Whidbey Island Bird List

Rendering courtesy of Kathy Obersinner and Sarah Schmidt

Here is a field checklist for Whidbey Island bird species, including information on seasonal abundance. Enjoy the varied habitats on our beautiful island!

Original Printable Version (PDF) 8.5” x 14” (legal size paper)
Reduced Printable Version (PDF) 8.5” x 11” (letter size paper)
Printable Species Checklist only (PDF) 8.5" x 11" (letter size paper)

Last Update: March 2021

For more information about our birds visit the Cornell Lab of Ornithology here. Search by species name, or answer a few simple questions and get instant identification help from Merlin Bird ID, a free bird identification smartphone application.

Illustrated Whidbey Birds Checklist (November 2016 edition) appears below.

Checklist key for photos:

Seasons:

Sp - Spring (March - May)
S - Summer (June - August)
F - Fall (September - November)
W - Winter (December - February)

Abundance Key:

C - Common: usually seen in proper habitat.
U - Uncommon: (1) seen regularly in small numbers, or (2) present, but not certain to be seen.
O - Occasional: (1) irregular occurrence, or (2) seen only a few times per year.
R - Rare: (1) rarely seen, or (2) seen at intervals of 2-5 years.
I - Irruptive: population varies widely in some years
A - Accidental: seen less than 5 times.

Breeding:

*(asterisk) - Known to nest on the Island.
P - Possible: Adults found in proper habitat during breeding season.

Featured

Greater White-fronted Goose

Sp S F W N

O A O R

(1)

Snow Goose

Sp S F W N

R R R

(1)

Brant

Sp S F W N

C R U U

(1)

Canada Goose

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Trumpeter Swan

Sp S F W N

O A U O

(1)

Tundra Swan

Sp S F W N

O O O

(1)

Wood Duck

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Gadwall

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Eurasian Wigeon

Sp S F W N

O O O

(1)

American Wigeon

Sp S F W N

C O C C *

(1)

Mallard

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Blue-winged Teal

Sp S F W N

U O O *

(1)

Cinnamon Teal

Sp S F W N

U U O *

(1)

Northern Shoveler

Sp S F W N

C O U C *

(1)

Northern Pintail

Sp S F W N

C U C C *

(1)

Green-winged Teal

Sp S F W N

C U C C *

(1)

Redhead

Sp S F W N

A A R R

(1)

Ring-necked Duck

Sp S F W N

U A U U

(1)

Greater Scaup

SP S F W N

C R C C

(1)

Lesser Scaup

Sp S F W N

C O C C *

(1)

Harlequin Duck

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Surf Scoter

Sp S F W N

C C C C

(1)

White-winged Scoter

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Bufflehead

Sp S F W N

C R C C

(1)

Common Goldeneye

Sp S F W N

C A C C

(1)

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Sp S F W N

C C C

(1)

Hooded Merganser

Sp S F W N

U O U U *

(1)

Red-breasted Merganser

Sp S F W N

C R C C

(1)

Ruddy Duck

Sp S F W N

C U C C *

(1)

Featured

California Quail

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Ring-necked Pheasant

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Featured

Pacific Loon

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Common Loon

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Featured

Pied-billed Grebe

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Horned Grebe

SP S F W N

C O C C

(1)

Red-necked Grebe

Sp S F W N

C O C C

(1)

Eared Grebe

Sp S F W N

U R U U

(1)

Western Grebe

Sp S F W N

C O C C

(1)

Featured

Brandt’s Cormorant

Sp S F W N

U O U C

(1)

Pelagic Cormorant

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Double-crested Cormorant

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Featured

American Bittern

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Great Blue Heron

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Great Egret

Sp S F W N

A R

(1)

Green Heron

Sp S F W N

R A R R

(1)

Featured

Turkey Vulture

Sp S F W N

U O U

(1)

Osprey

Sp S F W N

C C C R *

(1)

Featured

Jan 6, 2020

Northern Harrier

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Jan 6, 2020

Jan 5, 2020

Sharp-shinned Hawk

Sp S F W N

U R U U *

(1)

Jan 5, 2020

Jan 4, 2020

Cooper’s Hawk

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Jan 4, 2020

Jan 3, 2020

Bald Eagle

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Jan 3, 2020

Jan 1, 2020

Rough-legged Hawk

Sp S F W N

O U U

(1)

Jan 1, 2020

Red-tailed Hawk

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Jan 1, 2020

Featured

Virginia Rail

Sp S F W N

U U U O *

(1)

American Coot

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Featured

Black Oystercatcher

Sp S F W N

U U U C

(1)

Black-bellied Plover

Sp S F W N

O O U U

(1)

Semipalmated Plover

Sp S F W N

O O U

(1)

Killdeer

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Wimbrel

Sp S F W N

O R U

(1)

Long-billed Curlew

Sp S F W N

O O O

(1)

Marbled Godwit

Sp S F W N

(1)

Ruddy Turnstone

Sp S F W N

O O O R

(1)

Black Turnstone

Sp S F W N

C O C C

(1)

Sanderling

Sp S F W N

U R U C

(1)

Dunlin

Sp S F W N

C R C C

(1)

Least Sandpiper

Sp S F W N

C C C

(1)

Pectoral Sandpiper

Sp S F W N

O O O

(1)

Western Sandpiper

Sp S F W N

C C C U

(1)

Short-billed Dowitcher

Sp S F W N

O C C

(1)

Long-billed Dowitcher

Sp S F W N

O C C R

(1)

