and bitterns Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae The family Ardeidae contains the herons, egrets, and bitterns. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more secretive. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises, and spoonbills. American bittern, Botaurus lentiginosus Least bittern, Ixobrychus exilis Great blue heron, Ardea herodias Great egret, Ardea alba Snowy egret, Egretta thula Little blue heron, Egretta caerulea Tricolored heron, Egretta tricolor Reddish egret, Egretta rufescens Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis Green heron, Butorides virescens Black-crowned night-heron, Nycticorax nycticorax Yellow-crowned night-heron, Nyctanassa violacea Ibises and spoonbills Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Threskiornithidae The family Threskiornithidae includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings. Their bodies tend to be elongated, the neck more so, with rather long legs. The bill is also long, decurved in the case of the ibises, straight and distinctively flattened in the spoonbills. White ibis, Eudocimus albus Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus White-faced ibis, Plegadis chihi Roseate spoonbill, Platalea ajaja New World vultures Order: CathartiformesFamily: Cathartidae The New World vultures are not closely related to Old World vultures, but superficially resemble them because of convergent evolution. Like the Old World vultures, they are scavengers, however, unlike Old World vultures, which find carcasses by sight, New World vultures have a good sense of smell with which they locate carcasses. Black vulture, Coragyps atratus Turkey vulture, Cathartes aura Osprey Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Pandionidae Pandionidae is a monotypic family of fish-eating birds of prey. Its single species possesses a very large and powerful hooked beak, strong legs, strong talons, and keen eyesight. Osprey, Pandion haliaetus Hawks, eagles, and kites Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers, and Old World vultures. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons, and keen eyesight. White-tailed kite, Elanus leucurus Swallow-tailed kite, Elanoides forficatus Golden eagle, Aquila chrysaetos Northern harrier, Circus hudsonius Sharp-shinned hawk, Accipiter striatus Cooper's hawk, Accipiter cooperii Northern goshawk, Accipiter gentilis Bald eagle, Haliaeetus leucocephalus Mississippi kite, Ictinia mississippiensis Common black hawk, Buteogallus anthracinus Harris's hawk, Parabuteo unicinctus Variable hawk, Geranoaetus polyosoma Red-shouldered hawk, Buteo lineatus Broad-winged hawk, Buteo platypterus Swainson's hawk, Buteo swainsoni Zone-tailed hawk, Buteo albonotatus Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis Rough-legged hawk, Buteo lagopus Ferruginous hawk, Buteo regalis Barn-owls Order: StrigiformesFamily: