Kentucky bird checklist
426 bird species in 70 families have been recorded in Kentucky, according to eBird; about 310 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 (426 species)
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in Kentucky right now
1Rock Pigeon
2House Sparrow
3Mourning Dove
4Turkey Vulture
5American Crow
6Double-crested Cormorant
7Red-tailed Hawk
8American Robin
9Killdeer
10Cedar Waxwing
Kentucky bird checklist
426 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
- Fulvous Whistling-Duck
- Bar-headed Goose
- Snow Goose
- Ross's Goose
- Graylag Goose
- Swan Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Pink-footed Goose
- Brant
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Mute Swan
- Black Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Egyptian Goose
- Muscovy Duck
- Wood Duck
- Mandarin Duck
- Blue-winged Teal
- Cinnamon Teal
- Northern Shoveler
- Gadwall
- Eurasian Wigeon
- American Wigeon
- Mallard
- American Black Duck
- Mottled Duck
- White-cheeked Pintail
- Northern Pintail
- Green-winged Teal
- Canvasback
- Redhead
- Ring-necked Duck
- Tufted Duck
- Greater Scaup
- Lesser Scaup
- King 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
- Greater Prairie-Chicken
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Indian Peafowl
- Chukar
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- Band-tailed Pigeon
- Passenger Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- African Collared-Dove
- Inca Dove
- Common Ground Dove
- White-winged Dove
- Mourning Dove
Cuckoos
- Groove-billed Ani
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Black-billed Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Lesser Nighthawk
- Common Nighthawk
- Chuck-will's-widow
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
Swifts
- Chimney Swift
Hummingbirds
- Mexican Violetear
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Black-chinned Hummingbird
- Anna's Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Allen's Hummingbird
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- King Rail
- Clapper Rail
- Virginia Rail
- Spotted Rail
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Coot
- Purple Gallinule
- Yellow Rail
Limpkin
- Limpkin
Cranes
- Sandhill Crane
- Whooping Crane
Stilts and Avocets
- Black-necked Stilt
- American Avocet
Oystercatchers
- American Oystercatcher
Plovers and Lapwings
- Black-bellied Plover
- American Golden-Plover
- Killdeer
- Semipalmated Plover
- Piping Plover
Sandpipers and Allies
- Upland Sandpiper
- Hudsonian Whimbrel
- 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
- Greater Yellowlegs
- Ruddy Turnstone
- Red Knot
- Ruff
- Curlew Sandpiper
- Stilt Sandpiper
- Red-necked Stint
- Buff-breasted Sandpiper
- Sanderling
- Dunlin
- 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
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Little Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Sabine's Gull
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Franklin's Gull
- Short-billed Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- American Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- California Gull
- Glaucous-winged Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Black Skimmer
- Sooty Tern
- Least Tern
- Gull-billed Tern
- Caspian Tern
- Black Tern
- Forster's Tern
- Arctic Tern
- Common Tern
- Sandwich Tern
Flamingos
- American Flamingo
Grebes
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Eared Grebe
- Western Grebe
Loons
- Red-throated Loon
- Pacific Loon
- Common Loon
- Yellow-billed Loon
Northern Storm-Petrels
- Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Black-capped Petrel
- Great Shearwater
- Sargasso Shearwater
Storks
- Wood Stork
Frigatebirds
- Magnificent Frigatebird
Boobies and Gannets
- Northern Gannet
- Brown Booby
Anhingas
- Anhinga
Cormorants and Shags
- Double-crested Cormorant
- Neotropic Cormorant
Ibises and Spoonbills
- White Ibis
- Glossy Ibis
- White-faced Ibis
- Roseate Spoonbill
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
- Green Heron
- Western Cattle-Egret
- Great Egret
- Great Blue Heron
Pelicans
- American White Pelican
- Brown Pelican
New World Vultures
- Black Vulture
- Turkey Vulture
Osprey
- Osprey
Hawks, Eagles, and Kites
- White-tailed Kite
- Swallow-tailed Kite
- Golden Eagle
- Sharp-shinned Hawk
- Cooper's Hawk
- American Goshawk
- Northern Harrier
- Bald Eagle
- Mississippi Kite
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Swainson's Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged Hawk
- Ferruginous Hawk
Barn-Owls
- American Barn Owl
Owls
- Eastern Screech-Owl
- Snowy Owl
- Great Horned Owl
- Burrowing Owl
- Barred Owl
- Long-eared Owl
- Short-eared Owl
- Northern Saw-whet Owl
Kingfishers
- Belted Kingfisher
Woodpeckers
- Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
- Red-headed Woodpecker
- Red-bellied Woodpecker
- Downy Woodpecker
- Red-cockaded Woodpecker
- Hairy Woodpecker
- Ivory-billed Woodpecker
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
Falcons and Caracaras
- American Kestrel
- Merlin
- Peregrine Falcon
- Prairie Falcon
Cockatoos
- Cockatiel
Old World Parrots
- Budgerigar
New World and African Parrots
- Carolina Parakeet
Tyrant Flycatchers
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Alder Flycatcher
- Willow Flycatcher
- Least Flycatcher
- Eastern Phoebe
- Say's Phoebe
- Vermilion Flycatcher
