Field Guide

Birds

Showing 1 - 10 of 24 results
Image of a male American redstart
American Redstart
Setophaga ruticilla
American redstarts flit among tree branches, drooping their wings, fanning their tails, and leaping into the air to catch insects. Males are black and orange; females are olive-gray and white.
Photo of a Henslow’s sparrow.
Henslow’s Sparrow
Centronyx henslowii (formerly Ammodramus henslowii)
Henslow’s sparrow is small, shy, with a flat-looking, olive-green head. At dawn and dusk in tallgrass prairies, they sing a simple, easily overlooked, insectlike song: tsi-lick!
Photo of a pine warbler.
Pine Warbler
Setophaga pinus (formerly Dendroica pinus)
Pine warblers live in pines, where they hunt insects and build nests in high branches. This yellow and grayish bird is usually hard to spy; listen for its loud, steady, sweet chipping trill.
Photo of a male summer tanager perched on a small branch
Summer Tanager
Piranga rubra
Adult male summer tanagers are entirely red — an unforgettable sight as they forage for insects among bright green tree leaves in early summer.
Photo of a worm-eating warbler perched on a branch.
Worm-Eating Warbler
Helmitheros vermivorum
The worm-eating warbler is dull olive tan but is crisply marked with a black eyeline and a black line on each side of the buffy crown. It lives in large, wooded tracts, especially on dry, brushy slopes.
Photograph of a male American Goldfinch in breeding plumage
American Goldfinch
Spinus tristis
Goldfinches are often seen in flocks during fall, winter, and spring and at bird feeders. In spring, the male’s dull winter plumage changes to bright yellow with a black cap and wings.
Photo of a prairie warbler perched on a red cedar sprig
Prairie Warbler
Setophaga discolor (formerly Dendroica discolor)
The prairie warbler has yellow underparts with black streaks on the sides. It lives in dry shrubby glades and old fields with scattered shrubs and red cedars — not in prairies.
Photo of a red-eyed vireo perched on a small branch.
Red-Eyed Vireo
Vireo olivaceus
Singing an incessant series of question-and-answer homilies from dawn to dusk, even through the hottest of summer days, the red-eyed vireo has been called the “preacher bird.”
Photo of a Kentucky warbler perched on a small branch
Kentucky Warbler
Geothlypis formosa (formerly Oporornis formosus)
The Kentucky warbler is a common summer resident in Missouri. It prefers moist, wooded areas with plenty of tangles and shrubs. Note its yellow spectacles, black sideburns, and clear yellow breast.
Photo of a yellow-breasted chat perched on a small branch
Yellow-Breasted Chat
Icteria virens
Our largest warbler, the yellow-breasted chat utters a wide variety of mews, chats, whistles, and stutters. Look for singing males during breeding season. Other times, they hide successfully in brambles and thickets.
See Also
Photo of a Snowberry Clearwing
Snowberry Clearwing
Hemaris diffinis
The snowberry clearwing is a moth that confuses people because it looks like a bumblebee and flies like a hummingbird!
White-Lined Sphinx Moth
White-Lined Sphinx
Hyles lineata
The white-lined sphinx moth sometimes confuses people because it flies, hovers, and eats from flowers like a hummingbird. The adults often fly during daylight hours as well as in the night and are often found at lights.
Photo of a Virginia Creeper Sphinx moth
Virginia Creeper Sphinx
Darapsa myron
The Virginia creeper sphinx moth is common in woods and brushy areas and comes to lights at night. The larvae eat Virginia creeper and grape leaves.
Photo of a tricolored bat hanging from a cave ceiling.
Tri-Colored Bat
Perimyotis subflavus (formerly Pipistrellus subflavus)
Tri-colored bats, formerly called eastern pipistrelles, are relatively small and look pale yellowish or pale reddish brown. The main hairs are dark gray at the base, broadly banded with yellowish brown, and tipped with dark brown.
Photo of four gray myotises clinging to a cave ceiling.
Gray Myotis (Gray Bat)
Myotis grisescens
Gray myotises are difficult to distinguish from other mouse-eared bats. A key identifying feature of the gray myotis is that its wing is attached to the ankle and not at the base of the toes. It’s an endangered species.
Photo of a little brown myotis hanging from cave wall with lesions on its wrist.
Little Brown Myotis (Little Brown Bat)
Myotis lucifugus
The little brown myotis (little brown bat) is one of our most common bats, but populations are declining. White-nose syndrome has taken a heavy toll in northeastern states. This species is now listed as vulnerable across its range.
Photo of an Indiana myotis hanging from a cave ceiling.
Indiana Myotis (Indiana Bat)
Myotis sodalis
The Indiana myotis, or Indiana bat, summers along streams and rivers in north Missouri, raising its young under the bark of certain trees. It is an endangered species.

About Birds in Missouri

About 350 species of birds are likely to be seen in Missouri, though nearly 400 have been recorded within our borders. Most people know a bird when they see one — it has feathers, wings, and a bill. Birds are warm-blooded, and most species can fly. Many migrate hundreds or thousands of miles. Birds lay hard-shelled eggs (often in a nest), and the parents care for the young. Many communicate with songs and calls.

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