BirdsAll familiesGreater Indiana Area
28-36" (71-91 cm). Heavy-bodied, thick, pointed, usually black or dark gray bill held horizontally. Breeding plumage, head, neck black with white bands on neck; back black with white spots. In winter, crown, hindneck, upperparts dark grayish; throat, underparts white.… read more
24-27" (61-69 cm). A small loon seldom seen far from salt water. In breeding plumage, has gray head and neck, rusty throat, black back spotted with white. In winter, similar to Common Loon but smaller, paler, with bill thinner, seemingly upturned.… read more
12-15" (30-38 cm). Small, slender-necked, with short, sharply pointed bill. In breeding plumage, body dark, with rufous neck and flanks; head blackish, with conspicuous buff ear tufts. In winter, upperparts dark; chin and foreneck white.… read more
18-20" (46-51 cm). In breeding plumage, has rufous neck, black cap, whitish cheeks, and long, pointed yellowish bill. In winter, mainly gray, with paler cheeks, pale (not necessarily yellow) bill. In flight, white wing patches show.… read more
12-14" (30-36 cm). In breeding plumage, black head, back; golden ear tufts; black crest. In winter plumage, dark gray above, white below; neck dusky. Bill appears slightly upturned, sides of face smudged with gray, whitish patch behind ear.… read more
12-15" (30-38 cm). Pigeon-sized. A stocky, uniformly brownish water bird, with stout whitish bill that has black ring around it during breeding season.… read more
55-70" (1.4-1.8 m). W. 8' (2.4 m). A huge white bird with a long flat bill and black wing tips. In breeding season, has short yellowish crest on back of head and horny plate on upper mandible. Young birds duskier than adults.… read more
30-35 (76-89 cm). Orange throat pouch and long neck. Long hooked bill tilted upward when swimming. Adults have short tuft of feathers over each eye during breeding season. In flight, the neck shows a slight crook.… read more
35-41" (89-104 cm). W. 4'7" (1.4 m). All-white heron with yellow bill, black legs. Breeding plumage, has long lacy plumes on back. Smaller Snowy Egret has black bill, legs, yellow feet.… read more
39-52" (99-132 cm). W. 5'10" (1.8 m). Large, mainly grayish heron with a pale or yellowish bill. Flies with neck folded, not extended. In southern Florida an all-white form, "Great White Heron," has greenish-yellow rather than black legs.… read more
23-34" (58-86 cm). Medium-sized, streaked brown heron. Outer wing appears blackish brown in flight, contrasting with lighter brown of inner wing and body. Adults show long black stripe down side of throat.… read more
20" (51 cm). Small, stocky white heron, with buff on crown, breast, and back during breeding season. Legs pale yellow or orange in adults, blackish in some immatures. Bill short, yellow or orange; dark in juveniles. No other small white heron has a yellow bill.… read more
16-22" (41-56 cm). A dark, crow-sized heron. Crown black, back and wings dark gray-green or gray-blue (depending on lighting); neck chestnut colored. Bill dark; legs bright orange. Immatures have streaks on neck, breast, and sides.… read more
25-30" (64-76 cm). W. 3'5" (1 m). Adult slate blue with maroon neck. Bill grayish with black tip; legs greenish. Immature is white, usually with dusky tips on primaries. Snowy Egret, smaller, all white, with black bill and legs, yellow lores and feet.… read more
11-14" (28-36 cm). A tiny, secretive heron with blackish back and conspicuous buff wing patches and underparts. Female and young are similar but duller, more buffy.… read more
22-27" (56-69 cm). W. 3'8" (1.1 m). Adult slate-gray with black head, white cheeks, yellowish crown, plumes, black bill, yellow or orange legs. In flight, feet, part of legs extend beyond tail. Immature grayish brown, finely speckled with white above.… read more
23-28" (58-71 cm). W. 3'8" (1.1 m). A medium-sized, short-necked heron with black crown, back, gray wings, white underparts. Bill short, black, legs pinkish or yellowish. In breeding season it has 2 or more long white plumes on back of head.… read more
25-32" (64-81 cm). W. 6' (1.8 m). Eagle-sized blackish bird, In flight, wings held upward in a wide, shallow V; rolls, sways from side to side. Flight feathers silvery below. Tail long; head small, bare, reddish; gray in immatures.… read more
22-24" (56-61 cm). W. 4'6" (1.4 m). Black, with white patch near each wing tip, conspicuous in flight; head bare, grayish; feet extend beyond short tail. Flaps its shorter and rounder wings more often and more rapidly than Turkey Vulture.… read more
17-20" (43-51 cm). A beautiful, crested, multicolored duck. Male patterned in iridescent greens, purples, and blues with distinctive white chin patch and face stripes; bill mainly red; tail long. Female grayish with broad white eye ring.… read more
Male, 25-29" (64-74 cm); female, 21-23" (53-58 cm). Male, brown head, white underparts, neck, white line extending onto head, grayish back, long black pointed central tail feathers. Inner wing, metallic brown. Female mottled brown, gray, slender.… read more
18-23" (46-58 cm). Male is brownish with white crown, green ear patch, and bold white shoulder patches easily visible in flight. Female is mottled brown with grayish head and whitish shoulder patches. Bill pale blue in both sexes.… read more
17-20" (43-51 cm). Large shovel-shaped bill. Male has green head, white body, and chestnut flanks. Female streaked brown with pale blue shoulder patches; similar to female Blue-winged Teal, but bill much larger.… read more
12-16" (30-41 cm). Male,chestnut head, green ear patch, flashing green inner wing, pale gray sides, pinkish breast with a vertical white stripe down the side. Female is dark brown without distinctive markings.… read more
14-16" (36-41 cm). Brown with pale blue shoulder patches. Male, gray head, white crescent in front of eye. Female mottled brown, gray, obscure patterning on face, pale blue shoulder patches like the male.… read more
18-27" (46-69 cm). Male, green head, white neck ring, chestnut breast, grayish body; inner wing, metallic purplish blue, bordered with white. Female, mottled brown, with white tail, purplish-blue inner wing, mottled orange brown bill.… read more
19-22" (48-56 cm). Sooty brown with paler head and conspicuous white wing linings and violet speculum; olive or dull yellow bill. Sexes similar. Female Mallard paler and sandier, with bill mottled with orange and black, and whitish tail feathers.… read more
18-21" (46-53 cm). Male is a medium-sized grayish duck with white patch on hind edge of wing, black rump, and sandy brown head. Female mottled brown, with white patch on hind edge of wing.… read more
27-30" (69-76 cm). Dusky-brown goose, conspicuous white belly, undertail coverts; white patch on front of face; underparts barred, flecked with black. Bill usually pink; legs orange. Young birds lack white face and black bars on underparts.… read more
15-18" (38-46 cm). Head angular. Head of male glossed with purple, not green. Female dark brown, small white face patch. In flight, white stripe is shorter than that of the Greater Scaup, which extends three-fourths of the wing's length.… read more
18-22" (46-56 cm). Male gray, brick-red head, black breast. Female duller, browner, light area around base of bill. Pale gray wing stripe, pale blue-gray bill. Similar Canvasback has whiter body and sloping forehead and bill.… read more
14-18" (36-46 cm). Male, black back, breast; purple-glossed, black head; pale gray flanks; vertical white mark on side. Female brownish, narrow white eye ring. Bill pale gray with white ring. Angular shape of head, white ring on bill, distinguish from the scaup.… read more
15-20" (38-51 cm). Male has very light gray body, blackish chest, and black-appearing, green-glossed head. Female is a uniform dark brown with white patch at base of bill. Both sexes have long whitish wing stripe. See Lesser Scaup.… read more
19-24" (48-61 cm). Male, whitish body, black chest, reddish head with low forehead. Long bill gives head a distinctive sloping profile. Female grayish, sandy-brown head. At a distance males can be distinguished by their white bodies.… read more
Small races, 22-26" (56-66 cm); large races, 35-45" (89-114 cm). Brownish body with black head, long black neck, conspicuous white cheek patch. The smaller Brant has a shorter neck and lacks white cheek patch.… read more
13-15" (33-38 cm). Male largely white, with black back, black head with greenish, purplish gloss, large white patch from behind eye to top and back of head. Female all dark, with single whitish patch on cheek. Fast flier, with a rapid wingbeat.… read more
16-20" (41-51 cm). Male, white body; black back; black-appearing (glossy greenish) head; round white spot in front of eye. Eye bright yellow. Female grayish, warm brown head, white neck ring, dark bill. Both have large white wing patch, conspicuous in flight.… read more
25-31" (64-79 cm). Pure white, black wing tips; bill pink, black "lips"; legs pink. Dark phase, bluish-gray upperparts, brownish underparts, white head, neck. Blue-phase birds have spread westward, often seen among thousands of white Snow Geese.… read more
Male, 19-22" (48-56 cm); female, 15-17" (38-43 cm). Male, boldly patterned in black, white (mainly white in winter, black in summer), very long, slender central tail feathers. Females, duller, lack long tail feathers. Both show all-dark unpatterned wings in flight.… read more
48-55" (1.2-1.4 m). The most common swan in the West and the only native swan in the East. Large, all white; bill black, usually with small yellow spot in front of eye.… read more
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