Birds of Arkansas

According to the list published by the Arkansas Audubon Society, the state of Arkansas has over 400 bird species. Around 50 of them are classified as rare, 4-5 as occasional visitors, and 50 as accidental. Five species have been introduced due to human intervention, 3 are extinct, and 5 extirpated from the state (found elsewhere but not in Arkansas). The Eskimo curlew, or northern curlew, is one example of an extirpated species which is considered critically endangered worldwide.

While finches like the American goldfinch and house finch are among the smallest birds in the state, the common birds of prey, the red-tailed hawk and sharp-shinned hawk, are two of the largest.

The Northern mockingbird has been Arkansas’ state bird since 1929. Known for its unique ability to mimic various sounds from cars to gates and calls of other birds, this bird can be seen year-round.

Prothonotary Warbler
Northern Cardinal
Northern Mockingbird
Blue Jay
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
House Finch
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
American Goldfinch
Lesser Goldfinch
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Mourning Dove
Baltimore Oriole
Dark-eyed Junco
American Crow
Bullock’s Oriole
Swainson’s Warbler
Red-Shouldered Hawk
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Dickcissel
Red-Tailed Hawk
Carolina Chickadee
Henslow’s Sparrow
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker
Indigo Bunting
Painted Bunting
American Bittern
Purple Martin
Marsh Wren
American White Pelican
Least Tern
Bonaparte’s Gull
Laughing Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Mottled Duck
King Rail
Common Starling
Red-winged Blackbird
Horned Lark
Mississippi Kite
Great Blue Heron
American Wigeon
Mallard
Snowy Egret
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow Warbler
American Redstart
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Fox Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Lesser Yellowlegs
Ruddy Turnstone
Spotted Sandpiper
Eurasian Collared-Dove

Birds of Prey: Sharp-shinned Hawk,Red-Shouldered Hawk, Red-Tailed Hawk

Backyard Birds: Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Northern Mockingbird, Eastern Bluebird

Rare Birds: Ivory-Billed Woodpecker, Cinnamon Teal, Black Scoter

Water Birds: Mallard, American Coot, American Wigeon

Common Birds Identification by Color

Blue Birds

Eastern Bluebird
Blue Jay
Great Blue Heron

Red Birds

House Finch
Northern Cardinal
Red Crossbill
Common Redpoll
Pine Grosbeak

Black Birds

Brown-headed Cowbird
European Starling
Common Grackle
Rusty Blackbird
Red-winged Blackbird

Yellow Birds

American Goldfinch
Pine Warbler
Eastern Meadowlark
Nashville Warbler
Lesser Goldfinch

Did You Know

On New Year’s Eve in 2010, around 4000-5000 blackbirds suddenly dropped dead to the ground. Though the exact cause was never confirmed, scientists believed that the birds may have been startled and traumatized by fireworks.