287 documented taxa of class Aves recorded in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania — by iNaturalist research-grade, eBird county records as of 2026-06-18 — with detailed accounts of the most notable, signature, and introduced species.
287 of the 287 documented taxa are
profiled in detail below — the most-recorded, signature, introduced, and
notable species. The complete checklist follows.
Canada Goose
Branta canadensis — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large goose, brown body, black neck and head with a white "chinstrap." Resident and migratory populations both occur.
- Habitat
- lakes, ponds, reservoirs, rivers, farm fields, and mowed parkland.
- County status
- present and abundant; 44 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] and a year-round eBird presence [S2]. Resident breeder augmented by migrants.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- has become superabundant as a resident bird on lawns, golf courses, and basins; managed as both game and nuisance species.
More on Wikipedia →
Cackling Goose
Branta hutchinsii — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- a small "mini Canada Goose" with a stubby bill and rounder head; recently split from Canada Goose.
- Habitat
- mixes into Canada Goose flocks on fields and water during migration.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon fall/winter migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- identification requires care alongside small Canada Geese.
More on Wikipedia →
Snow Goose
Anser caerulescens — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- white goose with black wingtips (a dark "blue morph" also occurs); pink bill with a black "grin patch."
- Habitat
- large flocks stage on fields and open water during migration.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant, mainly late fall and early spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (hyperabundant continentally). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Greater White-fronted Goose
Anser albifrons — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- gray-brown goose with a white forehead blaze, orange legs, and dark belly barring.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare migrant in goose flocks [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Tundra Swan
Cygnus columbianus — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large white swan with a straight neck; black bill usually with a small yellow lore spot.
- Habitat
- open water and flooded fields on migration.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, chiefly late fall and early spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- the expected wild swan in PA; distinguish from introduced Mute Swan and rarer Trumpeter Swan.
More on Wikipedia →
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- very large swan with an all-black bill and straight neck; larger than Tundra Swan with no yellow lore.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; rare, reflecting expanding reintroduced populations in the Great Lakes region [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; NatureServe "apparently secure" (United States) [S1][S9]; recovered from near-extirpation. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor — Anatidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- large white swan with an orange bill and black knob; holds its neck in an S-curve.
- Habitat
- ponds, lakes, and slow rivers.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; resident where established [S2]. Introduced from Eurasia [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native; aggressive toward native waterfowl and damaging to aquatic vegetation. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- an invasive species; included as a documented county occurrence.
More on Wikipedia →
Wood Duck
Aix sponsa — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- ornate cavity-nesting duck; drake iridescent green-crested with bold facial pattern; hen gray-brown with a white eye-teardrop.
- Habitat
- wooded swamps, beaver ponds, and quiet streams with overhanging cover.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon-to-fairly-common breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a nest-box conservation success. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- the familiar dabbling duck; drake glossy-green head, white neck-ring, chestnut breast; hen mottled brown. Blue speculum bordered white.
- Habitat
- virtually any fresh water, from rivers to suburban ponds.
- County status
- present and abundant; 36 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (some local stock includes domestic/feral genes). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Black Duck
Anas rubripes — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- dark, dusky dabbler resembling a female Mallard but darker-bodied with a violet (white-bordered) speculum and contrasting pale head.
- Habitat
- wetlands, marshes, and quiet waters, often with Mallards.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant and wintering bird [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining regionally due to hybridization with and competition from Mallards. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- elegant, slender dabbler; drake with chocolate head, white neck-stripe, and long pointed tail.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (declining continentally). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Wigeon
Mareca americana — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- compact dabbler; drake with a green eye-patch and white forecrown ("baldpate"); short blue bill.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Gadwall
Mareca strepera — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- understated gray dabbler; drake with a black rear end and a white speculum patch visible in flight.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Green-winged Teal
Anas crecca — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's smallest dabbling duck; drake with a chestnut head, green eye-swoosh, and a vertical white shoulder bar.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on shallow wetlands and mudflats [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Redhead
Aythya americana — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- diving duck; drake with a rounded rufous head, black breast, gray back, and pale blue bill with a black tip.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on lakes and reservoirs [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Canvasback
Aythya valisineria — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large diving duck with a sloping forehead and long bill; drake with a rusty head and pale white back.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon-to-rare migrant on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ring-necked Duck
Aythya collaris — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- diving duck; drake with a peaked black head, gray flanks, and a distinctive white bill-ring; the namesake neck-ring is hard to see.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a regular migrant on ponds and lakes [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; common as a migrant despite the PA S-rank (which reflects rarity as a breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Greater Scaup
Aythya marila — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- diving duck; drake with a rounded green-glossed head and pale back; very similar to Lesser Scaup.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare migrant on large open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Lesser Scaup
Aythya affinis — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- diving duck; drake with a peaked, purple-glossed head; commoner inland than Greater Scaup.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon migrant on lakes [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bufflehead
Bucephala albeola — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny diving duck; drake mostly white with a black back and a large white head-patch on a dark, iridescent head.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common migrant and winter visitor on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a tree-cavity nester (uses old flicker holes). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Goldeneye
Bucephala clangula — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- diving duck; drake with a greenish-black head, golden eye, and a round white cheek-spot.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon winter visitor on larger waters [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Long-tailed Duck
Clangula hyemalis — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small sea duck; drake with bold black-and-white plumage and long central tail feathers.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; a rare migrant/winter visitor on larger lakes inland [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining; chiefly a coastal/Great Lakes bird. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ruddy Duck
Oxyura jamaicensis — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, stiff-tailed diving duck; breeding drake with a chestnut body, black cap, white cheeks, and a sky-blue bill.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on ponds and lakes [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small merganser; drake with a fan-shaped white crest bordered black, and a thin black bill.
- Habitat
- wooded ponds, swamps, and slow streams; a cavity nester.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; an uncommon breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure as a migrant; uses nest boxes. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Merganser
Mergus merganser — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, slender fish-eating duck; drake with a green-black head, white body, and thin red bill; hen with a rusty crested head and clean white chin.
- Habitat
- rivers, large streams, and lakes with clear water and fish.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder along rivers and a winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-breasted Merganser
Mergus serrator — Anatidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slender merganser; drake with a shaggy double crest, green head, and a rusty breast band.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Muscovy Duck
Cairina moschata — Anatidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- large, heavy duck with bare red facial caruncles; feral birds are variably pied black-and-white.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. Introduced/feral (domestic stock) [S1]. A hybrid Mallard × Muscovy Duck is also recorded (1 iNaturalist record) [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native, domestic; not part of the native fauna. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Brant
Branta bernicla — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, dark sea goose with a black head, neck, and breast, a small white neck-mark, and a white rear; smaller and dumpier than Canada Goose, with no chinstrap.
- Habitat
- chiefly coastal; inland birds turn up on open water and fields, usually briefly.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, mainly in late fall, occasionally appearing on reservoirs or in goose flocks during coastal weather systems.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a primarily Atlantic-coast goose; inland records are weather-driven overflights.
More on Wikipedia →
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
Dendrocygna autumnalis — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- long-legged, long-necked duck with a chestnut body, gray face, bright pink-red bill, and a bold white wing-stripe in flight; perches readily and is noisy.
- Habitat
- ponds, marshes, and flooded fields with cover.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, reflecting this southern species' marked northward range expansion and increasing PA records in recent years.
- Conservation status
- native; secure and increasing. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- once exceptional in the Northeast, now a near-annual stray somewhere in PA.
More on Wikipedia →
Ross's Goose
Anser rossii — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- a miniature Snow Goose with a stubby triangular bill lacking the black "grin patch"; white with black wingtips (a rare blue morph exists).
- Habitat
- mixes into Snow Goose and other goose flocks on fields and open water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, found by careful scanning of Snow Goose flocks in late fall and early spring.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (increasing continentally). (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- identification requires care against small Snow Geese and hybrids.
More on Wikipedia →
Blue-winged Teal
Spatula discors — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small dabbling duck; drake with a slate-blue head, a bold white facial crescent, and a powder-blue forewing patch shared with the female.
- Habitat
- shallow marshes, flooded fields, and pond margins with emergent cover.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly spring and early fall; an occasional, very local breeder in wetlands.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the earliest-departing and latest-arriving dabblers, wintering largely in the tropics.
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Shoveler
Spatula clypeata — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- distinctive dabbler with an oversized, spatula-shaped bill; drake with a green head, white breast, and rusty flanks; both sexes show a blue forewing.
- Habitat
- shallow, productive wetlands and pond edges where it filter-feeds.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant on shallow wetlands and impoundments, spring and fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- the comb-like bill lamellae strain plankton and seeds from the water.
More on Wikipedia →
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- stocky sea duck; drake black with bold white head-patches and a swollen orange, white, and black bill; female browner with pale face-patches.
- Habitat
- large lakes and reservoirs inland during migration; primarily a coastal bird.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant on large open water, mainly late fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- scoters appear inland chiefly during coastal storms or hard weather.
More on Wikipedia →
White-winged Scoter
Melanitta deglandi — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the largest scoter; drake black with a small white eye-comma and a white wing-patch obvious in flight; female brown with a white speculum.
- Habitat
- large open lakes and reservoirs inland on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant on large open water, mainly late fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (declining continentally). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black Scoter
Melanitta americana — Anatidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- rounded sea duck; drake all-black with a bulbous orange-yellow bill knob; female dark with a contrasting pale cheek and dark cap.
- Habitat
- large lakes and reservoirs inland during migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant on large open water, mainly late fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black Swan
Cygnus atratus — Anatidae
Introduced eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, all-black swan with a red bill and white flight feathers visible in flight; unmistakable.
- Habitat
- ponds and lakes where escaped birds settle.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; records pertain to escaped or released captive birds. Introduced/escapee (an Australian species) [S2].
- Conservation status
- non-native; not part of the wild fauna. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Swan Goose
Anser cygnoides — Anatidae
Introduced eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large goose with a long bill and (in domestic "Chinese goose" stock) a knob at the bill base; wild type is brown-necked.
- Habitat
- ponds and farmyards where domestic birds free-range.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; records reflect domestic/feral free-ranging stock, not wild birds. Domestic/escapee [S2].
- Conservation status
- non-native, domestic. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo — Phasianidae
Native
- Description & ID
- very large, dark, iridescent game bird; males with a bare blue-red head, breast "beard," and fanning tail in display.
- Habitat
- mature forests with mast (oak/beech), interspersed clearings and farmland.
- County status
- present and widespread; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a managed game species restored statewide in the 20th century [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ruffed Grouse
Bonasa umbellus — Phasianidae
Native
- Description & ID
- chunky woodland grouse with a crest, ruffed neck feathers, and a fan tail with a dark subterminal band. Males "drum" with their wings.
- Habitat
- young, dense second-growth and mixed forest with thick understory.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon resident, declining regionally [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; Pennsylvania state bird; populations have fallen sharply due to maturing forests and West Nile virus [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a conservation-priority game bird; benefits from early-successional habitat management.
More on Wikipedia →
Ring-necked Pheasant
Phasianus colchicus — Phasianidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- large, long-tailed game bird; cock iridescent with a white neck-ring and red face wattles.
- Habitat
- farmland, hedgerows, and grassy field edges.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; locally present, partly sustained by stocking [S2][S5]. Introduced from Asia [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native; self-sustaining wild populations are limited. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Chukar
Alectoris chukar — Phasianidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- stocky partridge with bold black flank bars, a black "necklace," and a red bill and legs.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]. Introduced; PA records typically reflect released/stocked birds rather than a wild population [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native; not established as a self-sustaining wild bird in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Helmeted Guineafowl
Numida meleagris — Numididae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- rotund, gray-spangled fowl with a bare blue-and-red head and a bony casque.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]. Introduced/domestic free-ranging farm stock [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native, domestic. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Bobwhite
Colinus virginianus — Odontophoridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, rounded quail with intricate brown, rufous, and white plumage; males with a bold white throat and eyebrow; named for its clear, whistled "bob-WHITE" call.
- Habitat
- brushy farmland, weedy field edges, and early-successional grassland-shrub mosaics.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; very rare. Pennsylvania's native wild population is considered nearly extirpated, so most county records pertain to released or stocked birds rather than a self-sustaining wild covey.
- Conservation status
- native; a steeply declining grassland-shrubland game bird and a PA species of conservation concern; wild PA stock effectively gone [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a flagship of declining early-successional habitat across the eastern U.S.
More on Wikipedia →
Pied-billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps — Podicipedidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, stocky brown grebe with a stubby pale bill ringed black in breeding plumage; dives readily.
- Habitat
- marshy ponds, wetlands, and quiet water with emergent vegetation.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant and rare breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a PA species of concern as a breeder due to wetland loss. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Horned Grebe
Podiceps auritus — Podicipedidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small grebe; nonbreeding birds black-and-white with a clean white cheek; breeding birds have golden "horns."
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining continentally. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-necked Grebe
Podiceps grisegena — Podicipedidae
Native
- Description & ID
- larger grebe with a heavy yellow-based bill; breeding birds with a rusty neck and pale cheek.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a rare migrant, most likely after late-winter storms [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Loon
Gavia immer — Gaviidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large diving bird with a dagger bill; breeding adults boldly checkered black-and-white with a green-black head; winter birds gray above, white below.
- Habitat
- larger lakes and reservoirs on migration; rivers occasionally.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, mainly spring and fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (does not breed in PA). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-throated Loon
Gavia stellata — Gaviidae
Native
- Description & ID
- smaller loon with a thin, slightly upturned bill held tilted up; winter birds pale-faced.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare migrant on open water [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Double-crested Cormorant
Nannopterum auritum — Phalacrocoracidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, dark, long-necked waterbird with a hooked yellow-orange bill; swims low and perches with wings spread.
- Habitat
- rivers, lakes, and reservoirs with fish.
- County status
- present; 12 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common migrant, increasingly seen in summer [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; populations recovered strongly after DDT-era declines. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Anhinga
Anhinga anhinga — Anhingidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slender, long-necked, long-tailed waterbird with a dagger bill and silver wing-panels; males glossy black; soars on flat wings like a raptor and swims with only the snake-like neck exposed.
- Habitat
- southern swamps and freshwater wetlands; far north of its normal range here.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant. Records reflect rare overshoots of this southeastern species, sometimes among soaring migrants in spring.
- Conservation status
- native; secure within its southern range. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- distinguished from cormorants by the pointed bill, long fanned tail, and soaring flight.
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Gannet
Morus bassanus — Sulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, sharply pointed seabird, white with black wingtips and a buff-washed head; plunge-dives spectacularly for fish.
- Habitat
- a pelagic and coastal seabird; inland only as a storm-driven stray.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, appearing inland only after major coastal storms or hurricanes that displace seabirds onto reservoirs and rivers.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- an exceptional inland record class, almost always weather-related.
More on Wikipedia →
Great Blue Heron
Ardea herodias — Ardeidae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's largest heron; tall, blue-gray, with a long neck, dagger bill, and black eyebrow plume. Flies with neck folded.
- Habitat
- rivers, lakes, marshes, and pond edges; nests colonially in tall trees ("rookeries").
- County status
- present and common; 20 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident (some withdraw in hard winters) and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Great Egret
Ardea alba — Ardeidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, all-white heron with a yellow bill and black legs and feet.
- Habitat
- marshes, pond and lake edges, and slow rivers.
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon post-breeding visitor and migrant, mainly late summer [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; recovered after plume-hunting era. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Green Heron
Butorides virescens — Ardeidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, stocky, dark heron with a chestnut neck, greenish back, and yellow-orange legs; often crouches at the water's edge.
- Habitat
- wooded ponds, streams, and marsh edges with cover.
- County status
- present; 12 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common breeder, spring through fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a tool-user — sometimes drops bait to lure fish.
More on Wikipedia →
Black-crowned Night Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax — Ardeidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stocky, short-necked heron; adult with a black crown and back, gray wings, white underparts, and red eyes.
- Habitat
- wooded wetlands, marshes, and pond edges; most active at dusk.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; NatureServe "imperiled" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a rare visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; PA species of special concern as a breeder. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Western Cattle-Egret
Ardea ibis — Ardeidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, compact white egret with a yellow bill and (in breeding plumage) buff plumes; associates with livestock and fields rather than water.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare visitor [S2]. An Old World species that colonized the Americas naturally in the 20th century.
- Conservation status
- native (self-introduced range expansion); not of concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Bittern
Botaurus lentiginosus — Ardeidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- stocky, cryptic brown heron streaked below; points its bill skyward and freezes among reeds; gives a deep, pumping "oonk-a-lunk" call.
- Habitat
- large freshwater marshes with dense emergent vegetation.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant and very rare, secretive breeder, easily overlooked in extensive marsh.
- Conservation status
- native; PA-listed Endangered; a high-priority wetland species dependent on large undisturbed marshes [S4][S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the county's highest-priority wetland birds where suitable marsh exists.
More on Wikipedia →
Least Bittern
Botaurus exilis — Ardeidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the smallest North American heron; buff and chestnut with contrasting blackish back and bold buff wing-patches; clambers through reeds rather than wading.
- Habitat
- dense cattail and emergent marsh with interspersed open water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and very local marsh breeder and migrant, exceptionally hard to detect.
- Conservation status
- native; a PA species of conservation concern tied to large, healthy marshes [S4][S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Snowy Egret
Egretta thula — Ardeidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium all-white egret with a slender black bill, black legs, and bright yellow feet ("golden slippers"); active, dashing forager.
- Habitat
- marshes, pond edges, and shallow water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare post-breeding visitor, mainly late summer, when southern herons disperse northward.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; recovered after the plume-hunting era. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Little Blue Heron
Egretta caerulea — Ardeidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium heron; adults slate-blue with a purplish head and a bicolored bill; immatures all-white (told from egrets by the dull gray-tipped bill and greenish legs), often patchy "calico" while molting.
- Habitat
- marshes, pond margins, and slow shallow water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare post-breeding visitor, chiefly late summer.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Nyctanassa violacea — Ardeidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- stocky, gray heron with a black face crossed by bold white cheek-patches and a pale crown; heavier-billed and longer-legged than Black-crowned Night Heron.
- Habitat
- wooded swamps, wet woods, and pond edges; a crayfish specialist.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare visitor, mainly post-breeding.
- Conservation status
- native; PA-listed Endangered — among the county's highest-listed wetland birds [S4][S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Glossy Ibis
Plegadis falcinellus — Threskiornithidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium wading bird with a long, downcurved bill and dark, iridescent maroon-and-green plumage; flies with neck outstretched in lines.
- Habitat
- marshes, flooded fields, and shallow wetlands.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, most likely in spring, when small numbers wander inland from coastal colonies.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wood Stork
Mycteria americana — Ciconiidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- very large white wading bird with black flight feathers and a bare, dark, scaly head and heavy decurved bill; soars on broad wings.
- Habitat
- southern swamps and wetlands; far out of range here.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an exceptional vagrant, reflecting rare post-breeding wanderings of this southeastern species.
- Conservation status
- native; recovered from federally Endangered to Threatened in the U.S.; not part of the regular fauna. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the most remarkable records on the county list.
More on Wikipedia →
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura — Cathartidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, dark soaring bird with a small red (adult) head, silvery flight-feather undersides, and a teetering, dihedral (V-shaped) glide.
- Habitat
- ubiquitous over ridges, farmland, and roads; roosts communally.
- County status
- present and abundant; 59 research-grade iNaturalist records — among the most-recorded county birds [S1]; year-round, most numerous in the warm months [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- finds carrion partly by smell, unusual among birds.
More on Wikipedia →
Black Vulture
Coragyps atratus — Cathartidae
Native
- Description & ID
- compact black vulture with a bare gray head, short tail, and white "stars" at the wingtips; flat-winged glide with quick flaps.
- Habitat
- farmland, roads, and ridges; roosts with Turkey Vultures.
- County status
- present and common; 34 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident expanding northward [S2].
- Conservation status
- native (range-expanded); secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus — Pandionidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large fish-eating raptor; white below with a dark eye-stripe, brown above, and crooked wings in flight. Hovers and plunges for fish.
- Habitat
- lakes, reservoirs, and large rivers with fish; nests on platforms, snags, and structures.
- County status
- present; 19 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "imperiled" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a migrant and uncommon nester [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a PA conservation success delisted from threatened, though still S-rank "imperiled" as a breeder. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- huge raptor; adults unmistakable with a white head and tail and a massive yellow bill; immatures mottled brown and white.
- Habitat
- rivers, lakes, and reservoirs; nests in large trees near water.
- County status
- present and increasing; 56 research-grade iNaturalist records — one of the most-recorded raptors [S1]; NatureServe "apparently secure" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; recovered dramatically after the DDT era; federally protected under the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a flagship recovery species; now nests in multiple county watersheds.
More on Wikipedia →
Golden Eagle
Aquila chrysaetos — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- huge dark eagle with a golden nape; immatures show white wing-patches and a white tail base. Soars on flat or slightly raised wings.
- Habitat
- migrates along forested ridges; favors remote terrain.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular but uncommon migrant along the ridges, mainly late fall [S2]. The eastern population winters in the central Appalachians.
- Conservation status
- native; secure continentally but a regional conservation focus; protected federally. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Harrier
Circus hudsonius — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, long-winged, long-tailed hawk with a white rump and an owl-like facial disk; courses low over open ground.
- Habitat
- marshes, grasslands, reclaimed strip-mine barrens, and large fields.
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; PA-listed Threatened (NatureServe S3B,S4N) [S1][S9]; a migrant and uncommon breeder on open lands [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; Pennsylvania Threatened as a breeder; dependent on large open grassland/wetland habitat. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the county's higher-priority conservation birds where it breeds on reclaimed anthracite barrens.
More on Wikipedia →
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, slim accipiter with short rounded wings, a long square-tipped tail, and rapid flap-and-glide flight; preys on songbirds.
- Habitat
- forests and edges; common at feeders in winter.
- County status
- present; 26 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common migrant (a signature ridge species) and winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Cooper's Hawk
Astur cooperii — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium accipiter, larger than Sharp-shinned, with a rounded tail tip and a more capped head; adults blue-gray above with rusty barring below.
- Habitat
- woodlands, suburbs, and edges; hunts birds at feeders.
- County status
- present and common; 20 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; has adapted well to suburban areas. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Goshawk
Astur atricapillus — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, powerful accipiter; adults gray with a bold white eyebrow and a dark cap; immatures heavily streaked.
- Habitat
- extensive mature forest; rare and reclusive.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; PA-listed Endangered (NatureServe "endangered," Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a rare migrant and very rare breeder at the southern edge of its range [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; Pennsylvania Endangered — the county's highest-listed raptor. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a top conservation-priority bird; breeding records warrant PNHP documentation.
More on Wikipedia →
Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium buteo with rusty shoulders and underparts, bold black-and-white tail bands, and translucent wing "crescents" in flight.
- Habitat
- moist, mature bottomland and riparian forest.
- County status
- present; 15 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Broad-winged Hawk
Buteo platypterus — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, compact buteo with broad black-and-white tail bands and pointed wings; forms huge migrating "kettles."
- Habitat
- interior forest in the breeding season; ridges on migration.
- County status
- present; 30 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and a spectacular September migrant along the ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- the classic September ridge migrant in the thousands at nearby Hawk Mountain.
More on Wikipedia →
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis — Accipitridae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's most familiar large buteo; broad-winged, with a brick-red tail (adults), a dark belly band, and a pale chest.
- Habitat
- open country, woodland edges, farmland, and roadsides; hunts from perches.
- County status
- present and abundant; 61 research-grade iNaturalist records — the most-recorded bird in the county's research-grade set [S1]; a year-round resident, breeder, and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Swallow-tailed Kite
Elanoides forficatus — Accipitridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- unmistakable, graceful raptor with crisp black-and-white plumage and a deeply forked black tail; soars and wheels buoyantly, snatching prey on the wing.
- Habitat
- southern swamps and woodlands; here only as a wandering stray over open country and ridges.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an exceptional vagrant, reflecting rare spring overshoots of this southeastern kite.
- Conservation status
- native; secure in its southern range; a notable rarity in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis — Accipitridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, slim, falcon-shaped raptor; adults pale gray with a whitish head and dark tail; agile aerial forager on insects.
- Habitat
- wooded and edge habitats; observed over towns and ridges on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, with sightings increasing as this species expands northward and is increasingly noted at PA hawkwatches.
- Conservation status
- native; secure and increasing. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Rough-legged Hawk
Buteo lagopus — Accipitridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large buteo with long wings, feathered legs, a dark belly band and dark "wrists," and a white tail base with a dark band; often hovers over open ground.
- Habitat
- open farmland, grasslands, and reclaimed barrens in winter.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon winter visitor from the Arctic, numbers varying year to year, favoring extensive open country.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the few buteos that habitually hovers while hunting.
More on Wikipedia →
Swainson's Hawk
Buteo swainsoni — Accipitridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim buteo with long pointed wings held in a slight dihedral; light-morph birds show a dark breast band and two-toned underwings; a western species.
- Habitat
- open country; here a rare ridge migrant.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant along the ridges, mainly in fall among other migrating raptors.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a long-distance migrant to South America. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius — Falconidae
Native
- Description & ID
- North America's smallest falcon; rusty back and tail, blue-gray wings (male), and two bold black facial stripes. Hovers over fields.
- Habitat
- open farmland, meadows, and roadsides; nests in cavities and boxes.
- County status
- present; 15 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and breeder, but declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a regional conservation concern — steep declines tied to loss of grassland/farmland nesting habitat [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- nest-box programs target this species' recovery.
More on Wikipedia →
Merlin
Falco columbarius — Falconidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, dark, dashing falcon, larger and heavier than a kestrel, with a weakly marked face and powerful direct flight.
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "apparently secure" (United States) [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant, increasingly wintering [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; expanding as a breeder in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus — Falconidae
Native
- Description & ID
- powerful, broad-shouldered falcon with a dark "helmet"; the fastest animal in a stoop.
- Habitat
- cliffs and (increasingly) bridges and structures; hunts over open areas.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "apparently secure" (United States) [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant, recovering as a PA breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a DDT-era recovery species, removed from the federal list but still PA-monitored. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Gyrfalcon
Falco rusticolus — Falconidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the largest falcon, heavy-bodied with broad-based wings; plumage ranges from gray to dark to nearly white; an Arctic species.
- Habitat
- open country and shorelines in winter; an extreme rarity at this latitude.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an exceptional winter vagrant, with PA records confined to rare southward irruptions of this high-Arctic falcon.
- Conservation status
- native; secure in its Arctic range; among the most remarkable raptor records on the county list. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Virginia Rail
Rallus limicola — Rallidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, secretive marsh bird with a long slightly downcurved reddish bill, gray cheeks, and rusty underparts.
- Habitat
- freshwater marshes with dense cattails and sedges.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; a secretive, under-recorded breeder/migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a wetland-dependent species of concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Coot
Fulica americana — Rallidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slate-gray, duck-like waterbird with a white bill and lobed (not webbed) toes; pumps its head while swimming.
- Habitat
- marshy ponds, lakes, and reservoirs.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant and winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; common as a migrant despite the PA breeding S-rank. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Gallinule
Gallinula galeata — Rallidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- chicken-like marsh bird, slate-gray with a brownish back, a white flank-stripe, white undertail, and a bright red frontal shield and yellow-tipped bill.
- Habitat
- freshwater marshes and pond edges with dense emergent vegetation and open water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant and very local breeder in suitable marsh, secretive and easily missed.
- Conservation status
- native; a wetland-dependent species of regional concern as marsh habitat declines. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Sora
Porzana carolina — Rallidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, plump rail with a short yellow bill, gray face and breast, a black face-and-throat patch, and barred flanks; gives a descending whinny and a sharp "ker-wee."
- Habitat
- freshwater marshes with cattails, sedges, and shallow water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon, secretive migrant and local breeder, far more often heard than seen.
- Conservation status
- native; a marsh-dependent species of regional conservation concern; the most widespread North American rail. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Sandhill Crane
Antigone canadensis — Gruidae
Native
- Description & ID
- very large gray crane with a red crown and a bustle of feathers over the rump; flies with neck outstretched (unlike herons).
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare but increasing visitor as the species expands eastward in PA [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure and increasing. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Killdeer
Charadrius vociferus — Charadriidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large plover with two black breast bands, a rusty rump, and a loud "kill-deer" call; performs a broken-wing distraction display.
- Habitat
- gravel lots, fields, shorelines, and reclaimed barrens; nests on bare ground.
- County status
- present and common; 17 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; a common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure locally though declining continentally. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Semipalmated Plover
Charadrius semipalmatus — Charadriidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small brown plover with a single dark breast band and an orange bill base; a miniature Killdeer with one band.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on mudflats and shorelines [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Golden-Plover
Pluvialis dominica — Charadriidae
Native
- Description & ID
- sleek plover; nonbreeding birds golden-spangled gray-brown with a bold pale eyebrow; long-winged.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare migrant on sod farms and fields, mainly fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (long-distance migrant). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Spotted Sandpiper
Actitis macularius — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small sandpiper with bold dark breast-spots in breeding plumage; teeters constantly and flies with stiff, fluttering wingbeats.
- Habitat
- stream banks, lake and pond margins, and gravelly shores.
- County status
- present; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder along waterways [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Solitary Sandpiper
Tringa solitaria — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- dark-backed sandpiper with a bold white eye-ring and dark, barred tail-sides; bobs and flushes singly.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant at woodland pools and pond edges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Greater Yellowlegs
Tringa melanoleuca — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tall, gray-streaked sandpiper with long yellow legs and a slightly upturned bill; larger than Lesser Yellowlegs.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant on mudflats and flooded fields [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Lesser Yellowlegs
Tringa flavipes — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slimmer yellowlegs with a straight, needle-thin bill about the length of the head.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining continentally; a shorebird conservation focus. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Least Sandpiper
Calidris minutilla — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- the world's smallest sandpiper; brown-backed with yellow-green legs and a fine drooped bill.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; a regular migrant on mudflats [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Pectoral Sandpiper
Calidris melanotos — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium sandpiper with a sharply demarcated streaked breast ("bib") and yellowish legs.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon migrant on flooded fields and mudflats [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-rumped Sandpiper
Calidris fuscicollis — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small sandpiper with long wings extending past the tail and a white rump visible in flight.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; a rare migrant, mainly late spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; long-distance migrant. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Woodcock
Scolopax minor — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plump, cryptic woodland shorebird with a very long bill, large eyes set high, and dead-leaf camouflage; males perform spiraling "sky-dance" displays.
- Habitat
- moist young forests, shrubby old fields, and thickets.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon but widespread breeder, best detected by spring display [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; an early-successional game bird of regional conservation interest as shrubland habitat declines [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wilson's Snipe
Gallinago delicata — Scolopacidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stocky, cryptically striped shorebird with a very long bill; flushes in a zigzag with a rasping call.
- Habitat
- wet meadows, marsh edges, and flooded fields.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; an uncommon migrant and rare breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure as a migrant. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bonaparte's Gull
Chroicocephalus philadelphia — Laridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, tern-like gull with a black bill, pink legs, and a white leading wing-wedge; breeding adults have a black hood.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant on reservoirs and lakes [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ring-billed Gull
Larus delawarensis — Laridae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium gull with a yellow bill bearing a black ring, yellow legs, and a pale gray back.
- Habitat
- lakes, rivers, parking lots, and landfills.
- County status
- present and common; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common migrant and winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Herring Gull
Larus smithsonianus — Laridae
Native
- Description & ID
- large gull with pink legs, a pale gray back, and a heavy yellow bill with a red gonys spot; takes four years to reach adult plumage.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon migrant and winter visitor on larger waters [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-bellied Plover
Pluvialis squatarola — Charadriidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the largest North American plover, chunky with a stout black bill; breeding birds have a jet-black face and belly framed in white; nonbreeding birds gray-spangled with black "wingpits" in flight.
- Habitat
- mudflats, flooded fields, and reclaimed barrens on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly fall, at flooded fields and impoundments.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ruddy Turnstone
Arenaria interpres — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- stout, short-legged shorebird with a harlequin black-and-rusty back pattern (breeding), orange legs, and a slightly upturned bill used to flip debris.
- Habitat
- shorelines and mudflats; primarily a coastal migrant.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant inland, mainly late spring and fall on open shorelines.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Sanderling
Calidris alba — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- pale, active sandpiper, very white in nonbreeding plumage with a black shoulder-mark; lacks a hind toe; famously chases waves on beaches.
- Habitat
- sandy and gravel shorelines and mudflats; chiefly coastal.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant inland on reservoir shorelines, mainly fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Dunlin
Calidris alpina — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium sandpiper with a long, drooped bill; breeding birds with a rusty back and bold black belly-patch; nonbreeding birds plain gray-brown.
- Habitat
- mudflats, flooded fields, and shorelines on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly late fall, often the latest-lingering small sandpiper.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Baird's Sandpiper
Calidris bairdii — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium peep with long wings extending past the tail, a buffy scaly back, and a straight black bill; an elegant, attenuated shape.
- Habitat
- drier edges of mudflats, sod farms, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare fall migrant, chiefly juveniles in late summer and early fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Buff-breasted Sandpiper
Calidris subruficollis — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim, small-headed sandpiper with a plain buff face and breast, a short bill, and yellow legs; favors short-grass habitat over mud.
- Habitat
- sod farms, dry fields, and reclaimed grasslands on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare fall migrant in short-grass habitat, a sought-after species.
- Conservation status
- native; a grassland-migrant shorebird of conservation interest, with a small global population. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Stilt Sandpiper
Calidris himantopus — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim, long-legged sandpiper with a long, slightly drooped bill; feeds with a sewing-machine motion in deeper water; breeding birds rusty-cheeked and barred below.
