Yard List: 212 species
Here is my yard list. I started this list in May 2001 when we moved here. I have not birded the yard much
at all over the last four, so this is more reflective of about two and a half years of birding. I am the only
one who birds the yard. The list currently stands at 212 species (as of August 2007).
Interestingly, from what I've been told, this is the highest yard list in GA. That is not a concern of mine,
but I do find it interesting considering the millions of yards out there. In fact, I looked at the Kennesaw Mountain
checklist (2003) and noticed it listed 183 species. Kind of interesting since Kennesaw Mountain is probably the most
birded inland location in Georgia and consists of hundreds of acres of trails and such.
We've found a lot in my parents' yard also and have recently added such unlikely birds as: Sooty Tern, Black Tern,
Forster's Tern, Laughing Gull, Bachman's Sparrow, and a long, long overdue White-breasted Nuthatch to their yard list.
Located in Spalding County (middle Georgia, piedmont region), my yard portion that I am referring to is about 5 acres.
There is a creek and a small marshy area. Interestingly, almost all the sightings have been on a half acre area right
behind my house.
I am not sure what advantages my yard has over any other yard. I do not typically keep feeders up. I do not
live on the coast or near the ocean which can significantly add to the total. I do not mistnet birds. I usually
don't even have time to look for birds, but I do keep my eyes open. I would think that a well placed yard in say Florida
or Texas would have a distinct advantage in regards to total species found. Also, if more than one person is contributing
then expect the number to rise a good bit.
It is really amazing what has simply flown over the yard. I am a bit hesitant to show all these rarities,
but there will always be unbelievers in any crowd. Fortunately, at least some of the rarer birds were relocated
by others and a few videotaped.
Yard Birds:
Rarest birds for my yard have been:
Inca Dove
Swainson’s Hawk
Townsend’s Warbler
Black Rail
Golden Eagle
Western Tanager
Alder Flycatcher
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Lark Sparrow
Cave Swallow
Here is the list:
Red-throated Loon
Common Loon
Pied-billed Grebe
Double-crested Cormorant
Anhinga
American Bittern
Great Blue Heron
Great Egret
Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Cattle Egret
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-heron
White Ibis
Wood Stork
Black Vulture
Turkey Vulture
Snow Goose
Canada Goose
Wood Duck
Mallard
Blue-winged Teal
Canvasback
Redhead
Ring-necked Duck
Lesser Scaup
Red-breasted Merganser
Hooded Merganser
Osprey
Swallow-tailed Kite
Mississippi Kite
Bald Eagle
Northern Harrier
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Cooper’s Hawk
Red-shouldered Hawk
Swainson’s Hawk
Broad-winged Hawk
Red-tailed Hawk
Golden Eagle
American Kestrel
Merlin
Peregrine Falcon
Wild Turkey
Northern Bobwhite
Black Rail
Sora
Virginia Rail
King Rail
Sandhill Crane
Killdeer
Greater Yellowlegs
Lesser Yellowlegs
Solitary Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Wilson’s Snipe
American Woodcock
Ring-billed Gull
Rock Pigeon
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Mourning Dove
Inca Dove
Common Ground-Dove
Black-billed Cuckoo
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Barn Owl
Eastern Screech-Owl
Great Horned Owl
Barred Owl
Short-eared Owl
Common Nighthawk
Chuck-will’s-widow
Whip-poor-will
Chimney Swift
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Belted Kingfisher
Red-headed Woodpecker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher
Acadian Flycatcher
Alder Flycatcher
Willow Flycatcher
Least Flycatcher
Eastern Phoebe
Great Crested Flycatcher
Eastern Kingbird
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Loggerhead Shrike
White-eyed Vireo
Yellow-throated Vireo
Blue-headed Vireo
Warbling Vireo
Philadelphia Vireo
Red-eyed Vireo
Blue Jay
American Crow
Fish Crow
Horned Lark
Purple Martin
Tree Swallow
Northern Rough-winged Swallow
Bank Swallow
Cliff Swallow
Cave Swallow
Barn Swallow
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Carolina Wren
Winter Wren
Sedge Wren
Marsh Wren
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
Eastern Bluebird
Veery
Gray-cheeked Thrush
Swainson’s Thrush
Hermit Thrush
Wood Thrush
American Robin
Gray Catbird
Northern Mockingbird
Brown Thrasher
European Starling
American Pipit
Cedar Waxwing
Blue-winged Warbler
Golden-winged Warbler
Tennessee Warbler
Orange-crowned Warbler
Nashville Warbler
Northern Parula
Yellow Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Magnolia Warbler
Cape May Warbler
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Townsend’s Warbler
Blackburnian Warbler
Yellow-throated Warbler
Pine Warbler
Prairie Warbler
Palm Warbler
Bay-breasted Warbler
Blackpoll Warbler
Cerulean Warbler
Black-n-white Warbler
American Redstart
Prothonotary Warbler
Worm-eating Warbler
Swainson's Warbler
Ovenbird
Northern Waterthrush
Louisiana Waterthrush
Kentucky Warbler
Connecticut Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded Warbler
Wilson's Warbler
Canada Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Summer Tanager
Scarlet Tanager
Western Tanager
Eastern Towhee
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Vesper Sparrow
Lark Sparrow
Savannah Sparrow
Grasshopper Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Lincoln’s Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Dark-eyed Junco
Northern Cardinal
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Blue Grosbeak
Indigo Bunting
Dickcissel
Bobolink
Red-winged Blackbird
Eastern Meadowlark
Rusty Blackbird
Brewer’s Blackbird
Common Grackle
Brown-headed Cowbird
Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Purple Finch
House Finch
Pine Siskin
American Goldfinch
House Sparrow
Birds not in the yard but very close include:
Limpkin
Roseate Spoonbill (seen by others)
Greater White-fronted Goose
Least Bittern
Stilt Sandpiper
White-rumped Sandpiper
Golden Eagle (another one)
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Dickcissel (20+)
other stuff
