A Working Checklist for Livingston County
Please Note: This is not an "official" checklist. It contains data collected by a handful of bird watchers who frequent Livingston County. It also contains a number of historical records from various sources.
Updated December 4, 2007 - 277 Species

ANSERIFORMES

ANATIDAE
Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
Ross's Goose Chen rossii (Casual)
Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii 
Canada Goose Branta canadensis
Mute Swan Cygnus olor
Trumpeter Swan Cygnus buccinator
Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
Wood Duck Aix sponsa
Gadwall Anas strepera
American Wigeon Anas americana
American Black Duck Anas rubripes
Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
Northern Pintail Anas acuta
Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
Canvasback Aythya valisineria
Redhead Aythya americana
Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
Tufted Duck Aythya fuligula (Accidental)
Greater Scaup Aythya marila
Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
Barrow's Goldeneye Bucephala islandica (Casual)
Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
Common Merganser Mergus merganser
Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

GALLIFORMES

PHASIANIDAE
Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus
Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo

ODONTOPHORIDAE
Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus

GAVIIFORMES

GAVIIDAE
Red-throated LoonGavia stellata
Pacific Loon Gavia pacifica
Common Loon Gavia immer

PODICIPEDIFORMES

PODICIPEDIDAE
Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena

PELECANIFORMES

SULIDAE
Northern Gannet Morus bassanus (Accidental)

PELECANIDAE
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

PHALACROCORACIDAE
Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus

CICONIIFORMES

ARDEIDAE
American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
Great Egret Ardea alba
Snowy Egret Egretta thula
Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
Green Heron Butorides virescens
Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax

CATHARTIDAE
Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

FALCONIFORMES

ACCIPITRIDAE
Osprey Pandion haliaetus
Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii
Northern Goshawk Accipiter gentilis
Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

FALCONIDAE
American Kestrel Falco sparverius
Merlin Falco columbarius
Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

GRUIFORMES

RALLIDAE
Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis
Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis (Accidental)
Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
Sora Porzana carolina
Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
American Coot Fulica americana

GRUIDAE
Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis

CHARADRIIFORMES

CHARADRIIDAE
Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
Killdeer Charadrius vociferous

SCOLOPACIDAE
Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
Willet Tringa semipalmata
Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
Dunlin Calidris alpina
Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata
American Woodcock Scolopax minor
Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius (Casual)

LARIDAE
Bonaparte's Gull Larus philadelphia
Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Thayer's GullLarus thayeri
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri

COLUMBIFORMES

COLUMBIDAE
Rock Pigeon Columba livia
Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

CUCULIFORMES

CUCULIDAE
Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus

STRIGIFORMES

STRIGIDAE
Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Barred Owl Strix varia
Long-eared Owl Asio otus
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus
Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus

CAPRIMULGIFORMES

CAPRIMULGIDAE
Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
Chuck-will's-widow Caprimulgus carolinensis (Accidental)
Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus

APODIFORMES

APODIDAE
Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica

TROCHILIDAE
White-eared Hummingbird Hylocharis leucotis (Accidental)
Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus

CORACIIFORMES

ALCEDINIDAE
Belted Kingfisher Ceryle alcyon

PICIFORMES

PICIDAE
Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

PASSERIFORMES

TYRANNIDAE
Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus

LANIIDAE
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor

VIREONIDAE
White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

CORVIDAE
Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos

ALAUDIDAE
Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris

HIRUNDINIDAE
Purple Martin Progne subis
Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

PARIDAE
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor

SITTIDAE
Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis

CERTHIIDAE
Brown Creeper Certhia americana

TROGLODYTIDAE
Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
Bewick's Wren Thryomanes bewickii (Accidental)
House Wren Troglodytes aedon
Winter Wren Troglodytes troglodytes
Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

REGULIDAE
Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

SYLVIIDAE
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

TURDIDAE
Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
Townsend's Solitaire Myadestes townsendi
Veery Catharus fuscescens
Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
Swainson's Thrush Catharus ustulatus
Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
American Robin Turdus migratorius

MIMIDAE
Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

STURNIDAE
European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

MOTACILLIDAE
American Pipit Anthus rubescens

BOMBYCILLIDAE
Bohemian Waxwing Bombycilla garrulus
Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

PARULIDAE
Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora pinus
Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
Tennessee Warbler Vermivora peregrina
Orange-crowned Warbler Vermivora celata
Nashville Warbler Vermivora ruficapilla
Northern Parula Parula americana
Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea
Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea
Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
Northern Waterthrush Seiurus noveboracensis
Louisiana Waterthrush Seiurus motacilla
Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia
Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
Wilson's Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

THRAUPIDAE
Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea

EMBERIZIDAE
Spotted Towhee Pipilo maculatus (Accidental)
Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
Bachman's Sparrow Aimophila aestivalis (Accidental)
American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus (Casual)
Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni (Casual)
Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
Lincoln's Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
Harris's Sparrow Zonotrichia querula
White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis

CARDINALIDAE
Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
Dickcissel Spiza americana

ICTERIDAE
Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
Western Meadowlark Sturnella neglecta
Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
Brewer's Blackbird Euphagus cyanocephalus
Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii (Accidental)
Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

FRINGILLIDAE
Pine Grosbeak Pinicola enucleator
Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
Red Crossbill Loxia curvirostra
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
Common Redpoll Carduelis flammea
Pine Siskin Carduelis pinus
American Goldfinch Carduelis tristis
Evening Grosbeak Coccothraustes vespertinus

PASSERIDAE
House Sparrow Passer domesticus

Status definitions
(adopted by the Michigan Bird Records Committee November 1997)

Regular: Species that have been recorded in at least nine of the last 10 years, or have over 30 records over the last 10 years.
Casual: Species that have been recorded more than three times, but fewer than 30 times, in the last 10 years, and were recorded in fewer than nine of the last 10 years.
Accidental: Species that have been recorded three or fewer times in the last 10 years.

Submit a Sighting
If you have observed a species that is not on the checklist, please contact the webmaster for instructions on documenting the sighting.
The Most Recent Addition

Thayer's Gull
Dick Wolinski observed an adult non-breeding plumaged bird within 200 feet of the Whitmore Lake public boat launch on November 17, 2007.

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