This is a list of the bird species recorded in Ashmore Reef. The Territory comprises Ashmore Reef, which includes West, Middle, and

East Islands East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...

, and two

lagoon A lagoon is a shallow body of water separated from a larger body of water by a narrow landform, such as reefs, barrier islands, barrier peninsulas, or isthmuses. Lagoons are commonly divided into ''coastal lagoons'' (or ''barrier lagoons'') a ...

s, and Cartier Reef, which includes

Cartier Island Cartier Island is an uninhabited and unvegetated sand cay in a platform reef in the Timor Sea north of Australia and south of Indonesia. It is within the Territory of Ashmore and Cartier Islands, an external territory of Australia. The land area ...

. The avifauna of Ashmore Reef include a total of 174 species, of which 1 has been introduced by humans. This list's

taxonomic Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ...

treatment (designation and sequence of orders, families and species) and nomenclature (common and scientific names) follow the conventions of '' The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World'', 2022 edition. The family accounts at the beginning of each heading reflect this taxonomy, as do the species counts in each family account. Introduced and accidental species are included in the total counts for Ashmore Reef. The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fall into any of these categories. *(A) Accidental - a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Ashmore Reef *(I) Introduced - a species introduced to Ashmore Reef as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions

Magpie goose

Order:

Anseriformes Anseriformes is an order of birds also known as waterfowl that comprises about 180 living species of birds in three families: Anhimidae (three species of screamers), Anseranatidae (the magpie goose), and Anatidae, the largest family, which in ...

Family: Anseranatidae The family contains a single species, the

magpie goose The magpie goose (''Anseranas semipalmata'') is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This common waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. As the species is prone to wandering, especially wh ...

. It was an early and distinctive offshoot of the anseriform family tree, diverging after the

screamer The screamers are three South American bird species placed in Family (biology), family Anhimidae. They were thought to be related to the Galliformes because of similar beak, bills, but are more closely related to ducks (family Anatidae),Todd, F. ...

s and before all other ducks, geese and swans, sometime in the

late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretaceous Period is divided in the geologic time scale. Rock strata from this epoch form the Upper Cretaceous Series. The Cretaceous is named after ''creta'', the ...

. *

Magpie goose The magpie goose (''Anseranas semipalmata'') is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This common waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea. As the species is prone to wandering, especially wh ...

, ''Anseranas semipalmata''

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Order:

Family:

Anatidae The Anatidae are the biological family of water birds that includes ducks, geese, and swans. The family has a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on all the world's continents except Antarctica. These birds are adapted for swimming, floating ...

The family Anatidae includes the

duck Duck is the common name for numerous species of waterfowl in the family Anatidae. Ducks are generally smaller and shorter-necked than swans and geese, which are members of the same family. Divided among several subfamilies, they are a form t ...

s and most duck-like waterfowl, such as geese and

swan Swans are birds of the family (biology), family Anatidae within the genus ''Cygnus''. The swans' closest relatives include the goose, geese and ducks. Swans are grouped with the closely related geese in the subfamily Anserinae where they form t ...

s. These are adapted for an aquatic existence, with webbed feet, bills that are flattened to a greater or lesser extent, and feathers that are excellent at shedding water due to special oils. *

Hardhead The hardhead (''Aythya australis''), also known as the white-eyed duck, is the only true diving duck found in Australia. The common name "hardhead" has nothing to do with the density of the bird's skull, instead referring to the difficulty encou ...

, ''Aythya australis'' (A)

Pigeons and doves

Order:

Columbiformes Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Family:

Columbidae Columbidae () is a bird family consisting of doves and pigeons. It is the only family in the order Columbiformes. These are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills that in some species feature fleshy ceres. They primarily ...

Pigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere. * Peaceful dove, ''Geopelia placida'' * Nicobar pigeon, ''Caloenas nicobarica'' (A) *

Rose-crowned fruit-dove The rose-crowned fruit dove (''Ptilinopus regina''), also known as pink-capped fruit dove or Swainson's fruit dove, is a medium-sized, up to 22 cm long, green fruit dove with a grey head and breast, an orange belly, whitish throat, yellow-or ...

, ''Ptilinopus regina''

Cuckoos

Order: CuculiformesFamily: Cuculidae The family Cuculidae includes

cuckoo Cuckoos are birds in the Cuculidae family, the sole taxon in the order Cuculiformes . The cuckoo family includes the common or European cuckoo, roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separ ...

s, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. The Old World cuckoos are

brood parasite Brood parasites are animals that rely on others to raise their young. The strategy appears among birds, insects and fish. The brood parasite manipulates a host, either of the same or of another species, to raise its young as if it were its own ...

s. *

Lesser coucal The lesser coucal (''Centropus bengalensis'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It has a wide distribution range that overlaps with several other similar species. The habitat in which it is found is often marshy land with grass and ...

, ''Centropus bengalensis'' (A) *

Pacific koel The Pacific koel (''Eudynamys orientalis''), also known as the eastern koel or formerly Common Koel, is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. In Australia, it is colloquially known as the ''rainbird'' or ''stormbird'', as its call is usual ...

, ''Eudynamys orientalis'' *

Channel-billed cuckoo The channel-billed cuckoo (''Scythrops novaehollandiae'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is monotypic within the genus ''Scythrops''.Payne (2005), p. 380. The species is the largest brood parasite in the world, and the largest ...

, ''Scythrops novaehollandiae'' *

Horsfield's bronze-cuckoo Horsfield's bronze cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx basalis'') is a small cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Its size averages 22g and is distinguished by its green and bronze iridescent colouring on its back and incomplete brown barring from neck to tail. Hor ...

, ''Chrysococcyx basalis'' *

Black-eared cuckoo The black-eared cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx osculans'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Found across Australia, it migrates to eastern Indonesia and southern New Guinea. They are usually observed by themselves or in a pair as they do ...

, '' Chrysococcyx osculans'' *

Shining bronze-cuckoo The shining bronze cuckoo (''Chrysococcyx lucidus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae, found in Australia, Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu. It was previously also known as ''Chal ...

, ''Chrysococcyx lucidus'' * Little bronze-cuckoo, ''Chrysococcyx minutillus'' (A) *

Pallid cuckoo The pallid cuckoo (''Cacomantis pallidus'') is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Australia, with some migration to the islands of Timor and Papua New Guinea. It is between 28 and 33 cm ...

, ''Cacomantis pallidus'' *

Brush cuckoo The brush cuckoo (''Cacomantis variolosus'') is a member of the cuckoo family. The brush cuckoo is native to Malesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and northern and eastern Australia. It is a grey-brown bird with a buff breast. Its call is a ...

, ''Cacomantis variolosus'' *

Oriental cuckoo The Oriental cuckoo or Horsfields cuckoo (''Cuculus optatus'') is a bird belonging to the genus ''Cuculus'' in the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Himalayan cuckoo (''C. saturatus''), with the name 'Orie ...

