dowitcher	C, M, D		Fw, Ut
	Common Snipe	M, D		Cw
	American Woodcock	M, D	N	Up
	Wilson's Phalarope	C, M, D		Ut
	Red-necked Phalarope	M, D		Ot
	Red Phalarope	M		Ot
Gulls, Terns and Skimmers
	Pomarine Jaeger	M		A
	Parasitic Jaeger	M		O
	Laughing Gull	C, M, D	N	Cp
	Franklin's Gull	M, D		Rt
	Little Gull	M		O
	Common Black-headed Gull	M		A
	Bonaparte's Gull	M, D		Cw
	Ring-billed Gull	M, D		Cw
	Herring Gull	M, D		Uw
	Lesser Black-backed Gull	M		A
	Glaucous Gull	M		O
	Great Black-backed Gull	M		O
	Black-legged Kittiwake	M		O
	Sabine's Gull	M		A
	Gull-billed Tern	C, M	N	Us
	Caspian Tern	C, M, D	N	Fp, Ut
	Royal Tern	C	N	Cp
	Snadwich Tern	C	N	Us
	[Roseate Tern]	M		A
	Common Tern	C, M	N	Us, Rt
	Forster's Tern	C, M, D		Cp, Ft
	Least Tern	C, M, D	N	Cs
	Bridled Tern	C		A
	Sooty Tern	C		A
	Black Tern	M, D		Ct
	Brown Noddy	C		A
	Black Skimmer	C	N	Fp
Pigeons and Doves
	Rock Dove	M, D	N	Cp
	[Band-tailed Pigeon]	M		A
	Eurasian Collared-Dove	M, D	N	Fp
	White-winged Dove	C, D		R
	Mourning Dove	M, D	N	Cp
	Common Ground Dove	C, M, D	N	Rp
Cuckoos
	Black-billed Cuckoo	M, D		Rt
	[Greater Roadrunner]	D		A
	Yellow-billed Cuckoo	M, D	N	Cs
	Groove-billed Ani	C		Rt
Owls
	Barn Owl	M, D	N	Up
	Eastern Screech-Owl	M, D	N	Cp
	Great Horned Owl	M, D	N	Cp
	Snowy Owl	M		A
	Burrowing Owl	M, D		O
	Barred Owl	M, D	N	Cp
	Long-eared Owl	M		A
	Short-eared Owl	M, D		Uw
	Northern Saw-whet Owl	M		A
Goatsuckers
	Common Nighthawk	M, D	N	Cs
	Chuck-will's-widow	M, D	N	Cs
	Whip-poor-will	M, D	N	Fs
Swifts
	Chimney Swift	M, D	N	Cs
Humminbirds
	Buff-bellied Humminbird	M		O
	Ruby-throated Humminbird	M, D	N	Cs
	Black-chinned Humminbird	M		Rw
	Calliope Humminbird	C		A
	Broad-tailed Humminbird	M		A
	Allen's Humminbird	C		A
	Rufous Humminbird	C		Uw
	White-eared Humminbird	M		A
	Anna's Humminbird	M		A
Kingfishers
	Belted Kingfisher	M, D	N	Fp
Woodpeckers
	Red-headed Woodpecker	M, D	N	Cp
	Red-bellied Woodpecker	M, D	N	Cp
	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	M, D		Cw
	Downy Woodpecker	M, D	N	Cp
	Hairy Woodpecker	M, D	N	Up
	Red-cockaded Woodpecker	M	N	Rp
	Northern Flicker	M, D	N	Cp
	Pileated Woodpecker	M, D	N	Cp
	Ivory-billed Woodpecker	Possibly Extirpated
Flycatchers
	Olive-sided Flycatcher	M, D		Ut
	[Western Wood-Pewee]	M		A
	Eastern Wood-Pewee	M, D	N	Cs
	Yellow-bellied Flycatcher	M, D		Ut
	Acadian Flycatcher	M, D	N	Fs
	Alder Flycatcher	M		Rt
	Willow Flycatcher	M	N	As, Rt
	Least Flycatcher	M, D		Ut
	Eastern Phoebe	M, D	N	Cp
	Say's Phoebe	M		A
	Vermillion Flycatcher	M, D		Rw
	Ash-throated Flycatcher	M		A
	Great-crested Flycatcher	M, D	N	Cs
	[Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher]	M		A
	Western Kingbird	M, D		Rt
	Eastern Kingbird	M, D	N	Cs
	Gray Kingbird	M, D	N	O
	Scissor-tailed Flycatcher	M, D	N	Rt
	Cassin's Kingbird	M		A
Larks
	Horned Lark	M, D	N	Cp
Martins and Swallows
	Purple Martin	M, D	N	Cs
	Tree Swallow	M, D	N	As, Ct
	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	M, D	N	Fs
	Bank Swallow	M, D	N	Rs, Ut
	Cliff Swallow	M, D	N	Cs
	Cave Swallow	M		A
	Barn Swallow	M, D	N	Cs
Jays and Crows
	Blue Jay	M, D	N	Cp
	American Crow	M, D	N	Cp
	Fish Crow	M, D	N	Cp
Chickadees and Titmice
	Carolina Chickadee	M, D	N	Cp
	Tufted Titmouse	M, D	N	Cp
Nuthatches
	Red-breasted Nuthatch	M, D		Uw
	White-breasted Nuthatch	M, D	N	Fp
	Brown-headed Nuthatch	M, D	N	Fp
Creepers
	Brown Creeper	M, D		Fw
Wrens
	Carolina Wren	M, D	N	Cp
	Bewick's Wren	M, D	N	Rw
	House Wren	M, D		Uw
	Winter Wren	M, D		Fw
	Sedge Wren	M, D		Uw
	Marsh Wren	C, M, D	N	Ut, Rw
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
	Golden-crowned Kinglet	M, D		Cw
	Ruby-crowned Kinglet	M, D		Cw
	Blue-gray Kinglet	M, D	N	Cs, Rw
Bluebirds, Thrushes and Robins
	Eastern Bluebird	M, D	N	Cp
	Mountain Bluebird	M		A
	[Townsend's Solitaire]	M		A
	Veery	M, D		Ut
	Gray Cheecked Thrush	M, D		Ut
	Swainson's Thrush	M, D		Ft
	Hermit Thrush	M, D		Fw
	Wood Thrush	M, D	N	Cs
	American Robin	M, D	N	Cp
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
	Gray Catbird	C, M, D	N	Ct, Us
	Northern Mockingbird	M, D	N	Cp
	Brown Thrasher	M, D	N	Cp
Wagtails and Pipits
	Citrine Wagtail	M		A
	American Pipit	M, D		Cw
	Sprague's Pipit	M		O
Waxwings
	Cedar Waxwing	M, D	N	As, Cw
Shrikes
	Loggerhead Shrike	M, D	N	Fp
Starlings
	European Starling	M, D	N	Cp
Vireos
	White-eyed Vireo	M, D	N	Cs, Rw
	Bell's Vireo	M		O
	[Black-capped Vireo]	M		A
	Solitary Vireo	M, D		Uw
	Yellow-throated Vireo	M, D	N	Fs
	Warbling Vireo	M, D	N	Us
	Philadelphia Vireo	M, D		Ut
	Red-eyed Vireo	M, D	N	Cs
	[Black-whiskered Vireo]	M		O
Warblers
	Bachman's Warbler	Possibly Extirpated
	Blue-winged Warbler	M, D		Ft
	Golden-winged Warbler	M, D		Ut
	Tennessee Warbler	M, D		Ct
	Orange-crowned Warbler	M, D		Uw
	Nashville Warbler	M, D		Ut
	Northern Parula	M, D	N	Cs
	Yellow Warbler	M, D		Cw
	Chesnut-sided Warbler	M, D		Ft
	Magnolia Warbler	M, D		Ct
	Cape May Warbler	M, D		Rt
	Black-throated Blue Warbler	M		Rt
	Yellow-rumped Warbler	M, D		Cw
	[Black-throated Gray Warbler]	M		A
	Townsend's Warbler	M		A
	Black-throated Green Warbler	M, D		Ct
	Blackburnian Warbler	M, D		Ft
	Yellow-throated Warbler	M, D	N	Fs
	Pine Warbler	M, D	N	Cp
	Prairie Warbler	M, D	N	Fs
	Palm Warbler	C, M, D		Fw, Ft
	Bay-breasted Warbler	M, D		Ft
	Blackpoll Warbler	M, D		Ft
	Cerulean Warbler	M, D		Ut
	Black-and-white Warbler	M, D	N	Cs
	American Redstart	M, D	N	Us, Ct
	Prothonotary Warbler	M, D	N	Cs
	Worm-eating Warbler	M, D	N	Us
	Swainson's Warbler	M, D	N	Us
	Ovenbird	M, D	N	Us, Ft
	Northern Waterthrush	M, D		Ut
	Louisiana Waterthrush	M, D	N	Fs
	Kentucky Warbler	M, D	N	Cs
	[Connecticut Warbler]	M, D		O
	Mourning Warbler	M, D		Rt
	Common Yellowthroat	M, D	N	Cs, Uw
	Hooded Warbler	M, D	N	Cs
	Wilson's Warbler	M, D		Ut
	Canada Warbler	M, D		Ft
	[Painted Redstart]	M		A
	Yellow-breasted Chat	M, D	N	Cs
Tanagers
	Summer Tanager	M, D	N	Cs
	Scarlet Tanager	M, D	N	Us, Ft
	Western Tanager	M, D		O
New World Finches
	Northern Cardinal	M, D	N	Cp
	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	M, D		Ft
	Black-headed Grosbeak	M, D		O
	Blue Grosbeak	M, D	N	Cs
	[Lazuli Bunting]	M		A
	Indigo Bunting	M, D	N	Cs
	Painted Bunting	M, D	N	Us
	Dickcissel	M, D	N	Cs
Sparrows
	[Green-tailed Towhee]	M		A
	Rufous-sided Towhee	M, D	N	Cp
	Bachman's Sparrow	M	N	Us
	American Tree Sparrow	M, D		Ca
	Chipping Sparrow	M, D	N	Fs, Cw
	Clay-colored sparrow	C		O
	Field Sparrow	M, D	N	Fs, Cw
	Vesper Sparrow	M, D		Uw
	Lark Sparrow	M, D	N	Rs
	Lark Bunting	M		A
	Savannah Sparrow	M, D		Cw
	Grasshopper Sparrow	C, M, D		Rw
	Henslow's Sparrow	M		Rw
	LeConte's Sparrow	M, D		Uw
	Sharp-tailed Sparrow	C, M, D		Uw
	Seaside Sparrow	C	N	Up
	Fox Sparrow	M, D		Fw
	Song Sparrow	M, D		Cw
	Lincoln's Sparrow	M, D		Ut, Rw
	Swamp Sparrow	M, D		Cw
	White-throated Sparrow	M, D		Cw
	White-crowned Sparrow	M, D		Fw
	Harris' Sparrow	M, D		O
	Dark-eyed Junco	M, D		Cw
	Lapland Longspur	M, D		Cw
	Smith's Longspur	M		O
	Snow Bunting	M		A
Blackbirds, Grackles, Cowbirds and Orioles
	Bobolink	M, D		Ct
	Red-winged Blackbird	M, D	N	Cp
	Eastern Meadowlark	M, D	N	Cp
	Western Meadowlark	M, D		Rw
	Yellow-headed Blackbird	M, D		O
	Rusty Blackbird	M, D		Fw
	Brewer's Blackbird	M, D		Fw
	Boat-tailed Blackbird	C	N	Cp
	Common Grackle	M, D	N	Cp
	Shiny Cowbird	C		A
	Bronzed Cowbird	C		O
	Brown-headed Cowbird	M, D	N	Cp
	Orchard Oriole	M, D	N	Cs
	Northern Oriole (Baltimore race)	M, D	N	Cs
Northern Finches
	Purple Finch	M, D		Fw
	House Finch	M, D	N	Fs, Cw
	Red Crossbill	M	N	O
	Pine Siskin	M, D		Cw
	American Goldfinch	M, D	N	Cp
	Evening Grosbeak	M, D		Uw
Old World Sparrows
	House Sparrow	M, D	N	Cp