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Eurasian Collared-Dove

Streptopelia decaocto
At first glance, it looks like a chunky, pale gray mourning dove. It was introduced in the Bahamas and has rapidly spread throughout most of the United States. More

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Photograph of a Eurasian Tree Sparrow perched on a brick surface
Passer montanus
People brought this bird and its cousin, the house sparrow, to America in hopes of controlling insects. But both have become pests. Neither are true American sparrows; rather, they are Old World sparrows, more closely related to birds in the Middle East, Pakistan and India. More

European Starling

Photograph of a European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Few Americans love this bold nonnative bird, purposefully introduced to our continent in the late 1800s and now abundant throughout our country. More

Field Sparrow

Image of a field sparrow
Spizella pusilla
Field sparrows are common nesting birds throughout Missouri, but they retreat to the southernmost counties to ride out the winter. Many American tree sparrows are misidentified as field sparrows. Look at the bird carefully; field sparrows are much smaller and lighter and lack a central breast spot. More

Fox Sparrow

Image of a fox sparrow
Passerella iliaca
The fox sparrow is the largest of our sparrows. The name is derived from the bird's foxlike color. They are entertaining to watch as they rustle through the leaves and seeds under your feeders. This style of feeding may remind you of chickens, but fox sparrows kick with both feet at the same time. More

Gray Partridge

Perdix perdix
Introduced from Eurasia and uncommon in Missouri, the gray partridge is a favorite of gamebird hunters. More

Great Blue Heron

Photo of great blue heron
Ardea herodias
This large, graceful, blue-gray bird with a black, plumed eye line has long legs for wading and a slender neck and spearlike bill for catching fish. More

Great Horned Owl

Bubo virginianus
This large owl has wide-set ear tufts and a white throat, but if it’s dark, you can identify it with your ears by its series of three to eight deep hoots grouped in a pattern, such as “hoo hoohoohoo hoo hoo.” More

Greater Prairie-Chicken

Photo of a greater prairie chicken
Tympanuchus cupido
This rare bird breeds in select grasslands in the spring, filling the air with their unusual booming calls. With their numbers dwindling, prairie-chickens need strong conservation support. More

Greater Roadrunner

Geococcyx californianus
Though most Americans associate the roadrunner with the desert Southwest, this species has been expanding its range over the past century and is now found as far as southwestern Missouri and western Louisiana. More
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