Birds of Sunset Beach and Bird Island, North Carolina*

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Species on this list have had their occurrences in Sunset Beach documented by publication in The Chat, the journal of the Carolina Bird Club; and by the field work of area birding enthusiasts over the last 35 years. Additions to this list are welcome and expected. Please report sightings of additional species to Taylor Piephoff or to Jo O'Keefe. *Of the 260 species in this list, only the Purple Sandpiper is found exclusively on Bird Island -- at the jetty at the NC/SC state line.

 

Common name
Scientific name
Common name
Scientific name
 
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis
 
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Streptopelia decaocto
 
Ross's Goose
Chen rossii
 
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
 
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis
 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
 
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus
 
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio
 
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa
 
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
 
Gadwall
Anas strepera
 
Barred Owl
Strix varia
 
Eurasian Wigeon
Anas penelope
 
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
 
American Wigeon
Anas americana
 
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
 
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes
 
Chuck-will's-widow
Caprimulgus carolinensis
 
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
 
Whip-poor-will
Caprimulgus vociferus
 
Mottled Duck
Anas fulvigula
 
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica
 
Blue-winged Teal
Anas discors
 
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris
 
Cinnamon Teal
Anas cyanoptera
 
Black-chinned Hummingbird
Archilochus alexandri
 
Northern Shoveler
Anas clypeata
 
Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus
 
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
 
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
 
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca
 
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus
 
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria
 
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus
 
Redhead
Aythya americana
 
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius
 
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris
 
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
 
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila
 
Hairy Woodpecker
Picoides villosus
 
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis
 
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
 
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
 
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
 
White-winged Scoter
Melanitta fusca
 
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens
 
Black Scoter
Melanitta nigra
 
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens
 
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis
 
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe
 
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola
 
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus
 
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
 
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
 
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator
 
Gray Kingbird
Tyrannus dominicensis
 
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis
 
Loggerhead Shrike
Lanius ludovicianus
 
Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus
 
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus
 
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellata
 
Yellow-throated Vireo
Vireo flavifrons
 
Common Loon
Gavia immer
 
Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius
 
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
 
Red-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus
 
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus
 
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
 
Leach's Storm-Petrel
Oceanodroma leucorhoa
 
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
 
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus
   
Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus
 
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
   
Purple Martin
Progne subis
 
Brown Pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis
   
Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor
 
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
   
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
 
Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga
   
Cave Swallow
Petrochelidon fulva
 
Magnificent Frigatebird
Fregata magnificens
   
Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica
 
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus
   
Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis
 
Least Bittern
Ixobrychus exilis
   
Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor
 
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias
   
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis
 
Great Egret
Ardea alba
   
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis
 
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula
 
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Sitta pusilla
 
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea
 
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana
 
Tricolored Heron
Egretta tricolor
 
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus
 
Reddish Egret
Egretta rufescens
   
House Wren
Troglodytes aedon
 
Cattle Egret
Bubulcus ibis
   
Winter Wren
Troglodytes troglodytes
 
Green Heron
Butorides virescens
   
Sedge Wren
Cistothorus platensis
 
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
   
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris
 
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron
Nyctanassa violacea
   
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
 
White Ibis
Eudocimus albus
   
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Regulus calendula
 
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus
   
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
 
Roseate Spoonbill
Platalea ajaja
   
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
 
Wood Stork
Mycteria americana
   
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus
 
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus
   
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
 
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
   
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina
 
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
   
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
 
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
   
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
 
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
   
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
 
Northern Harrier
Circus cyaneus
   
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
 
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
   
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
 
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
   
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens
 
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus
   
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum
 
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus
   
Orange-crowned Warbler
Vermivora celata
 
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
   
Nashville Warbler
Vermivora ruficapilla
 
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
   
Northern Parula
Parula americana
 
Merlin
Falco columbarius
   
Yellow Warbler
Dendroica petechia
 
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
   
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Dendroica pensylvanica
 
Yellow Rail
Coturnicops noveboracensis
   
Magnolia Warbler
Dendroica magnolia
 
Black Rail
Laterallus jamaicensis
   
Cape May Warbler
Dendroica tigrina
 
Clapper Rail
Rallus longirostris
   
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Dendroica caerulescens
 
King Rail
Rallus elegans
   
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Dendroica coronata
 
Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola
   
Black-throated Green Warbler
Dendroica virens
 
Sora
Porzana carolina
   
Blackburnian Warbler
Dendroica fusca
 
Purple Gallinule
Porphyrio martinica
   
Yellow-throated Warbler
Dendroica dominica
 
Common Moorhen
Gallinula chloropus
   
Pine Warbler
Dendroica pinus
 
American Coot
Fulica americana
   
Prairie Warbler
Dendroica discolor
 
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola
   
Palm Warbler
Dendroica palmarum
 
Wilson's Plover
Charadrius wilsonia
   
Bay-breasted Warbler
Dendroica castanea
 
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus
   
Black-and-white Warbler
Mniotilta varia
 
Piping Plover
Charadrius melodus
   
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
 
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus
   
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea
 
American Oystercatcher
Haematopus palliatus
   
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
 
Black-necked Stilt
Himantopus mexicanus
   
Swainson's Warbler
Limnothlypis swainsonii
 
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana
   
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
 
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius
   
Northern Waterthrush
Seiurus noveboracensis
 
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria
   
Louisiana Waterthrush
Seiurus motacilla
 
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca
   
Kentucky Warbler
Oporornis formosus
 
Willet
Tringa semipalmata
   
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas
 
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes
   
Hooded Warbler
Wilsonia citrina
 
Whimbrel
Numenius phaeopus
   
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens
 
Long-billed Curlew
Numenius americanus
   
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
 
Hudsonian Godwit
Limosa haemastica
   
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea
 
Marbled Godwit
Limosa fedoa
   
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus
 
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres
   
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
 
Red Knot
Calidris canutus
   
Clay-colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida
 
Sanderling
Calidris alba
   
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla
 
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla
   
Vesper Sparrow
Pooecetes gramineus
 
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri
   
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis
 
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla
   
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum
 
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis
   
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Ammodramus nelsoni
 
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos
   
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow
Ammodramus caudacutus
 
*Purple Sandpiper
Calidris maritima
   
Seaside Sparrow
Ammodramus maritimus
 
Dunlin
Calidris alpina
   
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
 
Curlew Sandpiper
Calidris ferruginea
   
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
 
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus
   
Swamp Sparrow
Melospiza georgiana
 
Long-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus scolopaceus
   
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis
 
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata
   
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
 
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor
   
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
 
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia
   
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus
 
Laughing Gull
Leucophaeus atricilla
   
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea
 
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis
   
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea
 
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
   
Painted Bunting
Passerina ciris
 
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus
   
Bobolink
Dolichonyx oryzivorus
 
Glaucous Gull
Larus hyperboreus
   
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus
 
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus
   
Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna
 
Least Tern
Sternula antillarum
   
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus
 
Gull-billed Tern
Gelochelidon nilotica
   
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
 
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia
   
Boat-tailed Grackle
Quiscalus major
 
Black Tern
Chlidonias niger
   
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater
 
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo
   
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius
 
Forster's Tern
Sterna forsteri
   
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
 
Royal Tern
Thalasseus maximus
   
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
 
Sandwich Tern
Thalasseus sandvicensis
   
House Finch
Carpodacus mexicanus
 
Black Skimmer
Rynchops niger
   
Pine Siskin
Carduelis pinus
 
Parasitic Jaeger
Stercorarius parasiticus
   
American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
 
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia
   
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus
This list of species was provided by Taylor Piephoff of Ocean Isle Beach and Charlotte, NC.