This is a comprehensive listing of the bird species recorded in Cuyahoga Valley National Park, which is in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is based on a list published by the National Park Service (NPS) as of September 2025.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 66th Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS).Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, O. Johnson, N. A. Mason, and P. C. Rasmussen. 2025. "Check-list of North American Birds (online)". American Ornithological Society. https://checklist.americanornithology.org/taxa/ retrieved September 5, 2025 Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The list contains 245 species. Unless otherwise noted, all are considered to occur regularly in Cuyahoga Valley National Park as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The tags below are used to designate the abundance of some species.
(R) Rare - "usually seen only a few times each year" (40 species) (Unc) Uncommon - "likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season and may be locally common" (63 species) (O) Occasional - "occur in a park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year" (32 species) (Unk) Unknown - abundance is not known (one species) (Hist) Historical - "Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Designation of what constitutes 'historical' is a judgment call" (four species) (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by the actions of humans, either directly or indirectly (six species)
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family 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 (O) Canada goose, Branta canadensis Mute swan, Cygnus olor (I) (O) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (Unc) Wood duck, Aix sponsa Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (Unc) Gadwall, Mareca strepera (Unc) American wigeon, Mareca americana (Unc) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes Northern pintail, Anas acuta (Unc) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (Unc) Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (R) Redhead, Aythya americana (R) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (Unc) Greater scaup, Aythya marila (R) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (R) White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (O) Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (R) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (R) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (Unc) Common merganser, Mergus merganser (R) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (Unc) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (Unc)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (Hist)
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.
Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus (R) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) (Unc)
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 (R) Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (O)
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Common ground dove, Columbina passerina (O) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I)
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 Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (Unc)
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 colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Unc) Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (O)
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
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
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 (O)
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.
King rail, Rallus elegans (Hist) Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (Unc) Sora, Porzana carolina (Unc) Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata (R) American coot, Fulica americana
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 (O) Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (R) Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
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 (Hist) Dunlin, Calidris alpina (R) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (Unc) White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis (O) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (R) American woodcock, Scolopax minor (Unc) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (Unc) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (Unc) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (Unc) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (Unc)
Gulls, terns and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds which includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have longish bills and webbed feet.
Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (R) Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis Herring gull, Larus argentatus Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (O) Black tern, Chlidonias niger (R)
Loons Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons are aquatic birds, the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body.
Common loon, Gavia immer (R)
Cormorants and shags Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed.
Double-crested cormorant, Nannopterum auritum (Unc)
Ibises and spoonbills Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae
The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings. Their bodies tend to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills.
Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus (O)
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.
American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus (R) Least bittern, Ixobrychus exilis (R) Great blue heron, Ardea herodias Great egret, Ardea alba (Unc) Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea (O) Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (O) Green heron, Butorides virescens Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (Unc) Yellow-crowned night-heron, Nyctanassa violacea (Unc)
New World vultures Order: CathartiformesFamily: Cathartidae
The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses.
Black vulture, Coragyps atratus (O) Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura
Osprey Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
Pandionidae is a family of fish-eating birds of prey, possessing a very large, powerful hooked beak for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. The family is monotypic.
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (Unc)
Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight.
Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus Cooper's hawk, Astur cooperii (Unk) American goshawk, Astur atricapillus (O) Northern harrier, Circus hudonius (Unc) Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (R) Mississippi kite, Ictinia mississippiensis (O) Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus (Unc) Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus (O)
Barn-owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae