This list of birds of the Yukon includes species documented in the Canadian territory of the Yukon. Unless otherwise noted, the list is that of the Yukon Bird Club (YBC). As of 2021, there were 348 species included in that list. Of them, 58 are casual and 60 are accidental; both terms are defined below. Four have been introduced to the Yukon or elsewhere in North America.
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 tags are used to describe some categories of occurrence.
(C) Casual - at least two records but not recorded every year per the YBC (A) Accidental - recorded only once per the YBC (I) Introduced - a species that has been introduced to the Yukon by the actions of humans, either directly or indirectly
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.
Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii (C) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Taiga bean-goose, Anser fabalis (A) Tundra bean-goose, Anser serrirostris (A) Brant, Branta bernicla Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Whooper swan, Cygnus cygnus (C) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (C) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes (A) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (C) Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis King eider, Somateria spectabilis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi Black scoter, Melanitta americana (C) Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
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 mutus White-tailed ptarmigan, Lagopus leucurus Dusky grouse, Dendragapus obscurus Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus
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 Western grebe, Aechmorphorus occidentalis (C)
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) Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata (A) Oriental turtle-dove, Streptopelia orientalis (A) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica (A) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (C)
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.
Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis (A) Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor
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.
Pacific swift, Apus pacificus (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 (A) Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna (C) Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope (A) Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus
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.
Sora, Porzana carolina American coot, Fulica americana
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 Common crane, Grus grus (A) Whooping crane, Grus americana (A)
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.
American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (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.
Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover, Pluvialis dominica Pacific golden-plover, Pluvialis fulva Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula (C) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Snowy plover, Charadrius nivosus (A)
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 Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (A) Far Eastern curlew, Numenius madagascariensis (A) Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica (C) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica Marbled godwit, Limosa fedoa (C) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Black turnstone, Arenaria melanocephala (C) Red knot, Calidris canutus (C) Surfbird, Calidris virgata Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Sharp-tailed sandpiper, Calidris acuminata Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Red-necked stint, Calidris ruficollis (A) Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii Little stint, Calidris minuta (A) 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 Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria Wandering tattler, Tringa incana Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata (C) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola (A) 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.
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.
Common murre, Uria aalge (A) Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia (A) Black guillemot, Cepphus grylle (A) Long-billed murrelet, Brachyramphus perdix (A) Ancient murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus (A) Parakeet auklet, Aethia psittacula (A) Crested auklet, Aethia cristatella (A) Horned puffin, Fratercula corniculata (C) Tufted puffin, Fratercula cirrhata (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla Red-legged kittiwake, Rissa brevirostris (A) Ivory gull, Pagophila eburnea (C) Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (C) Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia Little gull, Hydrocoleus minutus (C) Ross's gull, Rhodostethia rosea (C) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (C) Short-billed gull, Larus brachyrhynchus Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis California gull, Larus californicus Herring gull, Larus argentatus Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides (C) Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (C) Slaty-backed gull, Larus schistisagus (C) Glaucous-winged gull, Larus glaucescens Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (C) Black tern, Chlidonias niger Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea
Loons Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae