CAVITY NESTING BIRDS OF NORTH AMERICA

 

Compiled by Eric L. Walters

 

 


Family / Common Name

Scientific Name

“CAVITY” TYPE

 

 

 

Procellariidae

 

 

Manx Shearwater

Puffinus puffinus

Burrow

 

 

 

Hydrobatidae

 

 

Leach’s Storm-Petrel

Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Burrow

Black Storm-Petrel

Oceanodroma melania

Old Burrow of Cassin’s Auklet

Ashy Storm-Petrel

Oceanodroma homochroa

Burrow

Fork-tailed Storm-Petrel

Oceanodroma furcata

Burrow

 

 

 

Anatidae

 

 

Black-bellied Whistling Duck

Dendrocygna autumnalis

Tree

Wood Duck

Aix sponsa

Tree

Barrow’s Goldeneye

Bucephala islandica

Tree

Common Goldeneye

Bucephala clangula

Tree

Bufflehead

Bucephala albeola

Tree

Common Merganser

Mergus merganser

Tree

Hooded Merganser

Lophodytes cucullatus

Tree

 

 

 

Alcidae

 

 

Razorbill

Alca torda

Rock

Pigeon Guillemot

Cepphus columba

Burrow

Xantus” Murrelet

Synthliboramphus hypoleucus

Burrow (sometimes)

Ancient Murrelet

Synthliboramphus antiquus

Burrow

Cassin’s Auklet

Ptychoramphus aleuticus

Burrow

Rhinoceros Auklet

Cerorhinca monocerata

Burrow

Atlantic Puffin

Fratercula arctica

Burrow

Horned Puffin

Fratercula corniculata

Burrow

Tufted Puffin

Fratercula cirrhata

Burrow

 

 

 

Falconidae

 

 

American Kestrel

Falco sparverius

Tree

 

 

 

Psittacidae

 

 

Carolina Parakeet

Conuropsis carolinensis

Tree

 

 

 

Trogonidae

 

 

Elegant Trogon

Trogon elegans

Tree

 

 

 

Tytonidae

 

 

Common Barn-Owl

Tyto alba

Tree

 

 

 

Strigidae

 

 

Barred Owl

Strix varia

Tree

Spotted Owl

Strix occidentali

Tree

Western Screech-Owl

Otus kennicottii

Tree

Eastern Screech-Owl

Otus asio

Tree

Whiskered Screech-Owl

Otus trichopsis

Tree

Flammulated Owl

Otus flammeolus

Tree

Elf Owl

Micrathene whitneyi

Tree

Ferruginous Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium brasilianum

Tree

Northern Pygmy-Owl

Glaucidium gnoma

Tree

Northern Saw-whet Owl

Aegolius acadicus

Tree

Boreal Owl

Aegolius funereus

Tree

Northern Hawk Owl

Surnia ulula

Tree

Burrowing Owl

Athene cunicularia

Burrow

 

 

 

Alcedinidae

 

 

Belted Kingfisher

Ceryle alcyon

Burrow

Ringed Kingfisher

Ceryle torquata

Burrow

Green Kingfisher

Chloroceryle americana

Burrow

 

 

 

Picidae

 

 

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

Tree

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Melanerpes carolinus

Tree

Gila Woodpecker

Melanerpes uropygialis

Tree

Golden-fronted Woodpecker

Melanerpes aurifrons

Tree

Red-headed Woodpecker

Melanerpes erythrocephalus

Tree

Acorn Woodpecker

Melanerpes formicivorus

Tree

Lewis’ Woodpecker

Melanerpes lewis

Tree

White-headed Woodpecker

Picoides albolarvatus

Tree

Williamson’s Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus thyroideus

Tree

Red-breasted Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus ruber

Tree

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus varius

Tree

Red-naped Sapsucker

Sphyrapicus nuchalis

Tree

Downy Woodpecker

Picoides pubescens

Tree

Hairy Woodpecker

Picoides villosus

Tree

Three-toed Woodpecker

Picoides tridactylus

Tree

Black-backed Woodpecker

Picoides arcticus

Tree

Ladder-backed Woodpecker

Picoides scalaris

Tree

Red-cockaded Woodpecker

Picoides borealis

Tree

Nuttall’s Woodpecker

Picoides nuttallii

Tree

Strickland’s Woodpecker

Picoides stricklandi

Tree

Ivory-billed Woodpecker

Campephilus principalis

Tree

Pileated Woodpecker

Dryocopus pileatus

Tree

 

 

 

Tyrannidae

 

 

Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher

Myiodynastes luteiventris

Tree

Great Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus crinitus

Tree

Brown Crested Flycatcher

Myiarchus tyrannulus

Tree

Ash-throated Flycatcher

Myiarchus cinerascens

Tree

Dusky-capped Flycatcher

Myiarchus tuberculifer

Tree

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

Empidonax difficilis

Tree (sometimes)

Cordilleran Flycatcher

Empidonax occidentalis

Tree (sometimes)

 

 

 

Hirundinidae

 

 

Tree Swallow

Tachycineta bicolor

Tree

Violet-green Swallow

Tachycineta thalassina

Tree

Purple Martin

Progne subis

Tree

Bank Swallow

Riparia riparia

Burrow

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Stelgidopteryx serripennis

Burrow

 

 

 

Paridae

 

 

Tufted Titmouse

Parus bicolor

Tree

Plain Titmouse

Parus inornatus

Tree

Bridled Titmouse

Parus wollweberi

Tree

Black-capped Chickadee

Parus atricapillus

Tree

Carolina Chickadee

Parus carolinensis

Tree

Mexican Chickadee

Parus sclateri

Tree

Mountain Chickadee

Parus gambeli

Tree

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Parus rufescens

Tree

Siberian Tit

Parus cinctus

Tree

Boreal Chickadee

Parus hudsonicus

Tree

 

 

 

Sittidae

 

 

White-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta carolinensis

Tree

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

Tree

Pygmy Nuthatch

Sitta pygmaea

Tree

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Sitta pusilla

Tree

 

 

 

Troglodytidae

 

 

House Wren

Troglodytes aedon

Tree

Winter Wren

Troglodytes troglodytes

Tree

Carolina Wren

Thryothorus ludovicianus

Tree

Bewick’s Wren

Thryomanes bewickii

Tree

 

 

 

Muscicapidae

 

 

Eastern Bluebird

Sialia sialis

Tree

Western Bluebird

Sialia mexicana

Tree

Mountain Bluebird

Sialia currucoides

Tree

Northern Wheatear

Oenanthe oenanthe

Burrow (sometimes)

 

 

 

Motacillidae

 

 

White Wagtail

Motacilla alba

Burrow (sometimes)

 

 

 

Sturnidae

 

 

Crested Myna

Acridotheres cristatellus

Tree

European Starling

Sturnus vulgaris

Tree

 

 

 

Emberizidae

 

 

Prothonotary Warbler

Protonotaria citrea

Tree

Lucy’s Warbler

Vermivora luciae

Tree

Snow Bunting

Plectrophenax nivalis

Ground (sometimes)

McKay’s Bunting

Plectrophenax hyperboreus

Ground (sometimes)

 

 

 

Passeridae

 

 

Eurasian Tree Sparrow

Passer montanus

Tree

House Sparrow

Passer domesticus

Tree

 

 

 

Fringillidae

 

 

House Finch

Carpodacus mexicanus

Tree (sometimes)

 

 

 

 


References

 Ehrlich, P.R., D.S. Dobkin, and D. Wheye. 1988. The birder’s handbook: a field guide to the natural history of North American birds. Simon & Schuster, Inc. New York.

Harris, C. 1984. A field guide to the nests, eggs, and nestlings of North American birds. Collins, Toronto.