Water birds
There are quite a few different kinds of waterfowl in Connecticut, living in the many lakes, ponds and rivers as well as along such bodies of water and near the southern coast. The snow goose, Canada goose, tundra swan, wood duck, mallard duck, teal, scaup, goldeneye, merganser, cormorant, kingfisher, heron, bittern, loon, grebe, pelican, plover, crane, egret, tern, gull and sandpiper all can be found near Connecticut waters.
Birds of prey
There is no lack of raptors in Connecticut--there are plenty of birds of prey dwelling there. The only raptor in North America that dives into the water to capture fish is the osprey, and the bird has made a dramatic comeback in the state after seeing its population decrease during the 1950s through the 1980s. Kites, northern harriers, goshawks, red-shouldered hawks, red-tailed hawks, rough-legged hawks, bald eagles, merlins, kestrals, peregrine falcons and the Cooper's hawk are frequently spotted in Connecticut. Owls like the barn owl, great horned owl, barred owl, snowy owl and screech owl inhabit the forests and farms of Connecticut as well.
Songbirds and woodpeckers
Purple martins, tree swallows, barn swallows, bank swallows and cliff swallows represent the swallow family in Connecticut. Chickadees, tufted titmouse, both red and white breasted nuthatches, cardinals, blue jays, crows, ravens, juncos, sparrows, northern flickers, downy woodpeckers, red-headed woodpeckers, hairy woodpeckers, yellow-bellied sapsuckers and mourning doves will all spend the winter in the state and eschew heading south. Kinglets, thrushes, wrens, mockingbirds, catbirds, starlings, warblers, waxwings, buntings, tanagers, grosbeaks, bobolinks, orioles, blackbirds, finches, vireos, flycatchers, shrikes and hummingbirds are all observed by those that enjoy bird-watching in Connecticut.
Game birds
Turkeys have made a remarkable rebound in Connecticut, with this bird being seen in every one of the 169 towns in the state. The turkey was nearly extinct in Connecticut, but the Department of Environmental Protection released over 350 birds during a 17-year period between 1975 and 1992, repopulating the species to the point that the bird can be hunted now without even putting a dent in their numbers. Other birds that hunters will attempt to bring down during open seasons are the bobwhite, the ring necked pheasant and the fast flying ruffed grouse.
