Abundance and Status of Birds in the Upper Cumberland Region of Kentucky and Tennessee
To return to the official list of UCR species, click on the link below:
Key to Abundance Codes:
| C | Common (expected in large numbers) |
| FC | Fairly Common (expected in moderate numbers) |
| U | Uncommon (expected in small numbers) |
| VU | Very Uncommon (10-50 records or expected in very small numbers) |
| R | Rare (3-9 records) |
| O | Occasional (1-2 records) |
| V | Variable Abundance Year to Year |
Key to Status Codes:
| E | Extinct |
| EX | Extirpated |
| H | Hypothetical |
| PR | Permanent Resident (breeds) |
| SR | Summer Resident (breeds) |
| WR | Winter Resident |
| TR | Transient |
| VR | Visitor |
When two codes are listed for one species, the first code indicates the species' primary status, and the second code indicates its secondary status (usually in just a portion of the Region; see notes).
Key to Seasons:
| Sp | Spring (1 March-31 May) |
| Su | Summer (1 June-31 July |
| Fa | Fall (1 August-30 November |
| Wi | Winter (1 December-28/29 February) |
Underlined species names below are linked to accounts which provide details about those species. Within the account for these species, there is a link to a map, showing the distribution of records for each. A link to a map depicting the colors used in the species maps is provided below:
Note: considerable assistance in creating the maps displaying distribution of bird records in the UCR was provided by Gregory J. Rhinehart and Whitney M. Fuquay.
| Species | Status | Sp | Su | Fa | Wi | Notes |
| Greater White-fronted Goose | WR | VU | VU | VU | 18 records in 11 counties | |
| Snow Goose | WR | VU | O | VU | VU | Records in 18 counties |
| Ross's Goose | WR | R | R | VU | 16 records in 10 counties | |
| Brant | VR | O | 1 record White, TN, and 1 Pulaski, KY | |||
| Cackling Goose | WR | O | Records in Barren and Pulaski, KY, and Putnam, TN | |||
| Canada Goose | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Mute Swan | WR | VU | O | VU | VU | 40 records in 15 counties |
| Trumpeter Swan | VR | O | 1 record Wayne, KY | |||
| Tundra Swan | WR | R? | R | VU | 14 records in 8 counties | |
| Wood Duck | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Gadwall | WR | U | U | U | ||
| American Wigeon | WR | U | U | U | ||
| American Black Duck | WR | VU | VU | U | ||
| Mallard | PR | C | U | C | C | |
| Blue-winged Teal | TR | U | O | U | R | Breeding record White, TN |
| Northern Shoveler | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Northern Pintail | WR | VU | VU | VU | ||
| Green-winged Teal | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Canvasback | WR | VU | VU | U | ||
| Redhead | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Ring-necked Duck | WR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Greater Scaup | WR | VU | VU | VU | ||
| Lesser Scaup | WR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Surf Scoter | TR | R | VU | VU | 41 records in 9 counties | |
| White-winged Scoter | WR | R | VU | VU | 14 records in 7 counties | |
| Black Scoter | TR | VU | R | 13 records in 5 counties | ||
| Long-tailed Duck | WR | VU | VU | VU | 15 records in 9 counties | |
| Bufflehead | WR | FC | O | FC | FC | |
| Common Goldeneye | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Hooded Merganser | WR | FC | VU | FC | FC | Breeding records Pulaski, KY, and White, TN |
| Common Merganser | WR/VR | O | VU | VU | 24 records in 10 counties; 19th-cent. egg sets Smith, TN | |
| Red-breasted Merganser | WR | U | U | VU | ||
| Ruddy Duck | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Ruffed Grouse | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Wild Turkey | PR | C | C | C | C | Increasing |
| Northern Bobwhite | PR | U | U | U | VU | Decreasing |
| Red-throated Loon | TR | R | R | R | 12 records in 4 counties | |
| Pacific Loon | TR | O | O | Records Barren, KY, and DeKalb, TN | ||
| Common Loon | WR | FC | U | FC | ||
| Yellow-billed Loon | VR | O | 1 record Clay, TN | |||
| Pied-billed Grebe | PR | FC | VU | FC | FC | |
| Horned Grebe | WR | FC | FC | FC | Records in 17 counties | |
| Red-necked Grebe | WR | 0 | 0 | Records Barren and Pulaski, KY | ||
| Eared Grebe | TR/WR? | VU | 0 | VU | VU | 12 records in 6 counties |
| Western Grebe | TR/VR | 0 | Records Barren and Pulaski, KY | |||
| American White Pelican | TR | R | R | 9 records in 5 counties | ||
| Brown Pelican | VR | O | 1 record Russell, KY | |||
| Double-crested Cormorant | TR | FC | FC | VU | Increasing | |
| American Bittern | TR/SR | VU | O | VU | O | 21 records in 12 counties; 1935 nest record Warren, TN; July 2004 records White, TN |
| Least Bittern | SR | R | R | R | 8 records in 4 counties | |
| Great Blue Heron | PR | C | C | C | C | Increasing |
| Great White Heron | VR | R | R | 1 record DeKalb, 1 Putnam/ Smith/DeKalb, TN; 1 Pulaski, KY | ||
| Great Egret | TR | U | VU | U | VU | |
| Snowy Egret | TR | VU | VU | 13 records in 5 counties | ||
| Little Blue Heron | TR | VU | VU | VU | 33 records in 12 counties | |
| Tricolored Heron | TR | 0 | 0 | Records in Clay & DeKalb, TN | ||
| Cattle Egret | TR | VU | R | VU | O | At least 32 records in 14 counties |
| Green Heron | SR | FC | FC | FC | VU | |
| Black-crowned Night-Heron | TR/SR | U | U | |||
| Yellow-crowned Night-Heron | SR | VU | VU | VU | Records in 8 counties | |
| White Ibis | TR | R | R | 1 record Wayne, KY; 1 Putnam and 1 White, TN | ||
| Plegadis sp. | VR | O | O | Records in 2 TN counties | ||
| Black Vulture | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Turkey Vulture | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Osprey | SR | U | VU | U | Records in 23 counties | |
| Mississippi Kite | TR | O | Records in 3 TN counties | |||
| Bald Eagle | PR | U | U | U | FC | |
| Northern Harrier | WR | U | O | U | U | |
| Sharp-shinned Hawk | PR | U | VU | U | U | |
| Cooper's Hawk | PR | U | U | U | U | Increasing |
| Red-shouldered Hawk | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Broad-winged Hawk | SR | U | U | FC | ||
| Red-tailed Hawk | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Harlan's Hawk | WR | R | R | R | ||
| Rough-legged Hawk | WR | R/VU | R/VU | VU | At least 50 records in 12 counties; irruptive | |
| Golden Eagle | WR/PR | VU | O | VU | VU | Records in 15 counties; breeding Jackson, TN |
| American Kestrel | PR | FC | U | FC | C | |
| Merlin | TR | VU | VU | VU | At least 50 records in 17 counties | |
| Peregrine Falcon | TR/SR | VU | VU | O | At least 28 records in 14 counties; formerly a breeder | |
| Yellow Rail | TR | O | O | Records Pickett and Warren, TN | ||
| King Rail | SR | R | R | 1 record Clinton, KY; 3 records Warren, TN | ||
| Virginia Rail | TR/SR? | R | R | R | 8 records in 7 counties | |
| Sora | TR | VU | O | VU | At least 31 records in 11 counties | |
| Purple Gallinule | SR | R |
R |
2 records Warren, TN; 1 record Putnam, TN |
||
| Common Moorhen | TR | R | O | 4 records in 3 counties | ||
| American Coot | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Sandhill Crane | TR/WR | FC | FC | FC | Increasing migrant/ establishing winter resident status since c. winter 2004-5 | |
| Whooping Crane | TR | R | R | Reintroduced migrant | ||
| Black-bellied Plover | TR | R | 2 records Adair, KY, & Putnam, TN; 1 record Wayne, KY | |||
| American Golden-Plover | TR | VU | VU | 15 records in 5 counties | ||
| Semipalmated Plover | TR | U | U | |||
| Killdeer | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Black-necked Stilt | VR | O | Records in Cumberland and DeKalb, TN | |||
| American Avocet | TR | VU | VU | 13 records in 8 counties | ||
| Spotted Sandpiper | TR/SR | FC | U | FC | O | 1 breeding record Pulaski, KY |
| Solitary Sandpiper | TR | FC | FC | |||
| Greater Yellowlegs | TR | U | U | R | ||
| Willet | TR | R | O | 12 records in 9+ counties | ||
| Lesser Yellowlegs | TR | U | U | |||
| Upland Sandpiper | TR | R | 2 records Barren, KY; 1 Warren, TN | |||
| Ruddy Turnstone | TR | O | 1 record Adair, 1 record Pulaski, & 1 Wayne, KY | |||
| Sanderling | TR | R | 8 records in 3 KY counties | |||
| Semipalmated Sandpiper | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Western Sandpiper | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Least Sandpiper | TR | U | U | |||
| White-rumped Sandpiper | TR | VU | R | 18 records in 6 counties | ||
| Baird's Sandpiper | TR | R | 7 records in 3 counties | |||
| Pectoral Sandpiper | TR | U | U | |||
| Dunlin | TR | VU | U | O | at least 60 records in 10 counties | |
| Stilt Sandpiper | TR | O | VU | 23 records in 7 counties | ||
| Buff-breasted Sandpiper | TR | R | 2 records Adair & 5 records Pulaski, KY; 1 record White, TN | |||
| Short-billed Dowitcher | TR | VU | VU | 9 records in 4 counties | ||
