Over 300 species of birds can be found in the state of West Virginia

West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...

 during some seasons. Of these species, only around 75 actually breed within the state; the remainder are migrating

Bird migration

Bird migration is the regular seasonal journey undertaken by many species of birds. Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability, habitat or weather. Sometimes, journeys are not termed "true migration" because they are irregular or in only one direction...

 or wintering species that are only present during the spring

Spring (season)

Spring is one of the four temperate seasons, the transition period between winter and summer. Spring and "springtime" refer to the season, and broadly to ideas of rebirth, renewal and regrowth. The specific definition of the exact timing of "spring" varies according to local climate, cultures and...

 or winter

Winter

Winter is the coldest season of the year in temperate climates, between autumn and spring. At the winter solstice, the days are shortest and the nights are longest, with days lengthening as the season progresses after the solstice.-Meteorology:...

 months.

In West Virginia, bird diversity

Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...

 is highest from late spring to early fall, but around 50 species can be encountered in the state during the cold winter months.

An asterisk (*) beside a species' name indicates that there are fewer that five accepted records of that species in West Virginia.

Family Gaviidae

• Red-Throated Loon (Gavia stellata)

• Common Loon (Gavia immer)

Family Podicipedidae

• Pied-Billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

• Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)

• Red-Necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)

Family Pelecanidae (Pelicans)

• American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)

Family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants)

• Double-Crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)

• Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo)*

Family Ardeidae (Herons)

• American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)

• Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)

• Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

• Great Egret (Ardea alba)

• Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)

• Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)

• Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

• Green Heron (Butorides virescens)

• Black-Crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)

• Yellow-Crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

Family Threskiornithidae

Threskiornithidae

The family Threskiornithidae includes 34 species of large terrestrial and wading birds, falling into two subfamilies, the ibises and the spoonbills. It was formerly known as Plataleidae. The spoonbills and ibises were once thought to be related to other groups of long-legged wading birds in the...

 (Ibises)

• White Ibis (Eudocimus albus)*

• Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)*

Family Cathartidae (New World Vultures)

• Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus)

• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)

Family Anatidae

Anatidae

Anatidae is the biological family of birds that includes ducks, geese and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica and on most of the world's islands and island groups...

• Black-Bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis)*

• Greater White-Fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)

• Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens)

• Ross's Goose (Chen rossii)*

• Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)

• Brant (Branta bernicla)

• Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)

• Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)*

• Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)

• Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

• Gadwall (Anas strepera)

• American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)

• Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

• Blue-Winged Teal (Anas discors)

• Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)

• Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)

• Green-Winged Teal (Anas carolinensis)

• Eurasian Widgeon (Mareca penelope)

• American Widgeon (Mareca americana)

• Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)

• Redhead (Aythya americana)

• Ring-Necked Duck (Aythya collaris)

• Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)

• Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)

• King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)*

• Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)

• White-Winged Scoter (Melanitta deglandi)

• Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)

• Oldsquaw (Clangula hyemalis)

• Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)

• Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)

• Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)

• Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)

• Red-Breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)

• Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

Family Accipitridae

Accipitridae

The Accipitridae, one of the two major families within the order Accipitriformes , are a family of small to large birds with strongly hooked bills and variable morphology based on diet. They feed on a range of prey items from insects to medium-sized mammals, with a number feeding on carrion and a...

 (Eagles and Hawks)

• Swallow-Tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)*

• Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

• Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)

• Sharp-Shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)

• Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)

• Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)

• Red-Shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)

• Broad-Winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus)

• Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)*

• Red-Tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

• Rough-Legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)

• Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)

Family Falconidae

Falconidae

The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae. The family is divided into two subfamiles, Polyborinae, which includes the caracaras and forest falcons, and Falconinae, the falcons, kestrels and falconets.-Description:Falcons and...

• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)

• Merlin (Falco columbarius)

• Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus)

Family Phasianidae

Phasianidae

The Phasianidae is a family of birds which consists of the pheasants and partridges, including the junglefowl , Old World Quail, francolins, monals and peafowl. The family is a large one, and is occasionally broken up into two subfamilies, the Phasianinae, and the Perdicinae...

 (Pheasants)

• Ring-Necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)

• Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)

• Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

Family Rallidae

Rallidae

The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small to medium-sized birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and the family also includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules...

 (Rails)

• Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis)*

• King Rail (Rallus elegans)

• Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)

• Sora (Porzana carolina)

• Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica)

• Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)

• American Coot (Fulica americana)

Family Charadriidae

Charadriidae

The bird family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels, and lapwings, about 64 to 66 species in all.- Morphology :They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings, but most species of lapwing may have more rounded wings...

 (Plovers)

• Black-Bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)

• American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)

• Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)

• Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus)*

• Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Family Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae

Recurvirostridae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups of birds, the avocets and the stilts .-Description and diet:...

 (Avocets and Stilts)

• Black-Necked Stilt (Himantopus himantopus)*

• American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

Family Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae

The sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders or shorebirds. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil...

 (Sandpipers and Relatives)

• Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)

• Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)

• Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)

• Willet (Tringa semipalmata)

• Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius)

• Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)

• Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)*

• Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)*

• Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)*

• Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)

• Sanderling (Calidris alba)

• Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)

• Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)

• Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)

• White-Rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)

• Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)

• Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)

• Dunlin (Calidris alpina)

• Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)

• Buff-Breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis)

• Short-Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus)

• Long-Billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)*

• Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)

• American Woodcock (Scolopax minor)

• Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)

• Red-Necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)

• Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)*

Family Laridae (Gulls)

• Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)

• Ring-Billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)

• Herring Gull (Larus smithsonianus)

• Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus)*

• Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan)*

• Bonaparte's Gull (Chroicocephalus philadelphia)

• Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)*

• Black-Legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)*

Family Sternidae (Terns)

• Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

• Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)

• Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)

• Least Tern (Sternula antillarum)

• Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus)*

• Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)

Family Columbidae

• Rock Dove (Columba livia)

• Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

Family Cuculidae

• Black-Billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)

• Yellow-Billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)

Family Strigidae (True Owls)

• Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)

• Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)

• Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus)

• Barred Owl (Strix varia)

• Long-Eared Owl (Asio otus)

• Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus)

• Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)

Family Caprimulgidae

• Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor)

• Chuck-Will's-Widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis)

• Whip-Poor-Will (Caprimulgus vociferus)

Family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds)

• Ruby-Throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

• Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)*

Family Picidae

Picidae

The woodpeckers, piculets and wrynecks are a family, Picidae, of near-passerine birds. Members of this family are found worldwide, except for Australia and New Zealand, Madagascar, and the extreme polar regions...

 (Woodpeckers)

• Red-Headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)

• Red-Bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)

• Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)

• Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)

• Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)

• Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)

• Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

Family Tyrannidae (Tyrant Flycatchers)

• Olive-Sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi)

• Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)

• Yellow-Bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)

• Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens)

• Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)

• Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii)

• Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)

• Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)

• Ash-Throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)*

• Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)

• Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)

• Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)

Family Laniidae (Shrikes)

• Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)

• Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor)*

Family Vireonidae (Vireos)

• White-Eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus)

• Yellow-Throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons)

• Blue-Headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius)

• Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus)

• Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus)

• Red-Eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus)

Family Corvidae

Corvidae

Corvidae is a cosmopolitan family of oscine passerine birds that contains the crows, ravens, rooks, jackdaws, jays, magpies, treepies, choughs and nutcrackers. The common English names used are corvids or the crow family , and there are over 120 species...

 (Crows and Relatives)

• Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

• Black-Billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia)*

• American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)

• Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus)

• Common Raven (Corvus corax)

Family Hirundinidae (Swallows and Martins)

• Purple Martin (Progne subis)

• Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)

• Northern Rough-Winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)

• Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)

• Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota)

• Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Family Paridae (Chickadees)

• Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)

• Black-Capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus)

• Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus)*

• Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)

Family Sittidae

Sittidae

Sittidae is a family of small passerine birds which contains the single genus Sitta containing about 24 species of nuthatches, which are found across Eurasia and North America....

 (Nuthatches)

• Red-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)

• White-Breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)

Family Troglodytidae (Wrens)

• Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

• Bewick's Wren (Thryomanes bewickii)

• House Wren (Troglodytes aedon)

• Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)

• Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis)

• Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris)

Family Regulidae (Kinglets)

• Golden-Crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa)

• Ruby-Crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula)

Family Turdidae (Thrushes)

• Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

• Veery (Catharus fuscescens)

• Gray-Cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus)

• Bicknell's Thrush (Catharus bicknelli)*

• Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus)

• Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus)

• Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina)

• American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

• Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius)*

Family Mimidae (Mimids)

• Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis)

• Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos)

• Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

Family Bombycillidae (Waxwings)

• Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus)

• Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

Family Parulidae (New World Warblers)

• Blue-Winged Warbler (Vermivora cyanoptera
  Blue-winged Warbler
  The Blue-winged Warbler, Vermivora cyanoptera, is a fairly common New World warbler, 11.5 cm long and weighing 8.5 g. It breeds in eastern North America in southern Ontario and the eastern USA. Its range is extending northwards, where it is replacing the very closely related...
  
  )

• Golden-Winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera)

• Orange-Crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata)

• Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla)

• Tennessee Warbler (Oreothlypis peregrina
  Tennessee Warbler
  The Tennessee Warbler, Oreothlypis peregrina, is a New World warbler. It breeds in northern North America across Canada and the northern USA. It is migratory, wintering in southern Central America and northern Colombia and Venezuela, with a few stragglers going as far south as Ecuador. It is a...
  
  )

• Northern Parula (Parula americana)

• Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia)

• Chestnut-Sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica)

• Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia)

• Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina)

• Black-Throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens)

• Yellow-Rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata)

• Black-Throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens)

• Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca)

• Yellow-Throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica)

• Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus)

• Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor)

• Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum)

• Bay-Breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea)

• Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata)

• Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea)

• Black-and-White Warbler (Mniotilta varia)

• American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)

• Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

• Worm-Eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorus)

• Swainson's Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii)

• Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus)

• Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracencis
  Northern Waterthrush
  The Northern Waterthrush is one of the larger New World warblers. It breeds in the northern part of North America in Canada, and in the northern United States, . This bird is migratory, wintering in Central America, the West Indies, and Florida; also Venezuela, Colombia, and Ecuador...
  
  )

• Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla
  Louisiana Waterthrush
  The Louisiana Waterthrush is a New World warbler. It breeds in eastern North America from southernmost Canada and south through the eastern USA, excluding Florida and the coast....
  
  )

• Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus)

• Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis)

• Mourning Warbler (Oporornis philadelphia)

• Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas)

• Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina)

• Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla)

• Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis)

• Yellow-Breasted Chat (Icteria virens)

Family Cardinalidae (Cardinals)

• Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra)

• Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea)

• Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Rose-Breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)

• Black-Headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus)

• Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea)

• Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)

• Dickcissel (Spiza americana)

Family Emberizidae

Emberizidae

The Emberizidae are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with a distinctively shaped bill.In Europe, most species are called buntings. In North America, most of the species in this family are known as sparrows, but these birds are not closely related to the sparrows, the...

 (American Sparrows)

• Green-Tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus)*

• Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus)*

• Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus)

• Bachman's Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis)

• American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea)

• Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina)

• Clay-Colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida)*

• Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla)

• Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus)

• Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus)

• Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys)*

• Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

• Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum)

• Henslow's Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii)

• Le Conte's Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii)*

• Nelson's Sharp-Tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni)

• Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca)

• Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

• Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii)

• Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana)

• White-Throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)

• Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula)

• White-Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)

• Dark-Eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)

• Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus)

• Smith's Longspur (Calcarius pictus)*

• Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis)

Family Icteridae (New World Blackbirds)

• Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus)

• Red-Winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)

• Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna)

• Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)

• Yellow-Headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)

• Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus)

• Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus)

• Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)

• Brown-Headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater)

• Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius)

• Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula)

Family Fringillidae (Finches)

• Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator)

• Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus)

• House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus)

• Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra)

• White-Winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera)

• Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea)

• Hoary Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni)*

• Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus)

• American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis
  American Goldfinch
  The American Goldfinch , also known as the Eastern Goldfinch and Wild Canary, is a small North American bird in the finch family...
  
  )

• Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus)