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Birds of New Jersey

There are approximately 450 species of vertebrate wildlife which can be found within the Garden State, along with 85 freshwater fish. Our bays, estuaries and marine waters can be home to 28 marine mammals and 336 marine finfish at some point during the year. This is an exceptional number of species for a state as small as New Jersey. The table below lists birds which can be found, along with their status as defined below:

E - Endangered
T - Threatened
SC - Special Concern
D - Decreasing
INC - Increasing
RP - Regional Priority
S - Stable
U - Undertermined
I - Introduced
P - Peripheral

b - breeding
pb - possibly breeding
m - migrant

w - winters
a - accidental
* - present during breeding season-no confirmed nesting

For definitions of above terms and links to other checklists use the Checklists of NJ Wildlife page.

COMMON NAME SCIENTIFIC NAME STATUS
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata RP mw
Common Loon Gavia immer S mw
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps E bmw
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus RP mw
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena D mw
Cory’s Shearwater Calonectris diomedea D mw
Greater Shearwater Puffinus gravis RP mw
Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus U mw
Wilson’s Storm-petrel Oceanites oceanicus U mw
Leach’s Storm-petrel Oceanodroma leucorhoa U mw
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus RP mw
Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis INC *
Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo U mw
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus S bmw
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosos E bm
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis SC bm
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias SC bmw
Great Egret Casmerodius albus RP bm
Snowy Egret Egretta thula RP bm
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea RP bm
tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor RP bm
Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis RP bm
Green Heron Butorides striatus RP bm
Black-crowned Night Heron Nycticorax nycticorax T bm
Yellow-crowned Night Heron Nyctanassa violaceus T bm
Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus RP bm
Fulvous Whistling Duck Dendrocygna bicolor P a
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus INC mw
Mute Swan Cygnus olor I bmw
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens INC mw
Brant Branta bernicla RP mw
Canada Goose Branta canadensis INC bmw
Wood Duck Aix sponsa RP bmw
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca S bmw
American Black Duck Anas rubripes RP bmw
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos INC bmw
Northern Pintail Anas acuta RP mw
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors S bmw
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata S mw
Gadwall Anas Strepera S bmw
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope P mw
American Wigeon Anas americana S mw
Canvasback Aythya valisineria RP mw
Redhead Aythya americana S mw
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris S mw
Greater Scaup Aythya marila RP mw
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis RP mw
Common Eider Somateria mollissima RP mw
King Eider Somateria spectabilis S mw
Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus S mw
Oldsquaw Clangula hyemalis S mw
Black Scoter Melanitta nigra RP mw
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata RP mw
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca RP mw
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula S mw
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola RP mw
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus S bmw
Common Merganser Mergus merganser S bmw
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator S bmw
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis D bmw
Black Vulture Coragyps atratus INC bmw
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura INC bmw
Osprey Pandion haliaetus T bm
Amer. Swallowtail Kite Elanoides forficodus U m
Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis S m
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus E bmw
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus E bmw
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus SC bmw
Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter Cooperii T bmw
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis E bmw
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus E bmw
Broad-winged hawk Buteo platypterus SC bm
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis INC bmw
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus D mw
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos S mw
American Kestrel Falco sparverius SC bmw
Merlin Falco columbarius INC m
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus E bmw
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus D bw
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus D bw
Eastern Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo INC bw
Chukar Alectoris graeca I ---
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus RP bw
Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis U m
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis T bm
Clapper Rail Rallus longirostris INC bmw
King Rail Rallus elegans SC bm
Virginia Rail Rallus limocola RP bmw
Sora Porzana carolina S bm
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus U bm
Purple Gallinule Porphyrula martinica P a
American Coot Fulica americana U bmw
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola S m
American Golden-plover Pluvialis dominica RP m
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus S m
Piping Plover Charadrius melodus E bm
Killdeer Charadrius vociferus S bmw
American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus RP bm
Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus U m
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana U m
Greater Yellowlegs tringa melanoleuca RP m
Lesser Yellowlegs tringa flavipes S m
Solitary Sandpiper tringa solitaria U m
Willet Catoptrophorus semipalmatus RP bm
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularia SC bm
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda E bm
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus RP m
Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica RP m
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa RP m
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres RP m
Red Knot Calidris canutus T m
Sanderling Calidris alba SC mw
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla RP m
Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri S m
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla U m
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis U m
Baird’s Sandpiper Calidris bairdii U m
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos U m
Purple Sandpiper Calidris maritima RP m
Dunlin Calidris alpina S m
Curlew Sandpiper Calidris ferruginea U m
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus U m
Buff-breasted Sandpiper tryngites subruficollis RP m
Ruff Philomachus pugnax U m
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus U m
Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus U m
Common Snipe Gallinago gallinago S bmw
American Woodcock Philohela minor RP bmw
Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor U m
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus U m
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarias U m
Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus U m
Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus U m
Long-tailed Jaeger Stercorarius longicaudus U m
Laughing Gull Larus atricilla S bmw
Little Gull Larus minutus U mw
Common Black-headed Gull Larus ridibundus D mw
Bonaparte’s Gull Larus philadelphia D mw
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis INC bmw
Herring Gull Larus argentatus S bmw
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides D mw
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus INC mw
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus D mw
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus D bmw
Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla D mw
Gull-billed Tern Sterna nilotica RP bm
Caspian Tern Sterna caspia SC m
Royal Tern Sterna maxima RP m
Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii E bm
Common Tern Sterna hirundo SC bm
Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri RP bm
Least Tern Sterna antillarum E bm
Black Tern Childonias niger SC m
Black Skimmer Rynchops niger E bm
Dovekie Alle alle U w
Thick-billed Murre Uria lomvia U w
Razorbill Alca torda RP w
Rock Dove Columba livia I bmw
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura S bmw
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus RP bm
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus RP bm
Common Barn Owl Tyto alba SC bmw
Eastern Screech Owl Otus asio RP bw
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus S bw
Snowy Owl Nyctea scandiaca U w
Barred Owl Strix varia T bw
Long-eared Owl Asio otus T bmw
Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus E bmw
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus S bmw
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor SC bm
Chuck-will’s-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis RP b
Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus RP bm
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica RP bm
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris D bm
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon S bmw
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus T bmw
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus INC bw
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius U mw
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens S bw
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus D bw
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus RP bmw
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus D bw
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus borealis U m
Eastern Wood Pewee Contopus virens RP bm
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris U m
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens RP bm
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum INC bm
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii RP bm
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus SC bm
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe S bm
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus RP bm
Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis U m
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus Tyrannus RP bm
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris SC bmw
Purple martin Progne subis S bm
tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor INC bm
No. Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis S bm
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia S bm
Cliff Swallow Hirundo pyrrhonota SC bm
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica S bm
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata D bmw
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos S bmw
Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus S bmw
Common Raven Corvus corax INC bmw
Black-capped Chickadee Paurs atricapillus S bmw
Carolina Chickadee Parus carolinensis S bw
Boreal Chickadee Parus hudsonicus U a
Tufted Titmouse Parus bicolor INC bw
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis S bmw
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis INC bw
Brown Creeper Certhia americana INC bmw
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus INC bw
House Wren troglogytes aedon S bm
Winter Wren troglodytes troglodytes SC bmw
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis E bm
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris RP bmw
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa INC bmw
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula D mw
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea S bm
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis INC bmw
Veery Catharus fuscescens SC bm
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus SC m
Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus S m
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus D bmw
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina RP bm
American Robin Turdus migratorius S bmw
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis RP bmw
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos D bmw
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum RP bmw
Water Pipit Anthus rubescens U mw
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum S bmw
Northern Shrike Lanius exubitor S w
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus E mw
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris I bmw
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus D bm
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius SC bm
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons RP bm
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus S bm
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus S m
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus S bm
Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus RP bm
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera SC bm
Tennesee Warbler Vermivora peregrina D m
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata S m
Nashville Warbler Vermivora reficapilla S bm
Northern Parula Parula americana SC bm
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia S bm
Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica S bm
Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia INC bm
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina S m
Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens RP bm
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata INC bmw
Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens SC bm
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca RP bm
Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica RP bm
Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus RP bm
Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor RP bm
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum INC m
Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea S m
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata D m
Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea SC bm
Black-and-white Warbler Miniotilta varia RP bm
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla INC bm
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea RP bm
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorus RP bm
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapillus D bm
Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis S bm
Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla RP bm
Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus SC bm
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis D m
Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia INC m
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas D bm
Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina RP bm
Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla S m
Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis SC bm
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens SC bm
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra RP bm
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea RP bm
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis INC bw
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus RP bm
Blue Grosbeak Guiraca caerulea INC bm
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea RP bm
Dickcissel Spiza americana RP bm
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus RP bmw
American tree Sparrow Spizella arborea U mw
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina S bmw
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla RP bmw
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus E bmw
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus S a
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis T bmw
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum T bm
Henslow’s Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii E bm
Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus caudacutus RP bmw
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni RP m
Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritima RP bmw
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca INC mw
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia D bmw
Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii INC m
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana D bmw
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis D bmw
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys D mw
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis S bmw
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus U mw
Snow Bunting Plectophenax nivalis U mw
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus T bm
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus S bmw
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna SC bmw
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus INC mw
Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major INC bmw
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula D bmw
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater S bmw
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius S bm
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula RP bm
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator U w
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus RP bmw
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus S bmw
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra INC a
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera INC a
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea U a
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus S mw
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis INC bmw
Evening Grosbeak Hesperiphona vespertinus D w
House Sparrow Passer domesticus I bmw

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Copyright © State of New Jersey, 1996-2005
Department of Environmental Protection
P. O. Box 402
trenton, NJ 08625-0402

Last Updated: December 10, 2004