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List of North American birds: non-passerines

The North American birds most closely resemble those of Eurasia, which was connected to this continent until geologically recent times.

Many groups occur throughout these northern hemisphere continents, although distinctive groups have also arisen, such as the wrens. Several common birds in North America, such as the House Sparrow, the Rock Dove, the European Starling, and the Mute Swan are introduced species, meaning that they are not native to this continent but were brought here by man from Europe or elsewhere. Introduced species are marked on this list as (Introduced). There may be species that have individual escapees or small feral populations in North America that are not on this list. This is especially true of birds that are commonly held as pets such as Parrots and Finches.

The definition of the area covered by a list of "North American birds" is somewhat subjective. The original list published by the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) in 1886 covered birds found in North America north of Mexico, Baja California, Bermuda and Greenland. In 1983 the area was expanded to included all of Mexico, Central America south through Panama, the West Indies and the Hawaiian Islands, while Greenland was dropped. This expansion more than doubled the number of birds on the AOU list. Other organizations, such as the American Birding Association (ABA) use a smaller area. The current ABA area includes the 49 continental states, Canada and the French islands St. Pierre and Miquelon, plus surrounding waters. It does not include Greenland, Bermuda, the Bahamas or the Hawaiian Islands. As most field guides for "North American" birds use the ABA area, rather than the more expansive AOU area, this list is based on the ABA checklist.

The taxonomic system used for this article is Sibley-Ahlquist taxonomy, which is the standard for North America. See the discussion page for further taxonomic comment.

The birds marked (Accidental) on this list are birds from other parts of the world that are occasionally found in North America, but have not established populations, and are not regular visitors. Not all accidental birds on this list are necessarily marked.

A few of the birds on this list were once native to North America, but have become extinct. They are marked as (Extinct).

This list includes the non-passerine birds of North America. For the passerines see the List of North American birds: passerines.

For local birding, see also

Table of contents
1 Ducks, Geese and Swans
2 Curassows and Guans
3 Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail
4 New World Quail
5 Loons
6 Grebes Podicipedidae
7 Albatrosses
8 Shearwaters and Petrels
9 Storm-Petrelss
10 Tropicbirds
11 Boobies and Gannets
12 Pelicans
13 Cormorants
14 Darters
15 Frigatebirds
16 Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets
17 Ibises and Spoonbills
18 Storks
19 New World Vultures
20 Flamingos
21 Hawks, Kites, and Eagles
22 Caracaras and Falcons
23 Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
24 Limpkins
25 Cranes
26 Stone-curlew (Thick-knees)
27 Lapwings and Plovers
28 Oystercatchers
29 Stilts and Avocets
30 Jacanas
31 Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes
32 Pratincoles
33 Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers
34 Auks, Murres, and Puffins
35 Pigeons and Doves
36 Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots
37 Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis
38 Barn owls
39 Typical owls
40 Goatsuckers
41 Swifts
42 Hummingbirds
43 Trogons
44 Hoopoes
45 Kingfishers
46 Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers and Flickers

Ducks, Geese and Swans

Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae

Curassows and Guans

Order: Galliformes Family: Cracidae

Partridges, Grouse, Turkeys, and Old World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae

New World Quail

Order: Galliformes Family: Odontophoridae

Loons

Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae

Grebes Podicipedidae

Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae

Albatrosses

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae

Shearwaters and Petrels

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae

Storm-Petrelss

Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae

Tropicbirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phaethontidae

Boobies and Gannets

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Sulidae

Pelicans

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae

Cormorants

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Darters

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Anhingidae

Frigatebirds

Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Fregatidae

Bitterns, Herons, and Egrets

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ardeidae

Ibises and Spoonbills

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Threskiornithidae

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae

New World Vultures

Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Cathartidae

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes Family: Phoenicopteridae

Hawks, Kites, and Eagles

Order: Falconiformes Family: Accipitridae

Caracaras and Falcons

Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae''

Rails, Gallinules, and Coots

Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae

Limpkins

Order: Gruiformes Family: Aramidae

Cranes

Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae

Stone-curlew (Thick-knees)

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Burhinidae

Lapwings and Plovers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae

Stilts and Avocets

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae

Jacanas

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Jacanidae

Sandpipers, Curlews, Stints, Godwits, Snipes, and Phalaropes

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae

Pratincoles

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae

Skuas, Gulls, Terns, and Skimmers

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae

Auks, Murres, and Puffins

Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae

Pigeons and Doves

Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae

Lories, Parakeets, Macaws, and Parrots

Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittacidae

Cuckoos, Roadrunners, and Anis

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae

Barn owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae

Typical owls

Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae

Goatsuckers

Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae

Hummingbirds

Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae

Trogons

Order: Trogoniformes Family: Trogonidae

Hoopoes

Order: Upupiformes Family: Upupidae

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae

Woodpeckers, Sapsuckers and Flickers

Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae