Birds

All pictures were taken within the county unless otherwise stated. Here is the checklist for birds seen in Onslow provided by

Cross referencing this list with eBird.org reveals there has been 318 birds seen in the county not the 312 provided here. One day I'll add those to the list but for now I'm just leaving it as.

Ducks, Geese, & Swans - 36 species
1 Black-bellied Whistling-Duck Dendrocygna autumnalis
   2 Greater White-fronted Goose Anser albifrons
   3 Snow Goose Chen caerulescens
   4 Brant Branta bernicla
   5 Canada Goose Branta canadensis
   6 Tundra Swan Cygnus columbianus
   7 Wood Duck Aix sponsa
   8 Gadwall Anas strepera
   9 Eurasian Wigeon Anas penelope
   10 American Wigeon Anas americana

Pea Island

   11 American Black Duck Anas rubripes
   12 Mallard Anas platyrhynchos
   13 Mottled Duck Anas fulvigula
   14 Blue-winged Teal Anas discors
   15 Cinnamon Teal Anas cyanoptera
   16 Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata
   17 Northern Pintail Anas acuta

Bodie Lighthouse

18 Green-winged Teal Anas crecca

19 Canvasback Aythya valisineria

Pea Island

20 Redhead Aythya americana
21 Ring-necked Duck Aythya collaris

   22 Greater Scaup Aythya marila
   23 Lesser Scaup Aythya affinis
   24 King Eider Somateria spectabilis
   25 Common Eider Somateria mollissima

Jennette's Pier

26 Harlequin Duck Histrionicus histrionicus
27 Surf Scoter Melanitta perspicillata

28 White-winged Scoter Melanitta fusca

   29 Black Scoter Melanitta americana
   30 Long-tailed Duck Clangula hyemalis
   31 Bufflehead Bucephala albeola

32 Common Goldeneye Bucephala clangula
33 Hooded Merganser Lophodytes cucullatus

   34 Common Merganser Mergus merganser
   35 Red-breasted Merganser Mergus serrator
   36 Ruddy Duck Oxyura jamaicensis

New World Quails - 1 species
37 Northern Bobwhite Colinus virginianus

Grouse and Allies - 1 species
38 Wild Turkey Meleagris gallopavo

Loons - 2 species
39 Red-throated Loon Gavia stellata

40 Common Loon Gavia immer

Grebes - 4 species
41 Pied-billed Grebe Podilymbus podiceps

  42 Horned Grebe Podiceps auritus
  43 Red-necked Grebe Podiceps grisegena
  44 Eared Grebe Podiceps nigricollis

Petrels & Shearwaters - 4 species
45 Cory's Shearwater Calonectris diomedea
   46 Great Shearwater Puffinus gravis
   47 Sooty Shearwater Puffinus griseus
   48 Audubon's Shearwater Puffinus lherminieri

Storm-Petrels - 1 species
49 Wilson's Storm-Petrel Oceanites oceanicus

Tropicbirds - 1 species
   50 White-tailed Tropicbird Phaethon lepturus

Storks - 1 species
51 Wood Stork Mycteria americana

Frigatebirds - 1 species
   52 Magnificent Frigatebird Fregata magnificens

Boobies & Gannets - 1 species
   53 Northern Gannet Morus bassanus

Cormorants - 2 species
   54 Double-crested Cormorant Phalacrocorax auritus
   55 Great Cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo

Darters - 1 species
56 Anhinga Anhinga anhinga

Pelicans - 2 species
57 American White Pelican Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Pea Island

58 Brown Pelican Pelecanus occidentalis

Bitterns, Herons, & Allies - 12 species
   59 American Bittern Botaurus lentiginosus
   60 Least Bittern Ixobrychus exilis
   61 Great Blue Heron Ardea herodias

62 Great Egret Ardea alba

   63 Snowy Egret Egretta thula
   64 Little Blue Heron Egretta caerulea
   65 Tricolored Heron Egretta tricolor

66 Reddish Egret Egretta rufescens

67 Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis

68 Green Heron Butorides virescens

   69 Black-crowned Night-Heron Nycticorax nycticorax
   70 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron Nyctanassa violacea

Ibises & Spoonbills - 3 species
   71 White Ibis Eudocimus albus

72 Glossy Ibis Plegadis falcinellus
73 Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja

New World Vultures - 2 species

Turkey Vulture (left) Black Vulture (right)

74 Black Vulture Coragyps atratus

75 Turkey Vulture Cathartes aura

Osprey - 1 species
76 Osprey Pandion haliaetus

Kites, Eagles, & Hawks - 11 species
77 Swallow-tailed Kite Elanoides forficatus

78 Mississippi Kite Ictinia mississippiensis

79 Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus

80 Northern Harrier Circus cyaneus

81 Sharp-shinned Hawk Accipiter striatus
82 Cooper's Hawk Accipiter cooperii

83 Red-shouldered Hawk Buteo lineatus

84 Broad-winged Hawk Buteo platypterus

85 Red-tailed Hawk Buteo jamaicensis

   86 Rough-legged Hawk Buteo lagopus
   87 Golden Eagle Aquila chrysaetos

Rails, Gallinules, & Coots - 9 species
88 Yellow Rail Coturnicops noveboracensis
   89 Black Rail Laterallus jamaicensis
   90 Clapper Rail Rallus crepitans
   91 King Rail Rallus elegans
   92 Virginia Rail Rallus limicola
   93 Sora Porzana carolina
   94 Purple Gallinule Porphyrio martinicus
   95 Common Gallinule Gallinula galeata
   96 American Coot Fulica americana

Cranes - 1 species
   97 Sandhill Crane Grus canadensis

Stilts & Avocets - 2 species
98 Black-necked Stilt Himantopus mexicanus

99 American Avocet Recurvirostra americana

OBX

Oystercatchers - 1 species
   100 American Oystercatcher Haematopus palliatus

Plovers - 7 species
   101 Black-bellied Plover Pluvialis squatarola

   102 American Golden-Plover Pluvialis dominica
   103 Snowy Plover Charadrius nivosus
   104 Wilson's Plover Charadrius wilsonia

105 Semipalmated Plover Charadrius semipalmatus

106 Piping Plover Charadrius melodus

107 Killdeer Charadrius vociferus

Sandpipers - 28 species
108 Spotted Sandpiper Actitis macularius

   109 Solitary Sandpiper Tringa solitaria
   110 Greater Yellowlegs Tringa melanoleuca
   111 Willet Tringa semipalmata

   112 Lesser Yellowlegs Tringa flavipes
   113 Upland Sandpiper Bartramia longicauda
   114 Whimbrel Numenius phaeopus

   115 Long-billed Curlew Numenius americanus
   116 Hudsonian Godwit Limosa haemastica
   117 Marbled Godwit Limosa fedoa
   118 Ruddy Turnstone Arenaria interpres

   119 Red Knot Calidris canutus
   120 Ruff Calidris pugnax
   121 Stilt Sandpiper Calidris himantopus
   122 Sanderling Calidris alba

123 Dunlin Calidris alpina

   124 Baird's Sandpiper Calidris bairdii
   125 Least Sandpiper Calidris minutilla
   126 White-rumped Sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis
   127 Pectoral Sandpiper Calidris melanotos
   128 Semipalmated Sandpiper Calidris pusilla
   129 Western Sandpiper Calidris mauri
   130 Short-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus griseus
   131 Long-billed Dowitcher Limnodromus scolopaceus
   132 Wilson's Snipe Gallinago delicata

133 American Woodcock Scolopax minor

   134 Wilson's Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor
   135 Red Phalarope Phalaropus fulicarius

Skuas & Jaegers - 2 species
   136 Pomarine Jaeger Stercorarius pomarinus
   137 Parasitic Jaeger Stercorarius parasiticus

Auks - 3 species
   138 Dovekie Alle alle
   139 Razorbill Alca torda
   140 Atlantic Puffin Fratercula arctica

Gulls & Terns - 23 species
   141 Black-legged Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla
   142 Sabine's Gull Xema sabini
   143 Bonaparte's Gull Chroicocephalus Philadelphia
   144 Black-headed Gull Chroicocephalus ridibundus
   145 Little Gull Hydrocoloeus minutus
   146 Laughing Gull Leucophaeus atricilla
   147 Ring-billed Gull Larus delawarensis

148 Herring Gull Larus argentatus

   149 Iceland Gull Larus glaucoides
   150 Lesser Black-backed Gull Larus fuscus
   151 Glaucous Gull Larus hyperboreus
   152 Great Black-backed Gull Larus marinus
   153 Sooty Tern Onychoprion fuscatus
   154 Least Tern Sternula antillarum

