Status Definitions (adopted December 2012):
- Regular: Species that have been recorded in at least nine of the last 10 years, or have over 30 records over the last 10 years.
- Casual: Species that have been recorded more than three times, but 30 or fewer times, in the last 10 years, and were recorded in fewer than nine of the last 10 years.
- Accidental: Species that have been recorded three or fewer times in the last 10 years.
The committee solicits documentation for all of the following species and subspecies – plus potential first state records not yet on the Michigan Checklist – regardless of date and location. Certain species occurring at unusual times of year are also reviewed.
Downloadable version (.xls)
ANSERIFORMES
ANATIDAE
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna autumnalis [Casual]
Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Dendrocygna bicolor [Accidental]
Greater White-fronted Goose, Anser albifrons [Greenland subspecies]
Pink-footed Goose, Anser brachyrhynchus [Accidental]
Brant, Branta bernicla [Casual]
Garganey, Spatula querquedula [Accidental]
Cinnamon Teal, Spatula cyanoptera [Casual]
Green-winged Teal, Anas crecca [Eurasian subspecies]
Tufted Duck, Aythya fuligula [Accidental]
King Eider, Somateria spectabilis [Casual]
Common Eider, Somateria mollissima [Casual]
Barrow’s Goldeneye, Bucephala islandica [Regular]
GALIIFORMES
ODONTOPHORIDAE
Northern Bobwhite, Colinus virginianus [Extirpated from early 2000’s]
PHASIANIDAE
Greater Prairie-Chicken, Tympanuchus cupido [Extirpated, last recorded 1981]
PODICIPEDIFORMES
PODICIPEDIDAE
Western Grebe, Aechmophorus occidentalis [Casual]
COLUMBIFORMES
COLUMBIDAE
Band-tailed Pigeon, Patagioenas fasciata [Accidental]
Passenger Pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius [Extinct, last record 1898]
Inca Dove, Columbina inca [Accidental]
Common Ground-Dove, Columbina passerina [Casual]
CUCULIFORMES
CUCULIDAE
Groove-billed Ani, Crotophaga sulcirostris [Accidental]
CAPRIMULGIFORMES
CAPRIMULGIDAE
Chuck-will’s-widow, Antrostomus carolinensis [Casusal]
APODIFORMES
APODIDAE
White-collared Swift, Streptoprocne zonaris [Accidental, sight record only]
White-throated Swift, Aeronautes saxatalis [Accidental]
TROCHILIDAE
Mexican Violetear, Colibri thalassinus [Casual]
Anna’s Hummingbird, Calypte anna [Accidental]
Costa’s Hummingbird, Calypte costae [Accidental]
Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris [Accidental]
White-eared Hummingbird, Hylocharis leucotis [Accidental]
Berylline Hummingbird, Amazilla beryllina [Accidental]
GRUIFORMES
RALLIDAE
King Rail, Rallus elegans
Black Rail, Laterallus jamaicensis [Accidental]
Purple Gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus [Casual]
ARAMIDAE
Limpkin, Aramus guarauna [Accidental]
CHARADRIIFORMES
CHARADRIIDAE
Wilson’s Plover, Charadrius wilsonia [Accidental]
Snowy Plover, Charadrius nivosus [Accidental]
SCOLOPACIDAE
Eskimo Curlew, Numenius borealis [Accidental, last recorded 1879, probably extinct]
Long-billed Curlew, Numenius americanus [Accidental]
Bar-tailed Godwit, Limosa lapponica [Accidental]
Ruff, Philomachus pugnax [Casual]
Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, Calidris acuminata [Accidental]
Curlew Sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea [Accidental]
Baird’s Sandpiper, Calidris bairdii [Spring to June only]
Western Sandpiper, Calidris mauri
Short-billed Dowitcher, Limnodromus griseus [Atlantic subspecies]
