List of birds of North America

It includes the birds of Greenland, Canada, the United States (excluding Hawaii), Mexico, Central America, Bermuda, and the West Indies.

Although they look similar to other ground-dwelling birds like quail and grouse, they have no close relatives and are classified as a single family, Tinamidae, within their own order, the Tinamiformes.

These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.

Order: Galliformes   Family: Numididae Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.

Order: Nyctibiiformes   Family: Nyctibiidae The potoos (sometimes called poor-me-ones) are large near passerine birds related to the nightjars and frogmouths.

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Burhinidae The thick-knees are a group of waders found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that they typically hunt their insect prey on the wing like swallows, although they can also feed on the ground.

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae Skuas are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings.

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans which have exceptionally long central tail feathers.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Oceanitidae The southern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering.

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterized by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans.

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of colored skin on the face.

Order: Trogoniformes   Family: Trogonidae Trogons are residents of tropical forests worldwide and have soft, often colorful, feathers with distinctive male and female plumage.

Order: Upupiformes   Family: Upupidae This black, white and pink bird is quite unmistakable, especially in its erratic flight, which is like that of a giant butterfly.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Motmotidae The motmots have colorful plumage and long, graduated tails which they display by waggling back and forth.

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

The loose abundant plumage and short tails makes them look stout and puffy, giving rise to the English common name of the family.

Order: Piciformes   Family: Galbulidae The jacamars are near passerine birds from tropical South America, with a range that extends up to Mexico.

Order: Piciformes   Family: Picidae Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Grallariidae Antpittas resemble the true pittas with strong, longish legs, very short tails, and stout bills.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Formicariidae Antthrushes resemble small rails with strong, longish legs, very short tails, and stout bills.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Polioptilidae These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their build and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae Starlings and mynas are small to medium-sized Old World passerine birds with strong feet.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Bombycillidae The waxwings are a group of birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Prunellidae The accentors are small, fairly drab birds with thin sharp bills superficially similar, but unrelated to, sparrows.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Parulidae The wood warblers are a group of small often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World.

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Thraupidae The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics.