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List of birds of New Brunswick facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
20240316 black capped chickadee casa PD204423
The black-capped chickadee is the official bird of New Brunswick.

New Brunswick is a province in Canada, located by the sea. It shares borders with Quebec to the north, Nova Scotia to the east, and the U.S. state of Maine to the west. The province is mostly covered by forests and has a long coastline. These different natural areas help many kinds of birds live there. Also, a big bird migration route called the Atlantic Flyway goes through New Brunswick's coast. This brings even more bird species to the province, either to live there or just to pass through.

This list of birds comes from the New Brunswick Bird Records Committee (NBBRC). As of November 19, 2023, there are 441 different bird species on their list. Some of these birds are very special:

  • (A) Accidental: A bird that doesn't usually show up in New Brunswick. It's a rare visitor!
  • (B) Breeding: A bird that lives and has babies in New Brunswick.
  • (E) Extinct: A species that no longer exists anywhere in the world.
  • (Ex) Extirpated: A species that used to live in New Brunswick but doesn't anymore, though it still lives in other places.
  • (R) Rare: A bird that is very uncommon and not expected to be seen every year.
  • (I) Introduced: A bird that was brought to North America by people, either on purpose or by accident.

This list follows a special order set by the American Ornithological Society (AOS), which helps scientists keep track of all the different bird types.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Canada goose - 53403644661 (cropped)
The Canada goose is a common sight in New Brunswick.
Mallard pair (53580816761)
A pair of Mallard ducks swimming.
Hooded merganser male in Central Park (95790)
A hooded merganser.

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 bills, and feathers that shed water easily.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Ruffed grouse conotton creek trail jewett trailhead 5.18.23 DSC 2308-topaz-denoiseraw-sharpen
A ruffed grouse standing in short grass.

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. These birds live on land and are usually plump with broad, short wings. Many are hunted for sport or raised for food.

Grebes

Pied-billed Grebe 0561
A pied-billed grebe swimming.

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, because their feet are set far back on their bodies, they are clumsy on land.

Pigeons and Doves

Mourning dove mariner point park 1.8.23 DSC 8609
A mourning dove sitting on wood.

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

Pigeons and doves are birds with sturdy bodies, short necks, and thin bills. They have strong flight muscles, which let them take off quickly and fly long distances. They eat seeds and fruits, and they feed their young a special "crop milk" from their own bodies.

Cuckoos

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The cuckoo family includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds vary in size but generally have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.

Nightjars and Allies

Common Nighthawk - 52945389427 (cropped)
A common nighthawk resting on a tree branch.

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 camouflaged to look like tree bark or leaves, helping them hide.

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.

Hummingbirds

Juvenile Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
A ruby-throated hummingbird in flight.

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!

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Virginia rail magee marsh 5.16.23 DSC 8418-topaz-denoiseraw
A Virginia rail standing in marsh waters.

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

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

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, not pulled back. Many cranes have fancy and loud dances to attract a mate.

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Recurvirostridae

This family includes avocets and stilts. Avocets have long legs and long, bills that curve upwards. Stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

Oystercatchers are large, easy-to-spot, and noisy birds. They have strong bills that they use to smash open or pry apart shellfish like clams and mussels.

Plovers and Lapwings

Charadrius melodus -Cape May, New Jersey, USA-8
A piping plover standing on sand.

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 around the world, especially near water.

Sandpipers and Allies

Semipalmated Sandpiper (34030394910)
A semipalmated sandpiper foraging in marshy waters.
Willet (49157556103)
A willet walking across a sandy shoreline.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large and varied family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. Most of these birds eat small bugs they find in mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills allow many species to feed in the same area, especially on the coast, without competing for food.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

Skuas and jaegers are medium to large seabirds with strong hooked claws, hooked bills, and webbed feet. They live over the open ocean and eat many different animals like fish, bird eggs, and small rodents. They hunt, scavenge, or even steal food from other birds.

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Posing Razorbill (52058500088)
A razorbill sitting atop a rock.
Atlantic Puffin - Fratercula arctica, Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick
An Atlantic puffin standing on a rock.

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 to penguins and can fly! Auks live on the open sea and only come to land to nest. Many Atlantic puffins and razorbills nest on Machias Seal Island, which is an island claimed by both Canada (New Brunswick) and the United States (Maine).

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
A great black-backed gull standing on a rock.
Common tern with fish
A common tern flying with a fish in its mouth.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

This family includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are usually grey or white, often with black marks on their heads or wings. Terns are generally smaller than gulls, with more pointed wings and bills. Many also have forked tails that help them fly skillfully. Both gulls and terns can be found near lakes and rivers, but gulls have also learned to live well near people in cities.

Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are tropical seabirds with very long central tail feathers. They are slender and mostly white, with long wings that have black markings, similar to their heads.

Loons

Gavia immer2 BS
A common loon swimming in water while flapping its wings.

Order: Gaviiformes   Family: Gaviidae

Loons are aquatic birds, about the size of a large duck, but they are not related to ducks. Their feathers are mostly grey or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim very well and fly adequately, but they are almost helpless on land because their legs are placed far back on their bodies.

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Diomedeidae

Albatrosses are seabirds that live over the open ocean. They are among the largest flying birds, with some of the longest wingspans of any living bird. They are mostly found on the ocean surface and mainly eat squid and fish.

Southern Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae

Storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds. They are related to petrels and eat tiny ocean creatures and small fish from the water's surface, often while hovering. Their flight is fluttery, sometimes like a bat.

Northern Storm-Petrels

Leach's Storm-petrel Saint-Jean-de-Monts 01
A Leach's storm-petrel foraging on beachy grounds with its wings up.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Hydrobatidae

Even though these birds look and act like southern storm-petrels, they have enough genetic differences to be in their own family.

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

Procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels." They have nostrils that are joined together and a long outer primary feather used for flight.

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong, long bills. They have wide wings. Unlike other wading birds, storks cannot make many sounds because their voice box (syrinx) is not fully developed.

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are black or black and white, with long wings and deeply forked tails. Male frigatebirds have colorful throat pouches that they inflate to attract females. Their large wings allow them to stay in the air for weeks. They cannot swim because their feathers are not waterproof. They often steal food from other seabirds.

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

The Sulidae family includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large seabirds that live near coasts and dive headfirst into the water to catch fish.

  • Brown booby, Sula leucogaster (A)
  • Northern gannet, Morus bassanus

Cormorants and Shags

Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo, Storskarv
A great cormorant swimming in water with its wings up.

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large water birds, usually with dark feathers and colorful skin around their faces. Their bills are long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have four webbed toes on each foot.

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.

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Great blue heron blackwater 12.30.23 DSC 5482-topaz-sharpen
A great blue heron perched on a tree branch.
BCNH CMCNJ for Wiki (cropped)
A black-crowned night heron standing on a tree branch.

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 usually have shorter necks and are more secretive. Birds in this family fly with their necks pulled back, unlike other long-necked birds like storks.

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

This family includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, wide wings and long bodies with rather long legs. Their bills are also long; ibises have bills that curve downward, while spoonbills have straight, flat bills that look like spoons.

New World Vultures

Turkey Vulture - 53106554042
A turkey vulture perched on a tree branch.

Order: Cathartiformes   Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures are not closely related to vultures found in other parts of the world, but they look similar because they adapted to similar lifestyles. Like other vultures, they are scavengers, meaning they eat dead animals. Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a great sense of smell to locate carcasses.

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The Osprey family has only one type of bird. Ospreys are fish-eating birds of prey. They have a very large, strong hooked beak for tearing meat, strong legs, powerful claws, and excellent eyesight.

  • Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (B)

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

HAWK, SHARP-SHINNED (11-30-08) canet rd, slo -08 (3073602136)
A sharp-shinned hawk.
Bald Eagle, Ontario forest
A bald eagle in flight in a forested area.

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

This family of birds of prey includes hawks, eagles, kites, and harriers. These birds have very large, strong hooked beaks for tearing meat from their prey, powerful legs, strong claws, and sharp eyesight.

Barn-Owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Owls in the Barn-Owl family are medium to large, with big heads and unique heart-shaped faces.

Owls

Short Eared Owl - 53627951266
A short-eared owl sitting on a wooden pole in front of a large field.

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

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

Kingfishers

Belted Kingfisher - Megaceryle alcyon, Big Cypress National Preserve, Ochopee, Florida, December 10, 2023
A belted kingfisher perched on the edge of a tree branch.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

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

Woodpeckers

Northern Flicker - 52406117523
A northern flicker standing on a wooden block.

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. Some have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward. Many woodpeckers tap loudly on tree trunks with their beaks.

Falcons and Caracaras

AmericanKestrel02
An American kestrel standing on a rugged tree branch.

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

This family includes falcons and caracaras. They are birds of prey that hunt during the day. They are different from hawks and eagles because they kill their prey with their beaks instead of their claws.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Empidonax alnorum CT2
An alder flycatcher perched on a small tree branch.
Sayornis phoebe -Owen Conservation Park, Madison, Wisconsin, USA-8
An eastern phoebe illuminated by sunlight perched on a wooden surface.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like other flycatchers but are stronger and have tougher bills. They don't have the complex songs of many other songbirds. Most of them are plain-looking and eat insects.

Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis

Blue-headed vireo 52214148185
A blue-headed vireo perched on the small branch of a large tree.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

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

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, like a bird of prey.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Perisoreus canadensis mercier2
A Canada jay standing on top of a dead tree.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The Corvidae family includes crows, ravens, jays, and magpies. These birds are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger species are very intelligent.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Poecile hudsonicus 28
A boreal chickadee perched on an upward tree branch in front of snowy pine branches.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

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

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

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

Swallows

PurpleMartin cajay
A purple martin perched on a metal beam.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The swallow family is 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.

Kinglets

Golden-crowned Kinglet - 53371123717
A golden-crowned kinglet perched on a small tree branch.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Regulidae

Kinglets are a small family of birds that look 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. They live in many types of forests, especially those with pine trees.

Waxwings

Cedar waxwing - 52336515239
A cedar waxwing perched on a low-hanging tree branch.

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 that look like sealing wax, which gives them their name. These birds live in northern forests. They eat insects in the summer and berries in the winter.

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have a special ability to climb down trees headfirst, unlike most other birds that only climb upwards. Nuthatches have big heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet.

Treecreepers

Brown Creeper (26346801916)
A brown creeper perched on the side of a tree.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

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

Gnatcatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae

These delicate birds look and act like Old World warblers, moving constantly through leaves to find insects. Gnatcatchers are mostly soft bluish-grey and have the typical long, sharp bill of an insect-eater. Many species have distinct black head patterns (especially males) and long, often upright, black-and-white tails.

Wrens

Winter Wren, Searsmont, Waldo Co, Maine
A winter wren calling while standing on top of a wooden surface.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

Wrens are small and often hard to see birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin, downward-curved bills. Several species often hold their tails straight up. All wrens eat insects.

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Northern mockingbird in Green-Wood Cemetery (55669)
A northern mockingbird standing on the top of a rock.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

The mimids are a family of songbirds that includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and catbirds. These birds are famous for their singing, especially their amazing ability to copy many different bird calls and other outdoor sounds. They usually have dull grey and brown feathers.

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings and mynas are small to medium-sized songbirds with strong feet. They fly strongly and directly, and most live in large groups. They prefer open areas and eat insects and fruit. Many species have dark feathers with a metallic shine.

Thrushes and Allies

Bicknell's thrush - prospect park, ny 2
A Bicknell's thrush standing on a wet, pavement ground.
American Robin - Turdus migratorius, Pohick Bay Regional Park, Mason Neck, Virginia, January 30, 2024 (53554534343)
An American robin standing in short, beige grass with dead leaves.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

Thrushes are a group of songbirds that are mostly found in the Old World (Europe, Asia, Africa). They are plump, with soft feathers, and are small to medium-sized. They eat insects or sometimes everything, often finding food on the ground. Many have beautiful songs.

Old World Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large family of small songbirds. These are mainly small birds that live in trees and eat insects. Many of them, as their name suggests, catch their prey while flying.

Old World Sparrows

House sparrow male in Prospect Park (53532)
A house sparrow standing on the edge of a concrete surface.

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 eat seeds, but they also eat small insects.

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, insect-eating birds that live in open areas and feed on the ground.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

Pine Grosbeak - 51844230805
A female pine grosbeak perched on a snowy tree branch.
Red crossbill - 53572063830
A red crossbill perched on the side of a bird feeder.

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 primary flight feathers. These birds have a bouncy flight, flapping their wings and then gliding with them closed. Most finches sing well.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

Calcariidae are a group of songbirds mostly found in North America. They live mainly in open fields, where their feathers help them blend in with their surroundings.

New World Sparrows

Song sparrow in Prospect Park (93031)
A song sparrow perched on the top of an upward-facing twig.
Dark-eyed junco - 53622352964 (cropped)
A dark-eyed junco standing on a wood surface.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

These species were once part of another family, Emberizidae. Most of these birds are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of these birds have unique patterns on their heads.

Yellow-breasted Chat

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae

The yellow-breasted chat is the only bird in its family. It is a bright, colorful songbird found in open bushy areas across North and Central America. For a long time, people weren't sure where it belonged, but in 2017, it was given its own family.

Troupials and Allies

Red-Winged Blackbird
A red-winged blackbird perched on a small, upward-facing tree branch with its head facing upwards.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteridae

Icterids are a group of small to medium-sized, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. This group 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.

New World Warblers

Northern waterthrush in Central Park (14717)
A northern waterthrush standing on a rock in shallow water.
Dendroica-aestiva-001
A yellow warbler perched on a small tree branch.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

New World warblers are a group of small, often colorful songbirds found only in the Americas. Most live in trees, but some spend more time on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects.

Cardinals and Allies

Male northern cardinal in Central Park (52612)
A northern cardinal perched on a tree branch.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Cardinalidae

Cardinals 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.

See also

  • List of birds
  • Lists of birds by region
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List of birds of New Brunswick Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.