Cape Breton Birds Photo Gallery
All photos are copyright Allan or Cathy Murrant unless otherwise stated. Most birds we have photographed here on Cape Breton Island. Species marked as +New are new species to the list or new photos have been added to a species page.
GEESE, AND SWANS Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons) Greylag Goose (Anser anser)+New Common Shelduck (Tadorna tadorna)+New Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiaca)+New Pink-footed Goose (Anser brachyrhynchus) Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens) Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii) Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopisi) Brant (Branta bernicla) Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)+New DUCKS Black-bellied Whistling-duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis) Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) Mandarin Duck (Aix galericulata)+New Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula) American Black Duck (Anas rubripes) Gadwall (Anas strepera) Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca carolinensis) Common Teal (Anas crecca crecca) American Wigeon (Anas americana) Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope) Northern Pintail (Anas acuta) Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata) Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors) Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) Garganey (Anas querquedula) Common Pochard (Aythya ferina)+New Canvasback (Aythya valisineria) Redhead (Aythya americana) Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris) Tufted Duck (Aythya fuligula) Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis) Common Eider (Somateria mollissima) King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra) White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus) Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis) Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica) Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola) Common Merganser (Mergus merganser) Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus) Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis) Tufted Duck x Scaup hybrid UPLAND GAME BIRDS Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus) Willow Ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) Spruce Grouse (Falcipennis canadensis) Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus) LOONS Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) Common Loon (Gavia immer) GREBES Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus)+New Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus) Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis) Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena) Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis) Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis)+New SHEARWATERS AND STORM-PETRELS Northern Fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) Great Shearwater (Puffinus gravis) Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) Sooty Shearwater (Puffinus griseus) GANNETS, BOOBIES, PELICANS AND CORMORANTS Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus) Brown Booby (Sula leucogaster) American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) Great Cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) Anhinga (Anhinga anhinga) Magnificent Frigatebird (Fregata magnificens) BITTERNS, HERONS, EGRETS, AND IBISES American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus) Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis) Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea) Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax) Green Heron (Butorides virescens) Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor) Reddish Egret (Egretta rufescens) Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) Little Egret (Egretta garzetta) Western Reef Heron (Egretta gularis) Snowy Egret (Egretta thula) Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) Great Egret (Ardea alba) Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea)+New Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) Roseate Spoonbill (Platalea ajaja) Wood Stork (Jabiru mycteria) VULTURES, OSPREY, KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES, CARACARA AND FALCONS Black Vulture (Coragyps atratus) Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura) Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus) Red Kite (Milvus milvus)+New Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus) Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus) Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii) Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) Short-tailed Hawk (Buteo brachyurus) Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni) Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis) Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus) Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Crested Caracara (Caracara cheriway) American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus)+New Merlin (Falco columbarius) Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) RAILS, GALLINULE, COOTS, AND CRANES King Rail (Rallus elegans) Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) Sora (Porzana carolina) Purple Gallinule (Porphyrio martinica) Common Gallinule (Gallinula galeata) Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)+New American Coot (Fulica americana) Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra)+New Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) Whooping Crane (Grus americana) PLOVERS, OYSTERCATCHERS AND AVOCETS Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola) American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica) Northern Lapwing (Vanellus vanellus) +New Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus) Killdeer (Charadrius montanus) Wilson's Plover (Charadrius wilsonia) American Oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) Eurasian Oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus)+New Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) American Avocet (Recuvirostra americana) Pied Avocet (Recuvirostra avosetta)+New SANDPIPERS AND PHALAROPES Willet (Tringa semipalmata semipalmata) Western Willet (Tringa semipalmata inornata) Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes) Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca) Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria) Common Redshank (Tringa totanus)+New Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularius) Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda) Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus hudsonicus) Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) European Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus phaeopus) Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa) Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica) Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa) Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) Purple Sandpiper (Calidris maritima) Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Sanderling (Calidris alba) Dunlin (Calidris alpina) Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri) Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla) White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis) Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii) Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos) Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis) Ruff (Philomachus pugnax) Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus) Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus) Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago delicata) American Woodcock (Scolopax minor) Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor) Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus labatus) Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius) GULLS, TERNS, AND JAEGERS Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla) Bonaparte's Gull (Larus philadelphia) Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)+New Franklin's Gull (Leucophaeus pipixcan) Little Gull (Larus minutus) Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis) California Gull (Larus californicus) Common Gull (Larus canus canus) Black-tailed Gull (Larus crassirostris) Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri) Slaty-backed Gull (Larus schistisagus) Kelp Gull (Larus dominicanus) Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus) Great Black-backed Gull (Larus marinus) Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla) Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea) Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini) Herring x Great Black-backed Gull Glaucous x Great Black-backed Gull Glaucous x Herring Gull Royal Tern (Thalasseus maxima) Sandwich Tern (Thalasseus sandvicensis) Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia) Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri) Gull-billed Tern (Gelochelidon nilotica) Common Tern (Sterna hirundo) Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea) Black Tern (Chlidonias niger) Black Skimmer (Rhynchops niger) Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) ALCIDS Dovekie (Alle alle) Common Murre (Uria aalge) Thick-billed Murre (Uria lomvia) Razorbill (Alca torda) Black Guillemot (Cepphus grylle) Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica)
GEESE, AND SWANS
DUCKS
UPLAND GAME BIRDS
LOONS
GREBES
SHEARWATERS AND STORM-PETRELS
GANNETS, BOOBIES, PELICANS AND CORMORANTS
BITTERNS, HERONS, EGRETS, AND IBISES
VULTURES, OSPREY, KITES, HAWKS, EAGLES, CARACARA AND FALCONS
RAILS, GALLINULE, COOTS, AND CRANES
PLOVERS, OYSTERCATCHERS AND AVOCETS
SANDPIPERS AND PHALAROPES
GULLS, TERNS, AND JAEGERS
ALCIDS
PIGEONS, DOVES, PARAKEETS AND CUCKOOS Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) Stock Dove (Columba oenas)+New Common Wood Pigeon (Columba palumbus)+New Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica) Common Ground-Dove (Columbina passerina) Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)+New Monk Parakeet (Myiopsitta monachus) Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) OWLS, AND GOATSUCKERS Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) Barred Owl (Strix varia) Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)+New Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa) Snowy Owl (Bubo scandiacus) Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio) Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula) Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia) Northern Saw-whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus) Eastern Whip-poor-will (Caprimulgus vociferus) SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS, AND KINGFISHERS Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) Calliope Hummingbird (Selasphorus calliope) Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufous) Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) Common Kingfisher (Alcedo atthis)+New WOODPECKERS Great Spotted Woodpecker Dendrocopos major)+New Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis) Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus) Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) American Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides dorsalis) FLYCATCHERS, SHRIKES, AND VIREOS Spotted Flycatcher (Muscicapa striata)+New Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris) Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum) Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus) Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe) Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis) Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) Northern Shrike (Lanius excubitor) White-eyed Vireo (Vireo griseus) Yellow-throated Vireo (Vireo flavifrons) Red-eyed Vireo (Vireo olivaceus) Philadelphia Vireo (Vireo philadelphicus) Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus) JAYS, MAGPIES, AND CROWS Florida Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia) Common Magpie (Pica pica)+New Eurasian Jay(Garrulus glandarius)>+New Western Jackdaw (Corvus monedula)>+New Rook (Corvus frugilegus)>+New American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) Common Raven (Corvus corax) LARKS, AND SWALLOWS Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris) Purple Martin (Progne subis) Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina) Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis) Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia) Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica) TITMICE, CHICKADEES, TITS, CREEPERS AND NUTHATCHES Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) Boreal Chickadee (Poecile hudsonicus) Great Tit (Parus major)+New Blue Tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)+New Brown Creeper (Certhia americana) White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) Brown-headed Nuthatch (Sitta pusilla) Eurasian Nuthatch (Sitta europaea)+New WRENS, DIPPERS, KINGLETS, AND GNATCATCHERS Rock Wren (Salpinctes obsoletus) House Wren (Troglodytes aedon) Eurasian Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes)+New Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus) Marsh Wren (Cistothorus palustris) Sedge Wren (Cistothorus platensis) White-throated Dipper (Cinculus Cinculus)+New Golden-crowned Kinglet (Regulus satrapa) Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (Polioptila caerulea) THRUSHES, MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS Dunnock (Prunella modularis)+New European Robin (Erithacus rubecula)+New Common Redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)+New European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola)+New Northern Wheatear (Oenanthe oenanthe) Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Mountain Bluebird (Sialia currucoides) Townsend's Solitaire (Myadestes townsendi) Gray-cheeked Thrush (Catharus minimus) Veery (Catharus fuscescens) Swainson's Thrush (Catharus ustulatus) Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) Varied Thrush (Ixoreus naevius) Song Thrush (Turdus philomelos)>+New Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) Mistle Thrush (Turdus viscivorus) Common Blackbird (Turdus merula+New American Robin (Turdus migratorius) Gray Catbird (Dumetella carolinensis) Northern Mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum) STARLINGS, PIPITS, WAGTAILS AND WAXWINGS European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) American Pipit (Anthus rubescens) Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii) Grey Wagtail (Motacilla cinerea)+New White Wagtail (Motacilla alba)+New Bohemian Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) WARBLERS Blue-winged Warbler (Vermivora pinus) Golden-winged Warbler (Vermivora chrysoptera) Tennessee Warbler (Vermivora peregrina) Orange-crowned Warbler (Vermivora celata) Northern Parula (Setophaga americana) Yellow Warbler (Setophaga petechia) Chestnut-sided Warbler (Setophaga pensylvanica) Magnolia Warbler(Setophaga magnolia) Cape May Warbler (Setophaga tigrina) Black-throated Blue Warbler (Setophaga caerulescens) Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) Black-throated Green Warbler (Setophaga virens) Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis) Blackburnian Warbler (Setophaga fusca) Cerulean Warbler (Setophaga cerulea) Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum) Kirtland's Warbler (Setophaga kirtlandii) Prairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor) Bay-breasted Warbler (Setophaga castanea) Blackpoll Warbler (Setophaga striata) Pine Warbler (Setophaga pinus) Black and White Warbler (Mniotilta varia) American Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla) Worm-eating Warbler (Helmitheros vermivorum) Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea) Ovenbird (Seiurus aurocapilla) Louisiana Waterthrush (Parkesia motacilla) Northern Waterthrush (Parkesia noveboracensis) Wilson's Warbler (Wilsonia pusilla) Hooded Warbler (Wilsonia citrina) MacGillivray's Warbler (Geothlypis tolmiei) Common Yellowthroat (Geothlypis trichas) Blackcap (Sylvia atricapilla)+New Dartford Warbler (Sylvia undata)+New Yellow-breasted Chat (Icteria virens) TANAGERS, AND SPARROWS Summer Tanager (Piranga rubra) Scarlet Tanager (Piranga olivacea) Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana) Eastern Towhee (Pipilo erythrophthalmus) Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) American Tree Sparrow (Spizella arborea) Field Sparrow (Spizella pusilla) Chipping Sparrow (Spizella passerina) Clay-colored Sparrow (Spizella pallida) Vesper Sparrow (Pooecetes gramineus) Lark Sparrow (Chondestes grammacus) Nelson's Sparrow (Ammodramus nelsoni) Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca) Harris's Sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) Lark Bunting (Calamospiza melanocorys) Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) Ipswich Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis princeps) Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii) Lincoln's Sparrow (Melospiza lincolnii) Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) Swamp Sparrow (Melospiza georgiana) White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis hyemalis) Oregon Junco (Junco hyemalis thurberi) Lapland Longspur (Calcarius lapponicus) Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) McCown's Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii) Snow Bunting (Plectrophenax nivalis) CARDINALS AND BLACKBIRDS Northern Cardinal (Cardinalalis cardinalis) Rose-breasted Grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus) Black-headed Grosbeak (Pheucticus melanocephalus) Dickcissel (Spiza americana) Blue Grosbeak (Passerina caerulea) Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea) Lazuli Bunting (Passerina amoena) Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris) Bobolink (Dolichonyx oryzivorus) Red-winged Blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) Eastern Meadowlark (Sturnella magna) Western Meadowlark (Sturnella negleta) Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) Boat-tailed Grackle (Quiscalus major) Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus) Rusty Blackbird (Euphagus carolinus) Brewer's Blackbird (Euphagus cyanocephalus) Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) Orchard Oriole (Icterus spurius) Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula) Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii) FINCHES, AND HOUSE SPARROW Common Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)+New Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus) House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) White-winged Crossbill (Loxia leucoptera) Pine Grosbeak (Pinicola enucleator) Pine Siskin (Carduelis pinus) Eurasian Siskin (Spinus spinus)>+New American Goldfinch (Carduelis tristis) European Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)+New Common Redpoll (Carduelis flammea) Hoary Redpoll (Carduelis hornemanni) Evening Grosbeak (Coccothraustes vespertinus) House Sparrow (Passer domesticus) TOTAL SPECIES 418 & SUBSPECIES 4
PIGEONS, DOVES, PARAKEETS AND CUCKOOS
OWLS, AND GOATSUCKERS
SWIFTS, HUMMINGBIRDS, AND KINGFISHERS
WOODPECKERS
FLYCATCHERS, SHRIKES, AND VIREOS
JAYS, MAGPIES, AND CROWS
LARKS, AND SWALLOWS
TITMICE, CHICKADEES, TITS, CREEPERS AND NUTHATCHES
WRENS, DIPPERS, KINGLETS, AND GNATCATCHERS
THRUSHES, MOCKINGBIRDS AND THRASHERS
STARLINGS, PIPITS, WAGTAILS AND WAXWINGS
WARBLERS
TANAGERS, AND SPARROWS
CARDINALS AND BLACKBIRDS
FINCHES, AND HOUSE SPARROW
TOTAL SPECIES 418 & SUBSPECIES 4
CAPE BRETON BIRDS MAIN PAGE
