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I've had a deep appreciation for birds for a long time. They are both beautiful and fascinating, from rock pigeons to red-crowned cranes. One of my most treasured memories is seeing a great blue heron on a tributary of the Colorado, on a camping trip (lately, I've been thinking of getting a tattoo of one). In late 2023, after moving to Massachusetts, I decided to get serious about birdwatching, and I really value it as a hobby and a way of connecting with the world around me.

A while ago, I made a little game to virtually birdwatch on my website, which you can view here. Later, I am hoping to collect some advice and resources for prospective birders.

Below is my life list - the list of every bird I've seen and been able to confidently identify. This is mostly focused on birds I've met since I started "offically" birdwatching, but not exclusive! It is also not necessarily totally up to date, though, since there's always another day.

Last updated: 09/12/2024

Auks (Alcidae)

  • Black Guillemot ❤️

Blackbirds and Orioles (Icteridae)

  • Red-winged Blackbird
  • Brown-headed Cowbird
  • Common Grackle
  • Great-tailed Grackle ❤️

Cardinals and Allies (Cardinalidae)

  • Northern Cardinal

Chickadees and Titmice (Paridae)

  • Black-capped Chickadee
  • Tufted Titmouse

Cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae)

  • Double-crested Cormorant

Creepers (Certhiidae)

  • Brown Creeper

Crows and Jays (Corvidae)

  • American Crow
  • Fish Crow
  • Blue Jay
  • Common Raven ❤️

Ducks, Geese, and Swans (Anatidae)

  • Muscovy Duck (feral)
  • Common Eider ❤️
  • Common Goldeneye ❤️
  • Canada Goose
  • Mallard
  • Common Merganser
  • Hooded Merganser
  • Northern Pintail

Eagles and Hawks (Accipitridae)

  • Red-tailed Hawk

Finches (Fringillidae)

  • House Finch
  • American Goldfinch

Gulls and Terns (Laridae)

  • Great Black-backed Gull
  • Herring Gull
  • Laughing Gull
  • Ring-billed Gull
  • Common Tern

Herons and Egrets (Ardeidae)

  • Great Blue Heron ❤️

Hummingbirds (Trochilidae)

  • Anna's Hummingbird ❤️

Mimids (Mimidae)

  • Gray Catbird
  • Northern Mockingbird

New World Sparrows (Emberizidae)

  • Dark-eyed Junco
  • Chipping Sparrow ❤️
  • Field Sparrow
  • Song Sparrow
  • American Tree Sparrow
  • White-throated Sparrow
  • Eastern Towhee

New World Vultures (Cathartidae)

  • Turkey Vulture

New World Warblers (Parulidae)

  • Northern Parula
  • Pine Warbler
  • Common Yellowthroat

Nutcatchers (Sittidae)

  • White-breasted Nuthatch

Old World Sparrows (Passeridae)

  • House Sparrow

Ospreys (Pandionidae)

  • Osprey

Pheasants and Allies (Phasianidae)

  • Wild Turkey ❤️

Pigeons (Columbidae)

  • Eurasian Collared-dove
  • Inca Dove ❤️
  • Mourning Dove
  • White-winged Dove
  • Rock Pigeon ❤️

Rails and Coots (Rallidae)

  • American Coot

Starlings (Sturnidae)

  • European Starling

Swallows (Hirundinidae)

  • Barn Swallow ❤️

Swifts (Apodidae)

  • Chimney Swift

Thrushes (Turdidae)

  • Eastern Bluebird
  • Hermit Thrush
  • American Robin

True Owls (Strigidae)

  • Barred Owl

Tyrant Flycatchers (Tyrannidae)

  • Eastern Kingbird
  • Eastern Phoebe
  • Western Wood-pewee

Verdin (Remizidae)

  • Verdin

Vireos (Vireonidae)

  • Red-eyed Vireo

Waxwings (Bombycillidae)

  • Cedar Waxwing

Woodpeckers (Picidae)

  • Northern Flicker
  • Downy Woodpecker
  • Hairy Woodpecker
  • Pileated Woodpecker
  • Red-bellied Woodpecker

Wrens (Troglodytidae)

  • Carolina Wren
  • House Wren