Talk:List of birds of the United States

Why?
What is the purpose of this list? It doesn't include all the birds of the United States (as the title says it does), because it doesn't include Hawaii—though it does list various excuses as to why it doesn't, and then points to another list of birds. Either this list should be renamed, or the Hawaiian birds should be added. MeegsC | Talk 11:26, 3 June 2008 (UTC)
 * The purpose of the list is to offer a comprehensive list of birds of the United States. Other nations have their respective lists, including Canada, so I created the US list.  There are many  species having occurring in the US ut not in Canada, and a few vice versa.  Because Hawaii is so distinct geographically, I decided to add the state as an attachment rather than including on the main list.  Population frequencies are so different on Hawaii than on the continental US, I couldn't find an easy way to include.  If anyone has a better way to present the info, have at it......Pmeleski (talk) 02:57, 4 June 2008 (UTC)

Issues with index
Can someone redo this list to restore the standard contents list;
 * This list is based on a checklist used by the AOU, the list used by most field guides for North American birds. It does not include species from any territories or possessions.
 * Thank you but what addition, or lack of, deletes or hides the index (content list) for the rest of the article. If this list is removed the contents for the rest of the article appears. I do not have an issue with the AOU approved list but with what it prevents from being allowed namely the article contents list or "standard" index. If three or more sections are added a list is automatically generated right? There are maybe 80 sections in the article. Otr500 (talk) 07:00, 24 June 2010 (UTC)
 * I understand now. It is a replacement. It may be AOU approved but I don't think it is otr approved. I like the standard list. Thanks, Otr500 (talk) 07:15, 24 June 2010 (UTC)


 * With this list inserted as it does not allow the standard contents list. Otr500 (talk) 14:55, 22 June 2010 (UTC)

Include ABA Code 3, Rare?
There are quite a few of the ABA code 3 birds (bean goose, etc) that really don't fit our descriptor of: "Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in the United States as permanent residents, summer or winter residents or visitors, or migrants"

"visitors" doesn't imply, to the casual reader, the rarity of many of these species. The way we've worded it makes it sound like many of these species are common occurences or regular visitors. I'd recommend we either demarcate the Code 3 birds as rare, and add that to our codes, or simply add some text indicating that even if not marked, some of these birds may be very rare/accidental visitors to very limited areas. 12.11.127.253 (talk) 16:24, 11 December 2014 (UTC)

July 1, 2020 revision
Because of the large number of changes necessitated by the update to the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds which the American Ornithological Society published on June 30, 2020, the revisions to this article are presented here rather than in a long series of edit summaries. Changes are per the AOS unless otherwise noted.

Craigthebirder (talk) 23:44, 1 July 2020 (UTC)
 * Revise the references, counts, and text in the introduction.
 * Add 5 species.
 * Delete 6 species.
 * Revise 2 English names.
 * Revise 6 genera.
 * Revise a family's scientific name per Clements
 * Revise multiple families' common names per Clements
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Phasiannidae (Pheasants, grouse, and allies).
 * Revise the sequence of species in genus Selasphorus (Hummingbirds).
 * Revise the sequence of genera in family Trochilidae (Hummingbirds).
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Rallidae (Rails, gallinules, and coots).
 * Revise the sequence of families in order Suliformes.
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Phalacrocoracidae (Cormorants and shags).
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Cathartidae (New World vultures).
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Strigidae (Owls).
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Thamnophilidae (Typical antbirds).
 * Revise the sequence of species in genus Progne (Swallows).
 * Revise the sequence of species in family Locustellidae (Grassbirds and allies).

January 1, 2021 revision
I did the following:

Craigthebirder (talk) 18:23, 1 January 2021 (UTC)
 * For greater prairie-chicken, restored the text "(Extirpated from its former Canadian range, but possibly repopulating there from the U.S.)" because I believe it is a relevant and interesting statement which modifies the (EM) "endemic to the lower-48" tag already there.
 * For California condor, restored the text "(Ex, reintroduction in progress but not yet established per the California Bird Records Committee; "not self-sustaining" per Cornell Lab of Ornithology)" because leaving the note as a simple "reintroduced" implies that the reintroduction program is completed and successful, whereas it is ongoing. I have left the USA Today citation because it also supports the statement. (It lauds that the California population has passed 100 birds, and quotes the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, "The goal of the California Condor Recovery Plan is to establish two geographically separate populations, one in California and the other in Arizona, each with 150 birds and at least 15 breeding pairs.")
 * In the hawks, eagles and kites section, restored the entry for Ridgway's hawk because the cited source for Puerto Rican species (Avibase) includes it. However, I have expanded it to include that Cornell's Birds of the World doesn't agree.
 * In the barn-owls section, restored the entry for ashy-faced owl for the same reason and with the same disclaimer as for Ridgway's hawk.

Ashy-faced owl does not belong on this list
This species is endemic to Hispaniola. Only Avibase puts it as an accidental in Puerto Rico; IUCN and other sources put it as a Hispaniolan endemic, which it is. Again, don't only use one source for the lists. Ddum5347 (talk) 02:12, 29 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Yes, I reverted it in haste because I thought it was the list. Thank you for adding this here. Craigthebirder (talk) 02:23, 29 January 2021 (UTC)
 * Two sources are cited, not one. The list's primary source says it's accidental and the second one says there are no records of it. You can add that it's endemic to Hispaniola if you think that's important, but don't remove what's already there until other editors have had a chance to weigh in. The same applies to Ridgway's hawk. (BTW, being endemic to one island doesn't preclude a species from being accidental on another.) Craigthebirder (talk) 02:56, 29 January 2021 (UTC)
 * True, but the fact that only Avibase says this about both species makes it suscpetible to deletion. Every other source says otherwise. Ddum5347 (talk) 05:27, 29 January 2021 (UTC)

February 5, 2021 revision
Following guidance from User:MeegsC provided elsewhere, I have reversed my stand on including Ridgway's hawk and ashy-faced owl in the list. I have adjusted counts to reflect their deletion. Craigthebirder (talk) 14:02, 5 February 2021 (UTC)

August 2021 revision
These are the changes made to update this list to the 2021 Check-list of North and Middle American Birds published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS) on June 29, 2021.

Craigthebirder (talk) 20:20, 9 August 2021 (UTC)
 * Revise the sequence of families in Order Passeriformes.
 * Revise the genus of spruce grouse.
 * Add Pallas's gull to the list.
 * Split mew gull into common gull and short-billed gull and revise entries accordingly.
 * Revise the binomials of five cormorant species.
 * Revise the specific epithet of crested caracara.
 * Revise the genus and English name of Middendorf's grasshopper-warbler.
 * Add Pallas's grasshopper warbler to the list.
 * Revise the genus and position of of ruby-crowned kinglet.
 * Revise the sequence of gnatcatcher species.
 * Revise the sequence of waxbills and allies.
 * Revise the genera of Java sparrow and lavender waxbill.
 * Add tricolored munia to the list.
 * Revise the genus of Antillean euphonia.
 * Revise the genus of five-striped sparrow.
 * Revise text, counts, and references as appropriate.

A lot of changes should be made (?)
So im unsure if this page is based off of an official list by the AOC or some other authority but there are a lot of things that are incorrect on it. I would edit them, but I'm unsure if I should because if it is an official list I don't want to mess with that.

- Taiga & Tundra Bean Geese not being Accidental or Casual

- Common Pochard not being marked as accidental or casual

- Steller's & Spectacled Eider being marked as accidental even though they both breed in Alaska

- Velvet and Common Scoter not being marked as accidental or casual

- Masked Duck not being marked as accidental or casual. I know there are breeding records from Texas, but the US faced a brief "invasion" of masked ducks in the early 2000s and 90s, but have since seen them in very small numbers as accidentals.

- Red Junglefowl is also introduced to the Florida Keys

- Japanese Quail isn't that established if at all

- European Turtle-Dove should be marked as accidental or casual

- African Collared-Dove is established in LA

- Common Cuckoo not being marked as accidental, it is spreading its range into the Aleutian Islands but (to my knowledge) hasn't bred.

- Mexican Violetear not being marked as accidental

- Common Ringed Plover not being marked as accidental

- Kittlitz's Murrelet being marked as accidental when it is frequently seen in Alaska

- Common Gull not marked as accidental

- Pallas's Gull not being marked as accidental

- Sandwich Tern, Elegant Tern, and Black Skimmer being marked as accidental despite all being ridiculously common terns in the mainland US

- Petrels

- Fork-tailed Flycatcher not being marked as accidental

-Tufted Flycatcher should at least be marked as accidental

- Chihuahua Raven marked as accidental

- Swinhoe's White-Eye is well established in LA

- Eyebrowed Thrush not marked as accidental or casual

- Rufous-backed Thrush not marked as accidental

- European Goldfinch is somewhat established in Brooklyn

- Great-tailed Grackle marked as accidental despite being one of the most common birds in the entire Southwest US

- Rufous-capped Warbler marked as accidental

Either way this page needs a serious revision imo. Qwexcxewq (talk) 05:00, 16 May 2023 (UTC)