List of birds of Kentucky facts for kids

The northern cardinal is the state bird of Kentucky.

This is a list of all the different kinds of birds that have been seen and recorded in the state of Kentucky. This list was put together by the Kentucky Bird Records Committee (KBRC) of the Kentucky Ornithological Society up to January 2023. A few more rare birds have been seen since then!

Out of 394 types of birds, 108 are called accidental (A). This means they don't usually live in Kentucky but visited by chance. Six types of birds were introduced (I) by humans to North America. Sadly, four types are now extinct (X), meaning they no longer exist anywhere. Three types are extirpated (E), which means they no longer live in Kentucky but can still be found in other places. There are also nine hypothetical (H) species, which means they've only been seen once or twice, and experts need more proof.

This list follows a special scientific order from the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The names of the bird families come from the Clements taxonomy.

Here's what the tags mean:

• (A) Accidental: A bird that doesn't usually live in Kentucky but was seen here.
• (E) Extirpated: A bird that used to live in Kentucky but doesn't anymore, though it still lives in other places.
• (X) Extinct: A bird that no longer exists anywhere in the world.
• (I) Introduced: A bird that was brought to North America by humans.
• (H) Hypothetical: A bird that has only been seen a few times, and experts are still checking the reports.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl: Birds of the Water

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are amazing swimmers and divers! They have webbed feet and special feathers that shed water easily. Forty-four different types of these birds have been seen in Kentucky.

• Snow goose, Anser caerulescens
• Canada goose, Branta canadensis
• Wood duck, Aix sponsa
• Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos
• Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata
• Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis

New World Quail: Small Ground Birds

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, plump birds that live on the ground. They look a bit like quails from other parts of the world. Only one type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus

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 these birds are hunted for sport or raised for food. Three types have been seen in Kentucky.

• Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
• Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus

Flamingoes: Pink Wading Birds

Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingoes are tall, social birds that wade in water. They can be 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 meters) tall! They eat tiny shellfish and algae by filtering them from the water with their special, upside-down beaks. One type has been seen in Kentucky.

• American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (A)

Grebes: Diving Water Birds

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

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

• Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
• Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus

Pigeons and Doves: Common Birds

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin beaks. Eight types have been seen in Kentucky.

• Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I)
• Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I)
• Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura
• Passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius (X)

Cuckoos: Birds with Long Tails

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

This family includes cuckoos and roadrunners. These birds have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Three types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus
• Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Nightjars and Allies: Night Birds

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night. They usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short beaks. Their soft feathers are colored to help them blend in with bark or leaves. Three types have been seen in Kentucky.

• Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
• Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis

Swifts: Birds Always Flying

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. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a boomerang. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica

Hummingbirds: Tiny Hovering Birds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds that can hover in the air by flapping their wings super fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Five types have been seen in Kentucky.

• Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
• Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (A)

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots: Shy Water Birds

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

This is a large family of small to medium-sized birds that live in dense plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are usually shy and hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes for walking on soft ground. Eight types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Virginia rail, Rallus limicola
• Sora, Porzana carolina
• Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata
• American coot, Fulica americana

Cranes: Tall, Elegant Birds

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Cranes are large birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike herons, cranes fly with their necks stretched out. They often have fancy and noisy "dances" to attract mates. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis
• Whooping crane, Grus americana (E)

Stilts and Avocets: Wading Birds with Long Legs

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts. Avocets have long legs and bills that curve upwards. Stilts have extremely long legs and thin, straight bills. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus
• American avocet, Recurvirostra americana

Plovers and Lapwings: Shoreline Birds

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

This family includes plovers. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies and short, thick necks. They live in open areas, often near water. Five types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
• Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola

Sandpipers and Allies: Mud-Loving Birds

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large family of shorebirds like sandpipers, curlews, and snipes. Most of them eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Different bill and leg lengths allow many species to feed in the same places without fighting for food. Thirty-five types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda
• Sanderling, Calidris alba
• Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla
• American woodcock, Scolopax minor
• Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata
• Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers: Seabirds

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

This family includes gulls and terns. They are medium to large seabirds, usually gray or white with black markings. They have strong bills and webbed feet. Twenty-four types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia
• Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis
• Herring gull, Larus argentatus
• Least tern, Sternula antillarum
• Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia

Loons: Diving Birds of Lakes

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

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

• Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata
• Common loon, Gavia immer

Storks: Large Wading Birds

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong bills. They have wide wingspans. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Wood stork, Mycteria americana (A)

Frigatebirds: Masters of the Air

Order: Suliformes Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds found over tropical oceans. They are mostly black with long wings and deeply forked tails. Males have colorful throat pouches that they can inflate. They are amazing flyers and can stay in the air for more than a week! One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens (A)

Cormorants and Shags: Dark Water Birds

Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large water birds, usually with dark feathers and colored skin on their faces. Their bills are long, thin, and hooked. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Double-crested cormorant, Nannopterum auritum

Pelicans: Birds with Pouches

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Pelicans are very large water birds with a special pouch under their beak. They have four webbed toes. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• American white pelican, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
• Brown pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis (A)

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns: Wading Birds

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. Twelve types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Great blue heron, Ardea herodias
• Great egret, Ardea alba
• Snowy egret, Egretta thula
• Green heron, Butorides virescens
• Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax

Ibises and Spoonbills: Unique Bills

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae

This family includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings, long bodies, and long legs. Ibises have bills that curve downwards, while spoonbills have straight, flattened bills that look like spoons! Four types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• White ibis, Eudocimus albus
• Roseate spoonbill, Platalea ajaja (A)

New World Vultures: Nature's Clean-Up Crew

Order: Cathartiformes Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures look like Old World vultures, but they are not closely related. They both eat dead animals (scavengers). Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell! Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Black vulture, Coragyps atratus
• Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura

Osprey: Fish-Eating Bird of Prey

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae

The osprey is a bird of prey that eats fish. It has a very large, strong, hooked beak for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and excellent eyesight. Only one type of osprey exists in this family.

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites: Powerful Hunters

Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae

This family includes hawks, eagles, and kites. These birds of prey have very large, strong, hooked beaks for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and sharp eyesight. Fifteen types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos
• Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius
• Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus
• Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus
• Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis

Barn-Owls: Heart-Faced Hunters

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 type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Barn owl, Tyto alba

Owls: Night Hunters

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are solitary birds of prey that hunt at night. They have large eyes that face forward, good hearing, a hawk-like beak, and a circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eight types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio
• Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus
• Barred owl, Strix varia
• Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus

Kingfishers: Diving for Fish

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

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

• Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon

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. Nine types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus
• Red-bellied woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus
• Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens
• Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus
• Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus
• Ivory-billed woodpecker, Campephilus principalis (X)

Falcons and Caracaras: Fast Predators

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks instead of their claws. Four types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• American kestrel, Falco sparverius
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus

New World and African Parrots: Colorful Talkers

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a special curved beak. They can move their upper beak slightly. Most parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward on each foot. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Carolina parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis (X)

Tyrant Flycatchers: Insect Eaters

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 they are stronger and have stronger bills. Most of them eat insects. Seventeen types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Great crested flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus
• Eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus
• Eastern wood-pewee, Contopus virens
• Eastern phoebe, Sayornis phoebe

Vireos: Greenish Songbirds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae

Vireos are small to medium-sized songbirds. They are usually greenish and look a bit like wood-warblers, but they have heavier bills. Seven types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• White-eyed vireo, Vireo griseus
• Red-eyed vireo, Vireo olivaceus

Shrikes: Impaling Hunters

Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are songbirds known for catching other birds and small animals. They sometimes impale the parts they don't eat on thorns! Their beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Loggerhead shrike, Lanius ludovicianus

Crows, Jays, and Magpies: Smart Birds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, and jays. These birds are larger than average for songbirds, and some of the bigger ones are very intelligent. Four types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Blue jay, Cyanocitta cristata
• American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice: Small Woodland Birds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae

This family includes chickadees and titmice. They are mostly small, plump woodland birds with short, strong bills. They eat a mix of seeds and insects. Three types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Carolina chickadee, Poecile carolinensis
• Tufted titmouse, Baeolophus bicolor

Larks: Ground Birds with Songs

Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small ground birds known for their often fancy songs and display flights. Most larks look quite plain. They eat insects and seeds. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris

Swallows: Aerial Feeders

Order: Passeriformes Family: Hirundinidae

This family of birds is built for catching food in the air. They have slender bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are good for perching, not walking. Seven types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Bank swallow, Riparia riparia
• Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor
• Purple martin, Progne subis
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica

Kinglets: Tiny Crowned Birds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of very tiny birds that eat insects. The adult birds have colorful crowns on their heads, which is how they got their name. Two types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Ruby-crowned kinglet, Corthylio calendula
• Golden-crowned kinglet, Regulus satrapa

Waxwings: Silky Feathered Birds

Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are songbirds with soft, silky feathers. Some of their wing feathers have unique red tips that look like sealing wax! These birds live in northern forests and eat insects in summer and berries in winter. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Nuthatches: Head-First Climbers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, which is unusual for birds! They have big heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet. Three types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
• White-breasted nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis

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 use their stiff tail feathers to support themselves on trees, like woodpeckers. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• Brown creeper, Certhia americana

Wrens: Small and Loud Singers

Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae

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

• House wren, Troglodytes aedon
• Winter wren, Troglodytes hiemalis
• Carolina wren, Thryothorus ludovicianus

Mockingbirds and Thrashers: Amazing Mimics

Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae

This family includes thrashers and mockingbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing songs and their ability to copy many different bird calls and other sounds they hear outside. They usually have dull gray and brown feathers. Three types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Gray catbird, Dumetella carolinensis
• Brown thrasher, Toxostoma rufum
• Northern mockingbird, Mimus polyglottos

Starlings: Gregarious Birds

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 like open areas and eat insects and fruit. Their feathers are usually dark with a metallic shine. One type has been recorded in Kentucky.

• European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (I)

Thrushes and Allies: Ground Feeders

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 (omnivores), often finding food on the ground. Nine types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Eastern bluebird, Sialia sialis
• American robin, Turdus migratorius
• Wood thrush, Hylocichla mustelina

Old World Sparrows: Small Seed Eaters

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae

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

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I)

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 bouncy motion, flapping and then gliding with their wings closed. Most finches sing well. Ten types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• House finch, Haemorhous mexicanus
• Purple finch, Haemorhous purpureus
• Pine siskin, Spinus pinus
• American goldfinch, Spinus tristis

New World Sparrows: Distinctive Head Patterns

Order: Passeriformes Family: Passerellidae

These birds are often called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of them have unique patterns on their heads. Twenty-six types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Grasshopper sparrow, Ammodramus savannarum
• Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina
• Field sparrow, Spizella pusilla
• Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis
• White-throated sparrow, Zonotrichia albicollis
• Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia
• Eastern towhee, Pipilo erythrophthalmus

Yellow-breasted Chat: A Unique Bird

Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteriidae

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

• Yellow-breasted chat, Icteria virens

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 songbirds found only in the Americas. Most species have black as their main feather color, often with bright yellow, orange, or red. Fourteen types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Bobolink, Dolichonyx oryzivorus
• Eastern meadowlark, Sturnella magna
• Orchard oriole, Icterus spurius
• Baltimore oriole, Icterus galbula
• Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoen ater
• Common grackle, Quiscalus quiscula

New World Warblers: Small and Colorful

Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae

Wood-warblers are a group of small and often very colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees and eat insects. Thirty-nine types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Ovenbird, Seiurus aurocapilla
• Worm-eating warbler, Helmitheros vermivorus
• Black-and-white warbler, Mniotilta varia
• Prothonotary warbler, Protonotaria citrea
• Kentucky warbler, Geothlypis formosa
• Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas
• Hooded warbler, Setophaga citrina
• American redstart, Setophaga ruticilla
• Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
• Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata

Cardinals and Allies: Strong-Billed Seed Eaters

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. Ten types have been recorded in Kentucky.

• Summer tanager, Piranga rubra
• Scarlet tanager, Piranga olivacea
• Northern cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis
• Rose-breasted grosbeak, Pheucticus ludovicianus
• Blue grosbeak, Passerina caerulea
• Indigo bunting, Passerina cyanea

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