Gray-tailed/Wandering Tattler, Tringa brevipes/incana [Accidental]
Spotted Redshank, Tringa erythropus [Accidental]
Common Redshank, Tringa totanus [Accidental]
STERCORARIIDAE
Pomarine Jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus [Casual]
Long-tailed Jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus
ALCIDAE
Dovekie, Alle alle [Accidental]
Thick-billed Murre, Uria lomvia [Accidental]
Ancient Murrelet, Synthliboramphus antiquus [Casual]
LARIDAE
Ivory Gull, Pagophila eburnea [Accidental]
Black-headed Gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus [Casual]
Ross’s Gull, Rhodostethia rosea [Accidental]
Heermann’s Gull, Larus heermanni [Accidental]
Short-billed Gull, Larus brachyrhynchus [Accidental]
California Gull, Larus californicus
“Vega” Herring Gull, Larus argentatus vegae
Slaty-backed Gull, Larus schistisagus [Casual]
Glaucous-winged Gull, Larus glaucescens [Accidental]
Least Tern, Sternula antillarum [Accidental]
Gull-billed Tern, Gelochelidon nilotica [Accidental]
Roseate Tern, Sterna dougallii [Accidental, sight record only]
Arctic Tern, Sterna paradisaea [Casual]
Royal Tern, Thalasseus maximus [Accidental]
Sandwich Tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis [Accidental, sight record only]
Black Skimmer, Rynchops niger [Accidental]
GAVIIFORMES
GAVIIDAE
Yellow-billed Loon, Gavia adamsii [Accidental]
PROCELLARIIFORMES
PROCELLARIIDAE
Great Shearwater, Ardenna gravis [Accidental]
Manx Shearwater, Puffinus puffinus [Accidental]
CICONIIFORMES
CICONIIDAE
Wood Stork, Mycteria americana [Casual]
SULIFORMES
FREGATIDAE
Lesser Frigatebird, Fregata ariel [Accidental]
Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens [Accidental]
SULIDAE
Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus [Accidental]
ANHINGIDAE
Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga [Accidental]
PHALACROCORACIDAE
Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus [Casual]
PELECANIFORMES
PELECANIDAE
Brown Pelican, Pelecanus occidentalis [Accidental]
ARDEIDAE
Great Blue Heron, Ardea herodias [Great White subspecies]
Little Blue Heron, Agretta caerulea [Casual]
Tricolored Heron, Egretta tricolor
Reddish Egret, Egretta rufescens [Accidental, sight record only]
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Nyctanassa violacea
THRESKIORNITHIDAE
White Ibis, Eudocimus albus [Accidental]
Glossy Ibis, Plegadis falcinellus
Roseate Spoonbill, Platalea ajaja>/i>
ACCIPITRIFORMES
ACCIPITRIDAE
Swallow-tailed Kite, Elanoides forficatus [Casual]
Mississippi Kite, Ictinia mississippiensis [Casual]
Short-tailed Hawk, Buteo brachyurus [Accidental]
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis [Harlan’s subspecies]
Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis [Krider’s subspecies]
Ferruginous Hawk, Buteo regalis [Accidental]
STRIGIFORMES
TYTONIDAE
Barn Owl, Tyto alba [Casual]
STRIGIDAE
Burrowing Owl, Athene cunicularia [Accidental]
PICIFORMES
PICIDAE
Lewis’s Woodpecker, Melanerpes lewis [Accidental]
Golden-fronted Woodpecker, Melanerpes aurifrons [Accidental]
American Three-toed Woodpecker, Picoides dorsalis [Casual]
Red-cockaded Woodpecker, Dryobates borealis [Accidental]
FALCONIFORMES
FALCONIDAE
Crested Caracara, Caracara cheriway [Accidental]
Merlin, Falco columbarius [Richardson’s subspecies]
Prairie Falcon, Falco mexicanus [Accidental]
PASSERIFORMES
TYRANNIDAE
Ash-throated Flycatcher, Myiarchus cinerascens [Casual]
