Alberta bird checklist
455 bird species in 62 families have been recorded in Alberta, according to eBird; about 316 of them are seen regularly, and the rest are rarities, vagrants and escaped or introduced birds. Download the full list as a PDF, or tick birds off on your phone, with counts and notes, even without signal.
Download the PDF (455 species)
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Alberta right now
1Ring-billed Gull
2Rock Pigeon
3Canada Goose
4House Sparrow
5American Wigeon
6Snow Goose
7American Robin
8Northern Pintail
9American Crow
10Blue-winged Teal
Alberta bird checklist
455 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Snow Goose
- Ross's Goose
- Graylag Goose
- Swan Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Tundra Bean-Goose
- Pink-footed Goose
- Brant
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Mute Swan
- Black Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Whooper Swan
- Muscovy Duck
- Wood Duck
- Garganey
- Blue-winged Teal
- Cinnamon Teal
- Northern Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Eurasian Wigeon
- American Wigeon
- Mallard
- American Black Duck
- Northern Pintail
- Green-winged Teal
- Canvasback
- Redhead
- Ring-necked Duck
- Tufted Duck
- Greater Scaup
- Lesser Scaup
- King Eider
- Common Eider
- Harlequin Duck
- Surf Scoter
- White-winged Scoter
- Black Scoter
- Long-tailed Duck
- Bufflehead
- Common Goldeneye
- Barrow's Goldeneye
- Smew
- Hooded Merganser
- Common Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Ruddy Duck
Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl
New World Quail
- Northern Bobwhite
- California Quail
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Wild Turkey
- Ruffed Grouse
- Greater Sage-Grouse
- Dusky Grouse
- Sharp-tailed Grouse
- White-tailed Ptarmigan
- Willow Ptarmigan
- Rock Ptarmigan
- Spruce Grouse
- Gray Partridge
- Golden Pheasant
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Red Junglefowl
- Red-legged Partridge
- Chukar
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Band-tailed Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- White-winged Dove
- Mourning Dove
Cuckoos
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Black-billed Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Common Nighthawk
- Common Poorwill
Swifts
- Black Swift
- Chimney Swift
- Vaux's Swift
- White-throated Swift
Hummingbirds
- Mexican Violetear
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Black-chinned Hummingbird
- Anna's Hummingbird
- Costa's Hummingbird
- Calliope Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Broad-billed Hummingbird
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- Virginia Rail
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Coot
- Yellow Rail
Cranes
- Sandhill Crane
- Whooping Crane
- Common Crane
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-necked Stilt
- American Avocet
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- American Golden-Plover
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Killdeer
- Semipalmated Plover
- Piping Plover
- Mountain Plover
- Snowy Plover
Sandpipers and Allies
- Upland Sandpiper
- Hudsonian Whimbrel
- Long-billed Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Hudsonian Godwit
- Marbled Godwit
- Short-billed Dowitcher
- Long-billed Dowitcher
- American Woodcock
- Wilson's Snipe
- Wilson's Phalarope
- Red Phalarope
- Red-necked Phalarope
- Spotted Sandpiper
- Solitary Sandpiper
- Wandering Tattler
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Willet
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Black Turnstone
- Red Knot
- Surfbird
- Ruff
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Red-necked Stint
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper
- Sanderling
- Dunlin
- Purple Sandpiper
- Baird's Sandpiper
- Little Stint
- White-rumped Sandpiper
- Least Sandpiper
- Pectoral Sandpiper
- Western Sandpiper
- Semipalmated Sandpiper
Skuas and Jaegers
- Long-tailed Jaeger
- Parasitic Jaeger
- Pomarine Jaeger
Auks, Murres, and Puffins
- Long-billed Murrelet
- Ancient Murrelet
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Little Gull
- Ross's Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Ivory Gull
- Sabine's Gull
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Franklin's Gull
- Short-billed Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- Western Gull
- American Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- California Gull
- Glaucous-winged Gull
- Slaty-backed Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Least Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Black Tern
- Forster's Tern
- Arctic Tern
- Common Tern
Grebes
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Eared Grebe
- Western Grebe
- Clark's Grebe
Loons
- Red-throated Loon
- Pacific Loon
- Common Loon
- Yellow-billed Loon
Cormorants and Shags
- Double-crested Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- Glossy Ibis
- White-faced Ibis
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- American Bittern
- Yellow-crowned Night Heron
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Little Blue Heron
- Tricolored Heron
- Snowy Egret
- Green Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Great Blue Heron
Pelicans
- American White Pelican
New World Vultures
- Black Vulture
- Turkey Vulture
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Golden Eagle
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Cooper's Hawk
- American Goshawk
- Northern Harrier
- Bald Eagle
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Swainson's Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
Barn-Owls
- American Barn Owl
Owls
- Flammulated Owl
- Western Screech-Owl
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Snowy Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Northern Hawk Owl
- Northern Pygmy-Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Barred Owl
- Great Gray Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
- Boreal Owl
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
Kingfishers
- Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers
- Williamson's Sapsucker
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Red-naped Sapsucker
- Red-breasted Sapsucker
- Lewis's Woodpecker
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Acorn Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- American Three-toed Woodpecker
- Black-backed Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Crested Caracara
- American Kestrel
- Merlin
- Gyrfalcon
- Peregrine Falcon
- Prairie Falcon
Cockatoos
- Cockatiel
- Little Corella
Old World Parrots
- Budgerigar
New World and African Parrots
- Mitred Parakeet
Tyrant Flycatchers
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Western Wood-Pewee
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
- Alder Flycatcher
- Willow Flycatcher
- Least Flycatcher
- Hammond's Flycatcher
- Gray Flycatcher
- Dusky Flycatcher
- Western Flycatcher
- Eastern Phoebe
- Say's Phoebe
- Vermilion Flycatcher
- Ash-throated Flycatcher
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Western Kingbird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis
- White-eyed Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Cassin's Vireo
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Philadelphia Vireo
- Eastern Warbling Vireo
- Western Warbling Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
Shrikes
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Northern Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Canada Jay
- Pinyon Jay
- Steller's Jay
- Blue Jay
- Black-billed Magpie
- Clark's Nutcracker
- American Crow
- Common Raven
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Mountain Chickadee
- Chestnut-backed Chickadee
- Boreal Chickadee
Larks
- Horned Lark
Swallows
- Bank Swallow
- Tree Swallow
- Violet-green Swallow
- Purple Martin
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
Kinglets
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
Nuthatches
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Pygmy Nuthatch
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
Treecreepers
- Brown Creeper
Gnatcatchers
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wrens
- Rock Wren
- Northern House Wren
- Pacific Wren
- Winter Wren
- Sedge Wren
- Marsh Wren
- Carolina Wren
Dippers
- American Dipper
Starlings
- European Starling
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
- Gray Catbird
- Curve-billed Thrasher
- Brown Thrasher
- Bendire's Thrasher
- Sage Thrasher
- Northern Mockingbird
Thrushes and Allies
- Eastern Bluebird
- Western Bluebird
- Mountain Bluebird
- Townsend's Solitaire
- Varied Thrush
- Veery
- Gray-cheeked Thrush
- Swainson's Thrush
- Hermit Thrush
- Wood Thrush
- American Robin
Old World Flycatchers
- Northern Wheatear
Waxwings
- Bohemian Waxwing
- Cedar Waxwing
Accentors
- Siberian Accentor
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- Eastern Yellow Wagtail
- American Pipit
- Sprague's Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Brambling
- Evening Grosbeak
- Pine Grosbeak
- Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
- House Finch
- Purple Finch
- Cassin's Finch
- Redpoll
- Red Crossbill
- White-winged Crossbill
- European Goldfinch
- Pine Siskin
- Lesser Goldfinch
- American Goldfinch
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
- Lapland Longspur
- Chestnut-collared Longspur
- Smith's Longspur
- Thick-billed Longspur
- Snow Bunting
New World Sparrows
- Cassin's Sparrow
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- Chipping Sparrow
- Clay-colored Sparrow
- Field Sparrow
- Brewer's Sparrow
- Black-throated Sparrow
- Lark Sparrow
- Lark Bunting
- American Tree Sparrow
- Fox Sparrow
- Dark-eyed Junco
- White-crowned Sparrow
- Golden-crowned Sparrow
- Harris's Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- Sagebrush Sparrow
- Vesper Sparrow
- LeConte's Sparrow
- Nelson's Sparrow
- Savannah Sparrow
- Baird's Sparrow
- Song Sparrow
- Lincoln's Sparrow
- Swamp Sparrow
- Green-tailed Towhee
- Spotted Towhee
- Eastern Towhee
Yellow-breasted Chat
- Yellow-breasted Chat
Troupials and Allies
- Yellow-headed Blackbird
- Bobolink
- Western Meadowlark
- Eastern Meadowlark
- Orchard Oriole
- Bullock's Oriole
- Baltimore Oriole
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- Brewer's Blackbird
- Common Grackle
- Great-tailed Grackle
New World Warblers
- Ovenbird
- Northern Waterthrush
- Golden-winged Warbler
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Tennessee Warbler
- Orange-crowned Warbler
- Lucy's Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Connecticut Warbler
- MacGillivray's Warbler
- Mourning Warbler
- Kentucky Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Hooded Warbler
- American Redstart
- Cape May Warbler
- Northern Parula
- Magnolia Warbler
- Bay-breasted Warbler
- Blackburnian Warbler
- Northern Yellow Warbler
- Chestnut-sided Warbler
- Blackpoll Warbler
- Black-throated Blue Warbler
- Palm Warbler
- Pine Warbler
- Yellow-rumped Warbler
- Yellow-throated Warbler
- Prairie Warbler
- Black-throated Gray Warbler
- Townsend's Warbler
- Hermit Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Canada Warbler
- Wilson's Warbler
Cardinals and Allies
- Summer Tanager
- Scarlet Tanager
- Western Tanager
- Northern Cardinal
- Rose-breasted Grosbeak
- Black-headed Grosbeak
- Blue Grosbeak
- Lazuli Bunting
- Indigo Bunting
- Painted Bunting
- Dickcissel
Most common birds in Alberta
Ranked by how recently and how widely each was reported to eBird in the 30 days to 2026-10-13, and whether it is one of Alberta’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- American WigeonMareca americana
- Snow GooseAnser caerulescens
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Northern PintailAnas acuta
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- Blue-winged TealSpatula discors
- Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
- American CootFulica americana
- Lesser ScaupAythya affinis
- Greater White-fronted GooseAnser albifrons
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
Largest bird families in Alberta
Among its regular birds.
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl38
- Sandpipers and Allies30
- New World Warblers25
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers22
- New World Sparrows19
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites11
- Troupials and Allies11
- Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies11
Reported in the last 30 days
254 species reported to eBird in Alberta in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Rock Pigeon, Greater White-fronted Goose, Trumpeter Swan, Red-breasted Nuthatch, Northern Flicker, House Finch, American Robin, Black-capped Chickadee, Black-billed Magpie, Ring-billed Gull, American Coot, Blue-winged Teal, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, American Crow, Snow Goose, Golden-crowned Kinglet, White-breasted Nuthatch, Dark-eyed Junco, Canada Goose, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Canada Jay, American Tree Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Cedar Waxwing, Downy Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Greater Yellowlegs, American Wigeon, Bald Eagle, Western Meadowlark, Tundra Swan, Bufflehead, Cackling Goose, Canvasback, Common Raven, Northern Pintail, Mallard, Eared Grebe, Lesser Scaup, …
Get to know some of them
Dark-eyed Junco
American Coot
Lesser Scaup
Greater White-fronted Goose
Mallard
Greater Yellowlegs
European Starling
Blue Jay
Ring-necked Duck
Cedar Waxwing
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Northern Shoveler
Black-capped Chickadee
Northern Flicker