Status & Distribution - Rarities & Accidentals

This listing contains every species that is classified as a rarity (darker green highlight) or an accidental (lighter green highlight) in Virginia Beach. These are birds that have been previously observed within Virginia Beach, but are flagged year-round in eBird since they may occur annually in very low numbers, or less than annually. Some species might be very cryptic (Le Conte's Sparrow), while some might be difficult to differentiate from a similar species (Saltmarsh Sparrow vs. Nelson's, Long-billed vs. Short-billed Dowitcher, etc.). Some species in each category are more 'expected' than others. For example, Eurasian Wigeon or Iceland Gull are essentially annual with 1 or 2 individuals usually observed each winter, while species like Black Rail, may now be completely absent from the county. Due to the unlikelihood of observing each species, documentation is always required in eBird. These species have all been validated by either eBird, the Virginia Avian Records Committee (VARCOM), or both. Geographic distributions for each species may be accessed by selecting the Spatial Distribution links below. The final column, 'Count Charts', provides Population & Seasonal distribution information in the forms of accepted counts during given time frames. Together, the geographic, population, and seasonality comprise the full distribution of each species. If you wish to open multiple maps or charts into your browser, select the links with the roll wheel on your mouse and each will open in a new browser tab.

Filter: All - Permanent Residents - Winter Residents - Summer Residents - Transients - Rarities


Species
Code
Category		 Spatial Distribution
(All Years)		 Temporal
Distribution
Status & Trends
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck BBWD Rarity Map Chart Models
Fulvous Whistling-Duck FUWD Accidental Map Chart Models
Ross's Goose ROGO Rarity Map Chart Models
Greater White-fronted Goose GWFG Rarity Map Chart Models
Cackling Goose CACG Rarity Map Chart Models
Mute Swan MUSW Rarity Map Chart Models
Trumpeter Swan TRUS Accidental Map Chart Models
Garganey GARG Accidental Map Chart Models
Cinnamon Teal CITE Accidental Map Chart Models
Eurasian Wigeon EUWI Rarity Map Chart Models
Tufted Duck TUDU Accidental Map Chart Models
King Eider KIEI Rarity Map Chart Models
Common Eider COEI Rarity Map Chart Models
Harlequin Duck HADU Rarity Map Chart Models
Common Goldeneye COGO Rarity Map Chart Models
Barrow's Goldeneye BAGO Accidental Map Chart Models
Common Merganser COME Rarity Map Chart Models
Northern Bobwhite NOBO Rarity Map Chart Models
Ring-necked Pheasant RNEP Accidental Map Chart Models
Common Ground Dove COGD Accidental Map Chart Models
White-winged Dove WWDO Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-billed Cuckoo BBCU Rarity Map Chart Models
Eastern Whip-poor-will EWPW Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-chinned Hummingbird BCHU Accidental Map Chart Models
Calliope Hummingbird CAHU Accidental Map Chart Models
Rufous Hummingbird RUHU Accidental Map Chart Models
Common Gallinule COGA Rarity Map Chart Models
Purple Gallinule PUGA Rarity Map Chart Models
Yellow Rail YERA Rarity Map Chart Models
Black Rail BLRA Rarity Map Chart Models
Limpkin LIMP Rarity Map Chart Models
Sandhill Crane SACR Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-necked Stilt BNST Rarity Map Chart Models
American Avocet AMAV Rarity Map Chart Models
American Golden-Plover AMGP Rarity Map Chart Models
Northern Lapwing NOLA Accidental Map Chart Models
Wilson's Plover WIPL Rarity Map Chart Models
Upland Sandpiper UPSA Rarity Map Chart Models
Hudsonian Godwit HUGO Rarity Map Chart Models
Marbled Godwit MAGO Rarity Map Chart Models
Long-billed Dowitcher LBDO Rarity Map Chart Models
Wilson's Phalarope WIPH Rarity Map Chart Models
Red Phalarope REPH Rarity Map Chart Models
Red-necked Phalarope RNPH Rarity Map Chart Models
Ruff RUFF Rarity Map Chart Models
Buff-breasted Sandpiper BBSA Rarity Map Chart Models
Baird's Sandpiper BASA Rarity Map Chart Models
Long-tailed Jaeger LTJA Rarity Map Chart Models
Parasitic Jaeger PAJA Rarity Map Chart Models
Pomarine Jaeger POJA Rarity Map Chart Models
Great Skua GRSK Rarity Map Chart Models
Atlantic Puffin ATPU Rarity Map Chart Models
Black Guillemot BLGU Accidental Map Chart Models
Dovekie DOVE Rarity Map Chart Models
Thick-billed Murre TBMU Rarity Map Chart Models
Common Murre COMU Accidental Map Chart Models
Ancient Murrelet ANMU Accidental Map Chart Models
Little Gull LIGU Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-legged Kittiwake BLKI Rarity Map Chart Models
Sabine's Gull SAGU Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-headed Gull BHGU Rarity Map Chart Models
Franklin's Gull FRGU Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-tailed Gull BTGU Accidental Map Chart Models
Heermann's Gull HEEG Accidental Map Chart Models
Yellow-legged Gull YLGU Accidental Map Chart Models
Glaucous Gull GLGU Rarity Map Chart Models
California Gull CAGU Accidental Map Chart Models
Iceland Gull ICGU Rarity Map Chart Models
Sooty Tern SOTE Rarity Map Chart Models
Bridled Tern BRTE Rarity Map Chart Models
Arctic Tern ARTE Rarity Map Chart Models
Roseate Tern ROST Rarity Map Chart Models
Red-necked Grebe RNGR Rarity Map Chart Models
Eared Grebe EAGR Rarity Map Chart Models
Western Grebe WEGR Rarity Map Chart Models
Clark's Grebe CLGR Accidental Map Chart Models
White-tailed Tropicbird WTTR Rarity Map Chart Models
Pacific Loon PALO Rarity Map Chart Models
Atlantic Yellow-nosed Albatross AYNA Accidental Map Chart Models
Wilson's Storm-Petrel WISP Rarity Map Chart Models
Leach's Storm-Petrel LESP Rarity Map Chart Models
Band-rumped Storm-Petrel BRSP Rarity Map Chart Models
Northern Fulmar NOFU Rarity Map Chart Models
Trindade Petrel TRPE Accidental Map Chart Models
Fea's Petrel FEPE Accidental Map Chart Models
Black-capped Petrel BCPE Rarity Map Chart Models
Cory's Shearwater CORS Rarity Map Chart Models
Scopoli's Shearwater SCSH Rarity Map Chart Models
Great Shearwater GRSH Rarity Map Chart Models
Sooty Shearwater SOSH Rarity Map Chart Models
Manx Shearwater MASH Rarity Map Chart Models
Sargasso Shearwater SASH Rarity Map Chart Models
Wood Stork WOST Rarity Map Chart Models
Magnificent Frigatebird MAFR Rarity Map Chart Models
Brown Booby BRBO Rarity Map Chart Models
Masked Booby MABO Accidental Map Chart Models
Great Cormorant GRCO Rarity Map Chart Models
Roseate Spoonbill ROSP Rarity Map Chart Models
American White Pelican AWPE Rarity Map Chart Models
Swallow-tailed Kite STKI Rarity Map Chart Models
Golden Eagle GOEA Rarity Map Chart Models
American Goshawk AGOS Rarity Map Chart Models
Broad-winged Hawk BWHA Rarity Map Chart Models
Rough-legged Hawk RLHA Rarity Map Chart Models
American Barn Owl ABOW Rarity Map Chart Models
Snowy Owl SNOW Rarity Map Chart Models
Short-eared Owl SEOW Rarity Map Chart Models
Northern Saw-whet Owl NSWO Rarity Map Chart Models
Red-cockaded Woodpecker RCWO Accidental Map Chart Models
Crested Caracara CRCA Accidental Map Chart Models
Monk Parakeet MOPA Accidental Map Chart Models
Olive-sided Flycatcher OSFL Accidental Map Chart Models
Western Wood-Pewee WEWP Accidental Map Chart Models
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher YBFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Alder Flycatcher ALFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Willow Flycatcher WIFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Least Flycatcher LEFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Say's Phoebe SAPH Accidental Map Chart Models
Ash-throated Flycatcher ATFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Tropical Kingbird TRKI Accidental Map Chart Models
Western Kingbird WEKI Rarity Map Chart Models
Gray Kingbird GRAK Rarity Map Chart Models
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher STFL Rarity Map Chart Models
Fork-tailed Flycatcher FTFL Accidental Map Chart Models
Yellow-throated Vireo YTVI Rarity Map Chart Models
Philadelphia Vireo PHVI Rarity Map Chart Models
Warbling Vireo WAVI Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-whiskered Vireo BWVI Accidental Map Chart Models
Loggerhead Shrike LOSH Accidental Map Chart Models
Northern Shrike NSHR Accidental Map Chart Models
Common Raven CORA Accidental Map Chart Models
Cliff Swallow CLSW Rarity Map Chart Models
Cave Swallow CASW Rarity Map Chart Models
Rock Wren ROWR Accidental Map Chart Models
Bewick's Wren BEWR Accidental Map Chart Models
Townsend's Solitaire TOSO Accidental Map Chart Models
Varied Thrush VATH Accidental Map Chart Models
Bicknell's Thrush BITH Rarity Map Chart Models
Evening Grosbeak EVGR Accidental Map Chart Models
Redpoll REDP Accidental Map Chart Models
Red Crossbill RECR Accidental Map Chart Models
White-winged Crossbill WWCR Accidental Map Chart Models
Lesser Goldfinch LEGO Accidental Map Chart Models
Lapland Longspur LALO Accidental Map Chart Models
Snow Bunting SNBU Rarity Map Chart Models
Grasshopper Sparrow GRSP Rarity Map Chart Models
Clay-colored Sparrow CCSP Rarity Map Chart Models
Lark Sparrow LASP Rarity Map Chart Models
Lark Bunting LARB Accidental Map Chart Models
American Tree Sparrow ATSP Accidental Map Chart Models
White-crowned Sparrow WCSP Rarity Map Chart Models
Vesper Sparrow VESP Rarity Map Chart Models
LeConte's Sparrow LCSP Rarity Map Chart Models
Henslow's Sparrow HESP Accidental Map Chart Models
Lincoln's Sparrow LISP Rarity Map Chart Models
Green-tailed Towhee GTTO Accidental Map Chart Models
Yellow-headed Blackbird YHBL Rarity Map Chart Models
Bullock's Oriole BUOR Accidental Map Chart Models
Shiny Cowbird SHCO Accidental Map Chart Models
Rusty Blackbird RUBL Rarity Map Chart Models
Brewer's Blackbird BRBL Rarity Map Chart Models
Louisiana Waterthrush LOWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Golden-winged Warbler GWWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Blue-winged Warbler BWWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Swainson's Warbler SWWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Virginia's Warbler VIWA Accidental Map Chart Models
Connecticut Warbler CONW Rarity Map Chart Models
Mourning Warbler MOWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Kentucky Warbler KEWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Kirtland's Warbler KIWA Accidental Map Chart Models
Blackburnian Warbler BLBW Rarity Map Chart Models
Townsend's Warbler TOWA Accidental Map Chart Models
Canada Warbler CAWA Rarity Map Chart Models
Western Tanager WETA Rarity Map Chart Models
Black-headed Grosbeak BHGR Accidental Map Chart Models
Painted Bunting PABU Rarity Map Chart Models
Dickcissel DICK Rarity Map Chart Models

References

Rottenborn, Stephen C. and Edward S. Brinkley (editors). 2007. Virginia’s Birdlife: An Annotated Checklist. Virginia Society of Ornithology. Virginia            Avifauna No. 7.

Sullivan, B.L., C.L. Wood, M.J. Iliff, R.E. Bonney, D. Fink, and S. Kelling. 2009. eBird: a citizen-based bird observation network in the biological sciences. Biological Conservation 142: 2282-2292.