Here is a list of 285 bird species we have a decent chance of recording in Franklin County this year. Species seen this year thus far are in *bold type, with asterisks. Rarities are in capital letters.  If you find a wild bird in Franklin County that’s not marked  here, please write to Bill Heck or Brad Sparks with when-where details and we’ll add it to the list. If extra clarification seems called for—for instance, about rarities–we may write back to you for details.
We hope to learn more about local habitats and the birds that use them. Local birders should learn more about the variety of species that can be found not far from home, and when they appear. Please help out by checking this list periodically, and letting us know if you’ve seen any new species!
Monthly numbers: January: 102; February: 6; March: 19; April: 74; May: 36; June: 4; July: 1; August: 3; Sept: 11; Oct: 2; Nov 0; Dec 0
*Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
*Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
*Ross’s Goose Chen rossii
*Cackling Goose Branta hutchinsii
*Canada Goose Branta canadensis
*Mute Swan Cygnus olor
*Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
*Wood Duck Aix sponsa
*Gadwall Anas strepera
Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
*American Wigeon Anas americana
*American Black Duck Anas rubripes
*Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
*Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
*Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
*Northern Pintail Anas acuta
*Green-winged Teal Anas crecca
*Canvasback Aythya valisineria
*Redhead Aythya americana
*Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris
*Greater Scaup Aythya marila
*Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
*Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata
White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca
Black Scoter Melanitta americana
*Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
*Bufflehead Bucephala albeola
*Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
*Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus
*Common Merganser Mergus merganser
*Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
*Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis
*Ring-necked Pheasant Phasianus colchicus
*Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo
Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata
*Common Loon Gavia immer
*Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps
*Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis
*Double-crested Cormorant Phalocrocorax auritus
American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
*American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
*Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
*Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias
*Great Egret Ardea alba
*Snowy Egret Egretta thula
*Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
*Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis
*Green Heron Butorides virescens
*Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
*Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea
*Plegadis ibis sp.
*Black Vulture Coragyps atratus
*Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura
*Osprey Pandion haliaetus
*Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus
*Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus
*Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
*Cooper’s Hawk Accipiter cooperii
*Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus
*Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus
*Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis
*Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
Golden Eagle Aquila chysaetos
*American Kestrel Falco sparverius
*Merlin Falco columbarius
*Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus
*King Rail Rallus elegans
*Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
*Sora Porzana carolina
*PURPLE GALLINULE Porphyrula martinica
*Common Moorhen Gallinula chloropus
*American Coot Fulica americana
*Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis
*Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola
*American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
*Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus
*Killdeer Charadrius vociferus
*BLACK-NECKED STILT Himantopus mexicanus
American Avocet Recurvirostra americana
*Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius
*Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
*Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
*Willet Tringa semipalmata
*Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
*Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus
*Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
*Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres
Red Knot Calidris canutus
*Sanderling Calidris alba
*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 melanatos
*Dunlin Calidris alpina
*Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
*Buff-breasted Sandpiper Tryngites subruficollis
*Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
*Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
*Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata
*American Woodcock Scolopax minor
*Wilson’s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
*Red-necked Phalarope Phalaropus lobatus
Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius
*Bonaparte’s Gull Chroicocephalus philadelphia
Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
Franklin’s Gull Leucophaeus pipixcan
*Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis
*Herring Gull Larus argentatus
Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
*ROYAL TERN Thalasseus maximus
*Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
*Black Tern Chlidonias niger
Common Tern Sterna hirundo
*Forster’s Tern Sterna forsteri
*Rock Pigeon Columba livia
*Eurasian collared-dove Streptopelia decaocto
*Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura
*Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus
*Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus
*Barn Owl Tyto alba
*Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
*Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
Snowy Owl Bubo scandiacus
*Barred Owl Strix varia
*Long-eared Owl Asio otus
*Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
*Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus
*Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
*Eastern Whip-poor-will Caprimulgus vociferus
*Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica
*Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris
Rufous Hummingbird Selasphorus rufus
*Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon
*Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus
*Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus
*Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius
*Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens
*Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
*Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus
*Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus
*Olive-sided Flycatcher Contopus cooperi
*Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
*Yellow-bellied Flycatcher Empidonax flaviventris
*Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
*Alder Flycatcher Empidonax alnorum
*Willow Flycatcher Empidonax traillii
*Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
*Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
*Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus
*Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Northern Shrike Lanius excubitor
*shrike, sp.
*White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus
*Bell’s Vireo Vireo bellii
*Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
*Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius
*Warbling Vireo Vireo gilvus
*Philadelphia Vireo Vireo philadelphicus
*Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus
*Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata
*American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
*Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris
*Purple Martin Progne subis
*Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor
*Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
*Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
*Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
*Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica
*Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
Black-capped Chickadee Poecile atricapillus
*Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor
*Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
*White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
*Brown Creeper Certhia americana
*Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus
*House Wren Troglodytes aedon
*Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis
*Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
*Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris
*Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa
*Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula
*Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea
*Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
*Veery Catharus fuscescens
*Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
*Swainson’s Thrush Catharus ustulatus
*Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus
*Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
*American Robin Turdus migratorius
*Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis
*Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos
*Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum
*European Starling Sturnus vulgaris
*American Pipit Anthus rubescens
*Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum
*Lapland Longspur Calcarius lapponicus
*Snow Bunting Plectrophenax nivalis
*Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
*Golden-winged Warbler Vermivora chrysoptera
*Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
*Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata
*Nashville Warbler Oreothlypis ruficapilla
*Northern Parula Parula americana
*Yellow Warbler Dendroica petechia
*Chestnut-sided Warbler Dendroica pensylvanica
*Magnolia Warbler Dendroica magnolia
*Cape May Warbler Dendroica tigrina
*Black-throated Blue Warbler Dendroica caerulescens
*Yellow-rumped Warbler Dendroica coronata
*Black-throated Green Warbler Dendroica virens
*Blackburnian Warbler Dendroica fusca
*Yellow-throated Warbler Dendroica dominica
*Pine Warbler Dendroica pinus
*KIRTLAND’S WARBLER Dendroica kirtlandii
*Prairie Warbler Dendroica discolor
*Palm Warbler Dendroica palmarum
*Bay-breasted Warbler Dendroica castanea
*Blackpoll Warbler Dendroica striata
*Cerulean Warbler Dendroica cerulea
*Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia
*American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla
*Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea
*Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum
*Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla
*Northern Waterthrush Parkesia noveboracensis
*Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
*Kentucky Warbler Oporornis formosus
*Connecticut Warbler Oporornis agilis
*Mourning Warbler Oporornis philadelphia
*Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas
*Hooded Warbler Wilsonia citrina
*Wilson’s Warbler Wilsonia pusilla
*Canada Warbler Wilsonia canadensis
*Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens
*Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus
*American Tree Sparrow Spizella arborea
*Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina
*Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
*Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla
*Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
*Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus
*Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis
*Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
*Henslow’s Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
Le Conte’s Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
*Nelson’s Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni
*Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca
*Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia
*Lincoln’s Sparrow Melospiza lincolnii
*Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
*White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis
*White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
*Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis
*Summer Tanager Piranga rubra
*Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
*Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis
*Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
*BLACK-HEADED GROSBEAK Pheucticus melanocephalus **
*Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea
*Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
*Dickcissel Spiza americana
*Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
*Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
*Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
*YELLOW-HEADED BLACKBIRD Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
*Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
*Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
*Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
*Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius
*Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula
*Purple Finch Carpodacus purpureus
*House Finch Carpodacus mexicanus
White-winged Crossbill Loxia leucoptera
*Common Redpoll Acanthis flammea
*Pine Siskin Spinus pinus
*American Goldfinch Spinus tristis
*House Sparrow Passer domesticus
           ** While I doubt the documentation I’ve seen will pass the Records Committee for a fourth Ohio record of this rarity, I am including this because the bird reported was apparently an adult male, and on occasion appeared at the same time as an adult male rose-breasted grosbeak at a back-yard feeder. Confusion of adult males in May would be hard to do, even for a beginner, and my informant, a veteran observer, was satisfied with the reporter’s description.