| Long-billed Dowitcher | TR | R | 6 records in 3 KY counties | |||
| Wilson's Snipe | WR | U | U | U | ||
| American Woodcock | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Wilson's Phalarope | TR | R | 1 record Pulaski, KY; 2 Wayne, KY; and 1 Putnam, TN | |||
| Red Phalarope | TR | O | 1 record each in DeKalb & Van Buren, TN | |||
| Black-legged Kittiwake | VR | O | 1 record Putnam, TN | |||
| Bonaparte's Gull | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Laughing Gull | VR | O | R | O | 2 records Barren & Pulaski, KY; 1 record Russell, KY, & DeKalb, TN | |
| Franklin's Gull | TR | R | O | 6 records Barren and 2 Pulaski, KY | ||
| Mew Gull | VR | O | 1 record Barren, KY | |||
| Ring-billed Gull | WR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| California Gull | VR | O | 1 record Barren, KY | |||
| Herring Gull | WR | VU | VU | VU | ||
| Lesser Black-backed Gull | TR | O | 2 records Barren, KY | |||
| Sooty Tern | VR | O | 1 record Putnam, TN | |||
| Least Tern | TR | O | 1 record Pulaski, KY | |||
| Caspian Tern | TR | VU | R | VU | ||
| Black Tern | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Common Tern | TR | R | VU | |||
| Forster's Tern | TR | U | U | |||
| Rock Pigeon | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Eurasian Collared-Dove | PR | VU | VU | VU | VU | Records from 18 counties; population increase slow and irregular most sites |
| Mourning Dove | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Passenger Pigeon | E | |||||
| Carolina Parakeet | E | |||||
| Yellow-billed Cuckoo | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Black-billed Cuckoo | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Barn Owl | PR | VU | VU | VU | VU | |
| Eastern Screech-Owl | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | Records in all counties |
| Great Horned Owl | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Snowy Owl | WR | O | 1 record Barren, KY, and 1 White, TN | |||
| Barred Owl | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Long-eared Owl | WR | R | 3 records in 3 counties | |||
| Short-eared Owl | WR | R | R | R | 12 records in 8 counties | |
| Northern Saw-whet Owl | WR | VU | O | VU | VU | 31 records in 8 counties; irruptive |
| Common Nighthawk | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Chuck-will's-widow | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Whip-poor-will | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Chimney Swift | SR | C | C | C | ||
| Ruby-throated Hummingbird | SR | FC | FC | FC | Records in all counties | |
| Calliope Hummingbird | VR | O | O | 1 record Putnam, TN | ||
| Rufous Hummingbird | WR | VU | VU | VU | 12 records in 5 TN counties | |
| Allen's Hummingbird | WR | O | O | 1 record Smith, TN | ||
| Belted Kingfisher | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Red-headed Woodpecker | PR | U | U | U | U | Records in all counties |
| Red-bellied Woodpecker | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Yellow-bellied Sapsucker | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Downy Woodpecker | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Hairy Woodpecker | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Red-cockaded Woodpecker | EX | |||||
| Northern Flicker | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Pileated Woodpecker | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | Records in all counties |
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | TR | VU | VU | 27 records in 12 counties | ||
| Eastern Wood-Pewee | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Yellow-bellied Flycatcher | TR | R | R | 6 records in 3 KY counties | ||
| Acadian Flycatcher | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Alder Flycatcher | TR | R | R | 9 records in 4 counties | ||
| Willow Flycatcher | SR | U | U | R | At least 72 records in 17 counties | |
| Least Flycatcher | TR/SR | VU | VU | R | At least 40 records with 14 June records in 1 KY & 7 TN counties | |
| Eastern Phoebe | PR | FC | FC | FC | U | |
| Great Crested Flycatcher | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Western Kingbird | TR | O | Records Clay and Putnam, TN | |||
| Eastern Kingbird | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Scissor-tailed Flycatcher | SR | R | VU | R | 19 records in 4 TN counties | |
| Loggerhead Shrike | PR | VU | VU | VU | VU | Significantly decreasing |
| White-eyed Vireo | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Yellow-throated Vireo | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Blue-headed Vireo | SR | U | U | U | R | Records in 19 counties; winter records in McCreary, KY; DeKalb and Putnam, TN |
| Warbling Vireo | SR | VU | VU | R | ||
| Philadelphia Vireo | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Red-eyed Vireo | SR | C | C | FC | Records from all Regional counties | |
| Blue Jay | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| American Crow | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Common Raven | VR/SR | R | R | R | Former resident McCreary and Pulaski, KY, and Fentress, TN; recent records Scott and Morgan, TN | |
| Horned Lark | PR | U | U | U | U | |
| Purple Martin | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Tree Swallow | SR | FC | U | FC | R | Increasing breeder |
| N. Rough-winged Swallow | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Bank Swallow | SR | U | R | U | ||
| Cliff Swallow | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Barn Swallow | SR | C | C | C | R | |
| Carolina Chickadee | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Tufted Titmouse | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Red-breasted Nuthatch | WR/PR | V | R | V | V | Winter records in all but 2 counties; confirmed breeding Scott, TN; breeding season records Morgan & Pickett, TN; irruptive |
| White-breasted Nuthatch | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Brown-headed Nuthatch | PR/VR | R | R | R | R | Records in 1 KY county and 6 TN counties |
| Brown Creeper | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Carolina Wren | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Bewick's Wren | TR | O | O | R | Former PR; now nearly absent | |
| House Wren | SR | U | U | U | VU | Increasing |
| Winter Wren | WR/SR | U | O | U | U | Breeding mid-1990s at FHSNA, Morgan, TN |
| Sedge Wren | TR/SR | VU | VU | VU | O | At least 44 records in 12 counties; 1 breeding record White, TN |
| Marsh Wren | TR/WR | VU | VU | R | At least 45 records in 12 counties | |
| Golden-crowned Kinglet | WR | U | U | FC | ||
| Ruby-crowned Kinglet | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Blue-gray Gnatcatcher | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Eastern Bluebird | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Veery | TR/SR | U | VU-R | VU | Probable Breeder FHSNA, Morgan, TN, and Brady Mt., Cumberland, TN | |
| Gray-cheeked Thrush | TR | VU | VU | |||
| Swainson's Thrush | TR | U | U | |||
| Hermit Thrush | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Wood Thrush | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| American Robin | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Gray Catbird | SR | FC | FC | FC | R | |
| Northern Mockingbird | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Brown Thrasher | PR | FC | FC | FC | U | |
| European Starling | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| American Pipit | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Cedar Waxwing | PR | FC | U | FC | FC | |
| Blue-winged Warbler | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Golden-winged Warbler | SR | VU | VU | VU | ||
| "Brewster's" Warbler | VR | R | ||||
| Tennessee Warbler | TR | U | FC | |||
| Orange-crowned Warbler | TR | VU | VU | R | ||
| Nashville Warbler | TR | U | U | |||
| Northern Parula | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Yellow Warbler | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Chestnut-sided Warbler | SR | U | VU | FC | ||
| Magnolia Warbler | TR | U | FC | |||
| Cape May Warbler | TR | U | VU | |||
| Black-throated Blue Warbler | TR/SR | VU | R | VU | O | Breeds only FHSNA, Morgan, TN; 1 winter record Putnam, TN |
| Yellow-rumped Warbler | WR | C | C | C | ||
| Black-throated Green Warbler | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Blackburnian Warbler | TR/SR | U | R | U | Breeds only FHSNA, Morgan, TN | |
| Yellow-throated Warbler | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Pine Warbler | PR | FC | FC | FC | VU | |
| Prairie Warbler | SR | FC | FC | FC | O | 1 winter record Putnam, TN |
| Palm Warbler | TR | U | U | VU | ||
| Bay-breasted Warbler | TR | U | FC | |||
| Blackpoll Warbler | TR | U | O | |||
| Cerulean Warbler | SR | U | U | U | Significantly decreasing | |
