Birds

The evolutionary origin of birds

has always been a subject of
considerable debate. Birds and
flying reptiles have delicate,
lightweight skeletons which do not
fossilize well - hindering studies on
how the birds evolved. The first
bird fossil to be found was a
feather, which was discovered in
1860 in a limestone quarry in
Bavaria. The feather was given
the name Archaeopteryx, which is
Greek for 'ancient feather'. A year
later an almost complete skeleton
of Archaeopteryx was discovered
in the same quarry, with the
feathers and other fine structures
preserved in minute detail.

The skeleton showed

several features which are
intermediate between
reptiles and birds,
suggesting that
Archaeopteryx and the other
birds evolved from a
dinosaur similar to the
Velociraptor featured in the
film 'Jurassic Park'.
Seven partial or complete
Archaeopteryx skeletons
have now been found, and
they are still among the
most famous, and
scientifically valuable,
fossils.

Feathers make the bird

Alabama Birds

Checklist of Alabama Birds - Geographical & Seasonal Dis

tribution
Alabama Ornithological Society

Order Gaviiformes
Loons
Specialized for swimming and diving. Come ashore
only to breed. In flight, head lower than body.
Wingbeats fast. Eat fish, crustaceans, some water
plants.

Common loon Gavia immer

Order Podicipediformes
Grebes
Swimming and diving birds, smaller than loons. Flat
lobes on toes. Short legs far back on body. Flight weak
and hurried. Taxi before becoming airborne. Dive and
pursue aquatic animals.

Pied-billed grebe Podilymbus podiceps

Order Pelecaniformes
Pelicans and their Allies
Large, aquatic fish-eating birds with all four toes
webbed. Most nest in large colonies and are silent
outside breeding grounds.

American white pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

White pelicans in flight.

Brown pelican
Pelecanus occidentalis

Brown pelican diving

For fish.

Double-crested cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

Double-crested cormorant

Anghinga (snake bird) Anhinga anhinga

Order Anseriformes
Waterfowl
Aquatic, with webs between the three front toes. Long
necks and narrow pointed wings. Flattened bills with
tooth-like edges that serve as strainers.

Geese
Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anserini

Canada goose Branta canadensis

Snow goose Chen caerulescens

Surface-feeding Ducks (Dabblers)

Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Anatini

Mallard Anas platyrhynchos

Summer Distribution

Winter Distribution

Pintail Anas acuta

Blue-winged teal
Anas discors

Blue-winged teal

Green-winged teal Anas crecca

Perching or Wood Ducks

Subfamily Anserinae
Tribe Carinini

Wood duck (drake) Aix sponsa

Female wood duck

Wood duck
distribution

Bay Ducks (Divers)

Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Aythyini

Redhead Aythya americana

Redhead distribution

Canvasback Aythya valisneria

Ring-necked duck Aythya collaris

Ring-necked duck
distribution

Lesser scaup Aythya affinis

Lesser scaup
distribution

Sea Ducks
Subfamily Anatinae
Tribe Mergini

Common goldeneye Bucephala clangula

Common goldeneye
distribution

Canvasback distribution

Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

Bufflehead distribution

Hooded merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

Hooded merganser
distribution

Order Falconiformes
Eagles, Hawks, Falcons,
Vultures
Diurnal birds of prey. Strong beaks and talons.

Turkey vulture Cathartes aura

Turkey vulture in flight

Black vulture Coragyps atratus

Vultures (two black, one turkey) feeding on carrion.

Mississippi kite
Ictinia mississippiensis

Swallow-tailed kit
Elanoides forficatus

Coopers hawk
Accipiter cooperii

Coopers hawk in flight

Sharp-shinned and Coopers hawks

Sharp-shinned hawk
Accipiter striatus

Northern harrier
Circus cyaneus

Red-tailed hawk
Buteo jamaicensis

Red-tailed hawk in flight

Red-shouldered hawk
Buteo lineatus

Red-shouldered hawk in flight

Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos

Bald eagle
Haliaetus leucocephalus

Osprey Pandion haliaetus

American kestrel Falco sparverius

Peregrine falcon- Falco peregrinus

Order Galliformes
Gallinaceous Birds
Heavy-bodied, chicken-like land birds. Short, heavy
bill. Wings short and rounded. Legs rather long.
Flight not fast, but can burst into full flight from a
sitting position. Capable runners that forage on the
ground. Males of many species have elaborate
courtship displays.

Northern bobwhite Colinus virginianus

Male bobwhite

Wild turkey
Meleagris gallopavo

Order Ciconiiformes
Herons and their allies
Wading birds with long legs, neck and bill. Most feed
on aquatic animal life in shallow water. Some have long
plumes in the breeding season. Wings are broad and
rounded, tail short.

