List of birds of New Hampshire

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

The purple finch is the state bird of New Hampshire.

This list of birds of New Hampshire includes species documented in the U.S. state of New Hampshire and accepted by New Hampshire Rare Bird Committee (NHRBC) and New Hampshire Audubon (NHA).[1] As of February 2021, the list contained 425 species. Of them, 136 are on the review list (see below) and six have been introduced to North America. Three are extinct and three have been extirpated. To this list are added seven hypothetical species, defined below; they are also tagged (R).

This list is presented in the

Clements taxonomy
because the AOS list does not include them.

Unless otherwise noted, the species listed below are considered to occur regularly in New Hampshire as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The following codes are used to denote other categories of occurrence:

  • (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by the actions of humans
  • (E) Extinct - a recent species that no longer exists
  • (Ex) Extirpated - a species formerly present in New Hampshire which still exists elsewhere
  • (R) Review list - birds that if seen require more comprehensive documentation than regularly seen species. These birds are considered irregular or rare in New Hampshire.[3]
  • (H) Hypothetical - "modern records which are likely accurate, but do not meet the current criteria for a first state record" per the NHRBC

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Forty-three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Canada goose
    Canada goose
  • Green-winged teal
    Green-winged teal
  • Common eider
    Common eider
  • Long-tailed duck
    Long-tailed duck

New World quail

Order:

Odontophoridae

The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Pheasants, grouse, and allies

Spruce grouse

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. Turkeys have a distinctive fleshy

game and are sometimes hunted for food. In all New Hampshire species, males are polygamous and have elaborate courtship displays. These heavily built birds have legs feathered to the toes. Most species are year-round residents and do not migrate
. Four species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Grebes

Order:

Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. Five species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Pigeons and doves

Mourning dove

Order:

Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. Six species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Cuckoos

Order:

Cuculidae

Black-billed cuckoo

The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are

brood parasites
. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Nightjars and allies

Order:

Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Swifts

Order:

Apodidae

The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated hummingbird

Order:

Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Virginia rail

Order:

Rallidae

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. Nine species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Cranes

Order:

Gruidae

Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Stilts and avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Oystercatchers

American oystercatcher

Order:

Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy

molluscs
. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Plovers and lapwings

Piping plover

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. Seven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Sandpipers and allies

Order:

Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. Thirty-four species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Upland sandpiper
    Upland sandpiper
  • Purple sandpiper
    Purple sandpiper
  • Spotted sandpiper
    Spotted sandpiper

Skuas and jaegers

Order:

Stercorariidae

They are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy

cere
above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers. Three species have been positively recorded in New Hampshire; another two have been reported.

Auks, murres, and puffins

Black guillemot

Order:

Alcidae

Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits, however they are only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest. Seven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Thirty species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Laughing gulls
    Laughing gulls
  • Great black-backed gull
    Great black-backed gull
  • Roseate tern
    Roseate tern

Tropicbirds

Order:

Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Loons

Common loon

Order:

Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds, the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Albatrosses

Order:

Diomedeidae

The albatrosses are among the largest of flying birds, and the great albatrosses of the genus

Diomedea
have the largest wingspans of any extant birds. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Southern storm-petrels

Wilson's storm-petrel

Order:

Oceanitidae

The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. Until 2018, this family's three species were included with the other storm-petrels in family Hydrobatidae. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Wilson's storm-petrel
    , Oceanites oceanicus

Northern storm-petrels

Order:

Hydrobatidae

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Leach's storm-petrel
    , Hydrobates leucorhous

Shearwaters and petrels

Northern fulmar

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The Procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary. Six species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Storks

Order:

Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They lack the

powder down
that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Frigatebirds

Order:

Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black-and-white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have colored inflatable throat pouches. They do not swim or walk and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan-to-body-weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Anhingas

Order:

Anhingidae

Anhingas are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long straight beaks. They are fish eaters which often swim with only their neck above the water. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Cormorants and shags

Order:

Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Snowy egret

Order:

Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills. Thirteen species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings. Their bodies tend to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

New World vultures

Order:

Cathartidae

The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Osprey

Order:

Pandionidae

Pandionidae is a family of fish-eating birds of prey possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. The family is

monotypic
.

Hawks, eagles, and kites

American goshawk

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey and includes the osprey, hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. Thirteen species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Barn-owls

Order:

Tytonidae

Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Owls

Eastern screech-owl

Order:

Strigidae

Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eleven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Kingfishers

Order:

Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Woodpeckers

Black-backed woodpecker

Order:

Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. Nine species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Falcons and caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. Four species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Tyrant flycatchers

Yellow-bellied flycatcher

Order:

Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous. Seventeen species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Vireos, shrike-babblers, and erpornis

Blue-headed vireo

Order:

Vireonidae

The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are typically greenish in color and resemble wood warblers apart from their heavier bills. Seven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Shrikes

Northern shrike

Order:

Laniidae

Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, like that of a typical bird of prey. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Crows, jays, and magpies

Canada jay

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers, and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. Six species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Tits, chickadees, and titmice

Black-capped chickadee

Order:

Paridae

The Paridae are mainly small stocky woodland species with short stout bills. Some have crests. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Larks

Order:

Alaudidae

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Swallows

Bank swallow

Order:

Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings, and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base. Seven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Kinglets

Order:

Regulidae

The kinglets are a small family of birds which resemble the titmice. They are very small insectivorous birds. The adults have colored crowns, giving rise to their name. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Waxwings

Order:

Bombycillidae

The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. In the Bohemian and cedar waxwings, these tips look like sealing wax and give the group its name. These are arboreal birds of northern forests. They live on insects in summer and berries in winter. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Nuthatches

Order:

Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the unusual ability to climb down trees head first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and powerful bills and feet. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Treecreepers

Order:

Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin pointed downcurved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which they use to support themselves on vertical tree trunks and limbs. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Gnatcatchers

Order:

Polioptilidae

These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their structure and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects. The gnatcatchers are mainly soft bluish gray in color and have the typical insectivore's long sharp bill. Many species have distinctive black head patterns (especially males) and long, regularly cocked, black-and-white tails. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Wrens

Marsh wren

Order:

Troglodytidae

Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and a thin downturned bill. Several species often hold their tails upright. All are insectivorous. Six species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Mockingbirds and thrashers

Brown thrasher

Order:

Mimidae

The mimids are a family of passerine birds which includes thrashers, mockingbirds, tremblers, and the New World catbirds. These birds are notable for their vocalization, especially their remarkable ability to mimic a wide variety of birds and other sounds heard outdoors. The species tend towards dull grays and browns in their appearance. Three species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Starlings

Order:

Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized Old World passerine birds with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct and most are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country, and they eat insects and fruit. The plumage of several species is dark with a metallic sheen. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • European starling
    , Sturnus vulgaris (I)

Thrushes and allies

Bicknell's thrush

Order:

Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. Twelve species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Old World flycatchers

Order:

Muscicapidae

The Old World flycatchers are a large family of small passerine birds mostly restricted to the Old World. These are mainly small arboreal

prey
on the wing. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Old World sparrows

Order:

Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small plump brownish or grayish birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects. One species has been recorded in New Hampshire.

Wagtails and pipits

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender ground-feeding insectivores of open country. Two species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • White wagtail, Motacilla alba (R)
  • American pipit
    , Anthus rubescens

Finches, euphonias, and allies

White-winged crossbill
American goldfinch

Order:

Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well. Twelve species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Longspurs and snow buntings

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of passerine birds that have been traditionally grouped with the New World sparrows, but differ in a number of respects and are usually found in open grassy areas. Four species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

New World sparrows

Order:

Passerellidae

Until 2017, these species were considered part of the family Emberizidae. Most of the species are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the Old World sparrows which are in the family Passeridae. Many of these have distinctive head patterns. Twenty-six species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Eastern towhee
    Eastern towhee
  • Chipping sparrow
    Chipping sparrow
  • Saltmarsh sparrow
    Saltmarsh sparrow
  • Lincoln's sparrow
    Lincoln's sparrow

Yellow-breasted chat

Order:

Icteriidae

This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers (Parulidae) but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there. It was placed in its own family in 2017.

Troupials and allies

Red-winged blackbird
Rusty blackbird

Order:

Icteridae

The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World and include the grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as a predominant plumage color, often enlivened by yellow, orange, or red. Eleven species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

New World warblers

Order:

Parulidae

The wood warblers are a group of small often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal, but some are more terrestrial. Most members of this family are insectivores. Thirty-eight species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

  • Blue-winged warbler
    Blue-winged warbler
  • Common yellowthroat
    Common yellowthroat
  • Blackburnian warbler
    Blackburnian warbler
  • Black-throated green warbler
    Black-throated green warbler

Cardinals and allies

Rose-breasted grosbeak

Order:

Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

The cardinals are a family of robust, seed-eating birds with strong bills. They are typically associated with open woodland. The sexes usually have distinct plumages. Ten species have been recorded in New Hampshire.

Notes

  1. ^ The NHRBC list contains mew gull, which the AOS has split.

References

  1. ^ "Official New Hampshire State Bird List". New Hampshire Audubon. February 28, 2019. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  2. ^ "Check-list of North and Middle American Birds". American Ornithological Society. June 29, 2021. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
  3. ^ Mike Resch (January 1, 2017). "New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee Review List". New Hampshire Rare Birds Committee. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
  4. ^ "NatureServe Explorer 2.0". explorer.natureserve.org. Retrieved 5 November 2022.

See also