North Carolina bird checklist
519 bird species in 74 families have been recorded in North Carolina, according to eBird; about 391 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 (519 species)
Species data: eBird.org, updated · How these lists are made
The most common birds in North Carolina right now
1Yellow-rumped Warbler
2Double-crested Cormorant
3European Starling
4House Sparrow
5Canada Goose
6Red-winged Blackbird
7Killdeer
8Mallard
9Turkey Vulture
10Mourning Dove
North Carolina bird checklist
519 species · loading the checklist tools…
Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl
- Plumed Whistling-Duck
- White-faced Whistling-Duck
- Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
- Fulvous Whistling-Duck
- Snow Goose
- Ross's Goose
- Graylag Goose
- Swan Goose
- Greater White-fronted Goose
- Brant
- Barnacle Goose
- Cackling Goose
- Canada Goose
- Mute Swan
- Black Swan
- Trumpeter Swan
- Tundra Swan
- Egyptian Goose
- Muscovy Duck
- Wood Duck
- Mandarin Duck
- Garganey
- 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
- Marbled Duck
- 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
- Hooded Merganser
- Common Merganser
- Red-breasted Merganser
- Masked Duck
- Ruddy Duck
Guineafowl
- Helmeted Guineafowl
New World Quail
- Northern Bobwhite
Pheasants, Grouse, and Allies
- Wild Turkey
- Ruffed Grouse
- Golden Pheasant
- Ring-necked Pheasant
- Indian Peafowl
- Red Junglefowl
- Chukar
Pigeons and Doves
- Rock Pigeon
- White-crowned Pigeon
- Band-tailed Pigeon
- Eurasian Collared-Dove
- African Collared-Dove
- Common Ground Dove
- White-winged Dove
- Mourning Dove
Cuckoos
- Smooth-billed Ani
- Groove-billed Ani
- Yellow-billed Cuckoo
- Black-billed Cuckoo
Nightjars and Allies
- Common Nighthawk
- Antillean Nighthawk
- Chuck-will's-widow
- Eastern Whip-poor-will
Swifts
- Chimney Swift
- Common Swift
- White-throated Swift
Hummingbirds
- Mexican Violetear
- Green-breasted Mango
- Ruby-throated Hummingbird
- Black-chinned Hummingbird
- Anna's Hummingbird
- Calliope Hummingbird
- Rufous Hummingbird
- Allen's Hummingbird
- Broad-tailed Hummingbird
- Broad-billed Hummingbird
- Buff-bellied Hummingbird
Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
- King Rail
- Clapper Rail
- Virginia Rail
- Sora
- Common Gallinule
- American Coot
- Purple Gallinule
- Yellow Rail
- Black 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
- Pacific Golden-Plover
- Killdeer
- Common Ringed Plover
- Semipalmated Plover
- Piping Plover
- Northern Lapwing
- Wilson's Plover
- Mountain Plover
- Snowy Plover
Sandpipers and Allies
- Upland Sandpiper
- Hudsonian Whimbrel
- Eurasian Whimbrel
- Long-billed 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
- 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
- Long-billed Murrelet
- Black Guillemot
- Razorbill
- Dovekie
- Thick-billed Murre
- Common Murre
Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
- Little Gull
- Black-legged Kittiwake
- Sabine's Gull
- Bonaparte's Gull
- Black-headed Gull
- Laughing Gull
- Franklin's Gull
- Black-tailed Gull
- Heermann's Gull
- Common Gull
- Short-billed Gull
- Ring-billed Gull
- American Herring Gull
- Great Black-backed Gull
- Glaucous Gull
- Lesser Black-backed Gull
- California Gull
- Slaty-backed Gull
- Iceland Gull
- Black Skimmer
- Brown Noddy
- 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
- Elegant Tern
- Royal Tern
Flamingos
- American Flamingo
Grebes
- Pied-billed Grebe
- Horned Grebe
- Red-necked Grebe
- Eared Grebe
- Western Grebe
- Clark's 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
- Black-bellied Storm-Petrel
Northern Storm-Petrels
- European Storm-Petrel
- Leach's Storm-Petrel
- Swinhoe's Storm-Petrel
- Band-rumped Storm-Petrel
Shearwaters and Petrels
- Northern Fulmar
- Trindade Petrel
- Zino's Petrel
- Desertas Petrel
- Bermuda Petrel
- Black-capped Petrel
- Bulwer's Petrel
- Tahiti Petrel
- Cory's Shearwater
- Scopoli's Shearwater
- Cape Verde Shearwater
- Great Shearwater
- Wedge-tailed Shearwater
- Sooty Shearwater
- Manx Shearwater
- Sargasso Shearwater
Storks
- Wood Stork
Frigatebirds
- Magnificent Frigatebird
Boobies and Gannets
- Northern Gannet
- Red-footed Booby
- Brown Booby
- Masked Booby
Anhingas
- Anhinga
Cormorants and Shags
- Great Cormorant
- 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
- Little 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
- Snail Kite
- Broad-winged Hawk
- Red-shouldered Hawk
- Swainson's Hawk
- Red-tailed Hawk
- Rough-legged 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
- Pileated Woodpecker
- Northern Flicker
Falcons and Caracaras
- Crested Caracara
- American Kestrel
- Merlin
- Gyrfalcon
- Peregrine Falcon
Old World Parrots
- Budgerigar