, ''Cuculus optatus''

Nightjars and allies

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: Caprimulgidae Nightjars are medium-sized nocturnal birds that usually nest on the ground. They have long wings, short legs and very short bills. Most have small feet, of little use for walking, and long pointed wings. Their soft plumage is camouflaged to resemble bark or leaves. *

Large-tailed nightjar The large-tailed nightjar (''Caprimulgus macrurus'') is a species of nightjar in the family Caprimulgidae. It is found along the southern Himalayan foothills, eastern South Asia, Southeast Asia and northern Australia. This species is a reside ...

, ''Caprimulgus macrurus''

Swifts

Order: CaprimulgiformesFamily: 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. *

White-throated needletail The white-throated needletail (''Hirundapus caudacutus''), also known as needle-tailed swift or spine-tailed swift, is a large swift in the genus Hirundapus. It is reputed to reach speeds of up to 170 km/h (105 mph) in horizontal flight, but this ...

, ''Hirundapus caudacutus'' * White-nest swiftlet, ''Aerodramus fuciphagus'' (A) *

Pacific swift The Pacific swift or fork-tailed swift (''Apus pacificus'') is a species of bird that is part of the Swift family. It breeds in eastern Asia. It is strongly migratory, spending the northern hemisphere's winter in Southeast Asia and Austral ...

, ''Apus pacificus'' * House swift, ''Apus affinis'' (A)

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Order:

Gruiformes The Gruiformes are an order (biology), order containing a considerable number of living and extinct bird family (biology), families, with a widespread geographical diversity. Gruiform means "crane-like". Traditionally, a number of wading and t ...

Family:

Rallidae The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

Rallidae is a large family of small to medium-sized birds which includes the rails,

crake The rails, or Rallidae, are a large cosmopolitan family of small- to medium-sized, ground-living birds. The family exhibits considerable diversity and includes the crakes, coots, and gallinules. Many species are associated with wetlands, althoug ...

coot Coots are medium-sized water birds that are members of the rail family, Rallidae. They constitute the genus ''Fulica'', the name being the Latin term for "coot". Coots have predominantly black plumage, and—unlike many rails—they are usually ...

s 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. *

Buff-banded rail The buff-banded rail (''Hypotaenidia philippensis'') is a distinctively coloured, highly dispersive, medium-sized rail of the rail family, Rallidae. This species comprises several subspecies found throughout much of Australasia and the south-we ...

, ''Gallirallus philippensis'' *

Watercock The watercock (''Gallicrex cinerea'') is a waterbird in the rail and crake family, Rallidae that is widely distributed across Southeast Asia. It is the only member of the genus ''Gallicrex''. Taxonomy The watercock was formally described in 17 ...

, ''Gallicrex cinerea'' (A) *

White-breasted waterhen The white-breasted waterhen (''Amaurornis phoenicurus'') is a waterbird of the rail and crake family, Rallidae, that is widely distributed across South and Southeast Asia. They are dark slaty birds with a clean white face, breast and belly. They ...

, ''Amaurornis phoenicurus'' (A) * Red-legged crake, ''Rallina fasciata'' (A)

Thick-knees

Order:

Charadriiformes Charadriiformes (, from ''Charadrius'', the type genus of family Charadriidae) is a diverse order of small to medium-large birds. It includes about 390 species and has members in all parts of the world. Most charadriiform birds live near water an ...

Family:

Burhinidae The stone-curlews, also known as dikkops or thick-knees, consist of 10 species within the family Burhinidae, and are found throughout the tropical and temperate parts of the world, with two or more species occurring in some areas of Africa, Asia, ...

The thick-knees are a group of largely tropical waders in the family Burhinidae. They are found worldwide within the tropical zone, with some species also breeding in temperate Europe and Australia. They are medium to large waders with strong black or yellow-black bills, large yellow eyes and cryptic plumage. Despite being classed as waders, most species have a preference for arid or semi-arid habitats. *

Beach thick-knee The beach stone-curlew (''Esacus magnirostris'') also known as beach thick-knee is a large, ground-dwelling bird that occurs in Australasia, the islands of South-east Asia. At and , it is one of the world's largest shorebirds. At a mean of in ...

, ''Esacus magnirostris''

Stilts and avocets

Order:

Family: Recurvirostridae Recurvirostridae is a family of large wading birds, which includes the avocets and

stilt Stilt is a common name for several species of birds in the family Recurvirostridae, which also includes those known as avocets. They are found in brackish or saline wetlands in warm or hot climates. They have extremely long legs, hence the grou ...

s. The avocets have long legs and long up-curved bills. The stilts have extremely long legs and long, thin straight bills. * Pied stilt, ''Himantopus leucocephalus''

Plovers and lapwings

Order:

Family: Charadriidae The family Charadriidae includes the

plover Plovers ( , ) are a widely distributed group of wading birds belonging to the subfamily Charadriinae. Description There are about 66 species in the subfamily, most of them called "plover" or "dotterel". The closely related lapwing subfa ...

s, 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. * Black-bellied plover, ''Pluvialis squatarola'' * Pacific golden-plover, ''Pluvialis fulva'' * Masked lapwing, ''Vanellus miles'' *

Lesser sand-plover The lesser sand plover (''Charadrius mongolus'') is a small wader in the plover family of birds. The spelling is commonly given as lesser sand-plover, but the official British Ornithologists' Union spelling is "lesser sand plover". The genus ...

, ''Charadrius mongolus'' * Greater sand-plover, ''Charadrius leschenaultii'' * Red-capped plover, ''Charadrius ruficapillus'' (A) *

Oriental plover The oriental plover (''Charadrius veredus''), also known as the oriental dotterel, is a medium-sized plover closely related to the Caspian plover. It breeds in parts of Mongolia and China, migrating southwards each year to spend its non-breeding ...

, ''Charadrius veredus''

Sandpipers and allies

Order:

Family:

Scolopacidae Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

Scolopacidae is a large diverse family of small to medium-sized shorebirds including the

sandpiper Sandpipers are a large family, Scolopacidae, of waders. They include many species called sandpipers, as well as those called by names such as curlew and snipe. The majority of these species eat small invertebrates picked out of the mud or soil. ...

s, curlews, godwits, shanks, tattlers,

woodcock The woodcocks are a group of seven or eight very similar living species of wading birds in the genus ''Scolopax''. The genus name is Latin for a snipe or woodcock, and until around 1800 was used to refer to a variety of waders. The English name ...

snipe A snipe is any of about 26 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterized by a very long, slender bill, eyes placed high on the head, and cryptic/camouflaging plumage. The ''Gallinago'' snipes have a near ...

s, dowitchers, and

phalarope __NOTOC__ A phalarope is any of three living species of slender-necked shorebirds in the genus ''Phalaropus'' of the bird family Scolopacidae. Phalaropes are close relatives of the shanks and tattlers, the ''Actitis'' and Terek sandpipers, a ...

s. 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. * Whimbrel, ''Numenius phaeopus'' *

Little curlew The little curlew (''Numenius minutus'') is a wader in the large bird family Scolopacidae. It is a very small curlew, which breeds in the far north of Siberia. It is closely related to the North American Eskimo curlew. The word "curlew" is imita ...

