List of birds of Cape Verde

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. There are 20 species worldwide and 1 species which occurs in Cape Verde.

Little grebe, Tachybaptus ruficollis

Shearwaters and petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Procellariidae

The procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.

Fea's petrel, Pterodroma feae

Bulwer's petrel, Bulweria bulwerii

Cory's shearwater, Calonectris borealis

Scopoli's shearwater, Calonectris diomedea

Cape Verde shearwater, Calonectris edwardsii

Great shearwater, Ardenna gravis

Sooty shearwater, Ardenna griseus (A)

Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus (A)

Balearic shearwater, Puffinus mauretanicus

Barolo shearwater, Puffinus baroli (A)

Boyd's shearwater, Puffinus boydi

Storm petrels

Order: Procellariiformes   Family: Hydrobatidae

The storm petrels are relatives of the petrels and are the smallest seabirds. They feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. The flight is fluttering and sometimes bat-like.

Wilson's storm petrel, Oceanites oceanicus

White-faced storm petrel, Pelagodroma marina

White-bellied storm petrel, Fregetta grallaria (A)

European storm petrel, Hydrobates pelagicus

Cape Verde storm petrel, Oceanodroma jabejabe

Band-rumped storm petrel, Oceanodroma castro

Leach's storm petrel, Oceanodroma leucorhoa

Tropicbirds

Order: Phaethontiformes   Family: Phaethontidae

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.

Red-billed tropicbird, Phaethon aethereus

White-tailed tropicbird, Phaethon lepturus

Boobies and gannets

Order: Suliformes   Family: Sulidae

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

Northern gannet, Morus bassanus (A)

Masked booby, Sula dactylatra (Ex)

Red-footed booby, Sula sula (A)

Brown booby, Sula leucogaster

Cormorants

Order: Suliformes   Family: Phalacrocoracidae

Phalacrocoracidae is a family of medium to large coastal, fish-eating seabirds that includes cormorants and shags. Plumage colouration varies, with the majority having mainly dark plumage, some species being black-and-white and a few being colourful.

Great cormorant, Phalacrocorax carbo

Frigatebirds

Order: Suliformes   Family: Fregatidae

Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black and white or completely black, with long wings and deeply forked tails. The males have coloured inflatable 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.

Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens

Bitterns, herons and egrets

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Ardeidae

The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns, herons and egrets. Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter necked and more wary. Members of Ardeidae fly with their necks retracted, unlike other long-necked birds such as storks, ibises and spoonbills.

Grey heron, Ardea cinerea

Purple heron, Ardea purpurea

Bourne's heron, Ardea purpurea bournei (E)

Great egret, Ardea alba (A)

Black heron, Egretta ardesiaca (A)

Intermediate egret, Egretta intermedia (A)

Western reef heron, Egretta gularis (A)

Little egret, Egretta garzetta

Squacco heron, Ardeola ralloides (A)

Cattle egret, Bubulcus ibis

Black-crowned night heron, Nycticorax nycticorax (A)

Ibises and spoonbills

Order: Pelecaniformes   Family: Threskiornithidae

Threskiornithidae is a family of large terrestrial and wading birds which includes the ibises and spoonbills. They have long, broad wings with 11 primary and about 20 secondary feathers. They are strong fliers and despite their size and weight, very capable soarers.

Waldrapp, Geronticus eremita (A)

Glossy ibis, Plegadis falcinellus (A)

Eurasian spoonbill, Platalea leucorodia (A)

Storks

Order: Ciconiiformes   Family: Ciconiidae

Storks are large, long-legged, long-necked, wading birds with long, stout bills. Storks are mute, but bill-clattering is an important mode of communication at the nest. Their nests can be large and may be reused for many years. Many species are migratory.

White stork, Ciconia ciconia

Flamingos

Order: Phoenicopteriformes   Family: Phoenicopteridae

Flamingos are gregarious wading birds, usually 3 to 5 feet (0.9 to 1.5 m) tall, found in both the Western and Eastern Hemispheres. Flamingos filter-feed on shellfish and algae. Their oddly shaped beaks are specially adapted to separate mud and silt from the food they consume and, uniquely, are used upside-down.

Greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus (A)

Ducks, geese and swans

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, flattened bills, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to an oily coating.