- Rosy-faced Lovebird
New World and African Parrots
- Monk Parakeet
- Nanday Parakeet
Tyrant Flycatchers
- Olive-sided Flycatcher
- Eastern Wood-Pewee
- Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
- Acadian Flycatcher
- Alder Flycatcher
- Willow Flycatcher
- Least Flycatcher
- Hammond's Flycatcher
- Gray 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
- Gray Kingbird
- Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
- Fork-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
- Red-eyed Vireo
- Yellow-green Vireo
- Black-whiskered 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
- Violet-green Swallow
- Purple Martin
- Northern Rough-winged Swallow
- Barn Swallow
- Cliff Swallow
- Cave Swallow
Bulbuls
- Red-whiskered Bulbul
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
- Northern House Wren
- Winter Wren
- Sedge Wren
- Marsh Wren
- Carolina Wren
- Bewick's Wren
Starlings
- European Starling
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
- Gray Catbird
- Brown Thrasher
- Sage 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
- American Robin
Old World Flycatchers
- Northern Wheatear
Waxwings
- Cedar Waxwing
Weavers and Allies
- Northern Red Bishop
Waxbills and Allies
- Orange-cheeked Waxbill
Old World Sparrows
- House Sparrow
Wagtails and Pipits
- White Wagtail
- American Pipit
- Sprague's Pipit
Finches, Euphonias, and Allies
- Brambling
- Evening Grosbeak
- House Finch
- Purple Finch
- Redpoll
- Red Crossbill
- White-winged Crossbill
- 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
- Bachman's Sparrow
- Grasshopper Sparrow
- Chipping Sparrow
- Clay-colored Sparrow
- Field 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
- 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
- Scott's Oriole
- Red-winged Blackbird
- Shiny Cowbird
- Bronzed Cowbird
- Brown-headed Cowbird
- Rusty Blackbird
- Brewer's Blackbird
- Common Grackle
- Boat-tailed 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
- MacGillivray's 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
- Townsend's Warbler
- Black-throated Green Warbler
- Canada Warbler
- Wilson's Warbler
- Painted Redstart
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 North Carolina
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 North Carolina’s regular birds. The list follows the seasons: migrants rise in spring and autumn.
- Yellow-rumped WarblerSetophaga coronata
- Double-crested CormorantNannopterum auritum
- European StarlingSturnus vulgaris
- House SparrowPasser domesticus
- Canada GooseBranta canadensis
- Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceus
- KilldeerCharadrius vociferus
- MallardAnas platyrhynchos
- Turkey VultureCathartes aura
- Mourning DoveZenaida macroura
- Great EgretArdea alba
- American RobinTurdus migratorius
- Common GrackleQuiscalus quiscula
- American RedstartSetophaga ruticilla
- Great Blue HeronArdea herodias
- Northern FlickerColaptes auratus
- Rock PigeonColumba livia
- Greater YellowlegsTringa melanoleuca
- Blue JayCyanocitta cristata
- Ruby-crowned KingletCorthylio calendula
Largest bird families in North Carolina
Among its regular birds.
- Ducks, Geese, and Waterfowl45
- New World Warblers38
- Sandpipers and Allies30
- Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers29
- New World Sparrows22
- Troupials and Allies13
- Tyrant Flycatchers13
- Herons, Egrets, and Bitterns12
Reported in the last 30 days
318 species reported to eBird in North Carolina in the 30 days to 2026-10-13. The 40 most recently reported:
Gray Catbird, Cape May Warbler, Pied-billed Grebe, Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle, Northern Mockingbird, Carolina Chickadee, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Killdeer, Double-crested Cormorant, Northern Cardinal, American Redstart, European Starling, Eastern Phoebe, Mallard, House Sparrow, Canada Goose, Red-bellied Woodpecker, House Finch, Turkey Vulture, Blue Jay, Northern Parula, Northern Flicker, American Goldfinch, Northern Waterthrush, Magnolia Warbler, Eastern Towhee, Eastern Bluebird, Downy Woodpecker, Red-shouldered Hawk, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Carolina Wren, White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Mourning Dove, Brown Thrasher, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Brown-headed Nuthatch, Ovenbird, …
Get to know some of them
Great Egret
American Robin
Common Grackle
American Redstart
Great Blue Heron
Northern Flicker
Rock Pigeon
Greater Yellowlegs
Blue Jay
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Ring-billed Gull
Barn Swallow
Northern Parula
American Kestrel
Other regions of United States
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