There are many kinds of birds in the North River area that utilize the resources in and near water. From the swampy headwaters to the salt marshes at the mouth, more than 170 species are known to occur in this area. Near the mouth of the river and along its banks, shorebirds can be seen on the beaches that form at low tide. Below is a partial listing of the area's summer and winter migrants, wetland and shore birds, birds of prey, and birds found on open water.

Summer Migrants: Eastern king bird Yellow throated warbler Yellow warbler Baltimore oriole Rose-breasted grosbeak White throated sparrow House sparrow Field sparrow American goldfinch Purple finch Yellow breasted chat Rufous-sided towhee Pheobe Northern flicker Cat bird Cow bird Robin Barn swallow Chimney swift Veery Eastern bluebird Dark-eyed junco Yellow-billed cuckoo Mockingbird Red-winged blackbird Cedar waxwing Ruby-throated hummingbird Grackle Winter Residents: Crow Starling Wood Duck Mourning dove Ring-necked pheasant Ruffed grouse Blue jay Cardinal Chickadee White breasted nuthatch Brown creeper Tufted Titmouse Downy woodpecker Hairy woodpecker Wetland and Shore Birds Green heron Great blue heron American bittern American egret Yellowlegs Black-backed plover Wilson's snipe Common sandpiper Snowy bunting Birds of Prey: Peregrine falcon American kestrel Osprey Bald eagle Red-tailed hawk Red-shouldered hawk Broad-shouldered hawk Goshawk Barred owl Screech owl Snowy owl Open Water: Herring gull Cormorant Black-backed gull Common merganser Bufflehead Old squaw Mallard Canada goose