Variegated Flycatcher, Epidonomus varius [Accidental]
Tropical Kingbird, Tyrannus melancholicus [Accidental]
Couch’s Kingbird, Tyrannus couchii [Accidental]
Cassin’s Kingbird, Tyrannus vociferans [Accidental]
Gray Kingbird, Tyrannus dominicensis [Accidental]
Fork-tailed Flycatcher, Tyrannus savana [Casual]
Hammond’s Flycatcher, Empidomax hammondii [Accidental]
Say’s Phoebe, Sayornis saya [Casual]
Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus rubinus [Casual]
VIREONIDAE
Black-capped Vireo, Vireo atricapilla [Accidental, sight record only]
Bell’s Vireo, Vireo bellii [Casual]
Plumbeous Vireo, Vireo plumbeus [Accidental]
LANIIDAE
Loggerhead Shrike, Lanius ludovicianus
CORVIDAE
Clark’s Nutcracker, Nucifraga columbiana [Accidental]
Black-billed Magpie, Pica hudsonia [Casual]
Fish Crow, Corvus ossifragus [Regular, away from Berrien County only]
PARIDAE
Carolina Chickadee, Poecile carolinensis [Accidental]
HIRUNDINIDAE
Violet-green Swallow, Tachycineta thalassina [Accidental]
Cave Swallow, Petrochelidon fulva [Casual]
TROGLODYTIDAE
Rock Wren, Salpinctes obsoletus [Accidental]
Bewick’s Wren, Thryomanes bewickii [Accidental]
MIMIDAE
Sage Thrasher, Oreoscoptes montanus [Casual]
TURDIDAE
Mountain Bluebird, Sialia currucoides [Casual]
MUSCICAPIDAE
Northern Wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe [Accidental]
MOTACILLIDAE
White Wagtail, Motacilla alba [Accidental]
Sprague’s Pipit, Anthus spragueii [Accidental]
FRINGILLIDAE
Brambling, Fringilla montifringilla [Accidental]
Gray-crowned Rosy-Finch, Leucosticte tephrocotis [Accidental]
Cassin’s Finch, Haemorhous cassinii [Accidental]
CALCARIIDAE
Chestnut-collared Longspur, Calcarius ornatus [Accidental]
Smith’s Longspur, Calcarius pictus [Casual]
Thick-billed Longspur, Rhynchophanes mccownii [Accidental]
PASSERELLIDAE
Cassin’s Sparrow, Peucaea cassinii [Accidental]
Bachman’s Sparrow, Peucaea aestivalis [Accidental]
Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata [Accidental]
Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys [Casual]
Brewer’s Sparrow, Spizella breweri [Accidental]
Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis [Gray-headed subspecies]
Dark-eyed Junco, Junco hyemalis [Pink-sided subspecies]
Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla [Casual]
Sagebrush Sparrow, Artemisiospiza nevadensis [Accidental]
Green-tailed Towhee, Pipilo chlorurus [Accidental]
Spotted Towhee, Pipilo maculatus [Casual]
ICTERIDAE
Hooded Oriole, Icterus cucullatus [Accidental]
Bullock’s Oriole, Icterus bullockii [Accidental]
Shiny Cowbird, Molothrus bonariensis [Accidental]
Boat-tailed/Great-tailed Grackle, Quiscalus major/mexicanus [Accidental, sight records only]
PARULIDAE
Swainson’s Warbler, Limnothlypis swainsonii [Accidental]
Lucy’s Warbler, Oreothlypis luciae [Accidental]
Virginia’s Warbler, Oreothlypis virginiae [Accidental]
Palm Warbler, Setophaga palmarum [Yellow subspecies]
Yellow-rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata [Audubon’s subspecies]
Black-throated Gray Warbler, Setophaga nigrescens [Casual]
Townsend’s Warbler, Setophaga townsendi [Accidental, sight record only]
Painted Redstart, Myioborus pictus [Accidental]
CARDINALIDAE
Hepatic Tanager, Piranga flava [Accidental]
Western Tanager, Piranga ludoviciana
Black-headed Grosbeak, Pheucticus melanocephalus [Accidental]
Lazuli Bunting, Passerina amoena [Accidental]
Updated 17 November by Scott Terry.