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List of birds of Iowa facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Carduelis-tristis-001
The American goldfinch is the state bird of Iowa.

This is a list of all the different types of birds that have been seen and officially recorded in the U.S. state of Iowa. The Iowa Ornithologists' Union (IOU) keeps this official list. As of January 2023, there are 433 different bird species on it!

Some of these birds are:

  • Accidental (A): These birds have been seen only a few times, less than 4 out of the last 10 years. They don't usually live in Iowa.
  • Casual (C): These birds are seen more often than accidental ones, but not every year. They've been spotted in at least 3 but less than 9 of the last 10 years.
  • Introduced (I): These are species that humans brought to North America, and they now live and reproduce here on their own.
  • Extinct (E): These birds no longer exist anywhere in the world.
  • Extirpated (Ex): These birds no longer live in Iowa, but they can still be found in other places.

This list only includes birds that have made Iowa their home and are raising their young here without human help. Birds that might have escaped from captivity, even if seen flying free, are not included. The birds are listed in a special scientific order, just like how scientists organize them.

Ducks, Geese, and Swans

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

This family includes all the ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are amazing swimmers! They have webbed feet, flat bills, and special oily feathers that help water slide right off. Forty-four different kinds of these birds have been seen in Iowa.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes   Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, round birds that live on the ground. They look a bit like the quails from other parts of the world, but they are not closely related. Only one species has been recorded in Iowa.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Turkeys

Wild turkey eastern us
Wild turkey

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants, partridges, grouse, and turkeys. These birds live on land and vary in size. They are usually plump with wide, short wings. Many of them are hunted for sport or raised for food. Six species have been recorded in Iowa.

Grebes

Podiceps-grisegena-008
Red-necked grebe

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized birds that dive in freshwater. They have special lobed toes that make them excellent swimmers and divers. However, their feet are set far back on their bodies, so they are clumsy on land. Six species have been recorded in Iowa.

Pigeons and Doves

Collared.dove
Eurasian collared-dove

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. Seven species have been recorded in Iowa.

Cuckoos

Coccyzus-americanus-001
Yellow-billed cuckoo

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

This family includes cuckoos and roadrunners. These birds come in different sizes, but they all have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three species have been recorded in Iowa.

Nightjars and Allies

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 short bills. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with tree bark or leaves. Three species have been recorded in Iowa.

Swifts

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. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in the air by flapping their wings incredibly fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Five species have been recorded in Iowa.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

VirginiaRail23
Virginia rail

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

This is a large family of small to medium-sized birds like rails, crakes, and coots. 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, perfect for walking on soft, uneven ground. They tend to have short, rounded wings and are not strong fliers. Eight species have been recorded in Iowa.

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike herons, which look similar, cranes fly with their necks stretched out straight. Most cranes have special, loud "dances" they do to find a mate. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

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

Lapwings and Plovers

Charadrius vociferus
Killdeer

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. They live in open areas all over the world, often near water. Six species have been recorded in Iowa.

Sandpipers and Allies

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 bugs they find in mud or soil. Their different leg and bill lengths allow many species to feed in the same places without competing for food. Thirty-four species have been recorded in Iowa.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Skuas and jaegers are related to gulls and other shorebirds. The smaller species have long central tail feathers. Three species have been recorded in Iowa.

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

Alcids look a bit like penguins because they are black and white and stand upright. However, they are not closely related and can fly! Auks live in the open sea and only come to land to nest. This family also includes murres and puffins. Three species have been recorded in Iowa.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

This family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. They are medium to large seabirds, usually gray or white, often with black on their heads or wings. They have strong, longish bills and webbed feet. Twenty-eight species have been recorded in Iowa.

Loons

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Pacific loon

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds about the size of a large duck, but they are not related to ducks. They are mostly gray or black and have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly fine, but they are very awkward on land because their legs are placed far back on their bodies. Four species have been recorded in Iowa.

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong bills. They have wide wings. Storks do not have a voice box, so they are mute. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds found over tropical oceans. They are black, or black and white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. Males have colorful throat pouches that can inflate. They cannot swim or walk well and cannot take off from flat ground. They are amazing fliers, able to stay in the air for over a week! One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

This family includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large coastal seabirds that dive into the water to catch fish. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Anhingas

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae

Anhingas are water birds that look like cormorants, but they have very long necks and straight beaks. They eat fish and often swim with only their neck above the water. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Cormorants and Shags

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 hooked. They have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a special pouch under their beak. Like other birds in their group, they have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Botaurus lentiginosus 28079
American bittern

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 have shorter necks and are more secretive. These birds fly with their necks pulled back, unlike storks or ibises. Twelve species have been recorded in Iowa.

Ibises and Spoonbills

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White-faced ibis

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

The family Threskiornithidae includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, wide wings and long bodies and necks. Their bills are also long; ibises have downward-curving bills, while spoonbills have flat, spoon-shaped bills. Four species have been recorded in Iowa.

New World Vultures

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Turkey vulture

Order: Cathartiformes   Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures look like vultures from other parts of the world, but they are not closely related. They are scavengers, meaning they eat dead animals. Unlike other vultures that find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The Osprey family has only one type of bird: the Osprey. These birds of prey eat fish. They have a large, strong, hooked beak for tearing meat, powerful legs, strong claws, and excellent eyesight. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

MississippiKite
Mississippi kite

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

This family includes hawks, eagles, and kites. These birds of prey have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat from their prey. They also have strong legs, powerful claws, and sharp eyesight. Sixteen species have been recorded in Iowa.

Barn-Owls

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 claws. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Owls

CRW 2987
Long-eared owl

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are usually alone and active at night. They have large eyes that face forward and good hearing. They have a beak like a hawk and a clear circle of feathers around each eye. Eleven species have been recorded in Iowa.

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Woodpeckers

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Pileated woodpecker

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae

Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks. They have short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues that help them catch insects. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks. Eleven species have been recorded in Iowa.

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks, not their claws. Six species have been recorded in Iowa.

New World and African Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are birds with a special curved beak. Their upper beak can move a little, and they usually stand upright. All parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward on each foot. Most of the more than 150 species in this family live in the Americas. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Tyrannus-tyrannus-001
Eastern kingbird

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found all over North and South America. They look a bit like flycatchers from other parts of the world but are stronger and have tougher bills. They don't sing as complex songs as other songbirds. Most of them eat insects. Seventeen species have been recorded in Iowa.

Vireos and Allies

SolitaryVireo23
Blue-headed vireo

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. Seven species have been recorded in Iowa.

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

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

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

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American crow

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 smart. Eight species have been recorded in Iowa.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

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Black-capped chickadee

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae family includes small, sturdy woodland birds with short, strong bills. Some have crests on their heads. They are adaptable birds that eat both seeds and insects. Three species have been recorded in Iowa.

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small birds that live on the ground. They often have amazing songs and special display flights. Most larks don't have very bright colors. They eat insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Swallows

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Tree swallow

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae includes songbirds that are great at catching food while flying. They have slender, streamlined bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are made for perching, not walking. Eight species have been recorded in Iowa.

Kinglets

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 is how they got their name. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Waxwings

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Cedar waxwing

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are birds with soft, silky feathers and unique red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, which is where their name comes from. They live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Nuthatches

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White-breasted nuthatch

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 Iowa.

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds that are brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, downward-curving bills that they use to pull insects out of tree bark. They have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which help them support themselves on vertical trees. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae

These delicate birds look and act like Old World warblers, constantly moving through leaves to find insects. Gnatcatchers are mostly soft bluish-gray and have the long, sharp bill typical of insect-eating birds. Many species have unique black patterns on their heads (especially males) and long, often upright, black and white tails. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Wrens

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small birds that are hard to spot, but they have very loud songs. They have short wings and thin, downward-curved bills. Several species often hold their tails straight up. All wrens eat insects. Eight species have been recorded in Iowa.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

GrayCatbird
Gray catbird

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

This family includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and New World catbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing songs and their ability to copy many different bird calls and other sounds they hear. They usually have dull gray and brown feathers. Five species have been recorded in Iowa.

Starlings

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 shiny, metallic look. One species has been recorded in Iowa.

Thrushes and Allies

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Hermit thrush

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are plump and have soft feathers. They are small to medium-sized birds that eat insects or sometimes everything. They often feed on the ground. Many thrushes have beautiful songs. Ten species have been recorded in Iowa.

Old World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Old World sparrows are small songbirds. They are generally small, plump, brownish or grayish birds with short tails and strong, short beaks. Sparrows eat seeds, but they also eat small insects. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

This family includes wagtails and pipits. They are slender, small songbirds with medium to long tails. They eat insects they find on the ground in open areas. Two species have been recorded in Iowa.

Finches and Allies

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House finch

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-sized and have strong, often cone-shaped beaks. All finches have twelve tail feathers and nine primary flight feathers. These birds fly with a bouncing motion, flapping their wings then gliding. Most finches sing well. Thirteen species have been recorded in Iowa.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

This group of songbirds used to be considered part of the New World sparrows. However, they are different in several ways and usually live in open grassy areas. Four species have been recorded in Iowa.

New World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Until 2017, these species were grouped with another family. Most of them 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-six species have been recorded in Iowa.

Yellow-breasted Chat

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae

This bird was once thought to be a wood-warbler, but scientists were unsure. In 2017, it was placed in its own family.

Troupials and Allies

Yellow headed blackbird - natures pics
Yellow-headed blackbird
Brown-Headed Cowbird
Brown-headed cowbird

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 Iowa.

New World Warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

The wood-warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird, live more on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects. Thirty-nine species have been recorded in Iowa.

Cardinals and Allies

Cardinal
Northern cardinal

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

The Cardinalidae are a family of strong, seed-eating birds with powerful bills. They usually live in open woodlands. Males and females often have different colored feathers. Eleven species have been recorded in Iowa.

Images for kids

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    Canada goose

  • American Wigeon

    American wigeon (male)

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    Northern shoveler (male)

  • Bucephala-albeola-010

    Bufflehead (female)

  • Oxyura jamaicensis FWS

    Ruddy duck

  • Catoptrophorus semipalmatus edit

    Willet

  • Calidris-pusilla-001

    Semipalmated sandpiper

  • Dowitcher - natures pics

    Long-billed dowitcher

  • RedNeckedPhalaropeIceland2006

    Red-necked phalarope

  • Larus argentatus ad

    Herring gull

  • Lesser Black-backed Gull - Barcelona, Spain - Jan 2007

    Lesser black-backed gull

  • Tern-KayEss-2

    Common tern

  • NashvilleWarbler23

    Nashville warbler

  • Dendroica-coronata-001

    Yellow-rumped warbler

  • Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia), in Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary

    Black-and-white warbler

  • WormeatingWarbler23

    Worm-eating warbler

  • Spizella-arborea-002 edit2

    American tree sparrow

  • Savannahsparrow58

    Savannah sparrow

  • Junco hyemalis hyemalis-001

    Dark-eyed junco

See Also

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