Field Guide

Birds

Showing 61 - 69 of 69 results
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.
Northern rough-winged swallow perched on barbed wire, viewed from side
Northern Rough-Winged Swallow
Stelgidopteryx serripennis
Northern rough-winged swallows are sleek, agile fliers with brown upperparts, brownish-white throat, and whitish underparts. They are common summer residents in Missouri. People most often see them chasing flying insects over land or water.
Mississippi kite in flight, seen from below
Mississippi Kite
Ictinia mississippiensis
The Mississippi kite is a rare summer resident in Missouri, usually seen flying above forests and grasslands along the Mississippi River valley. The flight of this rather small raptor is buoyant, like that of a swallow, or, yes, a kite.
Male blue-gray gnatcatcher perched on a small branch with tail cocked up
Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher
Polioptila caerulea
Male blue-gray gnatcatchers are bluish gray and females are gray. The underparts are pale gray. The tail is black with white outer feathers, so when folded it appears white from below. There is a white eye ring. Common summer residents in Missouri, they habitually jerk their tails from side to side.
A female yellow-rumped warbler in breeding plumage, perched on a branch, slightly showing yellow crown
Yellow-Rumped Warbler
Setophaga coronata (formerly Dendroica coronata)
The yellow-rumped warbler is Missouri’s most abundant migrant warbler. It is also seen in winter. Adults have a yellow patch on the rump, the crown, and the sides near the bend of the wing.
Ruby-crowned kinglet, male, perched on a bird feeder
Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
Corthylio calendula
Kinglets are very small, active, insect-eating birds that Missourians see in winter and during migration in spring and fall. Ruby-crowned kinglets are grayish olive, have white wing bars, and flick their wings as they flit around. Males have a small red crown that they occasionally raise.
Golden-crowned kinglet perched on a small tree branch in winter
Golden-Crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Kinglets are very small, active, insect-eating birds that nervously flit around. Golden-crowned kinglets are grayish olive, with black and white striping on the sides of the head. The black cap has a yellow center. Males have a bright orange center to the yellow crown stripe.
Two mute swans on paddling on pond at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area
Mute Swan
Cygnus olor
The mute swan is a native of Eurasia that had been transplanted to America. It lives not only in parks and zoos but also, now, in natural habitats. In Missouri, it is seen in winter on rare occasions. Note its arched neck, orange bill, and black forehead knob.
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.
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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