Notice For the latest information, resources, and guidance related to coronavirus (COVID-19), visit ct.gov/coronavirus
A list of 284 species was compiled in the mid-1990s by Robert Winkler, with contributions from Richard Soffer, Frank Mantlik and Charles Barnard Jr. The list published in 1996 is available here
Additions since 1996 (shown in red): Ross’s Goose, Yellow Rail, Marbled Godwit, Black Skimmer, Cave Swallow, Dicksissel, Clay-colored Sparrow, Smith’s Longspur, Yellow-headed Blackbird, Boat-tailed Grackle, Western Meadowlark and Yellow-throated Warbler – all Very Rare. And also: Nelson’s Sharp-tailed Sparrow, common in Fall.
Note: Robert Winkler’s birding experiences at Sherwood Island are recorded in his book Going Wild and in essays available at his website.
Family | Species | N | Spring | Summer | Fall | Winter |
Loons | Red-throated Loon | FC | FC | UC | ||
Common Loon | FC | R | FC | UC | ||
Grebes | Pied-billed Grebe | R | R | R | ||
Horned Grebe | C | C | FC | |||
Red-necked Grebe | R | R | ||||
Eared Grebe | VR | |||||
Gannets | Northern Gannet | R | R | |||
Pelicans | American White Pelican | VR | ||||
Cormorants & Darters | Great Cormorant | FC | FC | FC | ||
Double-crested Cormorant | C | C | C | R | ||
Bitterns & Herons | American Bittern | R | R | R | ||
Least Bittern | VR | VR | ||||
Great Blue Heron | UC | FC | FC | FC | ||
Great Egret | FC | FC | C | VR | ||
Snowy Egret | C | FC | C | |||
Little Blue Heron | UC | UC | UC | |||
Tricolored Heron | R | R | R | |||
Cattle Egret | UC | R | R | |||
Green Heron | UC | FC | FC | |||
Black-crowned Night-Heron | FC | FC | FC | R | ||
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | VR | VR | ||||
Ibis | Glossy Ibis | UC | UC | R | ||
Swans, Geese, Ducks | Tundra Swan | VR | ||||
Mute Swan | N | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
Greater White-fronted Goose | VR | |||||
Snow Goose | UC | UC | R | |||
Ross’s Goose | VR | |||||
Brant | UC | UC | R | |||
Canada Goose | N | C | C | C | C | |
Wood Duck | R | R | ||||
Green-winged Teal | FC | FC | R | |||
American Black Duck | N | C | FC | C | C | |
Mallard | N | C | FC | C | C | |
Northern Pintail | R | R | R | |||
Blue-winged Teal | UC | UC | ||||
Northern Shoveler | R | R | ||||
Gadwall | UC | UC | R | |||
Eurasian Wigeon | R | R | R | |||
American Wigeon | FC | C | FC | |||
Canvasback | FC | FC | UC | |||
Redhead | VR | |||||
Ring-necked Duck | R | R | ||||
Greater Scaup | UC | UC | UC | |||
Lesser Scaup | R | R | R | |||
King Eider | VR | VR | ||||
Long-tailed Duck | C | C | C | |||
Black Scoter | VR | VR | VR | |||
Surf Scoter | UC | UC | UC | |||
White-winged Scoter | FC | FC | FC | |||
Common Goldeneye | C | C | C | |||
Barrow’s Goldeneye | R | R | R | |||
Bufflehead | C | C | FC | |||
Hooded Merganser | FC | R | FC | UC | ||
Common Merganser | R | R | ||||
Red-breasted Merganser | C | C | C | |||
Ruddy Duck | VR | VR | VR | |||
Kites, Eagles, Hawks | Black Vulture | VR | ||||
Turkey Vulture | UC | UC | ||||
Osprey | N | UC | R | C | ||
Bald Eagle | R | R | R | |||
Northern Harrier | UC | FC | R | |||
Sharp-shinned Hawk | UC | FC | R | |||
Cooper’s Hawk | R | UC | ||||
Northern Goshawk | R | R | ||||
Red-shouldered Hawk | R | UC | R | |||
Broad-winged Hawk | UC | UC | ||||
Red-tailed Hawk | FC | FC | FC | |||
Rough-legged Hawk | R | R | ||||
Golden Eagle | VR | |||||
Falcons | American Kestrel | UC | FC | R | ||
Merlin | R | UC | R | |||
Peregrine Falcon | R | R | ||||
Grouse, Turkeys, Quail | Ring-necked Pheasant | N | FC | FC | FC | FC |
Wild Turkey | VR | |||||
Rails, Gallinules, Coots | Clapper Rail | N | UC | R | UC | R |
Yellow Rail | VR | |||||
King Rail | VR | |||||
Virginia Rail | R | R | R | |||
Sora | VR | VR | ||||
Common Moorhen | VR | |||||
American Coot | R | R | ||||
Cranes | Sandhill Crane | VR | ||||
Plovers | Black-bellied Plover | FC | C | UC | ||
American Golden-Plover | R | R | ||||
Semipalmated Plover | FC | C | ||||
Piping Plover | VR | VR | ||||
Killdeer | N | FC | FC | C | UC | |
Oystercatchers | American Oystercatcher | R | R | R | ||
Stilts & Avocets | American Avocet | VR | ||||
Sandpipers & Phalaropes | Greater Yellowlegs | C | C | R | ||
Lesser Yellowlegs | UC | FC | ||||
Solitary Sandpiper | UC | UC | ||||
Willet | R | UC | ||||
Spotted Sandpiper | FC | FC | ||||
Upland Sandpiper | R | R | ||||
Whimbrel | R | |||||
Hudsonian Godwit | VR | |||||
Marbled Godwit | VR | |||||
Ruddy Turnstone | UC | FC | R | |||
Red Knot | VR | |||||
Sanderling | R | UC | R | |||
Semipalmated Sandpiper | FC | C | ||||
Western Sandpiper | R | |||||
Least Sandpiper | FC | C | ||||
White-rumped Sandpiper | R | |||||
Baird’s Sandpiper | VR | |||||
Pectoral Sandpiper | R | FC | ||||
Purple Sandpiper | VR | |||||
Dunlin | FC | C | FC | |||
Stilt Sandpiper | R | |||||
Buff-breasted Sandpiper | VR | |||||
Ruff | VR | |||||
Short-billed Dowitcher | UC | FC | ||||
Common Snipe | FC | UC | R | |||
American Woodcock | N | UC | R | UC | R | |
Wilson’s Phalarope | VR | VR | ||||
Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers | Laughing Gull | UC | FC | C | ||
Bonaparte’s Gull | UC | UC | UC | |||
Ring-billed Gull | C | FC | C | C | ||
Herring Gull | C | C | C | C | ||
Iceland Gull | VR | VR | ||||
Lesser Black-backed Gull | R | R | R | |||
Glaucous Gull | VR | VR | ||||
Great Black-backed Gull | FC | FC | FC | FC | ||
Caspian Tern | VR | VR | ||||
Common Tern | FC | FC | FC | |||
Forster’s Tern | UC | |||||
Least Tern | FC | FC | UC | |||
Black Tern | VR | VR | ||||
Black Skimmer | VR | |||||
Pigeons & Doves | Rock Dove | N | UC | FC | UC | UC |
Mourning Dove | N | C | C | FC | FC | |
Parrots | Monk Parakeet | FC | FC | FC | UC | |
Cuckoo | Black-billed Cuckoo | R | R | |||
Yellow-billed Cuckoo | R | R | ||||
Barn Owl | Barn Owl | VR | ||||
Typical Owls | Eastern Screech-Owl | R | R | R | R | |
Great Horned Owl | N | R | R | R | R | |
Snowy Owl | VR | |||||
Barred Owl | VR | |||||
Long-eared Owl | VR | |||||
Short-eared Owl | R | R | R | |||
Northern Saw-whet Owl | VR | |||||
Goatsuckers | Common Nighthawk | R | C | |||
Whip-poor-will | VR | |||||
Swifts | Chimney Swift | FC | FC | |||
Hummingbirds | Ruby-throated Hummingbird | UC | FC | |||
Kingfishers | Belted Kingfisher | N | UC | UC | FC | UC |
Woodpeckers | Red-headed Woodpecker | VR | VR | VR | ||
Red-bellied Woodpecker | UC | R | FC | UC | ||
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | UC | UC | R | |||
Downy Woodpecker | N | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
Hairy Woodpecker | UC | R | UC | UC | ||
Northern Flicker | N | C | FC | C | UC | |
Pileated Woodpecker | VR | VR | ||||
Tyrant Flycatchers | Olive-sided Flycatcher | VR | ||||
Eastern Wood-Pewee | FC | FC | ||||
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | VR | VR | ||||
Acadian Flycatcher | R | R | ||||
Alder Flycatcher | R | R | ||||
Willow Flycatcher | N | FC | FC | UC | ||
Least Flycatcher | UC | UC | ||||
Eastern Phoebe | FC | FC | ||||
Great Crested Flycatcher | UC | R | UC | |||
Western Kingbird | VR | |||||
Eastern Kingbird | N | FC | UC | UC | ||
Larks | Horned Lark | UC | FC | UC | ||
Swallows | Purple Martin | UC | R | R | ||
Tree Swallow | N | C | UC | C | ||
Northern Rough-winged Swallow | N | FC | UC | FC | ||
Bank Swallow | UC | FC | ||||
Cliff Swallow | R | R | ||||
Cave Swallow | VR | |||||
Barn Swallow | N | C | C | C | ||
Jays & Crows | Blue Jay | N | C | FC | C | FC |
American Crow | N | C | C | C | C | |
Fish Crow | N | FC | FC | FC | UC | |
Chickadees & Titmice | Black-capped Chickadee | N | C | FC | C | FC |
Tufted Titmouse | N | C | FC | FC | UC | |
Nuthatches | Red-breasted Nuthatch | UC | FC | UC | ||
White-breasted Nuthatch | N | FC | UC | FC | UC | |
Creepers | Brown Creeper | UC | UC | UC | ||
Wrens | Carolina Wren | N | FC | FC | FC | UC |
House Wren | N | FC | FC | FC | ||
Winter Wren | UC | UC | ||||
Marsh Wren | N | UC | R | UC | R | |
Kinglets & Thrushes | Golden-crowned Kinglet | FC | C | FC | ||
Ruby-crowned Kinglet | FC | C | R | |||
Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | UC | UC | ||||
Northern Wheatear | VR | |||||
Eastern Bluebird | N | UC | UC | UC | ||
Veery | UC | UC | ||||
Gray-cheeked Thrush | R | R | ||||
Swainson’s Thrush | UC | UC | ||||
Hermit Thrush | FC | FC | R | |||
Wood Thrush | UC | UC | ||||
American Robin | N | C | C | FC | R | |
Thrashers | Gray Catbird | N | C | C | C | R |
Northern Mockingbird | N | FC | FC | C | FC | |
Brown Thrasher | N | UC | UC | UC | R | |
Pipits | American Pipit | UC | FC | R | ||
Waxwings | Cedar Waxwing | N | C | UC | FC | UC |
Shrikes | Northern Shrike | VR | ||||
Starlings | European Starling | N | C | C | C | C |
Vireos | White-eyed Vireo | UC | UC | |||
Blue-headed Vireo | UC | UC | ||||
Yellow-throated Vireo | UC | UC | ||||
Warbling Vireo | N | C | FC | UC | ||
Philadelphia Vireo | R | |||||
Red-eyed Vireo | FC | FC | ||||
Wood-warblers | Blue-winged Warbler | UC | UC | |||
Golden-winged Warbler | VR | VR | ||||
Tennessee Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Orange-crowned Warbler | VR | |||||
Nashville Warbler | FC | UC | ||||
Northern Parula | C | FC | ||||
Yellow Warbler | N | C | C | FC | ||
Chestnut-sided Warbler | FC | FC | ||||
Magnolia Warbler | C | FC | ||||
Cape May Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Black-throated Blue Warbler | FC | FC | ||||
Yellow-rumped Warbler | C | C | R | |||
Black-throated Green Warbler | FC | FC | ||||
Blackburnian Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Yellow-throated Warbler | VR | |||||
Pine Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Prairie Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Palm Warbler | FC | FC | R | |||
Bay-breasted Warbler | UC | UC | ||||
Blackpoll Warbler | FC | UC | ||||
Black-and-white Warbler | C | FC | ||||
American Redstart | C | C | ||||
Worm-eating Warbler | VR | |||||
Ovenbird | FC | FC | ||||
Northern Waterthrush | UC | UC | ||||
Connecticut Warbler | VR | |||||
Mourning Warbler | R | R | ||||
Common Yellowthroat | N | C | C | C | R | |
Hooded Warbler | R | R | ||||
Wilson’s Warbler | FC | UC | ||||
Canada Warbler | FC | FC | ||||
Yellow-breasted Chat | R | R | VR | |||
Tanagers | Scarlet Tanager | UC | UC | |||
Cardinals, Grosbeaks, Buntings | Northern Cardinal | N | FC | FC | FC | FC |
Rose-breasted Grosbeak | UC | UC | ||||
Blue Grosbeak | VR | |||||
Indigo Bunting | UC | UC | ||||
Dickcissel | VR | |||||
Towhees, Sparrows, Longspurs | Eastern Towhee | FC | R | FC | R | |
American Tree Sparrow | UC | FC | FC | |||
Chipping Sparrow | N | C | FC | UC | ||
Clay-colored Sparrow | VR | |||||
Field Sparrow | UC | UC | R | |||
Vesper Sparrow | R | UC | ||||
Lark Sparrow | VR | |||||
Savannah Sparrow | C | R | C | UC | ||
Le Conte’s Sparrow | VR | |||||
Saltmarsh Sparrow | N | FC | UC | FC | ||
Nelson’s Sparrow | C | |||||
Seaside Sparrow | R | R | R | |||
Fox Sparrow | UC | UC | R | |||
Song Sparrow | N | C | C | C | FC | |
Lincoln’s Sparrow | UC | UC | ||||
Swamp Sparrow | UC | C | R | |||
White-throated Sparrow | C | C | FC | |||
White-crowned Sparrow | UC | FC | ||||
Dark-eyed Junco | FC | C | FC | |||
Lapland Longspur | R | R | ||||
Smith’s Longspur | VR | |||||
Snow Bunting | FC | FC | ||||
Blackbirds & Orioles | Bobolink | UC | FC | |||
Red-winged Blackbird | N | C | C | FC | R | |
Eastern Meadowlark | UC | R | FC | R | ||
Western Meadowlark |
VR | |||||
Yellow-headed Blackbird | VR | |||||
Rusty Blackbird | VR | VR | ||||
Common Grackle | N | C | C | UC | R | |
Boat-tailed Grackle | VR | |||||
Brown-headed Cowbird | N | C | FC | UC | R | |
Orchard Oriole | N | FC | FC | R | ||
Baltimore Oriole | N | C | C | UC | ||
Finches | Purple Finch | UC | UC | R | ||
House Finch | N | C | C | C | FC | |
Red Crossbill | VR | |||||
White-winged Crossbill | VR | |||||
Common Redpoll | VR | |||||
Pine Siskin | UC | R | ||||
American Goldfinch | N | FC | FC | C | UC | |
Evening Grosbeak | VR | |||||
Old World Sparrows | House Sparrow | N | C | C | C | UC |
Code key: | Top of page |
C: Common, nearly always seen FC: Fairly common, usually seen UC: Uncommon, sometimes seen |
R: Rare, infrequently seen, but expected in proper season VR: Very rare, very infrequently seen; some years absent; includes accidentals. N: Nesting. |
Data from “Checklist: Birds of Sherwood Island State Park” (c) 1996 by Robert Winkler |