This is a list of bird species confirmed in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Bird Records Committee of Nature Newfoundland & Labrador (Nature NL) lists 427 species as occurring in Newfoundland as of 2021. Twenty additional species were added from Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase). Of the 427 species, 114 are rare, 71 are very rare, and 27 are "rare/accidental" as defined below. Two were introduced to North America. One species is possibly extinct and two extinct species believed to have formerly been found in Labrador are not on the Nature NL checklist.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that Canadian English spellings are used and the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The following codes are used to describe some categories of occurrence.
(R) Rare - "not likely to be found annually, though apparently occurs regularly in very small numbers" per Nature NL (VR) Very rare - "recorded three times or less" per Nature NL (A) Rare/accidental per Avibase
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
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 (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (R) Ross's goose, Anser rossii (VR) Greylag goose, Anser anser (VR) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (R) Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus (R) Brant, Branta bernicla (R) Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (VR) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator (A) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (R) Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (A) Common shelduck, Tadorna tadorna (VR) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (R) Garganey, Spatula querquedula (R) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (A) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera (R) Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (VR) Redhead, Aythya americana (R) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis King eider, Somateria spectabilis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Labrador duck, Camptorhynchus labradorius (Extinct)Chilton, G. (2020). Labrador Duck (Camptorhynchus labradorius), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (A. F. Poole and F. B. Gill, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.labduc.01 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 Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (R) Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (R)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. 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.
Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus Spruce grouse, Canachites canadensis Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus Rock ptarmigan, Lagopus muta
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 (A)
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. They feed on seeds, fruit, and plants. Unlike most other birds, the doves and pigeons produce "crop milk," which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.
Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica (R) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (R) Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (R)
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 coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (R) Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis (VR)
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 long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (R) Common swift, Apus apus (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.
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna (VR) Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (VR)
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.
Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans (R) King rail, Rallus elegans (A) Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (R) Corn crake, Crex crex (R) Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata (R) Eurasian coot, Fulica atra (VR) American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (R) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis (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 (R)
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 (VR) American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (R)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus (VR) American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus (A)
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.
Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (R) Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola European golden-plover, Pluvialis apricaria (R) American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (R) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover, Charadrius melodus
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 (R) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Eskimo curlew, Numenius borealis (VR) (Possibly extinct) Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata (VR) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (VR) Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa (R) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus Ruff, Calidris pugnax (R) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea (R) Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii Little stint, Calidris minuta (VR) 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 (VR) Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (VR) Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (VR) Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola (VR) American woodcock, Scolopax minor Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (R) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (VR) Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia (VR) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (VR) Common redshank, Tringa totanus (R) 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 grey 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.
Great skua, Stercorarius skua South polar skua, Stercorarius maccormicki Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus
Auks, murres, and puffins
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture, and some of their habits, however they are only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.
Dovekie, Alle alle