Species Accounts – Virginia Bird Atlas

The Second Atlas presents Species Accounts for 203 breeding bird species in Virginia. Species that were not documented during the Second Atlas but that are known as historic breeders in the Commonwealth are treated separately in the Results section.

Taxonomic Order	Common Name	Family (Common)	Family (Scientific)	SGCN	SGCN Sort	Conservation Opportunity Rank
10	Canada Goose	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
20	Mute Swan	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
30	Trumpeter Swan	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
40	Wood Duck	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
50	Gadwall	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
60	Mallard	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
70	American Black Duck	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
80	Hooded Merganser	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
90	Common Merganser	Swans, Geese & Ducks	Anatidae		6
100	Northern Bobwhite	New World Quail	Odontophoridae	Tier III	3	a
110	Wild Turkey	Grouse and Turkeys	Phasianidae		6
120	Ruffed Grouse	Grouse and Turkeys	Phasianidae	Tier III	3	a
130	Pied-billed Grebe	Grebes	Podicipedidae		6
140	Mourning Dove	Pigeons and Doves	Columbidae		6
150	Eurasian Collared-Dove	Pigeons and Doves	Columbidae		6
160	Rock Pigeon	Pigeons and Doves	Columbidae		6
170	Yellow-billed Cuckoo	Cuckoos and Anis	Cuculidae		6
180	Black-billed Cuckoo	Cuckoos and Anis	Cuculidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
190	Common Nighthawk	Goatsuckers	Caprimulgidae	Tier I	1	b
200	Chuck-will’s-widow	Goatsuckers	Caprimulgidae	Tier III	3	b
210	Eastern Whip-poor-will	Goatsuckers	Caprimulgidae	Tier IV	4	b
220	Chimney Swift	Swifts	Apodidae	Tier IV	4	b
230	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	Hummingbirds	Trochilidae		6
240	King Rail	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae	Tier I	1	b
250	Clapper Rail	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae	Tier IV	4	b
260	Virginia Rail	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae	Tier III	3	b
270	Sora	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae		6
280	Common Gallinule	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae		6
290	American Coot	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae		6
300	Black Rail	Rails, Gallinules & Coots	Rallidae	Tier I	1	a
310	Black-necked Stilt	Stilts and Avocets	Recurvirostridae		6
320	American Oystercatcher	Oystercatchers	Haematopodidae	Tier III	3	a
330	Killdeer	Plovers	Charadriidae		6
340	Piping Plover	Plovers	Charadriidae	Tier I	1	a
350	Wilson’s Plover	Plovers	Charadriidae	Tier I	1	a
360	American Woodcock	Sandpipers	Scolopacidae	Tier I	1	a
370	Spotted Sandpiper	Sandpipers	Scolopacidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
380	Willet	Sandpipers	Scolopacidae		6
390	Least Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier III	3	a
400	Gull-billed Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier I	1	a
410	Caspian Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae		6
420	Common Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier II	2	a
430	Forster’s Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier II	2	b
440	Royal Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae		6
450	Sandwich Tern	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae		6
460	Black Skimmer	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier III	3	a
470	Laughing Gull	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier III	3	a
480	American Herring Gull	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae	Tier II	2	b
490	Great Black-backed Gull	Gulls, Terns & Skimmers	Laridae		6
500	Anhinga	Anhingas	Anhingidae		6
510	Double-crested Cormorant	Cormorants	Phalacrocoracidae		6
520	White Ibis	Ibises and Spoonbills	Threskiornithidae		6
530	Glossy Ibis	Ibises and Spoonbills	Threskiornithidae	Tier I	1	a
540	Brown Pelican	Pelicans	Pelecanidae		6
550	Least Bittern	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
560	American Bittern	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
570	Little Blue Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae	Tier I	1	a
580	Tricolored Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae	Tier II	2	a
590	Snowy Egret	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae	Tier II	2	a
600	Yellow-crowned Night Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
610	Black-crowned Night Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
620	Green Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae	Tier II	2	b
630	Great Egret	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
640	Western Cattle-Egret	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
650	Great Blue Heron	Bitterns, Herons & Egrets	Ardeidae		6
660	Black Vulture	New World Vultures	Cathartidae		6
670	Turkey Vulture	New World Vultures	Cathartidae		6
680	Osprey	Osprey	Pandionidae		6
690	Sharp-shinned Hawk	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae	Assessment Priority Species	5
700	Cooper’s Hawk	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
710	Northern Harrier	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
720	Bald Eagle	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
730	Mississippi Kite	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
740	Red-shouldered Hawk	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
750	Broad-winged Hawk	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
760	Red-tailed Hawk	Kites, Hawks & Eagles	Accipitridae		6
770	American Barn Owl	Barn Owls	Tytonidae	Tier I	1	a
780	Eastern Screech-Owl	Typical Owls	Strigidae	Tier IV	4	b
790	Great Horned Owl	Typical Owls	Strigidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
800	Barred Owl	Typical Owls	Strigidae		6
810	Northern Saw-whet Owl	Typical Owls	Strigidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
820	Belted Kingfisher	Kingfishers	Alcedinidae	Tier III	3	b
830	Red-headed Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
840	Red-bellied Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
850	Yellow-bellied Sapsucker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
860	Downy Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
870	Red-cockaded Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae	Tier I	1	a
880	Hairy Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
890	Northern Flicker	Woodpeckers	Picidae	Tier III	3	b
900	Pileated Woodpecker	Woodpeckers	Picidae		6
910	American Kestrel	Falcons	Falconidae	Tier II	2	a
920	Merlin	Falcons	Falconidae		6
930	Peregrine Falcon	Falcons	Falconidae	Tier I	1	a
940	Great Crested Flycatcher	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae		6
950	Eastern Kingbird	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae	Tier IV	4	a
960	Eastern Wood-Pewee	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae	Tier IV	4	b
970	Acadian Flycatcher	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae		6
980	Alder Flycatcher	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae		6
990	Willow Flycatcher	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae		6
1000	Least Flycatcher	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae	Tier II	2	b
1010	Eastern Phoebe	Tyrant Flycatchers	Tyrannidae		6
1020	White-eyed Vireo	Vireos	Vireonidae		6
1030	Yellow-throated Vireo	Vireos	Vireonidae		6
1040	Blue-headed Vireo	Vireos	Vireonidae		6
1050	Eastern Warbling-Vireo	Vireos	Vireonidae		6
1060	Red-eyed Vireo	Vireos	Vireonidae		6
1070	Loggerhead Shrike	Shrikes	Laniidae	Tier I	1	a
1080	Blue Jay	Jays, Crows & Magpies	Corvidae		6
1090	American Crow	Jays, Crows & Magpies	Corvidae		6
1100	Fish Crow	Jays, Crows & Magpies	Corvidae		6
1110	Common Raven	Jays, Crows & Magpies	Corvidae		6
1120	Carolina Chickadee	Chickadees and Titmice	Paridae		6
1130	Black-capped Chickadee	Chickadees and Titmice	Paridae		6
1140	Tufted Titmouse	Chickadees and Titmice	Paridae		6
1150	Horned Lark	Larks	Alaudidae	Tier III	3	a
1160	Bank Swallow	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae	Tier III	3	b
1170	Tree Swallow	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae		6
1180	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae	Tier III	3	c
1190	Purple Martin	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae		6
1200	Barn Swallow	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae		6
1210	Cliff Swallow	Martins and Swallows	Hirundinidae		6
1220	Golden-crowned Kinglet	Kinglets	Regulidae		6
1230	Cedar Waxwing	Waxwings	Bombycillidae		6
1240	Red-breasted Nuthatch	Nuthatches	Sittidae		6
1250	White-breasted Nuthatch	Nuthatches	Sittidae		6
1260	Brown-headed Nuthatch	Nuthatches	Sittidae		6
1270	Brown Creeper	Creepers	Certhiidae		6
1280	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	Gnatcatchers	Polioptilidae		6
1290	Carolina Wren	Wrens	Troglodytidae		6
1300	Northern House Wren	Wrens	Troglodytidae		6
1310	Winter Wren	Wrens	Troglodytidae	Tier III	3	c
1320	Marsh Wren	Wrens	Troglodytidae	Tier III	3	b
1330	Gray Catbird	Catbirds, Mockingbirds & Thrashers	Mimidae	Tier IV	4	a
1340	Brown Thrasher	Catbirds, Mockingbirds & Thrashers	Mimidae		6
1350	Northern Mockingbird	Catbirds, Mockingbirds & Thrashers	Mimidae	Tier IV	4	a
1360	European Starling	Starlings	Sturnidae		6
1370	Eastern Bluebird	Thrushes	Turdidae		6
1380	Veery	Thrushes	Turdidae	Tier III	3	b
1390	Swainson’s Thrush	Thrushes	Turdidae		6
1400	Hermit Thrush	Thrushes	Turdidae	Tier III	3	b
1410	Wood Thrush	Thrushes	Turdidae	Tier IV	4	a
1420	American Robin	Thrushes	Turdidae		6
1430	House Sparrow	Old World Sparrows	Passeridae		6
1440	House Finch	Siskins, Crossbills & Allies	Fringillidae		6
1450	Purple Finch	Siskins, Crossbills & Allies	Fringillidae		6
1460	Red Crossbill	Siskins, Crossbills & Allies	Fringillidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
1470	Pine Siskin	Siskins, Crossbills & Allies	Fringillidae		6
1480	American Goldfinch	Siskins, Crossbills & Allies	Fringillidae		6
1490	Grasshopper Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier IV	4	b
1500	Chipping Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae		6
1510	Field Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier IV	4	a
1520	Dark-eyed Junco	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae		6
1530	Vesper Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier I	1	a
1540	Seaside Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae		6
1550	Saltmarsh Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier II	2	a
1560	Henslow’s Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier I	1	b
1570	Savannah Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier II	2	a
1580	Song Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae		6
1590	Swamp Sparrow	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Assessment Priority Species (Coastal Plain subspecies)	5
1600	Eastern Towhee	New World Sparrows and Towhees	Passerellidae	Tier IV	4	a
1610	Yellow-breasted Chat	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteriidae	Tier IV	4	a
1620	Bobolink	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae	Tier III	3	a
1630	Eastern Meadowlark	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae	Tier IV	4	b
1640	Orchard Oriole	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae		6
1650	Baltimore Oriole	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae		6
1660	Red-winged Blackbird	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae	Tier IV	4	a
1670	Brown-headed Cowbird	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae		6
1680	Common Grackle	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae	Tier IV	4	a
1690	Boat-tailed Grackle	Blackbirds, Meadowlarks & Orioles	Icteridae	Tier III	3	a
1700	Ovenbird	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1710	Worm-eating Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1720	Louisiana Waterthrush	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1730	Golden-winged Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier II	2	a
1740	Blue-winged Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1750	Black-and-white Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier IV	4	b
1760	Prothonotary Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1770	Swainson’s Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Assessment Priority Species	5
1780	Mourning Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1790	Kentucky Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier III	3	b
1800	Common Yellowthroat	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1810	Hooded Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1820	American Redstart	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1830	Cerulean Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier II	2	a
1840	Northern Parula	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1850	Magnolia Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1860	Blackburnian Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1870	Yellow Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier III	3	b
1880	Chestnut-sided Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1890	Black-throated Blue Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1900	Pine Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1910	Yellow-rumped Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1920	Yellow-throated Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae		6
1930	Prairie Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier IV	4	a
1940	Black-throated Green Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier I (Wayne’s Warbler subspecies)	1	b
1950	Canada Warbler	Wood Warblers	Parulidae	Tier I	1	b
1960	Summer Tanager	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
1970	Scarlet Tanager	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
1980	Northern Cardinal	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
1990	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
2000	Blue Grosbeak	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
2010	Indigo Bunting	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
2020	Painted Bunting	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae		6
2030	Dickcissel	Tanagers, Cardinals, Grosbeaks & Dickcissels	Cardinalidae	Tier II	2	a

*SGCN – Species of Greatest Conservation Need