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This is a list of bird species confirmed in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. Unless otherwise noted, the list is that of Bird Checklists of the World as of March 2021. Of the 298 species on the list, 136 are accidental and two were introduced to North America. One species is extinct; three are extirpated and one of them is possibly extinct. 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.. Native names are from the Asuilaak Inuktitut Living Dictionary. There are several dialects of Inuktitut and Inuinnaqtun plus two alphabets, Inuktitut syllabics and Latin. The Inuit name or spelling may differ from one region to another and in extreme cases from one community to another. Thus the word bird may be: ᑎᖕᒥᐊᑦ or tingmiaq. The following tags are used to categorise some species:
(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Nunavut (I) Introduced - a species introduced to Nunavut as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions
Traditional usage Beside a food source the Inuit had several other ways of using birds:
Skins from larger birds were used as towels. Wings may have been used to dust or sweep. Skins were used as make containers, slippers and if caribou were scarce parkas. Children, mainly boys, would often learn to hunt by throwing stones at small birds.
Ducks (mitiq, mitik), geese, and waterfowl Order: Anseriformes Family: 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.
Pheasants, grouse, and allies Order: Galliformes Family: 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.
Spruce grouse (ᐊᕿᒡᒋᒋᖅ), Canachites canadensis Willow ptarmigan (willow grouse, ᐊᕐᑭᒡᒋᕕᒃ, aqiligiq uvvalu, aqilgvik) Lagopus lagopus Rock ptarmigan (ptarmigan, ᐊᕐᑭᒡᒋᖅ ᐊᑕᔪᓕᒃ, nikhaaktuq aqiligvik, aqilgiq) Lagopus muta Sharp-tailed grouse, Tympanuchus phasianellus (A)
Grebes Order: Podicipediformes Family: 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 (A) Horned grebe, Podiceps auritus Red-necked grebe, Podiceps grisegena (A)
Pigeons and doves Order: Columbiformes Family: Columbidae Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. They feed on seeds, fruit and plants. Unlike most other birds, the doves and pigeons produce "crop milk," which is secreted by a sloughing of fluid-filled cells from the lining of the crop. Both sexes produce this highly nutritious substance to feed to the young.
Passenger pigeon, Ectopistes migratorius (extinct) White-winged dove, Zenaida asiatica (A) Mourning dove, Zenaida macroura (A)
Cuckoos Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae The family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners, and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails, and strong legs.
Black-billed cuckoo, Coccyzus erythropthalmus (A)
Nightjars and allies Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs, and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves.
Common nighthawk, Chordeiles minor (A)
Swifts Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae The swifts are small birds which spend the majority of their lives flying. These birds have very short legs and never settle voluntarily on the ground, perching instead only on vertical surfaces. Many swifts have long swept-back wings which resemble a crescent or boomerang.
Black swift, Cypseloides niger (A) Chimney swift, Chaetura pelagica (A)
Hummingbirds Order: Apodiformes Family: Trochilidae Hummingbirds are small birds capable of hovering in mid-air due to the rapid flapping of their wings. They are the only birds that can fly backwards.
Rufous hummingbird, Selasphorus rufus (A)
Rails, gallinules, and coots Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails, crakes, coots, and gallinules. The most typical family members occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, swamps, or rivers. In general they are shy and secretive birds, making them difficult to observe. Most species have strong legs and long toes which are well adapted to soft uneven surfaces. They tend to have short, rounded wings and to be weak fliers.
Virginia rail, Rallus limicola (A) Corn crake, Crex crex (A) Sora, Porzana carolina (A) Purple gallinule, Porphyrio martinicus (A) American coot, Fulica americana (A) Yellow rail, Coturnicops noveboracensis
Cranes Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae Cranes are large, long-legged, and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances".
Sandhill crane (ᑕᑎᒡᒐᕐᔪᐊᖅ, tatilgaq) Antigone canadensis Whooping crane, Grus americana (A)
Stilts and avocets Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds which includes the avocets and stilts. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills.
American avocet, Recurvirostra americana (A)
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