Top 15 Birds in Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s diverse landscapes, from prairies to forests and wetlands, provide habitat for a wide variety of bird species. Below is a list of 15 remarkable birds you can find in the state, along with details about each one.
1. Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
- Description: The Northern Cardinal is known for its brilliant red plumage and distinctive crest on the head. Females are pale brown with warm reddish tinges.
- Habitat: Found in woodlands, gardens, shrublands, and wetlands throughout Oklahoma.
- Ecosystem Services: Helps control insect populations and disperses seeds through their diet.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
2. American Robin (Turdus migratorius)
- Description: A familiar songbird with a reddish-orange breast, gray upperparts, and a melodious voice.
- Habitat: Open woodlands, urban parks, and lawns across the state.
- Ecosystem Services: Important insect predator and disperser of fruit seeds.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
3. Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)
- Description: Small thrush with bright blue plumage and a rusty red throat and chest.
- Habitat: Prefers open fields, meadows, and forest edges with scattered trees.
- Ecosystem Services: Controls insect pests and disperses seeds.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovered from previous declines).
4. Scissor-tailed Flycatcher (Tyrannus forficatus)
- Description: Striking bird with a long, forked tail, pale gray body, and salmon-pink sides.
- Habitat: Open country, grasslands, and savannas.
- Ecosystem Services: Controls insect populations, particularly grasshoppers and beetles.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
5. Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
- Description: Large raptor with broad wings and a characteristic reddish-brown tail.
- Habitat: Open fields, deserts, and woodland edges.
- Ecosystem Services: Regulates populations of rodents and small mammals.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
6. Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus)
- Description: Large owl with prominent ear tufts and striking yellow eyes.
- Habitat: Versatile—forests, swamps, deserts, and urban areas.
- Ecosystem Services: Predator of rodents, rabbits, and other small animals.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
7. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Description: Majestic raptor with a white head and tail, dark brown body, and massive yellow bill.
- Habitat: Large bodies of water with abundant fish and tall trees for nesting.
- Ecosystem Services: Scavenger and predator, maintaining healthy aquatic ecosystems.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern (recovered from near-extinction).
8. Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)
- Description: Small, energetic bird with black cap and bib, white cheeks, and gray body.
- Habitat: Deciduous forests, suburban gardens, and parks.
- Ecosystem Services: Pest controller by consuming insects and larvae.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
9. American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)
- Description: Small finch with vibrant yellow plumage in males during breeding season, black forehead, and wings with white markings.
- Habitat: Fields, weedy areas, orchards, and backyards.
- Ecosystem Services: Seed disperser and weed controller.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
10. Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura)
- Description: Large bird with dark plumage, bald red head, and long wings adapted for soaring.
- Habitat: Open and semi-open areas including subtropical forests, shrublands, pastures, and deserts.
- Ecosystem Services: Scavenger that cleans up carrion and helps prevent disease spread.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
11. Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta)
- Description: Medium-sized songbird with a bright yellow belly and a distinctive black "V" on its chest.
- Habitat: Grasslands and prairies.
- Ecosystem Services: Controls insect populations and contributes to seed dispersal.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
12. Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)
- Description: Brown and white plover with two black breast bands and a loud, ringing call.
- Habitat: Fields, mudflats, and shorelines, often seen in human-altered habitats.
- Ecosystem Services: Consumes insects and small invertebrates, aiding pest control.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
13. Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
- Description: Small woodpecker with black-and-white plumage and a short, chisel-like bill; males have a small red patch on the head.
- Habitat: Deciduous forests, orchards, and suburban areas.
- Ecosystem Services: Controls tree pests and helps with forest health.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
14. Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica)
- Description: Sleek bird with a metallic blue back, rufous throat, and deeply forked tail.
- Habitat: Open areas including fields, farms, and near water, often nesting on buildings.
- Ecosystem Services: Insect control, especially of flies and mosquitoes.
- Conservation Status: Least Concern.
15. Painted Bunting (Passerina ciris)
- Description: Spectacularly colored bird with males displaying a mix of blue, red, green, and yellow feathers.
- Habitat: Thickets, woodland edges, and brushy areas.
- Ecosystem Services: Helps with seed dispersal and insect control.
- Conservation Status: Near Threatened due to habitat loss and trapping in some areas.
