List of birds of Utah
Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in Utah as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants.
These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings.
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds.
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground.
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying.
Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings.
The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers.
They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short thick necks, and long, usually pointed, wings.
Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae Skuas and jaegers are in general medium to large birds, typically with gray or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings.
Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae Loons are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated.
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans.
They lack the powder down that other wading birds such as herons, spoonbills and ibises use to clean off fish slime.
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: Pelecaniformes Family: Pelecanidae Pelicans are very large water birds with a distinctive pouch under their beak.
Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills.
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae Typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey.
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails.
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: Tyrannidae Tyrant flycatchers are Passerine birds which occur throughout North and South America.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Alaudidae Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae Long-tailed tits are a group of small passerine birds with medium to long tails.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae The waxwings are a group of passerine birds with soft silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Polioptilidae These dainty birds resemble Old World warblers in their structure and habits, moving restlessly through the foliage seeking insects.
Many species have distinctive black head patterns (especially males) and long, regularly cocked, black-and-white tails.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae Dippers are small, stout, birds that feed in cold, fast moving streams.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly but not exclusively in the Old World.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteriidae This species was historically placed in the wood-warblers (Parulidae) but nonetheless most authorities were unsure if it belonged there.
Order: Passeriformes Family: Parulidae The wood-warblers are a group of small often colorful passerine birds restricted to the New World.
