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This list of birds of Wales includes every species of bird that has been recorded in a wild state in Wales. Compared to the avifauna of Britain as a whole, Wales has fewer breeding species but these include a number of moorland species such as red grouse and black grouse, large numbers of seabirds (particularly on offshore islands such as Skomer, Grassholm and Bardsey) and good populations of several species typical of Welsh oak woods including redstart, pied flycatcher and wood warbler. Among the birds of prey is the red kite which had become extinct in other parts of Britain until being reintroduced recently. In winter many wildfowl and waders are found around the coast, attracted by the mild temperatures. In spring and autumn a variety of migrant and vagrant birds can be seen, particularly on headlands and islands.
Contents
- Ducks geese and swans
- Grouse
- Pheasants and partridges
- Divers
- Grebes
- Albatrosses
- Petrels and shearwaters
- Storm petrels
- Gannets
- Cormorants
- Herons and bitterns
- Ibises and spoonbills
- Storks
- Hawks and eagles
- Osprey
- Falcons
- Rails
- Cranes
- Bustards
- Oystercatchers
- Avocets and stilts
- Stone curlews
- Pratincoles and coursers
- Plovers
- Sandpipers snipes and phalaropes
- Skuas
- Gulls
- Terns
- Auks
- Sandgrouse
- Pigeons and doves
- Parrots
- Cuckoos
- Barn owls
- Typical owls
- Nightjars
- Swifts
- Kingfishers
- Bee eaters
- Rollers
- Hoopoe
- Woodpeckers
- Larks
- Swallows and martins
- Wagtails and pipits
- Waxwings
- Dippers
- Wrens
- Mockingbirds
- Accentors
- Thrushes and chats
- Cettid warblers
- Locustellid warblers
- Acrocephalid warblers
- Phylloscopid warblers
- Old World warblers
- Kinglets
- Old World flycatchers
- Bearded reedling
- Long tailed tits
- Tits
- Nuthatches
- Treecreepers
- Penduline tits
- Orioles
- Shrikes
- Crows
- Starlings
- Sparrows
- Vireos
- Finches
- New World warblers
- Tanagers
- Longspurs and arctic buntings
- Buntings and New World sparrows
- New World orioles and New World blackbirds
- References
The list is based on Birds in Wales (Lovegrove et al. 1994), Birds in Wales 1992-2000 (Green 2002) and the list of the Welsh Ornithological Society (Prater & Thorpe 2006) with updates from the Welsh Records Panel's annual reports. The taxonomy and scientific names follow the official list of the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU). The English names are the vernacular names used in the 7th edition of the BOU list with the standardized names from that list given in brackets where they differ. The family introductions are based on The New Encyclopedia of Birds (Perrins 2004) except where otherwise stated. The number of species in each family is approximate due to differing opinions on classification; the numbers given in the list are based on The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World (Clements 2007).
Certain categories of birds are noted with the following tags:
The total number of species on the list is 435 including 133 British rarities, 65 Welsh rarities and 10 introduced species. About 150 species breed annually.
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: Anatidae
The swans, ducks and geese are medium to large birds that are adapted to an aquatic existence with webbed feet and bills which are flattened to a greater or lesser extent. In many ducks the male is colourful while the female is dull brown. The diet consists of a variety of animals and plants. The family is well represented in Wales, especially in winter when large numbers visit from Greenland, Scandinavia and Russia. There are about 160 species worldwide, 53 in Britain and 47 in Wales.
Grouse
Order: Galliformes Family: Tetraonidae
Grouse are sturdy, medium-sized terrestrial birds of the Northern Hemisphere. They have feathered feet and nostrils and short, rounded wings. They feed mainly on plant material and lay their eggs in a simple scrape on the ground. They are gamebirds and large numbers were shot in the past in moorland areas. There are about 19 species worldwide, 4 in Britain and 2 in Wales.
Pheasants and partridges
Order: Galliformes Family: Phasianidae
These are terrestrial species, feeding and nesting on the ground. They are variable in size but generally plump, with broad and relatively short wings. There are about 155 species worldwide with 6 in Britain and Wales. 4 of these were introduced for hunting or ornamental purposes but 2 have now apparently died out.
Divers
Order: Gaviiformes Family: Gaviidae
Divers are aquatic birds the size of a large duck, to which they are unrelated. They swim well and fly adequately but are almost hopeless on land, because their legs are placed towards the rear of the body. They feed on fish and other aquatic animals. There are 5 species worldwide with 4 in Britain and Wales. They are all non-breeding visitors in Wales.
Grebes
Order: Podicipediformes Family: Podicipedidae
Grebes are small to medium-large diving birds with lobed toes and pointed bills. They are seen mainly on lowland waterbodies and coasts. They feed on aquatic animals and nest on a floating platform of vegetation. There are about 19 species worldwide with 6 in Britain and Wales.
Albatrosses
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Diomedeidae
The albatrosses are among the largest flying birds with long, narrow wings for gliding. The majority are found in the Southern Hemisphere with only vagrants occurring in the North Atlantic. There are at least 13 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Petrels and shearwaters
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Procellariidae
These are highly pelagic birds with long, narrow wings and tube-shaped nostrils. They feed at sea on fish, squid and other marine life. They come to land to breed in colonies, nesting in burrows or on cliffs. There are 9 species which have been recorded in Wales.
Storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: Hydrobatidae
The storm petrels are the smallest seabirds, feeding on plankton and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. They nest in colonies on the ground, most often in burrows. There are about 20 species worldwide, 6 in Britain and 3 in Wales.
Gannets
Order: Suliformes Family: Pelecanidae
Gannets are large seabirds that plunge-dive for fish and nest in large colonies. They have a torpedo-shaped body, long, narrow, pointed wings and a fairly long tail. There are about 10 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Cormorants
Order: Suliformes Family: Phalacrocoracidae
Cormorants are medium to large aquatic birds with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked for catching fish and aquatic invertebrates. They nest in colonies, usually by the sea.
Herons and bitterns
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Ardeidae
Herons and egrets are medium to large wading birds with long necks and legs. Bitterns tend to be shorter-necked and more secretive. They all fly with their necks retracted. The sharp bill is used to catch fish, amphibians and other animals. Many species nest in colonies, often in trees.
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: Threskiornithidae
A family of long-legged, long-necked wading birds. Ibises have long, curved bills. Spoonbils have a flattened bill, wider at the tip. There are about 33 species worldwide with 2 in Britain and Wales.
Storks
Order: Ciconiiformes Family: Ciconiidae
Storks are large, heavy, long-legged, long-necked wading birds with long stout bills and wide wingspans. They fly with the neck extended. There are about 19 species worldwide with 2 occurring as vagrants in Britain and Wales.
Hawks and eagles
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Accipitridae
A family of birds of prey which includes hawks, buzzards, eagles, kites and harriers. These birds have very large powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight. There are about 240 species worldwide, 16 in Britain and 12 in Wales.
Osprey
Order: Accipitriformes Family: Pandionidae
A large fish-eating bird of prey belonging to a family of its own. It is mainly brown above and white below with long, angled wings. It is mainly a passage migrant in Wales but has recently begun to breed.
Falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: Falconidae
A family of small to medium-sized, diurnal birds of prey with pointed wings. They do not build their own nests and mainly catch prey in the air. There are about 64 species worldwide, 9 in Britain and 6 in Wales.
Rails
Order: Gruiformes Family: Rallidae
These birds mainly occupy dense vegetation in damp environments near lakes, marshes or rivers. Many 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. There are about 135 species worldwide, 11 in Britain and 8 in Wales.
Cranes
Order: Gruiformes Family: Gruidae
Cranes are large, long-legged and long-necked birds. Unlike the similar-looking but unrelated herons, cranes fly with necks outstretched, not pulled back. Most have elaborate and noisy courting displays or "dances". There are about 15 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Bustards
Order: Otidiformes Family: Otididae
Large, sturdy birds of open plains with long legs and necks and strong feet. There are about 26 species worldwide, 3 in Britain and 2 in Wales.
Oystercatchers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Haematopodidae
The oystercatchers are large, obvious and noisy wading birds with strong bills used for smashing or prising open molluscs. There are about 11 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Avocets and stilts
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Recurvirostridae
A family of fairly large wading birds. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin, straight bills. There are about 10 species worldwide with 2 in Britain and Wales.
Stone-curlews
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Burhinidae
A small family of medium to large waders with strong black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. There are 9 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Pratincoles and coursers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Glareolidae
A family of slender, long-winged wading birds. There are 17 species worldwide, 4 in Britain and 3 in Wales.
Plovers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Charadriidae
Small to medium-sized wading birds with compact bodies, short, thick necks and long, usually pointed, wings. There are about 66 species worldwide, 16 in Britain and 12 in Wales.
Sandpipers, snipes and phalaropes
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Scolopacidae
A large, diverse family of wading birds. Different lengths of legs and bills enable multiple species to feed in the same habitat, particularly on the coast, without direct competition for food.
Skuas
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Stercorariidae
Medium to large seabirds with mainly grey or brown plumage, sharp claws and a hooked tip to the bill. They chase other seabirds to force them to drop their catches. There are about 7 species worldwide with 4 in Britain and Wales.
Gulls
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Laridae
Medium to large seabirds with grey, white and black plumage, webbed feet and strong bills. Many are opportunistic and adaptable feeders. There are about 56 species worldwide, 23 in Britain and 18 in Wales.
Terns
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Sternidae
Terns are slender seabirds with long, pointed wings, a pointed bill and a tail which is usually forked. There are about 44 species worldwide, 16 in Britain and 15 in Wales.
Auks
Order: Charadriiformes Family: Alcidae
A family of seabirds which are superficially similar to penguins with their black-and-white colours, their upright posture and some of their habits but which are able to fly. There are about 23 species worldwide, 9 in Britain and 5 in Wales. Great auks are extinct.
Sandgrouse
Order: Pteroclidiformes Family: Pteroclididae
Sturdy, medium-sized birds with a small head and long, pointed wings. There are 16 species worldwide. 1 has occurred as a vagrant in Britain and Wales.
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. There are about 308 species worldwide, 7 in Britain and 5 in Wales.
Parrots
Order: Psittaciformes Family: Psittaculidae
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
Birds of variable size with slender bodies and long tails. Some species are known for laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. There are about 141 species worldwide, 4 in Britain and 3 in Wales.
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Tytonidae
Barn owls are medium-sized to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons. There are about 16 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Typical owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: Strigidae
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 disc. There are about 199 species worldwide, 8 in Britain and 6 in Wales.
Nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: Caprimulgidae
Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Their soft plumage is cryptically coloured to resemble bark or leaves. There are about 91 species worldwide, 4 in Britain and 2 in Wales.
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: Apodidae
The 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. There are about 100 species worldwide, 7 in Britain and 5 in Wales.
Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Alcedinidae
Kingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails. There are about 93 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Bee-eaters
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Meropidae
A group of near-passerine birds characterised by richly-coloured plumage, slender bodies and usually elongated central tail-feathers. There are about 26 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Rollers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Coraciidae
A small family of colourful, medium-sized, birds with a crow-like shape that feeds mainly on insects. There are about 12 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Hoopoe
Order: Coraciiformes Family: Upupidae
A distinctive bird in its own family with a long curved bill, a crest, and black-and-white striped wings and tail.
Woodpeckers
Order: Piciformes Family: Picidae
Woodpeckers are small to medium-sized birds with chisel-like beaks, short legs, stiff tails and long tongues used for capturing insects. Many woodpeckers have the habit of tapping noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There are about 219 species worldwide, 5 in Britain and 4 in Wales.
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. There are about 96 species worldwide, 10 in Britain and 6 in Wales.
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. There are about 83 species worldwide, 8 in Britain and 5 in Wales.
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Motacillidae
Motacillidae is a family of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. They are slender, ground-feeding insectivores of open country. There are about 66 species worldwide, 15 in Britain and 13 in Wales.
Waxwings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Bombycillidae
The waxwings are a group of passerine birds characterised by soft, silky plumage and unique red tips to some of the wing feathers. There are 3 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Dippers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cinclidae
Dark, dumpy, aquatic birds that are able to forage for food on the beds of rivers. There are 5 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Wrens
Order: Passeriformes Family: Troglodytidae
Wrens are small and inconspicuous birds, except for their loud songs. They have short wings and thin down-turned bills.
Mockingbirds
Order: Passeriformes Family: Mimidae
Medium-sized passerine birds with long tails. Some are notable for their ability to mimic sounds such as other birds' songs. There are about 35 species worldwide. 3 have occurred as vagrants in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Accentors
Order: Passeriformes Family: Prunellidae
A small family of drab, unobtrusive, insectivorous birds with thin, pointed bills. There are 13 species worldwide with 2 in Britain and Wales.
Thrushes and chats
Order: Passeriformes Family: Turdidae
The thrushes and chats are plump, soft-plumaged, small to medium-sized insectivores or sometimes omnivores, often feeding on the ground. Many have attractive songs. There are about 331 species worldwide including the chats, 42 in Britain and 29 in Wales.
Cettid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Cettiidae
Locustellid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Locustellidae
Acrocephalid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Acrocephalidae
Phylloscopid warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Phylloscopidae
Old World warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sylviidae
A group of small, insectivorous passerine birds. Most are of generally undistinguished appearance, but many have distinctive songs.
Kinglets
Order: Passeriformes Family: Regulidae
Old World flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Muscicapidae
The flycatchers are small birds that fly out from a perch to catch insects in the air.
Bearded reedling
Order: Passeriformes Family: Panuridae
Long-tailed tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Aegithalidae
Small, long-tailed birds that typically live in flocks for much of the year. There are 8 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Paridae
Tits are mainly small, stocky, woodland species with short stout bills. They are adaptable birds, with a mixed diet including seeds and insects. There are about 59 species worldwide, 6 in Britain and 5 in Wales.
Nuthatches
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sittidae
Nuthatches are small woodland birds with the unusual ability to climb down trees head-first, unlike other birds which can only go upwards. There are about 24 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Treecreepers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Certhiidae
Treecreepers are small woodland birds, brown above and white below. They have thin, pointed, down-curved bills, which they use to extricate insects from bark. There are 7 species worldwide, 2 in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Penduline tits
Order: Passeriformes Family: Remizidae
Small birds with finely-pointed bills that build purse-like nests hanging from a branch. There are about 13 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Orioles
Order: Passeriformes Family: Oriolidae
Orioles are colourful, medium-sized passerine birds with far-carrying, fluting songs. There are about 30 species worldwide with 1 in Britain and Wales.
Shrikes
Order: Passeriformes Family: Laniidae
Shrikes are passerine birds known for their habit of catching other birds and small animals and impaling the uneaten portions of their bodies on thorns. A typical shrike's beak is hooked, like a bird of prey. There are about 30 species worldwide, 9 in Britain and 5 in Wales.
Crows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Corvidae
The crows and their relatives are fairly large birds with strong bills and are usually intelligent and adaptable. There are about 119 species worldwide with 9 in Britain and Wales.
Starlings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Sturnidae
Starlings are small to medium-sized passerine birds with strong feet. Their flight is strong and direct and most are very gregarious.There are about 114 species worldwide with 2 in Britain and Wales.
Sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Passeridae
Sparrows tend to be small, plump, brownish or greyish birds with short tails and short, powerful beaks. They are seed-eaters and they also consume small insects. There are about 38 species worldwide, 4 in Britain and 3 in Wales.
Vireos
Order: Passeriformes Family: Vireonidae
The vireos are a group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World. There are about 52 species worldwide. 3 have occurred as vagrants in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Finches
Order: Passeriformes Family: Fringillidae
Seed-eating passerine birds that are small to moderately large and have a strong beak, usually conical and in some species very large. There are about 176 species worldwide, 21 in Britain and 16 in Wales.
New World warblers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Panuridae
A group of small, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. Most are arboreal and insectivorous. There are about 118 species worldwide. 18 have occurred as vagrants in Britain and 6 in Wales.
Tanagers
Order: Passeriformes Family: Thraupidae
The tanagers are a large group of small to medium-sized passerine birds restricted to the New World, mainly in the tropics. Many species are brightly coloured. There are about 226 species worldwide. 2 have occurred as vagrants in Britain and 1 in Wales.
Longspurs and arctic buntings
Order: Passeriformes Family: Calcariidae
Buntings and New World sparrows
Order: Passeriformes Family: Emberizidae
The Emberizidae are a large family of seed-eating passerine birds with a distinctively-shaped bill. There are about 372 species worldwide, 27 in Britain and 18 in Wales.
New World orioles and New World blackbirds
Order: Passeriformes Family: Icteridae
A group of small to medium-sized, often colourful passerine birds restricted to the New World. There are about 101 species worldwide. 3 have occurred as vagrants in Britain and 2 in Wales.