Birds
The evolutionary origin of birds
has always been a subject of
considerable debate. Birds and
flying reptiles have delicate,
lightweight skeletons which do not
fossilize well - hindering studies on
how the birds evolved. The first
bird fossil to be found was a
feather, which was discovered in
1860 in a limestone quarry in
Bavaria. The feather was given
the name Archaeopteryx, which is
Greek for 'ancient feather'. A year
later an almost complete skeleton
of Archaeopteryx was discovered
in the same quarry, with the
feathers and other fine structures
preserved in minute detail.
The skeleton showed
several features which are
intermediate between
reptiles and birds,
suggesting that
Archaeopteryx and the other
birds evolved from a
dinosaur similar to the
Velociraptor featured in the
film 'Jurassic Park'.
Seven partial or complete
Archaeopteryx skeletons
have now been found, and
they are still among the
most famous, and
scientifically valuable,
fossils.
Feathers make the bird
Alabama Birds
Checklist of Alabama Birds - Geographical & Seasonal
Distribution
Alabama Ornithological Society
Order Gaviiformes
Loons
Specialized for swimming and diving. Come ashore
only to breed. In flight, head lower than body.
Wingbeats fast. Eat fish, crustaceans, some water
plants.
Common loon – Gavia immer
Order Podicipediformes
Grebes
Swimming and diving birds, smaller than loons. Flat
lobes on toes. Short legs far back on body. Flight weak
and hurried. Taxi before becoming airborne. Dive and
pursue aquatic animals.
Pied-billed grebe – Podilymbus podiceps
Order Pelecaniformes
Pelicans and their Allies
Large, aquatic fish-eating birds with all four toes
webbed. Most nest in large colonies and are silent
outside breeding grounds.
American white pelican – Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
White pelicans in flight.
Brown pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
Brown pelican diving
For fish.
Double-crested cormorant – Phalacrocorax auritus
Double-crested cormorant
Anghinga (snake bird) – Anhinga anhinga
Order Anseriformes
Waterfowl
Aquatic, with webs between the three front toes. Long
necks and narrow pointed wings. Flattened bills with
tooth-like edges that serve as strainers.
Geese
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anserini
Canada goose – Branta canadensis
Snow goose – Chen caerulescens
Surface-feeding Ducks (Dabblers)
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anatini
Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos
Summer Distribution
Winter Distribution
Pintail – Anas acuta
Blue-winged teal
Anas discors
Blue-winged teal
Green-winged teal – Anas crecca
Perching or Wood Ducks
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Carinini
Wood duck (drake) – Aix sponsa
Female wood duck
Wood duck
distribution
Bay Ducks (Divers)
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Aythyini
Redhead – Aythya americana
Redhead distribution
Canvasback – Aythya valisneria
Ring-necked duck – Aythya collaris
Ring-necked duck
distribution
Lesser scaup – Aythya affinis
Lesser scaup
distribution
Sea Ducks
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Mergini
Common goldeneye – Bucephala clangula
Common goldeneye
distribution
Canvasback distribution
Bufflehead – Bucephala albeola
Bufflehead distribution
Hooded merganser – Lophodytes cucullatus
Hooded merganser
distribution
Order Falconiformes
Eagles, Hawks, Falcons,
Vultures
Diurnal birds of prey. Strong beaks and talons.
Turkey vulture – Cathartes aura
Turkey vulture in flight
Black vulture – Coragyps atratus
Vultures (two black, one turkey) feeding on carrion.
Mississippi kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
Swallow-tailed kit
Elanoides forficatus
Cooper’s hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Cooper’s hawk in flight
Sharp-shinned and Cooper’s hawks
Sharp-shinned hawk
Accipiter striatus
Northern harrier –
Circus cyaneus
Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Red-tailed hawk in flight
Red-shouldered hawk
Buteo lineatus
Red-shouldered hawk in flight
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos
Bald eagle
Haliaetus leucocephalus
Osprey – Pandion haliaetus
American kestrel – Falco sparverius
Peregrine falcon- Falco peregrinus
Order Galliformes
Gallinaceous Birds
Heavy-bodied, chicken-like land birds. Short, heavy
bill. Wings short and rounded. Legs rather long.
Flight not fast, but can burst into full flight from a
sitting position. Capable runners that forage on the
ground. Males of many species have elaborate
courtship displays.
Northern bobwhite – Colinus virginianus
Male bobwhite
Wild turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
Order Ciconiiformes
Herons and their allies
Wading birds with long legs, neck and bill. Most feed
on aquatic animal life in shallow water. Some have long
plumes in the breeding season. Wings are broad and
rounded, tail short.
Great blue heron
Ardea herodius
Great egret
Casmerodius albus
Snowy egret – Egretta thula
Cattle egret – Bubuculus ibis
Little blue heron – Egretta caerulea
Louisiana heron – Egretta tricolor
Green heron
Butorides striatus
White ibis – Eudocimus albus
Wood stork
Mycteria americana
Order Gruiformes
Cranes and their Allies
Highly diverse group of wading birds with long legs.
Other features such as size, body outline, bill shape and
neck length are highly variable.
Sandhill crane
Grus canadensis
Sandhill crane
Whooping crane
Grus americana
Clapper rail
Rallus longirostris
King rail – Rallus elegans
Common moorhen – Gallinula chloropus
Purple gallinule – Porphyrula martinica
American coot – Fulica americana
Order Charadriiformes
Shorebirds and Gulls
Diverse group of wading or swimming birds. mOst are
white, gray or brown, with long pointed wings and
webbed feet. Highly migratory. Most feed along
shores, a few inland.
Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus
American woodcock – Scolopax minor
Common snipe – Gallinago gallinago
Sanderling – Calidris alba
Herring gull
Larus argentatus
Laughing gull – Larus atricilla
Forster’s Tern
Sterna forsteri
Caspian tern – Sterna caspia
Common tern – Sterna hirundo
Order Columbiformes
Pigeons and Doves
Small-headed, short-legged, swift-flying birds with
pointed wings and fanned or tapered tails. All species
coo, bob heads when walking. Eat grains, small seeds,
acorns and fruit.
Mourning dove – Zenaida macroura
Rock dove – Columba livia
Order Strigiformes
Owls
Large-headed, short-necked birds of prey. Mostly
nocturnal. Large eyes are fixed in sockets, so the entire
head moves as the bird shifts its gaze. Flat, round or
heart-shaped “facial disk” conceals the large external
ear flaps. All fly silently, hunting for rodents and other
mammals. Calls are distinctive hoots, wails, or whistles.
Eastern screech owl – Otus asio
Great horned owl
Bubo virginianus
Barn owl – Tyto alba
Barn owl
Barred owl
Strix varia
Order Caprimulgiformes
Goatsuckers
Nocturnal insect-eaters with large, flat heads, small
bills, enormous mouths, and distinctive white patches in
the wings and tail. Many are named for their call.
Chuck-will’s-widow – Caprimulgus carolinensis
Whip-poor-will – Caprilmulgus vociferus
Common nighthawk – Chordeiles minor
Order Apodiformes
Swifts and Hummingbirds
Ruby-throated hummingbird – Archilochus colubris
Order Coraciiformes
Kingfishers
Large-headed, short-tailed birds that dive for fish,
which they catch with their long sharp beaks. Perch
motionless in the open, over water. Short legs.
Belted kingfisher – Ceryle alcyon
Order Piciformes
Woodpeckers
Have a strong bill, sharply pointed for chipping and
digging into tree trunks or branches for wood-boring
insects. Still tail used as a prop. Most species “drum”
on resonant limbs, poles, or drainpipes. Flight is
usually undulating, with wings folded against the body
after each series of flaps. Usually nest in a cavity
chiseled into a large branch or trunk.
Yellow-shafted flicker
Colaptes auratus
Pileated woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Red-bellied woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
Red-headed woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-cockaded
woodpecker
Picoides borealis
Downy woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Hairy woodpecker
Picoides villosus
Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
Order Passeriformes
Perching Birds
Small to medium land birds. All have feet well adapted
for perching: 3 toes in front and 1 long toe behind.
Most are singers. Bill shape, feather colors, and habits
are most useful for family identification. Most
insectivorous species and some seed and fruit eaters are
highly migratory.
Eastern kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
The eastern kingbird
spends the summer
months in North
America, and winters in
Amazonia.
Barn swallow
Hirudo rustica
Purple martin – Progne subis
Blue jay
Cyanocitta cristata
American crow – Corvus brachyrhyncos
Carolina wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus
Northern mockingbird – Mimus polyglottus
Brown thrasher – Toxostoma rufum
American robin - Turdus migratorius
Eastern bluebird
Siala sialis
Cedar waxwing – Bombycilla cedrorum
Loggerhead shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
Red-winged blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus
Brown-headed cowbird – Molothrus ater
Northern cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Black-capped chickadee – Poecile carolinensis
House finch
Carpodacus mexicanus
Indigo bunting – Passerina cyanea
Eastern towhee – Pipilo erythrophtalmus
Sparrows