This is a comprehensive listing of the bird species recorded in Dry Tortugas National Park, which is in the U.S. state of Florida. This list is based on one published by the National Park Service (NPS) that as of February 2004 contained 281 species. Of them, 131 are occasionally observed, 11 are rarely observed, 23 are known or possible breeders, five have been introduced to North America, and one is extinct, all as defined below.
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 NPS checklist notes the abundance of each species by season. These status codes have been used to annotate some species; those without a tag are typically observed at least 11 times in at least one season.
(O) Occasionally observed - a species found one to five times in the season with the most records (R) Rarely observed - a species found six to 10 times in the season with the most records (B) Breeding - a species known to breed in the park (B?) Possibly breeding - a species whose breeding status is unknown (I) Introduced - a species that has been introduced to North America by the actions of humans, either directly or indirectly, and has become established in Florida (E) Extinct - a recent bird that no longer exists
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, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (O) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (O) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (O) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata (O) Gadwall, Mareca strepera (O) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (O) Northern pintail, Anas acuta (O) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (O) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris (O) Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (O) Common eider, Somateria mollissima (O) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (O) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator
Flamingoes Order: PhoenicopteriformesFamily: Phoenicopteridae
Flamingoes are gregarious wading birds, usually tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.
American flamingo, Phoenicopterus ruber (O)
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 (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) Ruddy quail-dove, Geotrygon montana (O) White-tipped dove, Leptotila verreauxi (O) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Zenaida dove, Zenaida aurita (O) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura White-crowned pigeon, Patagioenas leucocephala (O) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) (O) Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) (R)
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 Mangrove cuckoo, Coccyzus minor (B?) (O) Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (R) Smooth-billed ani, Crotophaga ani (B?) (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 colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis (O) Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor Antillean nighthawk, Chordeiles gundlachii (R) Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (O)
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds, spending most of their lives flying. They have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have very long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Black swift, Cypseloides niger (One record in the NPS checklist; not on the official Florida Ornithological Society list) 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 Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri (O)
Limpkin Order: GruiformesFamily: Aramidae
The limpkin is an odd bird that looks like a large rail, but is skeletally closer to the cranes. It is found in marshes with some trees or scrub in the Caribbean, South America, and southern Florida.
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna (O)
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, tall birds with long legs and long necks. Unlike the similar-looking but un-related herons, cranes fly with necks extended. Most have elaborate and noisy courtship displays or "dances". When in a group, they may also "dance" for no particular reason, jumping up and down in an elegant manner, seemingly just for pleasure or to attract a mate.
Sandhill crane, Antigone canadensis (O)
Rails, gallinules, and coots
Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
The 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, making them difficult to observe. Most have strong legs with long toes, short rounded wings, and are weak fliers.
Clapper rail, Rallus crepitans (O) King rail, Rallus elegans (O) Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (O) Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata (B?) (O) American coot, Fulica americana (O) Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis (O)
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 American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (O)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, conspicuous, and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.
American oystercatcher, Haematopus palliatus (O)
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 generally found in open country, mostly in habitats near water.
Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola American golden-plover, Pluviali dominicas Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover, Charadrius melodus (R) Wilson's plover, Charadrius wilsonia (R)
Sandpipers and allies
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds which includes the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. Most eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or sand. 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 (R) Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (O) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (O) Ruff, Calidris pugnax (O) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus (O) Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina (O) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (O) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis Buff-breasted sandpiper, Calidris subruficollis (O) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (R) Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (R) Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (O) American woodcock, Scolopax minor (O) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (R) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (R) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (O) Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (O)
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
Skuas are medium to large seabirds, typically with gray 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 (O) Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (O)
Auks, murres, and puffins Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colors, their upright posture, and some of their habits; however they are not closely related to penguins and are (with one extinct exception) able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to breed.
Dovekie, Alle alle (O)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers
Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
The Laridae are a family of medium to large seabirds and containing the gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (O) Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (O) Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (B) Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis Herring gull, Larus argentatus Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus (O) Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus (O) Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus (O) Brown noddy, Anous stolidus (B) Black noddy, Anous minutus (R) Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscata (B) Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus (O) Least tern, Sternula antillarum (B) (R) Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (O) Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (R) Black tern, Chlidonias niger (O) Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii (B) Common tern, Sterna hirundo (B?) (R) Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri (R) Royal tern, Thalasseus maxima (B?) Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis Black skimmer, Rynchops niger
Tropicbirds Order: PhaethontiformesFamily: Phaethontidae
Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head.