South Dakota Species and Species Photos

 

The following lists the 418 species that have been found in the state of South Dakota.  Click on the general family group for access to those species, or scroll down for the complete list of individual species.   Note I'm looking for photos for several species.   The species pages marked with "(X)" are the South Dakota species for which I don't have a photo. 

Click on a species name for information regarding that species.  Click on the camera icon for relatively high-resolution photos of that species.

NOTE: Species shown in RED and with the RED camera icon signifies a species not found within South Dakota, but a species I have photos of from out of state.  Click on the RED camera icon or the red species name to view photos of that species.

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GAVIIDAE: Loons
Red-throated Loon (Gavia stellata) Pacific Loon (Gavia pacifica)
Common Loon (Gavia immer)    

PODICIPEDIDAE: Grebes
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)     Horned Grebe (Podiceps auritus)   
Red-necked Grebe (Podiceps grisegena)     Eared Grebe (Podiceps nigricollis)    
Western Grebe (Aechmophorus occidentalis)     Clark's Grebe (Aechmophorus clarkii)    

PELECANIDAE: Pelicans
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos)     Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)    
PHALACROCORACIDAE and SULIDAE: Cormorants, Gannets, and Boobies
Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus)      Neotropic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax brasilianus)
Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus)      

ARDEIDAE: Bitterns and Herons
American Bittern (Botaurus lentiginosus)      Least Bittern (Ixobrychus exilis)
Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)     Great Egret (Casmerodius albus)    
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula)     Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea)     
Tricolored Heron (Egretta tricolor)     Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)    
Green Heron (Butorides virescens)     Black-crowned Night-Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)    

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron (Nyctanassa violacea)

THRESKIORNITHIDAE: Ibises
White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus)    
White-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi)    

CICONIDAE: Storks

Wood Stork (Mycteria americana)

ANATIDAE: Swans, Geese, and Ducks
Fulvous Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna bicolor) Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)      
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator)     Mute Swan (Cygnus olor)    
Greater White-fronted Goose (Anser albifrons)     Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens)    
Ross' Goose (Chen rossii)     Brant (Branta bernicla)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)      Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)    
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)     American Black Duck (Anas rubripes)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)     Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)     
Blue-winged Teal (Anas discors)     Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera)    
Northern Shoveler (Anas clypeata)     Gadwall (Anas strepera)    
American Wigeon (Anas americana) Eurasian Wigeon (Anas penelope)
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)     Redhead (Aythya americana)     
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)     Greater Scaup (Aythya marila)     
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)     Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)      Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)    
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca) Black Scoter (Melanitta nigra)
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata) Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)    
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)     Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)     Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)    
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator) Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)    
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)    

Barnacle Goose (Branta leucopsis)    

CATHARTIDAE: American Vultures
Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)    

ACCIPITRIDAE: Kites, Eagles, and Hawks
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)      Swallow-tailed Kite (Elanoides forficatus)
White-tailed Kite (Elanus leucurus) Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)     Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus)    
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)     Cooper's Hawk (Accipiter cooperii)    
Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)   Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platypterus) Swainson's Hawk (Buteo swainsoni)    
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)     Ferruginous Hawk (Buteo regalis)    
Rough-legged Hawk (Buteo lagopus)     Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos)     

FALCONIDAE: Falcons
American Kestrel (Falco sparverius)     Merlin (Falco columbarius)    
Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus)    
Prairie Falcon (Falco mexicanus)    

PHASIANIDAE: Partridge, Pheasant, Grouse, Turkey, and Quail
Gray Partridge (Perdix perdix)    Chukar (Alectoris chukar)     
Ring-necked Pheasant (Phasianus colchicus)      Blue Grouse (Dendragapus obscurus)    
Ruffed Grouse (Bonasa umbellus)     Greater Sage Grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus)
Greater Prairie Chicken (Tympanuchus cupido) Sharp-tailed Grouse (Tympanuchus phasianellus)    
Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallapavo)     Northern Bobwhite (Colinus virginianus)
Gambel's Quail (Callipepla gambellii)     California Quail (Callipepla californica)     

RALLIDAE: Rails, Gallinules, and Coots
Yellow Rail (Coturnicops noveboracensis) King Rail (Rallus elegans)
Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola)     Sora (Porzana carolina)    
Purple Gallinule (Porphyrula martinica) Common Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus)    
American Coot (Fulica americana)    

GRUIDAE: Cranes
Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis)     Whooping Crane (Grus americana)

CHARADRIIDAE: Plovers
Black-bellied Plover (Pluvialis squatarola)     American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica)
Snowy Plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)   
Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)    
Mountain Plover (Charadrius montanus)

RECURVIROSTRIDAE: Stilts and Avocets
Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)      American Avocet (Recruvirostra americana)    

SCOLOPACIDAE: Sandpipers and Phalaropes
Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)     Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa flavipes)    
Solitary Sandpiper (Tringa solitaria)      Willet (Catoptrophorus semipalmatus)    
Spotted Sandpiper (Actitis macularia)     Upland Sandpiper (Bartramia longicauda)    
Eskimo Curlew (Numenius borealis) (X) Whimbrel (Numenius phaeopus)
Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) Hudsonian Godwit (Limosa haemastica)    
Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa)      Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres)    
Red Knot (Calidris canutus) Sanderling (Calidris alba)    
Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla)     Western Sandpiper (Calidris mauri)
Least Sandpiper (Calidris minutilla)     White-rumped Sandpiper (Calidris fuscicollis)    
Baird's Sandpiper (Calidris bairdii)      Pectoral Sandpiper (Calidris melanotos)    
Dunlin (Calidris alpina)     Stilt Sandpiper (Calidris himantopus)    
Buff-breasted Sandpiper (Tryngites subruficollis)     Ruff (Philomachus pugnax)
Short-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus griseus) Long-billed Dowitcher (Limnodromus scolopaceus)    
Wilson's Snipe (Gallinago gallinago)     American Woodcock (Philohela minor)
Wilson's Phalarope (Phalaropus tricolor)      Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Red Phalarope (Phalaropus fulicarius)
LARIDAE: Jaegers, Gulls, and Terns
Pomarine Jaeger (Stercorarius pomarinus) (X) Parasitic Jaeger (Stercorarius parasiticus)
Long-tailed Jaeger (Stercorarius longicaudus) Laughing Gull (Larus atricilla)    
Franklin's Gull (Larus pipixcan)     Little Gull (Larus minutus) (X)
Bonaparte's Gull (Larus philadelphia)     Mew Gull (Larus canus)    
Ring-billed Gull (Larus delawarensis)     California Gull (Larus californicus)    
Herring Gull (Larus argentatus)     Thayer's Gull (Larus thayeri)
Iceland Gull (Larus glaucoides) Glaucous Gull (Larus hyperboreus) 
Black-legged Kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla)     Lesser Black-backed Gull (Larus fuscus)
Sabine's Gull (Xema sabini)  Ivory Gull (Pagophila eburnea)
Caspian Tern (Sterna caspia)     Forster's Tern (Sterna forsteri)    
Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)     Arctic Tern (Sterna paradisaea)    
Least Tern (Sterna antillarum) Black Tern (Chlidonias niger)    
Royal Tern (Sterna maxima)     Red-legged Kittiwake (Rissa brevirostris)    
Glaucous-winged Gull (Larus glaucescens)     Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)    

ALCIDAE: Auks
Ancient Murrelet (Synthliboramphus antiquus) Common Murre (Uria aalge)    
Pigeon Guillemot (Cepphus columba)     Horned Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)    
Tufted Puffin (Fratercula corniculata)      

COLUMBIDAE: Pigeons and Doves
Rock Dove (Columba livia) Band-tailed Pigeon (Columba fasciata)
Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)      White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica)    
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)     PASSENGER PIGEON (Ectopistes migratorius)
Inca Dove (Columbina inca)     Common Ground Dove (Columbina passerina) (X)

PSITTACIDAE: Parrots
CAROLINA PARAKEET (Conuropsis carolinensis) (X)

CUCULIDAE: Cuckoos and Anis
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)     Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus)    
Groove-billed Ani (Crotophaga sulcirostris)

TYTONIDAE: Barn Owls
Barn Owl (Tyto alba)

STRIGIDAE: Typical Owls
Eastern Screech-Owl (Megascops asio)     Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)    
Snowy Owl (Nyctea scandiaca)      Northern Hawk Owl (Surnia ulula)    
Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia)     Barred Owl (Strix varia)    
Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)      Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)    
Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus)     Boreal Owl (Aegolius funereus) (X)
Northern Saw-Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus)     Elf Owl (Micrathene whitneyi)    

CAPRIMULGIDAE: Goatsuckers
Common Nighthawk (Chordeiles minor) Common Poorwill (Phalaenoptilus nuttallii)
Chuck-Will's Widow (Caprimulgus carolinensis) Whip-Poor-Will (Caprimulgus vociferus)

APODIDAE: Swifts
Chimney Swift (Chaetura pelagica) (X) White-throated Swift (Aeronautes saxatalis) (X)

TROCHILIDAE: Hummingbirds
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)     Calliope Hummingbird (Stellula calliope)     
Broad-tailed Hummingbird (Selasphorus platycercus) Rufous Hummingbird (Selasphorus rufus)     
Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna)     Costa's Hummingbird (Calypte costae)    
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri)     Broad-billed Hummingbird (Cynanthus latirostris)    
Magnificent Hummingbird (Eugenes fulgens)      

ALCEDINIDAE: Kingfishers
Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon)    

PICIDAE: Woodpeckers
Lewis' Woodpecker (Melanerpes lewis) Red-headed Woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus)    
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)     Williamson's Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus thyroideus)
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)     Red-naped Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus nuchalis)
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)     Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)    
Three-toed Woodpecker (Picoides tridactylus) Black-backed Woodpecker (Picoides arcticus)
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)     Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)
Ladder-backed Woodpecker (Picoides scalaris)      Gilded Flicker (Colaptes chrysoides)     
Gila Woodpecker (Melanerpes uropygialis)     Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus)    

TYRANNIDAE: Tyrant Flycatchers
Olive-sided Flycatcher (Contopus cooperi) Western Wood-Pewee (Contopus sordidulus)     
Eastern Wood-Pewee (Contopus virens)     Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)
Acadian Flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) Alder Flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum)     
Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii) Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimum    
Dusky Flycatcher (Empidonax oberholseri) Cordilleran Flycatcher (Empidonax occidentalis)    
Eastern Phoebe (Sayornis phoebe)     Say's Phoebe (Sayornis saya)     
Vermilion Flycatcher (Pyrocephalus rubinus) Great Crested Flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus)     
Cassin's Kingbird (Tyrannus vociferans) Western Kingbird (Tyrannus verticalis)     
Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus)     Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus) 
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans)     Ash-throated Flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)   

ALAUDIDAE: Larks
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)     

HIRUNDINIDAE: Swallows
Purple Martin (Progne subis) Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolor)    
Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina)  Northern Rough-winged Swallow (Stelgidopteryx serripennis)    
Bank Swallow (Riparia riparia)    Cliff Swallow (Hirundo pyrrhonota)    
Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)    

CORVIDAE: Jays, Magpies, and Crows
Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis)       Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)    
Steller's Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri)      Pinyon Jay (Gymnorhinus Cyanocephalus) (X)
Clark's Nutcracker (Nucifraga columbiana)      Black-billed Magpie (Pica pica)    
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)     Common Raven (Corus corax)    
Northwestern Crow (Corvus caurinus)     Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica)    

PARIDAE: Titmice
Black-capped Chickadee (Parus atricapillus)     Mountain Chickadee (Parus gambeli)    
Boreal Chickadee (Parus hudsonicus) (X) Tufted Titmouse (Parus bicolor)
Verdin (Auriparus flaviceps)     Bridled Titmouse(Baeolophus wollweberi)    

SITTIDAE: Nuthatches
Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis)     White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)    
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea)    

CERTHIIDAE: Creepers
 Brown Creeper (Certhia americana)