The Birds of 
North America 


Jaegers to Cuckoos



Part 3 of a List 
and Photo Gallery
of North American Birds
compiled by Armas Hill




Noting those found during Focus On Nature Tours in Alaska, Arizona, British Columbia, California, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, North Carolina, Nebraska, Newfoundland, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington State, & Wyoming, including offshore pelagic trips  

Birds found during FONT tours & pelagic trips have an (*).   

PHOTO AT UPPER RIGHT: ROSS'S GULL 
(photo by Alan Brady)



CODES:

In the list that follows, birds found during FONT tours are noted, indicating the US state or Canadian province & the months when found.

(The codes below relate to the United States unless indicated otherwise) 

AK:    Alaska
AZ:    Arizona
BC:    British Columbia, Canada (until 2001, during our West Coast Tours in September) 
CA:    California  (during our September West Coast Tours)
CO:    Colorado
DE:    Delaware (including offshore pelagic trips from DE and Delmarva land-birding and nature tours) 
FL:     Florida
IA:     Iowa  (with our Nebraska Tours in March)
KS:    Kansas  (with our Colorado Tours in April)
MD:   Maryland  (Delmarva tours)
NC:    North Carolina  (including offshore pelagic trips and spring & summer land-birding tours)
NE:    Nebraska  (tours in March & with our Colorado tours in April) 
NF:    Newfoundland, Canada
NM:   New Mexico  (with our West Texas Tours in the spring & our Arizona Tours in the late-summer)   
OK:   Oklahoma  (with our Colorado Tours in April)    
TX:    Texas
VA:    Virginia  (Delmarva tours and in conjunction with the NC Tour in the spring)
WA:   Washington State  (during our September West Coast Tours) 
WY:   Wyoming  (with our Colorado Tours in April)

During FONT pelagic trips:

DEP:    offshore from Delaware
CAP:    offshore from California  
NCP:    offshore from North Carolina 
NJP:    offshore from New Jersey
WAP:   offshore from Washington State 

The months when the birds have been found are with the above codes. 

(ac):        north of the Arctic Circle 
(DT):       in the area of the Dry Tortugas islands in Florida
(PI):        at the Pribilof Islands in Alaska


(USe):          endemic to the USA 
(USqe):        quasi (or nearly) endemic to the USA
(USeb):        endemic-breeder in USA 
(USneb):      near-endemic breeder in the USA
(NAi):           species introduced into North America
(NAri):          re-introduced species
(r/NA):          rare in North America, having occurred in both the United States & Canada 
(r/US):          rare in the United States

(t): a globally threatened or rare species, designated by Birdlife International
(t1): critical   (t2): endangered   (t3): vulnerable
(nt): a near-threatened species globally


(ph):  species with a photo in the FONT web-site  

       
Links to Bird Groupings in this part of this List:

Jaegers & Skuas     Gulls     Terns     Skimmer     Alcids

Pigeons & Doves     Parakeets & Parrots     Cuckoos


Links to Other Parts of this North American Bird List:

Part #1:  Grouse to Anhinga     Part #2:  Condor to Shorebirds     Part #4:  Owls to Flycatchers

Part #5:  Shrikes to Pipits     Part #6:  Olive Warbler to Buntings

Birds during FONT Tours in:

Alaska   Arizona   California   Colorado    Delaware, Maryland, Virginia (Delmarva Peninsula)

North Carolina    Texas    Washington State 

Links to Lists & Photo Galleries of Other Nature, including North American: 

Mammals     Butterflies, Dragonflies     Amphibians, Reptiles     Marine Life, inc. Fish, Crustaceans

Links to Information about Upcoming FONT Birding & Nature Tours:

in North America      by month in:   2015   2016   or:   by geographic location

Other Links:

Directory of Photos in this Website 

A Photo Gallery of Birds that would be Rare in North America

List of Birds:


       JAEGERS & SKUAS

357. Pomarine Jaeger  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun  CAP:sep  DEP:may,jun,sep  FL:apr (DT)  NCP:may,jun,aug  NJP:may,sep,nov,dec  WAP:sep   
     Stercorarius pomarinus  (monotypic)
     
     Stercorarius pomarinus is also called the Pomarine Skua, especially in the Old World.
     
     Outside North America, the Pomarine Skua has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (at sea), Japan (at sea), Sweden, and south of the US during FONT tours in Dominica (offshore in March/April).
     
     
358. Parasitic Jaeger  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  CAP:sep  DEP:jun  NC:aug  NCP:jun,aug  NJP:may,aug,sep,nov  WAP:sep   
     Stercorarius parasiticus  (monotypic)
     
     Stercorarius parasiticus is called Arctic Skua in the Old World. 
     
     The Parasitic Jaeger, or Arctic Skua, was described by Linnaeus in 1758. 
     
     Outside North America, the Arctic Skua, or Parasitic Jaeger, has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Chile, Iceland, Japan. 
     In Iceland, where the species breeds, both the light and the dark morphs have been commonly observed.  
     
     South of the US, the Parasitic Jaeger has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul, where one time a few were seen resting on a beach.
     
     
     
     An immature Parasitic Jaeger
     (photo by Jens B. Bruun)
     
     
359. Long-tailed Jaeger  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun  (PI)  CAP:sep  DEP:sep  NCP:may,aug  NJP:may,aug,sep  WAP:sep   
     Stercorarius longicaudus
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Stercorarius longicaudus pallescens  ______  subspecies in Greenland west to eastern Siberia, migrating to the subantarctic, southern South America, southern Africa, Australasia  
     
     Stercorarius longicaudus is called Long-tailed Skua in the Old World.
     
     Outside North America, the Long-tailed Jaeger has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (at sea).
      
     
360. South Polar Skua  (*) (ph)  ______  CAP:sep  DEP:jun,sep  NCP:may,jun,aug  NJP:may,aug  WAP:sep
     Stercorarius (formerly Catharacta) maccormicki  (monotypic)
     
     The South Polar Skua breeds in the Southern Hemisphere.  
     
     Outside North America, the South Polar Skua has been seen during FONT tours, during the spring & summer of the Northern Hemisphere, in the Canary Islands, Japan, and south of the US the South Polar Skua has been seen during FONT tours in Chile. 
     
     
361. Subantarctic Skua  (*) ______  (r/NA)   NJP:may,aug  
     Stercorarius antarcticus
     
     Stercoraius antarcticus has been called Brown Skua. 
     
     The Subantarctic Skua breeds in the Southern Hemisphere. 
     Photos have been taken of some birds that appear to be this species off the Mid-Atlantic Coast of North America. 
     However, the Subantarctic Skua has been found to hybridize with the South Polar Skua, and so genetic analysis would help giving a firm ID.    
     
     South of the US, the Subantarctic Skua has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Chile (southern).
       
     
362. Great Skua  (*) (ph)  ______  NJP:dec
     Stercoraius (formerly Catharacta) skua  (monotypic)
     
     Outside North America, the Great Skua has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Spain (in the winter). More Great Skuas breed in Iceland than anywhere else in the world.
     
