American Coot

Often referred to as "mud-hens," American coots are a very common migrant, but uncommon or rare as a nester. They are found mostly in Lake Erie marshes

Belted Kingfisher
Unlike most species, it is the females belted kingfisher that is conspicuously colored instead of the male.

Cliff Swallow
While probably our scarcest breeding swallow, cliff swallows are on the increase. They have adapted well to using bridges and dams as nest sites, and new colonies appear each year. This is in marked contrast to their historic use of cliffs and rock faces, as the scientific name implies. Suspected cliff swallows should be scrutinized -- they may be vagrant cave swallows.

Photo by Todd Fink/Daybreak Imagery

Dunlin
The dunlin is our most common migrant sandpiper, especially in the late fall.

Photo by Jim McCormac

Eastern Phoebe
The Eastern phoebe is part of the flycatcher family. These birds are characterized by their stocky build, large heads and big mouths. The bill is broad and flattened. They fly out from usually exposed perches to capture insects on the wing and then return to the perch to eat. Wing bars and eyerings are important identifying characteristics; in some species the song must be heard for positive identification.

Forster's Tern
Forster's terns have not been found nesting in Ohio, but they breed in southeastern Michigan on Lake Erie and may be found nesting in the western Lake Erie marshes someday. They are common migrants, often forming large flocks.

Golden Eagle
The golden eagle is North America's largest predatory bird. However, they are rare in the eastern United States.

House Finch
Finches are at the top of the evolutionary line of Ohio's birds. This is a family of small to medium-sized hopping birds. The bill is usually short, conical and stout, allowing them to easily crack the seeds that form the bulk of their diet. In some finches the male is much brighter than the female; in others the sexes are similar. These birds are found in every land habitat in Ohio. The group is the largest bird family in the world and includes grosbeaks, finches, buntings and sparrows.

Indian Peacock
A collage of wonderful and beautifully designed colours and patterns, the peacock is the National Bird and is found in dry semi-desert grasslands, scrub and deciduous forests and it forages and nests on the ground but roosts on top of trees. It eats mainly seeds, but also some insects, fruits and reptiles. The Indian Peacock has beautiful iridescent blue-green plumage.

Jungle Owlet
It is a small owl with heavy barring seen in most parts of the country in well-wooded areas.

King Rail
Formerly the most common nesting rail in Ohio, the king rail is now the rarest, and is listed as endangered by the Ohio Division of Wildlife.

Little Blue Heron

A number of southern wading birds stage late summer "irruptions," where large numbers move north after the breeding season. The little blue heron, which breeds primarily in coastal southern Atlantic and Gulf states, occasionally irrupts north to Ohio in large numbers. More typically, we get a dozen or less reports annually.

Myna
This is a dark chocolate brown colour bird with bright yellow bill, legs and orbital skin. While the Sri Lankan Myna is of a darker shade of brown, the Indian hill myna has a conspicuous white patch, which shows when the bird is in flight. This bird has a variety of sharp calls that is uttered with an absurd bobbing of the head. It is widespread throughout the Indian subcontinent including the islands of Andaman, Nicobar, Lakshwadeep and the Maldives where it was introduced. It is a very visible bird in India.

Northern Flicker
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized, mostly black-and-white birds, with strong, sharply pointed bills for chiseling and digging into trees. They drill in search of food (insects and larvae) and to excavate nesting cavaties. As they climb up tree trunks they use their stiff tails as a brace. Their flight is undulating, with the wings folded against the body after each series of flaps. These climbers have strong feet, with two toes facing forward and two backward.

Osprey
Ospreys were once a common sight throughout North America, but habitat destruction, persecution and the wide-spread use of chemical pesticides such as DDT during the middle of the twentieth century led to a drastic population decline. Ohio's osprey reintroduction program is a huge success. Originally started in 1996, the program had a goal of 20 nesting pairs of ospreys by 2010. That goal was achieved in 2003; seven years ahead of schedule.

Parakeet or Parrot
The Tota is the most lovable bird in India. Large flock can be found all over the Indian Sub-continent, from the foothills of Himalayan Mountain to the southern parts of the country. Agriculture-wise it is very destructive, known for wasting more and eating less. Usually green in colour with an amazingly red beak, the female lacks the black and rose pink collar of male

Ruddy Duck
Diving ducks frequent large, deep lakes and rivers, as well as coastal bays and inlets. When launching into flight, most of this group patter along the water before becoming airborne. They feed by diving, often to considerable depths. Since their wings are smaller in proportion to the size and weight of their bodies, they have a more rapid wingbeat than puddle ducks.

Sedge Wren
The wren family is a group of small, restless, brownish birds with finely barred wings and tails. Wrens have long, slender bills which are slightly decurved. The best field mark is the way the tail is usually cocked straight-up. Their favorite food is insects

Tree Swallow
This is our hardiest swallow; the first spring arrivals may appear in late February/early March, and linger into late November. The largest numbers of tree swallows are always around wetlands, and in late September/early October, enormous congregations can form, sometimes numbering into the thousands.

Upland Sandpiper
This stunning sandpiper has, unfortunately, become one of our rarest breeding birds and is now listed as threatened by the Division of Wildlife.

Photo by Brad Falkinburg

Virginia Rail
This is the second most common breeding rail in Ohio, after the sora, but like many wetland birds, Virginia rail numbers have declined in correlation with our loss of wetlands.

Wood Duck
Puddle ducks are typically birds of fresh, shallow marshes and rivers rather than of large lakes and bays. They are good divers, but usually feed by dabbling or tipping rather than by submerging. Any duck feeding in croplands will likely be a puddle duck, for most of this group are surefooted and can walk and run well on land. Their diet consists of mostly vegetables. The wood duck is the most numerous breeding duck in Ohio and second only to the mallard in terms of harvest in Ohio. It is found in all flyways, but is most numerous in the Atlantic and Mississippi Flyways. They are early migrants; most of them have left the northern states by mid-November.

Yellow Rail
Yellow rails are a bit enigmatic in Ohio. They are rare, but undoubtedly more pass through than is suspected. Peak fall migration is early October.

Zebra Swallowtail
This butterfly was named because of its zebra-striped wing pattern