This list of birds of North Dakota includes species documented in the U.S. state of North Dakota. The list is derived from Checklist of North Dakota Birds produced in April 2021 by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department (NDGFD). The basic NDGFD list contains 420 confirmed and extant species, two extinct species. Three additional species have been added from the North Dakota Bird Records Committee (NDBRC) review list with some additions from Avibase. The combined lists contain 420 species. Of them, 194 and a subspecies are on the review list (see below). The NDGFD list considers 44 species to be accidental, and eight species have been introduced to North America.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
Unless otherwise noted, all species listed below are considered to occur regularly in North Dakota as permanent residents, summer or winter visitors, or migrants. The tags below are used to annotate some species. There is much overlap among the (A), (R), and (H) categories.
(A) Accidental - species on the NDGFD checklist which "are not likely to occur in the state again, or may occur infrequently" (R) Review list - birds that if seen require more comprehensive documentation than regularly seen species. These birds are considered irregular or rare in North Dakota. (I) Introduced - a species established in North America as a result of human action (E) Extinct - a recent species that no longer exists
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
The family Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. Forty-three species have been recorded in North Dakota.
Black-bellied whistling-duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis (A) (R) Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) (R) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Brant, Branta bernicla (A) (R) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator (A) (R) (extirpated) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus Wood duck, Aix sponsa Mandarin duck, Aix galericulata (I) Garganey, Spatula querquedula (A) (R) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Cinnamon teal, Spatula cyanoptera (R) (nesting) Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope (A) (R) American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes (R) (nesting) Mottled duck, Anas fulvigula (A) (R) Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis King eider, Somateria spectabilis (A) (R) Common eider, Somateria mollissima (A) (R) Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus (A) (R) Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata (R) (spring or summer) White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi (R) (spring or summer) Black scoter, Melanitta americana (R) (spring or summer) Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis (R) (summer) Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola (R) (nesting outside of the Turtle Mountains) Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula (R) (nesting outside of the Turtle Mountains) Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica (A) (R) Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser (R) (nesting other than along the Missouri River) Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans. Eight species have been recorded in North Dakota.
Wild turkey, Meleagris gallopavo
Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus
Greater sage-grouse, Centrocercus urophasianus
Willow ptarmigan, Lagopus lagopus (A) (R) Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus Greater prairie-chicken, Tympanuchus cupido Gray partridge, Perdix perdix (I) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I)