This is a list of bird species confirmed in Saint Pierre and Miquelon, a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France. Unless otherwise noted, the list is that of Bird Checklists of the World as of October 2024. Of the 350 species on the checklist, 180 are rare or accidental and five were introduced by humans.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 63rd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them. French names in parentheses are also from the AOS Check-list.
The following tags are used to describe some categories of occurrence.
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Saint Pierre and Miquelon (I) Introduced - a species introduced by humans directly to the islands or elsewhere in North America
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Snow goose (), Anser caerulescens (A) Greater white-fronted goose (), Anser albifrons (A) Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus (A) Brant (), Branta bernicla (A) Canada goose (), Branta canadensis Tundra swan (), Cygnus columbianus (A) Common shelduck (), Tadorna tadorna (A) Wood duck (), Aix sponsa Garganey (), Spatula querquedula (A) Blue-winged teal (), Spatula discors Northern shoveler (), Spatula clypeata (A) Gadwall (), Mareca strepera (A) Eurasian wigeon (), Mareca penelope (A) American wigeon (), Mareca americana Mallard (), Anas platyrhynchos American black duck (), Anas rubripes Northern pintail (), Anas acuta Green-winged teal (), Anas crecca Canvasback (), Aythya valisineria (A) Redhead (), Aythya americana (A) Ring-necked duck (), Aythya collaris Tufted duck (), Aythya fuligula (A) Greater scaup (), Aythya marila Lesser scaup (), Aythya affinis (A) King eider (), Somateria spectabilis Common eider (), Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck (), Histrionicus histrionicus Surf scoter (), Melanitta perspicillata White-winged scoter (), Melanitta deglandi Black scoter (), Melanitta americana Long-tailed duck (), Clangula hyemalis Bufflehead (), Bucephala albeola (A) Common goldeneye (), Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye (), Bucephala islandica (A) Hooded merganser (), Lophodytes cucullatus (A) Common merganser (), Mergus merganser (A) Red-breasted merganser (), Mergus serrator Ruddy duck (), Oxyura jamaicensis (A)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
Ruffed grouse (), Bonasa umbellus (I)
Grebes Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Pied-billed grebe (), Podilymbus podiceps (A) Horned grebe (), Podiceps auritus (A) Red-necked grebe (), Podiceps grisegena Eared grebe (), Podiceps nigricollis (A)
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. They feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds, the doves and pigeons produce "crop milk," which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.
Rock pigeon (), Columba livia (I) European turtle-dove (), Streptopelia turtur (A) Eurasian collared-dove (), Streptopelia decaocto (I) (A) White-winged dove (), Zenaida asiatica (A) Mourning dove (), Zenaida macroura
Cuckoos Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae
The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Yellow-billed cuckoo (), Coccyzus americanus (A) Black-billed cuckoo (), Coccyzus erythropthalmus (A)
Nightjars and allies Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk (), Chordeiles minor (A) Chuck-will's-widow (), Antrostomus carolinensis (A) Eastern whip-poor-will (), Antrostomus vociferus (A)
Swifts Order: ApodiformesFamily: Apodidae
The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Chimney swift (), Chaetura pelagica Common swift (), Apus apus (A)
Hummingbirds Order: ApodiformesFamily: Trochilidae
Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Ruby-throated hummingbird (), Archilochus colubris (A) Rufous hummingbird (), Selasphorus rufus (A)
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: GruiformesFamily: Rallidae
Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Virginia rail (), Rallus limicola (A) Corn crake (), Crex crex (A) Sora (), Porzana carolina (A) Common gallinule (), Gallinula galeata (A) American coot (), Fulica americana Purple gallinule (), Porphyrio martinicus (A) Yellow rail (), Coturnicops noveboracensis (A)
Cranes Order: GruiformesFamily: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Sandhill crane (), Antigone canadensis (A)
Stilts and avocets Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Recurvirostridae
Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
Black-necked stilt (), Himantopus mexicanus (A) American avocet (), Recurvirostra americana (A)
Oystercatchers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious, and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prying open molluscs.
American oystercatcher (), Haematopus palliatus (A)
Plovers and lapwings Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Charadriidae
The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.
Northern lapwing (), Vanellus vanellus (A) Black-bellied plover (), Pluvialis squatarola European golden-plover (), Pluvialis apricaria (A) American golden-plover (), Pluvialis dominica Killdeer (), Charadrius vociferus Semipalmated plover (), Charadrius semipalmatus Piping plover (), Charadrius melodus
Sandpipers and allies Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Scolopacidae
Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers, and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Upland sandpiper (), Bartramia longicauda (A) Whimbrel (), Numenius phaeopus Long-billed curlew (), Numenius americanus (A) Bar-tailed godwit (), Limosa lapponica (A) Black-tailed godwit (), Limosa limosa (A) Hudsonian godwit (), Limosa haemastica (A) Marbled godwit (), Limosa fedoa (A) Ruddy turnstone (), Arenaria interpres Red knot (), Calidris canutus Ruff (), Calidris pugnax (A) Stilt sandpiper (), Calidris himantopus (A) Curlew sandpiper (), Calidris ferruginea (A) Red-necked stint (), Calidris ruficollis (A) Sanderling (), Calidris alba Dunlin (), Calidris alpina Purple sandpiper (), Calidris maritima Baird's sandpiper (), Calidris bairdii (A) Least sandpiper (), Calidris minutilla White-rumped sandpiper (), Calidris fuscicollis Buff-breasted sandpiper (), Calidris subruficollis (A) Pectoral sandpiper (), Calidris melanotos Semipalmated sandpiper (), Calidris pusilla Western sandpiper (), Calidris mauri (A) Short-billed dowitcher (), Limnodromus griseus Long-billed dowitcher (), Limnodromus scolopaceus (A) American woodcock (), Scolopax minor Wilson's snipe (), Gallinago delicata Spotted sandpiper (), Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper (), Tringa solitaria (A) Lesser yellowlegs (), Tringa flavipes Willet (), Tringa semipalmata (A) Common greenshank (), Tringa nebularia (A) Greater yellowlegs (), Tringa melanoleuca Wilson's phalarope (), Phalaropus tricolor (A) Red-necked phalarope (), Phalaropus lobatus Red phalarope (), Phalaropus fulicarius
Skuas and jaegers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Stercorariidae
Skuas and jaegers are in general medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They have longish bills with hooked tips and webbed feet with sharp claws. They look like large dark gulls, but have a fleshy cere above the upper mandible. They are strong, acrobatic fliers.
Great skua (), Stercorarius skua (A) South polar skua (), Stercorarius maccormicki (A) Pomarine jaeger (), Stercorarius pomarinus Parasitic jaeger (), Stercorarius parasiticus Long-tailed jaeger (), Stercorarius longicaudus
Auks, murres, and puffins Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Alcidae
Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture, and some of their habits, however they are only distantly related to the penguins and are able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.
Dovekie (), Alle alle Common murre (), Uria aalge Thick-billed murre (), Uria lomvia Razorbill (), Alca torda Black guillemot (), Cepphus grylle Atlantic puffin (), Fratercula arctica
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, kittiwakes, and skimmers. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.
Black-legged kittiwake (), Rissa tridactyla Ivory gull (), Pagophila eburnea (A) Sabine's gull (), Xema sabini (A) Bonaparte's gull (), Chroicocephalus philadelphia (A) Black-headed gull (), Chroicocephalus ridibundus Little gull (), Hydrocoleus minutus (A) Laughing gull (), Leucophaeus atricilla (A) Franklin's gull (), Leucophaeus pipixcan (A) Common gull (), Larus canus (A) Short-billed gull (), Larus brachyrhynchus (A) Ring-billed gull (), Larus delawarensis Herring gull (), Larus argentatus