Breeding Bird Survey

How can I help with the Breeding Bird Survey?

Spend the winter studying your field guides and getting to know the most common birds by sight and sound. Go birding whenever you can, then come to the spring kickoff (usually in April- check our events calendar) and learn how to record your observations and hone your skills. Learn more about the Breeding Bird Survey at http://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs/about/.

Field Checklist of Ann Arbor's Breeding Birds

The birds in the list below have been found in Ann Arbor’s parks and natural areas during the breeding season, May to July. The list was created using data collected by Breeding Bird Survey volunteers and Natural Area Preservation staff from 1995 to 2007. In that time period, there have been 124 breeding bird species observed! Why don’t you head out to one of our many parks and see how many you can spot?

Italicized Species

Threatened (T) indicates a bird species that is protected under the Endangered Species Act of the State of Michigan. Also on this list are species of Special Concern (SC). While not afforded legal protection under the act, these species are of concern because of declining or relict populations in the state. If they continue to decline, they would be recommended for Threatened or Endangered status. Seven state-listed species can be found on this checklist.

Status Codes

The status codes indicate the highest level of breeding behavior that has been observed for a particular species in our parks and natural areas.

1: Observed during breeding season.
2: Probable breeder.
3: Confirmed breeder.

Abundance Codes

The abundance codes reflect the probability that a moderately skilled observer will find a particular species during the breeding bird season of late May to mid-July.

Abundant (A): Very likely to be seen in parks and natural areas, especially if in the appropriate habitat.
Common (C): Common in parks and natural areas, but may be a bit harder to find than an abundant species.
Uncommon (U): Less common and perhaps more secretive.
Rare (R): Few sightings over the years or very local to a particular park or natural area.

Geese, Swans & Ducks		Status	Abundance
	Mute Swan	3	U
	Trumpeter Swan	2	R
	Canada Goose	3	C
	Wood Duck	3	U
	American Black Duck	1	R
	Mallard	3	C
	Blue-winged Teal	1	R
	Hooded Merganser	3	R

Grouse, Turkeys & Pheasants		Status	Abundance
	Ring-necked Pheasant	2	R
	Ruffed Grouse	2	R
	Wild Turkey	1	R

Grebes		Status	Abundance
	Pied-billed Grebe	3	U

Cormorants		Status	Abundance
	Double-crested Cormorant	2	U

Bitterns and Herons		Status	Abundance
	Great Blue Heron	1	C
	Great Egret	1	U
	Green Heron	3	U

Storks and Vultures		Status	Abundance
	Turkey Vulture	3	C

Hawks, Eagles & Falcons		Status	Abundance
	Northern Harrier (SC)	1	R
	Sharp-shinned Hawk	1	R
	Cooper's Hawk	3	U
	Broad-winged Hawk	3	R
	Red-tailed Hawk	3	U
	American Kestrel	3	R

Rails and Coots		Status	Abundance
	Virginia Rail	2	R
	Sora	3	R
	Common Moorhen (SC)	1	R
	American Coot	3	R

Cranes		Status	Abundance
	Sandhill Crane	1	R

Shorebirds		Status	Abundance
	Killdeer	3	C
	Spotted Sandpiper	3	U
	Upland Sandpiper	1	R
	American Woodcock	3	U

Gulls		Status	Abundance
	Ring-billed Gull	1	C
	Herring Gull	1	R

Pigeons and Doves		Status	Abundance
	Rock Pigeon	3	C
	Mourning Dove	3	A

Cuckoos		Status	Abundance
	Black-billed Cuckoo	2	U
	Yellow-billed Cuckoo	2	U

Owls		Status	Abundance
	Eastern Screech Owl	2	R
	Great Horned Owl	3	R
	Barred Owl	1	R

