Top 15 Birds in Mississippi

Mississippi is home to a rich variety of bird species thanks to its diverse landscapes of forests, wetlands, rivers, and coastlines. Here’s a guide to the top 15 birds you’re most likely to encounter in the Magnolia State.

1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)

• Description: Bright red plumage in males and warm brown with red tinges in females. A distinctive crest and black face mask.
• Habitat: Woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and urban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Helps control insect populations and disperses seeds through its diet.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

2. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)

• Description: Gray-brown back, reddish-orange breast, and a cheery song that signals spring.
• Habitat: Forest edges, lawns, parks, and fields.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect control and soil aeration through worm foraging.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

3. Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)

• Description: Blue and white plumage with a pronounced crest and loud, varied calls.
• Habitat: Deciduous and mixed forests, suburban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed disperser, predator deterrent through alarm calls.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

4. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)

• Description: Large raptor with broad wings and a distinctive reddish tail.
• Habitat: Open fields, deserts, woodlands, and roadside perches.
• Ecosystem Services: Rodent population control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

5. Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)

• Description: Small, chunky bird with a white eyebrow stripe and loud, ringing song.
• Habitat: Dense undergrowth, gardens, and woodpiles.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect pest control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

6. Great Egret (Ardea alba)

• Description: Large white heron with long legs, an S-curved neck, and a yellow bill.
• Habitat: Marshes, ponds, rivers, and coastal wetlands.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls fish and amphibian populations.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovered from plume hunting).

7. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

• Description: Large raptor with a white head and tail, yellow beak, and powerful build.
• Habitat: Near large bodies of water, including lakes and rivers.
• Ecosystem Services: Scavenger and apex predator, maintaining ecological balance.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (formerly endangered).

8. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)

• Description: Vivid blue upperparts and rusty-red throat and breast.
• Habitat: Open woodlands, farmlands, and orchards.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect control and seed dispersal.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovered due to nest box programs).

9. Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus)

• Description: Large woodpecker with black body, white stripes on the neck, and a flaming red crest.
• Habitat: Mature forests with large trees.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls wood-boring insect populations; creates cavities for other wildlife.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

10. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)

• Description: Males have iridescent green, purple, and white markings; females are gray-brown with a white eye-ring.
• Habitat: Swamps, marshes, wooded ponds, and rivers.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed dispersal and insect control.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern (benefited from nest box programs).

11. Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura)

• Description: Slender, gray-brown bird with a soft, mournful cooing call.
• Habitat: Open fields, grasslands, and urban areas.
• Ecosystem Services: Seed dispersal and as prey for raptors.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

12. Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)

• Description: Tiny bird with iridescent green plumage; males have a ruby-red throat.
• Habitat: Gardens, forests, and meadows.
• Ecosystem Services: Pollination of flowering plants.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

13. Mississippi Kite (Ictinia mississippiensis)

• Description: Sleek gray raptor with red eyes and graceful flight.
• Habitat: Open woodlands and savannas near water.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls populations of large insects like cicadas and grasshoppers.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

14. Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)

• Description: Bright yellow body with blue-gray wings and tail.
• Habitat: Swamps, bottomland forests, and wooded wetlands.
• Ecosystem Services: Insect control and indicator of healthy wetlands.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.

15. Brown Thrasher (Toxostoma rufum)

• Description: Reddish-brown upperparts with streaked underparts and bright yellow eyes.
• Habitat: Dense shrubs, thickets, and forest edges.
• Ecosystem Services: Controls insect populations and disperses seeds.
• Conservation Status: Least Concern.