Nova Scotia bird checklist
497 bird species in 67 families have been recorded in Nova Scotia, according to eBird; about 318 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 (497 species)
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Nova Scotia right now
1Ring-billed Gull
2Rock Pigeon
3Yellow-rumped Warbler
4House Sparrow
5European Starling
6Double-crested Cormorant
7American Crow
8Green-winged Teal
9Canada Goose
10Black-bellied Plover
Nova Scotia bird checklist
497 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
- Bar-headed Goose
- Snow Goose
- Ross's Goose
- Graylag Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Tundra Bean-Goose
- Pink-footed Goose
- Brant
- Barnacle Goose
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Mute Swan
- Black Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Common Shelduck
- Muscovy Duck
- Wood Duck
- Mandarin 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
- Hooded Merganser
- Common Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Ruddy Duck
Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl
New World Quail
- Northern Bobwhite
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Wild Turkey
- Ruffed Grouse
- Willow Ptarmigan
- Rock Ptarmigan
- Spruce Grouse
- Gray Partridge
- Golden Pheasant
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Indian Peafowl
- Red Junglefowl
- Chukar
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Band-tailed Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- African Collared-Dove
- White-winged Dove
- Mourning Dove
Cuckoos
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Black-billed Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Common Nighthawk
- Chuck-will's-widow
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
Swifts
- Chimney Swift
Hummingbirds
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Black-chinned Hummingbird
- Calliope Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- King Rail
- Clapper Rail
- Virginia Rail
- Corn Crake
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Coot
- Purple Gallinule
- Yellow Rail
- Black Rail
Limpkin
- Limpkin
Cranes
- Sandhill Crane
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-necked Stilt
- American Avocet
Oystercatchers
- American Oystercatcher
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- European Golden-Plover
- American Golden-Plover
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Killdeer
- Common Ringed Plover
- Semipalmated Plover
- Piping Plover
- Northern Lapwing
- Wilson's Plover
- Snowy Plover
Sandpipers and Allies
- Upland Sandpiper
- Hudsonian Whimbrel
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Eskimo Curlew
- Bar-tailed Godwit
- Black-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
- Lesser Yellowlegs
- Willet
- Spotted Redshank
- Common Greenshank
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Red Knot
- Ruff
- Sharp-tailed Sandpiper
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Stilt Sandpiper
- 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
- Great Skua
- South Polar Skua
Auks, Murres, and Puffins
- Atlantic Puffin
- Black Guillemot
- Razorbill
- Dovekie
- Thick-billed Murre
- Common Murre
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
- Black-tailed Gull
- Common Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- Kelp Gull
- American Herring Gull
- European Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- California Gull
- Slaty-backed Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Black Skimmer
- Sooty Tern
- Bridled Tern
- Least Tern
- Gull-billed Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Black Tern
- White-winged Tern
- Forster's Tern
- Arctic Tern
- Common Tern
- Roseate Tern
- Sandwich Tern
- Royal Tern
Grebes
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Eared Grebe
- Western Grebe
Tropicbirds
- White-tailed Tropicbird
- Red-billed Tropicbird
Loons
- Red-throated Loon
- Pacific Loon
- Common Loon
Albatrosses
- Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross
- Black-browed Albatross
Southern Storm-Petrels
- Wilson's Storm-Petrel
- White-faced Storm-Petrel
Northern Storm-Petrels
- European Storm-Petrel
- Leach's Storm-Petrel
- Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Northern Fulmar
- Trindade Petrel
- Desertas Petrel
- Bermuda Petrel
- Black-capped Petrel
- Cory's Shearwater
- Scopoli's Shearwater
- Great Shearwater
- Sooty Shearwater
- Manx Shearwater
- Barolo Shearwater
- Sargasso Shearwater
Storks
- Wood Stork
Frigatebirds
- Magnificent Frigatebird
Boobies and Gannets
- Northern Gannet
- Red-footed Booby
- Brown Booby
- Masked Booby
Cormorants and Shags
- Great Cormorant
- Double-crested Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- White Ibis
- Glossy Ibis
- White-faced Ibis
Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns
- American Bittern
- Least Bittern
- Yellow-crowned Night Heron
- Black-crowned Night Heron
- Little Blue Heron
- Tricolored Heron
- Reddish Egret
- Snowy Egret
- Little Egret
- Western Reef-Heron
- Green Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Gray Heron
- Great Blue Heron
Pelicans
- American White Pelican
- Brown Pelican
New World Vultures
- Black Vulture
- Turkey Vulture
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- Swallow-tailed Kite
- Golden Eagle
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Cooper's Hawk
- American Goshawk
- Northern Harrier
- Bald Eagle
- Steller's Sea-Eagle
- Mississippi Kite
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Zone-tailed Hawk
- Swainson's Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Hawk
Barn-Owls
- American Barn Owl
Owls
- Snowy Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Northern Hawk Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Barred Owl
- Great Gray Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
- Boreal Owl
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
Kingfishers
- Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Lewis's Woodpecker
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- American Three-toed Woodpecker
- Black-backed Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Crested Caracara
