Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) male, Nov 2012, Napeague. Breeder/year-round.
Thank you for visiting my gallery of the wild birds of the New York region. It’s not meant to be a complete gallery of New York birds, but is a dynamic photo record of birds I’ve personally observed in the region. All photos are taken by me, Betsy McCully, unless otherwise stated.
I’ve arranged the birds by habitats. In breeding season, their habitat is where they nest; in non-breeding season or in migration, it’s where they find food. For example, downy woodpeckers nest in tree cavities and therefore require a woodland habitat; in winter, however, they may come to your backyard feeder. I’ve also grouped the birds into categories, such as shorebirds, wading birds, raptors, etc., and within each category listed them alphabetically by common name, usually the second part of the name, such as plover, sandpiper, turnstone, willet, etc. The captions give the bird’s common name, Latin name, date and place of observation, and status. I use the data from Cornell’s excellent site, All About Birds.
All photos are of birds that can be seen in the New York region, whether year-round, in migration, as occasional visitors, winter residents, or breeders. I’ve been birding the New York area for 20-plus years, but I am human and make mistakes. I welcome your feedback by contacting me at the email address below.
I hope my gallery may help you identify some of the birds you find in the New York region. See the New York Birds page for a list of suggested print guides and websites. The gallery will be updated regularly, so check back for more. Also take a look at my New York Birds album on my Flickr site.
If you wish to use my photos, please review my Terms of Use page before contacting me at the email address below.
–Betsy McCully, September 2021
Note: Click on the picture to view the caption and an enlarged image in Lightbox; mobile users click twice.
Birds of Waters, Wetlands, Shores
Shorebirds
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)
Dunlin (Calidris alpina) and Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) and Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Red Knot (Calidris canutus)
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Sanderling (Calidris alba)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)
Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Willet (Tringa palmata)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Willet (Tringa semipalmata)
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)
Wading Birds: egrets, herons, and ibis
Great Egret (Ardea alba)
Great Egret (Ardea alba) with Blue-winged Teal
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)
Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)
Tri-colored Heron (Egretta tricolor)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)
Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Yellow-crowned Night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Yellow-crowned Night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Yellow-crowned Night-heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)
Waterfowl: loons, ducks, geese, swans
Common Loon (Gavia immer)
Common Loon (Gavia immer)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima)
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Longtailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
Longtailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Longtailed Ducks (Clangula hyemalis)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Redhead (Aythya americana)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) and American Coot (Fulica americana)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata)
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discours)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
American Wigeon (Mareca americana)
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) and Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Snow Goose (Anser caerulescens) and Canada Geese (Branta canadensis)
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)
Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
Seabirds: gulls, terns, and skimmer
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)
Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides)
Iceland Gull (Larus Glaucoides)
Laughing Gull (Leucophaeus atricilla)
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougalii)
Roseate Tern (Sterna dougalii)
Waters, wetlands, shores: raptors and a kingfisher