Field Guide

Birds

Showing 1 - 10 of 63 results
Photo of Eurasian collared-dove walking on grass
Eurasian Collared-Dove
Streptopelia decaocto
The Eurasian collared-dove was introduced in the Bahamas and has rapidly spread throughout most of the United States. At first glance, it looks like a chunky, pale gray mourning dove.
Image of an american kestrel
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
The smallest and most colorful of North American falcons, American kestrels are often seen along highways where they perch on telephone wires or hover over grassy medians as they hunt.
Photo of a sharp-shinned hawk standing on the ground
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Sharp-shinned hawks flash out from trees and shrubs, surprising small birds and chasing them through the branches with great speed and accuracy.
large gray and white bird perching on a black branch
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Cooper's hawks have short, rounded wings and long, narrow, rudderlike tails. They are frequently seen foraging along hedgerows and brush-entangled fencerows.
Closeup photo of head of peregrine falcon
Peregrine Falcon
Falco peregrinus
The fastest living animal, the peregrine falcon can dive at speeds of up to 261 miles per hour! It is being reintroduced to the state in urban areas, where skyscrapers replace the cliffs it traditionally nested on.
Photo of a male great-tailed grackle walking on a lawn
Great-Tailed Grackle
Quiscalus mexicanus
The great-tailed grackle occurs mostly in western parts of Missouri, which is on the northeastern edge of its range. This blackbird’s long, V-shaped tail is distinctive, as is its song of whistles, clacks, chucks, and clicks.
Photograph of a Common Grackle
Common Grackle
Quiscalus quiscula
The common grackle makes “a mistake . . . in trying to sing,” a prominent birder once wrote of its kree-del-eeeeks and chlacks. Yet its iridescent purples, blues, and bronzes please the viewer despite the harshness of the voice.
Photo of blue jay perched on branch
Blue Jay
Cyanocitta cristata
Blue jays are notable for their loud voices, blue and white plumage, strong black bill, relatively large size and the distinctive crest atop their heads.
Photograph of American Crow
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Crows scarcely need an introduction. A flock of them flapping over a cornfield, against an October sky, is a scene worthy of a painting, but the corn farmer doesn’t see it that way!
Photo of a pied-billed grebe nonbreeding form.
Pied-Billed Grebe
Podilymbus podiceps
Small, brown, ducklike birds, pied-billed grebes have thick gray bills with a dark ring around the middle in summer. They dive underwater to forage.
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.
Related Content
Bats