List of birds of Lakshadweep
This article lists the species of bird found in Lakshadweep. 134 species of birds have been sighted on the islands. The state bird of Lakshadweep is the brown noddy. This list's taxonomic treatment and nomenclature follow the conventions of the IOC World Bird List, version 11.2. This list also uses British English throughout. Any bird names or other wording follows that convention.
The following tags have been used to highlight several categories. The commonly occurring native species do not fit within any of these categories.
- Accidental - also known as a rarity, it refers to a species that rarely or accidentally occurs in Lakshadweep - typically less than ten confirmed records
- Introduced - a species introduced to Lakshadweep as a consequence, direct or indirect, of human actions.
Ducks, geese and swans
Order: Anseriformes Family: AnatidaeAnatidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Ruddy shelduck | Tadorna ferruginea | |
| Garganey | Spatula querquedula | |
| Northern pintail | Anas acuta | |
| Eurasian teal | Anas crecca | |
| Tufted duck | Aythya fuligula |
Pigeons and doves
Order: Columbiformes Family: ColumbidaePigeons and doves are stout-bodied birds with short necks and short slender bills with a fleshy cere.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Rock dove | Columba livia | |
| Oriental turtle dove | Streptopelia orientalis |
Cuckoos
Order: Cuculiformes Family: CuculidaeThe family Cuculidae includes cuckoos, roadrunners and anis. These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Many are brood parasites.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Jacobin cuckoo | Clamator jacobinus | |
| Asian koel | Eudynamys scolopaceus | |
| Grey-bellied cuckoo | Cacomantis passerinus | |
| Common cuckoo | Cuculus canorus |
Nightjars
Order: Caprimulgiformes Family: CaprimulgidaeNightjars 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| European nightjar | Caprimulgus europaeus |
Swifts
Order: Apodiformes Family: ApodidaeSwifts 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Common swift | Apus apus | |
| Little swift | Apus affinis |
Rails, crakes and coots
Order: Gruiformes Family: RallidaeRallidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Eurasian moorhen | Gallina chloropus | |
| Eurasian coot | Fulica atra | |
| Watercock | Gallicrex cinerea | |
| White-breasted waterhen | Amaurornis phoenicurus | |
| Baillon's crake | Zapornia pusilla |
Stilts and avocets
Order: Charadriiformes Family: RecurvirostridaeRecurvirostridae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Black-winged stilt | Himantopus himantopus |
Plovers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: CharadriidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Pacific golden plover | Pluvialis fulva | |
| Grey plover | Pluvialis squatarola | Vulnerable |
| Caspian plover | Anarhynchus asiaticus | |
| Kentish plover | Charadrius alexandrinus | |
| Siberian sand plover | Charadrius mongolus | Endangered |
| Tibetan sand plover | Charadrius atrifrons | |
| Greater sand plover | Charadrius leschenaultii |
Sandpipers and snipes
Order: Charadriiformes Family: ScolopacidaeScolopacidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Eurasian whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | |
| Eurasian curlew | Numenius arquata | Near-threatened |
| Bar-tailed godwit | Limosa lapponica | Near-threatened |
| Black-tailed godwit | Limosa limosa | Near-threatened |
| Ruddy turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Near-threatened |
| Curlew sandpiper | Calidris ferruginea | Vulnerable |
| Temminck's stint | Calidris temminckii | |
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | |
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | Near-threatened |
| Little stint | Calidris minuta | |
| Common snipe | Gallinago gallinago | |
| Terek sandpiper | Xenus cinereus | |
| Common sandpiper | Actitis hypoleucos | |
| Green sandpiper | Tringa ochropus | |
| Common redshank | Tringa totanus | |
| Marsh sandpiper | Tringa stagnatilis | |
| Wood sandpiper | Tringa glareola | |
| Common greenshank | Tringa nebularia |
Crab-plover
Order: Charadriiformes Family: DromadidaeThe crab-plover is related to the waders. It resembles a plover but with very long grey legs and a strong heavy black bill similar to a tern. It has black-and-white plumage, a long neck, partially webbed feet and a bill designed for eating crabs.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Crab-plover | Dromas ardeola |
Coursers and pratincoles
Order: Charadriiformes Family: GlareolidaeGlareolidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Collared pratincole | Glareola pratincola | |
| Oriental pratincole | Glareola maldivarum |
Skuas
Order: Charadriiformes Family: StercorariidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Pomarine jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus |
Gulls, terns and skimmers
Order: Charadriiformes Family: LaridaeLaridae is a family of medium to large seabirds, the gulls, terns, and skimmers. 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Brown noddy | Anous stolidus | |
| Black noddy | Anous minutus | |
| Lesser black-backed gull | Larus fuscus | |
| Gull-billed tern | Gelochelidon nilotica | |
| Greater crested tern | Thalasseus bergii | |
| Lesser crested tern | Thalasseus bengalensis | |
| Little tern | Sternula albifrons | |
| Bridled tern | Onychoprion anaethetus | |
| Sooty tern | Onychoprion fuscatus | |
| Common tern | Sterna hirundo | |
| White-cheeked tern | Sterna repressa | |
| Whiskered tern | Chlidonias hybrida | |
| Saunders's tern | Sternula saundersi | |
| Caspian tern | Hydroprogne caspia |
Tropicbirds
Order: Phaethontiformes Family: PhaethontidaeTropicbirds are slender white birds of tropical oceans, with exceptionally long central tail feathers. Their heads and long wings have black markings.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Red-billed tropicbird | Phaethon aethereus | |
| White-tailed tropicbird | Phaethon lepturus |
Austral storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: OceanitidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Wilson's storm petrel | Oceanites oceanicus | |
| White-faced storm petrel | Pelagodroma marina | |
| Black-bellied storm petrel | Fregetta tropica |
Northern storm petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: HydrobatidaeThe northern 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Swinhoe's storm petrel | Hydrobates monorhis | Near-threatened |
Petrels, shearwaters and diving petrels
Order: Procellariiformes Family: ProcellariidaeThe procellariids are the main group of medium-sized "true petrels", characterised by united nostrils with medium septum and a long outer functional primary.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Barau's petrel | Pterodroma baraui | Endangered |
| Flesh-footed shearwater | Ardenna carneipes | Near-threatened |
| Jouanin's petrel | Bulweria fallax | Near-threatened |
Frigatebirds
Order: Suliformes Family: FregatidaeFrigatebirds 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Lesser frigatebird | Fregata ariel |
Gannets and boobies
Order: Suliformes Family: SulidaeThe sulids comprise the gannets and boobies. Both groups are medium to large coastal seabirds that plunge-dive for fish.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Masked booby | Sula dactylatra | |
| Brown booby | Sula leucogaster |
Cormorants and shags
Order: Suliformes Family: PhalacrocoracidaePhalacrocoracidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Great cormorant | Phalacrocorax carbo |
Ibises and spoonbills
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: ThreskiornithidaeThreskiornithidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Glossy ibis | Plegadis falcinellus |
Herons and bitterns
Order: Pelecaniformes Family: ArdeidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Eurasian bittern | Botaurus stellaris | |
| Yellow bittern | Botaurus sinensis | |
| Cinnamon bittern | Botaurus cinnamomeus | |
| Black bittern | Botaurus flavicollis | |
| Black-crowned night heron | Nycticorax nycticorax | |
| Striated heron | Butorides striata | |
| Indian pond heron | Ardeola grayii | |
| Eastern cattle egret | Ardea coromandus | |
| Grey heron | Ardea cinerea | |
| Purple heron | Ardea purpurea | |
| Great egret | Ardea alba | |
| Medium egret | Ardea intermedia | |
| Little egret | Egretta garzetta | |
| Western reef heron | Egretta gularis |
Osprey
Order: Accipitriformes Family: PandionidaeThe family Pandionidae contains usually only one species, the osprey. The osprey is a medium-large raptor which is a specialist fish-eater with most taxonomic authorities consider a worldwide distribution.
Hawks, eagles and kites
Order: Accipitriformes Family: AccipitridaeAccipitridae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Black-winged kite | Elanus caeruleus | |
| Crested honey buzzard | Pernis ptilorhynchus | |
| Shikra | Tachyspiza badia | |
| Black kite | Milvus migrans | |
| Brahminy kite | Haliastur indus | |
| White-bellied sea eagle | Icthyophaga leucogaster |
Barn owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: TytonidaeBarn owls are medium to large owls with large heads and characteristic heart-shaped faces. They have long strong legs with powerful talons.
Owls
Order: Strigiformes Family: StrigidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Pallid scops owl | Otus brucei | |
| Brown wood owl | Strix leptogrammica | Extirpated |
Hoopoes
Order: Bucerotiformes Family: UpupidaeHoopoes have black, white and orangey-pink colouring with a large erectile crest on their head. There is one species which occurs in India.
Bee-eaters
Order: Coraciiformes Family: MeropidaeThe 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 colorful and have long downturned bills and pointed wings, which give them a swallow-like appearance when seen from afar.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Blue-cheeked bee-eater | Merops persicus | |
| European bee-eater | Merops apiaster |
Kingfishers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: AlcedinidaeKingfishers are medium-sized birds with large heads, long, pointed bills, short legs and stubby tails.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Common kingfisher | Alcedo atthis | |
| White-throated kingfisher | Halcyon smyrnensis |
Rollers
Order: Coraciiformes Family: CoraciidaeRollers 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 at the base, but the outer toe is not.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Indian roller | Coracias benghalensis | |
| European roller | Coracias garrulus |
Kestrels and falcons
Order: Falconiformes Family: FalconidaeFalconidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Common kestrel | Falco tinnunculus | |
| Peregrine falcon | Falco peregrinus |
Old World parakeets
Order: Psittaciformes Family: PsittaculidaeCharacteristic features of parrots include a strong curved bill, an upright stance, strong legs, and clawed zygodactyl feet. Many parrots are vividly coloured, and some are multi-coloured. In size they range from 8 cm to 1 m in length. Old World parrots are found from Africa east across south and southeast Asia and Oceania to Australia and New Zealand.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Rose-ringed parakeet | Psittacula krameri |
Pittas
Order: Passeriformes Family: PittidaePittas are medium-sized by passerine standards and are stocky, with fairly long, strong legs, short tails and stout bills. Many are brightly coloured. They spend the majority of their time on wet forest floors, eating snails, insects and similar invertebrates.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Indian pitta | Pitta brachyura |
Orioles, figbirds and turnagra
Order: Passeriformes Family: OriolidaeThe Old World orioles are colourful passerine birds. They are not related to the New World orioles.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Indian golden oriole | Oriolus kundoo |
Drongos
Order: Passeriformes Family: DicruridaeThe drongos are mostly black or dark grey in colour, sometimes with metallic tints. They have long forked tails, and some Asian species have elaborate tail decorations. They have short legs and sit very upright when perched, like a shrike. They flycatch or take prey from the ground.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Ashy drongo | Dicrurus leucophaeus |
Shrikes
Order: Passeriformes Family: LaniidaeShrikes 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.
Crows and ravens
Order: Passeriformes Family: CorvidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| House crow | Corvus splendens |
Larks
Order: Passeriformes Family: AlaudidaeLarks are small terrestrial birds with often extravagant songs and display flights. Most larks are fairly dull in appearance. Their food is insects and seeds.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Mongolian short-toed lark | Calandrella dukhunensis |
Reed warblers and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: AcrocephalidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Blyth's reed warbler | Acrocephalus dumetorum |
Swallows and martins
Order: Passeriformes Family: HirundinidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Barn swallow | Hirundo rustica | |
| Sand martin | Riparia riparia |
Leaf warblers and allies
Order: Passeriformes Family: PhylloscopidaeLeaf warblers are a family of small insectivorous birds found mostly in Eurasia and ranging into Wallacea and Africa. The species are of various sizes, often green-plumaged above and yellow below, or more subdued with grayish-green to grayish-brown colors.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Greenish warbler | Phylloscopus trochiloides | |
| Common chiffchaff | Phylloscopus collybita |
White-eyes
Order: Passeriformes Family: ZosteropidaeThe 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Indian white-eye | Zosterops palpebrosus |
Starlings and rhabdornis
Order: Passeriformes Family: SturnidaeStarlings 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.
Old world flycatchers
Order: Passeriformes Family: MuscicapidaeOld 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Asian brown flycatcher | Muscicapa dauurica | |
| Spotted flycatcher | Muscicapa striata | |
| Pied bushchat | Saxicola caprata |
Wagtails and pipits
Order: Passeriformes Family: MotacillidaeMotacillidae 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Forest wagtail | Dendronanthus indicus | |
| Western yellow wagtail | Motacilla flava | |
| Grey wagtail | Motacilla cinerea | |
| White wagtail | Motacilla alba | |
| Paddyfield pipit | Anthus rufulus | |
| Tree pipit | Anthus trivialis | |
| Red-throated pipit | Anthus cervinus | - |
Finches and euphonias
Order: Passeriformes Family: FringillidaeFinches 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.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Common rosefinch | Carpodacus erythrinus |
Buntings
Order: Passeriformes Family: EmberizidaeThe emberizids are a large family of passerine birds. They are seed-eating birds with distinctively shaped bills. Many emberizid species have distinctive head patterns.
| Common name | Binomial | Comments |
| Black-headed bunting | Emberiza melanocephala | - |