List of birds of Denali National Park and Preserve facts for kids

Welcome to a special guide about the amazing birds you can find in Denali National Park and Preserve! This huge park is located in Alaska, a beautiful U.S. state known for its wild nature.

This list tells you about all the different kinds of birds seen in Denali. It's based on information from the National Park Service (NPS) from October 2020. Birds are grouped by their families, just like how scientists organize them. The names of the birds and their families come from expert bird groups like the American Ornithological Society (AOS).

There are 184 different bird species on this list! Most of these birds live in Denali regularly. Some stay all year, some visit in summer or winter, and others just pass through.

You'll see some special codes next to certain birds:

• *(R) = Rare: These birds are seen regularly, but only a few of them. (20 species)
• *(O) = Occasional: These birds have only been seen a few times. They are usually found outside Denali's normal area. (15 species)
• *(X) = Accidental: These birds have been seen only once or twice. It's very unlikely they will be seen again in Denali. (15 species)
• *(H) = Hypothetical: There are no definite records of these birds in Denali. They might have been seen nearby, or there's some uncertainty about their sightings in the park. (17 species)

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are perfectly built for life in water! They have webbed feet for swimming and special feathers with oils that keep them dry. Their bills are often flat, helping them find food in the water.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. These birds live on the ground. They are usually plump with broad, short wings. Many of them are popular game birds or have been raised for food.

• Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus (R)
• Spruce grouse, Canachites canadensis
• Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus
• Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta
• White-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucurus
• Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus (H)

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are freshwater diving birds, ranging from small to medium-large. They have special lobed toes, making them amazing swimmers and divers. However, their feet are set far back on their bodies, so they are quite clumsy on land.

• Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus
• Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. They have a fleshy area at the base of their bill called a cere.

• Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (H)

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in the air. They flap their wings incredibly fast! They are the only birds that can fly backward.

• Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (O)

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. When they fly, they keep their necks stretched out, unlike herons, which pull their necks back. Many cranes perform fancy, noisy dances to attract a mate.

• Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis

Plovers and Lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

This family includes plovers and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks, and long, pointed wings. You can find them in open areas around the world, especially near water.

• Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola (O)
• American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica
• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus (O)
• Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus

Sandpipers and Allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large family of shorebirds, including sandpipers, curlews, and snipes. Most of these birds eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Their different leg and bill lengths allow many species to share the same habitat without competing for food.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Jaegers and skuas are medium to large birds, usually gray or brown. They often have white marks on their wings. They have long bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They are strong, agile flyers.

• Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (X)
• Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

The Alcidae family includes auks, murres, and puffins. These birds have short wings and live on the open ocean. They only come to land when it's time to breed.

• Long-billed murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (X)

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, including gulls and terns. They are typically gray or white, often with black marks on their heads or wings. They have strong, longish bills and webbed feet.

• Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (H)
• Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia
• Short-billed gull, Larus brachyrinchcus
• California gull, Larus californicus (H)
• Herring gull, Larus argentatus (R)
• Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens (R)
• Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus (H)
• Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds, about the size of a large duck, but not related to them. They are mostly gray or black and have spear-shaped bills. Loons are excellent swimmers and decent flyers. However, they are very awkward on land because their legs are at the back of their bodies.

• Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
• Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica (R)
• Common loon, Gavia immer
• Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii (O)

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The Pandionidae family has only one type of bird: the osprey. This bird of prey eats fish. It has a very large, strong, hooked beak, powerful legs, sharp talons, and amazing eyesight for hunting.

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (R)

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

This family includes hawks, eagles, and harriers. These birds of prey have very large, strong, hooked beaks to tear meat from their prey. They also have strong legs, powerful talons, and excellent eyesight.

• Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
• Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius
• Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus
• Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis
• Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Swainson's hawk, Buteo swainsoni (O)
• Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis
• Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus

Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are solitary birds of prey that are active at night. They have large eyes that face forward and big ears. They also have a hawk-like beak and a circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

• Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus
• Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (O)
• Northern hawk owl, Surnia ulula
• Great gray owl, Strix nebulosa (R)
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus
• Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and short tails. They are known for diving into water to catch fish.

• Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks. They have short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues to catch insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks.

• American three-toed woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis
• Black-backed woodpecker, Picoides arcticus (O)
• Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens (R)
• Hairy woodpecker, Dryobates villosus (R)
• Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons. Unlike hawks and eagles, falcons use their beaks to kill their prey, not their talons. They are known for their incredible speed in flight.

• American kestrel, Falco sparverius
• Merlin, Falco columbarius
• Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (R)

Tyrant Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like flycatchers from other parts of the world but are stronger and have sturdier bills. Most of them eat insects.

• Western kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis (H)
• Eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus (H)
• Olive-sided flycatcher, Contopus cooperi
• Western wood-pewee, Contopus sordidulus
• Yellow-bellied flycatcher, Empidonax flaviventris (X)
• Alder flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum
• Hammond's flycatcher, Empidonax hammondii (R)
• Black phoebe, Sayornis nigricans (X)
• Say's phoebe, Sayornis saya

Vireos and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

Vireos are small to medium-sized songbirds found only in the Americas. They are usually greenish and look similar to wood-warblers, but they have heavier bills.

• Red-eyed vireo, Vireo olivaceus (X)

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are songbirds famous for how they hunt. They catch other birds and small animals, then impale the parts they don't eat on thorns. Their beaks are hooked, just like a bird of prey.

• Northern shrike, Lanius borealis

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. Corvids are larger than average songbirds. Some of the bigger species are known for being very intelligent.

• Canada jay, Perisoreus canadensis
• Steller's jay, Cyanocitta stelleri (O)
• Black-billed magpie, Pica hudsonia
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae are mostly small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. They are very adaptable and eat a mix of seeds and insects.

• Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapilla
• Boreal chickadee, Poecile hudsonica
• Gray-headed chickadee, Poecile cinctus (H)

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small ground-dwelling birds. They are known for their often fancy songs and display flights. Most larks have a rather plain appearance. They eat insects and seeds.

• Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

Swallows are songbirds that are great at catching food in the air. They have slender, streamlined bodies, long, pointed wings, and short bills that open wide. Their feet are made for perching, not walking.

• Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
• Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
• Violet-green swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica (R)
• Cliff swallow, Petrochelidon pyrrhonota

Leaf Warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Phylloscopidae

Leaf warblers are a family of small birds that eat insects. They are mostly found in Europe and Asia. The Arctic warbler, for example, breeds as far east as Alaska. These birds come in various sizes and are often green above and yellow below.

• Arctic warbler, Phylloscopus borealis

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of birds that look similar to chickadees. They are very tiny birds that eat insects. Adult kinglets have colorful crowns on their heads, which gives them their name.

• Ruby-crowned kinglet, Corthylio calendula
• Golden-crowned kinglet, Regulus satrapa (O)

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are birds with soft, silky feathers. They have unique red tips on some of their wing feathers that look like sealing wax, giving them their name. These birds live in northern forests. They eat insects in summer and berries in winter.

• Bohemian waxwing, Bombycilla garrulus

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, which most other birds cannot do. Nuthatches have large heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet.

• Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis (R)

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, downward-curved bills. They use these bills to pull insects out of tree bark. Like woodpeckers, they have stiff tail feathers that help them support themselves on vertical tree trunks.

• Brown creeper, Certhia americana (O)

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized songbirds with strong feet. They fly powerfully and directly and often gather in large groups. They prefer open areas and eat insects and fruit. Their feathers are usually dark with a metallic shine.

• European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (Introduced to North America) (X)

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae

Dippers are small, sturdy birds that find their food in cold, fast-moving streams. They are unique because they can walk underwater!

• American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus

Thrushes and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are plump and have soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized and eat insects or sometimes a mix of foods, often finding food on the ground. Many thrushes have beautiful songs.

• Mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides (H)
• Townsend's solitaire, Myadestes townsendi
• Gray-cheeked thrush, Catharus minimus
• Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus
• Hermit thrush, Catharus guttatus
• American robin, Turdus migratorius
• Varied thrush, Ixoreus naevius

Old World Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

This is a large family of small songbirds found only in the "Old World" (Europe, Asia, Africa). Most of the species listed here are only seen in North America by accident. These birds vary a lot in how they look.

• Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small songbirds with medium to long tails. They include wagtails and pipits. They are slender birds that eat insects on the ground in open areas.

• Eastern yellow wagtail, Motacilla tschutschensis (H)
• White wagtail, Motacilla alba (H)
• American pipit, Anthus rubescens

Finches and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-sized and have strong, often cone-shaped beaks. They fly with a bouncy motion, flapping and then gliding with their wings closed. Most finches sing well.

• Pine grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator
• Gray-crowned rosy-finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis
• Purple finch, Haemorhous purpureus (H)
• Common redpoll, Acanthis flammea
• Hoary redpoll, Acanthis hornemanni (R)
• White-winged crossbill, Loxia leucoptera
• Pine siskin, Spinus pinus

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of songbirds often found in open grassy areas. They used to be grouped with New World sparrows but are now considered a separate family.

• Lapland longspur, Calcarius lapponicus
• Smith's longspur, Calcarius pictus (O)
• Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis

New World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Most of these birds are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the "Old World" sparrows. Many of them have unique patterns on their heads.

• Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca
• American tree sparrow, Spizelloides arborea
• Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis
• White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys
• Golden-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla
• Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
• Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii

Troupials and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

The icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. This family includes blackbirds and orioles. Most species are mainly black, often with bright yellow, orange, or red colors.

• Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus (O)
• Rusty blackbird, Euphagus carolinus
• Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater (X)

New World Warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

Wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird and waterthrushes, spend more time on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects.

• Northern waterthrush, Parkesia noveboracensis
• Tennessee warbler, Leiothlypis peregrina (H)
• Orange-crowned warbler, Leiothlypis celata
• American redstart, Setophaga ruticilla (O)
• Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
• Blackpoll warbler, Setophaga striata
• Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata
• Townsend's warbler, Setophaga townsendi (X)
• Wilson's warbler, Cardellina pusilla

Cardinals and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

Cardinals are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. The males and females often have different colored feathers.

• Western tanager, Piranga ludoviciana (X)

More to Explore

• List of birds of Alaska
• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region
• List of North American birds