Fulvous whistling duck, Dendrocygna bicolor

White-faced whistling duck, Dendrocygna viduata

Eurasian teal, Anas crecca (A)

Marbled teal, Marmaronetta angustirostris

Common pochard, Aythya ferina (A)

Ferruginous pochard, Aythya nyroca (A)

Tufted duck, Aythya fuligula (A)

Osprey

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Pandionidae

The Pandionidae family contains only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with a worldwide distribution.

Osprey, Pandion haliaetus

Hawks, kites and eagles

Order: Accipitriformes   Family: Accipitridae

Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes hawks, eagles, kites, harriers and Old World vultures. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight.

Red kite, Milvus milvus

Black kite, Milvus migrans

Egyptian vulture, Neophron percnopterus

Western marsh harrier, Circus aeruginosus

Montagu's harrier, Circus pygargus

Cape Verde buzzard, Buteo bannermani (E)

Long-legged buzzard, Buteo rufinus (A)

Falcons

Order: Falconiformes   Family: Falconidae

Falconidae is a family of diurnal birds of prey. They differ from hawks, eagles and kites in that they kill with their beaks instead of their talons.

Eurasian kestrel, Falco tinnunculus

Peregrine falcon, Falco peregrinus

Pheasants and partridges

Order: Galliformes   Family: Phasianidae

The Phasianidae are a family of terrestrial birds which consists of quails, partridges, snowcocks, francolins, spurfowls, tragopans, monals, pheasants, peafowls and jungle fowls. In general, they are plump (although they vary in size) and have broad, relatively short wings.

Common quail, Coturnix coturnix

Guineafowl

Order: Galliformes   Family: Numididae

Guineafowl are a group of African, seed-eating, ground-nesting birds that resemble partridges, but with featherless heads and spangled grey plumage.

Helmeted guineafowl, Numida meleagris (I)

Rails, crakes, 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. Typically they inhabit 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.

Little crake, Porzana parva

Common moorhen, Gallinula chloropus

Oystercatchers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Haematopodidae

The oystercatchers are large and noisy plover-like birds, with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs.

Eurasian oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus

Avocets and stilts

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.

Black-winged stilt, Himantopus himantopus

Pied avocet, Recurvirostra avosetta (A)

Pratincoles and coursers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Glareolidae

Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the pratincoles, which have short legs, long pointed wings and long forked tails, and the coursers, which have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards.

Cream-coloured courser, Cursorius cursor

Collared pratincole, Glareola pratincola

Plovers and lapwings

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Charadriidae

The family Charadriidae includes the plovers, dotterels and lapwings. They are small to medium-sized birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. They are found in open country worldwide, mostly in habitats near water.

Northern lapwing, Vanellus vanellus (A)

Pacific golden plover, Pluvialis fulva (A)

American golden plover, Pluvialis dominica

European golden plover, Pluvialis apricaria

Black-bellied plover, Pluvialis squatarola

Common ringed plover, Charadrius hiaticula

Semipalmated plover, Charadrius semipalmatus (A)

Little ringed plover, Charadrius dubius

White-fronted plover, Charadrius marginatus (A)

Snowy plover, Charadrius alexandrinus

Sandpipers and allies

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Scolopacidae

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the sandpipers, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers, woodcocks, snipes, dowitchers and phalaropes. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. Variation in length of legs and bills enables multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.

Eurasian woodcock, Scolopax rusticola

Jack snipe, Lymnocryptes minimus (A)

Great snipe, Gallinago media (A)

Common snipe, Gallinago gallinago (A)

Black-tailed godwit, Limosa limosa

Bar-tailed godwit, Limosa lapponica

Whimbrel, Numenius phaeopus

Eurasian curlew, Numenius arquata (A)

Spotted redshank, Tringa erythropus (A)

Common redshank, Tringa totanus

Marsh sandpiper, Tringa stagnatilis

Common greenshank, Tringa nebularia

Greater yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca (A)

Lesser yellowlegs, Tringa flavipes (A)

Green sandpiper, Tringa ochropus

Wood sandpiper, Tringa glareola

Common sandpiper, Actitis hypoleucos

Ruddy turnstone, Arenaria interpres

Red knot, Calidris canutus (A)

Sanderling, Calidris alba

Little stint, Calidris minuta

Temminck's stint, Calidris temminckii (A)

Least sandpiper, Calidris minutilla (A)

Pectoral sandpiper, Calidris melanotos (A)

Curlew sandpiper, Calidris ferruginea

Dunlin, Calidris alpina

Purple sandpiper, Calidris maritima

Ruff, Philomachus pugnax

Red-necked phalarope, Phalaropus lobatus (A)

Red phalarope, Phalaropus fulicarius

Skuas and jaegers

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Stercorariidae

The family Stercorariidae are, in general, medium to large birds, typically with grey or brown plumage, often with white markings on the wings. They nest on the ground in temperate and arctic regions and are long-distance migrants.

Great skua, Stercorarius skua

Pomarine jaeger, Stercorarius pomarinus

Parasitic jaeger, Stercorarius parasiticus

Long-tailed jaeger, Stercorarius longicaudus (A)

Gulls

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Laridae

Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls and kittiwakes. They are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet.

Lesser black-backed gull, Larus fuscus

Caspian gull, Larus cachinnans

Yellow-legged gull, Larus michahellis

Black-headed gull, Chroicocephalus ridibundus

Slender-billed gull, Chroicocephalus genei (A)

Sabine's gull, Xema sabini

Black-legged kittiwake, Rissa tridactyla

Terns

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Sternidae

Terns are a group of generally medium to large seabirds typically with grey or white plumage, often with black markings on the head. Most terns hunt fish by diving but some pick insects off the surface of fresh water. Terns are generally long-lived birds, with several species known to live in excess of 30 years.

Gull-billed tern, Gelochelidon nilotica (A)

Caspian tern, Hydroprogne caspia

Sandwich tern, Thalasseus sandvicensis

Royal tern, Thalasseus maximus (A)

Roseate tern, Sterna dougallii

Common tern, Sterna hirundo

Arctic tern, Sterna paradisaea

Little tern, Sternula albifrons (A)

Sooty tern, Onychoprion fuscatus

Whiskered tern, Chlidonias hybrida

Auks, murres and puffins

Order: Charadriiformes   Family: Alcidae

Alcids are superficially similar to penguins due to their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits, however they are not related to the penguins and differ in being able to fly. Auks live on the open sea, only deliberately coming ashore to nest.

Common murre, Uria aalge

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.

Rock pigeon, Columba livia

European turtle dove, Streptopelia turtur

Red-eyed dove, Streptopelia semitorquata

Old World parrots

Order: Psittaciformes   Family: Psittaculidae

Rose-ringed parakeet, Psittacula krameri (A)

Cuckoos and anis

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. The Old World cuckoos are brood parasites.

Great spotted cuckoo, Clamator glandarius

Common cuckoo, Cuculus canorus

Barn owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Tytonidae

Barn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.

Barn owl, Tyto alba

Typical owls

Order: Strigiformes   Family: Strigidae

The typical owls are small to large solitary nocturnal birds of prey. They have large forward-facing eyes and ears, a hawk-like beak and a conspicuous circle of feathers around each eye called a facial disk.

Short-eared owl, Asio flammeus (A)

Swifts

Order: Apodiformes   Family: Apodidae

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.

Alpine swift, Tachymarptis melba (A)

Alexander's swift, Apus alexandri (E)

Common swift, Apus apus

Pallid swift, Apus pallidus (A)

Kingfishers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Alcedinidae

Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.

Grey-headed kingfisher, Halcyon leucocephala

Bee-eaters

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Meropidae

The bee-eaters are a group of near passerine birds in the family Meropidae. Most species are found in Africa but others occur in southern Europe, Madagascar, Australia and New Guinea. They are characterised by richly coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail feathers. All are colourful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.

Blue-cheeked bee-eater, Merops persicus (A)

European bee-eater, Merops apiaster (A)

Typical rollers

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Coraciidae

Rollers resemble crows in size and build, but are more closely related to the kingfishers and bee-eaters. They share the colourful appearance of those groups with blues and browns predominating. The two inner front toes are connected, but the outer toe is not.

European roller, Coracias garrulus (A)

Broad-billed roller, Eurystomus glaucurus (A)

Hoopoes

Order: Coraciiformes   Family: Upupidae

Hoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head.

Hoopoe, Upupa epops (A)

Larks

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Alaudidae

Larks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.

Black-crowned sparrow-lark, Eremopterix nigriceps

Bar-tailed lark, Ammomanes cincturus

Greater hoopoe-lark, Alaemon alaudipes

Razo skylark, Alauda razae (E)

Swallows and martins

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Hirundinidae

The family Hirundinidae is adapted to aerial feeding. They have a slender streamlined body, long pointed wings and a short bill with a wide gape. The feet are adapted to perching rather than walking, and the front toes are partially joined at the base.

Sand martin, Riparia riparia (A)

Brown-throated martin, Riparia paludicola (A)

Barn swallow, Hirundo rustica

Red-rumped swallow, Cecropis daurica (A)

Common house martin, Delichon urbicum (A)

Wagtails and pipits

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Motacillidae

Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They include the wagtails, longclaws and pipits. They are slender, ground feeding insectivores of open country.

White wagtail, Motacilla alba

Yellow wagtail, Motacilla flava (A)

Tawny pipit, Anthus campestris (A)

Tree pipit, Anthus trivialis (A)

Thrushes and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Turdidae

The thrushes are a group of passerine birds that occur mainly in the Old World. They are plump, soft plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs.

Song thrush, Turdus philomelos (A)

Locustellid warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Locustellidae

Common grasshopper warbler, Locustella naevia (A)

Acrocephalid warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Acrocephalidae

Cape Verde swamp warbler, Acrocephalus brevipennis (E)

Booted warbler, Iduna caligata

Eastern olivaceous warbler, Iduna pallida (A)

Western olivaceous warbler, Iduna opaca (A)

Phylloscopid warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Phylloscopidae

Willow warbler, Phylloscopus trochilus (A)

Old World warblers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sylviidae

The family Sylviidae is a group of small insectivorous passerine birds. They mainly occur as breeding species, as the common name implies, in Europe, Asia and, to a lesser extent, Africa. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.

Eurasian blackcap, Sylvia atricapilla

Greater whitethroat, Sylvia communis (A)

African desert warbler, Sylvia deserti (A)

Subalpine warbler, Sylvia cantillans (A)

Spectacled warbler, Sylvia conspicillata

Old World flycatchers

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Muscicapidae

Old World flycatchers are a large group of small passerine birds native to the Old World. They are mainly small arboreal insectivores. The appearance of these birds is highly varied, but they mostly have weak songs and harsh calls.

Spotted flycatcher, Muscicapa striata (A)

European pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca (A)

Common nightingale, Luscinia megarhynchos (A)

Common redstart, Phoenicurus phoenicurus (A)

Northern wheatear, Oenanthe oenanthe (A)

Crows, jays, ravens and magpies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Corvidae

The family Corvidae includes crows, ravens, jays, choughs, magpies, treepies, nutcrackers and ground jays. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence.

Brown-necked raven, Corvus ruficollis

Starlings

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Sturnidae

Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds. Their flight is strong and direct and they are very gregarious. Their preferred habitat is fairly open country. They eat insects and fruit. Plumage is typically dark with a metallic sheen.

European starling, Sturnus vulgaris (A)

Weavers and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Ploceidae

The weavers are small passerine birds related to the finches. They are seed-eating birds with rounded conical bills. The males of many species are brightly coloured, usually in red or yellow and black, some species show variation in colour only in the breeding season.

Village weaver, Ploceus cucullatus (A)

Waxbills and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Estrildidae

The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and Australasia. They are gregarious and often colonial seed eaters with short thick but pointed bills. They are all similar in structure and habits, but have wide variation in plumage colours and patterns.

Red-billed firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala

Red-cheeked cordonbleu, Uraeginthus bengalus (A)

Common waxbill, Estrilda astrild

Siskins, crossbills and allies

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Fringillidae

Finches are seed-eating passerine birds, that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. All have twelve tail feathers and nine primaries. These birds have a bouncing flight with alternating bouts of flapping and gliding on closed wings, and most sing well.

European goldfinch, Carduelis carduelis (I)

Trumpeter finch, Bucanetes githaginea (A)

Sparrows

Order: Passeriformes   Family: Passeridae

Sparrows are small passerine birds. In general, sparrows tend to be small, plump, brown or grey birds with short tails and short powerful beaks. Sparrows are seed eaters, but they also consume small insects.

House sparrow, Passer domesticus (I)

Spanish sparrow, Passer hispaniolensis

Iago sparrow, Passer iagoensis (E)