, ''Numenius minutus'' *

Far Eastern curlew The Far Eastern curlew (''Numenius madagascariensis'') is a large shorebird most similar in appearance to the long-billed curlew, but slightly larger. It is mostly brown in color, differentiated from other curlews by its plain, unpatterned brown ...

, ''Numenius madagascariensis'' * Bar-tailed godwit, ''Limosa lapponica'' *

Black-tailed godwit The black-tailed godwit (''Limosa limosa'') is a large, long-legged, long-billed shorebird first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758. It is a member of the godwit genus, ''Limosa''. There are four subspecies, all with orange head, neck and chest ...

, ''Limosa limosa'' * Ruddy turnstone, ''Arenaria interpres'' * Great knot, ''Calidris tenuirostris'' * Red knot, ''Calidris canutus'' * Broad-billed sandpiper, ''Calidris falcinellus'' * Sharp-tailed sandpiper, ''Calidris acuminata'' * Curlew sandpiper, ''Calidris ferruginea'' * Long-toed stint, ''Calidris subminuta'' * Red-necked stint, ''Calidris ruficollis'' * Sanderling, ''Calidris alba'' *

Dunlin The dunlin (''Calidris alpina'') is a small wader, formerly sometimes separated with the other "stints" in the genus ''Erolia''. The English name is a dialect form of "dunling", first recorded in 1531–1532. It derives from ''dun'', "dull brown ...

, ''Calidris alpina'' (A) * Little stint, ''Calidris minuta'' (A) * Asian dowitcher, ''Limnodromus semipalmatus'' *

Swinhoe's snipe Swinhoe's snipe, (''Gallinago megala''), also known as forest snipe or Chinese snipe, is a medium-sized (length 27–29 cm, wingspan 38–44 cm, weight 120 gm), long-billed, migratory wader. The common name commemorates the British na ...

, ''Gallinago megala'' (A) * Terek sandpiper, ''Xenus cinereus'' * Red-necked phalarope, ''Phalaropus lobatus'' (A) *

Common sandpiper The common sandpiper (''Actitis hypoleucos'') is a small Palearctic wader. This bird and its American sister species, the spotted sandpiper (''A. macularia''), make up the genus ''Actitis''. They are parapatric and replace each other geographic ...

, ''Actitis hypoleucos'' * Gray-tailed tattler, ''Tringa brevipes'' *

Common greenshank The common greenshank (''Tringa nebularia'') is a wader in the large family Scolopacidae, the typical waders. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green sandpiper by Aldrovandus in 1599 based on Ancient Greek ''trungas'' ...

, ''Tringa nebularia'' *

Marsh sandpiper The marsh sandpiper (''Tringa stagnatilis'') is a small wader. It is a rather small shank, and breeds in open grassy steppe and taiga wetlands from easternmost Europe to the Russian Far East. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given ...

, ''Tringa stagnatilis'' *

Wood sandpiper The wood sandpiper (''Tringa glareola'') is a small wader. This Eurasian species is the smallest of the shanks, which are mid-sized long-legged waders of the family Scolopacidae. The genus name ''Tringa'' is the New Latin name given to the green ...

, ''Tringa glareola'' * Common redshank, ''Tringa totanus'' (A)

Buttonquail

Order:

Family: Turnicidae The buttonquail are small, drab, running birds which resemble the true quails. The female is the brighter of the sexes and initiates courtship. The male incubates the eggs and tends the young. *

Red-backed buttonquail The red-backed buttonquail (''Turnix maculosus'') is a species of bird in the family Turnicidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. Other names by which it is known in different parts o ...

, ''Turnix maculosa'' (A)

Pratincoles and coursers

Order:

Family:

Glareolidae Glareolidae is a family of birds in the wader suborder Charadrii. It contains two distinct groups, the pratincoles and the coursers. The atypical Egyptian plover (''Pluvianus aegyptius''), traditionally placed in this family, is now known to be ...

Glareolidae is a family of wading birds comprising the

pratincole The pratincoles or greywaders are a group of birds which together with the coursers make up the family Glareolidae. They have short legs, very long pointed wings and long forked tails. Description Their most unusual feature for birds classed as ...

s, which have short legs, long pointed wings, and long forked tails, and the

courser The coursers are a group of birds which together with the pratincoles make up the family Glareolidae. They have long legs, short wings and long pointed bills which curve downwards. Their most unusual feature for birds classed as waders is that ...

s, which have long legs, short wings, and long, pointed bills which curve downwards. *

Australian pratincole The Australian pratincole (''Stiltia isabella'') is a species of bird in the family Glareolidae. It breeds in Australia's interior; it winters to northern and eastern parts of the continent, Indonesia and New Guinea. It is a medium-sized nomadic ...

, ''Stiltia isabella'' *

Oriental pratincole The oriental pratincole (''Glareola maldivarum''), also known as the grasshopper-bird or swallow-plover, is a wader in the pratincole family, Glareolidae. Etymology The genus name is a diminutive of Latin ''glarea'', "gravel", referring to a typ ...

, ''Glareola maldivarum''

Skuas and jaegers

Order:

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. *

Pomarine jaeger The pomarine jaeger (''Stercorarius pomarinus''), pomarine skua, or pomatorhine skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migrant, wintering at sea in the tropical oceans. Taxonomy Its relationships are not fully resolved; i ...

, ''Stercorarius pomarinus'' (A) *

Parasitic jaeger The parasitic jaeger (''Stercorarius parasiticus''), also known as the Arctic skua, Arctic jaeger or parasitic skua, is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. It is a migratory species that breeds in Northern Scandinavia, Scotland, Iceland, ...

, ''Stercorarius parasiticus'' (A) *

Long-tailed jaeger The long-tailed skua or long-tailed jaeger (''Stercorarius longicaudus'') is a seabird in the skua family Stercorariidae. Etymology The word "jaeger" is derived from the German word ''Jäger'', meaning "hunter". The English word "skua" comes fr ...

, ''Stercorarius longicaudus'' (A)

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Order:

Family: Laridae Laridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the

gull Gulls, or colloquially seagulls, are seabirds of the family Laridae in the suborder Lari. They are most closely related to the terns and skimmers and only distantly related to auks, and even more distantly to waders. Until the 21st century, m ...

s, terns, and

skimmer Skimmer may refer to: Animals *Skimmer (bird), a common name for birds in the genus ''Rynchops'' *Skimmer (dragonfly), a common name for dragonflies in the family Libellulidae *Water strider or skimmer, a common name for insects in the family Ge ...

s. Gulls are typically grey or white, often with black markings on the head or wings. They have stout, longish bills and webbed feet. 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. Skimmers are a small family of tropical tern-like birds. They have an elongated lower mandible which they use to feed by flying low over the water surface and skimming the water for small fish. * Brown noddy, ''Anous stolidus'' *

Black noddy The black noddy or white-capped noddy (''Anous minutus'') is a seabird from the family Laridae. It is a medium-sized species of tern with black plumage and a white cap. It closely resembles the lesser noddy (''Anous tenuirostris'') with which it w ...

