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List of birds of Tennessee facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The northern mockingbird is the state bird of Tennessee.

This is a list of all the different types of birds that have been seen and officially recorded in the U.S. state of Tennessee. The Tennessee Bird Records Committee (TBRC) keeps this official list. As of February 2020, there were 423 different bird species on the list!

Some birds are seen regularly in Tennessee, like permanent residents or visitors during certain seasons. Others are more rare:

  • Accidental (A): These birds are very rare and show up unexpectedly.
  • Casual (C): These birds are seen sometimes, but not every year.
  • Provisional (P): There are fewer than three confirmed sightings of these birds, and no photos or specimens to prove it yet.
  • Extinct (E): These species no longer exist anywhere in the world.
  • Extirpated (Exp): These species used to live in Tennessee but are now gone from the state, though they still exist elsewhere.
  • Introduced (I): These birds were brought to North America by people, either directly or indirectly.

This list follows the scientific order from the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, which is published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). The names of the bird families come from the Clements taxonomy.

Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl

Branta-canadensis-004
Canada goose
Brautentenpaar 2008-03-21 072
Wood duck

Order: Anseriformes   Family: Anatidae

This family includes ducks, geese, and swans. These birds are perfectly built for life in water. They have webbed feet for swimming, flattened bills for feeding, and special oily feathers that shed water easily. Forty-five different species from this family have been seen in Tennessee.

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes   Family: Odontophoridae

New World quails are small, plump birds that live on the ground. They look similar to Old World quails but are not closely related. Only one species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies

Gall-dindi
Wild turkey

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

This family includes pheasants and their relatives. They are ground-dwelling birds that vary in size but are generally plump with broad, short wings. Many are hunted for sport or raised for food. Three species have been seen in Tennessee.

Grebes

Podilymbus-podiceps-001
Pied-billed grebe

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, making them clumsy on land. Six species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Pigeons and Doves

Mourning Dove on Easter day
Mourning dove

Order: Columbiformes   Family: Columbidae

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

Cuckoos

Coccyzus-americanus-001
Yellow-billed cuckoo

Order: Cuculiformes   Family: Cuculidae

The cuckoo family includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds have slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. Some cuckoos are "brood parasites," meaning they lay their eggs in other birds' nests. Three species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Nightjars and Allies

Chuck-will's-widow RWD2
Chuck-will's-widow

Order: Caprimulgiformes   Family: Caprimulgidae

Nightjars are medium-sized birds that are active at night and usually nest 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 Tennessee.

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, preferring to perch on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long, swept-back wings that look like a crescent moon. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Hummingbirds

Juvenile Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Ruby-throated hummingbird

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae

Hummingbirds are tiny birds famous for hovering in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backward! Nine species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Virginia Rail (8100205928)
Virginia rail
Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) RWD2
Common gallinule

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Rallidae

This large family includes rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. They are usually shy birds that live in thick plants near lakes, swamps, or rivers, making them hard to spot. Most have strong legs and long toes, perfect for walking on soft, uneven ground. Nine species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Limpkin

Order: Gruiformes   Family: Aramidae

The limpkin is a unique bird that looks like a large rail. It lives in marshes that have some trees or bushes.

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. Most cranes have fancy and loud courtship "dances." Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

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 Tennessee.

Plovers and Lapwings

Killdeer
Killdeer

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 are found in open areas around the world, especially near water. Seven species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Sandpipers and Allies

Wilson's Snipe (5927976111)
Wilson's snipe

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

This is a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds. It includes sandpipers, curlews, godwits, and snipes. Most of these birds eat small insects and other tiny creatures they find in mud or soil. Different bill and leg lengths allow many species to feed in the same areas without competing for food. Thirty-four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Skuas and Jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

These are medium to large birds, often with gray or brown feathers. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They are strong, agile fliers. Four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Larus-delawarensis-021
Ring-billed gull
Sterna-caspia-010
Caspian tern

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

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

Loons

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 with 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. Four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Northern Storm-Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Hydrobatidae

Storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds. They are related to petrels and feed on tiny sea creatures and small fish from the water's surface, often while hovering. Their flight is fluttering, sometimes like a bat. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

This group includes medium-sized "true petrels." They have nostrils that are joined together and a long outer primary feather. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, heavy wading birds with long legs, long necks, and strong, long bills. They have wide wingspans. Unlike other wading birds, storks do not have "powder down" feathers to clean off fish slime. Storks also cannot make sounds because they lack a voice box. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

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. Males have colorful throat pouches that they can inflate. They cannot swim or walk well and cannot take off from flat ground. They have the largest wingspan compared to their body weight of any bird, allowing them to stay in the air for over a week! One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

This family includes gannets and boobies. Both are medium-large coastal seabirds that dive headfirst into the water to catch fish. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

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

Anhingas

Order: Suliformes   Family: Anhingidae

Anhingas are water birds that look similar to cormorants, with very long necks and long, straight beaks. They eat fish and often swim with only their neck above the water, earning them the nickname "snakebird." One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Cormorants and Shags

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium to large aquatic birds, usually with dark feathers and patches of colored skin on their faces. Their bills are long, thin, and sharply hooked. They have four webbed toes. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Pelicans

Americanwhitepelican75sm
American white pelican

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Pelecanidae

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

Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns

Green heron 0060
Green heron

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 tend to have shorter necks and are more secretive. Birds in this family fly with their necks pulled back, unlike storks or ibises. Twelve species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

This family includes ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings and long bodies with long necks and legs. Their bills are also long; ibises have down-curved bills, while spoonbills have distinctively flat bills. Four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

New World Vultures

Order: Cathartiformes   Family: Cathartidae

New World vultures look like Old World vultures, but they are not closely related. They both evolved to be scavengers, eating dead animals. Unlike Old World vultures, which find food by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell to locate carcasses. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

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

Hawks, Eagles, and Kites

Red-Shouldered Hawk. 12-18-13.8
Red-shouldered hawk

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

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

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. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Owls

Barred owl
Barred owl

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

Typical owls are solitary birds of prey that are active 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. Seven species have been recorded in Tennessee.