     South of the US, the Great Skua has been seen during FONT tours in Dominica (at sea in March/April) 
     
     
     GULLS
     
     
363. Laughing Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  DE:apr,may,jun  FL:apr  MD:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:mar,apr,may
     Leucophaeus (formerly Larus) atricilla
     
     SUBSPECIES NORTH OF THE CARIBBEAN:
     Leucophaeus atricilla megalopterus  ______  subspecies from Canada, in the east, south to Peru, migratory
     
     The Laughing Gull was described by Linnaeus in 1758, the nominate subspecies of the Caribbean. 
     
     South of the US, the Laughing Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, the Cayman Islands, Chile (far-north), Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico (with an obvious seasonal fluctuation in numbers), Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
     
     
     
     A Laughing Gull in breeding plumage
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
     
     
364. Franklin's Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  CO:apr  IA:mar  KS:apr  NE:mar  TX:may  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Leucophaeus (formerly Larus) pipixcan  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Franklin's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Chile (mostly at sea), Costa Rica, the Galapagos Islands (of Ecuador), Guatemala, Mexico, Panama.  
     
     
365. Bonaparte's Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:apr  DE:mar,may  KS:apr  NE:mar  TX:mar  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Chroicocephalus (formerly Larus) philadelphia  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Bonaparte's Gull has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora).
     
     
     
     A first-winter Bonaparte's Gull
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
     
     
366. Black-headed Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  WA:sep     
     Chroicocephalus (formerly Larus) ridibudus  (monotypic)
     
     The Black-headed Gull, a common bird of Eurasian and Africa, was described by Linnaeus in 1766. 
     
     A Black-headed Gull was seen in the Puget Sound area of Washington State during the FONT West Coast Tour in September 2004.   
     
     A mostly Old World species. Outside North America, the Black-headed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Turkey.
     
     
367. Heermann's Gull  (nt) (*) (ph)  ______  BC:sep  CA:sep  WA:sep
     Larus heermanni  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Heermann's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Mexico. The Heermann's Gull is an endemic Mexican breeder.
        
     
368. Mew Gull  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  BC:sep  WA:sep   
     Larus canus brachyrhynchus  (subspecies in North America)
     
     In Eurasia, Larus canus is called the Common Gull.
     
     The two subspecies of Larus canus normally ranging in Eurasia occur rarely in North America. 
     The "Kamchatka Gull", L. c. kamtschatschensis, of eastern Asia, occurs rarely in the Aleutians and on other Alaskan islands. 
     The European race, L. c. canus, occurs rarely in northeastern North America. It is annual in Newfoundland, Canada.  
     
     The Common Gull was described by Linnaeus in 1758.   
     
     Outside North America, the Common, or Mew, Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Hungary, Iceland, Japan (the "Kamchatka Gull"), Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden. 
     
     
369. Ring-billed Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:apr,jul  DE:mar,apr,may  FL:apr (DT)  IA:mar  MD:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NE:mar  NF:jul  TX:mar,apr,may  VA:mar  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Larus delawarensis  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Ring-billed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica (where rare), Dominica (where rare), the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.
     
     
370. California Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:aug  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:apr,jul  TX:may  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Larus californicus
     
     SUBSPECIES in NORTH AMERICA:
     Larus californicus albertaensis  ______  subspecies from central Canada and the northwestern US, east of the Rocky Mountains to non-breeding areas from southwestern Canada to Mexico, migratory; subspecies described in 1987
     Larus californicus californicus  ______  subspecies from the northwestern US, south of albertaensis, to the western US & Mexico, migratory   
     
     Away from its breeding & wintering ranges in western North America, the California Gull also occurs rarely to the east across the continent to the East Coast and the Gulf Coast in the winter.
     
     South of the US, the California Gull has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora). 
     
     
     
     California Gull
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
      
     
371. "American" Herring Gull  (*)  ______  CA:sep  CO:apr  DE:mar,apr,may,sep  FL:apr (DT)  IA:mar  MD:apr NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NE:mar  NF:jul  TX:mar,apr  VA: mar  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Larus argentatus smithsonianus
     
     A race of the "European" Herring Gull, Larus argentatus argentaeus, of western Europe (including Iceland & the Faroe Islands), occurs rarely in Newfoundland, Canada. The nominate, L. a. argentatus, also ranges in Europe, but generally further east.      
     
     Outside North America, the "European" Herring Gull has been seen during FONT birding tours in Iceland, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and south of the US in the Dominican Republic, Mexico (Sonora), Panama, Puerto Rico.  
     
     
372. Vega Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK;may,jun (PI)  
     Larus vegae   
     
     Larus vegae, a bird of east Asia, has been part of the Herring Gull. Outside North America, the Vega Gull has been seen commonly during FONT tours in Japan.
     
     
373. Lesser Black-backed Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  DEP:jun  NJP:may,jun,dec  TX:mar
     Larus fuscus graellsii  (subspecies occurring in North America)   
     
     The Lesser Black-backed Gull is primarily an Old World species of the western Palearctic. But recently it has become more common, during the non-breeding season, at certain places in eastern North America, for example, in the US, in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, where hundreds can occur. It also occurs less commonly elsewhere in eastern North America, and rarely on the West Coast of the continent and in Alaska.   
     
     Outside North America, the Lesser Black-backed Gull, including the "Baltic Gull", L. f. fuscus, has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland ( L. f. graellsii ), Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. 
     The population of Lesser Black-backed Gulls in Iceland in the summer has increased considerably in recent decades.
     
     Further east in Eurasia, the Heuglin's Gull, Larus heuglini, has been considered as part of the Lesser Black-backed Gull. It has also been said by some to be conspecific with the Herring Gull, Larus argentatus. 
     Outside North America, the Heuglin's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
     
     South of the US, the Lesser Black-backed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Dominica (where rare), the Dominican Republic, Guatemala (where rare), Mexico (the Yucatan), Panama (where rare), Puerto Rico (where on occasion surprisingly common, but local).  
     
     
     
     Lesser Black-backed Gull, an adult
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
           
      
374. Great Black-backed Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  DE:mar,apr,may,jun,sep  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NF:jul  NJP:may,jul,aug,sep,nov,dec  VA:mar
     Larus marinus  (monotypic)
     
     The Great Black-backed Gull was described by Linnaeus in 1758.
     
     Outside North America, the Great Black-backed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Poland, Spain, Sweden.
     
     South of the US, the Great Black-backed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Puerto Rico (where rare).
     
     
     
     Great Black-backed Gull - the largest gull in the world
     (photo by Doris Potter)
     
     
375. Slaty-backed Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  (r/NA)   AK:may,jun (PI)
     Larus schistisagus  (monotypic)
     
     The Slaty-backed Gull is an east Asian species. It occurs rarely in coastal Alaska, most often in the Bering Sea area. Also it occurs rarely in the winter south along the Pacific Coast of North America, and more rarely elsewhere across the continent, with sightings recently in Colorado, Florida, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Newfoundland, Ontario, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin. Maybe due to better coverage in bird guidebooks, there has, during the decade 2000-10, been an increase in sightings across North America.   
     
     Outside North America, the Slaty-backed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, and especially in Hokkaido where the bird is very common in the winter.
      
     
376. Iceland Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  NJP:dec
     Larus glaucoides kumlieni  (subspecies in North America)
     
     The other subspecies of the Iceland Gull, L. g. glaucoides, occurs rarely in northeast North America.   
     
     Outside North America, the Iceland Gull has been seen during a FONT tour in Japan on Hokkaido (where rare). 
     
     Also during FONT tours, the Iceland Gull has been seen in Iceland, where the bird is a non-breeding visitor. They breed in Greenland, and they are a different subspecies than the Iceland Gulls of most of  North America. Those in Iceland, L. g. glaucoides.. 
     
     The prevalent Iceland Gull of North America, Larus g. kumlieni, has been referred to as the "Kumlien's Gull", which has been said by some to be a hybrid between L. g. glauciodes and the Thayer's Gull.          
     
     
377. Glaucous Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (ac) (PI)  BC:sep  NJP:dec  TX:may
     Larus hyperboreus
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Larus hyperboreus barrovianus  ______  subspecies from Alaska to western Canada
     Larus hyperboreus leuceretes  ______  subspecies breeding, east of Barrovianus, in northern Canada, Greenland, Iceland
     
     Outside North America, the Glaucous Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland, Japan (especially in Hokkaido where the bird is common in the winter).
     
     
     
     An immature Glaucous Gull
      
     
378. Glaucous-winged Gull  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  BC:sep  CA:sep  WA:sep
     Larus glaucescens  (monotypic)
     
     Outside North America, the Glaucous-winged Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
     
     
379. Western Gull  (*)  ______  CA:sep  BC:sep  WA:sep
     Larus occidentalis
     
     SUBSPECIES:
     Larus occidentalis occidentalis  ______  subspecies in the western US
     Larus occidentalis wymanii  ______  subspecies from central California south into Baja California, Mexico   
     
     
380. Little Gull  (ph)  ______
     Hydrocoloeus (formerly Larus) minutus  (monotypic)
     
     Mostly a species of the western Palearctic in the Old World, but in North America the Little Gull has bred irregularly in Canada from the Great Lakes to the Hudson Bay. It occurs rarely in the area of the Great Lakes in migration, and along the East Coast of the US in the winter. It has occurred more rarely elsewhere in North America.
     
     Outside North America, the Little Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain, Turkey. 
       
     
381. Black-tailed Gull  (ph) ______  (r/NA)
     Larus crassirostris  (monotypic)
     
     The Black-tailed Gull is an east Asian species, as a breeder nearly endemic to Japan. In North America, it occurs rarely in coastal Alaska, and more rarely elsewhere including the California and the East Coast.   
     
     Outside North America, the Black-tailed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan; commonly seen there, most commonly during spring tours. 
      
     
382. Belcher's Gull  ______  (r/US)  
     Larus belcheri  (monotypic)
     
     Larus belcheri was part of what was the Band-tailed Gull, with the Olrog's Gull of southeastern South America now distinct.   
     
     The Belcher's Gull is normally along the west coast of South America. It has occurred rarely in California and Florida.
     
     South of the US, the Belcher's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Chile. 
     
     
383. Kelp Gull  (ph) ______  (r/US)  
     Larus dominicanus dominicanus  (there is another subspecies in southern Africa) 
     
     At various places in the Southern Hemisphere, Larus dominicanus is called the Dominican Gull.
     
     The Kelp Gull is a widespread & common circumpolar species of the Southern Hemisphere. It has occurred rarely along the Gulf Coast of the US. A few nested on Chandeleur Island, southeast Louisiana, for about a decade starting in the early 1990s. This resulted in some pure Kelp pairings, and some mixed pairings with Herring Gulls that produced hybrids. 
     In Texas, an adult was found at Galveston in January 1996, remaining there until April.
     The species has occurred more rarely elsewhere in North America, including a bird present multiple-winters in Maryland, and another bird in Indiana.
     Additionally, in the Northern Hemisphere, there have been occurrences in Mexico along the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, starting in 1993, and in northern Tamaulipas.    
     
     South of the US, the Kelp Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay.
        
     
384. Yellow-legged Gull  (ph)  ______  (r/NA)
     Larus michahellis atlantis  ______  subspecies that occurs on the North Atlantic islands of the Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands  
     
     The Yellow-legged Gull is an Old World species. It has been conspecific with what is now the Caspian Gull, Larus cachinnans. Further east in Eurasia, the now Mongolian Gull, Larus mongolicus, has also been conspecific.
     
     The Yellow-legged Gull occurs rarely along the East Coast of North America, from Newfoundland south to the mid-Atlantic states of the US.
     
     Outside North America, the Yellow-legged Gull has been seen during FONT tours in the Canary Islands, Spain.
     Also outside North America, the Caspian Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania, Sweden (where rare), Turkey.   
     The Mongolian Gull has been seen during FONT tours outside North America in Japan.  
     
     
385. Yellow-footed Gull  (ph)  ______   
     Larus livens  (monotypic) 
     
     The Yellow-footed Gull is restricted to the area of the Gulf of California (or the Sea of Cortez), mostly in Mexico.  
     
     To the south of the US, the Yellow-footed Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Mexico (Sonora).
     
     
     
     Above & below: Yellow-footed Gulls
     The above photo was taken during the FONT tour in Sonora, Mexico in September 2010.
     (upper photo by Marie Gardner; lower photo by Abram Fleishman)
     
     
     
     
     
386. Thayer's Gull  ______
     Larus thayeri  (monotypic)
     
     The Thayer's Gull has a confused and controversial taxonomy. It has on occasion been treated as a subspecies of both the Herring Gull and the Iceland Gull. With the Iceland Gull, it hybridizes. Identification of the Thayer's Gull can be difficult.   
     
     Outside North America, the Thayer's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan in the winter. The species is rare there.
     
     South of the US, a bird appearing to be Thayer's Gull was seen once during a FONT tour in Mexico (along the Pacific coast).
      
     
387. Gray-hooded Gull  (ph)  ______  (r/NA)
     Chroicocephalus (formerly Larus) cirrocephalus cirrocephalus  (subspecies in South America, another is in Africa)
     
     The Gray-hooded Gull is a species of southern South America & Africa. An adult was photographed at Apalachicola, Florida on December 26, 1998.  
     
     South of the US, the Gray-hooded Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil (Rio Grande do Sul), Ecuador.
     
     
388. Ivory Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun
     Pagophila eburnea  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     ABOVE: 3 photographs of immature Ivory Gulls
     (the top and middle photos by Howard Eskin in 2009; the bottom photo by Alan Brady in 1975)
     
     
389. Ross's Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)
     Rhodostethia rosea  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus) 
     
     Outside North America, the Ross's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (where rare in the winter).  
     
     
     
     ABOVE & BELOW; Two photos of Ross's Gulls
     
     
     
     
390. Sabine's Gull  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  CAP:sep  WAP:sep
     Xema sabini  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
     
     Outside North America, the Sabine's Gull has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (at sea), Iceland (where rare), Sweden (where rare).
     
     
     
     A juvenile Sabine's Gull
     (photo by Jens Bruun)
      
     
391. Black-legged Kittiwake  (*) (ph) ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  NJP:may,nov,dec  WAP:sep
     Rissa tridactyla  (monotypic)
     
     The Black-legged Kittiwake was described by Linnaeus in 1758.
     
     Outside North America, the Black-legged Kittiwake has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland (at nesting sites), Japan (mostly at sea), Sweden (an uncommon migrant).
     
     
     
     A Black-legged Kittiwake photographed during a FONT tour
     (photo by Gabi Hauser)
     
     
392. Red-legged Kittiwake  (t3) (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  
     Rissa revirostris  (monotypic)
     
     In the mid-1970s, the total population of the Red-legged Kittiwake was estimated at about 260,000 individuals. It declined to about 168,000 by the mid-1990s. Much of this decline was in the Pribilof Islands of Alaska. 
     
     
     
     A Red-legged Kittiwake during a FONT Tour in Alaska
     
     
     TERNS
     
     
393. Gull-billed Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:apr,may
     Gelochelidon (formerly Sterna) nilotica
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Gelochelidon nilotica aranea  ______  subspecies in the eastern and southern US and the Bahamas and Cuba, migrating south to Peru & Brazil
     Gelochelidon nilotica vanrossemi  ______  subspecies from southern California and northwestern Mexico, migrating south to Ecuador     
     
     Outside North America, the Gull-billed Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Japan (on Okinawa), Spain, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.
     
     
     
     Gull-billed Tern
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
      
     
394. Caspian Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:jul  DE:mar,may  MD:apr  NC:jun,jul,aug  TX:apr,may  WA:sep
     Hydroprogne (formerly Sterna) caspia  (monotypic)
     
     Outside North America, the Caspian Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Spain, Turkey. Some of those birds may have made their way to the Caspian Sea. 
     
     South of the US, the Caspian Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.
     
     
395. Royal Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  CA:sep  (r/CA)  DEP:may,jun  FL:apr (DT)  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:mar,apr,may
     Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) m. maxima  (subspecies in North America, another subspecies in Africa)
     
     South of the US, the Royal Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
     
     
396. Elegant Tern  (nt) (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul (r/AZ)  CA:sep
     Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) elegans  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Elegant Tern has been seen in Chile, Mexico (Sonora).
     
     
     
     Most Elegant Terns in North America are along the Pacific Coast.
     Here is one along the Atlantic, in New Jersey, in August 2012.
     With a Royal Tern for comparison, 
     the left-most bird was the first Elegant Tern in New Jersey.
     (photo by Peter Burke, the finder of this Elegant Tern)
     
     
397. Sandwich Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  FL:apr (DT)  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:apr,may
     Thalasseus (formerly Sterna) sandvicensis  
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Thalasseus sandvicensis acuflavida  ______  subspecies from eastern North America to the southern Caribbean, migrating to South America   
     
     Outside North America, the Sandwich Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Belize, Chile (where rare; far-north), Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia. 
      
     The Cayenne Tern, Thalasseus eurygnatha, of mostly coastal South America, has been said to be conspecific with the Sandwich Tern. South of the US, the Cayenne Tern ahs been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico (where rare).
     
     
     
     Sandwich Tern
     (a black-and-white photo by Alan Brady)
       
     
398. Common Tern  (*)  ______  AK:jun (PI)  BC:sep  CA:sep  DEP:may,jun  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:mar,may  WA:sep
     Sterna hirundo
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Sterna hirundo hirundo  ______  subspecies from North America to northern South America, and in Europe, northern and western Africa, and western Asia, migrating to south of the Tropic of Capricorn
     
     The Common Tern was described by Linnaeus in 1758.  
     
     Outside North America, the Common Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan (the subspecies S. h. longipennis), Poland, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, and south of the US in Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico.
     
     
399. Forster's Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul  CA:sep  CO:apr,jul  DE:mar,apr,may  DEP:jun  MD:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NE:apr  TX:mar,apr,may  WA:sep
     Sterna forsteri  (monotypic)
     
     What is now Sterna forsteri was historically named by John James Audubon after an acquaintance. He called it "Havell's Tern" in honor of his engraver, the Englishman, Robert Havell, Jr. 
     For years since, however, it has been with the name, instead, of another man, Johann Reinhold Forster, who traveled around the world with Captain Cook in 1772. 
     
     South of the US, the Forster's Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Mexico, Panama. 
     
     
     
     Above and below: Forster's Terns
     Above, in breeding plumage; below, non-breeding.
     
     
     
     
     And below: two Forster's Tern fledglings
     (all 3 of these photos by Howard Eskin)
     
     
     
     
     
400. Roseate Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  FL:apr (DT)
     Sterna dougallii
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Sterna dougallii dougallii  ______  subspecies from eastern North America to Venezuela; also in Europe and Africa 
     
     The population of the Roseate Tern in eastern North America has been classified as endangered. 
     
     Outside North America, the Roseate Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, and south of the US in the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Venezuela.
       
     
401. Arctic Tern  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  CAP:sep  NC:jun  NCP:may,jun  NJP:may,sep  WAP:sep
     Sterna paradisaea  (monotypic)
     
     During a FONT North Carolina Tour in June 1996, a couple birds of the sea were seen on a beach. One of them was a Wilson's Storm Petrel, seen closely as it rested, before it flew back out over the ocean. The other was an Arctic Tern, seen on the same beach at the same time.
     
     Outside North America, the Arctic Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Chile (mostly at sea), Iceland (where it is a very common breeder), Sweden (as a migrant).  
     
     
     
     An Arctic Tern photographed during a FONT tour
     (photo by Gabriel Hauser) 
     
     
402. Least Tern  (*)  ______  DE:may  FL:apr  MD:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NJP:may  TX:apr,may
     Sternula (formerly Sterna)  antillarum
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Sternula antillarum antillarum  ______  subspecies in the eastern and southern US and south to northern Brazil, migratory
     Sternula antillarum athalassos  ______  subspecies from central North America and south to northern Brazil, migratory
     Sternula antillarum browni  ______  subspecies from central California to western Mexico and south to Central America, migratory
     
     South of the US, the Least Tern has been seen during FONT tours in the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Mexico, Puerto Rico. Least Terns that breed on Caribbean islands spend their non-breeding season further south.    
     
     
403. Aleutian Tern  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun
     Onychoprion (formerly Sterna) aleutica  (monotypic)
     
     
404. Bridled Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  DEP:jun,sep  FL:apr (DT)  NCP:may,jun,jul,aug  NJP:aug,sep
     Onychopion (formerly Sterna) anaethetus
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICAN WATERS:
     Onychopion anaethetus melanoptera  ______  subspecies in the Caribbean Sea; also west Africa
     
     South of the US, the Bridled Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Puerto Rico (at sea), Saint Lucia.
     
     
405. Sooty Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  FL:apr (DT)  NC:aug  NCP:aug
     Onychopion (formerly Sterna) fuscata
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICAN WATERS:
     Onychopion fuscata fuscata  ______  subspecies in the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies, to the South Atlantic Ocean, migratory  
     
     The Sooty Tern was described by Linnaeus in 1766. 
     
     During a FONT North Carolina Tour in August 1994, a Sooty Tern was seen in flight over the Outer Banks, not far from Cape Hatteras where a pair nested that year in a colony of other tern species. 
     The previous summer, all-dark juvenile Sooty Terns were seen during a FONT NC pelagic trip in August 1993.  
     
     South of the US, the Sooty Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Dominica (at sea), Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia.
     
     
406. Black Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul,aug,sep  CA:sep  CO:jul  DEP:sep  NC:aug  NCP:aug  NJP:aug,sep  WA:sep
     Chlidonias niger 
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Chlidonias niger surinamensis  ______  subspecies from Canada and the northern US to Central America and northern South America, migratory
     
     The Black Tern was described by Linnaeus in 1758. 
     
     Outside North America, the European race of the Black Tern, C. n. niger, has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Spain, 
     
     South of the US, the Black Tern, C. n. surinamensis, has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     Two photographs of Black Terns
     (upper photo by Kim Steininger; lower photo by Doris Potter)
     
     
407. White-winged Tern  (*) (ph)  ______  (r/NA)   CA:sep
     Chlidonias leucopterus  (monotypic)
     
     The White-winged Tern is a Eurasian species. In North America, it occurred as a rarity along the East Coast, in the area of the Great Lakes, and once further north at Churchill, and along the West Coast, from Alaska to California.
     
     Along the East Coast, there were, in the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s, a number of occurrences in Delaware:  
     in Jul-Sep 1974, Jul 1978, the summer of 1988, and Jul-Sep 1993. In 1993, there were at least 2 birds present. 
     All of these birds in Delaware were in the same area of marshes (from Port Mahon to Little Creek).
     Elsewhere in the East, the White-winged Tern has been in New Jersey (in 1989) and Virginia (in 2002).
     In all, as of 2014, there have been from 20 to 30 records of the White-winged Tern in eastern North America.
     
     In the interior of North America, including the Great Lakes area, there have been White-winged Tern records in the US in Indiana (in 1979), and in Canada in southwestern Ontario in May 1991 and May 1992 (maybe the same bird), and in Churchill, Manitoba in Jun-Jul 1995.     
         .    
     Along the Pacific Coast, there have been occurrences in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in south-coastal Alaska, and in coastal California.
     In Alaska, there have been 3 records in the western and central Aleutian Islands from mid-May to mid-Jul, in the Pribilof Islands (in Jun 2004), and on the Alaskan mainland, in central AK in Jul 2003 and south-coastal AK in Aug-Sep 1992.
     In California, there have been occurrences in Humboldt County Jun-Aug 1996 and in the Monterey area Sep-Oct 1999.      
     
     A single White-winged Tern was seen in California during the FONT West Coast Tour in September 1999,
     noted above as being in the Monterey area. 
     
     Outside North America, the White-winged Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Turkey. 
     
     
     
     
     
     Two photographs of a White-winged Tern, taken in Delaware. 
     (photos by Alan Brady)
     
     
408. Whiskered Tern  (ph)  ______  (r/US)
     Chlidonias hybridus  (3 subspecies in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia) 
     
     The Whiskered Tern is a species of the Old World, where it is widespread. 
     In North America, there were records of adult birds in the mid-1990s and, later, one in 2014.  
     In 1993, one was at Cape May, New Jersey, from July 12 to 15. That bird moved to nearby Delaware where it was present from July 19 to August 24. Another occurrence was at Cape May, August 8 to 12, 1998.  
     More recently, and again at Cape May, New Jersey, a Whiskered Tern was seen September 12 to 20, 2014.     
     
     Outside North America, the Whiskered Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan, Poland, Romania, Spain, Turkey.
     
     
     
     The Whiskered Tern at Cape May, New Jersey in September 2014, with a dragonfly   
     (photo by Leroy Tabb)
     
     
409. Large-billed Tern  (ph)  ______  (r/US)
     Phaetusa simplex  (2 subspecies in of South America) 
     
     In South America, the Large-billed Tern is normally at freshwater habitats. In North America, it has occurred as a rarity in Illinois, Ohio, and New Jersey. It has also occurred out-of-range in Bermuda and Cuba.
     
     South of the US, the Large-billed Tern has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Venezuela.
      
     
410. Brown Noddy  (*)  ______  FL:apr (DT)
     Anous stolidus
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Anous stolidus stolidus  ______  subspecies in the Caribbean and the tropical Atlantic Ocean
     
     The Brown Noddy was described by Linnaeus in 1758.  
     
     South of the US, the Brown Noddy has been seen during FONT tours in the Galapagos Islands (of Ecuador), Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia.
     
     
411. Black Noddy  ______  (r/US)
     Anous minutus
     
     SUBSPECIES THAT OCCURS IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Anous minutus americanus  ______  subspecies in the Caribbean
     
     The Black Noddy is a species of tropical oceans. It has occurred rarely, and irregularly, with Brown Noddies, at the Dry Tortugas in Florida. Black Noddies at the Dry Tortugas have been mostly immature birds. The species has also occurred rarely along the Texas Gulf Coast.
     
     
     SKIMMER
     
     
412. Black Skimmer  (*) (ph)  ______  DE:may  FL:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  TX:mar,may
     Rynchops niger
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Rynchops niger niger  ______  subspecies of the coastal US and Mexico, south to Central America
     
     The Black Skimmer was described by Linnaeus in 1758.
     
     South of the US, the Black Skimmer has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala (where rare), Honduras, Mexico, Venezuela.  
     Black Skimmers in North & South America are different populations that do not meet.  
     
     
     
     Above & below: Black Skimmers
     In the middle photo, a juvenile.
     In the bottom photo: an adult skimming
     (all these photos by Howard Eskin) 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     ALCIDS  
     
     
413. Common Murre  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  BC:sep  CA:sep  CAP:sep  NF:jul  NJP:dec  WA:sep  WAP:sep
     Uria aalage 
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Uria aalage aalage  ______  subspecies in and around the North Atlantic, breeding south to eastern Canada and Scotland and Norway  
     Uria aalage californica  ______  subspecies from Washington State to California
     Uria aalage inornata  ______  subspecies from the Bering Sea and western Alaska to southwestern Canada 
     
     Uria aalage is called Guillemot in Europe.
     
     Outside North America, the Common Murre, or Guillemot, has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland (where it breeds), Japan (mostly at sea), Sweden.
     
     
414. Thick-billed Murre  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  NF:jul  NJP:dec  
     Uria lomvia 
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Uria lomvia lomvia  ______  subspecies in the North Atlantic Ocean
     Uria lomvia arra  ______  subspecies in the North Pacific Ocean, including western and southern Alaska and the Aleutian Islands 
     
     Uria lomvia is called Brunnich's Guillemot in Europe. It was described by Linnaeus in 1758.     
     
     Outside North America, the Thick-billed Murre, or Brunnich's Gullemot, has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland (where it breeds), Japan (mostly at sea).
      
     
415. Razorbill  (*) (ph)  ______  NF:jul  NJP:nov,dec 
     Alca torda
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Alca torda torda  ______  subspecies in eastern North America and Greenland east to northern Scandinavia
     
     The Razorbill was described by Linnaeus in 1758.  
     
     Outside North America, the Razorbill has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland (where it breeds), Spain (in winter). 
     
     
     
     A Razorbill photographed during a FONT tour
     (photo by Gabi Hauser)
     
     
416. Black Guillemot  (*) (ph)  ______  AK:jun  NF:jul
     Cepphus grylle
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Cepphus grylle articus  ______  subspecies in the northeastern US, southeastern Canada, and southern Greenland, east to Europe
     Cepphus grylle mandtii  ______  subspecies further north than C. g. articus, in northeastern Canada, northern Greenland, and northern Alaska and northern Siberia
     
     The Black Guillemot was described by Linnaeus in 1758, the nominate subspecies in the area of the Baltic Sea.    
     
     Outside North America, the Black Guillemot has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland. 
     
     
     
     Above & below: Black Guillemots photographed during FONT tours.
     Above, in breeding plumage; below, non-breeding plumage
     (upper photo by Gabi Hauser; lower photo by Alan Mitchnick)
     
     
     
     
     
417. Pigeon Guillemot  (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  BC:sep  CA:sep  CAP:sep  WA:sep 
     Cepphus columba
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Cepphus columba columba  ______  subspecies from the Bering Sea and western and southern Alaska to the western US, with some migrating further south to northwestern Mexico
     Cepphus columba kaiurka  ______  subspecies in Alaska in the western Aleutian Islands       
     
     Outside North America, the Pigeon Guillemot has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (at sea).
     
     
418. Dovekie (*) ______ AK:jun  NJP:dec   
     Alle alle
     
     SUBSPECIES THAT OCCUR IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Alle alle alle  ______  subspecies in the North Atlantic Ocean
     Alle alle polaris  ______  subspecies in the Barents Sea 
     
     Alle alle is called Little Auk in the Old World. It was described by Linnaeus in 1758. 
     
     
419. Marbled Murrelet  (t2) (*)  ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  BC:sep  CA:sep  CAP:sep  WAP:sep
     Brachyramphus marmoratus  (monotypic)  
     
     For more about the Marbled Murrelet, and the Kittliz's Murrelet, go to:
     
     RARE & THREATENED BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA 
     
     
420. Kittlitz's Murrelet  (t1) (*) ______ AK:may,jun
     Brachyramphus brevorostris  (monotypic)
     
     
421. Long-billed Murrelet  (nt)  ______  (r/NA)
     Brachyramphus perdix
     
     The Long-billed Murrelet is a species of coastal northeast Asia. It occurs rarely, and seemingly without any pattern, throughout North America, with most occurrences in the fall of birds in winter-plumage.
     
     Outside North America, the Long-billed Murrelet has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (mostly at sea). 
      
     
422. Ancient Murrelet  (*)  ______ AK:jun
     Synthliboramphus antiquus 
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Synthliboramphus antiquue antiquus  ______  subspecies in southern Alaska and Queen Charlotte Island; also west to Asia as far south as Yellow Sea
     
     Outside North America, the Ancient Murrelet has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, including Hegura Island. 
     
     
423. Scripps's Murrelet  (t3) (*)  ______  CAP:sep  WAP:sep    
     Synthliboramphus scrippsi  (monotypic)
     
     The Scripps's Murrelet and the Guadalupe Murrelet (below) were part of what was the Xantu's Murrelet. 
     
     Synthliboramphus scrippsi occurs at sea mostly in California. Away from its breeding sites, it occurs north, rarely, to northern California and more rarely to Oregon and Washington State, and south to southern Baja California, Mexico.
     It breeds on islands off southern California: San Miguel, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, Santa Barbara, San Clemente, and formerly Santa Catalina, and in western Baja California, Mexico on San Benito, and Coronado and San Jeronimo islands. On larger islands (such as San Miguel, Santa Cruz, and San Clemente), it is confined largely or entirely to offshore rocks. 
     
     
424. Guadalupe Murrelet  (t3)  ______   
     Synthliboramphus hypoleucus  (monotypic)
     
     Synthliboramphus hypoleucus breeds in offshore rocks and islands off western Baja California, Mexico from Guadalupe Island south to the San Benito Islands. Breeding is unconfirmed on San Martin Island, in Baja California, and San Clemente and Santa Barbara Islands in California, USA.
     It presumably winters offshore within the breeding range along the Pacific coast of Baja California. 
     
     
425. Craveri's Murrelet  (t3) (*) ______  CA:sep
     Synthliboramphus craveri  (monotypic)
     
     South of the US, the Craveri's Murrelet has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico (Sonora).
       
     
426. Cassin's Auklet  (*) _____  CAP:sep  WAP:sep
     Ptychormphus aleuticus
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Ptychormphus aleuticus aleuticus  ______  subspecies from the Aleutian Islands & southern Alaska to northern Baja California in Mexico.  There is another subspecies in Baja California.
     
     
427. Rhinoceros Auklet  (*) ______  AK:may,jun  BC:sep  CAP:sep  WA:sep  WAP:sep
     Cerohinca monocerata  (monotypic, and the single member of its genus)
     
     Outside North America, the Rhinoceros Auklet has been seen during FONT tours in Japan.
     
     
428. Parakeet Auklet  (*) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
     Aethia psittacula  (monotypic)
     
     
429. Least Auklet  (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
     Aethia pusilla  (monotypic)
     
     Outside North America, the Least Auklet has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (mostly at sea).
     
     
     
     Least Auklet
     (photo by Mike Danzenbaker)
     
     
430. Crested Auklet  (*) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
     Aethia cristatella  (monotypic)
     
     Outside North America, the Crested Auklet has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (at sea). 
     
     
431. Whiskered Auklet ______
     Aethia pygmaea  (monotypic)
     
     The Whiskered Auklet occurs in the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, and west to the northeastern Sea of Okhotsk.  
     
     
432. Tufted Puffin  (*) ______  AK:may,jun (PI)  WAP:sep
     Fratercula cirrhata
     
     Outside North America, the Tufted Puffin has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (at sea).
     
     
     
     Tufted Puffin
     (photo by Paul West during a FONT tour)
      
     
433. Horned Puffin  (*) (ph) ______ AK:may,jun (PI)
     Fratercula corniculata
     
     Outside North America, the Horned Puffin has been seen during FONT tours in Japan (at sea).
     
     
     
     Horned Puffin
     (photo by Paul West during a FONT tour)
      
     
434. Atlantic Puffin  (*) (ph) ______ DEP:jun  NF:jul  NJP:may,dec
     Fratercula arctica
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Fratercula arctica arctica  ______  subspecies in the northeastern US and eastern Canada, and east in Greenland, and Iceland and other places in Europe, migratory
     
     The Atlantic Puffin was described by Linnaeus in 1758.       
     
     Outside North America, the Atlantic Puffin has been seen during FONT tours in Iceland (where it breeds). 
     
     
     
     Above & below: Atlantic Puffins photographed during a FONT tour
     (photos by Gabi Hauser)
     
     
     
     
     
435. Great Auk  ______  (extinct)
     Pinguinus impennis 
     
     The Great Auk was described by Linnaeus in 1758. It became extinct in 1844. In the winter, this flightless bird occurred in North America as far south as the coastal Carolinas.
     
     Outside North America, during FONT tours in Iceland, the island has been seen where the last Great Auks lived.
     
     
     PIGEONS & DOVES
     
     
436. Common (or Feral) Pigeon  (i) (*) ______  AK:may,jun (ac)  AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:apr,jul  DE:mar,apr,may  FL:apr  IA:mar  KS:apr  MD:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NE:mar,apr  NF:jul  NM:apr,aug  OK:apr  TX:mar,apr,may  VA:mar  WA:sep  WY:apr 
     Columba livia
     
     Outside North America, the Common, or Feral, Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Japan, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. 
     Wild Rock Pigeons have been seen during FONT tours in the Canary Islands, and in parts of Spain.
     
     South of the US, the Common, or Feral, Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
      
     
437. Band-tailed Pigeon  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul,aug,sep  BC:sep  CA:sep  CO:jul  WA:sep
     Patagioenas (formerly Columba) fasciata
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Patagioenas fasciata fasciata  ______  subspecies from the Rocky Mountains of the western US to Nicaragua
     Patagioenas fasciata monilis  ______  subspecies from the Pacific Northwest in the US & nearby Canada south to California  
     
     South of the US, the Band-tailed Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama.
      
     
438. Red-billed Pigeon  ______  (r/US)
     Patagioenas (formerly Columba) flavirostris
     
     The Red-billed Pigeon is a Mexican and Central American species. It occurs rarely in south Texas, less now than formerly. 
     
     SUBSPECIES THAT OCCURS NORTH OF MEXICO:
     Patagioenas flavirostris flavirostris  ______  (subspecies from Texas to Costa Rica)  
     
     South of the US, the Red-billed Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.  
     
     
439. White-crowned Pigeon  (nt)  ______
     Patagioenas (formerly Columba) leucocephala  (monotypic)
     
     The White-crowned Pigeon was described by Linnaeus in 1758.
     
     South of the US, the White-crowned Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in the Cayman Islands, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico (Cozumel Island), Puerto Rico.
     
     
440. Scaly-naped Pigeon  (ph)  ______  (r/US)
     Patagioenas (formerly Columba) squamosa
     
     A common species of West Indian islands. Two old specimens at from Key West, Florida: August 24, 1898 and May 6, 1929.  
     
     South of the US, the Scaly-naped Pigeon has been seen during FONT tours in Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent.
     
     
441. Passenger Pigeon ______  (extinct)
     Ectopistes migratorius 
     
     
442. Eurasian Collared Dove  (NAi) (*)  ______  AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep  CO:apr  FL:apr  KS:apr  NC:aug  NE:apr  NM:apr  OK:apr  TX:mar,apr,may
     Streptopelia decaocto
     
     Outside North America, the Eurasian Collared Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, Hungary, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey. 
     In Europe, during the last couple decades, this species has had a major range expansion, spreading west, and with it a large increase in population. During FONT European tours in the 1990s, for example, in Spain, the species was not commonly seen as it is now.
     
     South of the US, the Eurasian Collared Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Dominica, Mexico. As far west as Sonora, the species is now very common, especially in towns.    
     
     
443. Spotted Dove  (NAi) ______  
     Streptopelia chinensis
     
     
444. Oriental Turtle Dove  ______  (r/NA)
     Streptopelia orientalis
     
     An Asian species. In occurs rarely in the Aleutian Islands and the Bering Sea area of Alaska in the spring and summer. It has occurred more rarely on Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, Canada, and in California.    
     
     Outside North America, the Oriental Turtle Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Japan. 
     
     
445. European Turtle Dove ______  (r/US)
     Streptopelia turtur
     
     An Old World species that has occurred in Florida, once, the only known occurrence in North America.
     
     The European Turtle Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, Hungary, Poland, Spain, Turkey.
      
     
446. White-winged Dove  (*) (ph) ______  AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep  CA:sep  FL:apr  NM:apr  TX:mar,apr,may
     Zenaida asiatica
     
     SUBSPECIES IN NORTH AMERICA:
     Zenaida asiatica asiatica  ______  subspecies from southern US to Nicaragua, also in the West Indies
     Zenaida asiatica mearnsi  ______  subspecies in the southwestern US and western Mexico 
     
     The White-winged Dove was described by Linnaeus in 1758.
     
     South of the US, the White-winged Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico.
     
     
     
     A White-winged Dove photographed in Texas
     (photo by Rhett Poppe)
     
     
447. Mourning Dove  (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep  CA:sep  CO:apr,jul  DE:mar,apr,may  FL:apr  IA:mar  KS:apr  MD:apr  NC:may,jun,jul,aug  NE:mar,apr  NM:apr,jul,aug  OK:apr  TX:mar,apr,may  VA:mar  WA:sep  WY:apr
     Zenaida macroura
     
     SUBSPECIES NORTH OF MEXICO & THE CARIBBEAN:
     Zenaida macroura carolinesis  ______  subspecies in eastern North America and the Bahamas
     Zenaida macroura marginella  ______  subspecies from western North America to central Mexico
     
     The Mourning Dove was described by Linnaeus in 1758, the nominate subspecies in the West Indies.    
     
     South of the US, the Mourning Dove has been seen during FONT tours Belize, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Puerto Rico. 
     
     
     
     A pair of Mourning Doves
     (photo by Howard Eskin)
     
     
448. Zenaida Dove  (ph)  ______  (r/US)
     Zenaida aurita
     
     The Zenaida Dove is primarily a species of West Indian islands. It has occurred in recent years as a rarity in the Florida Keys and on the southern Florida mainland. Historically, it was noted by Audubon as breeding in the Florida Keys in 1832. 
     
     South of the US, the Zenaida Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Barbados, the Cayman islands, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico (Cozumel Island & the nearby Yucatan), Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent.
      
     
449. Inca Dove  (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jul,aug  TX:apr,may
     Columbina (formerly Scardafella) inca
     
     South of the US, the Inca Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico.
      
     
450. Common Ground Dove  (*) (ph) ______ AZ:jan,jul,aug  FL:apr  TX:apr,may
     Columbina passerina
     
     South of the US, the Common Ground Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Barbados, Belize, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
     
     
451. Ruddy Ground Dove  (ph)  ______  (r/US)
     Columbina talpacoti
     
     Most US records of the Ruddy Ground Dove are of the west Mexican race eluta. Some Texas records are of the east Mexican race rufipennis, which as a richer cinnamon coloration. 
     
     South of the US, the Ruddy Ground Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.
      
     
452. White-tipped Dove  (*)  ______  TX:may
     Leptotila verreauxi
     
     South of the US, the White-tipped Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Venezuela.
     
     
453. Key West Quail Dove  ______  (r/US)
     Geotrygon chrysia
     
     The Key West Quail Dove is a West Indian species. In 1832, Audubon told of it breeding at Key West, Florida. That population disappeared by the mid-19th century. Now, it occurs rarely on the Florida Keys and in south Florida.    
     
     South of the US, the Key West Quail Dove has been seen during FONT tours in the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico.
     
     
454. Ruddy Quail Dove ______  (r/US)
     Geotrygon montana
     
     The Ruddy Quail Dove is a species of Central & South America and the West Indies. It has occurred rarely in Florida and in south Texas.
     
     South of the US, the Ruddy Quail-Dove has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Brazil, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela. 
     
     
     PARAKEETS & PARROTS
     
     
455. Carolina Parakeet ______  (extinct; it was the only native North American psittacid)
     Conuropsis carolinensis 
     
     
456. Rosy-faced Lovebird  (NAi) (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:sep  
     Agapornis roseicollis   
     
     Agapornis roseicollis is also called the Peach-faced Lovebird. It is native to Africa. 
     
     
     
     Rosy-faced Lovebirds photographed during a FONT tour in Arizona
     (photo by Marie Gardner) 
     
     
457. Monk Parakeet  (NAi) (*) (ph)  ______  DE:may  TX:may
     Myiopsitta monachus
     
     Outside North America, the Monk Parakeet has been seen, where it is not native, during FONT tours in the Canary Islands, and in Spain. 
     
     South of the US, the Monk Parakeet has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina (where native), Bolivia (where native), Brazil (where native), the Cayman Islands (where not native), Puerto Rico (where not native), Uruguay (where native).
     
     
458. Green Parakeet  (*)  ______ TX:may
     Aratinga holochlora
     
     South of the US, the Green Parakeet has been seen during FONT tours in Guatemala. 
     
     
459. Red-masked Parakeet  (NAi) (*) (ph)  ______  CA:sep  
     Aratinga erythrogenys 
     
     The native range of the Red-masked Parakeet is in South America, mostly Ecuador, also Peru.
     It occurs in San Francisco, especially near Telegraph Hill, and that's where we've seen it during our FONT tour in California.   
     
     South of the US, the Red-masked Parakeet has been seen during FONT tours in Ecuador (where native).
     
     
     
     A Red-masked Parakeet photographed during a FONT tour in Ecuador
     (photo by Marie Gardner)
     
     
460. White-winged Parakeet  (NAi) (*) ______  CA:sep   
     Brotogeris versicolurus   
     
     The White-winged Parakeet was merged with the Yellow-chevroned Parakeet. When so, it was called the Canary-winged Parakeet.
     
     South of the US, the White-winged Parakeet has been seen during FONT tours in Puerto Rico (where not native). 
     
     
461. Yellow-chevroned Parakeet  (NAi) ______
     Brotogeris chiriri  
     
     South of the US, the Yellow-chevoned Parakeet has been seen during FONT tours in Brazil (where native).
      
     
     Other PARAKEETS that have been introduced in North America, and are either established or have been, in varying degrees, include: 
     Dusky-headed Parakeet, Aratinga weddellii
     Blue-crowned Parakeet, Aratinga acuticaudata
     Mitred Parakeet, Aratinga mitrata
     Nanday (or Black-hooded) Parakeet, Nandayus nenday  (ph)
     Rose-ringed Parakeet, Psittacula krameri
     Budgerigar, Melopsittacus undulatus    
     
     
462. Thick-billed Parrot  (t2)  ______  (no longer occurs north of Mexico)
     Rhynchopsitta pachyrhyncha
     
     
463. Red-crowned Amazon (or Parrot)  (t2) (*) ______ TX:may
     Amazona viridigenalis 
     
     South of the US, the Red-crowned Amazon has been seen during a FONT tour in Mexico.
      
     
     Other PARROTS that have been introduced in North America, and are either established or have been, in varying degrees, include:
     Orange-winged Amazon (or Parrot), Amazona amazonica
     Lilac-crowned Amazon (or Parrot), Amazona finschi
     Red-lored Amazon (or Parrot), Amazona autimnalis
     Yellow-headed Amazon (or Parrot), Amazona oratrix 
     
     
     CUCKOOS
      
     
464. Black-billed Cuckoo  (*)  ______  DE:may
     Coccyzus erythropithlmus
     
     South of the US, the Black-billed Cuckoo has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina (about as far south as it occurs), Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama.
     
     
465. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (*) (ph)  ______  AZ:jul,aug,sep  DE:may  FL:apr (DT)  NC:may,jun  TX:apr,may  VA:may
     Coccyzus americanus
     
     South of the US, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo has been seen during FONT tours in Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia.
     
     
     
     Yellow-billed Cuckoo
     (photo by Rhett Poppe)
     
     
466. Mangrove Cuckoo  (ph) ______
     Coccyzus minor
     
     South of the US, the Mangrove Cuckoo has been seen during FONT tours in the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent.
     
     
467. Greater Roadrunner  (*) (ph) ______  AZ:jan,jul,aug,sep  CA:sep  TX:mar,apr,may
     Geococcyx californianus
     
     South of the US, the Greater Roadrunner has been seen during FONT tours in Mexico.
     
     
     
     A Greater Roadrunner photographed in Texas
     (photo by Rhett Poppe)
     
     
468. Groove-billed Ani  (*) (ph)  ______  TX:may
     Crotophaga suicirostris
     
     South of the US, the Groove-billed Ani has been seen during FONT tours in Belize, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Venezuela.
     
     
469. Smooth-billed Ani  (ph) ______
     Crotophaga ani
     
     South of the US, the Smooth-billed Ani has been seen during FONT tours in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Jamaica, Mexico (Cozumel Island & the Yucatan), Panama, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent, Venezuela.
     
     
470. Common Cuckoo  (*) ______  (r/US)   AK:jun (PI) 
     Cuculus canorus 
     
     A widespread Old World species, migratory. In Alaska, it is a rare spring and summer visitor to the western & central Aleutian Islands, and to the Pribilof Islands. There is also a late-June record in Anchorage, Alaska. 
     In eastern North America, there is a record of one, as a vagrant, on the offshore island of Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts.   
     
     As the Common Cuckoo and the following species, the Oriental Cuckoo, can be so similar when seen and not heard, some birds over the years in Alaska could have been either.    
     
     Outside North America, the Common Cuckoo has been seen during FONT tours in Bulgaria, Hungary, Japan (including Hegura Island), Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Spain.
     
     
471. Oriental Cuckoo ______  (r/US)
     Cuculus optatus  (formerly C. saturatus)
     
     An east Asian species, migratory. It has occurred as a rarity in Alaska from the late spring through the fall in the western Aleutian islands, the Pribilof Islands, and on St. Lawrence Island. It has also occurred (once) in mainland Alaska.  
     
     Outside North America, the Oriental Cuckoo has been seen during FONT tours in Japan, including Hegura Island.  
     
     
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