- Eurasian Kestrel
- American Kestrel
- Merlin
- Gyrfalcon
- Peregrine Falcon
Tyrant Flycatchers
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Western Wood-Pewee
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Alder Flycatcher
- Willow Flycatcher
- Least Flycatcher
- Hammond's Flycatcher
- Dusky Flycatcher
- Western Flycatcher
- Eastern Phoebe
- Say's Phoebe
- Vermilion Flycatcher
- Ash-throated Flycatcher
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher
- Tropical Kingbird
- Cassin's Kingbird
- Western Kingbird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Fork-tailed Flycatcher
Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis
- White-eyed Vireo
- Bell's Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Philadelphia Vireo
- Eastern Warbling Vireo
- Western Warbling Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
Shrikes
- Brown Shrike
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Northern Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Canada Jay
- Blue Jay
- Black-billed Magpie
- Eurasian Jackdaw
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Common Raven
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- Black-capped Chickadee
- Boreal Chickadee
- Tufted Titmouse
Larks
- Horned Lark
Swallows
- Bank Swallow
- Tree Swallow
- Purple Martin
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
- Cave Swallow
Kinglets
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet
- Golden-crowned Kinglet
Nuthatches
- White-breasted Nuthatch
- Red-breasted Nuthatch
Treecreepers
- Brown Creeper
Gnatcatchers
- Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Wrens
- Rock Wren
- Northern House Wren
- Winter Wren
- Sedge Wren
- Marsh Wren
- Carolina Wren
- Bewick's Wren
Starlings
- European Starling
- Common Myna
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
- Gray Catbird
- Brown Thrasher
- Northern Mockingbird
Thrushes and Allies
- Eastern Bluebird
- Mountain Bluebird
- Townsend's Solitaire
- Varied Thrush
- Veery
- Gray-cheeked Thrush
- Bicknell's Thrush
- Swainson's Thrush
- Hermit Thrush
- Wood Thrush
- Redwing
- Fieldfare
- American Robin
Old World Flycatchers
- Northern Wheatear
Waxwings
- Bohemian Waxwing
- Cedar Waxwing
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- American Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Common Chaffinch
- Brambling
- Evening Grosbeak
- Pine Grosbeak
- Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch
- House Finch
- Purple Finch
- Redpoll
- Red Crossbill
- White-winged Crossbill
- European Goldfinch
- Pine Siskin
- American Goldfinch
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
- Lapland Longspur
- Chestnut-collared Longspur
- Smith's Longspur
- Snow Bunting
New World Sparrows
- Cassin's Sparrow
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- Chipping Sparrow
- Clay-colored Sparrow
- Field Sparrow
- Brewer's 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
- Bell's Sparrow
- Vesper Sparrow
- LeConte's Sparrow
- Seaside Sparrow
- Nelson's Sparrow
- Saltmarsh Sparrow
- Savannah Sparrow
- Henslow'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
- Hooded Oriole
- Bullock's Oriole
- Baltimore Oriole
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Shiny Cowbird
- Bronzed Cowbird
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- Brewer's Blackbird
- Common Grackle
- Great-tailed Grackle
New World Warblers
- Ovenbird
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Northern Waterthrush
- Golden-winged Warbler
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Swainson's Warbler
- Tennessee Warbler
- Orange-crowned Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Virginia's Warbler
- Connecticut Warbler
- MacGillivray's Warbler
- Mourning Warbler
- Kentucky Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Hooded Warbler
- American Redstart
- Cape May Warbler
- Cerulean 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 Nova Scotia
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 Nova Scotia’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Ring-billed GullLarus delawarensis
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Double-crested CormorantNannopterum auritum
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- Green-winged TealAnas crecca
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Black-bellied PloverPluvialis squatarola
- DunlinCalidris alpina
- Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalis
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- American Golden-PloverPluvialis dominica
- Ring-necked DuckAythya collaris
- Pine SiskinSpinus pinus
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
Largest bird families in Nova Scotia
Among its regular birds.
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl41
- Sandpipers and Allies29
- New World Warblers27
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers22
- New World Sparrows18
- Troupials and Allies11
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites11
- Finches, Euphonias, and Allies9
Reported in the last 30 days
247 species reported to eBird in Nova Scotia in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Peregrine Falcon, Rock Pigeon, American Herring Gull, American Crow, Double-crested Cormorant, Ring-billed Gull, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Cedar Waxwing, European Starling, Blue Jay, Black-capped Chickadee, Song Sparrow, Common Grackle, House Sparrow, Northern Flicker, Red-winged Blackbird, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Pine Siskin, Bald Eagle, Ruddy Turnstone, American Golden-Plover, American Black Duck, Hudsonian Godwit, Dunlin, Black-bellied Plover, Dark-eyed Junco, Green-winged Teal, Northern Gannet, Northern Cardinal, Ring-necked Pheasant, Mallard, Canada Goose, Red-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Common Raven, White-breasted Nuthatch, White-winged Scoter, Ruffed Grouse, Pileated Woodpecker, Merlin, …
Get to know some of them
Dunlin
Dark-eyed Junco
Mallard
Cedar Waxwing
American Golden-Plover
Ring-necked Duck
Pine Siskin
American Robin
Red-winged Blackbird
Blue Jay
Common Grackle
Song Sparrow
Ruddy Turnstone
American Wigeon