Check-list of Barren County, Kentucky, Birds

Table 1. UCR Bird List with species observed in Barren County indicated (X in right column).  Species denoted below with one asterisk (*) are rare and with two asterisks (**) very rare within the UCR; sightings of these species should be reported via a documentation form.  Species on the Audubon WatchList are indicated below in pink (27 species) or red (8 species), with the latter being more critically decreasing species.

Table 2. Annotated list of Barren County bird species.  * = Rare species in UCR.

_____ Greater White-fronted Goose * (22 February 2004, SJS, WAW)

_____ Snow Goose (CBC; also 14 November 2003, RLD)

_____ Ross's Goose * (22 February 2004, SJS, WAW)

_____ Cackling Goose * (4 January 1999, DLR)

_____ Canada Goose

_____ Mute Swan * (4 December 2000, DLR)

_____ Tundra Swan * (CBC; also 29 August 1982 [KW 59: 14]; 27 November 1999 [flyover flock heard], DLR)

_____ Wood Duck

_____ Blue-winged Teal (14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Northern Shoveler (17 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Gadwall (9 December 1998, DLR)

_____ American Wigeon (12 January 1997, DLR)

_____ Mallard

_____ American Black Duck (9 February 1998, DLR)

_____ Mottled Duck ** (data, observer photo)

_____ Northern Pintail (12 January 1997, DLR)

_____ Green-winged Teal (9 February 1998, DLR)

_____ Canvasback (26 October 1996, DLR)

_____ Redhead (12 January 1997, DLR)

_____ Ring-necked Duck (9 February 1998, DLR)

_____ Greater Scaup (15 on 14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Lesser Scaup (14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Harlequin Duck * (6 November 2019, DLR, SJS et al.)

_____ Surf Scoter * (1 December 1997, DLR)

_____ White-winged Scoter * (17 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Black Scoter * (14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Long-tailed Duck * (6 December 2000, DLR photos [see below])

_____ Bufflehead (100+ on 14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Common Goldeneye (15 November 1999, DLR)

_____ Hooded Merganser (19 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Common Merganser * (CBC; 7 December 2000, DLR; 31 December 2004, DLR, SJS)

_____ Red-breasted Merganser (19 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Ruddy Duck (200+ on 14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Northern Bobwhite (CBC)

_____ Wild Turkey (17 April 1996, DLR)

_____ Pied-billed Grebe

_____ Horned Grebe (14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Red-necked Grebe * (7–25 January 2002, DLR photos [see below] et al.)

_____ Eared Grebe * (16 November 1998, DLR photos [see below])

_____ Western Grebe * (January 1981 [KW 57: 35])

_____ Rock Pigeon

_____ Eurasian Collared-Dove * (DLR)

_____ Mourning Dove

_____ Yellow-billed Cuckoo

_____ Black-billed Cuckoo (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43:69]; 2 May 1993, LM, CMS, VK, WK [Monroe and
            Stamm 1993a; 7 May 2007, SJS et al.]

_____ Common Nighthawk (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Chuck-will's-widow (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Eastern Whip-poor-will (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Chimney Swift (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Ruby-throated Hummingbird

_____ Rufous Hummingbird * (c. 1 November 2011, fide LKC)

_____ Sora * (25 June–22 July 1963 [Gillenwater 1964; Wilson 1969; Palmer-Ball 2003])

_____ American Coot (2500+ on 14 November 1997, DLR)

_____ Whooping Crane * (February 2010, DLR)

_____ Sandhill Crane (25 February 1985, DLR; 5000+ on 15 November 1999, DLR)

_____ American Avocet * (15 August 1996, DLR)

_____ American Golden-Plover * (25 September 1966, RS [Starr 1967])

_____ Semipalmated Plover (10 May 2010, DLR)

_____ Killdeer (760 on 9 December 2001, DLR, SJS)

_____ Upland Sandpiper * (14 April 2003, MS [Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2003a])

_____ Marbled Godwit * (date, observer)

_____ Stilt Sandpiper * (19 October 2007, TD)

_____ Sanderling (5 September 2007, DLR)

_____ Dunlin (9 on 28 November 2000, DLR)

_____ Baird's Sandpiper (date, observer)

_____ Least Sandpiper (fall 2003, DLR [Palmer-Ball and McNeeley 2004b])

_____ White-rumped Sandpiper * (date, observer)

_____ Buff-breasted Sandpiper * (2 September 2011, DLR photo)

_____ Pectoral Sandpiper (23 November 2004, DLR)

_____ Semipalmated Sandpiper (22 July 2011, DLR photo)

_____ Western Sandpiper (30 October 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Short-billed Dowitcher

_____ Long-billed Dowitcher *

_____ American Woodcock (nesting record summer 1939—KW 15 [3]: 36; CBC records)

_____ Wilson's Snipe (CBC)

_____ Spotted Sandpiper (14 October 2007, DLR)

_____ Solitary Sandpiper (10 May 2007, SJS et al.)

_____ Lesser Yellowlegs (30 October 2004, DLR)

_____ Willet * (40+ on 29 April 1989, KOS meeting)

_____ Greater Yellowlegs (7 April 2005, DLR; 28 September 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Red-necked Phalarope *

_____ Parasitic Jaeger * (9 September 2011, DLR photo)

_____ Long-tailed Jaeger * (9 September 2011, DLR photo)

_____ Black-legged Kittiwake * (date, observer photo)

_____ Sabine's Gull * (6 September 2011, DLR)

_____ Bonaparte's Gull (13 January 1997, DLR)

_____ Little Gull * (date, observer photo)

_____ Laughing Gull (24–25 October 2005, DLR photo)

_____ Franklin's Gull * (CBC; also 4 November 2002, DLR)

_____ Mew Gull * (18 October 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Ring-billed Gull

_____ California Gull (19 October 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Herring Gull (100 on 21 April 1997, DLR)

_____ Lesser Black-backed Gull * (8 October 2008, DLR photo)

_____ Glaucous Gull * (date, observer)

_____ Caspian Tern (3 August 1996, DLR)

_____ Black Tern  (4 September 2001, DLR)

_____ Common Tern * (21 April 1997, DLR)

_____ Arctic Tern * (data, observer photo)

_____ Forster's Tern  (18 February 1998, DLR; 4 September 2001, DLR)

_____ Red-throated Loon * (13 November 1997, DLR photos [see below])

_____ Pacific Loon * (13 October 2009, DRB, DLR photo)

_____ Common Loon (21 April 1997, DLR)

_____ Neotropic Cormorant * (date, observer)

_____ Double-crested Cormorant  (CBC; also 4 September 2001, DLR)

_____ American White Pelican * (26 November 2002, DLR photos [see below])

_____ Brown Pelican *

_____ American Bittern (8 October 2007, DLR photo)

_____ Great Blue Heron

_____ Great Egret (11 November 2001, DLR [Busroe 2002a])

_____ Snowy Egret (? August 2012, DLR photo)

_____ Little Blue Heron (17 August 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Cattle Egret (19 November 2003, DLR)

_____ Green Heron (CBC)

_____ Black-crowned Night-Heron * (20 July 2003, DLR; 10 September 2009, DLR)

_____ Yellow-crowned Night-Heron * (9 July 1984, WMM; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ White-faced Ibis * (date, observer photo)

_____ Black Vulture

_____ Turkey Vulture (850 on 9 December 2001, DLR, SJS)

_____ Osprey (12 September 1985, DLR; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Golden Eagle * (25 December 2010, DLR)

_____ Northern Harrier (CBC)

_____ Sharp-shinned Hawk (CBC; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Cooper's Hawk (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996]; 20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Bald Eagle (12 September 1985, DLR)

_____ Mississippi Kite * (3 September 2012, DLR photo, DRB)

_____ Red-shouldered Hawk (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Broad-winged Hawk (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Red-tailed Hawk

_____ Rough-legged Hawk (CBC; also 5 October 1974 [American Birds 29: 65]).

_____ Eastern Screech-Owl (CBC)

_____ Great Horned Owl (CBC)

_____ Snowy Owl * (Palmer-Ball 2003)

_____ Barred Owl (CBC)

_____ Short-eared Owl * (6 December 2005, EW; 20 November 2010+, DLR)

_____ Northern Saw-whet Owl * (5 March 2000, DLR)

_____ Belted Kingfisher

_____ Red-headed Woodpecker (CBC)

_____ Red-bellied Woodpecker

_____ Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

_____ Downy Woodpecker

_____ Hairy Woodpecker

_____ Northern Flicker

_____ Pileated Woodpecker

_____ American Kestrel

_____ Merlin * (20 April 1980, RS [Stamm 1980c]; 15 April 1998, DLR)

_____ Peregrine Falcon * (9 April 1964, RS [Wilson 1969]; 2 January 1985, DLR)

_____ Prairie Falcon (date, observer photo) *

_____ Great Crested Flycatcher (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Eastern Kingbird

_____ Olive-sided Flycatcher (2 on 26 May 2006, DLR photo, RD)

_____ Eastern Wood-Pewee

_____ Yellow-bellied Flycatcher *

_____ Acadian Flycatcher

_____ Alder Flycatcher * (23 [3]/26 [2] May 2006, DLR/ DLR, RD)

_____ Willow Flycatcher * (12 May 1979, RS [Stamm 1979d])

_____ Least Flycatcher *(10 May 2007, SJS)

_____ Eastern Phoebe

_____ Say's Phoebe (18 December 2018, Lyle Bontrager photos—a CBC record [Allen County East] and an eBird record [#S50796756])

_____ Loggerhead Shrike (CBC; 24 January 1997, MS [Busroe 1997b])

_____ White-eyed Vireo

_____ Bell's Vireo *(date, observer)

_____ Yellow-throated Vireo (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Blue-headed Vireo (7 May 2007, BHS et al.)

_____ Philadelphia Vireo (7 May 2007, John Brunjes, SJS et al.)

_____ Warbling Vireo (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; 20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Red-eyed Vireo

_____ Blue Jay

_____ American Crow

_____ Horned Lark (CBC; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996]; 9 December 2001, DLR, SJS)

_____ Purple Martin (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Tree Swallow (25 October 2006, DLR)

_____ Northern Rough-winged Swallow (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Bank Swallow (13 July 1961, RS [Wilson 1962])

_____ Cliff Swallow (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996]; Monroe et al. 1988)

_____ Barn Swallow

_____ Carolina Chickadee

_____ Tufted Titmouse

_____ Red-breasted Nuthatch (CBC)

_____ White-breasted Nuthatch

_____ Brown Creeper (CBC)

_____ House Wren (12 April 1993, MS [Monroe and Stamm 1993a])

_____ Winter Wren (8/9 October 1948 [Wilson 1948]; 24 April 1996)

_____ Sedge Wren * (8/9 October 1948 [Wilson 1948]; 1 May 1993, CMS [Monroe and Stamm 1993a])

_____ Marsh Wren * (8 October 2007, DLR)

_____ Carolina Wren

_____ Bewick's Wren * (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; 13 April 1998, DLR)

_____ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

_____ Golden-crowned Kinglet

_____ Ruby-crowned Kinglet (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70]; CBC)

_____ Eastern Bluebird

_____ Veery (date, observer)

_____ Gray-cheeked Thrush (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70]; 5 October 1984, RS [Stamm 1985a]

_____ Swainson's Thrush (9 May 2007, SJS et al.)

_____ Hermit Thrush (CBC)

_____ Wood Thrush (21 April 1996, DLR)

_____ American Robin

_____ Gray Catbird (CBC)

_____ Brown Thrasher

_____ Northern Mockingbird

_____ European Starling

_____ Cedar Waxwing

_____ House Sparrow

_____ American Pipit (CBC)

_____ Evening Grosbeak * (CBC)

_____ House Finch (CBC)

_____ Purple Finch (CBC; 22 February 2004, SJS, WAW)

_____ Red Crossbill *

_____ White-winged Crossbill *

_____ Pine Siskin (CBC; also 16 November 1999, DLR)

_____ American Goldfinch

_____ Lapland Longspur * (6 November 1966, RS [Starr 1967]; 22 November 2000, DLR)

_____ Eastern Towhee

_____ Bachman's Sparrow * ([Wilson 1942])

_____ American Tree Sparrow (CBC)

_____ Chipping Sparrow

_____ Clay-colored Sparrow * (10 May 2006, RMD)

_____ Field Sparrow

_____ Vesper Sparrow (CBC)

_____ Lark Sparrow * (1 June 2013, RMD photo—a Barren County Foray record)

_____ Savannah Sparrow (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70]; 6 May 2007, BHS, SJS; CBC)

_____ Grasshopper Sparrow (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Henslow's Sparrow * (4 on 26 December 1963-2 January 1964 [Monroe et al. 1988]; 6–9 May 2007, SJS, BHS et al.)

_____ LeConte's Sparrow * (2 November 2017, DLR, SJS)

_____ Nelson's Sparrow *

_____ Fox Sparrow (DLR)

_____ Song Sparrow

_____ Lincoln's Sparrow (31 December 1996, DLR [Busroe 1997b])

_____ Swamp Sparrow (CBC)

_____ White-crowned Sparrow (9 December 2001, DLR, SJS)

_____ White-throated Sparrow

_____ Dark-eyed Junco

_____ Yellow-breasted Chat (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Yellow-headed Blackbird * (2 October 1976, WMM [Mason 1976])

_____ Bobolink (26 April 2010, DLR photo)

_____ Eastern Meadowlark

_____ Orchard Oriole (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Baltimore Oriole (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Western Meadowlark * (22 January 2010, DLR photo)

_____ Red-winged Blackbird

_____ Brown-headed Cowbird (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Rusty Blackbird (9 October 1948 [Wilson 1948]; 22 February 2004, SJS, WAW)

_____ Brewer's Blackbird * (CBC)

_____ Common Grackle

_____ Ovenbird (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Worm-eating Warbler (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Louisiana Waterthrush (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Northern Waterthrush (7 October 2009, DLR photo)

_____ Golden-winged Warbler * (17 September 2010, DLR)

_____ Blue-winged Warbler (24 April 1996, DLR)

_____ Black-and-white Warbler (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Prothonotary Warbler (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Tennessee Warbler (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70])

_____ Orange-crowned Warbler (29 April 1944, GW [Wilson 1944]; 16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70])

_____ Nashville Warbler (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70])

_____ Connecticut Warbler * (date, observer sound recording)

_____ Mourning Warbler * (23 May 2006, DLR)

_____ Kentucky Warbler (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70]; 20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Common Yellowthroat

_____ Hooded Warbler (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ American Redstart (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Cape May Warbler (24 April 1996, DLR)

_____ Cerulean Warbler (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996]; 17 April 1996,
            DLR)

_____ Northern Parula (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Magnolia Warbler (8/9 October 1948 [Wilson 1948]; 23 May 2006, DLR)

_____ Bay-breasted Warbler (24 September 1982, RS [Stamm 1983a])

_____ Blackburnian Warbler (7 May 2007, BHS et al.)

_____ Yellow Warbler (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Chestnut-sided Warbler (9 May 2007, SJS et al.)

_____ Blackpoll Warbler (7 May 2007, SJS et al.)

_____ Black-throated Blue Warbler (7 May 2007, SJS et al.)

_____ Palm Warbler (17 April 1996, DLR)

_____ Pine Warbler (10 November 1996, DLR)

_____ Yellow-rumped Warbler

_____ Yellow-throated Warbler (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Prairie Warbler (20 June 2001, DLR)

_____ Black-throated Green Warbler (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70])

_____ Canada Warbler (31 August 2011, DLR)

_____ Wilson's Warbler * (26 May 2006, DLR, RD)

_____ Summer Tanager (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Scarlet Tanager (KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996])

_____ Northern Cardinal

_____ Rose-breasted Grosbeak (16 April 1967, RS et al. [KW 43: 70])

_____ Blue Grosbeak (24 April 1996, DLR)

_____ Indigo Bunting

_____ Dickcissel (summer 1978, HES et al. [Shadowen 1978]; KBBA [Palmer-Ball 1996]; 2 & 6 June, 7 July
            1997, MS [Busroe 1997d])

Key to Initials and Abbreviations:

Literature Cited:

   If you have personal records for species not listed above or if you know of historical records for species not listed above, please send details to me at this e-mail address: birdbfly7101@gmail.com

Photographs of Barren County Rare Species:

Red-throated Loon on Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co.,
Kentucky, 7 December 2000; photo by David L. Roemer.

Red-necked Grebe at Sawyer's Landing, Barren River Reservoir, Barren Co., KY, 7 January 2002; photo
David L. Roemer.

Eared Grebe on Barren River Reservoir, Barren
Co., Kentucky on date indicated; photo by
David L. Roemer.

Long-tailed Duck on Barren River Reservoir,
Barren Co., Kentucky on the date indicated;
photo by David L. Roemer.

    Considerable thanks are due to David L. Roemer for sharing his many records and photos from Barren County, Kentucky.

Quick links to other sections of this website:

• HomePage for SJS

• The BirdPage

• The ButterflyPage