Philly Birds

Philadelphia hosts many bird species to look out for. Take a look and try to recognize them!

Of course, this is not a comprehensive list of all birds that can be found in Philadelphia. However, they are what may be seen during our outings.

Table of Contents

A European starling, a black and iridescent bird with a short tail and a long bright yellow beak

Photo by Michelle Lin

European starling

Sturnus vulgaris

An American robin, with its signature red belly. The rest of its body is dark gray, with a white ring around its eyes and a yellow beak.

Photo by Victoria Sindlinger

American robin

Turdus migratorius

Northern cardinal

Cardinalis cardinalis

A northern mockingbird, a gray bird with a light underbelly, dark wings, and a long tail. Its wings have a signature pair of white patches.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Northern mockingbird

Mimus polyglottos

Gray catbird

Dumetella carolinensis

Carolina wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Eastern phoebe

Sayornis phoebe

Golden-crowned kinglet

Regulus satrapa

Ruby-crowned kinglet

Corthylio calendula

A tifted titmouse, a small blue-gray bird with a white and reddish underbelly and a short black beak. Its signature crest creates a triangular head silhouette.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Tufted titmouse

Baeolophus bicolor

Carolina chickadee

Poecile carolinensis

A white-breasted nuthatch, a small bird with a gray-capped head and back, a dark crown, and white underbelly.

Photo by Michelle Lin

White-breasted nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

A red-breasted nuthatch, a small bird with a blue-gray body and reddish underbelly. A black stripe runs along its head from the beak through the eyes.

Photo by Victoria Sindlinger

Red-breasted nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

Brown creeper

Certhia americana

Ovenbird

Seiurus aurocapilla

Chimney swift

Chaetura pelagica

Sparrows

A pair of house sparrows, small brown birds with thick beaks. The male has a reddish brown feathers around the eyes and black on its chest, while the female is brown throughout.

Photo by Michelle Lin

House sparrow

Passer domesticus

A white-throated sparrow, a small brown bird with black bars and pale underside. It has a distinctive white throat, black and white stripes on its head, and yellow spots above its eyes

Photo by Michelle Lin

White-throated sparrow

Zonotrichia albicollis

Song sparrow

Melospiza melodia

American tree sparrow

Spizelloides arborea

Fox sparrow

Passerella iliaca

A chipping sparrow, a small brown bird with a dark stripe through its eyes and a red capped head.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Chipping sparrow

Spizella passerina

Dark-eyed junco

Junco hyemalis

Finches

A male house finch with its signature pinkish-red head and breast. The rest of its feathers are streaky brown.

Photo by Michelle Lin

House finch

Haemorhous mexicanus

Purple finch

Haemorhous purpureus

American goldfinch

Spinus tristis

Corvids

American crow

Corvus brachyrhynchos

Fish crow

Corvus ossifragus

Common raven

Corvus corax

Blue jay

Cyanocitta cristata

Pigeons

A feral pigeon with a typical blue gray body, iridescent neck, and red eyes and legs. This one has a t-check wing pattern, but feral pigeons can vary wildly in patterns and colors.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Feral pigeon

Columba livia domestica

A mourning dove, with peachy gray-brown feathers spotted with black on its wings. Its bill is black and slender, and its legs are a pale pink.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Mourning dove

Zenaida macroura

Blackbirds

Red-winged blackbird

Agelaius phoeniceus

Common grackle

Quiscalus quiscula

Woodpeckers

Downy woodpecker

Dryobates pubescens

Red-bellied woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

A male yellow-bellied sapsucker, a black and white striped bird with a dull yellow belly. Its wings have a continuous white bar, and its crown is red. The throat is red in males, and white in females.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Northern flicker

Colaptes auratus

Swallows

Barn swallow

Hirundo rustica

Tree swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Waterfowl

A female and male pair of mallards. The male has a distinct iridescent green head, a white collar, and a black tail curl. The female is mottled brown with a dark stripe through the eyes, and a black and orange bill.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Mallard

Anas platyrhynchos

Wood duck

Aix sponsa

Ruddy duck

Oxyura jamaicensis

Northern shoveler

Spatula clypeata

American woodcock

Scolopax minor

Canada goose

Branta canadensis

Mute swan

Cygnus olor

Great blue heron

Ardea herodias

Double-crested cormorant

Nannopterum auritum

Horned grebe

Podiceps auritus

Seabirds

Ring-billed gull

Larus delawarensis

American herring gull

Larus smithsonianus

Birds of Prey

A red-tailed hawk is usually reddish-brown with speckled streaks of dark brown on a light belly. It has a white throat and a mostly unbanded tail.

Photo by Michelle Lin

Red-tailed hawk

Buteo jamaicensis

Red-shouldered hawk

Buteo lineatus

A Cooper's hawk, a large bird with a gray back, dark capped head, and a pale red-barred underbelly. It has a small hooked beak. Its head is somewhat flat.

Photo by Victoria Sindlinger

Cooper’s hawk

Astur cooperii

Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Peregrine falcon

Falco peregrinus

American kestrel

Falco sparverius

Turkey vulture

Cathartes aura