, ''Anous minutus'' *

Lesser noddy The lesser noddy (''Anous tenuirostris''), also known as the sooty noddy, is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is found near the coastlines of Comoros, Kenya, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, Sri Lanka and United Arab Emirates. ...

, ''Anous tenuirostris'' * White tern, ''Gygis alba'' *

Sooty tern The sooty tern (''Onychoprion fuscatus'') is a seabird in the family Laridae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans, returning to land only to breed on islands throughout the equatorial zone. Taxonomy The sooty tern was described by Carl Linnaeu ...

, ''Onychoprion fuscatus'' *

Bridled tern The bridled tern (''Onychoprion anaethetus'') is a seabird of the family Laridae. It is a bird of the tropical oceans. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus comes from ' meaning "claw" or "nail", and , meaning "saw". The specific ...

, ''Onychoprion anaethetus'' * Little tern, ''Sternula albifrons'' * Gull-billed tern, ''Gelochelidon nilotica'' * White-winged tern, ''Chlidonias leucopterus'' *

Whiskered tern The whiskered tern (''Chlidonias hybrida'') is a tern in the family Laridae. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''khelidonios'', "swallow-like", from ''khelidon'', "swallow". The specific ''hybridus'' is Latin for ''hybrid''; Peter Simon Palla ...

, ''Chlidonias hybrida'' (A) *

Roseate tern The roseate tern (''Sterna dougallii'') is a species of tern in the family Laridae. The genus name ''Sterna'' is derived from Old English "stearn", "tern", and the specific ''dougallii'' refers to Scottish physician and collector Dr Peter McDoug ...

, ''Sterna dougallii'' * Common tern, ''Sternula hirundo'' *

Arctic tern The Arctic tern (''Sterna paradisaea'') is a tern in the family Laridae. This bird has a circumpolar breeding distribution covering the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions of Europe (as far south as Brittany), Asia, and North America (as far south a ...

, ''Sternula paradisaea'' (A) * Great crested tern, ''Thalasseus bergii'' *

Lesser crested tern The lesser crested tern (''Thalasseus bengalensis'')Bridge, E. S.; Jones, A. W. & Baker, A. J. (2005)A phylogenetic framework for the terns (Sternini) inferred from mtDNA sequences: implications for taxonomy and plumage evolution. ''Molecular Ph ...

, ''Thalasseus bengalensis''

Tropicbirds

Order: PhaethontiformesFamily:

Phaethontidae Tropicbirds are a family, Phaethontidae, of tropical pelagic seabirds. They are the sole living representatives of the order Phaethontiformes. For many years they were considered part of the Pelecaniformes, but genetics indicates they are most cl ...

Tropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their long wings have black markings, as does the head. *

White-tailed tropicbird The white-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon lepturus'') is a tropicbird. It is the smallest of three closely related seabirds of the tropical oceans and smallest member of the order Phaethontiformes. It is found in the tropical Atlantic, western Paci ...

, ''Phaethon lepturus'' * Red-billed tropicbird, ''Phaethon aethereus'' (A) *

Red-tailed tropicbird The red-tailed tropicbird (''Phaethon rubricauda'') is a seabird native to tropical parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. One of three closely related species of tropicbird (Phaethontidae), it was described by Pieter Boddaert in 1783. Superfic ...

, ''Phaethon rubricauda''

Southern storm-petrels

Order:

Procellariiformes Procellariiformes is an order of seabirds that comprises four families: the albatrosses, the petrels and shearwaters, and two families of storm petrels. Formerly called Tubinares and still called tubenoses in English, procellariiforms are of ...

Family:

Oceanitidae Austral storm petrels, or southern storm petrels, are seabirds in the family Oceanitidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. These smallest of seabirds feed on planktonic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hove ...

The southern storm-petrels are the smallest seabirds, relatives of the petrels, feeding on

plankton Plankton are the diverse collection of organisms found in Hydrosphere, water (or atmosphere, air) that are unable to propel themselves against a Ocean current, current (or wind). The individual organisms constituting plankton are called plankt ...

ic crustaceans and small fish picked from the surface, typically while hovering. Their flight is fluttering and sometimes

bat Bats are mammals of the order Chiroptera.''cheir'', "hand" and πτερόν''pteron'', "wing". With their forelimbs adapted as wings, they are the only mammals capable of true and sustained flight. Bats are more agile in flight than most bi ...

-like. *

Wilson's storm-petrel Wilson's storm petrel (''Oceanites oceanicus''), also known as Wilson's petrel, is a small seabird of the austral storm petrel family Oceanitidae. It is one of the most abundant bird species in the world and has a circumpolar distribution mainly ...

, ''Oceanites oceanicus''

Northern storm-petrels

Order:

Family:

Hydrobatidae Northern storm petrels are seabirds in the genus ''Hydrobates'' in the family Hydrobatidae, part of the order Procellariiformes. The family was once lumped with the similar austral storm petrels in the combined storm petrels, but have been split ...

Though the members of this family are similar in many respects to the southern storm-petrels, including their general appearance and habits, there are enough genetic differences to warrant their placement in a separate family. *

Leach's storm-petrel Leach's storm petrel or Leach's petrel (''Hydrobates leucorhous'') is a small seabird of the tubenose order. It is named after the British zoologist William Elford Leach. The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek. ''Hydrobates'' is from ...

, ''Hydrobates leucorhous'' (A) *

Swinhoe's storm-petrel Swinhoe's storm petrel or Swinhoe's petrel (''Hydrobates monorhis'') is a small, all-brown seabird of the storm petrel family Hydrobatidae. Etymology The scientific name is derived from Ancient Greek. ''Hydrobates'' is from ''hydro'' "water", a ...

, ''Hydrobates monorhis'' (A) *

Matsudaira's storm-petrel Matsudaira's storm petrel (''Hydrobates matsudairae'') is a species of seabird in the family Hydrobatidae. It breeds solely in the Volcano Islands in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and winters in the Indian Ocean. Its common name and Latin binomi ...

, ''Hydrobates matsudairae''

Shearwaters and petrels

Order:

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

primary Primary or primaries may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Primary (band), from Australia * Primary (musician), hip hop musician and record producer from South Korea * Primary Music, Israeli record label Works * ...

flight feather. *

Trindade petrel The Trindade petrel (''Pterodroma arminjoniana'') is a species of seabird and a member of the gadfly petrels. The bird is in size, with an wingspan. The petrel has various color morphs: dark and light, as well as intermediates between the two. ...

, ''Pterodroma arminjoniana'' (A) * Bulwer's petrel, ''Bulweria bulwerii'' (A) *

Jouanin's petrel Jouanin's petrel (''Bulweria fallax'') is a species of seabird in the family Procellariidae. It is found throughout the northwestern Indian Ocean. Its natural habitats are open seas and shallow seas. It has been recorded breeding on Socotra ...

, ''Bulweria fallax'' (A) *

Tahiti petrel The Tahiti petrel (''Pseudobulweria rostrata'') is a species of seabird in the family Procellariidae. It is found in American Samoa, Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Mexico, New Caledonia, New Zealand, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Vanuatu, and p ...

, ''Pseudobulweria rostrata'' *

Streaked shearwater The streaked shearwater (''Calonectris leucomelas'') is a species of seabird. The adult bird averages in length, with a wingspan. Description The streaked shearwater feeds mainly on fish and squid. It follows fishing boats, attracted to ancho ...

, ''Calonectris leucomelas'' * Wedge-tailed shearwater, ''Ardenna pacifica'' *

Hutton's shearwater Hutton's shearwater (''Puffinus huttoni'') or the kaikōura tītī, is a medium-sized ocean-going seabird in the family Procellariidae. Its range is Australian and New Zealand waters, but it breeds only in mainland New Zealand. Its conservatio ...

, ''Puffinus huttoni''

Frigatebirds

Order: SuliformesFamily: Fregatidae Frigatebirds are large seabirds usually found over tropical oceans. They are large, black, or black-and-white, 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. *

Lesser frigatebird The lesser frigatebird (''Fregata ariel'') is a seabird of the frigatebird family Fregatidae. At around 75 cm (30 in) in length, it is the smallest species of frigatebird. It occurs over tropical and subtropical waters across the Indian ...

, ''Fregata ariel'' *

Great frigatebird The great frigatebird (''Fregata minor'') is a large seabird in the frigatebird family. There are major nesting populations in the tropical Pacific (including the Galapagos Islands) and Indian Oceans, as well as a tiny population in the South At ...

, ''Fregata minor''

Boobies and gannets

Order: SuliformesFamily: Sulidae The sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium-large coastal

seabird Seabirds (also known as marine birds) are birds that are adapted to life within the marine environment. While seabirds vary greatly in lifestyle, behaviour and physiology, they often exhibit striking convergent evolution, as the same enviro ...

s that plunge-dive for fish. *

Masked booby The masked booby (''Sula dactylatra''), also called the masked gannet or the blue-faced booby, is a large seabird of the booby and gannet family, Sulidae. First described by the French naturalist René-Primevère Lesson in 1831, the masked bo ...

, ''Sula dactylatra'' *

Brown booby The brown booby (''Sula leucogaster'') is a large seabird of the booby family Sulidae, of which it is perhaps the most common and widespread species. It has a pantropical range, which overlaps with that of other booby species. The gregarious brow ...

, ''Sula leucogaster'' *

Red-footed booby The red-footed booby (''Sula sula'') is a large seabird of the booby family, Sulidae. Adults always have red feet, but the colour of the plumage varies. They are powerful and agile fliers, but they are clumsy in takeoffs and landings. They are f ...

, ''Sula sula'' * Abbott's booby, ''Papasula abbotti'' (A)

Cormorants and shags

Order: SuliformesFamily: Phalacrocoracidae

Cormorant Phalacrocoracidae is a family of approximately 40 species of aquatic birds commonly known as cormorants and shags. Several different classifications of the family have been proposed, but in 2021 the IOC adopted a consensus taxonomy of seven ge ...

s are medium-to-large aquatic birds, usually with mainly dark plumage and areas of coloured skin on the face. The bill is long, thin and sharply hooked. Their feet are four-toed and webbed, a distinguishing feature among the order Pelecaniformes. *

Little pied cormorant The little pied cormorant, little shag or kawaupaka (''Microcarbo melanoleucos'') is a common Australasian waterbird, found around the coasts, islands, estuaries, and inland waters of Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Thailand, Myanmar, Singapo ...

, ''Microcarbo melanoleucos'' *

Little black cormorant The little black cormorant (''Phalacrocorax sulcirostris'') is a member of the cormorant family of seabirds. It is common in smaller rivers and lakes throughout most areas of Australia and northern New Zealand, where it is known as the little bl ...

, ''Phalacrocorax sulcirostris''

Pelicans

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Pelecanidae

Pelican Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before s ...

s are large water birds with distinctive pouches under their bills. Like other birds in the order Pelecaniformes, they have four webbed toes. * Australian pelican, ''Pelecanus conspicillatus''

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Order: PelecaniformesFamily: Ardeidae The family Ardeidae contains the bitterns,

heron The herons are long-legged, long-necked, freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae, with 72 recognised species, some of which are referred to as egrets or bitterns rather than herons. Members of the genera ''Botaurus'' and ''Ixobrychus ...

s, and

egret Egrets ( ) are herons, generally long-legged wading birds, that have white or buff plumage, developing fine plumes (usually milky white) during the breeding season. Egrets are not a biologically distinct group from herons and have the same build ...

s. 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. * Black bittern, ''Ixobrychus flavicollis'' (A) *

Great egret The great egret (''Ardea alba''), also known as the common egret, large egret, or (in the Old World) great white egret or great white heron is a large, widely distributed egret. The four subspecies are found in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and ...

, ''Ardea alba'' * Intermediate egret, ''Ardea intermedia'' * White-faced heron, ''Egretta novaehollandiae'' * Little egret, ''Egretta garzetta'' *

Pacific reef-heron The Pacific reef heron (''Egretta sacra''), also known as the eastern reef heron or eastern reef egret, is a species of heron found throughout southern Asia and Oceania. It occurs in two colour morphs with either slaty grey or pure white pluma ...

, ''Egretta sacra'' *

Cattle egret The cattle egret (''Bubulcus ibis'') is a cosmopolitan species of heron (family Ardeidae) found in the tropics, subtropics, and warm-temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus ''Bubulcus'', although some authorities regard it ...

, ''Bubulcus ibis'' * Striated heron, ''Butorides striata'' *

Black-crowned night-heron The black-crowned night heron (''Nycticorax nycticorax''), or black-capped night heron, commonly shortened to just night heron in Eurasia, is a medium-sized heron found throughout a large part of the world, including parts of Europe, Asia, and ...

, ''Nycticorax nycticorax'' (A) * Nankeen night-heron, ''Nycticorax caledonicus''

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Order: AccipitriformesFamily: Accipitridae Accipitridae is a family of birds of prey, which includes

hawk Hawks are bird of prey, birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. They are widely distributed and are found on all continents except Antarctica. * The subfamily Accipitrinae includes goshawks, sparrowhawks, sharp-shinned hawks and others. Th ...

eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, just ...

s, kites, harriers and

Old World vulture Old World vultures are vultures that are found in the Old World, i.e. the continents of Europe, Asia and Africa, and which belong to the family Accipitridae, which also includes eagles, buzzards, kites, and hawks. Old World vultures are not clos ...

s. These birds have powerful hooked beaks for tearing flesh from their prey, strong legs, powerful talons and keen eyesight. *

Letter-winged kite The letter-winged kite (''Elanus scriptus'') is a small, rare and Irruptive growth, irruptive bird of prey that is endemism, found only in Australia. Measuring around in length with a wingspan of , the adult letter-winged kite has predominantl ...

, ''Elanus scriptus'' * Swamp harrier, ''Circus approximans'' *

Spotted harrier The spotted harrier (''Circus assimilis'') also known as the smoke hawk, is a large Australasian bird of prey belonging to the family Accipitridae. Taxonomy The spotted harrier belongs to the family Accipitridae. Accipitridae is the largest fami ...

, ''Circus assimilis'' * Chinese sparrowhawk, ''Accipiter soloensis'' (A) * Brown goshawk, ''Accipiter fasciatus'' *

Japanese sparrowhawk The Japanese sparrowhawk (''Accipiter gularis'') is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae which also includes many other diurnal raptors such as eagles, buzzards and harriers. It breeds in China, Japan, Korea and Siberia; winters in Indones ...

, ''Accipiter gularis'' (A)

Barn-owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: 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 The barn owl (''Tyto alba'') is the most widely distributed species of owl in the world and one of the most widespread of all species of birds, being found almost everywhere except for the polar and desert regions, Asia north of the Himalaya ...

, ''Tyto alba''

Owls

Order: StrigiformesFamily: Strigidae The

typical owl The true owls or typical owls (family Strigidae) are one of the two generally accepted families of owls, the other being the barn owls (Tytonidae). This large family comprises 230 living or recently extinct species in 24 genera. The typical owl ...

s 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. *

Brown boobook The brown boobook (''Ninox scutulata''), also known as the brown hawk-owl, is an owl which is a resident breeder in south Asia from India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal east to western Indonesia and south China. This species is a part of the ...

, ''Ninox scutulata'' (A) *

Northern boobook The northern boobook (''Ninox japonica'') belongs to the family Strigidae (true owls) and is a raptorial owl endemic to eastern and southern countries of Asia. The species was considered, until recently, a conspecific of ''Ninox scutulata'' or br ...

, ''Ninox japonica'' (A)

Kingfishers

Order:

Coraciiformes The Coraciiformes are a group of usually colourful birds including the kingfishers, the bee-eaters, the rollers, the motmots, and the todies. They generally have syndactyly, with three forward-pointing toes (and toes 3 & 4 fused at their base) ...

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

Red-backed kingfisher The red-backed kingfisher (''Todiramphus pyrrhopygius'') is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue-green and white bird with a chestnut rump. It is found across the contine ...

, ''Todiramphus pyrrhopygius'' *

Forest kingfisher The forest kingfisher (''Todiramphus macleayii''), also known as Macleay's or the blue kingfisher, is a species of kingfisher in the subfamily Halcyoninae, also known as tree kingfishers. It is a predominantly blue and white bird. It is found in ...

, ''Todiramphus macleayii'' * Sacred kingfisher, ''Todiramphus sanctus'' *

Collared kingfisher The collared kingfisher (''Todiramphus chloris'') is a medium-sized kingfisher belonging to the subfamily Halcyoninae, the tree kingfishers. It is also known as the white-collared kingfisher, black-masked kingfisher or mangrove kingfisher. It has ...

, ''Todiramphus chloris'' (A)

Bee-eaters

Order:

Family:

Meropidae The bee-eaters are a group of non-passerine birds in the family Meropidae, containing three genera and thirty species. Most species are found in Africa and Asia, with a few in southern Europe, Australia, and New Guinea. They are characterised by ...

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. * Rainbow bee-eater, '' Merops ornatus''

Rollers

Order:

Family:

Coraciidae Coraciidae is a family of Old World birds, which is known as rollers because of the aerial acrobatics some of these birds perform during courtship or territorial flights. Rollers resemble crows in size and build, and share the colourful appearan ...

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. * Dollarbird, '' Eurystomus orientalis''

Falcons and caracaras

Order: FalconiformesFamily:

Falconidae The falcons and caracaras are around 60 species of diurnal birds of prey that make up the family Falconidae (representing all extant species in the order Falconiformes). The family is divided into three subfamilies, Herpetotherinae, which inclu ...

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. * Nankeen kestrel, ''Falco cenchroides'' *

Australian hobby The Australian hobby (''Falco longipennis''), also known as the little falcon, is one of six Australian members of the family Falconidae. This predominantly diurnal bird of prey derives its name ‘''longipennis''’ from its long primary wing f ...

, ''Falco longipennis'' (A) *

Peregrine falcon The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known as the peregrine, and historically as the duck hawk in North America, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (Bird of prey, raptor) in the family (biology), family Falco ...

, ''Falco peregrinus''

Honeyeaters

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Meliphagidae The honeyeaters are a large and diverse family of small to medium-sized birds most common in Australia and New Guinea. They are nectar feeders and closely resemble other nectar-feeding passerines. *

Rufous-throated honeyeater The rufous-throated honeyeater (''Conopophila rufogularis'') is a species of bird in the family Meliphagidae. It is endemic to northern Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical mangrove forest A forest is an area of land ...

, ''Conopophila rufogularis'' (A) *

Yellow chat The yellow chat (''Epthianura crocea'') is a small passerine bird endemic to Australia.Houston, W., Porter, G., O’Neill, P., and Elder, R. (2004). "The ecology of the critically endangered yellow chat Epthianura crocea macgregori on Curtis Isla ...

, ''Epthianura crocea'' (A)

Cuckooshrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Campephagidae The cuckooshrikes are small to medium-sized passerine birds. They are predominantly greyish with white and black, although some species are brightly coloured. *

Black-faced cuckooshrike The black-faced cuckooshrike (''Coracina novaehollandiae'') is a common omnivorous passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. It has a protected status in Australia, under the National Parks and Wildlife Act, 1974. They are wid ...

, ''Coracina novaehollandiae'' * White-winged triller, ''Lalage tricolor'' (A) * Common cicadabird, ''Edolisoma tenuirostre'' (A)

Fantails

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Rhipiduridae The family Rhipiduridae are small insectivorous birds of Australasia, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent that includes the fantails and silktails. Taxonomy and systematics There are four genera classified within the family: * Subfamily R ...

The fantails are small insectivorous birds which are specialist aerial feeders. *

Arafura fantail The Arafura fantail (''Rhipidura dryas''), sometimes known as the wood fantail, inhabits the Lesser Sunda Islands, the northern coast of Australia from the Kimberley to the western side of the Cape York Peninsula, including subcoastally in the To ...

, ''Rhipidura dryas''

Monarch flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Monarchidae The monarchs (family Monarchidae) comprise a family of over 100 passerine birds which includes shrikebills, paradise flycatchers, and magpie-larks. Monarchids are small insectivorous songbirds with long tails. They inhabit forest or woodland a ...

The monarch flycatchers are small to medium-sized insectivorous passerines which hunt by flycatching. * Island monarch, ''Monarcha cinerascens'' (A) *

Spectacled monarch The spectacled monarch (''Symposiachrus trivirgatus'') is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropic ...

, ''Symposiachrus trivirgatus'' (A) * Magpie-lark, ''Grallina cyanoleuca'' *

Broad-billed flycatcher The broad-billed flycatcher (''Myiagra ruficollis'') is a species of bird in the family Monarchidae. It is found in northern Australia, the Lesser Sunda Islands and southern New Guinea. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist ...

, ''Myiagra ruficollis'' (A)

Shrikes

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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. * Tiger shrike, ''Lanius tigrinus'' (A) * Brown shrike, ''Lanius cristatus'' (A)

Crows, jays, and magpies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Corvidae The family Corvidae includes crows,

raven A raven is any of several larger-bodied bird species of the genus ''Corvus''. These species do not form a single taxonomic group within the genus. There is no consistent distinction between "crows" and "ravens", common names which are assigned t ...

jay A jay is a member of a number of species of medium-sized, usually colorful and noisy, passerine birds in the Crow family (biology), family, Corvidae. The evolutionary relationships between the jays and the magpies are rather complex. For examp ...

chough There are two species of passerine birds commonly called chough ( ) that constitute the genus ''Pyrrhocorax'' of the Corvidae (crow) family of birds. These are the red-billed chough (''Pyrrhocorax pyrrhocorax''), and the Alpine chough (or yellow- ...

magpie Magpies are birds of the Corvidae family. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent creatures, and is one ...

s, treepies, nutcrackers and

ground jay The ground jays or ground choughs belong to a distinct group of the passerine order of birds in the genus ''Podoces'' of the crow family Corvidae. They inhabit high altitude semi-desert areas from central Asia to Mongolia. Ground jays show adapt ...

s. Corvids are above average in size among the Passeriformes, and some of the larger species show high levels of intelligence. *

Torresian crow The Torresian crow (''Corvus orru''), also called the Australian crow or Papuan crow, is a passerine bird in the crow family native to the north and west of Australia and nearby islands in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. The species has a black ...

, ''Corvus orru''

Reed warblers and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Acrocephalidae The members of this family are usually rather large for "warblers". Most are rather plain olivaceous brown above with much yellow to beige below. They are usually found in open woodland, reedbeds, or tall grass. The family occurs mostly in southern to western Eurasia and surroundings, but it also ranges far into the Pacific, with some species in Africa. *

Oriental reed warbler The Oriental reed warbler (''Acrocephalus orientalis'') is a passerine bird of eastern Asia belonging to the reed warbler genus '' Acrocephalus''. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the great reed warbler (''A. arundinaceus'') of the ...

, ''Acrocephalus orientalis'' (A) *

Australian reed warbler The Australian reed warbler (''Acrocephalus australis'') is an Old World warbler in the genus '' Acrocephalus'' and is the only ''Acrocephalus'' species native to Australia. It has also been observed in Papua New Guinea and nearby islands. The ...

, ''Acrocephalus australis''

Grassbirds and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Locustellidae Locustellidae is a newly recognized family of small insectivorous songbirds ("warblers"), formerly placed in the Old World warbler "wastebin" family. It contains the grass warblers, grassbirds, and the ''Bradypterus'' "bush warblers". These bird ...

Locustellidae are a family of small insectivorous songbirds found mainly in Eurasia, Africa, and the Australian region. They are smallish birds with tails that are usually long and pointed, and tend to be drab brownish or buffy all over. * Gray's grasshopper warbler, ''Helopsaltes fasciolatus'' (A) *

Pallas's grasshopper warbler Pallas's grasshopper warbler (''Helopsaltes certhiola''), also known as the rusty-rumped warbler, is an Old World warbler in the grass warbler genus ''Helopsaltes''. It breeds in the eastern Palearctic: from the Altai Mountains, Mongolia and Tra ...

, ''Helopsaltes certhiola'' (A) *

Middendorff's grasshopper warbler The Middendorff's grasshopper warbler (''Helopsaltes ochotensis'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Locustellidae. It breeds in eastern Siberia to northern Japan, Kamchatka Peninsula and northern Kuril Islands. It winters in the Phi ...

, ''Helopsaltes ochotensis'' (A) *

Brown songlark The brown songlark (''Cincloramphus cruralis''), also Australian songlark, is a small passerine bird found throughout much of Australia. A member of the family Locustellidae, this species is notable for sexual size dimorphism, among the most pron ...

, ''Cincloramphus cruralis'' (A) *

Tawny grassbird The tawny grassbird (''Cincloramphus timoriensis'') is a large songbird that is part of the grass- and bush-warbler family (Locustellidae) commonly found in grassland and reedbed habitats. It is streaked above and has a distinctive rich brown c ...

, ''Cincloramphus timoriensis''

Swallows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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. * Barn swallow, ''Hirundo rustica'' *

Red-rumped swallow The red-rumped swallow (''Cecropis daurica'') is a small passerine bird in the swallow family. It breeds in open hilly country of temperate southern Europe and Asia from Portugal and Spain to Japan, India, Sri Lanka and tropical Africa. The India ...

, ''Cecropis daurica'' (A) *

Fairy martin The fairy martin (''Petrochelidon ariel'') is a member of the swallow family of passerine birds which breeds in Australia. It is migratory wintering through most of Australia, with some birds reaching New Guinea and Indonesia. It is increasingly ...

, ''Petrochelidon ariel'' *

Tree martin The tree martin (''Petrochelidon nigricans'') is a member of the swallow family of passerine birds. It breeds in Australia, mostly south of latitude 20°S and on Timor island. It is migratory, wintering through most of Australia, New Guinea, Ind ...

, ''Petrochelidon nigricans''

Leaf warblers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Phylloscopidae Leaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into

Wallacea Wallacea is a biogeographical designation for a group of mainly Indonesian islands separated by deep-water straits from the Asian and Australian continental shelves. Wallacea includes Sulawesi, the largest island in the group, as well as Lo ...

and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with greyish-green to greyish-brown colours. *

Yellow-browed warbler The yellow-browed warbler (''Phylloscopus inornatus'') is a leaf warbler (family Phylloscopidae) which breeds in the east Palearctic. This warbler is strongly migratory and winters mainly in tropical South Asia and South-east Asia, but also in s ...

, ''Phylloscopus inornatus'' (A) *

Willow warbler The willow warbler (''Phylloscopus trochilus'') is a very common and widespread leaf warbler which breeds throughout northern and temperate Europe and the Palearctic, from Ireland east to the Anadyr River basin in eastern Siberia. It is strongly ...

, ''Phylloscopus trochilus'' (A) *

Eastern crowned warbler The eastern crowned warbler (''Phylloscopus coronatus'') is a species of Old World warbler in the family Phylloscopidae. It inhabits boreal and temperate forests in the east Palearctic. Description The eastern crowned warbler is a medium-sized, ...

, ''Phylloscopus coronatus'' (A) *

Arctic warbler The Arctic warbler (''Phylloscopus borealis'') is a widespread leaf warbler in birch or mixed birch forest near water throughout its breeding range in Fennoscandia and the northern Palearctic. It has established a foothold in North America, b ...

, ''Phylloscopus borealis'' (A) *

Kamchatka leaf warbler The Kamchatka leaf warbler (''Phylloscopus examinandus'') is a species of leaf warbler (family Phylloscopidae). It was formerly included in the "Old World warbler" assemblage. It is closely related to the Arctic warbler and the Japanese leaf warb ...

, ''Phylloscopus examinandus'' (A)

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Zosteropidae The white-eyes are small and mostly undistinguished, their plumage above being generally some dull colour like greenish-olive, but some species have a white or bright yellow throat, breast or lower parts, and several have buff flanks. As their name suggests, many species have a white ring around each eye. *

Ashy-bellied white-eye The ashy-bellied white-eye (''Zosterops citrinella'') is a species of bird in the family Zosteropidae found in the Lesser Sunda Islands and northern Cape York Peninsula. It is sometimes called the pale white-eye or pale-bellied white-eye, but s ...

, ''Zosterops citrinella'' (A) * Australian yellow white-eye, ''Zosterops luteus'' (A)

Starlings

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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. *

Chestnut-cheeked starling The chestnut-cheeked starling (''Agropsar philippensis'') is a species of starling in the family Sturnidae. It breeds in Japan and the Russian islands of Sakhalin and Kuriles; it winters in Taiwan, the Philippines and northern Borneo. The che ...

, ''Agropsar philippensis'' (A)

Old World flycatchers

Order: PasseriformesFamily: 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. * Gray-streaked flycatcher, ''Muscicapa griseisticta'' (A) * Dark-sided flycatcher, ''Muscicapa sibirica'' (A) *

Asian brown flycatcher The Asian brown flycatcher (''Muscicapa dauurica'') is a small passerine bird in the flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The word ''Muscicapa'' comes from the Latin ''musca'', a fly and ''capere'', to catch. The specific ''dauurica'' refers to Dau ...

, ''Muscicapa dauurica'' (A) *

Blue-and-white flycatcher The blue-and-white flycatcher (''Cyanoptila cyanomelana'') is a migratory songbird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. The species is also known as the Japanese flycatcher. It breeds in Japan, Korea, and in parts of north eastern Ch ...

, ''Cyanoptila cyanomelana'' (A) *

Siberian blue robin The Siberian blue robin (''Larvivora cyane'') is a small passerine bird that was formerly classified as a member of the thrush family, Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to belong to the Old World flycatcher family, Muscicapidae. It ...

, ''Larvivora cyane'' (A)

Waxbills and allies

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Estrildidae The estrildid finches are small passerine birds of the Old World tropics and

Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologica ...

. 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. *

Scaly-breasted munia The scaly-breasted munia or spotted munia (''Lonchura punctulata''), known in the pet trade as nutmeg mannikin or spice finch, is a sparrow-sized estrildid finch native to tropical Asia. A species of the genus ''Lonchura'', it was formally desc ...

, ''Lonchura punctulata'' * Pale-headed munia, ''Lonchura pallida'' (A)

Old World sparrows

Order: PasseriformesFamily: Passeridae Old World 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. *

Eurasian tree sparrow The Eurasian tree sparrow (''Passer montanus'') is a passerine bird in the sparrow family with a rich chestnut crown and nape, and a black patch on each pure white cheek. The sexes are similarly plumaged, and young birds are a duller version ...

, ''Passer montanus'' (I)

Wagtails and pipits

Order: PasseriformesFamily:

Motacillidae The wagtails, longclaws, and pipits are a family, Motacillidae, of small passerine birds with medium to long tails. Around 70 species occur in five genera. The longclaws are entirely restricted to the Afrotropics, and the wagtails are predominan ...

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. *

Gray wagtail The grey wagtail (''Motacilla cinerea'') is a member of the wagtail family, Motacillidae, measuring around 18–19 cm overall length. The species looks somewhat similar to the yellow wagtail but has the yellow on its underside restricted to ...

, ''Motacilla cinerea'' (A) *

Eastern yellow wagtail The eastern yellow wagtail (''Motacilla tschutschensis'') is a small passerine in the wagtail family Motacillidae, which also includes the pipits and longclaws. It was often classified as a subspecies of the Western yellow wagtail. This species ...

, ''Motacilla tschutschensis'' (A) *

Pechora pipit The Pechora pipit (''Anthus gustavi'') is a small passerine bird which breeds in the East Palearctic tundra and densely vegetated areas near river banks ranges from the Pechora River to the Chukchi Peninsula. It also breeds in Kamchatka and the ...

, '' Anthus gustavi'' (A)

References

* *{{cite book , title=Birds of the World: a Checklist , first= James F. , last = Clements , publisher = Cornell University Press , year = 2000 , isbn = 0-934797-16-1 , pages = 880

Ashmore Ashmore is a village and civil parish in the North Dorset district of Dorset, England, southwest of Salisbury. The village is centred on a circular pond and has a church and several stone cottages and farms, many with thatched roofs. It is ...

Biota of Ashmore and Cartier Islands

Magpie goose

Ducks, geese, and waterfowl

Pigeons and doves

Cuckoos

Nightjars and allies

Swifts

Rails, gallinules, and coots

Thick-knees

Stilts and avocets

Plovers and lapwings

Sandpipers and allies

Buttonquail

Pratincoles and coursers

Skuas and jaegers

Gulls, terns, and skimmers

Tropicbirds

Southern storm-petrels

Northern storm-petrels

Shearwaters and petrels

Frigatebirds

Boobies and gannets

Cormorants and shags

Pelicans

Herons, egrets, and bitterns

Hawks, eagles, and kites

Barn-owls

Owls

Kingfishers

Bee-eaters

Rollers

Falcons and caracaras

Honeyeaters

Cuckooshrikes

Fantails

Monarch flycatchers

Shrikes

Crows, jays, and magpies

Reed warblers and allies

Grassbirds and allies

Swallows

Leaf warblers

White-eyes, yuhinas, and allies

Starlings

Old World flycatchers

Waxbills and allies

Old World sparrows

Wagtails and pipits

See also

References