According to Bird Checklists of the World (Avibase), the capital city of the United States, Washington, D.C., has 346 species of birds Of them, 63 are considered rare or accidental, two are extinct, and one has been extirpated. Four have been introduced to North America and another introduced to the eastern U.S.
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 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 the occurrence of some species:
(A) Accidental - a species with very few records (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by humans (E) Extinct - a species which no longer exists (Ex) Extirpated - a species which no longer occurs in the District of Columbia but is found elsewhere
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.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii (A) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Brant, Branta bernicla Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (A) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Mute swan, Cygnus olor (I) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Wood duck, Aix sponsa Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis 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 Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
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
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 (Ex)
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
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) Passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius (E) Common ground dove, Columbina passerina (A) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica 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. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus
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 which are of little use for walking and long, pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor Chuck-will's-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus
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 Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri (A) Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (A)
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 (A) King rail, Rallus elegans Virginia rail, Rallus limicola Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (A) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis (A) Black rail, Laterallus jamaicensis (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
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
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 Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover, Charadrius melodus (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 hudsonicus (A) Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (A) Hudsonian godwit, Limosa haemastica (A) Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres Red knot, Calidris canutus (A) Ruff, Calidris pugnax (A) Stilt sandpiper, Calidris himantopus Sanderling, Calidris alba Dunlin, Calidris alpina Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper, Calidris fuscicollis Buff-breasted sandpiper, Tryngites subruficollis Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos Semipalmated sandpiper, Calidris pusilla Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri Short-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus American woodcock, Scolopax minor Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes Willet, Tringa semipalmata Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
They are in general medium to large birds, 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.
Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus (A) Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)
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 only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.
Thick-billed murre, Uria lomvia (A)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, stout, longish bills and webbed feet. The large species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small gulls. Terns are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. They have longish bills and webbed feet. They are lighter bodied and more streamlined than gulls and look elegant in flight with long tails and long narrow wings. Skimmers are tropical and subtropical species. They have an elongated lower mandible. They feed by flying low over the water surface with the lower mandible skimming the water for small fish.
Sabine's gull, Xema sabini (A) Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus (A) Little gull, Hydrocoloeus minutus (A) Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis California gull, Larus californicus (A) Herring gull, Larus argentatus Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis (A) Iceland gull, Larus glaucoides Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus Glaucous gull, Larus hyperboreus Great black-backed gull, Larus marinus Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus (A) Bridled tern, Onychoprion anaethetus (A) Least tern, Sternula antillarum Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia Black tern, Chlidonias niger Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii (A) Common tern, Sterna hirundo Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea (A) Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri Royal tern, Thalasseus maximus Black skimmer, Rynchops niger
Loons Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae