Bird Species Code Abbreviations

This table shows bird abbreviations for all non-extinct bird species that have been recorded in Massachusetts. The first column shows common names in the current AOU Checklist order. The second column shows the abbreviations I use in my journals; these abbreviations were invented around 1973 before I knew about the bird banders codes. The third column shows the bird banders abbreviations. The fourth column show the codes established by the Bird Observer for reporting bird sightings from Massachusetts and New England.

Fulvous Whistling-Duck

FuWD FUWD  

Greater White-fronted Goose

GWGo GWFG GWFG

Snow Goose

SnGo SNGO SNGO

Ross's Goose

RoGo ROGO  

Brant

Brnt BRAN BRAN

Barnacle Goose

BaGo BARG  

Cackling Goose

CkGo CACG  

Canada Goose

CaGo CANG CAGO

Mute Swan

MuSn MUSW MUSW

Trumpeter Swan

TrSn TRUS  

Tundra Swan

TuSn TUSW TUSW

Whooper Swan

WpSn WHOS WHSW

Wood Duck

WoDk WODU WODU

Gadwall

Gadw GADW GADW

Eurasian Wigeon

EWig EUWI EUWI

American Wigeon

AWig AMWI AMWI

American Black Duck

ABDk ABDU ABDU

Mallard

Mall MALL MALL

Blue-winged Teal

BWTl BWTE BWTE

Cinnamon Teal

CiTl CITE  

Northern Shoveler

NShv NSHO NSHO

Northern Pintail

NPnt NOPI NOPI

Garganey

Garg GARG  

Green-winged Teal

GWTl GWTE GWTE

Canvasback

Canv CANV CANV

Redhead

Redh REDH REDH

Ring-necked Duck

RNDk RNDU RNDU

Tufted Duck

TfDk TUDU TUDU

Greater Scaup

GScp GRSC GRSC

Lesser Scaup

LScp LESC LESC

King Eider

KiEi KIEI KIEI

Common Eider

CoEi COEI COEI

Harlequin Duck

HaDk HADU HADU

Surf Scoter

SuSc SUSC SUSC

White-winged Scoter

WWSc WWSC WWSC

Black Scoter

BkSc BLSC BLSC

Long-tailed Duck

LTDk LTDU LTDU

Bufflehead

Buff BUFF BUFF

Common Goldeneye

CGld COGO COGO

Barrow's Goldeneye

BGld BAGO BAGO

Hooded Merganser

HoMg HOME HOME

Common Merganser

CoMg COME COME

Red-breasted Merganser

RBMg RBME RBME

Masked Duck

MaDk MADU  

Ruddy Duck

RuDk RUDU RUDU

Ring-necked Pheasant

RNPh RNEP RIPH

Ruffed Grouse

RfGr RUGR RUGR

Wild Turkey

WTrk WITU WITU

Northern Bobwhite

NBob NOBO NOBO

Red-throated Loon

RTLn RTLO RTLO

Pacific Loon

PaLn PALO  

Common Loon

CoLn COLO COLO

Pied-billed Grebe

PBGb PBGR PBGR

Horned Grebe

HoGb HOGR HOGR

Red-necked Grebe

RNGb RNGR RNGR

Eared Grebe

EaGb EAGR EAGR

Western Grebe

WeGb WEGR  

Yellow-nosed Albatross

YNAl YNAL  

Black-browed Albatross

BBAl BBAL  

Northern Fulmar

NFul NOFU NOFU

Black-capped Petrel

BCPe BCPE  

Cory's Shearwater

CoSh COSH COSH

Greater Shearwater

GrSh GRSH GRSH

Sooty Shearwater

SoSh SOSH SOSH

Manx Shearwater

MxSh MASH MASH

Audubon's Shearwater

AuSh AUSH AUSH

Wilson's Storm-Petrel

WiSP WISP WISP

White-faced Storm-Petrel

WFSP WFSP  

Leach's Storm-Petrel

LcSP LESP LESP

Band-rumped Storm-Petrel

BRSP BSTP  

White-tailed Tropicbird

WTTp WTTR  

Red-billed Tropicbird

RBTp RBTR  

Brown Booby

BrBb BRBO  

Northern Gannet

NGan NOGA NOGA

American White Pelican

APel AWPE AWPE

Brown Pelican

BPel BRPE  

Double-crested Cormorant

DCCm DCCO DCCO

Great Cormorant

GrCm GRCO GRCO

Anhinga

Anhi ANHI  

Magnificent Frigatebird

MFri MAFR  

American Bittern

ABit AMBI AMBI

Least Bittern

LBit LEBI LEBI

Great Blue Heron

GBHn GBHE GBHE

Great Egret

GrEg GREG GREG

Little Egret

LiEg LIEG  

Western Reef-Heron

WeRH WERH  

Snowy Egret

SnEg SNEG SNEG

Little Blue Heron

LBHn LBHE LBHE

Tricolored Heron

TrHn TRHE TCHE

Reddish Egret

ReEg REEG  

Cattle Egret

CaEg CAEG CAEG

Green Heron

GnHn GRHE GRHE

Black-crowned Night-Heron

BCNH BCNH BCNH

Yellow-crowned Night-Heron

YCNH YCNH YCNH

White Ibis

WhIb WHIB  

Glossy Ibis

GlIb GLIB GLIB

White-faced Ibis

WFIb WFIB  

Wood Stork

WStk WOST  

Black Vulture

BVul BLVU BLVU

Turkey Vulture

TVul TUVU TUVU

Osprey

Ospr OSPR OSPR

Swallow-tailed Kite

SWKt STKI  

White-tailed Kite

WTKt WTKI  

Mississippi Kite

MiKt MIKI MIKI

Bald Eagle

BEag BAEA BAEA

White-tailed Eagle

WEag WTEA  

Northern Harrier

NHar NOHA NOHA

Sharp-shinned Hawk

SSHw SSHA SSHA

Cooper's Hawk

CoHw COHA COHA

Northern Goshawk

NGos NOGO NOGO

Red-shouldered Hawk

RSHw RSHA RSHA

Broad-winged Hawk

BWHw BWHA BWHA

Swainson's Hawk

SwHw SWHA  

Red-tailed Hawk

RTHw RTHA RTHA

Rough-legged Hawk

RLHw RLHA RLHA

Golden Eagle

GEag GOEA GOEA

Eurasian Kestrel

EKes EUKE  

American Kestrel

AKes AMKE AMKE

Red-footed Falcon

RFFa    

Merlin

Merl MERL MERL

Gyrfalcon

Gyrf GYRF GYRF

Peregrine Falcon

PeFa PEFA PEFA

Yellow Rail

YeRa YERA  

Black Rail

BkRa BLRA  

Clapper Rail

ClRa CLRA CLRA

King Rail

KiRa KIRA KIRA

Virginia Rail

VaRa VIRA VIRA

Sora

Sora SORA SORA

Purple Gallinule

PGal PUGA  

Common Moorhen

CMor COMO COMO

American Coot

ACot AMCO AMCO

Sandhill Crane

SCrn SACR  

Northern Lapwing

NLap NOLA  

Black-bellied Plover

BBPv BBPL BBPL

American Golden-Plover

AGPv AMGP AGPL

Pacific Golden-Plover

PGPv PAGP  

Snowy Plover

SnPv SNPL  

Wilson's Plover

WiPv WIPL  

Common Ringed Plover

CRPv CRPL  

Semipalmated Plover

SePv SEPL SEPL

Piping Plover

PiPv PIPL PIPL

Killdeer

Kill KILL KILL

Mountain Plover

MtPv MOPL  

American Oystercatcher

AOys AMOY AMOY

Black-necked Stilt

BNSt BNST BNST

American Avocet

AAvo AMAV AMAV

Greater Yellowlegs

GYel GRYE GRYE

Lesser Yellowlegs

LYel LEYE LEYE

Spotted Redshank

SpRs SPRE  

Solitary Sandpiper

SoSa SOSA SOSA

Willet

Will WILL WILL

Wandering Tattler

WTat WATA  

Spotted Sandpiper

SpSa SPSA SPSA

Terek Sandpiper

TeSa TESA  

Upland Sandpiper

UpSa UPSA UPSA

Eskimo Curlew

EsCl ESCU  

Whimbrel

Whim WHIM WHIM

Eurasian Curlew

EuCl EUCU  

Long-billed Curlew

LBCl LBCU LBCU

Black-tailed Godwit

BkGd BTGD BKTG

Hudsonian Godwit

HuGd HUGO HUGO

Bar-tailed Godwit

BTGd BTGO BRTG

Marbled Godwit

MaGd MAGO MAGO

Ruddy Turnstone

RTrn RUTU

RUTU

Red Knot

RKnt REKN REKN

Sanderling

Sand SAND SAND

Semipalmated Sandpiper

SeSa SESA SESA

Western Sandpiper

WeSa WESA WESA

Red-necked Stint

RNSt RNST  

Little Stint

LiSt LIST  

Least Sandpiper

LsSa LESA LESA

White-rumped Sandpiper

WRSa WRSA WRSA

Baird's Sandpiper

BaSa BASA BASA

Pectoral Sandpiper

PeSa PESA PESA

Sharp-tailed Sandpiper

STSa SPTS  

Purple Sandpiper

PuSa PUSA PUSA

Dunlin

Dunl DUNL DUNL

Curlew Sandpiper

CuSa CUSA CUSA

Stilt Sandpiper

StSa STSA STSA

Broad-billed Sandpiper

BrSa BBIS  

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

BBSa BBSA BBSA

Ruff

Ruff RUFF RUFF

Short-billed Dowitcher

SBDw SBDO SBDO

Long-billed Dowitcher

LBDw LBDO LBDO

Wilson's Snipe

WSnp WISN WISN

American Woodcock

AWod AMWO AMWO

Wilson's Phalarope

WiPr WIPH WIPH

Red-necked Phalarope

RNPr RNPH RNPH

Red Phalarope

RePr REPH REPH

Great Skua

GSku GRSK  

South Polar Skua

SSku SPSK  

Pomarine Jaeger

PoJg POJA POJA

Parasitic Jaeger

PaJg PAJA PAJA

Long-tailed Jaeger

LTJg LTJA LTJA

Laughing Gull

LaGu LAGU LAGU

Franklin's Gull

FrGu FRGU FRGU

Little Gull

LiGu LIGU LIGU

Black-headed Gull

BHGu BHGU BHGU

Bonaparte's Gull

BoGu BOGU BOGU

Mew Gull

MeGu MEGU MEGU

Ring-billed Gull

RBGu RBGU RBGU

California Gull

CaGu CAGU  

Herring Gull

HeGu HERG HEGU

Yellow-legged Gull

YLGu YLGU  

Thayer's Gull

ThGu THGU  

Iceland Gull

IcGu ICGU ICGU

Lesser Black-backed Gull

LBGu LBBG LBBG

Glaucous Gull

GlGu GLGU GLGU

Great Black-backed Gull

GBGu GBBG GBBG

Sabine's Gull

SaGu SAGU  

Black-legged Kittiwake

BLKw BLKI BLKI

Ross's Gull

RoGu ROGU  

Ivory Gull

IvGu IVGU  

Gull-billed Tern

GBTn GBTE  

Caspian Tern

CaTn CATE CATE

Royal Tern

RyTn ROYT ROYT

Elegant Tern

ElTn ELTE  

Sandwich Tern

SaTn SATE  

Roseate Tern

RsTn ROST ROST

Common Tern

CoTn COTE COTE

Arctic Tern

ArTn ARTE ARTE

Forster's Tern

FoTn FOTE FOTE

Least Tern

LsTn LETE LETE

Bridled Tern

BrTn BRTE  

Sooty Tern

SoTn SOTE  

White-winged Tern

WWTn WWTE  

Black Tern

BkTn BLTE BLTE

Brown Noddy

BrNd BRNO  

Black Skimmer

BSkm BLSK BLSK

Dovekie

Dove DOVE DOVE

Common Murre

CoMr COMU COMU

Thick-billed Murre

TBMr TBMU TBMU

Razorbill

Razo RAZO RAZO

Black Guillemot

BGui BLGU BLGU

Long-billed Murrelet

LBMl LBMU  

Ancient Murrelet

AnMl ANMU  

Atlantic Puffin

APuf ATPU ATPU

Rock Pigeon

RoPg ROPI RODO

Band-tailed Pigeon

BTPg BTPI  

White-winged Dove

WWDv WWDO  

Mourning Dove

MoDv MODO MODO

Common Ground-Dove

CoGD COGD  

Monk Parakeet

MoPk MOPA MOPA

Common Cuckoo

CoCu COCU  

Black-billed Cuckoo

BBCu BBCU BBCU

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

YBCu YBCU YBCU

Barn Owl

BrOw BANO BNOW

Eastern Screech-Owl

ESOw EASO ESOW

Great Horned Owl

GHOw GHOW GHOW

Snowy Owl

SnOw SNOW SNOW

Northern Hawk Owl

NHOw NHOW  

Northern Pygmy-Owl

NPOw NOPO  

Burrowing Owl

BuOw BUOW  

Barred Owl

BaOw BADO BDOW

Great Gray Owl

GGOw GGOW  

Long-eared Owl

LEOw LEOW LEOW

Short-eared Owl

SEOw SEOW SEOW

Boreal Owl

BoOw BOOW  

Northern Saw-whet Owl

NSOw NSWO NSWO

Common Nighthawk

CNhw CONI CONI

Chuck-will's-widow

ChWW CWWI CHUC

Whip-poor-will

Whip WPWI WHIP

Chimney Swift

ChSf CHSW CHSW

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

RThH RTHU RTHU

Black-chinned Hummingbird

BChH BCHU  

Calliope Hummingbird

CalH CAHU  

Rufous Hummingbird

RufH RUHU RUHU

Allen's Hummingbird

AllH ALHU  

Belted Kingfisher

BKnf BEKI BEKI

Lewis's Woodpecker

LeWo LEWO  

Red-headed Woodpecker

RHWo RHWO RHWO

Red-bellied Woodpecker

RBWo RBWO RBWO

Yellow-bellied Sapsucker

YBSs YBSA YBSA

Downy Woodpecker

DoWo DOWO DOWO

Hairy Woodpecker

HaWo HAWO HAWO

American Three-toed Woodpecker

ATWo ATTW  

Black-backed Woodpecker

BBWo BBWO  

Northern Flicker

NFlk NOFL NOFL

Pileated Woodpecker

PiWo PIWO PIWO

Olive-sided Flycatcher

OSFy OSFL OSFL

Western Wood-Pewee

WWPw WEWP  

Eastern Wood-Pewee

EWPw EAWP EAWP

Yellow-bellied Flycatcher

YBFy YBFL YBFL

Acadian Flycatcher

AcFy ACFL ACFL

Alder Flycatcher

AlFy ALFL ALFL

Willow Flycatcher

WiFy WIFL WIFL

Least Flycatcher

LsFy LEFL LEFL

Hammond's Flycatcher

HaFy HAFL  

Gray Flycatcher

GyFy GRFL  

Eastern Phoebe

EPbe EAPH EAPH

Say's Phoebe

SPbe SAPH  

Vermilion Flycatcher

VeFy VEFL  

Ash-throated Flycatcher

ATFy ATFL  

Great Crested Flycatcher

GCFy GCFL GCFL

Tropical Kingbird

TrKb TRKI  

Couch's Kingbird

CoKb COKI  

Cassin's Kingbird

CaKb CAKI  

Western Kingbird

WeKb WEKI WEKI

Eastern Kingbird

EaKb EAKI EAKI

Gray Kingbird

GyKb GRAK  

Scissor-tailed Flycatcher

STFy STFL STFL

Fork-tailed Flycatcher

FTFy FTFL  

Loggerhead Shrike

LShr LOSH  

Northern Shrike

NShr NSHR NSHR

White-eyed Vireo

WEVi WEVI WEVI

Yellow-throated Vireo

YTVi YTVI YTVI

Blue-headed Vireo

BHVi BHVI BHVI

Warbling Vireo

WaVi WAVI WAVI

Philadelphia Vireo

PhVi PHVI PHVI

Red-eyed Vireo

REVi REVI REVI

Gray Jay

GrJy GRAJ  

Blue Jay

BlJy BLJA BLJA

Eurasian Jackdaw

EJdw EUJA  

American Crow

ACro AMCR AMCR

Fish Crow

FCro FICR FICR

Common Raven

CRav CORA CORA

Horned Lark

HLrk HOLA HOLA

Purple Martin

PMar PUMA PUMA

Brown-chested Martin

BMar BCMA  

Tree Swallow

TrSw TRES TRSW

Violet-green Swallow

VGSw VGSW  

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

NRSw NRWS NRWS

Bank Swallow

BkSw BANS BANS

Cliff Swallow

ClSw CLSW CLSW

Cave Swallow

CvSw CASW  

Barn Swallow

BrSw BARS BARS

Black-capped Chickadee

BCCh BCCH BCCH

Boreal Chickadee

BoCh BOCH BOCH

Tufted Titmouse

TfTm TUTI TUTI

Red-breasted Nuthatch

RBNh RBNU RBNU

White-breasted Nuthatch

WBNh WBNU WBNU

Brown Creeper

BCrp BRCR BRCR

Rock Wren

RoWn ROWR  

Carolina Wren

CaWn CARW CAWR

Bewick's Wren

BeWn BEWR  

House Wren

HoWn HOWR HOWR

Winter Wren

WiWn WIWR WIWR

Sedge Wren

SeWn SEWR SEWR

Marsh Wren

MaWn MAWR MAWR

Golden-crowned Kinglet

GCKl GCKI GCKI

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

RCKl RCKI RCKI

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher

BGGn BGGN BGGN

Northern Wheatear

NWht NOWH  

Eastern Bluebird

EBlu EABL EABL

Mountain Bluebird

MBlu MOBL  

Townsend's Solitaire

TSol TOSO  

Veery

Veer VEER VEER

Gray-cheeked Thrush

GCTh GCTH GCTH

Bicknell's Thrush

BiTh BITH BITH

Swainson's Thrush

SwTh SWTH SWTH

Hermit Thrush

HeTh HETH HETH

Wood Thrush

WoTh WOTH WOTH

Fieldfare

Fiel FIEL  

American Robin

ARob AMRO AMRO

Varied Thrush

VaTh VATH  

Gray Catbird

GCat GRCA GRCA

Northern Mockingbird

NMck NOMO NOMO

Sage Thrasher

SaTr SATH  

Brown Thrasher

BrTr BRTH BRTH

European Starling

EStr EUST EUST

American Pipit

APip AMPI AMPI

Sprague's Pipit

SPip SPPI  

Bohemian Waxwing

BWax BOWA BOWA

Cedar Waxwing

CWax CEDW CWAX

Phainopepla

Phai PHAI  

Blue-winged Warbler

BWiW BWWA BWWA

Golden-winged Warbler

GWiW GWWA GWWA

Tennessee Warbler

TenW TEWA TEWA

Orange-crowned Warbler

OCrW OCWA OCWA

Nashville Warbler

NshW NAWA NAWA

Lucy's Warbler

LucW LUWA  

Northern Parula

NPar NOPA NOPA

Yellow Warbler

YelW YWAR YEWA

Chestnut-sided Warbler

CSiW CSWA CSWA

Magnolia Warbler

MagW MAWA MAWA

Cape May Warbler

CMyW CMWA CMWA

Black-throated Blue Warbler

BBlW BTBW BTBW

Yellow-rumped Warbler

YRmW YRWA YRWA

Black-throated Gray Warbler

BGyW BTYW  

Black-throated Green Warbler

BGnW BTNW BTGW

Townsend's Warbler

TwnW TOWA  

Hermit Warbler

HerW HEWA  

Blackburnian Warbler

BkbW BLBW BKBW

Yellow-throated Warbler

YThW YTWA YTWA

Pine Warbler

PinW PIWA PIWA

Prairie Warbler

PraW PRAW PRAW

Palm Warbler

PlmW PAWA PAWA

Bay-breasted Warbler

BBrW BBWA BBWA

Blackpoll Warbler

BkpW BLPW BKPW

Cerulean Warbler

CerW CERW CERW

Black-and-white Warbler

BAWW BAWW BAWW

American Redstart

ARed AMRE AMRE

Prothonotary Warbler

ProW PROW PROW

Worm-eating Warbler

WEaW WEWA WEWA

Swainson's Warbler

SwaW SWWA  

Ovenbird

Oven OVEN OVEN

Northern Waterthrush

NWth NOWA NOWA

Louisiana Waterthrush

LWth LOWA LOWA

Kentucky Warbler

KenW KEWA KEWA

Connecticut Warbler

ConW CONW COWA

Mourning Warbler

MouW MOWA MOWA

MacGillivray's Warbler

McgW MGWA  

Common Yellowthroat

CYth COYE COYE

Hooded Warbler

HodW HOWA HOWA

Wilson's Warbler

WilW WIWA WIWA

Canada Warbler

CanW CAWA CAWA

Painted Redstart

PRed PARE  

Yellow-breasted Chat

YBCh YBCH YBCH

Summer Tanager

SuTg SUTA SUTA

Scarlet Tanager

ScTg SCTA SCTA

Western Tanager

WeTg WETA  

Green-tailed Towhee

GTow GTTO  

Spotted Towhee

STow SPTO  

Eastern Towhee

ETow EATO EATO

American Tree Sparrow

ATSp ATSP ATSP

Chipping Sparrow

ChSp CHSP CHSP

Clay-colored Sparrow

CCSp CCSP CCSP

Brewer's Sparrow

BrSp BRSP  

Field Sparrow

FiSp FISP FISP

Vesper Sparrow

VeSp VESP VESP

Lark Sparrow

LkSp LASP LASP

Lark Bunting

LkBn LARB  

Savannah Sparrow

SvSp SAVS SASP

Grasshopper Sparrow

GrSp GRSP GRSP

Henslow's Sparrow

HeSp HESP  

Le Conte's Sparrow

LCSp LCSP LCSP

Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow

NSSp NSTS NSTS

Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow

SSSp SSTS SSTS

Seaside Sparrow

SsSp SESP SESP

Fox Sparrow

FxSp FOSP FOSP

Song Sparrow

SoSp SOSP SOSP

Lincoln's Sparrow

LiSp LISP LISP

Swamp Sparrow

SwSp SWSP SWSP

White-throated Sparrow

WTSp WTSP WTSP

Harris's Sparrow

HaSp HASP  

White-crowned Sparrow

WCSp WCSP WCSP

Golden-crowned Sparrow

GCSp GCSP  

Dark-eyed Junco

DEJn DEJU DEJU

McCown's Longspur

McLs MCLO  

Lapland Longspur

LaLs LALO LALO

Smith's Longspur

SmLs SMLO  

Chestnut-collared Longspur

CCLs CCLO  

Snow Bunting

SnBn SNBU SNBU

Northern Cardinal

NCrd NOCA NOCA

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

RBGs RBGR RBGR

Black-headed Grosbeak

BHGs BHGR  

Blue Grosbeak

BlGs BLGR BLGR

Lazuli Bunting

LzBn LAZB  

Indigo Bunting

InBn INBU INBU

Painted Bunting

PaBn PABU  

Dickcissel

Dick DICK DICK

Bobolink

Bobo BOBO BOBO

Red-winged Blackbird

RWBk RWBL RWBL

Eastern Meadowlark

EMea EAME EAME

Western Meadowlark

WMea WEME  

Yellow-headed Blackbird

YHBk YHBL YHBL

Rusty Blackbird

RuBk RUBL RUBL

Brewer's Blackbird

BrBk BRBL  

Common Grackle

CoGk COGR COGR

Shiny Cowbird

ShCw SHCO  

Brown-headed Cowbird

BHCw BHCO BHCO

Orchard Oriole

OrOr OROR OROR

Bullock's Oriole

BuOr BUOR  

Baltimore Oriole

BaOr BAOR BAOR

Common Chaffinch

CChf COCH  

Brambling

Bram BRAM  

Pine Grosbeak

PiGs PIGR PIGR

Purple Finch

PuFn PUFI PUFI

House Finch

HoFn HOFI HOFI

Red Crossbill

ReCs RECR RECR

White-winged Crossbill

WWCs WWCR WWCR

Common Redpoll

CRed CORE CORE

Hoary Redpoll

HRed HORE  

Pine Siskin

PSis PISI PISI

American Goldfinch

AmGf AMGO AMGO

Evening Grosbeak

EvGs EVGR EVGR

House Sparrow

HoSp HOSP HOSP