List of birds of Missouri

Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. • Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis • Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor • Snow goose, Anser caerulescens • Ross's goose, Anser rossii • Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons • Brant, Branta bernicla (C) • Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (P) (provenance uncertain) • Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii • Canada goose, Branta canadensis • Mute swan, Cygnus olor (I) • Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator • Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus • Wood duck, Aix sponsa • Garganey, Spatula querquedula (A) • Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors • Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera • Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata • Gadwall, Mareca strepera • Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (C) • American wigeon, Mareca americana • Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos • American black duck, Anas rubripes • Mottled duck, Anas fulvigula (C) • Northern pintail, Anas acuta • Green-winged teal, Anas crecca • Canvasback, Aythya valisineria • Redhead, Aythya americana • Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris • Greater scaup, Aythya marila • Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis • Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (C) • Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata • White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi • Black scoter, Melanitta americana • Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis • Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola • Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula • Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica (C) • Smew, Mergellus albellus (A) • Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus • Common merganser, Mergus merganser • Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator • Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis ==New World quail==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits. • Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus ==Pheasants, grouse, and allies==

Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies including the partridges, grouse, turkeys, and old world quail. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump, with broad, relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. • Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo • Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus • Greater prairie-chicken, Tympanuchus cupido • Lesser prairie-chicken, Tympanuchus pallidicinctus (P) • Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) ==Flamingos==

Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually feet in height, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down. • American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (P) (provenance uncertain) ==Grebes==

Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land. • Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps • Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus • Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena • Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis • Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis • Clark's grebe, Aechmorphorus clarkii (C) ==Pigeons and doves==

Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. • Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) • Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata (A) • Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) • Passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius (E) • Inca dove, Columbina inca (C) • Common ground dove, Columbina passerina (C) • White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica • Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura ==Cuckoos==

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs. • Groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris (C) • Greater roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus • Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus • Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus ==Nightjars and allies==

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves. • Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor • Common poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii (A) • Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis • Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus ==Swifts==

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long, swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang. • Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica • White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis (A) ==Hummingbirds==

Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards. • Mexican violetear, Colibri thalassinus (A) • Rivoli's hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens (A) • Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris • Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri (A) • Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna (C) • Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope (A) • Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus • Allen's hummingbird, Selasphorus sasin (A) • Broad-tailed hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus (A) • Broad-billed hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (A) ==Rails, gallinules, and coots==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers. • King rail, Rallus elegans • Virginia rail, Rallus limicola • Sora, Porzana carolina • Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata • American coot, Fulica americana • Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus • Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis • Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis (C) ==Limpkin==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae The limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes. • Limpkin, Aramus guarauna (A) ==Cranes==

Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". • Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis • Whooping crane, Grus americana (C) ==Stilts and avocets==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. • Black-necked stilt, Himantopus mexicanus • American avocet, Recurvirostra americana ==Plovers and lapwings==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water. • Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola • American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica • Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus • Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus • Piping plover, Charadrius melodus • Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia (A) • Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus • Mountain plover, Charadrius montanus (P) ==Sandpipers and allies==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food. • Upland sandpiper, Bartramia longicauda • Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus • Eskimo curlew, Numenius borealis (E) • Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (C) • Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica • Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa • Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres • Red knot, Calidris canutus • Ruff, Calidris pugnax • Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata (P) • Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus • Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (A) • Red-necked stint/little stint, Calidris ruficollis/Calidris minuta (A) • Sanderling, Calidris alba • Dunlin, Calidris alpina • Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii • Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla • White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis • Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis • Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos • Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla • Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri • Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus • Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus • American woodcock, Scolopax minor • Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata • Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius • Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria • Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes • Willet, Tringa semipalmata • Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca • Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor • Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus • Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius ==Skuas and jaegers==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae Skuas and jaegers are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers. • Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus (C) • Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A) • Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (C) ==Gulls, terns, and skimmers==

Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. • Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla • Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea (A) • Sabine's gull, Xema sabini • Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia • Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (A) • Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus • Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (A) • Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla • Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan • Short-billed gull, Larus brachyrhynchus (A) • Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis • California gull, Larus californicus • Herring gull, Larus argentatus • Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides • Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus • Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus (A) • Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens (A) • Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus • Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus • Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscata (A) • Least tern, Sternula antillarum • Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia • Black tern, Chlidonias niger • Common tern, Sterna hirundo • Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri • Black skimmer, Rynchops niger (A) ==Loons==

Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body. • Red-throated loon, Gavia stellata • Pacific loon, Gavia pacifica • Common loon, Gavia immer • Yellow-billed loon, Gavia adamsii (A) ==Northern storm-petrels==

Order: ProcellariiformesFamily: Hydrobatidae The storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like. • Band-rumped storm-petrel, Hydrobates castro (A) ==Storks==