Checklist of the Birds of
Thunder Bay District, Ontario
Fourth Edition, 2004 (current with updates)Click here to see how the checklist has evolved over the years
This list comprises the 355 species of birds which have been recorded
Within the Thunder Bay District of Ontario to date.
(Including the 4 extinct/extirpated species).
Nomenclature and taxonomy follow the Seventh Edition of the American
Ornithologists' Union Checklist of North American Birds and its supplements.
| GEESE, SWANS, & DUCKS | |
| Greater White-fronted Goose (M) | |
| Snow Goose (M) | |
| Ross's Goose (C) | |
| Canada Goose (S) | |
| Cackling Goose (S) | |
| * | Brant (A) |
| ** | Mute Swan (C) |
| Tundra Swan (M) | |
| Wood Duck (S) | |
| Gadwall (S) | |
| ** | Eurasian Wigeon (A) |
| American Wigeon (S) | |
| American Black Duck (S) | |
| Mallard (S) | |
| Blue-winged Teal (S) | |
| ** | Cinnamon Teal (A) |
| Northern Shoveler (M) | |
| Northern Pintail (S) | |
| ** | Garganey (A) |
| Green-winged Teal (S) | |
| Canvasback (M) | |
| Redhead (M) | |
| Ring-necked Duck (S) | |
| ** | Tufted Duck (C) |
| Greater Scaup (M) | |
| Lesser Scaup (M) | |
| ** | Harlequin Duck (C) |
| Surf Scoter (M) | |
| White-winged Scoter (M) | |
| Black Scoter (M) | |
| Long-tailed Duck (M) | |
| Bufflehead (S) | |
| Common Goldeneye (P) | |
| ** | Barrow's Goldeneye (A) |
| Hooded Merganser (S) | |
| Red-breasted Merganser (S) | |
| Common Merganser (S) | |
| Ruddy Duck (C) | |
| PARTIDGES & GROUSE | |
| Gray Partridge (E) | |
| Ring-necked Pheasant (E) | |
| Ruffed Grouse (P) | |
| Spruce Grouse (P) | |
| * | Willow Ptarmigan (A) |
| Sharp-tailed Grouse (P) | |
| ** | Greater Prairie-Chicken (E) |
| LOONS | |
| Red-throated Loon (M) | |
| * | Pacific Loon (C) |
| Common Loon (S) | |
| ** | Yellow-billed Loon (A) |
| GREBES | |
| Pied-billed Grebe (S) | |
| Horned Grebe (M) | |
| Red-necked Grebe (S) | |
| ** | Eared Grebe (C) |
| ** | Western Grebe (A) |
| SHEARWATERS & PETRELS | |
| ** | Northern Fulmar (A) |
| PELICANS, & CORMORANTS | |
| American White Pelican (S) | |
| Double-crested Cormorant (S) | |
| HERONS, BITTERNS & VULTURES | |
| American Bittern (S) | |
| ** | Least Bittern (A) |
| Great Blue Heron (S) | |
| ** | Great Egret (C) |
| ** | Snowy Egret (A) |
| ** | Little Blue Heron (A) |
| ** | Tricolored Heron (A) |
| ** | Cattle Egret (C) |
| ** | Green Heron (A) |
| ** | Black-crowned Night-Heron (A) |
| Turkey Vulture (S) | |
| HAWKS, EAGLES, & FALCONS | |
| Osprey (S) | |
| Bald Eagle (S) | |
| Northern Harrier (S) | |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk (S) | |
| Cooper's Hawk (S) | |
| Northern Goshawk (P) | |
| Broad-winged Hawk (S) | |
| ** | Swainson's Hawk (A) |
| Red-tailed Hawk (S) | |
| Rough-legged Hawk (M) | |
| Golden Eagle (M) | |
| ** | Crested Caracara (A) |
| American Kestrel (S) | |
| Merlin (S) | |
| Gyrfalcon (W) | |
| Peregrine Falcon (S) | |
| RAILS & CRANES | |