155 Gull-billed Tern Gelochelidon nilotica
156 Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia

157 Black Tern Chlidonias niger

   158 Roseate Tern Sterna dougallii
   159 Common Tern Sterna hirundo
   160 Forster's Tern Sterna forsteri

161 Royal Tern Thalasseus maximus

162 Sandwich Tern Thalasseus sandvicensis

163 Black Skimmer Rynchops niger

Doves - 5 species
164 Rock Pigeon Columba livia

165 Eurasian Collared-Dove Streptopelia decaocto

166 White-winged Dove Zenaida asiatica
167 Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura

   168 Common Ground-Dove Columbina passerina

Cuckoos & Anis - 2 species
   169 Yellow-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus americanus

Fort Macon

   170 Black-billed Cuckoo Coccyzus erythropthalmus

Barn-Owls - 1 species
171 Barn Owl Tyto alba

Owls - 5 species
172 Eastern Screech-Owl Megascops asio
   173 Great Horned Owl Bubo virginianus
   174 Barred Owl Strix varia
   175 Short-eared Owl Asio flammeus
   176 Northern Saw-whet Owl Aegolius acadicus

Goatsuckers - 3 species
   177 Common Nighthawk Chordeiles minor
   178 Chuck-will's-widow Antrostomus carolinensis
   179 Eastern Whip-poor-will Antrostomus vociferus

Swifts - 1 species
180 Chimney Swift Chaetura pelagica

Hummingbirds - 1 species
181 Ruby-throated Hummingbird Archilochus colubris

Kingfishers - 1 species
182 Belted Kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Woodpeckers - 8 species
183 Red-headed Woodpecker Melanerpes erythrocephalus

184 Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus

185 Yellow-bellied Sapsucker Sphyrapicus varius

186 Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens

   187 Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus
   188 Red-cockaded Woodpecker Picoides borealis
   189 Northern Flicker Colaptes auratus

190 Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus

Falcons - 3 species
191 American Kestrel Falco sparverius

192 Merlin Falco columbarius

   193 Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus

Tyrant Flycatchers - 8 species
   194 Eastern Wood-Pewee Contopus virens
   195 Acadian Flycatcher Empidonax virescens
   196 Least Flycatcher Empidonax minimus
   197 Eastern Phoebe Sayornis phoebe
   198 Great Crested Flycatcher Myiarchus crinitus

   199 Western Kingbird Tyrannus verticalis
   200 Eastern Kingbird Tyrannus tyrannus
   201 Gray Kingbird Tyrannus dominicensis

Shrikes - 1 species
   202 Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus

Vireos - 4 species
203 White-eyed Vireo Vireo griseus

204 Yellow-throated Vireo Vireo flavifrons
205 Blue-headed Vireo Vireo solitarius

206 Red-eyed Vireo Vireo olivaceus

Jays, Crows, & Ravens - 3 species
207 Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata

   208 American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos
   209 Fish Crow Corvus ossifragus

Larks - 1 species
   210 Horned Lark Eremophila alpestris

Swallows - 7 species
   211 Purple Martin Progne subis
   212 Tree Swallow Tachycineta bicolor

   213 Northern Rough-winged Swallow Stelgidopteryx serripennis
   214 Bank Swallow Riparia riparia
   215 Cliff Swallow Petrochelidon pyrrhonota
   216 Cave Swallow Petrochelidon fulva
   217 Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica

Chickadees & Titmice - 2 species
   218 Carolina Chickadee Poecile carolinensis
   219 Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor

Nuthatches - 3 species
   220 Red-breasted Nuthatch Sitta canadensis
   221 White-breasted Nuthatch Sitta carolinensis
   222 Brown-headed Nuthatch Sitta pusilla

Wrens - 5 species
223 House Wren Troglodytes aedon

224 Winter Wren Troglodytes hiemalis

225 Sedge Wren Cistothorus platensis
226 Marsh Wren Cistothorus palustris

227 Carolina Wren Thryothorus ludovicianus

Gnatcatchers - 1 species
228 Blue-gray Gnatcatcher Polioptila caerulea

Kinglets - 2 species
229 Golden-crowned Kinglet Regulus satrapa

230 Ruby-crowned Kinglet Regulus calendula

Thrushes - 5 species
   231 Eastern Bluebird Sialia sialis
   232 Gray-cheeked Thrush Catharus minimus
   233 Hermit Thrush Catharus guttatus

234 Wood Thrush Hylocichla mustelina
235 American Robin Turdus migratorius

Mockingbirds & Thrashers - 3 species
236 Gray Catbird Dumetella carolinensis

237 Brown Thrasher Toxostoma rufum

238 Northern Mockingbird Mimus polyglottos

Starlings - 1 species
239 European Starling Sturnus vulgaris

Wagtails & Pipits - 1 species
240 American Pipit Anthus rubescens

Waxwings - 1 species
241 Cedar Waxwing Bombycilla cedrorum

Wood-Warblers - 27 species
242 Ovenbird Seiurus aurocapilla

Jones County

243 Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros vermivorum

   244 Louisiana Waterthrush Parkesia motacilla
   245 Blue-winged Warbler Vermivora cyanoptera
   246 Black-and-white Warbler Mniotilta varia

247 Prothonotary Warbler Protonotaria citrea

Craven County

   248 Swainson's Warbler Limnothlypis swainsonii
   249 Tennessee Warbler Oreothlypis peregrina
   250 Orange-crowned Warbler Oreothlypis celata

251 Kentucky Warbler Geothlypis formosa
252 Common Yellowthroat Geothlypis trichas

253 Hooded Warbler Setophaga citrina
254 American Redstart Setophaga ruticilla

   255 Cape May Warbler Setophaga tigrina
   256 Northern Parula Setophaga americana
   257 Magnolia Warbler Setophaga magnolia
   258 Yellow Warbler Setophaga petechial

   259 Blackpoll Warbler Setophaga striata
   260 Black-throated Blue Warbler Setophaga caerulescens
   261 Palm Warbler Setophaga palmarum

262 Pine Warbler Setophaga pinus

263 Yellow-rumped Warbler Setophaga coronata

264 Yellow-throated Warbler Setophaga dominica

Lumber River State Park (Chalk Banks), Scotland County

265 Prairie Warbler Setophaga discolor

   266 Black-throated Green Warbler Setophaga virens
   267 Wilson's Warbler Cardellina pusilla
   268 Yellow-breasted Chat Icteria virens

New World Sparrows & Allies - 20 species
269 Eastern Towhee Pipilo erythrophthalmus

270 Bachman's Sparrow Peucaea aestivalis
271 Chipping Sparrow Spizella passerina

272 Clay-colored Sparrow Spizella pallida
273 Field Sparrow Spizella pusilla

274 Vesper Sparrow Pooecetes gramineus
275 Lark Sparrow Chondestes grammacus

276 Savannah Sparrow Passerculus sandwichensis

   277 Grasshopper Sparrow Ammodramus savannarum
   278 Henslow's Sparrow Ammodramus henslowii
   279 Le Conte's Sparrow Ammodramus leconteii
   280 Nelson's Sparrow Ammodramus nelsoni
   281 Saltmarsh Sparrow Ammodramus caudacutus
   282 Seaside Sparrow Ammodramus maritimus
   283 Fox Sparrow Passerella iliaca

284 Song Sparrow Melospiza melodia

285 Swamp Sparrow Melospiza georgiana
286 White-throated Sparrow Zonotrichia albicollis

287 White-crowned Sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
288 Dark-eyed Junco Junco hyemalis

Cardinals, Grosbeaks, & Allies - 7 species
289 Summer Tanager Piranga rubra

290 Scarlet Tanager Piranga olivacea
291 Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis

292 Rose-breasted Grosbeak Pheucticus ludovicianus
293 Blue Grosbeak Passerina caerulea

294 Indigo Bunting Passerina cyanea
295 Painted Bunting Passerina ciris

Blackbirds & Orioles - 11 species
   296 Bobolink Dolichonyx oryzivorus
   297 Red-winged Blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus
   298 Eastern Meadowlark Sturnella magna
   299 Yellow-headed Blackbird Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus
   300 Rusty Blackbird Euphagus carolinus
   301 Common Grackle Quiscalus quiscula
   302 Boat-tailed Grackle Quiscalus major
   303 Brown-headed Cowbird Molothrus ater
   304 Orchard Oriole Icterus spurius

   305 Bullock's Oriole Icterus bullockii
   306 Baltimore Oriole Icterus galbula

Cardueline Finches & Allies - 5 species
   307 House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus