This is a comprehensive listing of all the bird species recorded in Big Bend National Park, which is in the U.S. state of Texas. Unless otherwise noted, this list is based on one published by the National Park Service (NPS) as of September 2025.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 66th Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS).Chesser, R. T., S. M. Billerman, K. J. Burns, C. Cicero, J. L. Dunn, B. E. Hernández-Baños, R. A. Jiménez, O. Johnson, N. A. Mason, and P. C. Rasmussen. 2025. Check-list of North American Birds (online). American Ornithological Society. https://checklist.americanornithology.org/taxa/ retrieved September 5, 2025 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.
This list contains 409 species. Unless otherwise noted, all are considered to occur regularly in Big Bend National Park as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The tags below are used to designate the abundance of some species.
(R) Rare - "usually seen only a few times each year" per the NPS (118 species) (Unc) Uncommon - "likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season and may be locally common" per the NPS (86 species) (O) Occasional - "occur in a park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year" per the NPS (62 species) (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by the actions of man, either directly or indirectly (four species)
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.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (O) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens (Unc) Ross's goose, Anser rossii (R) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons (O) Canada goose, Branta canadensis (R) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (R) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (Unc) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (Unc) Mexican duck, Anas diazi Northern pintail, Anas acuta (Unc) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria (O) Redhead, Aythya americana (R) Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis (Unc) Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (R) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus (R) Common merganser, Mergus merganser (R) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator (O) Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis (R)
New World quail Order: GalliformesFamily: Odontophoridae
The New World quails are small, plump terrestrial birds only distantly related to the quails of the Old World, but named for their similar appearance and habits.
Scaled quail, Callipepla squamata Gambel's quail, Callipepla gambelii (R) Montezuma quail, Cyrtonyx montezumae (R)
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo (R)
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.
Least grebe, Tachybaptus dominicus (R) Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (R)
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.
Inca dove, Columbina inca Common ground dove, Columbina passerina Ruddy ground dove, Columbina talpacoti (O) White-tipped dove, Leptotila verreauxi (O) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura Band-tailed pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata (Unc) Eurasian collared-dove, Streptopelia decaocto (I) Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) (R)
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.
Groove-billed ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris (R) Greater roadrunner, Geococcyx californianus Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (O)
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 colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Lesser nighthawk, Chordeiles acutipennis Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Unc) Common poorwill, Phalaenoptilus nuttallii Mexican whip-poor-will, Antrostomus arizonae (Unc)
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 (O) White-throated swift, Aeronautes saxatalis
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.
Rivoli's hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens (R) Blue-throated mountain-gem, Lampornis clemenciae Lucifer hummingbird, Calothorax lucifer (Unc) Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris (R) Black-chinned hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri Anna's hummingbird, Calypte anna Costa's hummingbird, Calypte costae (R) Calliope hummingbird, Selasphorus calliope (R) Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus Broad-tailed hummingbird, Selasphorus platycercus Broad-billed hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris (R) White-eared hummingbird, Basilinna leucotis (R) Violet-crowned hummingbird, Leucolia violiceps (O) Berylline hummingbird, Saucerottia beryllina (O)
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 (Unc)
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.
King rail, Rallus elegans (O) Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (Unc) Sora, Porzana carolina Common gallinule, Gallinula galeata (R) American coot, Fulica americana Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (O) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis (O)
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 (Unc) American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (Unc)
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.
Killdeer, Charadrius vociferus
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 (R) Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus (R) Long-billed curlew, Numenius americanus (R) Dunlin, Calidris alpina (O) Baird's sandpiper, Calidris bairdii (Unc) Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (Unc) Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (R) Western sandpiper, Calidris mauri (Unc) Long-billed dowitcher, Limnodromus scolopaceus (R) American woodcock, Scolopax minor (O) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (Unc) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularia Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (Unc) Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (R) Willet, Tringa semipalmata (R) Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (Unc) Wilson's phalarope, Phalaropus tricolor (R)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds and includes gulls, terns, and skimmers. Gulls are typically gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish.
Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla (O) Bonaparte's gull, Chroicocephalus philadelphia (R) Laughing gull, Leucophaeus atricilla (R) Franklin's gull, Leucophaeus pipixcan (R) Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (Unc) Least tern, Sternula antillarum (R) Black tern, Chlidonias niger (O) Forster's tern, Sterna forsteri (R)
Loons Order: GaviiformesFamily: Gaviidae
Loons are aquatic birds, the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. Their plumage is largely gray or black, and they have spear-shaped bills. Loons swim well and fly adequately, but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body.
Common loon, Gavia immer (O)
Anhingas Order: SuliformesFamily: Anhingidae
Anhingas are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long straight beaks. They are fish eaters which often swim with only their neck above the water.
Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga (O)
Cormorants and shags Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed.
Double-crested cormorant, Nannopterum auritum (R) Neotropic cormorant, Nannopterum brasilianum (R)
Ibises and spoonbills Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae