Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee

Official List of the Birds of Pennsylvania as of May 2008

          The Official List of the Birds of Pennsylvania was first published in 1990 (PB V4:51). Subsequent editions were published in 1995 (PB V9:118-123) and 2000 (PB V14: 109). One of the responsibilities of the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records Committee (P.O.R.C.) is to review the status of all species on the state list and to publish an Official State List every five years. The committee has completed its assignment and the following list is the result of its work.

Classification of Records
Status Definition
Provisional List
Documentation
Nomenclature
The Pennsylvania List

CLASSIFICATION OF RECORDS
Back to top

Class I: An accepted species documented by identifiable specimen, diagnostic photograph, or diagnostic recording.
Class II: An accepted sight record documented independently by two or more observers.
Class III: An accepted sight record documented independently by one observer.

The records must meet Class I criteria to be included on the Official List. Species in Class II and Class III are accepted to the Provisional List until they can be elevated to Class I status through submission of physical evidence (specimen, photograph, sound recording)

STATUS DEFINITION
Back to top

Regular: Species recorded 8,9,or 10 of the last ten years.
Casual: Species recorded 4,5,6, or 7 of the last ten years.
Accidental: Species recorded 3 or fewer of the last ten years.
Extirpated: A previously regularly occurring species that has not been recorded in fifty years.
Extinct: Species which no longer exists.

Note: These definitions reflect the number of years in which the species has been recorded, not the number of occurrences within one year. Therefore, 100 occurrences in one year in the last ten years would still be classified as Accidental.

PROVISIONAL LIST
Back to top

Those species that have been accepted on the basis of sight records. If physical evidence becomes available, the species will be moved to the Official List.

DOCUMENTATION
Back to top

Bold-faced/Underlined species and any species not already on the list are classified as rarities, and sightings of these species therefore require a specimen, photograph, recording, or one or more written descriptions for consideration of acceptance by P.O.R.C.
The distribution of certain rarities varies widely according to geographical location within Pennsylvania. Therefore, some species are exempt from the documentation requirement in certain areas and are noted in the list below. For example, Great Cormorant occurs annually along the Delaware River in Bucks, Delaware, and Philadelphia counties, but is extremely rare elsewhere in the state. For this reason, sightings of Great Cormorant in Bucks, Delaware and Philadelphia counties do not need documentation in order to be verified but require documentation for acceptance when found outside these areas.

NOMENCLATURE
Back to top

The taxonomic treatment and species sequence follows the changes made in the 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th and 46th Supplements to the 1998 AOU Checklist, as published in Auk 117:847-858 (2000); 119:897-906 (2002); 120:923-931 (2003); 121:985-995 (2004); and 122:1026-1031 (2005).

THE PENNSYLVANIA LIST
Back to top

This fourth edition of the Official List contains 401 species in Class I, 4 species on the extirpated list and 2 on the extinct list. The Provisional list contains 8 species.
There are 18 additions to the Official State List since the publication of the third edition in 2000. The additions are given below.
The year in parenthesis indicates the original date of documentation if different from the date the species was added to the list.

Changes in the Pennsylvania List since the last edition that resulted from changes in the AOU checklist are given below.

Changes in English names:

Oldsquaw becomes Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Rock Dove becomes Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

Changes in scientific names:

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) becomes (Porphyrio martinica)
Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicaria) becomes (Phalaropus fulicarius)
Eastern Screech-Owl (Otus asio) becomes (Megascops asio)
Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca) becomes (Bubo scandiacus)
Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) becomes (Poecile hudsonica)
Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapillus) becomes (Seiurus aurocapilla)
Blue Grosbeak (Guiraca caerulea) becomes (Passerina caerulea)

Change in the Pennsylvania List as a result of splits in the AOU checklist:

Common Snipe becomes Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) split from (Gallinago gallinago)

Addition to the Pennsylvania List as a result of splits in the AOU checklist:

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)

Additions to the Pennsylvania List:

Greater Shearwater - added in 1999 by photograph.
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel - added in 2006 by photograph (2003).
White-tailed Tropicbird – added in 2002 from specimen collected in 1954.
Anhinga - moved from Provisional List in 2006 by photograph.
Long-billed Curlew – added in 2005 by photograph.
Curlew Sandpiper – added in 2002 by photograph.
Long-tailed Jaeger – added in 2000 by photograph.
California Gull - added in 2002 by phtograph.
Black Guillemot – added in 1999 by photograph.
Calliope Hummingbird – added in 2002 by photograph.
Hammond’s Flycatcher – added in 2000 by photograph.
Ash-throated Flycatcher - added in 1997 by photograph.
Gray Kingbird - added in 2004 by photograph.
Fork-tailed Flycatcher – added in 2006 by photograph.
Cave Swallow – moved from Provisional List in 2006 by photograph.
Redwing – added in 2005 by photograph.
MacGillivray’s Warbler – added in 2004 by photograph

CLASS I - 401 SPECIES
Back to top

Black-bellied Whistling-Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) Accidental.

Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) Casual.

Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) Regular.

Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) Regular

Ross’s Goose (Chen rossii) Regular.

Brant (Branta bernicla) Regular.

Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) Regular

Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Regular.

Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) Regular

Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)Regular.

Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Regular.

Gadwall (Anas strepera) Regular

Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) Regular

American Wigeon (Anas americana) Regular

American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)Regular

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Regular.

Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) Regular

Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) Accidental

Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)Regular

Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Regular

Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca) Regular.

Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) Regular

Redhead (Aythya americana) Regular.

Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) Regular

Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) Accidental.

Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) Regular.

Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Regular.

King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) Accidental

Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) Accidental

Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) Regular

White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) Regular

Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra) Regular.

Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) Regular.

Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) Regular.

Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Regular

Barrow’s Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) Accidental.

Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Regular

Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) Regular

Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) Regular

Masked Duck (Nomonyx dominicus) Accidental

Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) Regular

Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Regular

Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) Regular

Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) Regular.

Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) Regular.

Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) Regular.

Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica ) Accidental.

Common Loon (Gavia immer) Regular.

Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Regular.

Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Regular.

Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) Regular

Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) Regular.

Black-capped Petrel ( Pterodroma hasitata ) Accidental.

Cory’s Shearwater (Calonectris diomedea ) Accidental.

Greater Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) Accidental

Leach’s Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa ) Accidental.

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel (Oceanodroma castro) Accidental

White-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon lepturus) Accidental

Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus ) Accidental.

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Regular.

Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Accidental.

Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Regular.

Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Regular.

Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) Accidental.

Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) Accidental.

American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) Regular.

Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) Regular.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Regular.

Great Egret (Ardea alba) Regular.

Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) Regular.

Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) Regular.

Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) Regular.

Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Regular.

Green Heron (Butorides virescens) Regular.

Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Regular.

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Regular.

White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) Casual

Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) Regular.

Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) Accidental

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana) Casual

Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Regular.

Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Regular.

Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Regular.

Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) Casual

Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis) Casual.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Regular.

Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) Regular.

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)Regular.

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Regular.

Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) Regular.

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)Regular.

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) Regular.

Swainson’s Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) Accidental

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Regular.

Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) Regular.

Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Regular

American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Regular

Merlin (Falco columbarius) Regular

Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) Accidental

Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Regular.

Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) Accidental.

Black Rail (Laterallus jamaicensis) Accidental.

Clapper Rail (Rallus longirostris) Accidental.

King Rail (Rallus elegans) Casual

Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Regular.

Sora (Porzana carolina) Regular.

Spotted Rail (Pardirallus maculatus) Accidental.

Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) Accidental.

Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) Regular.

American Coot (Fulica americana) Regular.

Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Regular.

Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) Regular.

American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Regular.

Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) Accidental.

Wilson’s Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) Accidental.

Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) Regular.

Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Casual

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus) Regular.

American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Accidental.

Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) Casual.

American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana) Regular.

Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Regular.

Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) Regular.

Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) Regular.

Willet (Tringa semipalmata) Regular.

Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Regular.

Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) Casual

Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) Accidental

Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus) Regular.

Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) Casual

Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Casual.

Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Regular.

Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Regular.

Sanderling (Calidris alba) Regular.

Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Regular.

Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Regular.

Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) Regular.

White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) Regular.

Baird’s Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)Regular.

Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) Regular.

Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) Casual

Dunlin (Calidris alpina) Regular.

Curlew Sandpiper (Calidris ferruginea) Accidental

Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) Regular.

Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) Regular.

Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) Accidental.

Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) Regular.

Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) Regular.

Wilson’s Snipe (Gallinago delicata) Regular.

American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Regular.

Wilson’s Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) Regular.

Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus) Regular.

Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) Casual

Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) Casual

Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus) Casual.

Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus) Accidental

Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) Regular.

Franklin’s Gull (Larus pipixcan) Regular.

Little Gull (Larus minutus) Regular.

Black-headed Gull (Larus ridibundus) Regular.

Bonaparte’s Gull (Larus philadelphia) Regular.

Mew Gull (Larus canus) Accidental.

Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) Regular.

California Gull (Larus californicus) Accidental

Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Regular.

Thayer’s Gull (Larus thayeri) Regular.

Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides ) Regular.

Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) Regular.

Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) Regular.

Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) Regular.

Sabine’s Gull (Xema sabini) Casual

Black-Legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) Casual.

Ross’s Gull (Rhodostethia rosea) Accidental.

Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Casual

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) Regular.

Royal Tern (Thalasseus maximus) Accidental.

Roseate Tern (Sterna dougallii) Accidental.

Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Regular.

Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) Casual

Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri) Regular.

Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) Casual.

Sooty Tern (Onychoprion fuscatus) Accidental.

Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) Regular.

Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger) Casual.

Dovekie (Alle alle) Accidental.

Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) Accidental.

Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) Accidental.

Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) Accidental.

Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Regular.

Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto) Casual.

White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Accidental

Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) Regular.

Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) Accidental.

Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) Regular.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Regular.

Barn Owl (Tyto alba) Regular.

Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio) Regular.

Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Regular.

Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) Regular.

Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) Accidental.

Barred Owl (Strix varia) Regular.

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) Accidental.

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) Regular.

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) Regular.

Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) Accidental.

Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) Regular.

Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) Regular.

Chuck-will’s-widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) Casual.

Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) Regular

Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) Regular.

Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Regular.

Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope) Accidental.

Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus) Regular.

Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) Regular.

Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Regular.

Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Regular.

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) Regular.

Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) Regular.

Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) Regular

Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus) Accidental.

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Regular.

Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) Regular.

Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Regular.

Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens) Regular.

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) Regular.

Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) Regular.

Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) Regular.

Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) Regular.

Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) Regular.

Hammond’s Flycatcher (Empidonax hammondii) Accidental.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis) Accidental.

Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Regular.

Say’s Phoebe (Sayornis saya) Accidental.

Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Accidental.

Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens) Accidental.

Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Regular.

Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Casual.

Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Regular.

Gray Kingbird (Tyrannus dominicensis) Accidental.

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Accidental.

Fork-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus savana) Accidental.

Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Regular

Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) Casual.

White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Regular.

Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) Regular.

Blue-headed Vireo (Vireo solitarius) Regular.

Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) Regular.

Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) Regular.

Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) Regular

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Regular.

American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Regular.

Fish Crow (Corvus ossifragus) Regular.

Common Raven (Corvus corax) Regular

Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) Regular.

Purple Martin (Progne subis) Regular.

Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Regular.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) Regular.

Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) Regular.

Cliff Swallow (Petrochelidon pyrrhonota) Regular.

Cave Swallow (Petrochelidon fulva) Accidental.

Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) Regular.

Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis) Regular

Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Regular.

Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonica) Accidental.

Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) Regular.

Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) Regular.

White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) Regular.

Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) Regular.

Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Regular.

Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii ) Accidental.

House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Regular.

Winter Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) Regular.

Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) Casual.

Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) Regular.

Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) Regular.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Regular.

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) Regular.

Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) Accidental.

Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Regular.

Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) Accidental.

Townsend’s Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) Accidental.

Veery (Catharus fuscescens) Regular.

Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) Regular.

Bicknell’s Thrush (Catharus bicknelli) Accidental

Swainson’s Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) Regular.

Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) Regular.

Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) Regular.

Redwing (Turdus iliacus) Accidental.

American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Regular.

Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) Casual.

Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Regular.

Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Regular.

Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) Regular.

European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) Regular.

American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) Regular.

Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) Casual.

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) Regular.

Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus) Regular.

Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) Regular.

Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina) Regular.

Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) Regular.

Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla) Regular.

Northern Parula (Parula americana) Regular.

Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) Regular.

Chestnut-sided Warbler (Dendroica pensylvanica) Regular.

Magnolia Warbler (Dendroica magnolia) Regular.

Cape May Warbler (Dendroica tigrina) Regular.

Black-throated Blue Warbler (Dendroica caerulescens) Regular.

Yellow-rumped Warbler (Dendroica coronata) Regular.

Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens) Casual.

Black-throated Green Warbler (Dendroica virens) Regular.

Townsend’s Warbler (Dendroica townsendi) Accidental.

Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca) Regular.

Yellow-throated Warbler (Dendroica dominica) Regular.

Pine Warbler (Dendroica pinus) Regular.

Kirtland’s Warbler (Dendroica kirtlandii) Casual.

Prairie Warbler (Dendroica discolor) Regular.

Palm Warbler (Dendroica palmarum) Regular.

Bay-breasted Warbler (Dendroica castanea) Regular.

Blackpoll Warbler (Dendroica striata) Regular.

Cerulean Warbler (Dendroica cerulea) Regular.

Black-and-white Warbler (Mniotilta varia) Regular.

American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Regular.

Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Regular.

Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) Regular.

Swainson’s Warbler (Limnothlypis swainsonii) Casual.

Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) Regular.

Northern Waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis) Regular.

Louisiana Waterthrush (Seiurus motacilla) Regular.

Kentucky Warbler (Oporornis formosus) Regular.

Connecticut Warbler (Oporornis agilis) Regular.

Mourning Warbler (Oporornis philadelphia) Regular.

MacGillivray’s Warbler (Oporornis tolmiei) Accidental.

Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Regular.

Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) Regular.

Wilson’s Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) Regular.

Canada Warbler (Wilsonia canadensis) Regular.

Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) Regular.

Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Regular.

Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) Regular.

Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) Accidental.

Green-tailed Towhee (Pipilo chlorurus) Accidental.

Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) Accidental

Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) Regular

American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) Regular.

Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) Regular.

Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Regular.

Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Regular.

Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) Regular.

Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Casual.

Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) Accidental.

Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Regular.

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) Regular.

Henslow’s Sparrow (Ammodramus henslowii) Regular.

Le Conte’s Sparrow (Ammodramus leconteii) Casual.

Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) Regular.

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow (Ammodramus caudacutus) Accidental

Seaside Sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) Accidental.

Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) Regular.

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Regular.

Lincoln’s Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) Regular.

Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) Regular.

White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) Regular

Harris’s Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) Casual.

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Regular.

Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) Accidental.

Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) Regular.

Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) Regular.

Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) Regular.

Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) Regular.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) Regular.

Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) Accidental.

Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) Regular.

Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena) Accidental.

Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Regular.

Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Casual.

Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Regular.

Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) Regular.

Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Regular.

Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Regular.

Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) Casual.

Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) Regular.

Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) Regular.

Brewer’s Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) Regular.

Common Crackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Regular.

Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Regular.

Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) Regular.

Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Regular

Bullock’s Oriole (Icterus bullockii) Accidental

Brambling (Fringilla montifringilla) Accidental.

Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) Regular.

Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) Regular.

House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) Regular.

Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra) Regular.

White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) Regular.

Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) Regular.

Hoary Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni)Accidental

Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) Regular.

American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) Regular.

Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) Regular.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) Regular.

EXTIRPATED - 4 SPECIES
Back to top

Greater Prairie-Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido)
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis)
Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla)
Bachman’s Sparrow (Aimophila aestivalis)

EXTINCT - 2 SPECIES
Back to top

Passenger Pigeon (Ectopistes migratorius)
Carolina Parakeet (Conuropsis carolinensis)

TOTAL - 407 SPECIES

PROVISIONAL LIST
Back to top

Although no species is accepted on the official Pennsylvania list without documentation by specimen, photograph or tape-recording, the Committee may accept sight records (i.e. for species not on the state list) which are supported by written details alone. Such species are added to this “Provisional List”. If documentation in the form of specimen, photograph, or tape recording finally becomes available, the species is then moved to the state list.

Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) Accidental
Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) Accidental.
Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) Accidental
Surfbird (Aphriza virgata) Accidental.
Band-tailed Pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata) Accidental
apus sp. (Apus). Accidental
Lewis’s Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) Accidental
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) Accidental

RECOGNIZABLE FORMS AND SUBSPECIES
Back to top

This is a list of recognizable forms and subspecies that have occurred in Pennsylvania and which documentation of future sightings in requested.

“Black” Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans).
Green-winged (Common) Teal (Anas crecca crecca).
“Eastern” Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus semipalmatus).
Yellow-rumped (Audubon’s) Warbler (Dendroica coronata auduboni).
White-crowned (Gambell’s) Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrus gambelii).
Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco (Junco hyemalis thurberi).

Acknowledgements:

            Everyone who has birded in Pennsylvania and reported their record(s) for publication has contributed to this Official List. P.O.R.C. wishes to thank the many observers who took the time to submit photographs and written documentation of bird species in Pennsylvania.

REQUESTS FOR CORRECTIONS AND RECORDS

            This Official List should not be considered as the final word on Pennsylvania birdlife. It is only our knowledge to the present, and will be outdated soon after it is published. Undoubtedly, there will be errors, typographical or technical, and perhaps omissions. When these are noted or when authentic records are obtained for species that are not listed, that information should be forwarded to the Pennsylvania Ornithological Records, Nick Pulcinella, Secretary. 613 Howard Road, West Chester, PA 19380 nickpulcinella@verizon.net.