Illustrated Louisiana Checklist Page 1

Gaviidae • Podicipedidae • Diomedeidae • Procellariidae • Hydrobatidae • Sulidae • Pelecanidae • Phalacrocoracidae • Anhingidae • Fregatidae • Ardeidae • Threskiornithidae • Ciconiidae

This list contains pictures of birds found on the official Louisiana Checklist. These birds were photographed within the state except where noted. Birds marked with an asterisk (*) are currently on the review list of the Louisiana Bird Records Committee.

 ORDER GAVIIFORMES

 Family Gaviidae: Loons

Red-throated Loon *
Common Loon
 ORDER PODICIPEDIFORMES
 

 Family Podicipedidae: Grebes



Least Grebe *
The Least Grebe was first reported in the state on Dec. 14, 1947, in Baton Rouge. Subsequent to that sighting, the only other report of the species that I am familiar with took place in Cameron Parish, at Mud Lake, on Feb. 11, 1978. The bird shown here was filmed in a more reliable location for the species, at Santa Ana NWR in the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
Pied-billed Grebe
Horned Grebe
Red-necked Grebe *
Eared Grebe


Western Grebe *
The Western Grebe is a large, beautiful black and white waterbird of the western U.S. and Canada. It is a rare species in Louisiana, and is not seen every ear. Sightings are generally on larger lakes or along the coast. The very closely related Clark's Grebe has not yet been reported from Louisiana, but any suspected Western Grebe should be carefully checked to eliminate that species. The primary difference between the two is found in the color of the feathers around the eyes. On Western Grebes the eyes are completely surrounded by blackish feathering, while on Clark's, the white feathering of the cheeks extends up to touch the eyes. This Western Grebe was filmed in California.

 ORDER PROCELLARIFORMES

 Family Diomedeidae: Albatrosses

Yellow-nosed Albatross *

 Family Procellariidae: Shearwaters

Greater Shearwater *


Cory's Shearwater *
Cory's Shearwater is an regular visitor to Louisiana'a offshore waters, but not every pelagic trip finds one, and the one day high count for the species is probably only 2-3 birds. Given the vast amount of open water, it is difficult to guess exactly how common this and other strictly pelagic species are. This bird was photographed on a May trip out of Venice, Louisiana.
Manx Shearwater *
Audubon's Shearwater *

 Family Hydrobatidae: Storm-petrels

Wilson's Storm-Petrel
Leach's Storm-Petrel *
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel

ORDER PELECANIFORMES

Family Sulidae: Boobies and Gannets



Masked Booby *
The Masked Booby is a regular but uncommon species off the Louisiana Gulf Coast. The three birds pictured here were photographed near an offshore oil rig 60 miles out of the Southwest Pass of the Mississippi on Sept. 16, 1995. Although most of the records pertain to SE LA, Masked Boobies are probably also regular off the SW coast.
Brown Booby *
Red-footed Booby *


Northern Gannet
The Northern Gannet is a fairly common winter visitor off the Louisiana Gulf Coast, although it is usually found out of sight of land. The bird pictured here was found ashore during a Christmas Bird Count in Cameron Parish. 

Family Pelecanidae: Pelicans

​American White Pelican


Brown Pelican
The Brown Pelican, state bird of Louisiana, was extirpated as a breeder in the state by 1962. The catastrophic decline of the species is thought to have been the result of pesticide buildup in the waters along the coast. However, as a result of reintroductions begun in southeastern Louisiana in 1968, the Brown Pelican has undergone a major comeback and is again becoming common along the entire coast of the state. 

 Family Phalacrocoracidae: Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorant


Neotropic Cormorant

 Family Anhingidae: Darters

Anhinga

Family Fregatidae: Frigatebirds



Magnificent Frigatebird

ORDER CICONIFORMES

Family Ardeidae: Bitterns and Herons

American Bittern
Least Bittern
​Great Blue Heron ........."Great White" Heron *
Great Egret


Snowy Egret
Little Blue Heron
Tricolored Heron


Reddish Egret


Cattle Egret


Green Heron
Black-crowned Night-Heron
Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

Family Threskiornithidae: Ibises and Spoonbills

​White Ibis
Glossy Ibis
White-faced Ibis


Roseate Spoonbill          
Roseate Spoonbills are common nesters and winterers in the southwestern marshes of the state, and recently have begun to nest further inland (e.g. Lake Martin, St. Martin Parish). In summer, thousands of spoonbills invade the inland crawfish ponds, along with Wood Storks, ibis, egrets and herons.

Family Ciconiidae: Storks



Wood Stork