New York State Archives |

Birds of New York State

This painting by the ornithological artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927) depicts the "White List" of Hawks that were thought to aid conservation efforts. It was created to record the game bird activities of the NYS Conservation Commission.
Magnolia Warbler

This male Magnolia Warbler was photographed at Cranberry Creek in the southern Adirondack Mountains, June 26, 1916.
Red Tailed Hawks

According to the NYS Dept. of Environmental Conservation, the red-tailed hawk is probably New York’s most common predatory bird. The daytime hunter relies on keen vision and patience to capture its prey of rabbits, birds, snakes, mice and other small rodents.
Great Horned Owls

The largest of NY’s owls, the Great Horned Owl is a powerful nighttime hunter with keen hearing, excellent night vision, swift, silent flight (up to 40 mph) and needle-sharp, inch-long talons to help them capture rodents, rabbits, skunks and other birds of prey.
Olive Backed Thrush (Hylocichla ustulata swainsoni)

This Olive Backed Thrush was photographed at Cranberry Lake in the Adirondack Mountains, July 1, 1916.
4-H Pheasant Raising Project

The young boy holding a pheasant chick was photographed in July 1931 as part of the NYS Conservation Department game-related activities. The current Dept. of Environmental Conservation continues to support the 4-H Pheasant Raising project.
Lady Amherst Pheasants

This picture of Lady Amherst pheasants (Chrysolophus amherstiae) was taken in 1931 at the Rogers State Game Farm (now Rogers Environmental Education Center) in Sherburne, Chenango County, N.Y.
Long Island Duck Farm

Long Island duck farming dates back to the 1870s. By the early 1960s, roughly 100 farms produced 7.5 million ducks a year. This agricultural industry has slowly declined due in part to costs and changing regulations. Today, there is one remaining Long Island Duck Farm.
The Blacklist

This 1918 painting by the ornithological artist Louis Agassiz Fuertes (1874-1927) depicts birds and mammals thought to thwart conservation efforts. It was created to record the game bird activities of the NYS Conservation Commission.