Macphail Woods
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creeper-transb (2K) Birds and Birding
Bird Checklist of Prince Edward Island

birdchecklist-cover (9K) NOTE: The province has made available the Official printed version of the checklist as a PDF. If your gonna want to print this checklist, I strongly recommend that you grab a copy.

THE NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY of Prince Edward Island retains and publishes records of bird sightings in its newsletter, the Island Naturalist. These records are used to update the Island's Field Checklist of Birds. The Society would appreciate the assistance of all birders in the submission of sightings to the Society, particularly the records of any bird not found on the list, any bird which is rated as U, R, O, A, H, or IR, reports of unusual behaviour, or colour abnormalities. Please submit these sightings to:

Natural History Society of Prince Edward Island, c/o Dan McAskill, Charlottetown RR # 5, Donagh, P.E.I. C1A 7J8 or Fax 902-628-6331, or email nhspei@isn.net.

For rare sightings and first records it would be helpful if you could submit the following information: species; observer's name(s), address, postal/zip code, and phone number with area code; date (write out month) and time of observation; duration of observation; type of optical equipment used; weather conditions; locality where the bird was seen; a description of the habitat and where the bird was seen in the habitat; distance from which the bird was observed; a description of the bird's size, bill shape, colouration on various parts (head, neck, eye colouration or stripes, back, wings, wing bars, underparts, tail shape, and legs), what the bird was doing, vocalizations, distinguishing features from other species, and your experience in birding. Any sketches made at the time of the observation, photographs, and especially video close up you have would be very helpful. Sighting report forms are available from the Society or on the Society's web page http://www.isn.net/~nhspei

The season dates determined by migratory habits of most birds are:
Spring - March 16 to May 31 (northerly migration)
Summer - June 1 to August 15 (nesting season)
Autumn - August 16 to December 14 (southerly migration)
Winter - December 15 to March 15

The symbols use for seasonal frequency are:
VC - Very common, 50 or more birds per day
C - Common, 10-49 birds per day
FC - Fairly common, 1-9 birds per day
U - Uncommon, 1-12 birds per fortnight
R - Rare, 1-5 birds per season
O - Occasional, seen only 1-9 times per decade
A - Accidental, 9 or fewer records per century
H - Hypothetical, unconfirmed sighting
IR - Irregular (unpredictable)

* - Species marked thus * have been known or are believed to nest in the province
** - Introduced to Prince Edward Island and now breeding

Endangered Species are indicated in italics and are listed under the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) Canadian Species at Risk 2002 list as endangered (e), threatened (t) or special concern (sc).

(7th Edition) 2003
To date, 353 species have been recorded on Prince Edward Island. This checklist includes the seasonal status of each bird, determined by the number the observer may expect to find during a full day of observation from the land masses of Prince Edward Island in the habitat of that species. Certain species have very restricted habitat use, particularly in winter.

Albatross and Shearwaters
Auks, Murres, and Puffins
Bitterns and Herons
Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles
Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings
Chickades
Cranes
Creepers
Cuckoos
Doves
Ducks, Geese and Swans
Eagles, Hawks and Harriers
Falcons
Finches
Flycatchers
Gannets
Goatsuckers
Grebes
Grouse
Gulls and Terns
Hummingbirds
Ibises
Jaegers
Jays and Crows
Kingfishers
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
Lapwings and Plovers
Larks
Loons
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
New World Sparrows
Nuthatches
Old World Sparrows
Osprey
Owls
Oystercatchers
Skimmers
Phalaropes
Pipits
Rails, Moorhens and Coots
Sandpipers, Snipe and Woodcock
Shrikes
Starlings
Stilts and Avocets
Storm-Petrels
Swallows
Swifts
Tanagers
Thrushes and Bluebirds
Vireos
Vultures
Waxwings
Wood Warblers
Woodpeckers
Wrens
Category / Species Spring Summer Fall Winter
Albatrosses and Shearwaters
Black-browed Albatross - H - -
Northern Fulmar - R R -
Greater Shearwater - U U -
Sooty Shearwater - R R -
Manx Shearwater - H - -
Audubon's Shearwater - - H -
Little Shearwater - - - H
Auks, Murres and Puffins
Dovekie A - R-IR O-IR
Common Murre - - R-U A
Thick-billed Murre A A R-U O
Razorbill - A R-U -
Black Guillemot U FC FC U
Atlantic Puffin - A A A
Bitterns and Herons
American Bittern FC FC FC -
Black-crowned Night-Heron - A - -
Cattle Egret O O O A
Great Blue Heron VC VC VC R
Great Egret R R A -
Green Heron O A - -
Least Bittern (t) - A - -
Little Blue Heron O O O -
Snowy Egret A O A -
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron - - A -
Blackbirds, Meadowlarks and Orioles
Bobolink C VC U -
Red-winged Blackbird VC VC VC R-U
Eastern Meadowlark O O O O
Yellow-headed Blackbird - A A O
Rusty Blackbird FC FC FC O
Brewer's Blackbird H - A -
Common Grackle VC VC VC R-U
Brown-headed Cowbird C FC C R-C
Orchard Oriole A A - -
Bullock's Oriole R R R -
Baltimore Oriole R R R O
Cardinals, Grosbeaks and Buntings
Blue Grosbeak O A - A
Dickcissel - O A A
Indigo Bunting R A - A
Black-headed Grosbeak H - - -
Northern Cardinal R R R R-U
Painted Bunting A - - -
Rose-breasted Grosbeak * FC-C C U-FC A
Chickades
Black-capped Chickadee * C-VC C-VC C-VC C-VC
Boreal Chickadee * FC FC FC FC
Cranes
Sandhill Crane A A A A
Creepers
Brown Creeper * FC FC U U
Cuckoos
Black-billed Cuckoo * R FC-R R -
Yellow-billed Cuckoo - - IR-R -
Doves
Mourning Dove * FC-C FC-C FC-C FC-VC
Rock Dove * VC VC VC VC
Ringed Turtle-Dove H - - -
White-winged Dove - A A -
Ducks, Geese and Swans
American Black Duck * VC VC VC VC
American Wigeon * C-VC C-VC C-VC R
Barrow's Goldeneye (sc) FC - FC FC-C
Black Scoter VC U C-VC U-FC
Blue-winged Teal VC VC VC A
Brant C R-FC U O
Bufflehead R - U-FC R-U
Canada Goose * VC VC VC U-IR
Canvasback * A - A A
Common Eider FC FC C U-C
Common Goldeneye VC O VC VC
Common Merganser * C R VC VC
Eurasian Wigeon O O O-R A
Fulvous Whistling-Duck - - A -
Gadwall * FC FC FC FC
Garganey A A - -
Greater Scaup * C R C-VC FC-C
Greater White-fronted Goose - R U -
Green-winged Teal * VC VC VC R-U
Harlequin Duck (sc) R-U O U R
Hooded Merganser * R O U-FC O-R
King Eider O-R - O-R -
Lesser Scaup IR-U O IR-U IR-R
Mallard * C C C C
Northern Pintail * C C VC U
Northern Shoveler * U-FC U-FC U A
Long-tailed Duck C-VC O VC VC
Red-breasted Merganser * C FC C-VC U-C
Redhead * A A R -
Ring-necked Duck * VC VC VC O-R
Ruddy Duck R R R-U O
Snow Goose R O U O
Surf Scoter FC U FC-C R-U
Tufted Duck - - - A
Tundra Swan A - A -
White-winged Scoter C U C R-FC
Wood Duck * FC FC-C FC-C A
Pink-footed Goose - - H -
Barnacle Goose A - -
Eagles, Hawks and Harriers
Bald Eagle * FC FC FC FC
Broad-winged Hawk * O O R A
Cooper's Hawk A - R A
Golden Eagle - H A -
Northern Goshawk * U U U U
Northern Harrier * FC FC FC R
Red-shouldered Hawk (sc) A A A -
Red-tailed Hawk * U U U R
Rough-legged Hawk O A IR-U IR-U
Sharp-shinned Hawk * FC U FC FC
Swainson's Hawk A - O -
Falcons
American Kestrel * FC FC FC O
Gyrfalcon O - R R
Merlin * FC FC FC R
Peregrine Falcon (t) R R R-U A
Finches
American Goldfinch * FC FC FC-U FC-C
Common Redpoll IR-FC - IR-U IR-VC
European Goldfinch - - - A
Evening Grosbeak * C-VC FC FC IR-VC
Hoary Redpoll - - A O
House Finch * O R R O
Pine Grosbeak * R R R U-FC
Pine Siskin * R-FC U R-U R-C
Purple Finch * C C FC-C R-U
Red Crossbill * IR IR IR IR
White-winged Crossbill * IR IR IR IR
Flycatchers
Alder Flycatcher * C C-VC U -
Eastern Kingbird * FC FC U -
Eastern Phoebe * R-U R-U R-U H
Eastern Wood-Peewee * C C U -
Great Crested Flycatcher * - A - -
Least Flycatcher * U-C C U -
Olive-sided Flycatcher * U FC U -
Western Kingbird - - A A
Willow Flycatcher * - O - -
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher U FC U -
Gannets
Northern Gannet U-FC C C-VC O
Goatsuckers
Common Nighthawk * U U R -
Whip-poor-will O O - -
Grebes
Eared Grebe - - R H
Horned Grebe R A R-U A
Pied-billed Grebe * FC FC FC -
Red-necked Grebe O A R-U -
Grouse
Ruffed Grouse * FC FC FC FC
Sharp-tailed Grouse ** R-U R-U R-U R-U
Gulls and Terns
Arctic Tern * U U FC -
Black Tern - A O -
Black-headed Gull O O R-U R-U
Black-legged Kittiwake A A R-U A
Bonaparte's Gull C C VC R-U
Caspian Tern U FC-C C -
Common Tern * VC VC VC-C -
Forster's Tern H - - -
Glaucous Gull R O R-U R-U
Great Black-backed Gull * VC VC VC VC
Herring Gull * VC VC VC VC
Iceland Gull C R C FC-C
Ivory Gull (sc) A - A A
Laughing Gull A A A -
Least Tern - - H -
Lesser Black-backed Gull R A R-U R
Little Gull - O R -
Mew Gull - - A -
Ring-billed Gull * VC VC VC R-U
Roseate Tern (e) - H - -
Royal Tern - A - -
Sabine's Gull - A A -
Thayer's Gull - - - A
Hummingbirds
Ruby-throated Hummingbird * U-C C FC-C -
Ibises
White Ibis A A - -
Glossy Ibis O O O -
Skuas and Jaegers
Great Shua - - H -
Long-tailed Jaeger - H - -
Parasitic Jaeger - A R -
Pomarine Jaeger - - R -
Jays and Crows
American Crow * VC VC VC VC
Blue Jay * C C VC VC
Common Raven * C C C C
Eurasian Jackdaw - H - -
Gray Jay * U U U U
Pied Crow * - A A -
Kingfishers
Belted Kingfisher * FC FC FC R-U
Kinglets and Gnatcatchers
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher A O R-U -
Golden-crowned Kinglet * FC FC C FC
Ruby-crowned Kinglet * C C C U
Lapwings and Plovers
American Golden-plover O R-U U-VC -
Black-bellied Plover VC FC-C VC -
Killdeer * C C C -
Northern Lapwing - A A A
Piping Plover (e) * FC FC U -
Semipalmated Plover * FC VC VC -
Common Ringed Plover - - A -
Wilson's Plover - H - -
Larks
Horned Lark * C FC C U-FC
Loons
Common Loon * FC U C-VC R
Pacific Loon - - A -
Red-throated Loon FC O C-VC O
Mockingbirds and Thrashers
Brown Thrasher O O O O
Gray Catbird * U U R -
Northern Mockingbird * R-U R-U R R
New World Sparrows
American Tree Sparrow U - U U
Chipping Sparrow * C C C O
Clay-colored Sparrow A - A A
Dark-eyed Junco * VC VC VC U-C
Eastern Towhee O - O O
Field Sparrow A A A A
Fox Sparrow * R-U R R-U O
Grasshopper Sparrow - A A -
Lapland Longspur U-FC - U-FC U-FC
Lark Sparrow - - A A
Lincoln's Sparrow * FC-C FC-C FC-C -
Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow * C C C -
Savannah Sparrow * VC VC VC A
Snow Bunting U-VC - U-VC U-VC
Song Sparrow * VC VC C R-U
Swamp Sparrow * C-VC C-VC FC O
Vesper Sparrow * O O O -
White-crowned Sparrow U R U O
White-throated Sparrow * VC VC VC R-U
Spotted Towhee - - A -
Nuthatches
Red-Breasted Nuthatch * FC-C FC-C FC-C FC-C
White-breasted Nuthatch * R R R R
Old World Sparrows
House Sparrow * FC-VC FC-VC FC-VC FC-VC
Osprey
Osprey * FC FC FC O
Owls
Barn Owl (e) - - A A
Barred Owl * FC FC FC FC
Boreal Owl O - - O
Eastern Screech-Owl A A - -
Great Gray Owl - - A -
Great Horned Owl * FC FC FC FC
Long-eared Owl * R R R R
Northern Hawk Owl A A - O
Northern Saw-whet Owl * C C FC FC
Short-eared Owl (sc) U U U O
Snowy Owl IR-R A IR-R IR-R
Oystercatchers
American Oystercatcher A - - -
Partridge and Pheasants
Gray Partridge ** FC FC FC FC
Ring-necked Pheasant ** U U U U
Pelicans and Cormorants
American White Pelican - A A -
Double-crested Cormorant * VC VC VC R
Great Cormorant * C C C-VC R-U
Phalaropes
Red Phalarope O O O -
Red-necked Phalarope R U FC -
Wilson's Phalarope O O R -
Pipits
American Pipit O A R-U A
Rails, Moorhens and Coots
American Coot * R R R-U A
Common Moorhen - A - -
King Rail (e) - - - A
Sora * C C U-C -
Virginia Rail * U U U -
Sandpipers, Snipe and Woodcock
American Woodcock * C FC FC -
Baird's Sandpiper - R R -
Buff-breasted Sandpiper - - A -
Common Snipe C C C O
Curlew Sandpiper - A O -
Dunlin R U C-VC -
Eskimo Curlew (e) - - H -
Greater Yellowlegs FC VC VC -
Hudsonian Godwit O U-FC C -
Least Sandpiper C C-VC FC-C -
Lesser Yellowlegs U C C-VC -
Little Curlew - - H -
Long-billed Curlew (sc) - H H -
Long-billed Dowitcher - - A -
Marbled Godwit - A A -
Pectoral Sandpiper O FC C -
Purple Sandpiper R O R A
Red Knot O FC-C FC-VC A
Ruddy Turnstone R FC C -
Ruff A O - -
Sanderling A C VC -
Semipalmated Sandpiper VC VC VC -
Short-billed Dowitcher R VC VC -
Solitary Sandpiper - R U -
Spotted Sandpiper * C C C -
Stilt Sandpiper - O O -
Upland Sandpiper * R R O -
Western Sandpiper - O R -
Whimbrel O FC C -
White-rumped Sandpiper R FC C-VC -
Black-tailed Godwit - - - A
Little Stint - - H -
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper - A - -
Wilson's Snipe * C C C O
Willet * C C FC -
Shrikes
Loggerhead Shrike (e) A - - -
Northern Shrike R A R R-U
Skimmers
Black Skimmer - A A -
Starlings
European Starling * VC VC VC VC
Stilts and Avocets
American Avocet - A H -
Black-necked Stilt - A - -
Storm-Petrels
Leach's Storm-Petrel - U U -
Wilson's Storm-Petrel - U U -
Swallows
Bank Swallow * VC VC U-VC -
Barn Swallow * FC FC U-FC A
Cliff Swallow * O O A -
Northern Rough-winged Swallow A A - -
Purple Martin O O - -
Tree Swallow * VC VC U-VC -
Swifts
Chimney Swift O O O -
Tanagers
Scarlet Tanager O O - -
Summer Tanager A - - -
Thrushes and Bluebirds
American Robin * VC VC VC R-IR
Bicknell's Thrush (sc) * O O - -
Eastern Bluebird * O O - -
Gray-cheeked Thrush R - R -
Hermit Thrush * C C U A
Swainson's Thrush * FC FC U -
Townsend's Solitaire - - O O
Veery * U U R -
Wood Thrush O O - -
Vireos
Blue-headed Vireo * C C U -
Philadelphia Vireo * R R R -
Red-eyed Vireo * VC VC U -
Warbling Vireo O O A -
Yellow-throated Vireo A - - -
Vultures
Black Vulture - A A -
Turkey Vulture H - R R
Waxwings
Bohemian Waxwing O A O IR-U
Cedar Waxwing * FC FC U-FC IR-U
Wood Warblers
American Redstart * VC VC U-FC -
Bay-breasted Warbler * FC-C C U -
Black-and-white Warbler * C C U -
Black-throated Blue Warbler * FC FC R -
Black-throated Gray Warbler - - A -
Black-throated Green Warbler * C-VC C-VC U -
Blackburnian Warbler * FC FC-C R -
Blackpoll Warbler * U R U -
Blue-winged Warbler - A - -
Canada Warbler * U U R -
Cape May Warbler * FC FC U -
Chestnut-sided Warbler * FC FC R -
Common Yellowthroat * VC VC FC -
Magnolia Warbler * C C U -
Mourning Warbler * FC FC U -
Nashville Warbler * FC FC FC -
Northern Parula * VC C U -
Northern Waterthrush * FC FC U -
Orange-crowned Warbler A A O -
Ovenbird * C C U-FC -
Palm Warbler * U-FC U-FC R-U H
Pine Warbler - O A A
Prairie Warbler - - A -
Tennessee Warbler * C C U -
Wilson's Warbler * R R R U
Worm-eating Warbler - A - -
Yellow Warbler * VC VC FC -
Yellow-breasted Chat - - A -
Yellow-rumped Warbler * VC VC VC O-R
Swainson's Warbler A - - -
Yellow-throated Warbler - - A -
Woodpeckers
Black-backed Woodpecker * R R R-U R
Downy Woodpecker * C C FC FC
Hairy Woodpecker * C C FC FC
Northern Flicker * C C-VC C-VC R-U
Pileated Woodpecker * R R R R
Red-bellied Woodpecker O - A O
Red-headed Woodpecker (sc) A A A A
Three-toed Woodpecker * - O - O
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker * C C R -
Wrens
House Wren - A - -
Marsh Wren - A - -
Sedge Wren - - A -
Winter Wren U-C U-C R A
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