Order: StrigiformesFamily: Tytonidae Barn-owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. One species has been recorded in Maryland. Barn owl, Tyto alba Owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae The typical owls are small-to-large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak, and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk. Eight species have been recorded in Maryland. Eastern screech-owl, Megascops asio Great horned owl, Bubo virginianus Snowy owl, Bubo scandiacus Burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia (R) Barred owl, Strix varia Long-eared owl, Asio otus Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus Northern saw-whet owl, Aegolius acadicus Kingfishers Order: CoraciiformesFamily: Alcedinidae Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs, and stubby tails. One species has been recorded in Maryland. Belted kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon Woodpeckers Order: PiciformesFamily: Picidae Woodpeckers are small- to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails, and long tongues used for capturing insects. Some species have feet with two toes pointing forward and two backward, while several species have only three toes. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. Eight species have been recorded in Maryland. Red-headed woodpecker, Melanerpes erythrocephalus Red-bellied woodpecker, Melanerpes carolinus Yellow-bellied sapsucker, Sphyrapicus varius Downy woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens Red-cockaded woodpecker, Dryobates borealis (R) Hairy woodpecker, Dryobates villosus Northern flicker, Colaptes auratus Pileated woodpecker, Dryocopus pileatus Falcons and caracaras Order: FalconiformesFamily: Falconidae Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey, notably the falcons and caracaras. They differ from hawks, eagles, and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons. Five species have been recorded in Maryland. Crested caracara, Caracara plancus (R) American kestrel, Falco sparverius Merlin, Falco columbarius Gyrfalcon, Falco rusticolus (R) Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus New World and African parrots Order: PsittaciformesFamily: Psittacidae Parrots are small-to-large birds with a characteristic curved beak. Their upper mandibles have slight mobility in the joint with the skull and they have a generally erect stance. All parrots are zygodactyl, having the four toes on each foot placed two at the front and two to the back. Most of the more than 150 species in this family are found in the New World. Two species have been recorded in Maryland. Carolina parakeet, Conuropsis carolinensis (Xt) Monk parakeet, Myiopsitta monachus (QO) Tyrant flycatchers Order: PasseriformesFamily: