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List of birds of Idaho facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Mountain Bluebird
The mountain bluebird is the state bird of Idaho.

This list shows all the different types of birds that have been officially seen and recorded in the state of Idaho. As of January 2022, there are 433 different bird species on this official list! One more bird is thought to have been seen but isn't fully confirmed yet.

Some birds on this list are marked with an *(R)*. This means they are "Review species," which are birds that are very rare in some parts of Idaho. If someone sees one, the Idaho Bird Records Committee (IBRC) asks for a detailed report. Birds marked with an *(I)* are "Introduced" species. This means humans brought them to North America, either on purpose or by accident.

This list only includes birds that live freely in Idaho and have healthy populations. Birds that might have escaped from captivity are not included. The birds are listed in a special scientific order, just like how scientists group animals together.

Contents

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl: Amazing Swimmers!

Branta-canadensis-004
The Canada goose is a common sight in Idaho.

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are super good at living in water! They have webbed feet to help them swim, and their feathers are naturally oily, so water just rolls right off them. Forty-one different kinds of these birds have been seen in Idaho.

New World Quail: Small Ground Birds

Order: Galliformes   Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, round birds that live on the ground. They look a bit like Old World quails but are not closely related. Three types of these quails have been seen in Idaho.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies: Game Birds

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. They are ground-dwelling birds that vary in size. Many of them are hunted for sport or raised for food. Ten species from this family have been seen in Idaho.

Grebes: Diving Masters

Western Grebe swimming
The Western grebe is an excellent diver.

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized birds that love to dive in freshwater. They have special lobed toes that make them amazing swimmers and divers. However, because their feet are set far back on their bodies, they are quite clumsy on land. Six species of grebes have been recorded in Idaho.

Pigeons and Doves: Common Birds

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. Six different kinds have been seen in Idaho. One famous bird from this family, the Passenger pigeon, is now extinct.

Cuckoos: Long-tailed Birds

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

This family includes cuckoos and roadrunners. These birds have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Nightjars and Allies: Nighttime Hunters

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night. They usually build their nests on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very small bills. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Swifts: Built for Flight

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

Swifts are small birds that spend most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and almost never land on the ground. Instead, they perch on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a crescent moon. Four species have been recorded in Idaho.

Hummingbirds: Tiny Hovering Jewels

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in mid-air by flapping their wings incredibly fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Eight different kinds of hummingbirds have been seen in Idaho.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots: Shy Water Birds

Fulica americana3
The American coot is a common water bird.

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

This is a big family of small to medium-sized birds that includes rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. They usually live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are often shy and hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes, which help them walk on soft, uneven ground. Five species have been recorded in Idaho.

Cranes: Tall and Graceful

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. When they fly, they keep their necks stretched out, which is different from herons. Many cranes have special, loud "dances" they do when they are looking for a mate. Four species have been recorded in Idaho.

Stilts and Avocets: Wading Birds

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts, which are large birds that wade in water. Avocets have long legs and bills that curve upwards. Stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. Three species have been recorded in Idaho.

Oystercatchers: Shellfish Eaters

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

Oystercatchers are large, noticeable, and noisy birds that look a bit like plovers. They have strong bills that they use to smash or pry open molluscs (like clams and oysters). One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Lapwings and Plovers: Open Country Birds

Killdeer
The Killdeer is known for its loud call.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

This family includes plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, pointed wings. They live in open areas all over the world, especially near water. Seven species have been recorded in Idaho.

Sandpipers and Allies: Shoreline Foragers

Phalaropus tricolor - breeding female
Wilson's phalarope

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large and varied family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, and phalaropes. Most of these birds eat small insects and worms they find in mud or soil. Different bill and leg lengths allow many species to feed in the same places without competing for food. Thirty species have been recorded in Idaho.

Skuas and Jaegers: Strong Fliers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Skuas and jaegers are medium to large birds, usually gray or brown. They look like big, dark gulls but have a special fleshy part above their upper beak. They are strong and agile fliers. Three species have been recorded in Idaho.

Auks, Murres, and Puffins: Ocean Birds

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

This family includes auks, murres, and puffins. These birds have short wings and live on the open sea, only coming to land to lay eggs and raise their young. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Seabirds and Water Birds

Larus-delawarensis-021
The Ring-billed gull is a common sight.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

This family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are medium to large seabirds, usually gray or white, often with black markings. They have strong, longish bills and webbed feet. Twenty-five species have been recorded in Idaho.

Loons: Diving Water Birds

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are water birds about the size of a large duck. They are mostly gray or black and have spear-shaped bills. Loons are excellent swimmers and can fly well, but they are very clumsy on land because their legs are at the back of their bodies. Four species have been recorded in Idaho.

Storks: Large Wading Birds

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are very large, heavy birds with long legs and necks. They wade in water and have long, strong bills and wide wings. Unlike herons, storks fly with their necks stretched out. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Cormorants and Shags: Dark Water Birds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large water birds, usually with dark feathers and colorful skin on their faces. Their bills are long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have webbed feet with four toes. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Pelicans: Birds with Pouches

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a special pouch under their beak that they use to scoop up fish. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Wading Wonders

Lightmatter greatblueheron2
The Great blue heron is a tall, graceful bird.

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

This family includes herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns are usually shorter-necked and more secretive. These birds fly with their necks pulled back, which is different from storks. Eleven species have been recorded in Idaho.

Ibises and Spoonbills: Unique Bills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

This family includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, wide wings and long bodies with long legs. Their bills are also long; ibises have bills that curve downwards, while spoonbills have straight, flattened bills that look like spoons. Three species have been recorded in Idaho.

New World Vultures: Nature's Clean-Up Crew

Order: Cathartiformes   Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but they look similar because they both evolved to do the same job: eating dead animals. Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell to find carcasses. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Osprey: Fish-Eating Raptors

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The Osprey family has only one type of bird. Ospreys are birds of prey that eat fish. They have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat, powerful legs, sharp talons, and excellent eyesight.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites: Powerful Hunters

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

This family includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These birds of prey have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat from their food. They also have strong legs, powerful talons, and amazing eyesight. Thirteen species have been recorded in Idaho.

Barn-Owls: Heart-Shaped Faces

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with big heads and unique heart-shaped faces. They have long, strong legs with powerful talons. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Owls: Nighttime Hunters

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are usually solitary birds of prey that hunt at night. They have large eyes that face forward and big ears. They also have a hawk-like beak and a clear circle of feathers around each eye. Thirteen species have been recorded in Idaho.

Kingfishers: Fisher Birds

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. They are known for catching fish. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Woodpeckers: Tree Tappers

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues for catching insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks. Fifteen species have been recorded in Idaho.

Falcons and Caracaras: Fast Hunters

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras, which are birds of prey active during the day. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks instead of their talons. Six species have been recorded in Idaho.

Tyrant Flycatchers: Insect Eaters

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like Old World flycatchers but are stronger and have tougher bills. Most of them eat insects. Twenty-one species have been recorded in Idaho.

Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis: Greenish Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

Vireos are small to medium-sized songbirds. They are usually greenish and look like wood warblers, but they have stronger bills. Nine species have been recorded in Idaho.

Shrikes: Hooked Bills

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are songbirds known for catching other birds and small animals. They sometimes impale their prey on thorns! A shrike's beak is hooked, just like a bird of prey. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies: Smart Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. These birds are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger ones are very intelligent. Ten species have been recorded in Idaho.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice: Small Woodland Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae family mostly includes small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. They can adapt to different environments and eat a mix of seeds and insects. Five species have been recorded in Idaho.

Larks: Ground Birds with Songs

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small birds that live on the ground. They often have amazing songs and special display flights. Most larks look quite plain. They eat insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Swallows: Aerial Acrobats

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

Swallows are songbirds known for catching insects while flying. They have slender, streamlined bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are better for perching than walking. Seven species have been recorded in Idaho.

Long-tailed Tits: Bag Nests

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Aegithalidae

Long-tailed tits are small songbirds with medium to long tails. They build unique woven bag nests in trees. Most of them eat a mix of insects. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

  • Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus (R)

Kinglets: Tiny Crowned Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of birds that look a bit like titmice. They are very tiny birds that eat insects. Adult kinglets have colorful crowns on their heads, which gives them their name. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Waxwings: Silky Feathers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are songbirds with soft, silky feathers and special red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, which is how they got their name. They live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter. Two species have been recorded in Idaho.

Silky-Flycatchers: Crested Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Ptiliogonatidae

Silky flycatchers are a small family of songbirds mostly found in Central America. They are related to waxwings, and most of them have small crests on their heads.

Nuthatches: Head-First Climbers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, which most other birds can't do! Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet. Three species have been recorded in Idaho.

Treecreepers: Bark Explorers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds that are brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, curved bills that they use to pull insects out of tree bark. They also have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which help them balance on tree trunks. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Gnatcatchers: Tiny Insectivores

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae

Gnatcatchers are a group of small songbirds that eat insects. They are usually not very colorful, but many have unique songs. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Wrens: Small and Loud

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small and often hard to see, but they have very loud songs! They have short wings and thin, curved bills. Some wrens often hold their tails straight up. All wrens eat insects. Seven species have been recorded in Idaho.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers: Amazing Mimics

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

This family includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and catbirds. These birds are famous for their singing, especially their amazing ability to copy the sounds of many other birds and outdoor noises! They usually have dull gray and brown feathers. Five species have been recorded in Idaho.

Starlings: Shiny and Social

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized songbirds with strong feet. They fly strongly 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. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Dippers: Underwater Walkers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae

Dippers are small, sturdy birds that feed in cold, fast-moving streams. They are unique because they can walk underwater! One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Thrushes and Allies: Sweet Singers

Hylocichla mustelina (cropped)
The Wood thrush is known for its beautiful song.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are often plump with soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized birds that eat insects or sometimes a mix of things, often finding food on the ground. Many of them have beautiful songs. Eleven species have been recorded in Idaho.

Old World Flycatchers: Insect Catchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large family of small songbirds. They are mainly small birds that live in trees and eat insects, often catching them in mid-air. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Accentors: Drab but Interesting

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Prunellidae

Accentors are small, rather plain-looking birds that look a bit like sparrows, but they are not related. Accentors have thin, sharp bills, which they use to eat insects in summer and seeds and berries in winter. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Old World Sparrows: Common Seed Eaters

Passer domesticus2
The House sparrow is a very common bird.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. Generally, sparrows are small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong, short beaks. Sparrows mainly eat seeds, but they also eat small insects. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Wagtails and Pipits: Ground Feeders

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

This family includes wagtails and pipits. They are slender songbirds that feed on insects on the ground in open areas. One species has been recorded in Idaho.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies: Seed-Eating Singers

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 bouncing motion, flapping their wings and then gliding. Most finches sing well. Sixteen species have been recorded in Idaho.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings: Grassy Field Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

This group of songbirds used to be considered part of the New World sparrows. They are usually found in open grassy areas. Four species have been recorded in Idaho.

New World Sparrows: Distinctive Head Patterns

Spotted Towhee
The Spotted towhee is a type of New World sparrow.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Most birds in this family are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of these birds have unique patterns on their heads. Twenty-five species have been recorded in Idaho.

Yellow-breasted Chat: A Unique Bird

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae

This bird used to be grouped with the wood-warblers, but scientists weren't sure it truly belonged there. In 2017, it was placed into its very own family!

Troupials and Allies: Colorful New World Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

This group includes grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. They are small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most species are mainly black, sometimes with bright yellow, orange, or red colors. Fifteen species have been recorded in Idaho.

New World Warblers: Small and Bright

Myrtle Warbler - Port Aransas, TX
The Yellow-rumped warbler is a common New World warbler.

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, spend more time on the ground. Most members of this family eat insects. Thirty-nine species have been recorded in Idaho.

Cardinals and Allies: Strong-Billed Birds

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

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

See also

  • List of birds
  • Lists of birds by region
  • List of North American birds
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List of birds of Idaho Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.