Field Guide

Birds

Showing 1 - 10 of 19 results
Photo of great blue heron
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.
Photograph of American White Pelican in flight
American White Pelican
Pelecanus erythrorhynchos
Graceful in flight, ungainly on land, and elegant on the water, the American white pelican is one of the largest birds in Missouri.
snowy owl
Snowy Owl
Nyctea scandiaca
Snowy owls visit Missouri during some winters and not others. Their numbers peak here about every four years due to a lack of space for territories after a very successful breeding season.
Photo of a juvenile herring gull standing in shallow water.
Herring Gull
Larus argentatus
Herring gulls are one of the three most common gulls found in Missouri. Adults can be told from our other common gulls by their pinkish legs and yellow bill with a small red dot near the tip.
Photo of a black-crowned night-heron walking in shallow water.
Black-Crowned Night-Heron
Nycticorax nycticorax
Stocky and short-legged compared to other herons, the black-crowned night-heron has a black crown and back, gray wings, and whitish-gray underparts and head.
Photograph of osprey in flight
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Osprey, also called fish hawks or fish eagles, used to be more common in our state, but their numbers are increasing. Keep an eye out for them, especially around reservoirs and during spring and fall migration, as reintroduction efforts are paying off!
Photo of trumpeter swan taking flight from water
Trumpeter Swan
Cygnus buccinator
The trumpeter swan is the largest waterfowl species in North America. It has been absent from the state throughout most of the 20th century, but today occurs as migrants and overwinters in our state.
Photo of bald eagle soaring
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Our national symbol, the mature bald eagle is unmistakable with its dark brown body, yellow bill, and white head and tail. It soars with wings held flat and can have a 7-foot wingspan.
Photo of a northern pintail pair floating on water.
Northern Pintail
Anas acuta
A dabbling duck named for its long, tapered tail, the northern pintail is a common migrant in Missouri. Like other dabblers, it can leap into flight right from the surface of the water.
Photo of male and female mallards walking on ice
Mallard
Anas platyrhynchos
The mallard is probably the most familiar duck in all of North America. The male has a green head and chestnut breast. Both sexes have a blue speculum (wing patch) bordered on both sides by white.
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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