Common and Scientific Names
The Common and Scientific Names, as well as the species sequence, follow the Check-list of North American Birds up to, and including, the 64rd supplement (AOU 1998, Chesser et al. 2023).
General Status
Br: a regular breeder in the province. These species do not stay year-round but rather come to the province in the spring to breed, leaving again in the fall. Abundance varies from abundant to scarce or local but all are findable when sought in the right habitat and season. Species with abundance modifiers are usually more difficult to find.
PR: a permanent resident. These species stay in the province year-round. They breed in the province and all or most individuals remain in the province for the winter months. Most of these species move only short distances from their breeding grounds.
Mig: these species only pass through the province. They do not breed or winter regularly in the province.
Some species only pass through the province during the spring or fall migration, or abundance may differ between the two seasons. In this case, the following qualifiers apply:
SMig: spring migration;
FMig: fall migration; F: fall.
WV: a winter visitor, individuals occurring during the winter period but not necessarily remaining all winter.
WR: a winter resident species, individuals arriving in the winter and remaining until they leave for the north in the spring.
Species in which the majority of individuals leave the province for the winter (though on the basis of some individuals remaining could be considered permanent residents) are coded as follows:
W: a species wintering in the province in some numbers but usually lower than during the breeding season.
w: very few individuals winter in the province, species is irregular in winter, or does not winter on an annual basis. It should be noted that more species are attempting to winter in the province.
Acc: an accidental. These species have been documented on fewer than about fifteen occasions in the province. Many of these species are not likely to reoccur, or at best do only infrequently (Br indicates that the species has bred in the province, however).
V: a vagrant. These species have been documented more than about 30 times in the province, but fewer than 50 times. These species are of very irregular occurrence but most are likely to be reported again in the future. Br indicates that the species has bred in the province.
Acc/V: a species that, though it may have been reported more than about 15 times (often by reliable observers), is not well supported by documentation or material evidence. For accidental and vagrant species, we provide the year when that species' occurrence in the province was first confirmed.
Ext: extirpated. A species which no longer occurs in the province.
Int: introduced. A species introduced and now well established in the province.
Abundance qualifiers
vr: very rare, occurs in the province on a near annual basis but is extremely difficult to locate because of very low abundance, localized distribution or secretive nature. Extensive effort and luck is required for an observer to find one of these species in the province.
r: rare, occurs annually and is difficult to find, but numbers are higher than vr or it is less local in distribution.
s: scarce, may breed in low numbers, is difficult to locate because of its habits (secretive, nocturnal), or occupies habitats where it is difficult to observe or find.
l: local, a species which occupies only a very small percentage of available or suitable habitat and which is often known from only a few sites in the province.
u: uncommon.
Erratic: a species whose local abundance fluctuates widely from year to year.
Decl: a species known to be declining in abundance (question mark when it is suspected).
Incr: a species known to be increasing in abundance (a question mark when it is suspected).
