List of birds of Mount Rainier National Park facts for kids

Welcome to a list of all the different bird species found in Mount Rainier National Park! This amazing park is located in the state of Washington, USA. This list comes from the National Park Service (NPS), which helps take care of our national parks.

Scientists organize birds into groups based on how they are related. This list follows the order from the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, created by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The names of the bird families come from another system called the Clements taxonomy.

There are 167 different bird species on this list! Most of them live in Mount Rainier National Park regularly. Some stay all year, some visit in summer or winter, and others just pass through.

You'll see some letters next to the bird names. These letters tell you how often you might see that bird:

• R (Rare): These birds are usually seen only a few times each year. (19 species)
• U (Uncommon): You might see these birds about once a month if you're in the right place at the right time. (33 species)
• O (Occasional): These birds show up in the park at least once every few years, but not necessarily every year. (5 species)
• NC (Not Confirmed): There isn't strong proof that these birds are in the park. (21 species)
• Unk (Unknown): We don't have enough information about how often these birds are seen. (33 species)
• I (Introduced): These birds were brought to North America by humans. (2 species; 2 more native to North America were introduced in Washington)

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are great at living in water! They have webbed feet for swimming, flat beaks, and special oily feathers that keep them dry.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes   Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, round birds that live on the ground. They look a lot like the quails from other parts of the world, but they are not closely related.

• California quail, Callipepla californica (Unk) (Introduced to Washington)

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. These birds live on the ground and can be different sizes. They are usually plump with wide, short wings. Many of them are hunted for sport or raised for food.

• Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (NC) (Introduced to Washington)
• Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus
• White-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucurus (U)
• Sooty grouse, Dendragapus fuliginosus

Grebes

Order: Podicipediformes   Family: Podicipedidae

Grebes are small to medium-sized diving birds that live 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.

• Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps (NC)
• Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis (Unk)

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

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

• Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata
• Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (NC)

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.

• Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Unk)

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.

• Black swift, Cypseloides niger (Unk)
• Vaux's swift, Chaetura vauxi (Unk)

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds that can hover in the air by flapping their wings very fast. They are the only birds that can fly backward!

• Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope (Unk)
• Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (Unk)

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

This is a large family of small to medium-sized birds like rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. Most of these birds live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers. They are usually shy and hard to spot. They have strong legs and long toes, which help them walk on soft, uneven ground. They tend to have short, rounded wings and are not strong fliers.

• Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (U)

Plovers and Lapwings

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. You can find them in open areas all over the world, especially near water.

• Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus (Unk)

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 snipes. Most of these birds eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Different species have different leg and bill lengths, which lets them all feed in the same areas without competing for food.

• Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (R)
• Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (Unk)
• Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia
• Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (R)
• Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (R)
• Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (NC)
• Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (Unk)

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

This family includes auks, murres, and puffins. These birds have short wings and live in the open ocean. They only come to land when they need to lay eggs and raise their young.

• Marbled murrelet, Brachyramphus marmoratus (U)

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

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

• Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (NC)
• Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (NC)
• California gull, Larus californicus (Unk)
• Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (Unk)

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds, about the size of a large duck, but not related to ducks. They are mostly gray or black and have pointed bills. Loons swim very well and can fly, but they are almost helpless on land because their legs are placed far back on their bodies.

• Common loon, Gavia immer (R)

Cormorants and Shags

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large water birds. They usually have dark feathers and colored skin on their faces. Their bills are long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have four toes, all connected by webbing.

• Double-crested cormorant, Nannopterum auritum (NC)

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

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. When they fly, these birds pull their necks back, which is different from other long-necked birds like storks.

• Great blue heron, Ardea herodias

New World Vultures

Order: Cathartiformes   Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures are not closely related to vultures from other parts of the world. However, they look similar because they have adapted to the same lifestyle. Like other vultures, they eat dead animals. But unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell to find carcasses.

• Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura (Unk)

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

Pandionidae is a family with 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 excellent eyesight.

• Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (U)

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey. It includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These birds have very large, strong, hooked beaks to tear meat from their prey. They also have strong legs, powerful talons, and sharp eyesight.

• Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (Unk)
• Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius (Unk)
• Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus (U)
• Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii (Unk)
• Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis (U)
• Swainson's hawk, Buteo swainsoni (R)
• Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis (U)
• Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus (Unk)
• Ferruginous hawk, Buteo regalis (NC)
• Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos (U)

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 talons.

• Barn owl, Tyto alba (NC)

Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are usually solitary birds of prey that hunt at night. They have large eyes that face forward and good hearing. They have a hawk-like beak and a clear circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

• Western screech-owl, Megascops kennicottii (Unk)
• Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus
• Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus (NC)
• Northern pygmy-owl, Glaucidium gnoma
• Spotted owl, Strix occidentalis (U)
• Barred owl, Strix varia
• Great gray owl, Strix nebulosa (NC)
• Long-eared owl, Asio otus (O)
• Boreal owl, Aegolius funereus (NC)
• Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus (Unk)

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and short tails.

• 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 that help them catch insects. Many woodpeckers have two toes pointing forward and two backward, which helps them grip trees. They are known for tapping loudly on tree trunks with their beaks.

• Lewis's woodpecker, Melanerpes lewis (R)
• Williamson's sapsucker, Sphyrapicus thyroideus (NC)
• Red-breasted sapsucker, Sphyrapicus ruber (Unk)
• Downy woodpecker, Picoides pubescens
• Hairy woodpecker, Picoides villosus
• American three-toed woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis (U)
• Black-backed woodpecker, Picoides arcticus (R)
• Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus
• Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus (U)

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of birds of prey that are active during the day. This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks, not their talons.

• American kestrel, Falco sparverius (Unk)
• Merlin, Falco columbarius (R)
• Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus (U)
• Prairie falcon, Falco mexicanus (U)

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 they are stronger and have sturdier bills. They don't have the complex songs of many other songbirds. Most of them are quite plain in color. As their name suggests, most of them eat insects.

• Olive-sided flycatcher, Contopus cooperi (U)
• Western wood-pewee, Contopus sordidulus (U)
• Willow flycatcher, Empidonax traillii (R)
• Hammond's flycatcher, Empidonax hammondii (R)
• Dusky flycatcher, Empidonax oberholseri (R)
• Pacific-slope flycatcher, Empidonax difficilis (U)

Vireos, Shrike-babblers, and Erpornis

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

Vireos are a group of small to medium-sized songbirds found only in the Americas. They are usually greenish and look like wood warblers, but they have stronger bills.

• Hutton's vireo, Vireo huttoni (U)
• Cassin's vireo, Vireo cassinii

Shrikes

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Laniidae

Shrikes are songbirds known for catching other birds and small animals. They often impale the parts they don't eat on thorns. A shrike's beak is hooked, similar to a bird of prey.

• Northern shrike, Lanius borealis (NC)

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. Corvids are larger than average among songbirds, and some of the bigger species are very smart.

• Canada jay, Perisoreus canadensis
• Steller's jay, Cyanocitta stelleri
• Clark's nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana
• Black-billed magpie, Pica hudsonia (R)
• American crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos (U)
• Common raven, Corvus corax

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae family mostly includes small, plump woodland birds with short, strong bills. Some have crests on their heads. They are adaptable birds and eat a mix of seeds and insects.

• Black-capped chickadee, Poecile atricapilla (U)
• Mountain chickadee, Poecile gambeli
• Chestnut-backed chickadee, Poecile rufescens

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small birds that live on the ground. They often have very fancy songs and display flights. Most larks look quite plain. They eat insects and seeds.

• Horned lark, Eremophila alpestris (U)

Swallows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The Hirundinidae family is made up of birds that are built for catching food while flying. They have slender, streamlined bodies, long pointed wings, and short bills with wide mouths. Their feet are better for perching than walking, and their front toes are partly joined at the base.

• Tree swallow, Tachycineta bicolor (R)
• Violet-green swallow, Tachycineta thalassina
• Northern rough-winged swallow, Stelgidopteryx serripennis (NC)
• Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica

Long-tailed Tits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Aegithalidae

Long-tailed tits are a group of small songbirds with medium to long tails. They build woven, bag-shaped nests in trees. Most of them eat a mix of food, including insects.

• Bushtit, Psaltriparus minimus (Unk)

Kinglets

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of birds that look like titmice. They are very tiny birds that eat insects, mostly from the genus Regulus. Adult kinglets have colored crowns on their heads, which is how they got their name.

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

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

Waxwings are a group of songbirds with soft, silky feathers. They have unique red tips on some of their wing feathers. These tips look like sealing wax, which is how they got their name. These birds live in trees in northern forests. They eat insects in the summer and berries in the winter.

• Cedar waxwing, Bombycilla cedrorum

Nuthatches

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.

• Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis
• White-breasted nuthatch, Sitta carolinensis (Unk)
• Pygmy nuthatch, Sitta pygmaea (R)

Treecreepers

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 have stiff tail feathers, like woodpeckers, which help them support themselves on vertical trees.

• Brown creeper, Certhia americana

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.

• Canyon wren, Catherpes mexicanus (O)
• Bewick's wren, Thryomanes bewickii (Unk)
• House wren, Troglodytes aedon (Unk)
• Pacific wren, Troglodytes pacificus

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

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

• European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (I) (Unk)

Dippers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cinclidae

Dippers are small, plump birds that find their food in cold, fast-moving streams.

• American dipper, Cinclus mexicanus

Thrushes and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are mostly found in other parts of the world, but some are here too. They are plump, soft-feathered, and small to medium-sized. They eat insects or sometimes a mix of food, often finding it on the ground. Many thrushes have beautiful songs.

• Western bluebird, Sialia mexicana (Unk)
• Mountain bluebird, Sialia currucoides
• Townsend's solitaire, Myadestes townsendi (U)
• Swainson's thrush, Catharus ustulatus
• Hermit thrush, Catharus guttata
• American robin, Turdus migratorius
• Varied thrush, Ixoreus naevius

Old World Sparrows

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, cone-shaped beaks. Sparrows eat seeds, but they also eat small insects.

• House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I) (NC)

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

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

• American pipit, Anthus rubescens

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-sized and have strong beaks, usually shaped like a cone. All finches have twelve tail feathers and nine main flight feathers. These birds fly with a bouncy motion, flapping their wings and then gliding with them closed. Most of them sing well.

• Evening grosbeak, Coccothraustes vespertinus
• Pine grosbeak, Pinicola enucleator (U)
• Gray-crowned rosy-finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis
• Cassin's finch, Haemorhous cassinii (U)
• Common redpoll, Acanthis flammea (NC)
• Red crossbill, Loxia curvirostra (U)
• White-winged crossbill, Loxia leucoptera (R)
• Pine siskin, Spinus pinus
• American goldfinch, Spinus tristis

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

The Calcariidae are a group of songbirds that were once thought to be part of the New World sparrows. However, they are different in several ways and are usually found in open grassy areas.

• Snow bunting, Plectrophenax nivalis (R)

New World Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Until 2017, these birds were grouped with another family. Most of these species are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of these birds have unique patterns on their heads.

• Chipping sparrow, Spizella passerina (Unk)
• Fox sparrow, Passerella iliaca (U)
• Dark-eyed junco, Junco hyemalis
• White-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia leucophrys (Unk)
• Golden-crowned sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla (Unk)
• Vesper sparrow, Pooecetes gramineus (O)
• Savannah sparrow, Passerculus sandwichensis
• Song sparrow, Melospiza melodia
• Lincoln's sparrow, Melospiza lincolnii (U)
• Spotted towhee, Pipilo maculatus

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 grackles, New World blackbirds, and New World orioles. Most species have black as their main feather color, often brightened with yellow, orange, or red.

• Western meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta (Unk)
• Red-winged blackbird, Agelaius phoeniceus
• Brown-headed cowbird, Molothrus ater (R)
• Brewer's blackbird, Euphagus cyanocephalus (U)

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, live more on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects.

• Orange-crowned warbler, Leiothlypis celata (U)
• Nashville warbler, Leiothlypis ruficapilla (R)
• MacGillivray's warbler, Geothlypis tolmiei
• Common yellowthroat, Geothlypis trichas (U)
• Yellow warbler, Setophaga petechia
• Yellow-rumped warbler, Setophaga coronata
• Black-throated gray warbler, Setophaga nigrescens (U)
• Townsend's warbler, Setophaga townsendi
• Hermit warbler, Setophaga occidentalis
• 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. Male and female cardinals often have different colored feathers.

• Western tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
• Black-headed grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus

Learn More About Birds

• List of birds of Washington (state)
• List of birds
• Lists of birds by region
• List of North American birds