21 Birds in The Residence on Netflix: An Exciting Murder Mystery With an Avian Loving Sleuth

Netflix’s The Residence drops a murder mystery right into the White House, mixing sharp humor, suspense, and, weirdly enough, a lot of birdwatching. There are a lot of birds in The Residence! Detective Cordelia Cupp (Uzo Aduba) stands out—not just for her detective chops, but for her deep fascination with birds, and we mean, really deep.

Birds aren’t just there for decoration. Cordelia frames her investigation through her obsession with birdwatching, comparing people to different species and their behaviors.

So, here's the rundown of all the birds mentioned and in order;

21 Birds in the Residence on Netflix

Woodpecker – This one is a Grey-headed Woodpecker

The very first bird on the list of Detective Cupp. She would have had a few to choose from.

Warbler – This one is a Black-and-white Warbler

“So many warblers,” Chief Dokes tells Cordelia when she tells him that President Roosevelt identified over 20 species of warbler.

Screech Owl – This one is a Northern Red Morph Screech Owl

This is another bird on President Roosevelt's list of White House BIrds.

Purple Grackle

This bird is part of a running gag throughout as someone keeps calling it a Gackle and other names. The recording is of a Boat-tailed Grackle.

Dimorphic Jewel-Babbler – This one is a blue

This is the bird Cordelia was on her way to the airport to see in Papua New Guinea before being called in to the White House.

Song Sparrow

“Put a little check next to song sparrow,” Cordelia tells Chief Dokes.

Fox Sparrow

Chief Dokes mixes the song sparrow up with the fox sparrow. Cordelia admonishes him.

Falcon – This one is a Peregrine Falcon

This is the bird that Cordelia wanted to see the most.

Yellow-Throated Longclaw

Cordelia thought saw one in “Maryland on Sunday”. That is, until she remembered that they reside in Africa.

Tuamotu Sandpiper

Cordelia was trying to find this one with her Nephew.

Golden-Headed Quetzal

Cordelia saw this one flying overhead while she was on her jungle retreat. She was really hoping to spot her “Nemesis Bird”

Giant Antpitta

At the end of the series, this is the bird that Cordelia jets off to Equador to find.

Pale-Footed Swallow

A bird that Cordelia was bragging about her being the first one to spot on a birding trip.

Mountain Chickadee

Of all the kinds of chikadees, Cordelia finds this one the most interesting.

Fish Crow

Ya, it's just a crow and there are lots around except this one is really nasal.

Downy Woodpecker

another woodpecker Cordelia was hoping to see.

Saw-Whet Owl – This one's a Northern Saw-Whet Owl

Cordelia finally saw one! In the words of Chief Dokes, “Always good to get an owl.”

Mockingbird – This one's a Northern Mockingbird

To find its prey, a mockingbird flashes its wings open and gets the insect to blink. “Watch for the blink,” Cordelia says.

Passenger Pigeon – Extinct

Even though Cordelia talks about them, she never sees one because, well, it's extinct.

Malaysian Rail-Babbler

This is the bird that is on the wallpaper of the president's bedroom.

Nemesis Bird

This was just some made-up bird. I ran the audio 10 times and all I came up with was “giant hipadell” or something. Birders use this term for the bird that they can quite manage to see.

Birdwatching as a Clue

These birds aren’t just trivia—they show up as props, wallpaper, and even shape Cordelia’s deductions about the suspects.

The White House as a Stage

The White House setting cranks up the drama. Its grand halls and deep traditions become both a backdrop and a maze; every room hides a secret, every staffer could be hiding something.

From high-stress state dinners to hushed corners where secrets slip out, the show milks the setting for all it’s worth.

Politics and everyday routines collide, making space for both awkward jokes and tense face-offs.

The Murder at the Center

A.B. Wynter’s murder isn’t your garden-variety case. It happens during a swanky state dinner, putting everyone under suspicion and turning up the pressure on Cordelia.

She has to juggle staff alliances and the public glare that comes with any White House scandal. The investigation feels like a tightrope walk—she’s balancing discretion, determination, and the endless parade of half-truths.

Cordelia investigates like a birder: she observes, listens, and tunes out distractions. Clues hide in plain sight, just like a well-camouflaged bird.

Moments and Recurring Bits

Bird facts, jokes, and squabbles keep showing up:

Chief Dokes and Cordelia argue over sparrow types.
Cordelia corrects Harry Hollinger’s “Gackle” slip (it’s “Grackle”).
A made-up “Beacher’s Swallow” fools people into thinking they’re bird experts.
The “Nemesis Bird” becomes an inside joke for both fans and staff.

These little moments lighten the mood and sometimes even nudge the plot forward. Sometimes a joke about a bird turns into a real clue—it’s sneaky like that.

Bird Analogies and Suspect Clues

Bird	Key Trait or Lesson	How Cordelia Uses It
Falcon	Picks out weakness in a crowd	Identifies subtle flaws in alibis
Mockingbird	Draws out hidden things	Looks for reactions to draw out suspects
Mountain Chickadee	Strong memory under pressure	Remembers tiny details others overlook
Malaysian Rail-Babbler	Hard to spot, elusive song	Cautions about distractions and red herrings
Downy Woodpecker	Nimble, persistent	Keeps digging where others might quit
Passenger Pigeon	Extinct but once abundant	Goes beyond the obvious, considers past