The Canadian province of Prince Edward Island's Department of Agriculture and Forestry most recently published its Field Checklist of Birds in 2014, identifying 369 species of birds observed in the province. Of them, 78 are accidental, 38 are occasional, and 13 are hypothetical as defined below. Two species were introduced to Prince Edward Island and another four were introduced elsewhere in North America.
This list is presented in the taxonomic sequence of the Check-list of North and Middle American Birds, 7th edition through the 62nd Supplement, published by the American Ornithological Society (AOS). Common and scientific names are also those of the Check-list, except that Canadian English spellings are used and the common names of families are from the Clements taxonomy because the AOS list does not include them.
The following tags are used to categorise some species. The DAF Checklist provides abundance codes by season, and species may be abundant in one season and accidental in another. Therefore, an (A), (O), or (H) code is used here when a "higher" code does not also apply.
(A) Accidental - "9 or fewer records per century" per the DAF Checklist
(O) Occasional - "seen only 1 - 9 times per decade" per the DAF Checklist
(H) Hypothetical - "unconfirmed sighting report or bird of unconfirmed origin" per the DAF Checklist (I) Introduced - "Introduced to Prince Edward Island and now established as a breeding population" per the DAF Checklist (INA) North America - Introduced to North America but not directly to Prince Edward Island
Ducks, geese, and waterfowl
Order: AnseriformesFamily: Anatidae
Anatidae includes the ducks and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and swans. These birds are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet, bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils.
Fulvous whistling-duck, Dendrocygna bicolor (A) Snow goose, Anser caerulescens Ross's goose, Anser rossii (O) Greater white-fronted goose, Anser albifrons Pink-footed goose, Anser brachyrhynchus (A) Brant, Branta bernicla Barnacle goose, Branta leucopsis (A) Cackling goose, Branta hutchinsii Canada goose, Branta canadensis Trumpeter swan, Cygnus buccinator (H) Tundra swan, Cygnus columbianus (A) Wood duck, Aix sponsa Garganey, Spatula querquedula (A) Blue-winged teal, Spatula discors Northern shoveler, Spatula clypeata Gadwall, Mareca strepera Eurasian wigeon, Mareca penelope American wigeon, Mareca americana Mallard, Anas platyrhynchos American black duck, Anas rubripes Northern pintail, Anas acuta Green-winged teal, Anas crecca Canvasback, Aythya valisineria Redhead, Aythya americana Ring-necked duck, Aythya collaris Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (A) Greater scaup, Aythya marila Lesser scaup, Aythya affinis King eider, Somateria spectabilis Common eider, Somateria mollissima Harlequin duck, Histrionicus histrionicus Surf scoter, Melanitta perspicillata White-winged scoter, Melanitta deglandi Black scoter, Melanitta americana Long-tailed duck, Clangula hyemalis Bufflehead, Bucephala albeola Common goldeneye, Bucephala clangula Barrow's goldeneye, Bucephala islandica Hooded merganser, Lophodytes cucullatus Common merganser, Mergus merganser Red-breasted merganser, Mergus serrator Ruddy duck, Oxyura jamaicensis
Pheasants, grouse, and allies
Order: GalliformesFamily: Phasianidae
Phasianidae consists of the pheasants and their allies. These are terrestrial species, variable in size but generally plump with broad relatively short wings. Many species are gamebirds or have been domesticated as a food source for humans.
Ruffed grouse, Bonasa umbellus
Spruce grouse, Canachites canadensis (I) (Extirpated) Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus Grey partridge, Perdix perdix (INA) Ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus (I)
Grebes
Order: PodicipediformesFamily: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large freshwater diving birds. They have lobed toes and are excellent swimmers and divers. However, they have their feet placed far back on the body, making them quite ungainly on land.
Pied-billed grebe, Podilymbus podiceps
Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus
Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena
Eared grebe, Podiceps nigricollis (A)