- Habitat
- flooded fields, mudflats, and shallow impoundments.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, mainly fall, at productive wetlands and flooded fields.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Western Sandpiper
Calidris mauri — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small peep, similar to Semipalmated but with a longer, slightly drooped bill and rustier scapulars in breeding plumage; black legs.
- Habitat
- mudflats and flooded fields on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, mainly fall, requiring care to separate from Semipalmated Sandpiper.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Semipalmated Sandpiper
Calidris pusilla — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, gray-brown peep with a short, straight blunt-tipped bill, black legs, and partial webbing between the toes.
- Habitat
- mudflats, flooded fields, and shorelines on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, the default small "peep" at flooded fields, mainly spring and fall.
- Conservation status
- native; a long-distance migrant of shorebird conservation interest. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Short-billed Dowitcher
Limnodromus griseus — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- chunky, snipe-like shorebird with a very long straight bill probed in a sewing-machine motion; rusty below in breeding plumage; a white wedge up the back in flight.
- Habitat
- mudflats, flooded fields, and shallow impoundments.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly fall; separated from the rarer Long-billed Dowitcher chiefly by call.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wilson's Phalarope
Phalaropus tricolor — Scolopacidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim, needle-billed shorebird that often swims and spins to stir up food; breeding females boldly patterned (brighter than males, a sex-role reversal).
- Habitat
- shallow wetlands, flooded fields, and pond margins.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant, mainly in fall, on shallow water.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; the most terrestrial of the phalaropes. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Avocet
Recurvirostra americana — Recurvirostridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, elegant shorebird with a long, thin upturned bill, black-and-white wings, long blue-gray legs, and a rusty head and neck in breeding plumage.
- Habitat
- shallow open wetlands and impoundments; a western species.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, with PA records confined to rare wandering individuals at productive shallow wetlands.
- Conservation status
- native; secure in its western range; a notable county rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Caspian Tern
Hydroprogne caspia — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the largest tern, gull-sized, with a massive blood-red bill, a black cap, and pale gray wings; a harsh, low call.
- Habitat
- reservoirs, large rivers, and lakes on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant on larger open waters, spring and fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Tern
Sterna hirundo — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slender, graceful tern with a black cap, a red-orange black-tipped bill, and a deeply forked tail; pale gray above.
- Habitat
- reservoirs, lakes, and large rivers on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant on open water, mainly fall.
- Conservation status
- native; a PA-monitored species as a breeder (it does not breed in the county); secure as a migrant. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black Tern
Chlidonias niger — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small marsh tern; breeding birds with a black head and body and gray wings; nonbreeding birds pale below with a dark ear-patch; buoyant, dipping flight.
- Habitat
- marshes, reservoirs, and lakes on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare migrant on open water and marsh, mainly late summer and fall.
- Conservation status
- native; a marsh-nesting tern that has declined sharply; a species of conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Sabine's Gull
Xema sabini — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, elegant gull with a striking tricolored upperwing pattern (gray, white, and black triangles), a forked tail, and a black-tipped yellow bill; pelagic.
- Habitat
- open water; an oceanic migrant only forced inland by weather.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, with inland PA records almost always storm-driven, mainly fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a high-Arctic breeder and ocean migrant. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Great Black-backed Gull
Larus marinus — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the largest gull, massive, with a slate-black back, pink legs, and a heavy yellow bill with a red spot; takes four years to mature.
- Habitat
- larger rivers, reservoirs, and landfills.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant and winter visitor on larger open waters.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Lesser Black-backed Gull
Larus fuscus — Laridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium-large gull with a dark slate-gray back, yellow legs, and a yellow bill; intermediate in size between Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls.
- Habitat
- larger rivers, reservoirs, and landfills.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and increasing migrant and winter visitor, reflecting this Old World gull's growing North American presence.
- Conservation status
- native to the Old World; an increasingly regular non-breeding visitor to eastern North America. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Rock Pigeon
Columba livia — Columbidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- the familiar city pigeon; highly variable plumage, classically blue-gray with two black wingbars and an iridescent neck.
- Habitat
- towns, farms, bridges, and quarries.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common resident [S2]. Introduced from Eurasia [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura — Columbidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, buffy-brown dove with a long pointed tail (white-edged), black wing-spots, and a whistling wingbeat.
- Habitat
- farmland, suburbs, woodland edges, and feeders.
- County status
- present and abundant; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a managed game species in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Streptopelia decaocto — Columbidae
Introduced eBird county record
- Description & ID
- pale, sandy-gray dove, larger and chunkier than Mourning Dove, with a square tail and a thin black half-collar on the hindneck.
- Habitat
- towns, farmyards, and feeders, often around grain.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; rare and local. Introduced; this Eurasian species spread across North America from Florida and remains scarce and patchy in PA [S2].
- Conservation status
- non-native; established but uncommon in the region. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- still scattered and unpredictable at this latitude, unlike its abundance farther south and west.
More on Wikipedia →
White-winged Dove
Zenaida asiatica — Columbidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- plump dove with a bold white wing-stripe (a white edge on the folded wing), a rounded tail with white corners, and a blue eye-ring.
- Habitat
- towns, feeders, and edges; a southern/southwestern species.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, reflecting this expanding species' increasing tendency to wander north and east, often appearing at feeders.
- Conservation status
- native; secure and expanding; a notable county rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus — Cuculidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, long-tailed bird, brown above and white below, with rufous wing-flashes, a yellow lower mandible, and bold white tail-spots.
- Habitat
- deciduous woodland, edges, and overgrown thickets; numbers track outbreaks of caterpillars.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder, late spring through summer [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but declining; a tent-caterpillar and cicada specialist. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus — Cuculidae
Native
- Description & ID
- like Yellow-billed but with an all-dark bill, a red eye-ring, and small white tail-tips (no bold tail-spots or rufous wings).
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon, secretive breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining regionally. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Screech-Owl
Megascops asio — Strigidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, ear-tufted owl in red or gray morphs; gives a descending whinny and a soft trill.
- Habitat
- woodlands, suburbs, orchards, and parks with cavities.
- County status
- present and common; 28 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident, well-recorded for an owl [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus — Strigidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, powerful owl with prominent ear-tufts, a white throat, and a deep hooting song.
- Habitat
- forests, woodlots, and farmland; nests early (late winter), often in old hawk nests.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a widespread year-round resident, under-recorded due to nocturnality [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; an apex avian predator. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Barred Owl
Strix varia — Strigidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, round-headed owl with dark eyes, vertical belly streaks, and the classic "who-cooks-for-you" call.
- Habitat
- mature, moist forests and wooded swamps.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus — Strigidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny, big-headed owl with a streaked rusty body, white facial "V," and yellow eyes; gives a monotonous tooting song.
- Habitat
- dense conifers and mixed forest; migrates along ridges.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular but easily-overlooked fall migrant and rare breeder; ridge banding stations detect many [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Barn Owl
Tyto furcata — Tytonidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- pale, long-legged owl with a white heart-shaped facial disk, golden-buff upperparts, and dark eyes; gives an eerie raspy shriek rather than a hoot.
- Habitat
- farmland, grasslands, and reclaimed barrens; nests in barns, silos, and cavities.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and local resident, dependent on open grassland-farmland hunting habitat and suitable nest structures.
- Conservation status
- native; a PA species of conservation concern, declining with loss of grassland foraging habitat and old farm buildings [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- a focus of PA nest-box and barn-conservation efforts.
More on Wikipedia →
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus — Strigidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim, cryptic woodland owl with long close-set ear-tufts, a rusty facial disk, and a streaked body; roosts upright against trunks, very hard to find.
- Habitat
- dense conifers and thickets for roosting; hunts adjacent open ground.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and easily overlooked migrant and winter visitor, occasionally roosting communally in conifers.
- Conservation status
- native; a secretive species of regional conservation concern; very under-detected. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus — Strigidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium, buffy owl with a pale facial disk, dark eye-patches, and bold dark "wrist" marks; tiny ear-tufts; hunts low over open ground with a buoyant, moth-like flight, often in daylight.
- Habitat
- large grasslands, marshes, and reclaimed anthracite barrens in winter.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare winter visitor to extensive open country, numbers varying year to year; the county's reclaimed grasslands offer prime habitat.
- Conservation status
- native; PA-listed Threatened — one of the county's higher-priority open-country birds [S4][S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- crepuscular hunting over reclaimed barrens makes it a sought-after winter bird.
More on Wikipedia →
Snowy Owl
Bubo scandiacus — Strigidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, heavy white owl, variably barred with dark; rounded head with no ear-tufts and yellow eyes; an unmistakable Arctic visitor.
- Habitat
- open fields, airports, lakeshores, and barrens in winter.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and irruptive winter visitor, appearing in flight years when northern prey populations crash.
- Conservation status
- native; a NatureServe-flagged species of conservation interest; a spectacular but unpredictable winter rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor — Caprimulgidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, long-winged aerial insectivore with bold white wing-bars; flies erratically at dusk with a nasal "peent."
- Habitat
- open skies over towns (nests on flat gravel roofs) and barrens; conspicuous on migration.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant (notable late-summer evening flights) and rare local breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining due to insect loss and changing rooftops; an aerial-insectivore conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Whip-poor-will
Antrostomus vociferus — Caprimulgidae
Native
- Description & ID
- cryptic, dead-leaf-patterned nightjar named for its loud, rhythmic nocturnal song; rarely seen by day.
- Habitat
- dry, open woodlands and forest-barren edges.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; a declining, song-detected breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a PA species of regional conservation concern due to habitat loss and insect decline. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Chimney Swift
Chaetura pelagica — Apodidae
Native
- Description & ID
- a "flying cigar" — dark, fast aerial bird with stiff curved wings and a twittering call; never perches in the open.
- Habitat
- open skies over towns; roosts and nests in chimneys.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; a common breeder over towns, spring through early fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declining sharply with loss of open chimneys and aerial insects. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Archilochus colubris — Trochilidae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's only breeding hummingbird; metallic green above, males with a fiery red gorget.
- Habitat
- gardens, woodland edges, and feeders.
- County status
- present; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder, late spring through early fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Rufous Hummingbird
Selasphorus rufus — Trochilidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small hummingbird; adult males bright rufous with a flaming orange-red gorget; females and immatures green-backed with rufous flanks and tail-base — separation from Allen's Hummingbird requires care.
- Habitat
- gardens and feeders; a western species that strays east in late fall.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare late-fall and early-winter vagrant, typically found at feeders kept up after Ruby-throated Hummingbirds depart.
- Conservation status
- native (western); the most regular of the western hummingbirds straying to the East. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- any late-fall hummingbird in PA warrants documentation, as several western species are possible.
More on Wikipedia →
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon — Alcedinidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stocky, big-headed, blue-gray bird with a shaggy crest and a heavy bill; females have a rusty belly band. Loud rattling call.
- Habitat
- clear streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes with fish; nests in earthen bank burrows.
- County status
- present; 13 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident along waterways (some withdraw when water freezes) [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-headed Woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- striking woodpecker with an entirely crimson head, black back, and large white wing-patches.
- Habitat
- open oak woods, savanna, dead-snag groves, and parkland.
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon and local breeder, declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a regional conservation concern due to loss of open mast woodland and snags. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium woodpecker with a black-and-white barred back, pale face, and a red nape/crown; the namesake belly tinge is subtle.
- Habitat
- woodlands, suburbs, and feeders.
- County status
- present and common; 20 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident that has expanded northward [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium woodpecker with a red forecrown, a long white wing-stripe, and a pale yellow wash below; drills neat rows of sap-wells.
- Habitat
- mixed and northern hardwood forests; migrant in lowland woods.
- County status
- present; 13 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant and winter visitor; a rare breeder on cooler ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Downy Woodpecker
Dryobates pubescens — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- smallest North American woodpecker; black-and-white with a short, stubby bill; males show a red nape-spot.
- Habitat
- nearly all woodlands, suburbs, and feeders.
- County status
- present and abundant; 27 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- distinguished from the larger Hairy Woodpecker by its tiny bill and smaller size.
More on Wikipedia →
Hairy Woodpecker
Leuconotopicus villosus — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- like a large Downy but with a long, robust bill roughly as long as the head; cleaner white outer tail feathers.
- Habitat
- mature forests and woodlots.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large brown woodpecker that often feeds on the ground (ants); the eastern "Yellow-shafted" form shows yellow wing/tail shafts, a black bib, a red nape crescent, and a white rump in flight.
- Habitat
- open woodlands, edges, farmland, and suburbs.
- County status
- present and common; 18 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus — Picidae
Native
- Description & ID
- PA's largest woodpecker, crow-sized, black with a flaming red crest and bold white neck-stripes; excavates large rectangular holes.
- Habitat
- mature forests with large trees and standing deadwood.
- County status
- present and common; 26 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- its excavations create cavities used by many other species.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Contopus virens — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain gray-olive flycatcher with no eye-ring and long wings; identified by its plaintive "pee-a-wee" song.
- Habitat
- mid-canopy of open deciduous and mixed woodland.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder, late spring through summer [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but slowly declining. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Hammond's Flycatcher
Empidonax hammondii — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- a small western Empidonax flycatcher; very rare in the East and identifiable only with care (often by call and structure).
- County status
- present; 7 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; this count almost certainly reflects a single, well-documented vagrant photographed repeatedly rather than a regular occurrence — a notable county rarity if confirmed [S1][S2].
- Conservation status
- native (western); secure in its range; an exceptional eastern vagrant. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- any Empidonax identification at the edge of range warrants scrutiny; this is among the more remarkable iNaturalist county records.
More on Wikipedia →
Acadian Flycatcher
Empidonax virescens — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- greenish Empidonax of shaded forest; best identified by its explosive "peet-sah" song and bottomland habitat.
- Habitat
- mature, shady deciduous forest, often near streams and ravines.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder of forest interiors [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Phoebe
Sayornis phoebe — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain gray-brown flycatcher with a dark head, no eye-ring or wing-bars, and a constantly pumping tail; says its name, "fee-bee."
- Habitat
- stream bridges, eaves, and rocky outcrops; nests on ledges and under overhangs.
- County status
- present and common; 26 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an early-arriving, common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Great Crested Flycatcher
Myiarchus crinitus — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, crested flycatcher with a gray throat, lemon-yellow belly, and rufous in the wings and tail; loud "wheep" call.
- Habitat
- canopy of open deciduous woodland; a cavity nester.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus — Tyrannidae
Native
- Description & ID
- boldly black-and-white flycatcher with a white tail-tip; pugnacious, often chasing larger birds.
- Habitat
- open country, field edges, and wetland margins.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, big-headed flycatcher with a dark vest enclosing a white breast-stripe and white tufts at the flanks; perches conspicuously on dead snags; sings "quick-three-beers."
- Habitat
- forest openings, burns, and bogs with tall snags on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, spring and fall, favoring exposed dead-tree perches.
- Conservation status
- native; a steeply declining boreal-breeding aerial insectivore and a species of conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Empidonax flaviventris — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small Empidonax with a strong yellow wash on the throat and belly, a bold yellowish eye-ring, and greenish upperparts; best confirmed by call.
- Habitat
- moist, shady forest understory on migration; breeds in northern bogs.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly late spring and early fall.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
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Alder Flycatcher
Empidonax alnorum — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- drab Empidonax essentially identical to Willow Flycatcher; reliably separated only by its buzzy "fee-bee-o" song.
- Habitat
- wet alder and shrub thickets, often near water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local breeder in wet shrubby habitat, mainly on cooler ridges.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- forms a near-cryptic species pair ("Traill's Flycatcher") with Willow Flycatcher, separable in the field only by voice.
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Willow Flycatcher
Empidonax traillii — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- drab brownish-olive Empidonax with a faint eye-ring; identified by its sneezy "fitz-bew" song.
- Habitat
- shrubby wetlands, willow thickets, and brushy old fields.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon breeder of shrubby wetlands and damp old fields, late spring through summer.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
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Least Flycatcher
Empidonax minimus — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the smallest eastern Empidonax, gray-olive with a bold white eye-ring and wing-bars; gives an emphatic, dry "che-bek."
- Habitat
- open deciduous and mixed woodland and edges.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon breeder and migrant, more frequent on passage than as a nester.
- Conservation status
- native; secure but declining. (confirm against PNHP)
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Say's Phoebe
Sayornis saya — Tyrannidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- pale gray-brown flycatcher with a cinnamon belly and undertail and a blackish tail; pumps its tail like Eastern Phoebe; a western species.
- Habitat
- open, arid country in the West; here in open farmland or barrens.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a vagrant, with PA records confined to rare wandering individuals, mainly fall and winter.
- Conservation status
- native (western); secure; a notable county rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
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Northern Shrike
Lanius borealis — Laniidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- robust, pale-gray songbird with a black mask, hooked bill, and black wings and tail; a predatory "butcherbird" that impales prey on thorns.
- Habitat
- open country with scattered trees and hedgerows in winter.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and irregular winter visitor from the boreal north, numbers varying with northern food supplies.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a sought-after winter rarity in open country. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- PA's only regularly occurring shrike now that Loggerhead Shrike has essentially vanished as a breeder.
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Yellow-throated Vireo
Vireo flavifrons — Vireonidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stout vireo with a bright yellow throat and "spectacles" and white wing-bars.
- Habitat
- open mature deciduous woodland and edges.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
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Blue-headed Vireo
Vireo solitarius — Vireonidae
Native
- Description & ID
- crisp vireo with a blue-gray head, bold white spectacles, white wing-bars, and greenish flanks.
- Habitat
- mixed and coniferous forest on cooler ridges.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an early and late migrant and uncommon breeder in conifers [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
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Warbling Vireo
Vireo gilvus — Vireonidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain gray-olive vireo with a pale eyebrow, no wing-bars; identified by its rolling, warbling song.
- Habitat
- open deciduous trees along streams, lakeshores, and in towns.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon breeder of riparian shade trees [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus — Vireonidae
Native
- Description & ID
- olive-backed vireo with a gray crown, white eyebrow bordered black, and (adult) red eye; sings incessantly through summer days.
- Habitat
- deciduous and mixed forest canopy; one of the most abundant breeding forest birds.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-eyed Vireo
Vireo griseus — Vireonidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small vireo with yellow "spectacles," white wing-bars, yellow flanks, and (in adults) a white eye; gives an emphatic, jumbled "chick-per-weeoo-chick" song.
- Habitat
- dense shrubby thickets, hedgerows, and brushy old fields.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and somewhat local breeder of dense scrub, mainly in the warmer lowlands.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a shrubland species expanding in places. (confirm against PNHP)
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Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus — Vireonidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- plain vireo resembling Warbling Vireo but with a yellow-washed throat and breast and a darker eye-line through a pale eyebrow; no wing-bars.
- Habitat
- deciduous woodland and edges on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly fall, easily overlooked among commoner vireos.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- told from Warbling Vireo by yellower underparts and a stronger face pattern; from Red-eyed by smaller size and lack of a bold red eye and black-bordered eyebrow.
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Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata — Corvidae
Native
- Description & ID
- crested blue, white, and black jay with bold wing-and-tail markings; loud and versatile vocally.
- Habitat
- woodlands, suburbs, and feeders; a major oak-acorn disperser.
- County status
- present and abundant; 30 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident with pronounced migratory movements along ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
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American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos — Corvidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, all-black bird with a fan-shaped tail and a familiar "caw"; smaller and shorter-tailed than a raven.
- Habitat
- farmland, towns, woods, and edges; forms large winter roosts.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1] (under-recorded relative to true abundance); an abundant year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Raven
Corvus corax — Corvidae
Native
- Description & ID
- very large, glossy-black corvid with a heavy bill, shaggy throat, wedge-shaped tail, and deep croaking call; soars and tumbles in flight.
- Habitat
- forested ridges, cliffs, and increasingly towns; has expanded across PA.
- County status
- present and increasing; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident on the ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure and expanding. (confirm against PNHP)
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Fish Crow
Corvus ossifragus — Corvidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- nearly identical to American Crow but slightly smaller and more slender, reliably separated only by its nasal, two-noted "uh-uh" call.
- Habitat
- river valleys, towns, and waterways, especially along the Schuylkill and larger streams.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a local resident in river-valley towns, expanding inland up the major drainages; best detected by voice.
- Conservation status
- native; secure and expanding northward and inland. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- silent birds are essentially unidentifiable from American Crow in the field.
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Horned Lark
Eremophila alpestris — Alaudidae
Native
- Description & ID
- pale, ground-dwelling songbird with a black breast-bib, facial mask, and tiny black "horns"; walks (not hops) on bare ground.
- Habitat
- extensive bare farm fields, airports, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- present; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident of open ground and a winter-flock bird [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a grassland species declining with farmland change. (confirm against PNHP)
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Tree Swallow
Tachycineta bicolor — Hirundinidae
Native
- Description & ID
- iridescent blue-green above, clean white below; a cavity/box nester often over water.
- Habitat
- open areas near water and wetlands; uses nest boxes.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and abundant migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis — Hirundinidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain brown-backed swallow with a dingy throat and no breast band; nests in banks, culverts, and crevices.
- Habitat
- rivers, streams, and gravel banks.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder along waterways [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Purple Martin
Progne subis — Hirundinidae
Native
- Description & ID
- the largest North American swallow; males glossy blue-black all over; colonial, nesting almost entirely in human-provided housing in the East.
- Habitat
- open areas near water with martin houses.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a local breeder dependent on managed colonies [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure where colonies are maintained. (confirm against PNHP)
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Barn Swallow
Hirundo rustica — Hirundinidae
Native
- Description & ID
- glossy blue-backed swallow with a rusty throat, buffy underparts, and a deeply forked tail.
- Habitat
- farmland and open country; nests on barns, bridges, and culverts.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bank Swallow
Riparia riparia — Hirundinidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the smallest North American swallow, plain brown above and white below with a crisp brown breast-band; nests colonially in burrows.
- Habitat
- rivers, lakeshores, and active sand-and-gravel banks and quarry faces.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local breeder in colonies at eroding banks and pits, plus a more widespread migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; declining where suitable bank-colony sites are lost; an aerial insectivore of regional concern. (confirm against PNHP)
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Cliff Swallow
Petrochelidon pyrrhonota — Hirundinidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- square-tailed swallow with a buff rump, a pale forehead, and a dark rusty throat; builds gourd-shaped mud nests in colonies under overhangs.
- Habitat
- open country near water; nests on bridges, culverts, and barns.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2] (a single iNaturalist record also exists); an uncommon and local breeder at bridge and building colonies, plus a migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; secure where nest structures persist; locally dependent on suitable bridges and barns. (confirm against PNHP)
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Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus — Paridae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny, energetic bird with a black cap and bib, white cheeks, and buffy flanks; sings "fee-bee" and calls "chick-a-dee."
- Habitat
- forests, woodlots, suburbs, and feeders; the dominant chickadee on the county's ridges.
- County status
- present and abundant; 17 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- in the southern county and lowlands, the very similar Carolina Chickadee occurs (see below); the two hybridize along a narrow contact zone in PA.
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Carolina Chickadee
Poecile carolinensis — Paridae
Native
- Description & ID
- nearly identical to Black-capped Chickadee but smaller, with a crisper bib edge and a faster, four-note song; best separated by voice and range.
- Habitat
- lower-elevation woodlands and suburbs at the northern edge of its range.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a local resident where the species reaches into the county along its contact zone with Black-capped [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- identification in the contact zone is genuinely difficult; hybrids occur.
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Tufted Titmouse
Baeolophus bicolor — Paridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, crested gray bird with a pale belly, rusty flanks, and a black forehead; whistles "peter-peter-peter."
- Habitat
- deciduous woods, suburbs, and feeders.
- County status
- present and abundant; 33 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta carolinensis — Sittidae
Native
- Description & ID
- compact, big-headed bird with a blue-gray back, white face and underparts, and a black cap; climbs head-down on trunks.
- Habitat
- deciduous and mixed forest, woodlots, and feeders.
- County status
- present and common; 26 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Sitta canadensis — Sittidae
Native
- Description & ID
- smaller nuthatch with a black eye-line, white eyebrow, and rusty underparts; gives a nasal, tin-horn call.
- Habitat
- conifers and mixed forest; irruptive in winter.
- County status
- present; 12 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon resident in conifers and a variable winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Brown Creeper
Certhia americana — Certhiidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, cryptic, bark-colored bird with a decurved bill and a stiff tail; spirals up tree trunks then drops to the next.
- Habitat
- mature forests with large or dead trees; more widespread in winter.
- County status
- present; 19 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon resident and winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Carolina Wren
Thryothorus ludovicianus — Troglodytidae
Native
- Description & ID
- warm rusty wren with a bold white eyebrow and a cocked tail; loud "tea-kettle" song; sings year-round.
- Habitat
- brushy woods, thickets, gardens, and suburbs.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident, with numbers knocked back by severe winters [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern House Wren
Troglodytes aedon — Troglodytidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain brown wren with a faint eyebrow and a bubbling, energetic song; aggressively competes for cavities.
- Habitat
- brushy yards, woodland edges, and thickets; uses boxes.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Winter Wren
Troglodytes hiemalis — Troglodytidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny, dark, stub-tailed wren with a long, tinkling song; skulks low in dense cover.
- Habitat
- moist conifer and mixed forest with mossy logs and ravines.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant and winter visitor; a rare breeder on cool, moist ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Marsh Wren
Cistothorus palustris — Troglodytidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, warm-brown wren with a bold white eyebrow and black-and-white streaking on the back; cocks its tail; gives a rattling, gurgling song from deep in reeds.
- Habitat
- cattail and bulrush marshes with standing water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local marsh breeder and migrant, restricted to the county's larger emergent wetlands.
- Conservation status
- native; a wetland-dependent species of regional concern as marsh habitat declines. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa — Regulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny, olive bird with a black-bordered yellow-orange crown stripe and white wing-bars; constantly flicks its wings.
- Habitat
- conifers in the breeding season; mixed woods on migration and in winter.
- County status
- present; 14 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common migrant and winter visitor; rare breeder in conifers [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Corthylio calendula — Regulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny olive bird with a bold white eye-ring and (males) a usually-hidden red crown patch; very active.
- Habitat
- woodland and thickets on migration; conifers in summer farther north.
- County status
- present; 13 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common spring and fall migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea — Polioptilidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny, slender, blue-gray bird with a white eye-ring and a long, white-edged tail it flicks constantly.
- Habitat
- open deciduous woodland and edges.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small thrush; males with a brilliant blue back and a rusty breast; a cavity nester that readily uses boxes.
- Habitat
- open farmland, meadows, orchards, and field edges.
- County status
- present and common; 31 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure — a nest-box conservation success story. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Veery
Catharus fuscescens — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- warm-cinnamon thrush with faint, blurry breast-spots; sings a downward-spiraling, ethereal "veer" song.
- Habitat
- moist deciduous forest with dense understory.
- County status
- present; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but declining. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Swainson's Thrush
Catharus ustulatus — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- olive-brown thrush with buffy "spectacles" and a buff-washed, spotted breast; an upward-spiraling song.
- Habitat
- forest understory on migration; breeds in conifers farther north.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, spring and fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- brown-backed thrush with a contrasting rusty tail it slowly raises and lowers, and a bold-spotted breast; flute-like song.
- Habitat
- mixed and coniferous forest; the only spotted thrush regularly wintering in PA.
- County status
- present; 14 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant, winter visitor, and local breeder on cool ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wood Thrush
Hylocichla mustelina — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plump, rusty-headed thrush with bold round black breast-spots; sings an exquisite flute-like "ee-oh-lay."
- Habitat
- interior of moist mature deciduous forest with a shrub layer.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder, but declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a regional forest-interior conservation concern (a PA Wildlife Action Plan focal species) [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Catharus minimus — Turdidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- olive-brown Catharus thrush with a gray face lacking a buff eye-ring, and a faintly spotted breast; the plainest-faced of the spotted thrushes.
- Habitat
- forest understory and thickets on migration; breeds in the far north.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly late spring and fall, often detected by its nocturnal flight call.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (a high-latitude boreal/taiga breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Townsend's Solitaire
Myadestes townsendi — Turdidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- slim, gray thrush with a bold white eye-ring, buff wing-patches, and white outer tail feathers; perches upright and defends winter juniper berry stands.
- Habitat
- open country with junipers and fruiting trees; a western species.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare winter vagrant, with PA records typically lone birds at fruiting cedars or feeders.
- Conservation status
- native (western); secure; a notable county rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Robin
Turdus migratorius — Turdidae
Native
- Description & ID
- the familiar large thrush with a brick-red breast, gray back, and yellow bill; hunts earthworms on lawns.
- Habitat
- lawns, fields, woodlands, and suburbs; ubiquitous.
- County status
- present and abundant; 45 research-grade iNaturalist records — among the most-recorded county birds [S1]; a year-round resident (forms large winter fruit-feeding flocks) and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis — Mimidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, slate-gray mimid with a black cap and rusty undertail; gives a cat-like "mew" and a long, improvised song.
- Habitat
- dense thickets, hedgerows, and shrubby edges.
- County status
- present and common; 29 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum — Mimidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, rufous, long-tailed mimid with a heavily streaked breast, yellow eye, and a curved bill; sings in doubled phrases.
- Habitat
- dense shrubby thickets, hedgerows, and overgrown fields.
- County status
- present; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder, declining with shrubland loss [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a shrubland species of regional concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos — Mimidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim gray mimid with white wing-patches and outer tail feathers; an accomplished, persistent mimic.
- Habitat
- suburbs, hedgerows, and farmland edges.
- County status
- present and common; 17 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris — Sturnidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- stocky, dark, iridescent bird with a yellow bill (breeding) and white spangling (winter); short tail and triangular wings.
- Habitat
- towns, farms, and open country; cavity nester that displaces natives.
- County status
- present and abundant; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant year-round resident [S2]. Introduced to North America in the 1890s [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native and invasive; competes with native cavity nesters. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Cedar Waxwing
Bombycilla cedrorum — Bombycillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- sleek, crested, fawn-colored bird with a black mask, yellow tail-tip, and waxy red wing-droplets; travels in flocks.
- Habitat
- woodland edges, orchards, and suburbs with fruiting trees.
- County status
- present and common; 24 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a nomadic year-round resident and breeder, following fruit crops [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Pipit
Anthus rubescens — Motacillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slim, brown, ground-walking songbird with a thin bill, streaked breast, and white outer tail feathers; bobs its tail and walks.
- Habitat
- bare fields, shores, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant and winter visitor in open ground [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Lapland Longspur
Calcarius lapponicus — Calcariidae
Native
- Description & ID
- sparrow-like, ground bird often in winter flocks with Horned Larks and Snow Buntings; rusty nape and streaked flanks.
- Habitat
- bare, windswept farm fields in winter.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon winter visitor in open-field flocks [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Snow Bunting
Plectrophenax nivalis — Calcariidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- chunky, sparrow-like bird, strikingly white with rusty-brown back and wing markings in winter; flocks flash white in undulating flight ("snowflakes").
- Habitat
- bare, windswept farm fields, shorelines, and reclaimed barrens in winter.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon winter visitor from the Arctic, in flocks on open ground, often with Horned Larks and Lapland Longspurs.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
House Finch
Haemorhous mexicanus — Fringillidae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- streaky brown finch; males with a red (sometimes orange/yellow) forehead, throat, and rump.
- Habitat
- suburbs, towns, and feeders.
- County status
- present and common; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident [S2]. Native to western North America; the eastern U.S. population (including PA) descends from 1940s pet-trade releases, so it is introduced east of the Rockies.
- Conservation status
- native species (established eastern population); secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Purple Finch
Haemorhous purpureus — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- stockier than House Finch; males raspberry-red overall (head, breast, back), females boldly face-patterned.
- Habitat
- conifer and mixed forest; feeders, especially in winter.
- County status
- present; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an irruptive migrant and winter visitor; uncommon breeder in conifers [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red Crossbill
Loxia curvirostra — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- chunky finch with crossed mandible tips for prying conifer cones; males brick-red, females yellow-olive.
- Habitat
- conifer stands; nomadic and irruptive, following cone crops.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an irregular, irruptive visitor to conifers [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but unpredictable in occurrence. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Pine Siskin
Spinus pinus — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, heavily streaked finch with yellow wing- and tail-flashes and a sharp, notched bill.
- Habitat
- conifers and feeders; highly irruptive.
- County status
- present; 3 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an irruptive winter visitor, abundant some years and absent others [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small finch; breeding males brilliant yellow with a black cap and wings; winter birds drab olive-buff.
- Habitat
- weedy fields, thistle patches, edges, and feeders.
- County status
- present and abundant; 28 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and late-season breeder (times nesting to thistle seed) [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Redpoll
Acanthis flammea — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, streaky northern finch with a red forecrown, black chin, and (males) a pink-washed breast.
- Habitat
- weedy fields, birches, and feeders during winter irruptions.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an irregular, irruptive winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (recently lumped: Common/Hoary now one species). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Evening Grosbeak
Hesperiphona vespertina — Fringillidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, heavy-billed finch; males golden-yellow and black with bold white wing-patches.
- Habitat
- conifer and mixed forest, feeders during irruptions.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" [S1][S9]; a now-scarce, irruptive winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; declined sharply from former abundance — a continental conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Pine Grosbeak
Pinicola enucleator — Fringillidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, plump, long-tailed finch with a stubby bill and bold white wing-bars; males rosy-red, females and immatures gray with golden or russet heads.
- Habitat
- conifers and fruiting trees during winter irruptions; a boreal species.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare irruptive winter finch, appearing only in major flight years.
- Conservation status
- native; secure but very unpredictable this far south. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-winged Crossbill
Loxia leucoptera — Fringillidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- crossbill with two bold white wing-bars; males rose-pink, females olive-yellow; the crossed bill pries seeds from spruce and tamarack cones.
- Habitat
- conifer stands; nomadic and irruptive, following cone crops.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and irregular irruptive winter finch, present only when northern cone crops fail.
- Conservation status
- native; secure but erratic in occurrence. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Towhee
Pipilo erythrophthalmus — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, boldly patterned sparrow; males black above with rufous sides and a white belly; red eye; sings "drink-your-tea."
- Habitat
- brushy thickets, shrubby edges, and forest understory.
- County status
- present; 14 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and partial winter resident [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Tree Sparrow
Spizelloides arborea — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plump winter sparrow with a rusty cap, a central breast-spot, and a bicolored bill.
- Habitat
- weedy fields, hedgerows, and feeders in winter.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a winter visitor from the far north [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, crisp sparrow with a rusty cap, white eyebrow, and black eye-line; a dry trilled song.
- Habitat
- lawns, conifers, woodland edges, and parks.
- County status
- present and common; 21 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Field Sparrow
Spizella pusilla — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, plain-faced sparrow with a pink bill, white eye-ring, and rusty cap; an accelerating "bouncing-ball" song.
- Habitat
- old fields, brushy pastures, and shrubby edges.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder of early-successional habitat, declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a shrubland species of regional concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Clay-colored Sparrow
Spizella pallida — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- pale, crisp sparrow with a strong face pattern, gray nape, and pale lores; an insect-like buzzy song.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a rare migrant and very rare breeder at the edge of its expanding range [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Vesper Sparrow
Pooecetes gramineus — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- streaky grassland sparrow with white outer tail feathers, a thin white eye-ring, and a rusty shoulder.
- Habitat
- large, sparse fields, pastures, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon and local grassland breeder, declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a grassland species of regional concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Savannah Sparrow
Passerculus sandwichensis — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- streaky open-country sparrow with a short notched tail, a yellow eyebrow-spot, and pink legs.
- Habitat
- grasslands, hayfields, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a grassland breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a grassland species declining with farmland change. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Grasshopper Sparrow
Ammodramus savannarum — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, flat-headed, short-tailed grassland sparrow with a buffy unstreaked breast and an insect-like buzzy song.
- Habitat
- large grasslands, hayfields, and reclaimed strip-mine barrens.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; a local grassland breeder, declining [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a PA Wildlife Action Plan grassland focal species [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Henslow's Sparrow
Centronyx henslowii — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- secretive, flat-headed grassland sparrow with an olive face and a feeble "tsi-lick" song; easily overlooked.
- Habitat
- large, weedy grasslands and reclaimed anthracite barrens — a habitat well represented in Schuylkill County.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (United States) [S1][S9]; a rare and local grassland breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a high-priority grassland species; PA's reclaimed mine grasslands are regionally important for it [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the county's signature conservation-priority songbirds.
More on Wikipedia →
Nelson's Sparrow
Ammospiza nelsoni — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- secretive marsh sparrow with an orange-buff face triangle and gray cheek; very rare inland.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (United States) [S1][S9]; a rare migrant in wet, grassy habitat — a notable county record [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a marsh-sparrow of conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, richly rufous sparrow with heavy triangular breast-spotting and a gray-and-rust face; scratches in leaf litter.
- Habitat
- thickets and brushy edges on migration and in winter.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant and uncommon winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- streaky brown sparrow with a central breast-spot and a long, rounded tail it pumps in flight; highly variable, persistent singer.
- Habitat
- brushy edges, wetlands, hedgerows, and gardens.
- County status
- present and abundant; 18 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Lincoln's Sparrow
Melospiza lincolnii — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- crisp, buffy-breasted sparrow with fine breast-streaking, a gray face, and a buff malar; shyer than Song Sparrow.
- Habitat
- brushy wet edges and thickets on migration.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon migrant, spring and fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Swamp Sparrow
Melospiza georgiana — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- dark, rich-rusty sparrow with a gray breast and face, rusty wings, and a slow musical trill.
- Habitat
- marshes, wet meadows, and shrubby wetland edges.
- County status
- present; 12 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a wetland breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-throated Sparrow
Zonotrichia albicollis — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plump sparrow with a striped crown (white or tan), a crisp white throat, and a yellow lore-spot; whistles "Old-Sam-Peabody."
- Habitat
- brushy woods, thickets, and feeders.
- County status
- present and common; 32 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) as a breeder [S1][S9]; an abundant migrant and winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; abundant in winter despite the PA breeding S-rank. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
White-crowned Sparrow
Zonotrichia leucophrys — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- elegant sparrow with a boldly black-and-white-striped crown, pink bill, and clean gray face and breast.
- Habitat
- hedgerows, weedy edges, and feeders on migration and in winter.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a migrant and uncommon winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis — Passerellidae
Native
- Description & ID
- slate-gray "snowbird" with a white belly, pink bill, and white outer tail feathers flashed in flight.
- Habitat
- forests in summer; feeders, edges, and brush in winter.
- County status
- present and abundant; 33 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant migrant and winter visitor; breeds on cool, higher ridges [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bobolink
Dolichonyx oryzivorus — Icteridae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- breeding males boldly black below with a buff nape and white back and rump ("backward tuxedo"); females and fall birds buffy and streaked; males give a bubbling, mechanical song in flight.
- Habitat
- large hayfields, meadows, and reclaimed grasslands.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local grassland breeder, dependent on extensive hayfields and reclaimed barrens; a long-distance migrant to South America.
- Conservation status
- native; a declining grassland species and PA Wildlife Action Plan focal bird; vulnerable to early hay-mowing [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the county's signature reclaimed-grassland breeders.
More on Wikipedia →
Eastern Meadowlark
Sturnella magna — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- chunky grassland bird with a bright yellow breast crossed by a black "V," and white outer tail feathers; sings a clear, slurred whistle.
- Habitat
- hayfields, pastures, grasslands, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; a grassland breeder, declining steeply [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a high-priority grassland species in PA's Wildlife Action Plan [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Red-winged Blackbird
Agelaius phoeniceus — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- males glossy black with red-and-yellow shoulder epaulets; females heavily streaked brown.
- Habitat
- marshes, wet meadows, ditches, and field edges.
- County status
- present and abundant; 18 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant breeder and migrant; forms huge winter flocks [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Rusty Blackbird
Euphagus carolinus — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- medium blackbird with a pale yellow eye; fall birds rusty-edged; favors wet woods.
- Habitat
- wooded swamps, flooded woodland, and wet edges on migration.
- County status
- present; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "apparently secure" (United States) but a steeply declining species; a regular migrant — notably reliable at Union Meadows in late winter/spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; one of the most rapidly declining North American birds — a continental conservation concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, long-tailed blackbird with a glossy iridescent (bronze/purple) sheen and a pale yellow eye; keel-shaped tail.
- Habitat
- farmland, towns, woodland edges, and marshes.
- County status
- present and abundant; 15 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; an abundant breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; common but declining continentally. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Brown-headed Cowbird
Molothrus ater — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small blackbird; males glossy black with a brown head; females plain gray-brown; a brood parasite.
- Habitat
- farmland, edges, and feeders; forages with blackbird flocks.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; lays eggs in other species' nests, a pressure on forest songbirds. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Orchard Oriole
Icterus spurius — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- small oriole; males brick-rust and black; females and immatures greenish-yellow.
- Habitat
- open woodland, orchards, and shade trees near water.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula — Icteridae
Native
- Description & ID
- males flame-orange and black with white wing-bars; females and immatures yellow-orange and gray; weaves a hanging pouch nest.
- Habitat
- open deciduous woodland, riparian shade trees, and parks.
- County status
- present and common; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common summer breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- thrush-like ground warbler with an orange crown-stripe, bold breast-streaking, and a white eye-ring; sings a ringing "teacher-teacher-TEACHER."
- Habitat
- interior of mature deciduous forest with deep leaf litter.
- County status
- present; 13 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common forest-interior breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but area-sensitive (needs large forest blocks). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Worm-eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- buffy warbler with bold black head-stripes; forages by probing dead-leaf clusters.
- Habitat
- steep, forested hillsides with dense understory.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder of wooded slopes [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a forest-slope specialist. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Louisiana Waterthrush
Parkesia motacilla — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- large, ground-walking warbler with a bold white eyebrow, streaked breast, and a constantly bobbing tail; sings near rushing water.
- Habitat
- clear, fast woodland streams and seeps.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder along clean streams [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a clean-water indicator and PA focal species [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-and-white Warbler
Mniotilta varia — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- boldly black-and-white-striped warbler that creeps along trunks and limbs like a nuthatch.
- Habitat
- mature and mixed forest.
- County status
- present; 13 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Blue-winged Warbler
Vermivora cyanoptera — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- yellow warbler with blue-gray wings (two white bars) and a thin black eye-line; buzzy "bee-buzz" song.
- Habitat
- shrubby old fields and brushy woodland edges.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon shrubland breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; hybridizes with and is replacing Golden-winged Warbler; a regional conservation interest. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Tennessee Warbler
Leiothlypis peregrina — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- plain greenish warbler with a gray crown, white eyebrow, and white undertail; no wing-bars.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, spring and fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Nashville Warbler
Leiothlypis ruficapilla — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small warbler with a gray head, bold white eye-ring, yellow throat and underparts, and a white belly-patch.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant and rare local breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Common Yellowthroat
Geothlypis trichas — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- skulking warbler; males yellow with a black "bandit" mask; sings "witchety-witchety."
- Habitat
- marshes, wet thickets, and brushy edges.
- County status
- present and common; 16 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder of wetlands and brush [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Hooded Warbler
Setophaga citrina — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- males with a black hood enclosing a yellow face; flashes white outer tail feathers.
- Habitat
- shaded forest understory with a dense shrub layer.
- County status
- present; 9 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common forest-understory breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- active warbler; males black with orange wing-, tail-, and side-patches; females gray-olive with yellow patches; fans its tail.
- Habitat
- young deciduous and edge forest.
- County status
- present; 18 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Parula
Setophaga americana — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- tiny blue-gray warbler with a yellow-green back-patch, yellow throat/breast, and (males) a chestnut breast-band; broken eye-arcs.
- Habitat
- mature forest, often near water; nests in epiphytes/lichen.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon breeder and common migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Magnolia Warbler
Setophaga magnolia — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- striking warbler with a yellow breast streaked black ("necklace"), a gray head, white eyebrow, and a black-and-white tail band.
- Habitat
- young conifers in summer; mixed woods on migration.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common migrant and rare ridge-top breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Bay-breasted Warbler
Setophaga castanea — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males with chestnut crown, throat, and flanks and a black face; fall birds drab greenish.
- County status
- present; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, mainly spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder tied to spruce budworm). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Cape May Warbler
Setophaga tigrina — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males with a chestnut cheek, yellow neck-patch, and tiger-striped yellow breast; thin bill.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, mainly spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Yellow Warbler
Setophaga aestiva — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- uniformly bright yellow warbler; males with rusty breast-streaks; sings "sweet-sweet-sweet."
- Habitat
- wet thickets, willows, and shrubby wetland edges.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder of riparian shrub [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Setophaga pensylvanica — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males with a yellow crown, black face-frame, and chestnut sides; sings "pleased-pleased-to-meetcha."
- Habitat
- young, regenerating deciduous forest and brushy edges.
- County status
- present; 14 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common second-growth breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; favored by forest regeneration. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Blackpoll Warbler
Setophaga striata — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males black-capped with white cheeks; fall birds greenish with streaks and yellow legs; a record-setting migrant.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; NatureServe "near threatened" [S1][S9]; a late-spring and fall migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; long-distance migrant of conservation interest. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Setophaga caerulescens — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- males deep blue above with a black face and flanks and a white belly and wing-spot; females olive with a pale eyebrow and wing-spot.
- Habitat
- mature forest with a dense shrub (e.g., laurel) understory on cool ridges.
- County status
- present; 8 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon ridge breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Palm Warbler
Setophaga palmarum — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- ground-foraging warbler with a chestnut cap (breeding), yellow undertail, and a constantly bobbing tail.
- Habitat
- weedy fields, edges, and shorelines on migration.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a regular migrant, mainly fall and early spring [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal bog breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- sturdy yellow-breasted warbler with white wing-bars and a plain face; a slow musical trill; clings to pine branches.
- Habitat
- pine and mixed pine-oak woodland.
- County status
- present; 2 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; NatureServe "vulnerable" (Pennsylvania) [S1][S9]; an uncommon pine-woods breeder and early migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; tied to mature pine stands. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- the "butter-butt"; gray-and-white with yellow rump, crown, and side-patches; the hardiest, latest warbler.
- Habitat
- conifers and edges; abundant on migration; winters where berries (bayberry) persist.
- County status
- present and common; 15 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant migrant and uncommon winter visitor [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Prairie Warbler
Setophaga discolor — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- yellow warbler with black face-and-side markings and chestnut back-streaks; wags its tail; rising buzzy song.
- Habitat
- dry, shrubby old fields, barrens, and young pine.
- County status
- present; 6 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon scrubland breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a shrubland/barrens species of regional concern. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-throated Green Warbler
Setophaga virens — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- olive-crowned warbler with a yellow face, black throat (males), and white wing-bars; buzzy "zee-zee-zee-zoo-zee."
- Habitat
- mature conifer and mixed forest on cooler ridges.
- County status
- present; 11 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a fairly common ridge breeder and common migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Blackburnian Warbler
Setophaga fusca — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- males with a flaming orange throat and face framed in black; a high, thin song.
- Habitat
- mature conifer and mixed forest, high in the canopy, on cool ridges.
- County status
- present; 5 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon ridge breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a hemlock/conifer associate. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Canada Warbler
Cardellina canadensis — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- blue-gray-backed warbler with a yellow breast crossed by a black "necklace" and bold spectacles.
- Habitat
- moist forest with dense shrubby/mossy understory, often on cool slopes.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon breeder of cool, wet ravines and a migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a declining species and PA Wildlife Action Plan focal bird [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Wilson's Warbler
Cardellina pusilla — Parulidae
Native
- Description & ID
- small, bright yellow warbler; males with a neat black cap; active, tail-flicking.
- County status
- present; 1 research-grade iNaturalist record [S1]; an uncommon migrant, spring and fall [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Golden-winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- gray warbler with a yellow crown and wing-patch and a black-and-white face pattern (black throat and mask in males); buzzy "bee-buzz-buzz" song.
- Habitat
- shrubby, regenerating clearings, reclaimed barrens, and brushy wetland edges.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and declining shrubland breeder at the southern edge of its shrinking range, plus a scarce migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; a PA species of conservation concern and a high-priority continental species; threatened by habitat loss and hybridization with Blue-winged Warbler [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- one of the most rapidly declining North American warblers; PA holds globally important populations.
More on Wikipedia →
Orange-crowned Warbler
Leiothlypis celata — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- drab, dingy yellow-olive warbler with faint breast-streaking, a thin broken eye-ring, and a usually-hidden orange crown; lacks wing-bars.
- Habitat
- brushy edges, thickets, and weedy fields on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly late fall, and a rare lingering winter bird.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- the plainest of the regular warblers; identified by its drabness and habits.
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Waterthrush
Parkesia noveboracensis — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- ground-walking warbler much like Louisiana Waterthrush but with a yellowish-tinged eyebrow of even width, finer throat-streaking, and cooler brown upperparts; bobs its tail constantly.
- Habitat
- wooded swamps, alder thickets, and still-water margins.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, spring and fall, and a rare breeder in still-water wetlands (versus the rushing streams favored by Louisiana Waterthrush).
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Kentucky Warbler
Geothlypis formosa — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- plump, ground-loving warbler, bright yellow below and olive above, with black "sideburns" framing yellow spectacles; sings a rolling "churry-churry-churry."
- Habitat
- moist deciduous forest with a dense shrub-and-herb understory.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local breeder of rich forest understory, mainly in the warmer lowlands and ravines.
- Conservation status
- native; a forest-understory species of regional conservation interest, sensitive to fragmentation and deer over-browsing. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Mourning Warbler
Geothlypis philadelphia — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- skulking warbler, olive above and yellow below, with a gray hood and (in males) a black "crepe" on the breast; no eye-ring or a thin broken one.
- Habitat
- dense regenerating clearcuts, brushy edges, and shrubby tangles.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon migrant, mainly late spring, and a rare breeder in dense early-successional habitat on cooler ridges.
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Connecticut Warbler
Oporornis agilis — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- large, deliberate, ground-walking warbler with a complete bold white eye-ring and a gray (male) or brownish (female) hood; walks rather than hops.
- Habitat
- dense weedy and shrubby cover on migration.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and notoriously skulking migrant, chiefly in fall, one of the hardest warblers to find.
- Conservation status
- native; secure (boreal breeder) but poorly monitored. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Cerulean Warbler
Setophaga cerulea — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small canopy warbler; males sky-blue above and white below with a narrow blue breast-band and white wing-bars; females blue-green above with a pale eyebrow.
- Habitat
- mature deciduous forest canopy, often on slopes and ridges with large trees.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and local breeder of extensive mature forest, plus a scarce migrant; easily missed high in the canopy.
- Conservation status
- native; a PA and continental conservation concern — one of the fastest-declining warblers, tied to large blocks of mature forest [S5]. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- among the county's highest-priority forest-interior songbirds.
More on Wikipedia →
Prothonotary Warbler
Protonotaria citrea — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- brilliant golden-yellow warbler with a glowing orange-yellow head, blue-gray wings, and a long bill; the only eastern warbler that nests in tree cavities.
- Habitat
- wooded swamps and flooded bottomland forest with standing water.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and very local breeder restricted to wooded swamps, plus an occasional migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; a swamp-forest species of regional conservation concern; uses nest boxes over water. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-throated Warbler
Setophaga dominica — Parulidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- crisp warbler with a bright yellow throat, bold black-and-white face, gray back, and white neck-patch and wing-bars; creeps along high branches.
- Habitat
- riparian sycamores and tall pines.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local breeder in mature sycamores along the larger streams, plus an early spring migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; expanding northward in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Yellow-breasted Chat
Icteria virens — Icteriidae
Native
- Description & ID
- oversized, atypical warbler-relative with a bright yellow breast, white spectacles, and a bizarre, varied song of whistles, chatters, and mimicry.
- Habitat
- dense, brushy thickets and shrubby old fields.
- County status
- present; 4 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an uncommon and local shrubland breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; a shrubland species of regional concern; now placed in its own family. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Scarlet Tanager
Piranga olivacea — Cardinalidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males brilliant scarlet with jet-black wings and tail; females and fall males olive-yellow with dark wings.
- Habitat
- mature deciduous forest canopy, especially oak.
- County status
- present; 15 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common forest-canopy breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure but area-sensitive (a flagship of large forest blocks). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis — Cardinalidae
Native
- Description & ID
- crested songbird; males brilliant red with a black face; females warm buff-brown; both with stout orange bills.
- Habitat
- thickets, woodland edges, gardens, and feeders.
- County status
- present and abundant; 26 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a year-round resident and breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Pheucticus ludovicianus — Cardinalidae
Native
- Description & ID
- males black-and-white with a rose-red breast triangle and a massive pale bill; females streaky brown with a bold eyebrow.
- Habitat
- young and mature deciduous and mixed forest and edges.
- County status
- present and common; 24 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common breeder and migrant [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Indigo Bunting
Passerina cyanea — Cardinalidae
Native
- Description & ID
- breeding males entirely deep blue; females plain warm brown; sings paired phrases from exposed perches all summer.
- Habitat
- brushy edges, old fields, roadsides, and forest openings.
- County status
- present and common; 19 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; a common edge-and-shrubland breeder [S2].
- Conservation status
- native; secure. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra — Cardinalidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- medium songbird with a stout pale bill; males entirely rosy-red (no black wings, unlike Scarlet Tanager); females and immatures mustard-yellow.
- Habitat
- open oak and oak-pine woodland.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and local breeder at the northern edge of its range, plus an occasional overshooting spring migrant.
- Conservation status
- native; secure; a bee- and wasp-eating specialist. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Blue Grosbeak
Passerina caerulea — Cardinalidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- stocky bunting-relative with a heavy bill; males deep blue with rusty wing-bars; females warm brown with buffy wing-bars; larger than Indigo Bunting.
- Habitat
- brushy old fields, weedy edges, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; an uncommon and local breeder of shrubby open country, reflecting a gradual northward expansion in PA.
- Conservation status
- native; secure and increasing. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Black-headed Grosbeak
Pheucticus melanocephalus — Cardinalidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- the western counterpart of Rose-breasted Grosbeak; males with a black head, orange-cinnamon underparts and collar, and a massive bill; females buffy and streaked.
- Habitat
- feeders, edges, and open woodland; a western species.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare western vagrant, with PA records typically lone birds at feeders, mainly late fall and winter.
- Conservation status
- native (western); secure; a notable county rarity. (confirm against PNHP)
- Notes
- female and immature birds require care to separate from Rose-breasted Grosbeak.
More on Wikipedia →
Dickcissel
Spiza americana — Cardinalidae
Native eBird county record
- Description & ID
- sparrow-like bird recalling a tiny meadowlark; males with a yellow breast, black "V" bib, and rusty shoulder; females plainer with a yellow wash; gives a buzzy "dick-dick-cissel."
- Habitat
- large grasslands, hayfields, weedy fields, and reclaimed barrens.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; a rare and erratic grassland breeder and migrant, present in varying numbers year to year at the eastern edge of its core range.
- Conservation status
- native; a grassland species of regional conservation interest; irruptive and unpredictable in PA. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Budgerigar
Melopsittacus undulatus — Psittaculidae
Introduced eBird county record
- Description & ID
- small, slender parakeet, wild-type green and yellow with fine black barring; captive birds also blue, white, or yellow; the familiar pet "budgie."
- Habitat
- wherever escaped cage birds turn up — feeders, yards, and edges.
- County status
- eBird-documented [S2]; records reflect escaped pet birds, not a wild population. Escapee (a non-native cage bird) [S2].
- Conservation status
- non-native; not part of the wild fauna and not self-sustaining in PA's climate. (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
House Sparrow
Passer domesticus — Passeridae
Introduced
- Description & ID
- stocky sparrow; males with a gray crown, black bib, and chestnut nape; females plain buff-brown.
- Habitat
- strongly commensal — towns, farms, and buildings.
- County status
- present and common; 10 research-grade iNaturalist records [S1]; an abundant year-round resident around human structures [S2]. Introduced from Eurasia (1850s) [S1].
- Conservation status
- non-native and invasive; competes with native cavity nesters (bluebirds, swallows). (confirm against PNHP)
More on Wikipedia →
Every taxon recorded research-grade for Schuylkill County as of 2026-06-18,
by provenance tier. 287 are
iNaturalist or eBird county records.