Great blue heron

Ardea herodius

Great egret
Casmerodius albus

Snowy egret Egretta thula

Cattle egret Bubuculus ibis

Little blue heron Egretta caerulea

Louisiana heron Egretta tricolor

Green heron
Butorides striatus

White ibis Eudocimus albus

Wood stork
Mycteria americana

Order Gruiformes
Cranes and their Allies
Highly diverse group of wading birds with long legs.
Other features such as size, body outline, bill shape and
neck length are highly variable.

Sandhill crane
Grus canadensis

Sandhill crane

Whooping crane
Grus americana

Clapper rail
Rallus longirostris

King rail Rallus elegans

Common moorhen Gallinula chloropus

Purple gallinule Porphyrula martinica

American coot Fulica americana

Order Charadriiformes
Shorebirds and Gulls
Diverse group of wading or swimming birds. mOst are
white, gray or brown, with long pointed wings and
webbed feet. Highly migratory. Most feed along
shores, a few inland.

Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

American woodcock Scolopax minor

Common snipe Gallinago gallinago

Sanderling Calidris alba

Herring gull
Larus argentatus

Laughing gull Larus atricilla

Forsters Tern
Sterna forsteri

Caspian tern Sterna caspia

Common tern Sterna hirundo

Order Columbiformes
Pigeons and Doves
Small-headed, short-legged, swift-flying birds with
pointed wings and fanned or tapered tails. All species
coo, bob heads when walking. Eat grains, small seeds,
acorns and fruit.

Mourning dove Zenaida macroura

Rock dove Columba livia

Order Strigiformes
Owls
Large-headed, short-necked birds of prey. Mostly
nocturnal. Large eyes are fixed in sockets, so the entire
head moves as the bird shifts its gaze. Flat, round or
heart-shaped facial disk conceals the large external
ear flaps. All fly silently, hunting for rodents and other
mammals. Calls are distinctive hoots, wails, or whistles.

Eastern screech owl Otus asio

Great horned owl

Bubo virginianus

Barn owl Tyto alba

Barn owl

Barred owl
Strix varia

Order Caprimulgiformes
Goatsuckers
Nocturnal insect-eaters with large, flat heads, small
bills, enormous mouths, and distinctive white patches in
the wings and tail. Many are named for their call.

Chuck-wills-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis

Whip-poor-will Caprilmulgus vociferus

Common nighthawk Chordeiles minor

play_bird_wm.as p-recnum=BD0143.url

Order Apodiformes
Swifts and Hummingbirds

Ruby-throated hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Order Coraciiformes
Kingfishers
Large-headed, short-tailed birds that dive for fish,
which they catch with their long sharp beaks. Perch
motionless in the open, over water. Short legs.

Belted kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

Order Piciformes
Woodpeckers
Have a strong bill, sharply pointed for chipping and
digging into tree trunks or branches for wood-boring
insects. Still tail used as a prop. Most species drum
on resonant limbs, poles, or drainpipes. Flight is
usually undulating, with wings folded against the body
after each series of flaps. Usually nest in a cavity
chiseled into a large branch or trunk.

Yellow-shafted flicker
Colaptes auratus

Pileated woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus

Red-bellied woodpecker
Melanerpes carolinus

Red-headed woodpecker
Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Red-cockaded
woodpecker
Picoides borealis

Downy woodpecker
Picoides pubescens

Hairy woodpecker
Picoides villosus

Yellow-bellied sapsucker
Sphyrapicus varius

Order Passeriformes
Perching Birds
Small to medium land birds. All have feet well adapted
for perching: 3 toes in front and 1 long toe behind.
Most are singers. Bill shape, feather colors, and habits
are most useful for family identification. Most
insectivorous species and some seed and fruit eaters are
highly migratory.

Eastern kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus

The eastern kingbird

spends the summer
months in North
America, and winters in
Amazonia.

Barn swallow
Hirudo rustica

Purple martin Progne subis

Blue jay
Cyanocitta cristata

American crow Corvus brachyrhyncos

Carolina wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

Northern mockingbird Mimus polyglottus

Brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum

American robin - Turdus migratorius

Eastern bluebird
Siala sialis

Cedar waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

Loggerhead shrike
Lanius ludovicianus

Red-winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus

Brown-headed cowbird Molothrus ater

Northern cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis

Black-capped chickadee Poecile carolinensis

House finch
Carpodacus mexicanus

Indigo bunting Passerina cyanea

Eastern towhee Pipilo erythrophtalmus

Sparrows