| Black-and-white Warbler | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| American Redstart | SR | U | U | U | O | 1 winter record Pulaski, KY |
| Prothonotary Warbler | SR | U | U | VU | ||
| Worm-eating Warbler | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Swainson's Warbler | SR | VU | VU | VU | Records in 11 counties | |
| Ovenbird | SR | C | C | C | O | 1 winter record Putnam, TN |
| Northern Waterthrush | TR | U | U | |||
| Louisiana Waterthrush | SR | FC | FC | VU | Records in all counties | |
| Kentucky Warbler | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Connecticut Warbler | TR | R | At least 18 records in 8 counties | |||
| Mourning Warbler | TR | VU | O | VU | At least 26 records in 8 counties | |
| Common Yellowthroat | SR | C | C | C | R | |
| Hooded Warbler | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Wilson's Warbler | TR | U | U | |||
| Canada Warbler | TR/SR | VU | R | VU | Breeds FHSNA, Morgan, and Brady Mt., Cumberland, TN | |
| Yellow-breasted Chat | SR | FC | FC | FC | O | 1 winter record DeKalb, TN, and 1 Putnam, TN |
| Summer Tanager | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Scarlet Tanager | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Eastern Towhee | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Bachman's Sparrow | SR | O | Seriously decreasing since 1950s; now nearly extirpated; 1 recent record White, TN | |||
| American Tree Sparrow | WR | R | VU/R | At least 45 records in 13 counties | ||
| Chipping Sparrow | PR | FC | FC | FC | VU | |
| Clay-colored Sparrow | TR | O | R | Records Barren & Pulaski, KY, and Cumberland & DeKalb, TN | ||
| Field Sparrow | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Vesper Sparrow | TR | U | U | R | ||
| Lark Sparrow | SR | VU | VU | VU | 11 records in 6 counties | |
| Savannah Sparrow | WR/SR | U | R | U | U | Breeding season records Adair, KY; Bledsoe & Cumberland, TN |
| Grasshopper Sparrow | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Henslow's Sparrow | SR | VU | VU | VU | O | Records in 6 KY counties and 7 TN counties; increasing sporadically |
| Le Conte's Sparrow | TR | O | 1 record Smith, TN (1930s) | |||
| Nelson's Sharp-tailed Spar. | TR | O | 1 record Warren, TN (1990s) | |||
| Fox Sparrow | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Song Sparrow | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Lincoln's Sparrow | TR | VU | VU | R | ||
| Swamp Sparrow | WR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| White-throated Sparrow | WR | C | R | C | C | |
| Harris's Sparrow | VR | O | 1 record Bledsoe, TN | |||
| White-crowned Sparrow | WR | U | U | U | ||
| Dark-eyed Junco | WR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Lapland Longspur | WR | VU | VU | 17 records in 11 counties | ||
| Snow Bunting | VR | O | R | 7 records in 5 counties | ||
| Northern Cardinal | PR | C | C | C | C | Records in all counties |
| Rose-breasted Grosbeak | TR/SR | FC | R | FC | Breeding season records Cumberland and Morgan, TN | |
| Blue Grosbeak | SR | U | U | U | ||
| Indigo Bunting | SR | C | C | C | R | |
| Painted Bunting | TR | O | Records Cumberland and Pulaski, KY | |||
| Dickcissel | SR | VU | VU | VU | ||
| Bobolink | TR | U | U | O | 1 winter record Putnam, TN | |
| Red-winged Blackbird | PR | C | C | C | FC | |
| Eastern Meadowlark | PR | FC | FC | FC | FC | |
| Western Meadowlark | VR | O | 1 record Putnam, TN | |||
| Yellow-headed Blackbird | TR | O | 1 record Barren, KY | |||
| Rusty Blackbird | WR | VU | U | U | Decreasing; records in 17 counties | |
| Brewer's Blackbird | WR | VU | VU | VU | Records in 10 counties | |
| Common Grackle | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Brown-headed Cowbird | PR | C | C | C | U | |
| Orchard Oriole | SR | FC | FC | FC | ||
| Baltimore Oriole | SR | U | U | U | R | |
| Purple Finch | WR | FC | FC | FC | Somewhat irruptive | |
| House Finch | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Red Crossbill | VR | VU | O |
O |
O | 8 records in 5 counties |
| Common Redpoll | VR |
O |
O | 2-3 records Pulaski, KY | ||
| Pine Siskin | WR | V | O | V | V | Irruptive; records in 22 counties |
| American Goldfinch | PR | C | C | C | C | |
| Evening Grosbeak | WR | V | V | V | Irruptive | |
| House Sparrow | PR | C | C | C | C |
To return to the official list of UCR species, click on the link below:
