Birds? Chicks? In Middle English, a maiden was called a "burde" and a feathered flying critter was called a "brydde" – so misunderstanding is understanding!
Here i present a list of all members of the animal kingdom, phylum: Chordata, subphylum: Vertebrata, class: AVES that i have observed around my dwelling. These critters are commonly referred to as birds, currently thought to be the descendants of dinosaurs (for those of us who don't think the world began 6000 years ago). i group them zoologically. Maroon-colored species are non-indigenous, introduced by humans. This has been typically at the expense of native species, especially swallows, which share similar nesting areas.
All photos come from the 1993 Audobon Society field guide. Mouse over the eyes for additional information. Click on an eye to see the (hopefully corresponding) photo. Then "browse" back here to continue. Fun!
My habitat, as it were, for the below list is a heavily developed, asphalt-covered, pesticide-lawned suburban crapheap just north of Boston, but there are patchwork marshy areas, mostly along drainage routes, including freshwater streams and briny tidal fens. The seaside is about a half-mile away, and most of my observing is done on a hilltop, next to a small undeveloped (forested) cliff area, where my aerie is.
| ORDER | FAMILY | Genus | species | Common Name |
| FALCONIFORMES | FALCONIDAE (falcons, caracaras) | Falco |  sparverius | American Kestrel |
| ACCIPITRIDAE (hawks, eagles, harriers, kites) | Accipiter |  cooperii | Cooper's Hawk | |
| Buteo |  lineatus | Red-shouldered Hawk | ||
 jamaicensis | Red-tailed Hawk | |||
| COLUMBIFORMES | COLUMBIDAE (pigeons, doves) | Zenaidura |  carolinensis | Mourning Dove |
| Columba |  livia | Rock Dove | ||
| PLOCEIDAE (weaver finches) | Passer |  domesticus | House Sparrow |
| STURNIDAE (starlings) | Sturnus |  vulgaris | Starling | |
| FRINGILLIDAE (grosbeaks, buntings, finches, sparrows) | Cardinalis |  cardinalis | Cardinal | |
| Pheucticus |  ludovicianus | Rose-breasted Grosbeak | ||
| Pipilo |  erythrophthalmus | Rufous-sided Towhee | ||
| Carduelis |  tristis | American Goldfinch | ||
| Carpodacus |  mexicanus | House Finch | ||
| Junco |  hyemalis | Dark-eyed Junco | ||
| Melospiza |  melodia | Song Sparrow | ||
| Passerella |  iliaca | Fox Sparrow | ||
| Spizella |  arborea | Tree Sparrow | ||
 passerina | Chipping Sparrow | |||
| Zonotrichia |  albicollis | White-throated Sparrow | ||
 leucophrys | White-crowned Sparrow | |||
| TURDIDAE (thrushes) | Turdus |  migratorius | American Robin | |
| Hylocichla |  mustelina | Wood Thrush | ||
| PARIDAE (titmice, verdins) | Parus |  atricapillus | Black-capped Chickadee | |
| Lophophanes |  bicolor | Tufted Titmouse | ||
| PARULIDAE (wood warblers) | Dendroica |  magnolia | Magnolia Warbler | |
| Geothlypas |  trichas | Common Yellowthroat | ||
| CORVIDAE (crows, jays, magpies) | Corvus |  brachyrhyncos | Common Crow | |
| Cyanocitta |  cristata | Blue Jay | ||
| MIMIDAE (mockingbirds, thrashers) | Dumetella |  carolinensis | Gray Catbird | |
| Mimus |  polyglottos | Mockingbird | ||
| ICTERIDAE (blackbirds, orioles) | Agelaius |  phoeniceus | Red-winged Blackbird | |
| Molothrus |  ater | Brown-headed Cowbird | ||
| Quiscalus |  quiscula | Common Grackle | ||
| BOMBYCILLIDAE (waxwings) | Bombycilla |  cedrorum | Cedar Waxwing | |
| HIRUNDINIDAE (swallows) | Hirundo |  rustica | Barn Swallow | |
| Iridoprocne |  bicolor | Tree Swallow | ||
| SITTIDAE (nuthatches) | Sitta |  carolinensis | White-breasted Nuthatch | |
| PICIDAE (woodpeckers) | Picoides |  pubescens | Downy Woodpecker | |
 villosus | Hairy Woodpecker | |||
| Colaptes |  auratus | Common Flicker | ||
| CHARADRIIFORMES | CHARADRIIDAE (plovers) | Charadrius |  melodus | Piping Plover |
| Pluvialis |  squatarola | Black-bellied Plover | ||
| LARIDAE (gulls, terns) | Larus |  argentatus | Herring Gull | |
 atricilla | Laughing Gull | |||
 delawarensis | Ring-billed Gull | |||
 marinus | Great Black-backed Gull | |||
| Sterna |  hirundo | Common Tern | ||
 paradisaea | Arctic Tern | |||
| SCOLOPACIDAE (sandpipers) | Actitus |  macularia | Spotted Sandpiper | |
| Catoptrophorus |  semipalmatus | Willet | ||
| PELECANIFORMES | PHALACROCORACIDAE (cormorants) | Phalacrocorax |  auritus | Double-crested Cormorant |
| CICONIIFORMES | ARDEIDAE (herons, bitterns) | Botaurus |  lentiginosus | American Bittern |
| Casmerodius |  albus | Great Egret | ||
| Egretta |  thula | Snowy Egret | ||
| Nycticorax |  nycticorax | Black-crowned Night Heron | ||
| ANSERIFORMES | ANATIDAE (swans, geese, ducks) | Branta |  canadensis | Canada Goose |
| DRAGONIFORMES | DRACOIDAE (true dragons) | Draco |  conneryensis | Large Brown Dragon |