| * | Yellow Rail (A) |
| Virginia Rail (S) | |
| Sora (S) | |
| ** | Common Moorhen (A) |
| American Coot (M) | |
| Sandhill Crane (S) | |
| PLOVERS & AVOCETS | |
| Black-bellied Plover (M) | |
| American Golden-Plover (M) | |
| Semipalmated Plover (M) | |
| ** | Piping Plover (A) |
| Killdeer (S) | |
| ** | American Avocet (C) |
| SANDPIPERS & PHALAROPES | |
| Greater Yellowlegs (S) | |
| Lesser Yellowlegs (M) | |
| Solitary Sandpiper (S) | |
| ** | Willet (C) |
| Spotted Sandpiper (S) | |
| Upland Sandpiper (C) | |
| Whimbrel (M) | |
| Hudsonian Godwit (C) | |
| Marbled Godwit (C) | |
| Ruddy Turnstone (M) | |
| Red Knot (C) | |
| Sanderling (M) | |
| Semipalmated Sandpiper (M) | |
| ** | Western Sandpiper (A) |
| Least Sandpiper (M) | |
| White-rumped Sandpiper (C) | |
| Baird's Sandpiper (M) | |
| Pectoral Sandpiper (M) | |
| ** | Sharp-tailed Sandpiper (A) |
| * | Purple Sandpiper (A) |
| Dunlin (M) | |
| Stilt Sandpiper (M) | |
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper (M) | |
| Short-billed Dowitcher (M) | |
| Long-billed Dowitcher (C) | |
| Wilson's Snipe (S) | |
| American Woodcock (S) | |
| Wilson's Phalarope (M) | |
| * | Red-necked Phalarope (C) |
| * | Red Phalarope (A) |
| GULLS & TERNS | |
| ** | Pomarine Jaeger (A) |
| * | Parasitic Jaeger (C) |
| ** | Long-tailed Jaeger (A) |
| * | Franklin's Gull (C) |
| * | Little Gull (A) |
| Bonaparte's Gull (S) | |
| Ring-billed Gull (S) | |
| Herring Gull (S) | |
| Thayer's Gull (M) | |
| Iceland Gull (M) | |
| ** | Lesser Black-backed Gull(A) |
| Glaucous Gull (M) | |
| * | Great Black-backed Gull (C) |
| ** | Sabine's Gull (A) |
| ** | Ivory Gull (A) |
| Caspian Tern (S) | |
| Common Tern (S) | |
| * | Forster's Tern (A) |
| Black Tern (C) | |
| PIGEONS & DOVES | |
| Rock Pigeon (P) | |
| ** | Band-tailed Pigeon (A) |
| ** | Eurasian Collared-Dove (A) |
| ** | White-winged Dove (A) |
| Mourning Dove (P) | |
| Passenger Pigeon (E) | |
| ** | Common Ground-Dove (A) |
| CUCKOOS & ANIS | |
| Black-billed Cuckoo (S) | |
| * | Yellow-billed Cuckoo (C) |
| ** | Groove-billed Ani (A) |
| BARN OWLS | |
| ** | Barn Owl (A) |
| OWLS | |
| Great Horned Owl (P) | |
| Snowy Owl (W) | |
| Northern Hawk Owl (P) | |
| ** | Burrowing Owl (A) |
| Barred Owl (P) | |
| Great Gray Owl (P) | |
| Long-eared Owl (S) | |
| Short-eared Owl (S) | |
| Boreal Owl (P) | |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl (S) | |
| NIGHTJARS, SWIFTS & HUMMINGBIRDS | |
| Common Nighthawk (S) | |
| Whip-poor-will (S) | |
| Chimney Swift (S) | |
| ** | Green Violet-ear (A) |
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird (S) | |
| ** | Rufous Hummingbird (A) |
| KINGFISHERS | |
| Belted Kingfisher (S) | |
| WOODPECKERS | |
| * | Red-headed Woodpecker (C) |
| ** | Red-bellied Woodpecker (A) |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (S) | |
| Downy Woodpecker (P) | |
| Hairy Woodpecker (P) | |
| American Three-toed Woodpecker (P) | |
| Black-backed Woodpecker (P) | |
| Northern Flicker (S) | |
| Pileated Woodpecker (P) | |
| TYRANT FLYCATCHERS | |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher (S) | |
| Eastern Wood-Pewee (S) | |
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (S) | |
| Alder Flycatcher (S) | |
| ** | Willow Flycatcher (A) |
| Least Flycatcher (S) | |
| ** | Dusky Flycatcher (A) |
| Eastern Phoebe (S) | |
| ** | Say's Phoebe (A) |
| ** | Ash-throated Flycatcher (A) |
| Great Crested Flycatcher (S) | |
| ** | Tropical/Couch's Kingbird (A) |
| Western Kingbird (M) | |
| Eastern Kingbird (S) | |
| ** | Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (C) |
| ** | Fork-tailed Flycatcher (A) |
| SHRIKES | |
| ** | Loggerhead Shrike (C) |
| Northern Shrike (W) | |
| VIREOS | |
| ** | White-eyed Vireo (A) |
| ** | Bell's Vireo (A) |
| * | Yellow-throated Vireo (A) |
| Blue-headed Vireo (S) | |
| * | Warbling Vireo (C) |
| Philadelphia Vireo (S) | |
| Red-eyed Vireo (S) | |
| CROWS & JAYS | |
| Gray Jay (P) | |
| Blue Jay (P) | |
| ** | Clark's Nutcracker (A) |
| * | Black-billed Magpie (C) |
| American Crow (P) | |
| Common Raven (P) | |
| LARKS & SWALLOWS | |
| Horned Lark (M) | |
| * | Purple Martin (C) |
| Tree Swallow (S) | |
| ** | Violet-green Swallow (A) |
| Northern Rough-winged Swallow (S) | |
| Bank Swallow (S) | |
| Cliff Swallow (S) | |
| Barn Swallow (S) | |
| TITMICE, NUTHATCHES & CREEPERS | |
| Black-capped Chickadee (P) | |
| Boreal Chickadee (P) | |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch (P) | |
| White-breasted Nuthatch (P) | |
| Brown Creeper (S) | |
| WRENS | |
| ** | Rock Wren (A) |
| ** | Carolina Wren (A) |
| ** | Bewick's Wren (A) |
| House Wren (S) | |
| Winter Wren (S) | |
| Sedge Wren (C) | |
| Marsh Wren (M) | |
| KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS & THRUSHES | |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet (S) | |
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet (S) | |
| ** | Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (C) |
| ** | Northern Wheatear (A) |
| Eastern Bluebird (S) | |
| ** | Mountain Bluebird (C) |
| Townsend's Solitaire (C) | |
| Veery (S) | |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush (M) | |
| Swainson's Thrush (S) | |
| Hermit Thrush (S) | |
| * | Wood Thrush (A) |
| American Robin (S) | |
| Varied Thrush (C) | |
| MOCKINGBIRDS & THRASHERS | |
| Gray Catbird (S) | |
| Northern Mockingbird (M) | |
| ** | Sage Thrasher (A) |
| Brown Thrasher (S) | |
| STARLINGS | |
| European Starling (P) | |
| PIPITS & WAXWINGS | |
| American Pipit (M) | |
| ** | Sprague's Pipit (A) |
| Bohemian Waxwing (W) | |
| Cedar Waxwing (S) | |
| WOOD WARBLERS | |
| ** | Blue-winged Warbler (A) |
| * | Golden-winged Warbler (C) |
| Tennessee Warbler (S) | |
| Orange-crowned Warbler (M) | |
| Nashville Warbler (S) | |
| ** | Virginia's Warbler (A) |
| Northern Parula (S) | |
| Yellow Warbler (S) | |
| Chestnut-sided Warbler (S) | |
| Magnolia Warbler (S) | |
| Cape May Warbler (S) | |
| Black-throated Blue Warbler (S) | |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler (S) | |
| Black-throated Green Warbler (S) | |
| Blackburnian Warbler (S) | |
| ** | Yellow-throated Warbler (A) |
| * | Pine Warbler (C) |
| ** | Prairie Warbler (A) |
| Palm Warbler (S) | |
| Bay-breasted Warbler (S) | |
| Blackpoll Warbler (M) | |
| Black-and-white Warbler (S) | |
| American Redstart (S) | |
| Ovenbird (S) | |
| Northern Waterthrush (S) | |
| ** | Kentucky Warbler (A) |
| Connecticut Warbler (S) | |
| Mourning Warbler (S) | |
| Common Yellowthroat (S) | |
| ** | Hooded Warbler (A) |
| Wilson's Warbler (S) | |
| Canada Warbler (S) | |
| ** | Yellow-breasted Chat (C) |
| TANAGERS | |
| ** | Summer Tanager (C) |
| Scarlet Tanager (S) | |
| ** | Western Tanager (C) |
| SPARROWS, GROSBEAKS & BUNTINGS | |
| ** | Green-tailed Towhee (A) |
| ** | Spotted Towhee (C) |
| ** | Eastern Towhee (C) |
| ** | Cassin's Sparrow (A) |
| American Tree Sparrow (M) | |
| Chipping Sparrow (S) | |
| Clay-colored Sparrow (S) | |
| ** | Brewer's Sparrow (A) |
| ** | Field Sparrow (C) |
| Vesper Sparrow (S) | |
| ** | Lark Sparrow (C) |
| ** | Black-throated Sparrow (A) |
| ** | Lark Bunting (A) |
| Savannah Sparrow (S) | |
| ** | Grasshopper Sparrow (A) |
| Le Conte's Sparrow (S) | |
| * | Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (C) |
| Fox Sparrow (M) | |
| Song Sparrow (S) | |
| Lincoln's Sparrow (S) | |
| Swamp Sparrow (S) | |
| White-throated Sparrow (S) | |
| Harris's Sparrow (M) | |
| White-crowned Sparrow (M) | |
| ** | Golden-crowned Sparrow (A) |
| Dark-eyed Junco (S) | |
| Lapland Longspur (M) | |
| * | Smith's Longspur (A) |
| ** | Chestnut-collared Longspur (A) |
| Snow Bunting (M) | |
| Northern Cardinal (P) | |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak (S) | |
| ** | Black-headed Grosbeak (A) |
| ** | Blue Grosbeak (A) |
| ** | Lazuli Bunting (A) |
| Indigo Bunting (S) | |
| ** | Painted Bunting (A) |
| ** | Dickcissel (C) |
| BLACKBIRDS & ORIOLES | |
| Bobolink (S) | |
| Red-winged Blackbird (S) | |
| * | Eastern Meadowlark (C) |
| Western Meadowlark (M) | |
| Yellow-headed Blackbird (M) | |
| Rusty Blackbird (S) | |
| Brewer's Blackbird (S) | |
| Common Grackle (S) | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird (S) | |
| ** | Orchard Oriole (A) |
| ** | Bullock's Oriole (A) |
| Baltimore Oriole (S) | |
| ** | Scott's Oriole (A) |
| FINCHES | |
| ** | Gray-crowned Rosy Finch (C) |
| Pine Grosbeak (W) | |
| Purple Finch (S) | |
| House Finch (C) | |
| Red Crossbill (P) | |
| White-winged Crossbill (P) | |
| Common Redpoll (W) | |
| Hoary Redpoll (W) | |
| Pine Siskin (P) | |
| American Goldfinch (S) | |
| Evening Grosbeak (P) | |
| OLD WORLD SPARROWS | |
| House Sparrow (P) |