Goatsuckers		Status	Abundance
	Common Nighthawk	1	U

Swifts		Status	Abundance
	Chimney Swift	1	C

Hummingbirds		Status	Abundance
	Ruby-throated Hummingbird	3	U

Kingfishers		Status	Abundance
	Belted Kingfisher	3	U

Woodpeckers		Status	Abundance
	Red-headed Woodpecker	1	R
	Red-bellied Woodpecker	3	A
	Downy Woodpecker	3	A
	Hairy Woodpecker	3	C
	Northern Flicker	3	A

Flycatchers		Status	Abundance
	Eastern Wood-Pewee	3	A
	Acadian Flycatcher	3	U
	Alder Flycatcher	1	R
	Least Flycatcher	2	U
	Willow Flycatcher	3	U
	Eastern Phoebe	3	C
	Great Crested Flycatcher	3	C
	Eastern Kingbird	3	C

Vireos		Status	Abundance
	White-eyed Vireo	2	R
	Yellow-throated Vireo	3	U
	Blue-headed Vireo	3	R
	Warbling Vireo	3	C
	Red-eyed Vireo	3	A

Corvids		Status	Abundance
	Blue Jay	3	A
	American Crow	3	A

Larks		Status	Abundance
	Horned Lark	3	R

Swallows		Status	Abundance
	Purple Martin	1	R
	Tree Swallow	3	C
	Cliff Swallow	3	U
	Barn Swallow	3	C
	Northern Rough-winged Swallow	2	U
	Bank Swallow	3	U

Chickadees and Titmice		Status	Abundance
	Tufted Titmouse	3	A
	Black-capped Chickadee	3	A

Nuthatches and Creepers		Status	Abundance
	Brown Creeper	2	R
	White-breasted Nuthatch	3	A
	Red-breasted Nuthatch	3	R

Wrens		Status	Abundance
	Carolina Wren	3	C
	House Wren	3	C
	Sedge Wren	3	R
	Marsh Wren (SC)	2	R

Gnatcatchers and Kinglets		Status	Abundance
	Blue-gray Gnatcatcher	3	C
	Golden-crowned Kinglet	2	R

Thrushes and Mimids		Status	Abundance
	Eastern Bluebird	3	U
	Wood Thrush	3	U
	American Robin	3	A
	Gray Catbird	3	A
	Northern Mockingbird	1	R
	Brown Thrasher	3	R

Starlings		Status	Abundance
	European Starling	3	C

Waxwings		Status	Abundance
	Cedar Waxwing	3	C

Wood Warblers		Status	Abundance
	Blue-winged Warbler	3	R
	Yellow Warbler	3	C
	Chestnut-sided Warbler	2	R
	Black-throated Green Warbler	2	R
	Hooded Warbler (SC)	3	R
	Cerulean Warbler (SC)	2	R
	Ovenbird	2	U
	Common Yellowthroat	3	C
	American Redstart	2	U
	Yellow-breasted Chat	2	R

Tanagers		Status	Abundance
	Summer Tanager	2	R
	Scarlet Tanager	3	U

Sparrows and allies		Status	Abundance
	Eastern Towhee	3	U
	Chipping Sparrow	3	U
	Field Sparrow	3	U
	Savannah Sparrow	3	U
	Grasshopper Sparrow (SC)	3	R
	Henslow's Sparrow (T)	2	R
	Song Sparrow	3	A
	Swamp Sparrow	2	U

Grosbeaks and Buntings		Status	Abundance
	Northern Cardinal	3	A
	Rose-breasted Grosbeak	3	C
	Indigo Bunting	3	U

Blackbirds and allies		Status	Abundance
	Bobolink	3	R
	Red-winged Blackbird	3	A
	Eastern Meadowlark	3	R
	Common Grackle	3	C
	Brown-headed Cowbird	3	C
	Orchard Oriole	3	R
	Baltimore Oriole	3	C

Finches and allies		Status	Abundance
	House Finch	3	U
	American Goldfinch	3	A

Weaver Finches		Status	Abundance
	House Sparrow	3	U

Want to print out this information in a handy brochure? Click here (pdf) for our field checklist!