This is a comprehensive listing of the bird species recorded in Shenandoah National Park, which is in the U.S. state of Virginia. Unless otherwise noted, this list is based on one published by the National Park Service (NPS). The list contains 196 species when taxonomic changes have been made.
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.
The following tags are used to highlight the abundance of some species. Species without tags are common to abundant residents, migrants, or seasonal visitors.
(Uc) Uncommon - "Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common" per the NPS (52 species) (R) Rare - "Present, but usually seen only a few times each year" per the NPS (30 species) (O) Occasional - "Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year" per the NPS (63 species) (I) Introduced - a species introduced to North America by the actions of man, either directly or indirectly (4 species)
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family 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.
Canada goose, Branta canadensis (O) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (O) Wood duck, Aix sponsa (Uc) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors (O) Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos (O) American black duck, Anas rubripes (O) Green-winged teal, Anas crecca (O)
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.
Northern bobwhite, Colinus virginianus (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 (O) Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus (O) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I) (O)
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 (O)
Pigeons and doves Order: ColumbiformesFamily: Columbidae
Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (C) Rock pigeon, Columba livia (I) (Uc)
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. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.
Yellow-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus (Uc) Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (Uc)
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 which are of little use for walking and long, pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically colored to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (Uc) Eastern whip-poor-will, Antrostomus vociferus (Uc)
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
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. Seven species have been recorded in Virginia.
Ruby-throated hummingbird, Archilochus colubris
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 (O)
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 (O)
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) American woodcock, Scolopax minor (Uc) Wilson's snipe, Gallinago delicata (O) Spotted sandpiper, Actitis macularius (R) Solitary sandpiper, Tringa solitaria (R)
Gulls, terns, and skimmers Order: CharadriiformesFamily: Laridae
Gulls are typically medium to large birds, usually gray or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, stout, longish bills and webbed feet. The large species take up to four years to attain full adult plumage, but two years is typical for small gulls. Terns are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. They have longish bills and webbed feet. They are lighter bodied and more streamlined than gulls and look elegant in flight with long tails and long narrow wings.
Ring-billed gull, Larus delawarensis (O) Herring gull, Larus argentatus (O) Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia (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, Phalacrocorax auritus (O)
Herons, egrets, and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae
The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.
American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus (O) Great blue heron, Ardea herodias (O) Great egret, Ardea alba (O) Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis (O) Green heron, Butorides virescens (O) Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (O)
New World vultures Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Cathartidae
The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers. However, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses.
Black vulture, Coragyps atratus Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura
Osprey Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae
The osprey is a medium-large fish-eating bird of prey or raptor. It is widely distributed because it tolerates a wide variety of habitats, nesting in any location which is near a body of water and provides an adequate food supply. It is the only member of its family.
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus (O)
Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae
Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.
Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos (R) Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus (Uc) Cooper's hawk, Astur cooperii (Uc) American goshawk, Astur atricapillus (O) Northern harrier, Circus husonius (O) Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus (O) Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus (Uc) Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus (O)
Owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae
Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.
Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio (Uc) Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus (Uc) Barred owl, Strix varia (Uc) Long-eared owl, Asio otus (O) Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus (O) Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus (R)
Kingfishers Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon (O)
Woodpeckers Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks.
Red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus (R) Red-bellied woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius (Uc) Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens Hairy woodpecker, Dryobates villosus (Uc) Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus (Uc)
Falcons and caracaras Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae
Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.
American kestrel, Falco sparverius (O) Merlin, Falco columbarius (Uc) Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus
Tyrant flycatchers Order: PasseriformesFamily: Tyrannidae
Tyrant flycatchers are passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America. They superficially resemble the Old World flycatchers, but are more robust and have stronger bills. They do not have the sophisticated vocal capabilities of the songbirds. Most, but not all, are rather plain. As the name implies, most are insectivorous.
Great crested flycatcher, Myiarchus crinitus Eastern kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus (O) Olive-sided flycatcher, Contopus cooperi (O) Eastern wood-pewee, Contopus virens