Georgia Ornithological Society
checklists of georgia birds. . .

 
This page contains several versions of bird checklists specific to Georgia that can be printed for personal use.  The GOS also has pre-printed Georgia Bird Checklists on a heavier stock of paper, available for purchase using the GOS Merchandise Order Form.

Species reported from Georgia may be placed on one of three lists, together making up the Official State List (last published by the GOS in 2003 in the Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds).

  • The Regular List serves as the main list where firm documentation is established for species occurring in Georgia.
  • The Provisional List includes those species reasonably well-documented, but without firm (specimen, photograph, etc.) evidence, as occurring in Georgia.
  • The Hypothetical List includes species reported with unclear origin or unsubstantiated identification.  Records for species listed on the Hypothetical List still serve important functions, as future acceptable records may require reevaluation of these past records to best interpret the increasing occurrence of certain species in Georgia over time.

Species observed in Georgia that require documentation are listed below under Review Species.


 Georgia Checklist - 2013 (PDF Format - Uses Adobe Acrobat Reader)
Download FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader Plug-in (launches a new browser window)
 Lists 414 of the 417 species on the regular Georgia checklist (Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, and Bachman's Warbler, each of which the AOU considers exinct, are excluded). Note that the AOU does not officially consider the Ivory-billed Woodpecker extinct.  Also contains a list of Provisional species and the Georgia RBA number on a three column checklist which prints on two pages, or front & back on one sheet.


 Georgia Checklist with Scientific Names - 2013 (HTML Format)
Lists 414 of the 417 species on the Regular Georgia checklist (Passenger Pigeon, Carolina Parakeet, and Bachman's Warbler are not included)


The Review Species - 2013 (HTML)
Georgia Ornithological Society's Records Committee requests observers submit documentation if these species are detected in the State of Georgia; also contains a list of provisional species.  Use the GOS Bird Records Committee Rare Bird Report Form (HTML version or Microsoft Word version) to submit details of these sightings.

Taxonomic order and nomenclature changes for the following lists are based upon the American Ornithologists' Union's The A.O.U. Check-list of North American Birds, 7th Edition (1998) and incorporates changes made in the 42nd, 43rd, 44th, 45th, 46th, 47th, 48th, 49th, 50th, 51st, 52nd and 53rd Supplements to the Check-list, as published in The Auk 117: 847-858 (2000); 119:897-906 (2002); 120:923-932 (2003); 121:985-995 (2004); 122:1026-1031 (2005); 123:926-936 (2006); 124:1109–1115 (2007); 125(3):758–768 (2008); 126(3):705−714 (2009); 127(3):726−744, 2010.; 128(3):600-613, 2011; 129(3):573-588, 2012.
 


Changes in the 53rd AOU Supplement, published July 2012, affect the following Georgia species:
  • Species name of Purple Gallinule changed to martinicus.
  • Genus names of Chuck-will's-widow and Eastern Whip-poor-will changed to Antrostomus.
  • Genus name of Calliope Hummingbird changed to Selasphorus.
  • Taxonomic order of TROCHILIDAE (Hummingbirds) has undergone sweeping changes.
  • Taxonomic order of FALCONIFORMES and PSITTACIFORMES follows PICIFORMES.
  • Taxonomic order of TROGLODYTIDAE (Wrens) has undergone sweeping changes.
  • Genus names of Purple Finch and House Finch changed to Haemorhous.

The text of the 53rd Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/auk/content/129/3/0573-0588.pdf

 

Changes in the 52th AOU Supplement, published July 2011, affect the following Georgia species:
  • New World subspecies of Common Moorhen are elevated to full species status, Common Gallinule, Gallinula galeata.
  • North American subspecies of Snowy Plover is elevated to full species status with a scientific name of Charadrius nivosus (no change to common name).
  • Genus name of Hooded Warbler, Northern Parula and all species of Dendroica warblers changed to Setophaga.
  • Genus name of MacGillivray's Warbler, Mourning Warbler and Kentucky Warbler changed to Geothlypis.
  • Species name of Kentucky Warbler changed to formosa.
  • Genus name of Wilson's Warbler and Canada Warbler changed to Cardellina.
  • Taxonomic order of PARULIDAE (Wood-Warblers) has undergone sweeping changes.

The text of the 52nd Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/north/suppl/52.php


Changes in the 51th AOU Supplement, published July 2010, affect the following Georgia species:

  • The two subspecies of Black (Common) Scoter are now regarded as full species; the scientific name of the species that occurs in Georgia, Black Scoter, is changed to Melanitta americana.

  • English name of Puffinus gravis changed to Great Shearwater

  • PHAETHONTIDAE (Tropicbirds) is removed from order PELECANIFORMES and added to the new order PHAETHONTIFORMES.

  • Families ARDEIDAE (Bitterns, Herons, Egrets) and THRESKIORNITHIDAE (Ibises, Spoonbills) are removed from order CICONIIFORMES leaving only family CICONIIDAE (Storks) in the order. Taxonomic order of CICONIIFORMES now follows PHAETHONTIFORMES (Tropicbirds).

  • Families FREGATIDAE (Frigatebirds), SULIDAE (Boobies), PHALACROCORACIDAE (Cormorants), and ANHINGIDAE (Darters) are removed from order PELECANIFORMES and included in a new order SULIFORMES.  The taxonomic order of the families within SULIFORMES is changed to the sequence stated above.

  • Families ARDEIDAE (Bitterns, Herons, Egrets) and THRESKIORNITHIDAE (Ibises, Spoonbills) are added to order PELECANIFORMES and placed taxonomically after family PELECANIDAE (Pelicans).

  • New family PANDIONIDAE (Osprey) created and inserted between families CATHARTIDAE (New World Vultures) and ACCIPITRIDAE (Hawks, Kites, Eagles & Allies).

  • The eastern subspecies of Whip-poor-will is split from the western group of subspecies, creating Eastern Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus vociferus, which occurs in Georgia, and Mexican Whip-poor-will, Caprimulgus arizonae, which has yet to be reported in Georgia.

  • The three groups of subspecies of Winter Wren are split into three new species: Winter Wren, Troglodytes hiemalis, which occurs in Georgia; Pacific Wren, Troglodytes pacificus, and Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes. The latter two species have not been reported in Georgia.

  • New family POLIOPTILIDAE (Gnatcatchers) created and inserted between TROGLODYTIDAE (Wrens) and CINCLIDAE (Dippers).

  • The Longspurs and Snow Buntings are removed from family EMBERIZIDAE and placed into a new family CALCARIIDAE, inserted between families PEUCEDRAMIDAE (Olive Warbler) and PARULIDAE (Wood-Warblers).

  • Scientific name of Blue-winged Warbler is changed from Vermivora pinus to Vermivora cyanoptera.

  • Scientific name of Tennessee Warbler is changed from Vermivora peregrina to Oreothlypis peregrina.

  • Scientific name of Orange-crowned Warbler is changed from Vermivora celata to Oreothlypis celata.

  • Scientific name of Nashville Warbler is changed from Vermivora ruficapilla to Oreothlypis ruficapilla.

  • Scientific name of Virginia's Warbler is changed from Vermivora virginiae to Oreothlypis virginiae.

  • Scientific name of Northern Waterthrush is changed from Seiurus noveboracensis to Parkesia noveboracensis.

  • Scientific name of Louisiana Waterthrush is changed from Seiurus motacilla to Parkesia motacilla.

  • Scientifc name of Bachman's Sparrow is changed from Aimophila aestivalis to Peucaea aestivalis.

The text of the 51th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_51.pdf

Changes in the 50th AOU Supplement, published July 2009, affect the following Georgia species:

  • Family ODONTOPHORIDAE (includes Northern Bobwhite) placed ahead of PHASIANIDAE (includes Ruffed Grouse and Wild Turkey).

  • English name of Ammodramus nelsoni changed to Nelson's Sparrow.

  • English name of Ammodramus caudacutus changed to Saltmarsh Sparrow.

  • Genus Piranga (includes Summer Tanager, Scarlet Tanager and Western Tanager) moved to beginning of Family CARDINALINIDAE (Cardinals, Grosbeaks, and Allies, now including Piranga Tanagers).

  • Scientific name of Common Redpoll is changed from Carduelis flammea to Acanthis flammea.

  • Scientific name of Pine Siskin is changed from Carduelis pinus to Spinus pinus.

  • Scientific name of American Goldfinch is changed from Carduelis tristis to Spinus tristis.

The text of the 50th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_50.pdf
 

Changes in the 49th AOU Supplement, published July 2008, affect the following Georgia species:

  • English name of Colibri thalassinus changes from Green Violet-ear to Green Violetear (the hyphen has been removed).

  • The taxonomic order of Black-legged Kittiwake, Sabine's Gull, Bonaparte's Gull, Black-headed Gull, Little Gull, Laughing Gull, and Franklin's Gull change positions in the checklist.

  • The scientific name of Bonaparte's Gull is changed from Larus philadelphia to Chroicocephalus philadelphia.

  • The scientific name of Black-headed Gull is changed from Larus ridibundus to Chroicocephalus ridibundus.

  • The scientific name of Little Gull is changed from Larus minutus to Hydrocoloeus minutus.

  • The scientific name of Laughing Gull is changed from Larus atricilla to Leucophaeus atricilla.

  • The scientific name of Franklin's Gull is changed from Larus pipixcan to Leucophaeus pipixcan.

The text of the 49th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_49.pdf
 

Changes in the 48th AOU Supplement, published July 2007, affect the following Georgia species:

The scientific name of Belted Kingfisher is changed from Ceryle alcyon to Megaceryle alcyon.

Also of note, the Suborder Cathartae (New World Vultures, which  includes Turkey Vulture and Black Vulture in Georgia) has been moved from Order Ciconiiformes (Herons/Egrets, Ibis, Storks & Spoonbills) to Order Falconiformes, the Suborder's historical position prior to 1998.

The text of the 48th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_48.pdf

Changes in the 47th AOU Supplement, published July 2006, affect the following Georgia species:

  • Spotted Sandpiper, Solitary Sandpiper, Greater Yellowlegs, Willet, and Lesser Yellowlegs change positions in the checklist.

  • The scientific name of Willet is changed from Catoptrophorus semipalmatus to Tringa semipalmata.

  • Skuas and Jaegers are placed in their own Family (STERCORARIIDAE) and moved between the Larids (Gulls, Terns, Skimmers) and the Alcids in checklist order.

  • Brown Noddy, Sooty Tern, Bridled Tern, Least Tern, Gull-billed Tern, Caspian Tern, Black Tern, White-winged Tern, Roseate Tern, Common Tern, Arctic Tern, Forster's Tern, Royal Tern and Sandwich Tern change positions in the checklist.

  • The scientific name of Sooty Tern is changed from Sterna fuscata to Onychoprion fuscatus.

  • The scientific name of Bridled Tern is changed from Sterna anaethetus to Onychoprion anaethetus.

  • The scientific name of Least Tern is changed from Sterna antillarum to Sternula antillarum.

  • The scientific name of Gull-billed Tern is changed from Sterna nilotica to Gelochelidon nilotica.

  • The scientific name of Caspian Tern is changed from Sterna caspia to Hydroprogne caspia.

  • The scientific name of Royal Tern is changed from Sterna maxima to Thalasseus maxima.

  • The scientific name of Sandwich Tern is changed from Sterna sandvicensis to Thalasseus sandvicensis.

  • Yellow-billed Cuckoo and Black-billed Cuckoo switch checklist order positions.

The text of the 47th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_47.pdf

The changes published in the 46th Supplement (2005) did not affect Georgia's checklist.  The text of the 46th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_46.pdf

Changes in the 45th AOU Supplement, published July 2004, affect the following Georgia species:

  • Brant and Canada Goose switch checklist order positions.

  • The scientific name of Spotted Sandpiper is changed from Actitis macularia to Actitis macularius.

  • The scientific name of Worm-eating Warbler is changed from Helmitheros vermivorus to Helmitheros vermivorum.

The text of the 45th Supplement is available on the AOU site:

http://www.aou.org/checklist/suppl/AOU_checklist_suppl_45.pdf

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