photographic life list - AOS

Pictures, or it didn't happen: an illustrated* life list.  P​​​​​​​hotographs of wild birds, any time, anywhere.  Photo quality is secondary to a recognizable image.
Taxonomy is based on AOS.  Click for AviList taxonomy.

*mostly

family Anatidae: 46 species
Fulvous Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) Flamingo Everglades NP 15 November 1979

order Galliformes
family Cracidae: 1 species
Plain Chachalaca (Ortalis vetula)

family Odontophoridae: 4 species
Mountain Quail (Oreortyx pictus)
Scaled Quail (Callipepla squamata)
California Quail (Callipepla californica)
Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambelii)
family Phasianidae: 11 species
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)
Spruce Grouse (Canachites canadensis)
Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus)
Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta)
White-tailed Ptarmigan (Lagopus leucura)
Greater Sage-Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
Sooty Grouse (Dendragapus fuliginosus)
Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus), Fairbanks Alaska 1990
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)
Chukar (Alectoris chukar)
order Podicipediformes
family Podicipedidae: 8 species
Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)
Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)
Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)
Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)
​​​​​​​Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)
Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)

family Columbidae: 11 species
Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina)
​​​​​​​
order Cuculiformes
family Cuculidae: 5 species
Smooth-billed Ani (Crotophaga ani), Everglades National Park Florida
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris), Santa Ana NWR Texas
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus)
Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor), Everglades National Park Florida
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)
​​​​​​​
family Caprimulgidae: 2 species
Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
family Apodidae: 1 species

family Trochilidae: 12 species
order Gruiformes
family Gruidae: 1 species

family Rallidae: 8 species

family Recurvirostridae: 2 species

family Haematopodidae: 1 species

family Charadriidae: 8 species

family Scolopacidae: 25 species

family Stercorariidae: 1 species

family Alcidae: 1 species

family Laridae: 21 species
family Gaviidae: 4 species

order Procellariiformes
family Diomedeidae: 1 species

family Procellariidae: 1 species
Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis)
​​​​​​​
order Ciconiiformes
family Ciconiidae: 1 species
​​​​​​​
family Phalacrocoracidae: 3 species
​​​​​​​

family Ardeidae: 15 species
family Cathartidae: 3 species

family Pandionidae: 1 species

family Accipitridae: 18 species
family Tytonidae: 1 species

family Strigidae: 11 species
family Trogonidae: 1 species
​​​​​​​
family Alcedinidae: 4 species
Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis) 26 February 2020 Manko Wild Bird Center Okinawa Japan
​​​​​​​Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)
order Piciformes
family Picidae: 22 species
family Falconidae: 7 species
Eurasian Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
family Tyrannidae: 13 species
Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)
Great Kiskadee (Pitangus sulphuratus)
Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus )
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)
Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)
Gray Flycatcher (Empidonax wrightii)
Western Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)
Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus)
family Vireonidae: 5 species
White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)​​​​​​​
Hutton's Vireo (Vireo huttoni)
Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)
Western Warbling-Vireo (Vireo swainsoni)
Eastern Warbling-Vireo (Vireo gilvus)  08 May 2023 Magee Marsh Ohio
family Laniidae: 2 species
family Corvidae: 17 species
Canada Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)
Brown Jay (Cyanocorax morio)
Green Jay (Cyanocorax yncas)
Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus cyanocephalus)
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)
California Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)
Mexican Jay (Aphelocoma wollweberi)
Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)
Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)
Yellow-billed Magpie (Pica nuttalli)
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)
Carrion Crow (Corvus corone) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos)
Common Raven (Corvus corax)
family Remizidae: 1 species

family Paridae: 11 species
family Alaudidae: 1 species
​​​​​​​
family Hirundinidae: 7 species
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)
Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)
Purple Martin (Progne subis), Sacramento County California
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

family Aegithalidae: 2 species
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus)
Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus)​​​​​​​
family Phylloscopidae: 1 species
family Pycnonotidae: 4 species
family Sylviidae: 1 species
Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), Sacramento County 15 September 2024
family Zosteropidae: 1 species
family Regulidae: 2 species
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Corthylio calendula)
family Bombycillidae: 2 species
Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)​​​​​​
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
family Ptiliogonatidae: 1 species
​​​​​​​
family Sittidae: 4 species
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)
​​​​​​​White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)
Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
family Certhiidae: 1 species

family Polioptilidae: 2 species
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)
Black-tailed Gnatcatcher (Polioptila melanura)
​​​​​​​
family Troglodytidae​​​​​​​: 7 species
Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus)
Cactus Wren (Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus)
Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)
​​​​​​​Northern House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)
Pacific Wren (Troglodytes pacificus)
Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)​​​​​​​
family Mimidae: 7 species
Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)
Curve-billed Thrasher (Toxostoma curvirostre)
Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)
California Thrasher (Toxostoma redivivum)
Crissal Thrasher (Toxostoma crissale)
Sage Thrasher (Oreoscoptes montanus)
Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

family Sturnidae: 3 species
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)
White-cheeked Starling (Spodiopsar cineraseus)
Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis)

family Cinclidae: 1 species

family Turdidae: 12 species
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana)
Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides)
Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi)
Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)
Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)
​​​​​​​Hermit Thrush  (Catharus guttatus)
Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)
Eurasian Blackbird (Turdus merula) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Pale Thrush (Turdus pallidus)
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)​​​​​​​
Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)
family Muscicapidae: 5 species
White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus)
European Robin (Erithacus rubecula) 31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Daurian redstart (Phoenicurus auroreus)
Blue Rock-Thrush (Monticola solitarius)
Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe)

family Estrildidae: 3 species
Java Sparrow (Padda oryzivora)
Scaly-breasted Munia (Lonchura punctulata)

family Passeridae: 2 species
House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)
Eurasian Tree Sparrow (Passer montanus)​​​​​​​
​​​​​​​​​​​
family Fringillidae: 14 species
Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)  31 January 2007 Ramstein Air Base
Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)
Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte tephrocotis)
Black Rosy-Finch (Leucosticte atrata)
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)
Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)
Cassin's Finch (Haemorhous cassinii)
Redpoll (Acanthis flammea)
Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria)
Lawrence's Goldfinch (Spinus lawrencei)
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

family Calcariidae: 2 species
Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)​​​​​​​
Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)​​​​​​​
family Passerellidae: 25 species
Yellow-eyed Junco (Junco phaeonotus)

family Icteriidae: 1 species

family Icteridae: 13 species
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)
Western Meadlowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
Hooded Oriole (Icterus cucullatus)
Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii)
Altamira Oriole (Icterus gularis)
Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)
Scott's Oriole (Icterus parisorum)
Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)
Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)
Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Great-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus mexicanus)

family Parulidae: 39 species
Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermiform) Big Bend NP
Grace's Warbler (Setophaga graciae) Cave Creek Canyon Arizona  24 April 2023

family Cardinalidae: 12 species
Hepatic Tanager (Piranga flava)  Cave Creek Canyon Arizona  24 April 2023

family Thraupidae: 1 species
​​​​​​​
text & photographs Copyright © Douglas Herr
all rights reserved
last updated 21 June 2026
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