List of North American birds (Suliformes)

Order: Suliformes. Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black or black and white, with long wings and deeply-forked tails. The males have inflatable coloured throat pouches. They do not swim or walk, and cannot take off from a flat surface. Having the largest wingspan to body weight ratio of any bird, they are essentially aerial, able to stay aloft for more than a week.

  • Great Frigatebird, Fregata minor
  • Lesser Frigatebird, Fregata ariel (A)
  • Magnificent Frigatebird, Fregata magnificens

Boobies and gannets

Blue-footed Booby Order: Suliformes. Family: Sulidae

The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.

  • Blue-footed Booby, Sula nebouxii
  • Brown Booby, Sula leucogaster
  • Masked Booby, Sula dactylatra
  • Nazca Booby, Sula granti
  • Northern Gannet, Morus bassanus
  • Peruvian Booby, Sula variegata (A)
  • Red-footed Booby, Sula sula

Cormorants

Double-crested Cormorant Order: Suliformes. Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorants are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin, and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed, a distinguishing feature among the Pelecaniformes order

  • Brandt's Cormorant, Phalacrocorax penicillatus
  • Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus
  • Great Cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo
  • Guanay Cormorant, Phalacrocorax bougainvillii (C)
  • Neotropic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax brasilianus
  • Pelagic Cormorant, Phalacrocorax pelagicus
  • Red-faced Cormorant, Phalacrocorax urile

Darters

Order: Suliformes. Family: Anhingidae

Darters are cormorant-like water birds with very long necks and long, straight beaks. They often swim with only the neck above water, and are fish-eaters.

  • Anhinga, Anhinga anhinga