The Official List of the Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region of Kentucky and Tennessee

All species recorded in the Upper Cumberland Region (UCR; map) are included in each of the two tables below.  The nomenclature and order of the species follow all supplements including the most recent (August 2018) to the American Ornithologists' Check-list of North and Middle American Birds (link below), formerly the AOU Check-list of North American Birds (AOU 1998).

    If you have personal records from the UCR for species not listed below or if you know of historical records for species not listed below, please send details to the e-mail address below:

• sstedman@tntech.edu

    Each county in the Region has its own bird check-list, conforming to the official Regional list below (Table 2); you may navigate to a page with links to the county check-lists via the link that follows:

• UCR Counties

    Species accounts for the many birds occurring in the Region, discussing, among other matters, the abundance, status, and seasonal occurrence of each, are provided at the following page:

• Species Accounts in Birds of the UCR    

    The official list of birds within the AOU Area may be viewed at this website:

• AOU Check-list for North and Middle America

    The official list of Kentucky birds may be viewed at this website:

• http://www.biology.eku.edu/KOS/birdlist.htm

    The list of endangered, threatened, and special concern breeding species for Kentucky may be accessed via a link at this website:

• http://www.naturepreserves.ky.gov/inforesources/reports_pubs.htm

    The official list of Tennessee birds may be viewed at this website:

• http://tnbirds.org/TBRC/TBRC_checklist.html

    The list of endangered, threatened, and in need of management species for Tennessee may be viewed at this website:

• Currently unavailable

Table 1. The Official List of the Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region (double-spaced version).  Species denoted below with one asterisk (*) are rare and with two asterisks (**) very rare within the UCR; sightings of these species should be reported via a documentation form.  Species on the Audubon WatchList are indicated below in pink (27 species) or red (8 species), with the latter being more critically decreasing species.

_____ Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) **

_____ Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) *

_____ Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens)

     _____ Snow Goose, white morph

     _____ Snow Goose, blue morph

     _____ Snow Goose, intermediate morph **

_____ Ross's Goose (Chen rossii) *

_____ Brant (Branta bernicla) **

_____ Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) **

_____ Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

_____ Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) *

_____ Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) **

_____ Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) *

_____ Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

_____ Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)

_____ Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

_____ Gadwall (Anas strepera)

_____ American Wigeon (Anas americana)

_____ Mallard (Anas platyrhyncos)

_____ American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

_____ Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) **

_____ Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

_____ Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)

_____ Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

_____ Redhead (Aythya americana)

_____ Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

_____ Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) *

_____ Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

_____ Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) **

_____ Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) *

_____ White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) *

_____ 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)

_____ Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)

_____ Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) *

_____ Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallapavo)

_____ Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

_____ Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

_____ Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) **

_____ Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) *

_____ Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) **

_____ Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

_____ Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) *

_____ Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius—extinct)

_____ White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) **

_____ Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

_____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

_____ Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) *

_____ Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

_____ Chuck-will's-widow (Antrostomus carolinensis)

_____ Eastern Whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus)

_____ Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica)

_____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

_____ Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) *

_____ Allen's Hummingbird (Selasphorus sasin) **

_____ Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) **

_____ Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) **

_____ King Rail (Rallus elegans) **

_____ Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) *

_____ Sora (Porzana carolina) *

_____ Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinicus) **

_____ Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) **

_____ American Coot (Fulica americana)

_____ Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)

_____ Whooping Crane (Grus americana—reintroduced migrant) **

_____ Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) **

_____ American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) **

_____ Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatorola) **

_____ American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) *

_____ Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)

_____ Piping Plover (Charadius melodus) **

_____ Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

_____ Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) **

_____ Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) **

_____ Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) **

_____ 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 (Calidris 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)

_____ Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

_____ Willet (Tringa semipalmata) **

_____ Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

_____ Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) **

_____ Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) **

_____ Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) **

_____ Parasitic Jaeger  (Stercorarius parasiticus) **

_____ Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus) **

_____ Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) **

_____ Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) **

_____ Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

_____ Little Gull (Hydrocoloeus minutus) **

_____ Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla) **

_____ Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) *

_____ Mew Gull (Larus canus) **

_____ Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

_____ California Gull (Larus californicus) **

_____ Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)

_____ Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) **

_____ Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) **

_____ Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) **

_____ Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) **

_____ Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) **

_____ Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

_____ Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

_____ Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) *

_____ Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) **

_____ Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)

_____ Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) *

_____ Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica) **

_____ Common Loon (Gavia immer)

_____ Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) **

_____ Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) **

_____ Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) **

_____ Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

_____ Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) **

_____ American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) *

_____ Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) **

_____ American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) *

_____ Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) **

_____ Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

     _____ Great Blue Heron, blue morph

     _____ Great Blue Heron, white morph **

_____ Great Egret (Ardea alba)

_____ Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) *

_____ Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) *

_____ Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) **

_____ Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) *

_____ Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

_____ Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

_____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) *

_____ White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) **

_____ White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) **

_____ Dark Ibis sp. (Plegadis sp.) **

_____ Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

_____ Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

_____ Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)

_____ Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) **

_____ Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) *

_____ Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

_____ Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

_____ Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperi)

_____ Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

_____ Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) **

_____ Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

_____ Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

_____ Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) **

_____ Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

     _____ B. j. harlani **

     _____ B. j. calurus ** 

     _____ B. j. borealis pale morph (Krider's) ** 

_____ Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) *

_____ Barn Owl (Tyto alba) *

_____ Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)

_____ Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

_____ Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) **

_____ Barred Owl (Strix varia)

_____ Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) **

_____ Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) *

_____ Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) *

_____ Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon)

_____ Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

_____ Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

_____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

_____ Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

_____ Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

_____ Red-cockaded Woodpecker (Picoides borealis—extirpated) **

_____ Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

_____ Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

_____ American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

_____ Merlin (Falco columbarius) *

_____ Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) *

_____ Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus) **

_____ Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis—extinct)

_____ Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) **

_____ Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)

_____ Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) **

_____ Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

_____ Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) **

_____ Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) *

_____ Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)

_____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) **

_____ Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)

_____ Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) **

_____ Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) *

_____ Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) *

_____ Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

_____ Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) **

_____ Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

_____ Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) **

_____ White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)

_____ Bell's Vireo (Vireo bellii) **

_____ Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)

_____ Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)

_____ Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)

_____ Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)

_____ Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)

_____ Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

_____ American Crow (Corvus brachyrhyncos)

_____ Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) **

_____ Common Raven (Corvus corax) **

_____ Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)

_____ Purple Martin (Progne subis)

_____ Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

_____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)

_____ Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)

_____ Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonata)

_____ Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

_____ Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

_____ Tufted Titmouse (Baeopholus bicolor)

_____ Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

_____ White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

_____ Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) *

_____ Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)

_____ House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

_____ Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis)

_____ Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) *

_____ Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) *

_____ Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

_____ Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii) **

_____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea)

_____ Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

_____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)

_____ Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

_____ Veery (Catharus fuscescens) *

_____ Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)

_____ Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

_____ Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

_____ Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

_____ American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

_____ Gray Catbird (Dumatella carolinensis)

_____ Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

_____ Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

_____ European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris)

_____ Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

_____ House Sparrow (Passer domesticus)

_____ American Pipit (Anthus rubescens)

_____ Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) *

_____ House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)

_____ Purple Finch (Haemorhous purpureus)

_____ Common Redpoll (Acanthis flammea) **

_____ Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) **

_____ White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) **

_____ Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus)

_____ American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)

_____ Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) *

_____ Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) **

_____ Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

_____ Bachman's Sparrow (Peucaea aestivalis) **

_____ American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) *

_____ Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

_____ Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) **

_____ Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

_____ Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

_____ Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) **

_____ Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

_____ Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

_____ Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) *

_____ LeConte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) **

_____ Nelson's Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) **

_____ Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

_____ Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodius)

_____ Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

_____ Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

_____ White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

_____ Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) **

_____ White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

_____ Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

_____ Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

_____ Yellow-headed Blackbird  (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) **

_____ Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

_____ Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)

_____ Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) **

_____ Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)

_____ Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

_____ Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

_____ Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

_____ Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)

_____ Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) *

_____ Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

_____ Ovenbird (Seiuris aurocapillus)

_____ Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus)

_____ Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla)

_____ Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis)

_____ Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)

_____ Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera)

     _____ "Brewster's" Warbler *

     _____ "Lawrence's" Warbler **

_____ Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia)

_____ Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

_____ Swainson's Warbler * (Limnothylpis swainsonii) *

_____ Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina)

_____ Orange-crowned Warbler (Oreothlypis celata)

_____ Nashville Warbler (Oreothlypis ruficapilla)

_____ Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) *

_____ Mourning Warbler (Geothlypis philadelphia) *

_____ Kentucky Warbler (Geothlypis formosa)

_____ Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

_____ Hooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)

_____ American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

_____ Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina)

_____ Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga caerulea)

_____ Northern Parula (Setophaga americana)

_____ Magnolia Warbler (Setophaga magnolia)

_____ Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea)

_____ Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca)

_____ Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia)

_____ Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica)

_____ Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata)

_____ Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) *

_____ Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum)

_____ Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus)

_____ Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)

     _____ "Audubon's" Warbler **

     _____ "Myrtle" Warbler

_____ Yellow-throated Warbler (Setophaga dominica)

_____ Prairie Warbler (Setaphaga discolor)

_____ Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens)

_____ Canada Warbler (Cardellina canadensis)

_____ Wilson's Warbler (Cardellina pusilla)

_____ Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

_____ Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

_____ Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

_____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

_____ Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)

_____ Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

_____ Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) **

_____ Dickcissel (Spiza americana)

Table 2. The Official List of the Birds of the Upper Cumberland Region (single-spaced version).  Species denoted below with one asterisk (*) are rare and with two asterisks (**) very rare within the UCR; sightings of these species should be reported via a documentation form.  Species on the Audubon WatchList are indicated below in pink (27 species) or red (8 species), with the latter being more critically decreasing species.

Literature Cited