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 Tennessee.

Woodpeckers

PileatedWoodpeckerFeedingonTree
Pileated woodpecker

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. Eight species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Falcons and Caracaras

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

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

New World and African Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittacidae

Parrots are small to large birds with a special curved beak. They can move their upper beak slightly and usually stand upright. All parrots have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward on each foot. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Tyrant Flycatchers

Great Crested Flycatcher RWD2
Great crested flycatcher

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Tyrannidae

Tyrant flycatchers are songbirds found across North and South America. They look a bit like Old World flycatchers but are stronger and have more powerful bills. Most of them eat insects. Seventeen species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis

Vireo griseus - White-eyed Vireo
White-eyed vireo

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Vireonidae

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

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 Tennessee.

Crows, Jays, and Magpies

Blue Jay Ash RWD5
Blue jay

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

This family includes crows, ravens, and jays. Corvids are larger than average songbirds, and some of the bigger species are very intelligent. Four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice

Baeolophus bicolor 15
Tufted titmouse

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Paridae

The Paridae family consists mainly of small, stocky woodland birds with short, strong bills. Some have crests on their heads. They are adaptable birds that eat a mix of seeds and insects. Three species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small ground-dwelling birds known for their often elaborate songs and display flights. Most larks are quite plain in appearance. They eat insects and seeds. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Swallows

Barn Swallow
Barn swallow

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

This family of birds is adapted 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. Eight species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Kinglets

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 gives them their name. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Waxwings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae

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

Nuthatches

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sittidae

Nuthatches are small woodland birds. They have the special ability to climb down trees headfirst, unlike most other birds that can only climb upwards. Nuthatches have large heads, short tails, and strong bills and feet. Three species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Treecreepers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Certhiidae

Treecreepers are small woodland birds that are brown on top and white underneath. They have thin, pointed, down-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. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

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-gray and have the typical long, sharp bill of an insect-eater. Many species have distinct black patterns on their heads and long, often cocked, black-and-white tails. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Wrens

Carolina wren
Carolina wren

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Troglodytidae

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

Mockingbirds and Thrashers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Mimidae

This family of songbirds includes thrashers, mockingbirds, and New World catbirds. These birds are famous for their amazing ability to copy the songs of other birds and many other sounds they hear outdoors. They usually have dull gray and brown feathers. Four species have been recorded in Tennessee.

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 Tennessee.

Thrushes and Allies

Veery in CP (43277)
Veery

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 a mix of insects and other foods, often feeding on the ground. Many have beautiful songs. Nine species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Old World Flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large family of small songbirds. These are mainly small tree-dwelling birds that eat insects, often catching their prey while flying. One species has been recorded in Tennessee.

Old World Sparrows

Passer domesticus2
House sparrow

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

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

Wagtails and Pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

This family includes wagtails, longclaws, and pipits. They are slender songbirds that feed on insects on the ground in open areas. Two species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Finches, Euphonias, and Allies

House Finch (male)
House finch (male)
House Finch (female)
House finch (female)
Goldfinch (male)
American goldfinch (male)
Goldfinch (female)
American goldfinch (female)

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are songbirds that eat seeds. They are small to medium-large and have strong, often cone-shaped beaks. All finches have twelve tail feathers and nine primary wing feathers. These birds have a bouncy flight pattern and most sing well. Ten species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Longspurs and Snow Buntings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Calcariidae

This group of songbirds was once thought to be part of the New World sparrows, but they are different in several ways. They are usually found in open grassy areas. Five species have been recorded in Tennessee.

New World Sparrows

Field sparrow in CP (41484) (cropped)
Field sparrow
Melospiza georgiana MN1
Swamp sparrow

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passerellidae

Until 2017, these species were part of another family. Most of them are called sparrows, but they are not closely related to the Old World sparrows. Many of these birds have distinct patterns on their heads. Twenty-six species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Yellow-breasted Chat

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Icteriidae

This bird was once grouped with the wood-warblers, but experts were unsure if it truly belonged there. In 2017, it was given its own family!

Troupials and Allies

Orchard Oriole
Orchard oriole

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 New World. Most species have black as their main feather color, often brightened with yellow, orange, or red. Sixteen species have been recorded in Tennessee.

New World Warblers

Limnothlypis swainsonii Nine Times SC 1
Swainson's warbler
American Redstart
American redstart

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae

Wood-warblers are a group of small and often colorful songbirds found only in the New World. Most live in trees, but some, like the ovenbird, live more on the ground. Most birds in this family eat insects. Forty-one species have been recorded in Tennessee.

Cardinals and Allies

Blue Grosbeak RWD4
Blue grosbeak

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 feather colors. Eleven species have been recorded in Tennessee.

See Also

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List of birds of Tennessee Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.