- Ash-throated Flycatcher
- Great Crested Flycatcher
- Western Kingbird
- Eastern Kingbird
- Gray Kingbird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Vireos, Shrike-Babblers, and Erpornis
- White-eyed Vireo
- Bell's Vireo
- Yellow-throated Vireo
- Blue-headed Vireo
- Plumbeous Vireo
- Philadelphia Vireo
- Eastern Warbling Vireo
- Western Warbling Vireo
- Red-eyed Vireo
Shrikes
- Loggerhead Shrike
- Northern Shrike
Crows, Jays, and Magpies
- Blue Jay
- American Crow
- Fish Crow
- Common Raven
Tits, Chickadees, and Titmice
- Carolina Chickadee
- Black-capped 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
- Brown-headed 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
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
- Swainson's Thrush
- Hermit Thrush
- Wood Thrush
- American Robin
Waxwings
- Cedar Waxwing
Weavers and Allies
- Northern Red Bishop
Waxbills and Allies
- Zebra Finch
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
- Eurasian Tree Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- American Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Evening Grosbeak
- House Finch
- Purple Finch
- Redpoll
- Red Crossbill
- White-winged Crossbill
- European Goldfinch
- Pine Siskin
- Lesser Goldfinch
- American Goldfinch
Longspurs and Snow Buntings
- Lapland Longspur
- Smith's Longspur
- Snow Bunting
New World Sparrows
- Bachman'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
- Harris's Sparrow
- White-throated Sparrow
- Sagebrush Sparrow
- Vesper Sparrow
- LeConte's Sparrow
- Nelson's 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
- Scott's Oriole
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- Brewer's Blackbird
- Common Grackle
New World Warblers
- Ovenbird
- Worm-eating Warbler
- Louisiana Waterthrush
- Northern Waterthrush
- Bachman's Warbler
- Golden-winged Warbler
- Blue-winged Warbler
- Black-and-white Warbler
- Prothonotary Warbler
- Swainson's Warbler
- Tennessee Warbler
- Orange-crowned Warbler
- Nashville Warbler
- Connecticut Warbler
- Mourning Warbler
- Kentucky Warbler
- Common Yellowthroat
- Hooded Warbler
- American Redstart
- Kirtland's Warbler
- 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
- 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
- Indigo Bunting
- Painted Bunting
- Dickcissel
Most common birds in Kentucky
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 Kentucky’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchos
- Double-crested CormorantNannopterum auritum
- Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensis
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorum
- Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata
- Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
- Lesser YellowlegsTringa flavipes
- Great EgretArdea alba
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Palm WarblerSetophaga palmarum
- Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolor
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
Largest bird families in Kentucky
Among its regular birds.
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl42
- New World Warblers33
- Sandpipers and Allies27
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers23
- New World Sparrows17
- Troupials and Allies11
- Hawks, Eagles, and Kites10
- Thrushes and Allies9
Reported in the last 30 days
219 species reported to eBird in Kentucky in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, American Crow, Rock Pigeon, Cedar Waxwing, House Finch, House Sparrow, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee, Mourning Dove, Tufted Titmouse, White-eyed Vireo, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Field Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, American Robin, Palm Warbler, Lesser Yellowlegs, Bald Eagle, Belted Kingfisher, Killdeer, Great Blue Heron, Northern Flicker, Red-shouldered Hawk, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Bay-breasted Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Tennessee Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, Song Sparrow, Black Vulture, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Double-crested Cormorant, Great Egret, White-throated Sparrow, Common Grackle, …
Get to know some of them
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Great Blue Heron
Lesser Yellowlegs
Great Egret
European Starling
Blue Jay
Canada Goose
Palm Warbler
Tree Swallow
Red-winged Blackbird
Northern Flicker
House Finch
Tennessee Warbler
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Other regions of United States
- Alabama (495)
- Alaska (592)
- Arizona (627)
- Arkansas (442)
- California (900)
- Colorado (553)
- Connecticut (485)
- Delaware (460)
- District of Columbia (341)
- Florida (734)
- Georgia (478)
- Hawaii (362)
- Idaho (458)
- Illinois (513)
- Indiana (453)
- Iowa (448)
- Kansas (494)
- Louisiana (518)
- Maine (483)
- Maryland (514)
- Massachusetts (581)
- Michigan (488)
- Minnesota (474)
- Mississippi (438)
- Missouri (443)
- Montana (468)
- Nebraska (490)
- Nevada (524)
- New Hampshire (447)
- New Jersey (547)
- New Mexico (598)
- New York (605)
- North Carolina (519)
- North Dakota (434)
- Ohio (495)
- Oklahoma (490)
- Oregon (591)
- Pennsylvania (508)
- Rhode Island (447)
- South Carolina (484)
- South Dakota (452)
- Tennessee (472)
- Texas (791)
- Utah (508)
- Vermont (412)
- Virginia (540)
- Washington (579)
- West Virginia (392)
- Wisconsin (508)
- Wyoming (473)