Copyright ã 2007 Michael H. Mitchell – All Rights Reserved.
The following is a list of bird species that I have compiled for the Great
Dismal Swamp AND other areas. I'm only listing those birds I have identified.
There are so many more species to learn. Names change from time to time and my
books are a few years old. As with the frogs I suggest purchasing a tape/CD
of their calls and go out and LISTEN. It is a great way to bird "watch".
Click on highlighted names to see photographs
- Acadian Flycatcher - Empidonax virescens
- American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos
- American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis
- American Kestrel - Sparrow Hawk - Falco sparverius
- American Redstart - Setophaga ruticilla
- American Robin - Turdus migratorius
- American Widgeon - Anas americana
- [Bald Eagle - Haliaeetus leucocephalus] - Great Dismal Swamp
- [Barred Owl - Strix varia]
- Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon
- Black and White Warbler - Mniotilta varia
- Black Duck - Anas rubripes
- [Black Skimmer - Rynchops niger - Ocracoke Island, N. C.]
- Blackpole Warbler - Dendroica striata
- Black Vulture (not so common) - Coragyps atratus
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher - Polioptila caerulea - looks like mineature Mockingbird"
- Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata - you'll have no problem learning this call!
- Boat-tailed Grackle - Quiscalus major
- Bobwhite - Colinus virginianus
- Brant - Branta bernicla
- Brown Creeper - Certhia familiaris
- Brown-Headed Cowbird - Molothrus ater
- Brown-Headed Nuthatch - Sitta pusilla
- Brown Thrasher - Toxostoma rufum
- Bufflehead - Bucephala albeola
- Canada Goose - Branta canadensis
- Canada Warbler - Wilsonia canadensis
- Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis
- Carolina Chickadee - Parus carolinensis - absolutely adoreable
- Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus - very small, very loud
- Cat Bird - Dumetella carolinensis
- Cedar Waxwing - Bombycillia cedrorum
- Common (Red-Shafted) Flicker - Colaptes aurattus
- Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula
- Common Tern - Sterna hirundo
- Common Yellow Throat - Geothlypis trichas
- Cormorant, Double-Crested - Phalacrocorax auritus
- [Cormorant, Double-Crested - Phalacrocorax auritus - Lake Drummond, Dismal Swamp
- [Dark-Eyed or Slate Colored Junco - Junco hyemalis - Great Dismal Swamp
- Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens
- Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis
- [Eastern Kingbird - Tyrannus tyrannus Great Dismal Swamp
- Eastern Meadowlark - Sturnella magna - in fields just outside of swamp
- Eastern Pewee - Contopus virens - distinctive call, very neat!
- [Egret, Great - Casmerodia alba - ] flying/standing
- [Egret, Snowy - Egretta thula - Marathon Key, Fla] - sitting outside of window
- European Starling - Sturnus vulgaris
- Fish Crow - Corvus ossifragus
- Gadwal - Anas strepera
- [Golden-crowned Kinglet] - Regulus satrapa tiny bird, tiny voice
- Great-crested Flycatcher - Myiarchus crinitus
- [Gull, Greater Black-Backed - Larus marinus - Ocracoke Island, N. C.]
- [Gull, Laughing - Larus atricilla - Ocracoke Island, N. C.]
- [Gull, Ring-Billed - Larus delawarensis - Ocracoke Island, N. C.]
- [Heron, Black-Crowned Night - Nyctacorax nyctacorax - camouflaged at Everglades National Park, Fla]
- [Heron, Green - Butorides striatus - camouflaged at Everglades National Park, Fla]
- [Heron, Great Blue - Ardea herodias]
- [Heron, Tricolored or Louisiana - Egretta tricolor]
- [Heron, Great White - Ardea herodias or occidentalis - Marathon Key, Fla] - visiting inside house
This Great White Heron periodically came into the house to party with some of Old Dominion University's marine biologists.
- Hermit Thrush - Catharus guttatus
- Herring Gull - Laurus argentatus
- Hooded Merganser - Lophodytes cucullatus
- Hooded Warbler - Wilsonia citrina
- House Finch - Carpodacus mexicanus - in man-made structures just outside of swamp
- House Sparrow - Passer domesticus - in man-made structures just outside of swamp
- [Ibis, Glossy - Plegadis falcinellus]- Ocracoke Island, N. C.
- [Ibis, White - Eudocimus albus - ]- Ocracoke Island, N. C.
- [Indigo Bunting - Passerina cyanea Great Dismal Swamp
- Killdeer - Charadrius vociferus
- Lesser Scaup - Aythya affinis
- Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos
- [Marsh Hawk (Northern Harrier) - Circus cyaneus - Hatteras Island] - with Peregrine Falcon
- Mockingbird - Mimus polyglottos - cool name!S
- Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura
- [Mute Swan - Cygnus olor Lake Drummond, Great Dismal Swamp]
- Night Hawk or Night Jar - Chordeiles minor - fly high above making
an insect-like buzz while they capture insects.
- Northern Parula Warbler - Parula americana
- Olive-Sided Flycatcher - Nuttallornis borealis - Peterson describes the call as "Quick 3 beers"
- Osprey - Pandion haliaetus
- Ovenbird - Seiurus ourocapillus
- [Pelican, Brown - Pelecanus occidentalis - Marathon Key, Fla]
- [Pelican, White & Brown - Pelecanus occidentalis - Hatteras Island]
- [Peregrine Falcon- Falco peregrinus - Hatteras Island] - alone & with Marsh Hawk
- Pied-billed Grebe - Podilymbus podiceps
- Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus
- Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus
- Prairie Warbler - Dendroica discolor
- [Prothonotary Warbler (on nest) - Protonotaria citrea -
- Purple Martin - Progne subis
- Red-bellied Woodpecker - Melanerpes carolinus This one usually has a red cap, not belly.
- Red-eyed Vereo - Vireo olivaceus
- Red-Shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus - repeated short syllabic calls
- Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis - one drawn out call, descending
- Red-Winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus
- [Ruby-Throated Hummingbird - Archilochus colubris Honey Island Swamp]
- these little guys are so small and so fast
that you really have to be watching. However, once you learn their
delicate little chatter, you will hear them first and get a good look.
- Ruddy Duck - Oxyura jamaicensis
- [Ruddy Turnstone - Arenaria interpres - Oregon Inlet, N. C.]
This very busy little shore bird continuously turns shells over
to find a snack.
- Rufous-Sided Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus
- [Sanderling - Calidris alba - Hatteras Island]
- [Screetch Owl - Otus asio]
- Snow Goose - Chen caerulescens
- Spotted Sandpiper - Actitis macularia
- Swallow-Tailed Kite - Elanoides forficatus
Confirmed by local Audobon Society about 10 yrs ago.
- Tree Swallow - Iridoprocne bicolor
- Tufted Titmouse - Parus bicolor
- Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura
- White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis
- White-eyed Vereo - Vireo griseus
- White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis
- [Wood Duck - Aix sponsa Honey Island Swamp]
- Yellow-Crowned Night Heron - Nyctanassa violacea
- [Yellow-Rumped (Myrtle) Warbler] - Dendroica petechia
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo - Coccyzus americanus
Copyright 2007 Michael H. Mitchell – All Rights Reserved