Wilson’s Snipe

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Wilson’s Phalarope

Sp S F W N

(1)

Red-necked Phalarope

Sp S F W N

O U

(1)

Spotted Sandpiper

Sp S F W N

U O U R

(1)

Greater Yellowlegs

Sp S F W N

C U C R

(1)

Lesser Yellowlegs

Sp S F W N

U U U

(1)

Willet

Sp S F W N

A R

(1)

Featured

Bonaparte’s Gull

Sp S F W N

C U C U

(1)

Heerman’s Gull

Sp S F W N

C C A

(1)

Mew Gull

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Ring-billed Gull

Sp S F W N

C U C C

(1)

Western Gull

Sp S F W N

R R R R

(1)

California Gull

Sp S F W N

O C C R

(1)

Glaucous-winged Gull

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Caspian Tern

Sp S F W N

C U C P

(1)

Common Murre

Sp S F W N

U U U U

(1)

Pigeon Guillemot

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Marbled Murrelet

Sp S F W N

U U U U

(1)

Rhinoceros Auklet

Sp S F W N

C C C C

(1)

Featured

Rock Pigeon

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Band-tailed Pigeon

Sp S F W N

U U U O *

(1)

Mourning Dove

Sp S F W N

C C C U *

(1)

Featured

Barn Owl

Sp S F W N

U U U O *

(1)

Great Horned Owl

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Snowy Owl

Sp S F W N

I I

(1)

Barred Owl

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(2)

Short-eared Owl

Sp S F W N

U R U U P

(1)

Featured

Anna’s Hummingbird

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Rufous Hummingbird

Sp S F W N

C C O R *

(1)

Featured

Belted Kingfisher

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Featured

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Downy Woodpecker

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Hairy Woodpecker

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Northern Flicker

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Pileated Woodpecker

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Featured

American Kestrel

Sp S F W N

O O O O *

(1)

Merlin

Sp S F W N

U R U U P

(1)

Peregrine Falcon

Sp S F W N

U U U U P

(1)

Featured

Olive-sided Flycatcher

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Western Wood Pewee

Sp S F W N

R U U P

(1)

Willow Flycatcher

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Western Kingbird

Sp S F W N

O R

(1)

Northern Shrike

Sp S F W N

O O O

(1)

Warbling Vireo

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Steller’s Jay

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

American Crow

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Common Raven

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Horned Lark

Sp S F W N

R O

(1)

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Purple Martin

Sp S F W N

O O R *

(1)

Tree Swallow

Sp S F W N

C C U *

(1)

Violet-green Swallow

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Bank Swallow

Sp S F W N

A O O *

(1)

Barn Swallow

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Cliff Swallow

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Black-capped Chickadee

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Bushtit

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Brown Creeper

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

House Wren

Sp S F W N

U U U A *

(1)

Pacific Wren

Sp S F W N

C U C C *

(1)

Marsh Wren

Sp S F W N

C C C U *

(1)

Bewick’s Wren

Sp S F W N

U U U U *

(1)

Featured

Golden-crowned Kinglet

Sp S F W N

C U C C *

(1)

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Sp S F W N

C C C

(1)

Mountain Bluebird

Sp S F W N

R R A

(1)

Townsends’s Solitaire

Sp S F W N

R R R

(1)

Swainson’s Thrush

Sp S F W N

C C U *

(1)

Hermit Thrush

Sp S F W N

U A U O

(1)

American Robin

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Varied Thrush

Sp S F W N

C R C C P

(1)

European Starling

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

American Pipit

Sp S F W N

O U R

(1)

Cedar Waxwing

Sp S F W N

C C C R *

(3)

Snow Bunting

Sp S F W N

R R

(1)

Orange-crowned Warbler

Sp S F W N

C C U O *

(1)

Common Yellowthroat

Sp S F W N

C C C *

(1)

Yellow Warbler

Sp S F W N

C C U *

(1)

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Sp S F W N

C O C O *

(1)

Black-throated Gray Warbler

Sp S F W N

U U O *

(1)

Townsend’s Warbler

Sp S F W N

C U U R *

(1)

Wilson’s Warbler

Sp S F W N

C C U *

(1)

Featured

Chipping Sparrow

Sp S F W N

O R R

(1)

Fox Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C C C

(1)

Dark-eyed Junco

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

White-crowned Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C C C U *

(1)

Golden-crowned Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C A C C

(1)

Savannah Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C C C O *

(1)

Song Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Lincoln’s Sparrow

Sp S F W N

U U O

(1)

Spotted Towhee

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Western Tanager

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Black-headed Grosbeak

Sp S F W N

U U U *

(1)

Red-winged Blackbird

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Western Meadowlark

Sp S F W N

U R U U P

(1)

Yellow-headed Blackbird

Sp S F W N

O O O *

(1)

Brewer’s Blackbird

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Brown-headed Cowbird

Sp S F W N

C C C O *

(1)

Bullock’s Oriole

Sp S F W N

O O *

(1)

House Finch

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Purple Finch

Sp S F W N

U O O U *

(1)

Red Crossbill

Sp S F W N

U O U U *

(1)

Pine Sisken

Sp S F W N

I I I I *

(1)

American Goldfinch

Sp S F W N

C C C O *

(1)

Evening Grosbeak

Sp S F W N

U R O R *

(1)

House Sparrow

Sp S F W N

C C C C *

(1)

Photo Credits:

Bird List Photos:

(1) Craig Johnson
(2) Randy Foster
(3) Tom Ash

Banner Photo: James Halsch/Audubon Photography Award