U.S. Cities Birding Lists

The United States is a boreal bird's home away from home, with an estimated 1.5 billion boreal birds wintering in the U.S. each year. More boreal bird species winter in the U.S. Lower 48 than in any other country or region. Furthermore, the entire wintering population of several boreal bird species occurs only within the U.S.  In almost half the states (23), the official bird is a boreal bird.

Select a city to see which species near you breed in the boreal forest.

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Boreal Birds of the Seattle Area

Of the 300 or so species that occur within the Seattle area, 25% (75 species) are birds that migrate through or winter here but breed exclusively or largely in the boreal forests of Canada.

The Red-throated and Common Loons that spend the winter diving for fish at places like West Point and Richmond Beach Park may have been born and raised in a lake within the Mackenzie River watershed of Canada's Northwest Territories. The boreal breeding Bonaparte's Gull, flocks of which can sometimes number in the hundreds in Lake Washington, is the only gull species that nests in trees! Those seen here are thought to have originated in Alberta. The hundreds of Lesser and Greater Scaup that sometimes winter in the area are similarly dependent on the thousands of small wetlands dotted across the boreal zone of Canada and Alaska. Unfortunately scaup populations have declined by an estimated 40% over the last 25 years but researchers don't know why. Many of the birds that use the area in fall migration are on their way even farther south to spend the winter. The flocks of Lesser Yellowlegs feeding in saltmarsh pools here in August, for example, may continue south to bays and wetlands along the Pacific Coast of Mexico or even farther south. The Golden-crowned Sparrow flocks that arrive at backyard feeders every October may have whistled their clear songs from a territory deep in the heart of the Canada's Yukon throughout the summer.

Some species that raised young in the boreal forest have stopped off to feed in the Seattle area on their way to wintering grounds in Central and South America. For example, a Wilson's or Yellow Warbler stopping by in August (some individuals of both species also breed within the state) may have departed Canada in July and be Central or South America by September.

Gull-like Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Bonaparte's Gull Fall Winter Spring
California Gull Fall Winter Spring
Caspian Tern Fall Spring Summer
Common Tern Fall Spring
Herring Gull Fall Winter Spring
Mew Gull Fall Winter Spring
Hawk-like Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Bald Eagle Fall Winter Spring Summer
Golden Eagle Fall Winter Spring Summer
Merlin Fall Winter Spring Summer
Northern Goshawk Fall Winter Spring Summer
Northern Harrier Fall Winter Spring Summer
Osprey Fall Spring Summer
Sharp-shinned Hawk Fall Winter Spring
Owls
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Short-eared Owl Fall Winter Spring
Perching Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
American Robin Fall Winter Spring Summer
Belted Kingfisher Fall Winter Spring Summer
Chipping Sparrow Fall Spring Summer
Common Raven Fall Winter Spring Summer
Dark-eyed Junco Fall Winter Spring
Evening Grosbeak Fall Winter Spring Summer
Golden-crowned Kinglet Fall Winter Spring Summer
Golden-crowned Sparrow Fall Winter Spring
Hermit Thrush Fall Spring Summer
Lincoln's Sparrow Fall Winter Spring
Northern Shrike Winter
Olive-sided Flycatcher Fall Spring
Orange-crowned Warbler Fall Spring Summer
Purple Finch Fall Winter Spring Summer
Ruby-crowned Kinglet Fall Winter Spring
Savannah Sparrow Fall Spring Summer
Swainson's Thrush Fall Spring Summer
White-throated Sparrow Fall Winter Spring
Wilson's Warbler Fall Spring Summer
Winter Wren Fall Winter Spring Summer
Yellow Warbler Fall Spring Summer
Long-legged Waders
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
American Bittern Fall Winter Spring Summer
Tree-clinging Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Northern Flicker Fall Winter Spring Summer
Red-breasted Nuthatch Fall Winter Spring Summer
Upland Ground Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Common Nighthawk Fall Spring Summer
Duck-like Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
American Wigeon Fall Winter Spring
Black Scoter Fall Winter Spring
Blue-winged Teal Fall Spring Summer
Bufflehead Fall Winter Spring
Canada Goose Fall Winter Spring Summer
Canvasback Fall Winter Spring
Common Goldeneye Fall Winter Spring
Common Loon Fall Winter Spring
Common Merganser Fall Winter Spring
Greater Scaup Fall Winter Spring
Green-winged Teal Fall Winter Spring Summer
Horned Grebe Fall Winter Spring
Lesser Scaup Fall Winter Spring
Mallard Fall Winter Spring Summer
Northern Pintail Fall Winter Spring
Northern Shoveler Fall Winter Spring Summer
Pacific Loon Fall Winter Spring
Pied-billed Grebe Fall Winter Spring Summer
Red-breasted Merganser Fall Winter Spring
Red-necked Grebe Fall Winter Spring
Red-throated Loon Fall Winter Spring
Redhead Fall Winter Spring
Ring-necked Duck Fall Winter Spring
Surf Scoter Fall Winter Spring
White-winged Scoter Fall Winter Spring
Sandpiper-like Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Greater Yellowlegs Fall Spring
Killdeer Fall Winter Spring Summer
Least Sandpiper Fall Spring
Lesser Yellowlegs Fall Spring
Short-billed Dowitcher Fall Spring
Spotted Sandpiper Fall Spring Summer
Wilson's Snipe Fall Spring
Chicken-like Marsh Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Sora Fall Spring Summer
Swallow-like Birds
Species Fall Winter Spring Summer
Bank Swallow Fall Spring
Cliff Swallow Fall Spring Summer
Tree Swallow Fall Spring Summer